The proportion was significantly higher than those who received the special measure in state schools where the figure is fewer than one in eight. The difference has come to light following an analysis of official exam data by BBC Radio 4's Today programme. Exams watchdog Ofqual said this may be because of the readiness of schools to find students entitled to more time. HMC, a group representing independent schools, said the higher rate was down to "proper resourcing" which it said "can be be lacking in state maintained schools". But the head teacher of a comprehensive school in Suffolk said the different rates raised "serious questions". Students receive extra time, typically more than three hours to complete a two-and-a-half hour exam, because of special needs or disabilities like dyslexia. The system has previously faced claims that better resourced schools may be more likely to receive the measure, which is available as part of rules to ensure a level playing field for exam candidates. Last year in GCSE and A-level exams, extra time was awarded to more than 27,000 independent school students - which represented nearly 20% of all candidates in the sector. In state institutions, around 200,000 students received extra time, which represented less than 12% of all state sector students taking the exams. The total number of students awarded extra time in England, Wales and Northern Ireland has increased every year since 2011. Ofqual has previously introduced measures to try to reduce requests for so-called Access Arrangements after claims the system was being abused. The Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) which represents the UK's biggest exam boards, said it was important the arrangements were approved only for those who needed them. In a statement, it said: "There's a rigorous process to ensure this, including annual inspections, and we review this process every year. "Fairness is ensured by the process being the same, irrespective of location or type of school or college." Geoff Barton, head teacher of King Edward VI comprehensive school in Bury St Edmunds, blamed a "high stakes" accountability system including results and league tables for influencing schools' use of the measure. He said: "Whether they are getting special consideration does seem to be something that isn't only done in the interests of the youngster, but also can have an effect for the school. "So there's no surprise that schools will reflect on that as they are planning the exam season." He added: "What the data does is to raise some serious questions for schools." Peter Hamilton, HMC's academic policy spokesman and headmaster of Harberdashers' Aske's Boys' School in Borehamwood, said the independent sector was able to apply for help for pupils "because of ever-improving monitoring and awareness of special needs". He said: "We are also fortunate to have proper resourcing and specialist departments, which can be lacking in state maintained schools. "All heads want to see learning support staff given the time and money necessary to ensure all pupils are able to claim their rights." The watchdog said the data did indicate some variation between types of examination centres.

Summary: One in five students in independent schools received extra time to complete GCSE and A-level exams last year.


"CETA is done and we will not reopen it," said EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom. Ms Malmstrom was speaking as EU trade ministers met in Slovakia to discuss CETA and a similar deal with the US, TTIP, which has also faced criticism. A draft CETA deal has been agreed, but parliaments could still delay it. Thousands of activists protested against CETA and TTIP in Germany on Saturday and thousands more in Brussels - outside the EU's headquarters - on Tuesday. Activists fear that the deals could water down European standards in the key areas of workers' rights, public health and the environment. There is also great anxiety about proposed special courts where investors will be able to sue governments if they feel that legislation hurts their business unfairly. Critics say the mere existence of such courts - an alternative to national courts - will have a "chilling" effect on policymakers, leading to slacker regulation on the environment and welfare. Would CETA be a good model for the UK? European Parliament briefing on CETA TTIP: The EU-US trade deal explained Are US-Europe TTIP trade talks tanking? Ms Malmstrom said CETA would dominate Friday's meeting in Bratislava. The Commission hopes the deal can be signed with Canada at the end of October, so that it can then go to the European Parliament for ratification. But it will also need to be ratified by national parliaments across the EU. "What we are discussing with the Canadians is if we should make some clarifications, a declaration so that we can cover some of those concerns," Ms Malmstrom said. She acknowledged fears in some countries that politicians might see their "the right to regulate" diluted. "Maybe that [right] needs to be even clearer in a declaration," she said, admitting that the CETA negotiations were still "difficult". Karoline Graswander-Hainz, an Austrian Socialist MEP, said the EU's top court - the European Court of Justice - must first examine the proposed Investment Court System (ICS) to check its legality. CETA holds "great risks" for Europe, she warned, adding that some of her fellow MEPs thought likewise. German Vice-Chancellor and Economy Minister Sigmar Gabriel called CETA "a model for future deals". But he was pessimistic about TTIP. "The Americans were not prepared to make Europe offers that Canada made, and so there will definitely not be a [TTIP] deal this year," he said. Supporters of CETA and TTIP say such deals could set global trade standards, warning that failure could mean China setting the standards. CETA and TTIP promise to remove tariffs and non-tariff barriers, boosting growth on both sides of the Atlantic, free trade advocates say.

Summary: The European Commission has ruled that a controversial EU-Canada free trade deal - CETA - cannot be renegotiated, despite much opposition in Europe.


The 24-year-old striker, who scored 25 Premier League goals last season, turned down the most lucrative contract offer in Everton's history in March. "I don't want to stay at the same level. I want to improve and I know where I want to do that," Belgian Lukaku said on Monday. Former club Chelsea, who he originally signed for in 2011, remain favourites to complete a deal for Lukaku. The Premier League champions, Manchester United and Bayern Munich have been linked with a move for Lukaku, who has been at Everton since 2013. "We are now talking to the club. I know what's happening, but I will leave the talks to my agent," he added to journalists after Belgium beat the Czech Republic in a friendly in Brussels. "I know what's happening, but I can't tell you anything more. "What I would like most is to play in the Champions League and try to win the Premier League once. Or better - a few times." Lukaku is represented by Mino Raiola, the agent who helped negotiate Paul Pogba's £89m move to Manchester United last summer.

Summary: Everton's Romelu Lukaku has decided where he wants to play next season.


The Blues started their title defence with a 2-0 win over Carrick while Ards were beaten 6-3 by the Reds. "Ards had a disappointing result so they will be eager to put that right - it will be tough for us," said Mulgrew. "They gave us a hard match at their place last season so we know we have to be on top of our game." The Bangor Fuels Arena encounter is part of a full Premiership programme on Tuesday night. Crusaders began their bid for a third Gibson Cup success in four seasons by defeating Ballymena United 4-1 at the Showgrounds on Friday night. Paul Heatley bagged a double and the winger is upbeat for a Seaview meeting with Warrenpoint Town, who lost 3-2 to Glenavon on their return to the top flight. "Warrenpoint have done fantastic to come back up straight away," said Heatley. "They will work hard, they'll be well drilled and disciplined and tactically they will have looked very closely at our team. "But we have dynamism in our team and versatility with our players - will will go into the game with a lot of confidence." Cliftronville also caught the eye at the weekend with Barry Gray enjoying a winning start to his managerial reign at Solitude. The Reds will travel to face a Coleraine side missing the suspended Steven Douglas after his dismissal in Saturday's 3-1 win at Dungannon Swifts. Dungannon keeper Andy Coleman was also sent-off in the game so he is banned for the visit to Glentoran. Glenavon will hope to build on their win at Warrenpoint in the Mourneview Park game against Ballinamallard United. Ballymena and Carrick will be eager to chalk up a first win of the campaign when they meet at Belfast Loughshore Arena.

Summary: Linfield captain Jamie Mulgrew says the champions will face an Ards side determined to bounce back from an opening day thumping at Cliftonville.


David Cameron has refused to take part in the debates unless the Green Party is included. Mr Clegg told the BBC he thought the debates would go ahead, but suggested the proposed format needed to change. Earlier this week Mr Clegg, the deputy prime minister, said the broadcasters should grow a "backbone" and push ahead without Mr Cameron if necessary. The plans put forward by the BBC, Sky News, ITV and Channel 4 in October would include the Conservatives, Labour, Liberal Democrats and UKIP. One would feature a head-to-head between Mr Cameron and Labour leader Ed Miliband, another would also include Mr Clegg, and the third would feature the leaders of the Tories, Labour, Lib Dems and UKIP. The suggested schedule is for debates on 2 April, 16 April and 30 April, ahead of the UK-wide poll on 7 May. Mr Cameron has said all "national parties" must be represented at the live televised pre-election debates - which were first introduced for the 2010 general election. Labour leader Ed Miliband has said it was a "pathetic excuse" to avoid the debates, but Mr Cameron said Mr Miliband was "chickening" out of debating the Greens. On the BBC's Andrew Marr show on Sunday, Mr Clegg said Labour and the Conservatives were using the Greens as an "alibi" to block the debates. "They want to put the genie back in the bottle. They want to run things as they've done before. I think it's too late," he said. Mr Clegg, Mr Miliband and UKIP leader Nigel Farage have written to the prime minister saying it would be "unacceptable" for him not to appear. In separate but identical letters sent earlier this week they urged the broadcasters to press ahead with the debate before the general election. Mr Clegg said: "The broadcasters need to come forward with other proposals because clearly the current one - which I'm not wildly happy about because it excludes me as a leader of a governing party - so they need to come forward with a proposal. "I'll get my soapbox out any day of the week." Asked by Green Party in England and Wales leader Natalie Bennett - who was also on the programme - whether he would lobby for her party to be included, Mr Clegg said it was not for politicians to tell the broadcasters what to do. Ms Bennett says the polls and public opinion support the argument for the Greens to be included.

Summary: Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg has said the broadcasters should come up with "other proposals" for the TV election debates.


Albert II warned against the dangers of populists seeking scapegoats for current economic difficulties. Flemish separatist leader Bart De Wever assumed the remarks were aimed at him and said he had overstepped his role. Belgian political experts and commentators argued that the broadcast had intervened in political debate. In his broadcast, the king said that "in these troubled times we live in, we should remain vigilant and see through populist arguments". Populists were, he said, "trying to find scapegoats for the crisis, whether foreigners or compatriots from another part of the country". Such thinking persisted in Belgium as much as in other European countries and "the crisis of the 1930s and the populist reactions of that time must not be forgotten", the king said. Belgium has a deepening divide between its Flemish (Dutch-speaking) north and French-speaking south, and there has been speculation that the country could ultimately break up. Mr De Wever, whose New Flemish Alliance (N-VA) party made big gains in elections in October and is now the biggest political force in Flemish-speaking Flanders, accused the king of "implicitly" referring to the N-VA in his speech. In a newspaper article in De Standaard, he accused the king of choosing "the path of a royalty of division", adding in a later broadcast interview that he could no longer see the monarch as playing the constitutional role of referee. On Belgian radio he accused Belgium's French-speaking PM, Elio Di Rupo, of "hiding behind the throne", arguing that he must have seen an advance copy of the speech and given it the green light. "[Di Rupo] won't say I'm a fascist but apparently believes it and lets the king say it," Mr De Wever said. The separatist leader also took a swipe at a predecessor of Albert's, Belgium's wartime King Leopold III (then a prisoner of war), who met Adolf Hitler "for coffee" at Berchtesgaden in Bavaria in 1940 and took Belgium "to the brink of civil war". Mr De Wever's angry remarks followed a series of objections from political commentators and academics. Prof Carl Devos of Ghent University said that the passage of the speech should have been dropped, while monarchy expert Prof Mark Van den Wijngaert said a comparison with the 30s was "a bridge too far". But another Flemish political leader, socialist Bruno Tobback, said the monarch was merely expressing what other European heads of state had said in their Christmas messages. Sociologist Benoit Scheuer told La Libre Belgique that it was fine for the king to warn of the dangers of populism, although he believed the major democratic parties should speak out as well. King Albert has taken a strong position before on Belgium's political difficulties and the monarch does traditionally play a role in attempting to resolve constitutional problems. In July 2011, Albert gave an emotional televised address, appealing to political leaders to display "modern citizenship" to bring an end to a drawn-out crisis, which left the country without an elected government for a world-record one-and-a-half years. In an apparent foretaste of his controversial Christmas message, the king warned

Summary: The Belgian king has provoked a sharp response to a Christmas message in which he drew parallels with the rise of fascism in the 1930s.


Max Power's scuffed shot allowed Grigg to pounce and nod the Latics ahead. Yanic Wildschut hit the bar for the hosts before Nick Powell curled a free-kick from 25 yards into the top corner to double their advantage. Michael Jacobs' cross then caused havoc before defender Shane Duffy bundled the ball into his own net to make it 3-0. Gary Caldwell's Latics, who announced the signing of Shaun MacDonald from Bournemouth before kick-off, earned their first win of the season in their first home game of the campaign. Rovers' second defeat in as many league games this season, leaving them without a point under boss Owen Coyle. Former Burnley, Bolton and Wigan boss Coyle was facing the Latics for the first time since he left the club in December 2013 after less than six months in charge. But Wigan only compounded his side's poor start to the season, in which Rovers are bottom, having now conceded seven goals in two matches. The visitors rarely threatened, their first shot on target not coming until the 85th minute as Wigan comfortably extended their unbeaten run against Blackburn at the DW Stadium to eight games. Wigan Athletic manager Gary Caldwell: "It was total dominance from us. It should have been more than 2-0 at half-time, and that was the only frustrating aspect. But, in terms of the way we played, the way we went about our business - with and without the ball - that was us at our best. "We can take a lot from that game in terms of belief. We know that against good sides, Championship sides, at our best we're a real threat. "For the first 45 minutes, I don't think there would have been many better performances up and down the country. "Our pressing was incredible, our energy was incredible, and we showed real belief with the way we passed the ball. "It could have been four or five at half-time." Blackburn boss Owen Coyle: "It doesn't matter whether it was a return to the DW, or a game against Newcastle or whoever. What was important was us trying to win a game of football. "And, if truth be told, looking at their goals, we never gave ourselves a real opportunity to do that. "As much as Wigan had their tails up at the beginning, the first goal was from a mis-hit shot, and their lad's put a fantastic reaction header into the top corner. "At 1-0 you've obviously got to try and find a way back in and then they score from a free-kick, when we probably should have had a free-kick that wasn't given. Jason Steele will probably feel that on another day he would have saved that." Match ends, Wigan Athletic 3, Blackburn Rovers 0. Second Half ends, Wigan Athletic 3, Blackburn Rovers 0. Attempt blocked. Max Power (Wigan Athletic) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Yanic Wildschut. Stephen Warnock (Wigan Athletic) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Foul by Sam Gallagher (Blackburn Rovers). Attempt blocked. Yanic Wildschut (Wigan Athletic)

Summary: Will Grigg scored his first league goal of the season as Wigan Athletic beat Blackburn to claim their first victory since returning to the Championship.


A selection of photos from across the African continent this week:

Summary: Images courtesy of AFP, AP, EPA and Reuters


It carries the simple name e-Delicious, and it takes the form of a box about the size of a large printer, containing sensors, and some computer circuitry, which act as an electronic tongue and nose. It was developed by Thailand's National Innovation Agency, at a total cost of $1m (£640,000), after former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinwatra complained about the poor versions of Thai food she was subjected to during her overseas trips. A Thai Delicious committee was formed - a bit like the French Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée for food and wine - and around 200 people were invited to sample different versions of classic Thai dishes like tom yum gung (sour prawn soup) and kaeng khiao wan (green curry). Whichever version was the consensus winner was taken as the standard, although the designers acknowledge that as the sampling was done in Bangkok, inevitably their standards for now are Bangkok versions. The e-Delicious machine has nine sensors in it to measure the balance of six Thai flavours - sweet, sour, bitter, salty, savoury and spicy - and the food's aroma. There is also a sensor to assess the dish's visual presentation, which is always very important in Thai cooking. But can it actually tell you if the dish is any good? "The machine can't tell you if something is delicious or not," says Nakah Thawichawatt, an entrepreneur who carries the grand title of Innovation Ambassador. "The sensors give a taste-reading that we can understand. So if we like a certain taste, but can't explain what that taste is to someone else, the machine will able to decipher it, and record the data as a standard for other dishes." We decided to give the e-Delicious a test. We had seen it sample low-cost versions of the recipes in its database - only three for now, but soon to reach 10 - and found them all wanting. But how would it cope with the tom yum gung that is judged by many in Bangkok to be the finest in the city? You won't find it in a ritzy restaurant in Bangkok's upmarket neighbourhoods, where Italian or Japanese cuisine is popular. Jay Fai, a formidable-looking woman in trademark beanie-hat and fire-engine slash of lipstick, is sometimes called the Mozart of the Wok, for the lightning speed and instinctive flair with which she wields that most essential tool for East Asian cooking. Her pad kee mao, or drunken noodles, is renowned: thick strips of white rice noodles fried in seconds over a roaring charcoal brazier, the meat, seafood, vegetables and chillies seared, glazed and smoky. But it is her tom yum gung they queue up for, despite a price tag that reaches $50 (£32) for a large bowl. Jay Fai tells me she learned her recipes from the old women who used to cook for the community on the village where she grew up. She is meticulous about ingredients, searching for the very freshest jumbo prawns, the most fragrant herbs - and tom yum gung relies a great deal on the galangal, lemon grass and lime leaves

Summary: At a small laboratory in a Bangkok suburb, a group of scientists has come up with what they hope is the answer to an old conundrum: how to tell if a Thai dish is authentic or not.


Benjamin Hyland-Ward faces nine counts of fraud by false representation in connection with selling tickets. The 18-year-old, of Westfield Avenue South, Saltdean, East Sussex, is due to appear before Brighton Magistrates' Court on 24 March. Hundreds of people were left ticket-less after paying to go to the event last September. Sussex Police said the charges incorporated all of the reports of money being paid for but no tickets being given.

Summary: A teenager has been charged with selling fake tickets for last year's Bestival on the Isle of Wight.


Hull-based Martin Williams Ltd took over Penman Engineering near Dumfries in November last year. The number of employees at the time had fallen to just 14 but the new owners said that now stood at 67. Director Chris Williams said that if new work they hoped to secure did come in then numbers would rise further. He said that would also leave them with the potential of a full order book for the next two years. The site on the outskirts of Dumfries employed about 140 staff before it went into administration. Mr Williams said they had completed their first stage of restructuring the company while managing to increase staffing levels. He said they had concentrated on re-employing as many people as possible while building up orders. "We have had massive support from Scottish Enterprise who have helped us from the day we took over and hold regular meetings with us to offer their support in a lot of different ways," he said. "There are numerous different projects we are tendering for currently internationally and SE have also offered us support with this as well which is invaluable to us." He said they had faced a number of challenges with suppliers who had lost money when the old company entered administration "understandably wary" of doing business with them. "However, those who support the company will be rewarded in the future as bigger projects come off," he said. "We will aim to put as much money back into the local economy and previous suppliers as possible to enable us to trade freely and have a good reputation in the future, the same as our existing company." He said that overall he was positive about the direction the business was heading in. "All in all things are looking good for the future," he said. "It is still a tough climate and with Brexit you just don't know what's around the corner. "But we are carrying on with what we know best which is to give the customer the best possible service and turnaround time that is also competitively priced."

Summary: Staffing levels could be set to double at a Scottish armoured vehicle business which was bought out of administration nearly six months ago.


North Cumbria University Hospitals Trust said it was discovered over a week ago by a member of staff who alerted senior clinicians. It said there was "no indication that any patients have been adversely affected". This breaking news story is being updated. More details will be published shortly. Please refresh the page for the fullest version. If you want to receive Breaking News alerts via email, or on a smartphone or tablet via the BBC News App then details on how to do so are available on this help page. You can also follow @BBCBreaking on Twitter to get the latest alerts.

Summary: Police have been called after a small number of saline bags appear to have been tampered with at Cumberland Infirmary, Carlisle.


The sell-out event brought 75,000 people from around the world to see a spectacular fireworks and laser show bring in 2017. The Edinburgh celebrations claim to be the UK's largest outdoor winter festival celebrations. Entertainers performing for the crowds included Paolo Nutini, The Charlatans, Fatherson and Be Charlotte. Al Thomson, the director of organisers Unique Events, said: "What a great night. Paolo Nutini rocked the Concert in the Gardens, and revellers across the street party enjoyed a superb line-up across the four stages. "What a great way to start 2017, the 70th anniversary of Edinburgh becoming a world-leading festival city." Preliminary figures from Police Scotland indicated there were only two arrests for minor offences. The Edinburgh events are estimated to be worth more than £40m to the Scottish economy. Members of the public were allowed back on to Calton Hill this year after a ban over safety fears was lifted. Council officials decided to shut the city landmark for six hours over the bells last year saying "the hill was unlit and uneven under foot". However, the City of Edinburgh Council decided to do a U-turn following a review of last year's events. Some fireworks were also fired from the hill as part of the midnight display. More than 1,000 hours of planning goes into delivering the Midnight Moment at Edinburgh's Hogmanay Street Party, widely regarded as the UK's most intense six minutes of fireworks. There is 8km of wire connecting up to 94 modules, each with 32 cues, to deliver the 2.6 tonnes of fireworks up to 300m above the Edinburgh skyline. They are fired by 14 pyrotechnicians from Titanium Fireworks. There were more than 10,000 shots and stars in every firework colour. There is 8km of wire connecting up to 94 modules, each with 32 cues, to deliver the 2.6 tonnes of fireworks up to 300m above the Edinburgh skyline. They are fired by 14 pyrotechnicians from Titanium Fireworks. There were more than 10,000 shots and stars in every firework colour. Nearly 10 tonnes of equipment were used, filling three lorries and five vans. A team of more than 25 people from Titanium Fireworks, Unique Events and Historic Scotland worked into the night to clear, in eight hours, what took five days to set up. All the empty cardboard tubes will be recycled - enough to fill three large skips - as well as a metre square crate with igniter wire. The Hogmanay celebrations followed a torchlight procession from The Mound to Calton Hill on Friday.

Summary: Organisers of Edinburgh's Hogmanay have described the event as a "major success".


Leeds held a four-point advantage at the break after two converted tries from Jamie Peacock and one for Ash Handley, with Lama Tasi and Niall Evalds replying for Salford. Rob Burrow then scored Leeds' fourth try, but Evalds reduced the deficit. Zak Hardaker's try on the hour, followed by Kevin Sinfield's fourth conversion, sealed the Rhinos' win. The wind was a significant factor in an entertaining first half, with Peacock the first to cross before two tries in four minutes saw Salford hit back as Tasi forced his way over and Evalds raced past the Leeds defence to touch down. Michael Dobson kicked both goals, but Leeds levelled as Peacock finished off Danny McGuire's grubber kick and Sinfield added to his earlier conversion. The Rhinos pulled ahead just before the break as a kick through caught in the wind and Handley eventually dived on it in the corner to make the score 16-12. Burrow finished off Joel Moon's break and Sinfield added the extras for Leeds to extend their lead, but Evalds collected a hopeful high kick to score Salford's third converted try to bring them back to only four points in arrears at 22-18. Hardaker's try followed a burst by Burrow and Sinfield's kick restored the 10-point advantage as Leeds earned their ninth win in 10 Super League games. Salford coach Iestyn Harris said: "Our effort was really good, as was the way we defended apart from conceding a disappointing try just before half-time. "We were a little naive with the ball but that can be down to a lot of forced personnel changes. We didn't quite have the fluency of Leeds which they had in key positions but we stuck with them for 80 minutes. "Maybe a year or so ago we would have been blown away in the second half against a very good Leeds side. We only had 17 players available but will have George Griffin back from Wakefield this week." Leeds coach Brian McDermott: "I wasn't really happy with what we delivered other than the result. "We got away with a few things but the conditions were crazy. The wind had a big bearing. We knew we would be a down on energy after Easter but it wasn't a terrible performance and we played a little care-free in the second half. "Jamie Peacock and Stevie Ward were massive, as was Ash Handley, and Zak Hardaker showed a lot of leadership qualities. But St Helens (Friday's opponents) won't be quaking in their boots the way we played." Salford: Evalds, Jones-Bishop, Caton-Brown, Sa'u, Johnson, Fages, Dobson, Taylor, Hood, Morley, Hansen, Walton, Forster. Replacements: Tasi for Morley (23), D. Griffin for Forster (25). Leeds: Hardaker, Handley, Ablett, Moon, Golding, McGuire, Burrow, Singleton, Aiton, Peacock, Achurch, S. Ward, Sinfield. Replacements: Cuthbertson for Singleton (21), Sutcliffe for Aiton (34), Delaney for Achurch (42). Att: 4,000 Ref: Matthew Thomason (RFL).

Summary: Leeds Rhinos maintain their lead at the top of Super League with a five-try victory over Salford Red Devils.


Prices rose by 8.6% in England in the year to the end of January, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said. In comparison, property prices went up by 0.1% in Scotland and 0.8% in Northern Ireland, and fell by 0.3% in Wales, over the same period. Various surveys have suggested a pick-up in UK house prices after last summer's lull. The ONS said that property price rises in England were driven by an annual increase in the South East of England (up 11.7%), London (up 10.8%) and the East of England (up 9.8%). Excluding London and the South East, UK house prices increased by 5.1% in the 12 months to the end of January. Mark Posniak, managing director at Dragonfly Property Finance, said "England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland may be geographical neighbours but they could be thousands of miles apart in terms of house prices. "London will remain a formidable bastion of the UK's property market but for many its prices are an insurmountable obstacle. With interest rates unlikely to rise this year and the employment market as strong as it is, demand will remain." Average UK house prices increased by 0.9% from December to January, with the average home now valued at Â£292,000. Campbell Robb, chief executive of housing charity Shelter, said: "Last week's Budget brought no hope for ordinary people looking for a place, to rent or buy, to call home that they can actually afford. It's time for the government to get serious, and invest in the genuinely affordable homes that we desperately need." Chancellor George Osborne did announce the creation of a Lifetime Isa for those under 40 in April 2017. They will be able to save up to Â£4,000 each year into the Lifetime Isa, and receive a 25% contribution from the government each year, which can be used towards paying for a first home. Various surveys record UK house prices on a monthly basis, but they all have slightly different methodology. The house price index by the Nationwide Building Society is the quickest to be released. It uses an average value for properties after considering components such as location and size. The survey is based on its own mortgage lending which represents about 13% of the market. A survey by the Halifax, now part of Lloyds Banking Group, is published a few days later. Lloyds is the biggest mortgage lender in the UK with 20% of the market and, like the Nationwide, uses its own home loan data. Figures from the Land Registry are widely considered to be the most robust but are published much later than the lenders' data. It calculates the price change for properties that have sold multiple times since 1995. This survey only covers England and Wales. A survey is of house prices in Scotland is published by the Registers of Scotland, using a simple average of house prices. The Land and Property Services assisted by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency produces a quarterly house price index in Northern Ireland. The official UK statistical authority - the Office for

Summary: House prices have risen significantly in England in the past year in contrast to the rest of the UK, figures suggest.


A merger of the Royal Liverpool and Aintree University hospitals has been proposed in the draft Sustainability and Transformation Plan for Merseyside and Cheshire released on Wednesday. It aims to address a potential funding gap of £908m in the area by 2021. Councillor Andy Moorhead said Liverpool City Region "will not support" the plan, which was "completed in secrecy". Louise Shepherd, who is chief executive of Alder Hey Children's Hospital and led the work, said the hospitals have been "talking together for over three years about what they can do better together". The hospitals "said their intention would be to try and bring the two organisations together", Ms Shepherd said, but "what that actually means for services is still to be determined". The plan suggests merging the Royal, Aintree and Liverpool Women's Hospital into one new trust by April 2018 - but also "reconfiguring" the women's hospital by 2021. "New models of A&E", which could mean reduced opening hours, are also being considered at Southport and Ormskirk Trust, which runs Southport and Formby Hospital A&E - rated inadequate on Tuesday by the health watchdog. Mr Moorhead, in charge of health, wellbeing and social care for the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, said "any decisions by the NHS to reconfigure hospitals" should "be the subject of transparent and open debate" and "have the support of local communities and NHS staff... this has just not happened". Shadow health minister and Labour MP for Ellesmere Port and Neston Justin Madders said the process has been "completely lacking in transparency and accountability" and "mired in confusion". NHS England has split the country into 44 geographic areas - called "footprints" - each of which must soon produce a five-year sustainability and transformation plan. Merseyside and Cheshire is the second largest, incorporating Knowsley, Sefton, Liverpool, Halton, St Helens, Cheshire East, Cheshire West and Chester, Warrington, Wirral. Labour MP for Wallasey Angela Eagle said Wirral seems to be "particularly hard hit" and the plan "seems to be more about meeting the deficit than actually looking at what kind of health services we need". The report's publication marks the start of a consultation period during which people will be asked for their opinions.

Summary: Two Liverpool hospitals could merge under cost-cutting plans unveiled by health bosses.


The head of city centre regeneration is set to receive the largest increase of 20%, leading to a salary of £75,000. A council document said it reflected "increased responsibility" due to "additional city centre development". But, the Taxpayers' Alliance said people wanted to see lower council tax rates, not large pay rises for bosses. Councillor John Flanagan said the rises affected eight posts and would be funded "from within existing budgets". Seven other senior bosses could earn a pay rise of about 7%. Despite the disappointing performance of Manchester's schools over recent years, the strategic director of education and skills will get a pay rise of 7.6%. That will take their new salary to £125,000 per year. As for other council staff, there are around 1,300 employees who are paid the living wage of £8.25 per hour - and the average council salary is £23,000 a year. In addition to that, most city council employees were given a pay rise of just 1% earlier this year. The council have had to cope with huge cuts worth around £300m a year over the past six years. That has meant a reduction in staff from around 10,000 - to fewer than 6,000 today. Mr Flanagan, executive member for finance, said: "It is essential that we can keep and attract the right calibre of senior staff by having salaries which reflect the levels of responsibility they have and are in line with those available in comparable cities. "We are currently reviewing all staff salaries, from top to bottom, to ensure they fairly reflect their workloads and responsibility, while maintaining value for money for council taxpayers." Harry Davis, from the Taxpayers' Alliance, said the council had been "really good over the last half decade" over pay issues. "They have removed about 400 staff earning over £50,000," he said. "But, when savings need to be made and council tax is still going up, they have to make sure that they keep a tight grip on the purse strings so that they can channel as much as possible to front line services and tax cuts for local residents."

Summary: Senior managers at Manchester City Council could receive above-inflationary pay rises if plans are approved on Thursday.


Chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) patients are often required to take tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) indefinitely. But 93% of those in a new study stayed cancer-free after stopping or reducing treatment. Cancer Research UK said the results were "promising" but dosages should not be changed without a doctor's advice. In 2000, trials of TKIs proved successful in controlling the rare disease, but also had side-effects, including an increased risk of infection, skin rashes, nausea, hair loss and in some cases hormone disorder and a build of fluid around the heart. The follow-up study, led by the University of Liverpool and involving consultants from Newcastle's Freeman Hospital, saw patients being given half the standard dose for the first 12 months. If leukaemia levels remained low, the drug was then stopped completely. So far, out of 174 patients tested, 93% have shown no evidence of their leukaemia relapsing one year after reducing their dosage and many reported a significant decrease in side-effects within the first three months. Source: CML Support Dr Wendy Osborne, who is leading the Destiny study in Newcastle, said: 'We've gone from having patients with a potentially incurable disease and requiring toxic chemotherapy and transplantation, to now selecting some patients, again in a clinical trial setting, to stop the drug completely to remove any side-effects they have. "This in itself is moving towards saying we've cured some patients and this is all because of research." Dr Ã

Summary: New research could see patients with a rare blood cancer live longer without the side-effects of drugs, doctors say.


Derbyshire Wildlife Trust took legal action after Derby City Council approved the track, to be built on part of the Sanctuary nature reserve. The trust said the development would damage the habitat of rare birds. An interim order to stop work was issued last week and will remain in place until the judicial review. Mrs Justice Lang said all equipment had to be moved from the site and the judicial review must take place within the next three months. Tim Birch, conservation manager at the Derbyshire Wildlife Trust, said: "We are relieved to have got through this latest step in our fight to save the Sanctuary Local Nature Reserve. "We believe that the development of this local nature reserve sets a very dangerous precedent both locally and nationally which is why we are challenging the decision of Derby City Council to destroy it." The judicial review will look into the legality of Derby City Council's decision to approve the cycle track. No-one from the authority was available for comment. The Sanctuary, which lies close to the Pride Park football stadium, was given the go-ahead by the council in 2003. Threatened bird species including skylarks and lapwings are visitors to the site, according to conservation managers.

Summary: Work to build a cycle track in Derby cannot resume until a judicial review is carried out, a judge at the High Court in London has ruled.


Graham Dwyer, 42, from the Foxrock suburb of south Dublin, pleaded not guilty to the murder of Elaine O'Hara. The remains of Ms O'Hara, 36, were found in the Dublin mountains on 13 September 2013. She was last seen on 22 August 2012, the day of her alleged murder, near Shanganagh cemetery in south Dublin. The judge said 40 days of evidence, stretching back over five years, boils down to what happened in the three hours after Ms O'Hara vanished. He told the seven men and five women they could take as long or as short a time as they needed to reach "a conscientious and properly considered verdict".

Summary: The jury in the trial of an architect accused of murdering a childcare worker in the Republic of Ireland has retired to consider its verdict.


The project at Ffrwd Farm Nature Reserve, Pembrey, is part of a wider ongoing water vole strategy for south Wales. Natural Resources Wales said the creatures had suffered a huge decline in recent decades as a result of habitat loss, habitat fragmentation and predation by American mink. It is the second release of water voles in the area.

Summary: Water voles are being reintroduced at a Carmarthenshire nature reserve.


A judge said there was a basis for concluding the officers, known as M and Q, may have perverted the course of justice and committed perjury while giving evidence. Pearse Jordan was shot in the back by an RUC officer as he ran from a stolen car he had been driving on the Falls Road in 1982. Judge Horner told Belfast High Court that although he was not duty bound to report the matter, he intended to exercise his discretion. "I do not consider that I am bound to report Officers M and Q to the Director (of prosecutions)," he said. "However, in the present case I intend to exercise my discretion and report Officers M and Q to the Director because I consider that their behaviour sought to conceal the role played by DP2 in the events of November 25, 1992. "This attempted concealment could have seriously impacted on this hearing." The judge rejected an application to lift the anonymity order preventing either officer being named. Mr Jordan, 22, had been driving a stolen car suspected of ferrying IRA munitions when he was shot. He failed to stop when ordered by police and sped away from a patrol car. Earlier this month, Justice Horner delivered findings in what was the third inquest into the highly contentious death. The coroner said he was not convinced either by family claims Mr Jordan was gunned down in cold blood or by police insistence the RUC sergeant acted in self-defence. Testimony from Officers M and Q, who were not directly involved in the shooting, was singled out for specific criticism. The judge concluded that one or both of the officers had edited the original logbook and that they had been untruthful when asked about the identity of the driver of the stolen car. Following the judgment, lawyers for the Jordan family called for M and Q to be investigated for allegedly perverting the course of justice and perjury. They also requested both officers be identified. The court was also told the granting of anonymity to officers M and Q was made on the basis of an objectively verified risk to life. The threat to officer M was assessed as moderate, namely that an attack is possible but not likely, but that in the event an appearance at the inquest without anonymity and screening the threat was likely to rise. The threat to officer Q was deemed to be low but could rise to moderate or beyond if identified through court proceedings. The judge said the measure was "necessary and proportionate" given the risk to life. The investigation into Mr Jordan's shooting has been beset by controversy and delay. In 2014, his family were awarded compensation for the lengthy hold-ups in concluding an inquest. An original inquest was adjourned in 1995 after being only part heard. Another probe was held in 2012, but the jury failed to reach consensus on a number of crucial issues - including whether the RUC used reasonable force. Those findings were later quashed after the High Court identified a number of

Summary: Two police officers who a judge said gave inconsistent and unconvincing evidence to an inquest in to the death of an IRA man are to be reported to prosecutors.


The toilet, in a busy park in Pudong New Area, will have 10 unisex stalls, plus some urinals and a stall for disabled people. The opening on 19 November will coincide with World Toilet Day. Unisex facilities will spare officials having to decide how to share out male and female stalls, say reports. "It is an apparent problem that women have to wait in lines for toilets," Fu Liping, an official involved in the project, was quoted as saying, by the Xinhua news agency. The stalls will be more spacious than regular ones. To guarantee safety and privacy, there will be attendants and higher partitions between stalls. But there are no plans yet to build more unisex toilets, as authorities are unsure whether citizens will embrace the idea. Their caution seem to be well-grounded, as people online have been less than enthusiastic about the unisex lavatory. "I don't really support the idea. After all, men and female are different," said Weibo user Zhu Zhu Xia. Another Weibo user said: "The problem will be solved if they build double female toilets."

Summary: Shanghai is trialling a unisex public toilet block to lower the time women have to spend waiting in queues, Chinese media have reported.


The match was due to take place on Thursday but was rescheduled due to a frozen pitch at Stade des Alpes. Davies started ahead of Biggar at fly-half in their Pro12 win against Edinburgh on Friday, 2 December. Veteran Paul James comes in for Nicky Smith at loose-head prop and Dmitri Arhip is at tight-head for Ma'afu Fia. Wales hooker Scott Baldwin is undergoing a head injury assessment and is omitted from the Ospreys' line-up. In midfield, centre Ashley Beck makes way for Kieron Fonotia while prop Fia has a shoulder injury that has put him out of contention. Ospreys are playing in the second-tier European tournament for the first time and have a 100% record after wins over Newcastle Falcons and Lyon. Grenoble lost heavily when they played the same teams. The two teams meet again on Saturday, 17 December. Ospreys head coach Steve Tandy told BBC Radio Wales: "It's pretty poor and disappointing. We came down to the ground at 3pm and the ground was hard. The blowers and a little bit of hot air has gone on it to try and rectify it but I think it was too little too late. "It's bitterly disappointing, it affects preparations. Now we've got to stay out here. It's not as if it's an anomaly where you come here and there's a big blizzard. "There's definitely been a lack of preparation and thought gone into it and for such a big game for us, we're bitterly disappointed we haven't played the game tonight." Grenoble: Armand Batlle; Pierre Mignot,Clement Gelin, Nigel Hunt, Tino Nemani; Gilles Bosch, David Mele; Alexandre Dardet, tienne Fourcade, Walter Desmaison, Mickael Capelli, Mathias Marie, Kevin Kornath, Steven Setephano, Dylan Hayes. Replacements: Loick Jammes, Denis Coulson, Dayna Edwards, Thomas Jolmes, Henry Vanderglas, Lilian Saseras, Fabrice Estebanez, Bastien Guillemin Ospreys: Dan Evans; Keelan Giles, Kieron Fonotia, Josh Matavesi, Dafydd Howells; Dan Biggar, Tom Habberfield; Paul James, Sam Parry, Dmitri Arhip, Rory Thornton, Alun Wyn Jones (capt), James King, Dan Baker, Justin Tipuric. Replacements: Scott Otten, Nicky Smith, Rhodri Jones, Lloyd Ashley, Sam Underhill, Rob McCusker, Brendon Leonard, Sam Davies. Referee: Marius Mitrea (Italy)

Summary: Wales' Dan Biggar takes over from Sam Davies as Ospreys make five changes for their rescheduled European Challenge Cup game at Grenoble on Friday.


The Argentina forward, 28, is serving a three-match ban for his violent conduct in City's 3-1 win against West Ham. Aguero has scored three goals in three Premier League matches this season, but Mourinho says his absence makes Pep Guardiola's side "unpredictable". "He doesn't play and they have amazing options," said Mourinho. "It is more difficult. When Sergio Aguero is available he plays, we know their formation." Mourinho suggested any one of Kelechi Iheanacho, Raheem Sterling or David Silva could start as a "false nine" in the derby at Old Trafford. "We have to reduce the unpredictability," added the Portuguese. Subscribe to the BBC Sport newsletter to get our pick of news, features and video sent to your inbox.

Summary: Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho says it will be "more difficult" facing a Manchester City side that does not include Sergio Aguero on Saturday.


An Action on Hearing Loss Cymru survey found many job seekers are reluctant to list it on job applications. The charity spoke to one deaf person who had not had an interview in 16 years of stating they were deaf on CVs. Many public sector organisations were found to show poor practice in the report to mark Deaf Awareness Week. Maggie Hampton of Fairwater, Cardiff, told BBC Radio Wales that she found it "very disheartening." In the interview she said: "It was very very difficult. Nobody wanted to employ a deaf person. Even in the most lowly of jobs really. I never got interviews. I just never heard back. "I did follow it up with one organisation and asked 'why have I not got an interview?' And the reply was 'Well you are deaf, you couldn't possibly manage.' "So I did cleaning for two or three years, it was the only thing I could do. "I didn't like it very much but I did it because I needed to work. "It was very hard and very disheartening. Just that feeling that nobody wants you. And that feeling that you cannot contribute anything." She said many deaf people do not declare the fact on their CVs as they "want to fit in". Action on Hearing Loss Cymru director Richard Williams said 84,000 people, or 4% of Wales' working-age population, are deaf or wear hearing aids. "That's the equivalent to filling the Millennium Stadium with people who are all being discriminated against at work because they can't hear well," he added.

Summary: Fear of discrimination means 84,000 deaf and hard of hearing people hide their condition from prospective employers, new research has revealed.


Judge Michael Levanas said the $2bn sale could go ahead. Mr Sterling, 80, had been contesting his estranged wife Shelly's decision to sell the basketball team franchise to ex-Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer. Mr Sterling was banned from basketball for life after he was recorded making racist remarks in April. The Los Angeles court case focused on allegations that Mrs Sterling used medical tests of her husband's mental capacity to remove him as a member of the trust that owned the team, and deceived him into selling. Mr Sterling had originally agreed to the sale of the basketball team, but then revoked his blessing, saying he had been improperly removed from the trust. Mrs Sterling had told her husband to seek an evaluation by two doctors in May. The doctors declared him "mentally incapacitated" and unfit to administer his duties as trustee of the Sterling Family Trust. This in effect handed Mrs Sterling control of the Clippers. Judge Levanas of the California Superior Court said he found Mrs Sterling to be a more credible witness than her husband and that she had acted properly over the sale, the BBC's Peter Bowes in Los Angeles reports. He said that Mrs Sterling "had every good reason to believe that Donald agreed to the sale of the team". Mrs Sterling burst into tears as the ruling was delivered after the nine-day hearing, saying: "I can't believe it's over. I feel good." The ruling would take effect in the coming weeks, the judge said. In a statement, the National Basketball Association (NBA) said it was "pleased" by the ruling. "We look forward to the transaction closing as soon as possible," it said. The racism allegations had led the NBA to fine Mr Sterling $2.5m. It had also said it wanted to force Mr Sterling to sell the team. In a 10-minute audio recording published on celebrity website TMZ in April, Mr Sterling was heard telling a woman, subsequently identified as his girlfriend V Stiviano, not to associate in public with black people nor bring them to Clippers games. The remarks drew widespread condemnation from fans, retired basketball stars and President Barack Obama. Mr Sterling is suing the NBA, alleging it violated his constitutional rights by relying on information from an "illegal" recording.

Summary: A US judge has ruled that the LA Clippers basketball team can be sold, despite the objections of banned co-owner Donald Sterling.


For a second time, he's giving up a role he didn't inherit, but gained on merit. After stints in the RAF and the air ambulance, his days as a pilot are coming to an end. He will miss them. He's spoken of how he's loved working in a team. Something, he said, "his other job" didn't necessarily offer. The prince is the only senior royal to have a deep understanding of the National Health Service the majority of the population experience. With his family moving from Norfolk to London, Prince George will go to a private school from September. And Prince William and his wife will be available to do more royal work. The demands will increase now the Queen has turned 90. The future king's exclusive focus will very soon be on his role as a Windsor and a destiny he'll one day embrace. Read full article

Summary: This will not have been an easy decision for Prince William to make.


While its existence has become a source of controversy on both sides of the Channel, some are also angry at attempts to destroy it.

Summary: Demolition teams - backed up by riot police - are dismantling parts of the migrant camp in Calais, known as the Jungle, which has become home to thousands of people desperate to reach Britain.


The plan involved buying hacking tools offered by the Shadow Brokers and then protecting computers before they could be targeted by cyber-criminals. But critics had argued that the Shadow Brokers should not benefit in this way. One of the researchers behind the plan said the scheme was being abandoned for "legal reasons". Some critics had warned that paying the Shadow Brokers for access to their hacking tools, even with honest intentions, could be illegal. The Shadow Brokers previously sold access to hacking tools allegedly stolen from the US National Security Agency - but often released the vulnerabilities for free later anyway. One of the tools was used to help spread the WannaCry malware that affected thousands of organisations worldwide, including the UK's NHS. The hacking group currently plans to sell a new batch of security exploits, for a payment via the crypto-currency Zcash, worth about $22,000 (Â£17,000). On Tuesday, two security researchers set up a crowd-funding campaign to buy access to the exploits, so the vulnerabilities could be fixed instead. But the idea divided the cyber-security community. "There's a 50-50 split on whether it is a good idea and whether it would encourage Shadow Brokers to continue their activities," said Matthew Hickey from the cyber-security firm Hacker House, who set up the crowd-funding campaign. Others were more outspoken: "Individuals and corps funding criminals is insane," said security researcher Kevin Beaumont. Announcing the closure of the crowd-funding campaign on 1 June, Mr Hickey said: "If you ever want to hear a lawyer shout expletives at volume down a phone, you need to call him and tell him you have created the first open source crowd-funded cyber-arms acquisition attempt. "It transpires that should funds change hands from ours to the Shadow Brokers we would certainly be risking some form of legal complications." Those who have donated to the campaign using Bitcoin can seek a refund, and any unclaimed funds will be donated to online rights group the Electronic Frontier Foundation. The Shadow Brokers group has not specified what buyers will get if they pay the $22,000 bounty and has offered no guarantee that buyers will be rewarded at all. "If you caring about loosing $20k+ Euro then not being for you... playing 'the game' is involving risks [sic]," the group said in a blog post.

Summary: Security researchers have cancelled plans to buy potentially undetected software security vulnerabilities from a notorious group of hackers.


Former England batsman Boycott said Morgan was not "as good as he thinks he is" and "not so clever" against top-class bowling. But pace bowler Anderson responded: "That's rich coming from him. Media playback is not supported on this device "Morgan is a world-class player and has been for over 100 games. We know how destructive he is when he's in form." Boycott, who scored 1,082 runs in 34 one-day innings for England, at an average of 36.06, was passing judgement on a poor sequence of form that has seen Morgan dismissed for less than 20 in nine of his last 11 one-day international innings. Anderson, though, defended his captain, saying: "He has been great for us. We're hopeful he can get some form. We've seen him get a hundred on this trip against Australia." The 32-year-old was speaking before England's opening World Cup game against co-hosts Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Saturday (03:30 GMT). Former England captain Michael Vaughan said Morgan had never claimed to be "the greatest", but disagreed with Boycott's comments. "I think he can have his opinion," said Vaughan. "I work with him, respect him a lot, I like him, but I disagree with what he's said about Eoin Morgan. "He needs runs, but in the past Morgan has had the kind of mentality to produce on the big stage." More than 90,000 spectators are expected to be in attendance as England look to improve on a run that has seen them lose 13 of their last 15 ODIs against Australia down under. "It's obviously a big game for both sides," said Anderson, who has taken 264 wickets in 188 matches since making his debut at the MCG in 2002. "As a cricketer, you want to play in big games like this. We're guessing that the majority of the crowd will be against us, so it's something we're prepared for. It's something that we have to try to soak up and enjoy. "We feel confident that we can beat anyone on our day. Confidence is building in our team and we're hoping that we can put things together when it really matters." With Australia captain Michael Clarke ruled out of Saturday's opener because of injury, George Bailey has been confirmed as his replacement. However, Bailey admitted that he was likely to lose his place in the team when Clarke returns for the second match against Bangladesh. The 32-year-year-old batsman also said that Australia should enjoy the extra support they receive as co-hosts, rather than feel the pressure of being favourites to win the tournament. "I don't think I'll keep my place, but that's fine," said Bailey. "I think it's great that Michael is on track to come back, he's done a remarkable job to be available for the Bangladesh game. "I'm not feeling the pressure of expectation. We get to enjoy some home comforts and home support. We should embrace the opportunity of a home World Cup. "There have been some amazing Australian players who have never had the chance of a home World Cup. You

Summary: James Anderson has ridiculed comments made by Geoffrey Boycott about the batting of England's World Cup captain Eoin Morgan.


Campaigners have asked the university to reconsider the move, highlighting its "strong record" in educating people from disadvantaged groups. But the university says it needs to reduce costs in line with its student numbers. University and College Union (UCU) members will meet later to discuss what form the action should take. Two-thirds (67%) of UCU members voted for strike action. Members of its sister union UNISON are voting in a separate ballot, closing on 22 May. Both academic and professional support workers' posts will be closed under the university's proposals. Staff and students will also lobby the university's board of governors at their general meeting on Tuesday. Campaigners argue that the university has a track record in "providing educational opportunities for some of the most disadvantaged groups in society". They say in the academic year starting September 2012, nearly half the students at London Met were from minority ethnic groups, compared with 16% of university students nationally. In addition, about half were from the poorest groups in society. UCU's regional official Barry Jones said: "Nobody wants to be on strike and we remain open to sitting down to explore a better way forward than these job losses. "Far from further cutbacks, this university is in desperate need of investment to expand access to education." A university spokesman said its costs were too high. "We therefore need to reduce our cost structure to be more in line with our student numbers, as well as universities in the capital similar to London Met," he said.

Summary: Teaching and support staff at London Metropolitan University have voted to strike in protest over 165 job cuts.


It happened at a 21st birthday party in the apartment in Berkeley, California. Five of the victims were from Ireland, and some of them were students at University College Dublin (UCD). UCD President Andrew Deeks expressed condolences to their families saying "we are heartbroken at their suffering and loss". Those who were killed have been named as: Several others have been injured, some of them very seriously. Ms Donohoe, who had dual US-Irish citizenship, lived in California while the other five who died all had home addresses in Ireland. Mr Culligan and Mr Schuster were both past-pupils of St Mary's College in Rathmines, Dublin. The majority of the victims were in the US on work visas, on the J1 USA summer work and travel programme. The families of some of the students who died have arrived in the United States from Ireland. In a statement, the UCD president said: "It is with deepest sadness that I speak of the tragic accident involving UCD students and their friends in San Francisco. "On behalf of the entire university community, I wish to extend our condolences to the families and friends of those who died and to those who were injured. "We cannot comprehend the desperate shock and grief they are feeling and we are heartbroken at their suffering and loss." UCD is opening an online Book of Condolence on its website and is offering its counselling and student support services to the bereaved in the US and Dublin. "Our students, like thousands of others across Ireland, head to the US each summer on J1 visas to enjoy the experience," Mr Deeks said. "It is heart-breaking to imagine that such a tragedy would strike these wonderful students when their lives are opening up to discover the world." In a statement on Tuesday night, St Mary's College paid tribute to its past pupils. "The thoughts and prayers of everybody in the St Mary's community are with the families of Niccolai and Eoghan, as well as the other Irish youngsters named by the US authorities this evening," the school statement said. "We also pray particularly for those injured, and their families." Ireland's Consul General in San Francisco Philip Grant said it had been a very traumatic time for everyone involved. "To have this happen at the start of this season is something that has left us all frozen in shock and disbelief," he said. "It touches every single family in Ireland." Mr Grant will lay a wreath at a ceremony near the site of the balcony collapse later. Fr Aidan McAleenan from St Columba's Church in Oakland near Berkeley, and who is originally from Banbridge, County Down, spent several hours with the injured and their friends. "It was very emotional driving out and getting to the hospital and then having to tell some of them that another friend had died," he told the BBC. "It was really hard to know what to say or what to do. We prayed with them. Other people from the Irish community arrived. They are really devastated. That sense you have when

Summary: An Irish university has expressed "heartbreak" at the deaths of six young people who died after a balcony collapsed at a US apartment block.


Three prisoners have been recaptured while 57 others managed to escape and remain at large. Authorities have warned that the escaped inmates, some of them still awaiting trial, pose a serious threat to the safety of the area. The prison in Lae, Papua New Guinea's second largest city, has seen repeated similar escapes over the past years. "The majority of those who escaped were arrested for serious crimes and were in custody awaiting trial," police Chief SuperÂinÂtendent Anthony Wagambie was quoted in several local media. "A good number were arrested by police last year for mainly armed robberies, car thefts, break and enter and stealing. Among them are convicted prisoners." He warned the escapees that they would be caught and encouraged them to surrender themselves to community leaders, church elders or family members to then be taken back to prison. Prisons in Papua New Guinea often suffer from overcrowding, poor conditions and long waiting periods for prisoners awaiting trial. In 2016, at least 11 prisoners were shot dead and more than 70 escaped when they stormed the main gate, overpowering the guards. The previous year, some 50 prisoners managed to escaped in a similar way.

Summary: Prison guards have shot dead 17 inmates after a mass breakout at Buimo prison in Papua New Guinea.


It was first spotted at Montevrain, 38km (23 miles) east of Paris. Sightings of the animal sparked a search involving hundreds of emergency services workers, animal-trackers and a helicopter. But experts now say the animal is most likely a much less dangerous animal, such as a lynx or large domestic cat. They made their conclusions based on inspecting animal tracks. It remains unclear where the animal came from, though there is a big cat park near Montevrain. A source told AFP that the search had been scaled back for the moment and the helicopter grounded, although forces remained "mobilised" in case of a fresh alert. The BBC's Hugh Schofield in Paris says police had suggested there was probably not too much to worry about, but the authorities still sent out officers with guns and tranquilisers. The hunt has focused on areas near the Disneyland Paris theme park. There was a fresh alert on Friday morning after paw prints were discovered near a service station east of Paris. To reach there, the animal had apparently crossed the A4 motorway. Police guarded the entrances to schools in the Montevrain area in case the cat turned up, as a helicopter with thermal imaging hovered. Local residents were asked to stay indoors and parents urged to take their children to and from school by car. A dozen or so soldiers from a nearby army base joined police and fire officials combing the countryside outside Montevrain. A huntsman, officially designated as a "wolf catcher", who has a specially trained dog, was also part of the search team. The owner of the lntermarche supermarket in Montevrain said on Thursday that his wife had spotted the animal at about 08:30 (07:30 GMT). "She didn't get out of the car and called me to say 'I think I saw a lynx'," he was quoted as saying. The woman took a photograph that appears to show a large cat. Le Parisien newspaper said several local residents had sighted the animal. The Montevrain mayor's office dismissed the idea that the big cat could have escaped from a circus that was in the town until Saturday, Le Parisien reported.

Summary: French police have scaled back the hunt for a stray big cat in Paris after scotching initial reports that the animal is a tiger.


They have trained wild monitor lizards, known locally as goannas, not to eat the toxic amphibians. They did this by feeding the reptiles small, less potent cane toads. Many that tried the toads once did not make the same mistake again. The researchers say that extending the trial could help the continent's wildlife. The study is published in the Royal Society journal, Biology Letters. Lead researcher Georgia Ward-Fear, from the University of Sydney, said: "We've been very surprised by the results, by the amount of time that some of these lizards have actually retained this knowledge and survived in the presence of a high-density of cane toads, which is basically unheard of in the wild." Cane toads were introduced to Australia in the 1930s to control sugar cane pests. But the subsequent spread has been unstoppable, devastating the continent's animals. Among the hardest hit are the yellow-spotted monitors (Varanus panoptes). Their population is estimated to have plummeted by 90%. When the toads invade a new area, these yellow-and-black-spotted reptiles feast on the amphibians, and subsequently die. "A goanna only has to mouth a toad for less than 30 seconds and it can kill them," said Dr Ward-Fear. "This species is quite abundant in ecosystems ahead of a cane toad invasion, and then as we see the invasion move through, they are basically wiped out of the landscape." In the trials, the researchers tracked down wild lizards before the toads descended. Dr Ward-Fear explained: "We presented them with a small toad via our very technical apparatus: a telescopic fishing pole. The toad had a little cotton belt attached to it. "We sidled up to the goanna in a very stealthy manner and extended the fishing pole." The young toads made the lizards sick, but were not toxic enough to do lasting harm. The scientists then attached radio transmitters to follow the goannas as the amphibians arrived in the area. Many of the 16 lizards who'd already tasted toad did not make the same mistake again - and more than half survived during the 18-month study period. The team also followed 31 "untrained" lizards that had not eaten the toads. "We saw the goannas that had not had a negative experience with the small toad died very quickly. They all died within three months of the natural cane toad invasion arriving at the site. At the end of the study, every untrained goanna had died." The scientists say the study suggests goannas have the ability to learn from experience and retain that knowledge over a long period of time. Dr Ward-Fear said: "This study provides the proof of principle that this strategy could be very effective. Employing it in the wild could potentially have a really large positive impact on the goanna population." Follow Rebecca on Twitter

Summary: Scientists have devised a radical solution to reduce the damaging impact of Australia's deadly cane toads.


It is understood civil claims have been made against the car owners, even though they were not involved in the thefts or crashes. The officers are claiming for injuries sustained when stopping the cars. The owner's no-claims bonus can be affected and their car insurance premiums can increase as a result. Bill Rooney is one of those affected. He had his car stolen from his north Belfast home last July. He was still awake in the early hours of the morning when he heard his car being driven away from his house. After a police chase, two men were arrested and his car was so badly damaged that it was written off. He had arranged a new car through his insurance and believed the matter to be closed until he received an unexpected letter. "I received a letter from a solicitor saying he was suing me for personal injuries on behalf of his client... and I later found out this client was a police officer who had been hurt when retrieving my car," he said. "I was very angry and disheartened by the fact that a police officer was suing a victim. "I'd already had my house broken into, I'd had my car stolen and I had had to replace it. "I did feel sorry for the police officer if he was hurt doing his job but I felt that he should be insured in his own place of work." Mr Rooney's case has not yet been settled and he believes the police officer is prepared to take it to court. The BBC has been unable to discover how many claims individual police officers have pursued or how much money they have received. In a response to a Freedom of Information request, the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) said they did not have a record of such claims. "The PSNI would not hold any information in relation to police officers making a compensation claim against the owner of a stolen vehicle," they said. "This would be a private matter between the officer and the solicitor and the information would not be recorded or required by police. "Neither are they required to inform PSNI of their intention to pursue a claim." Stormont's justice committee, where the matter was first raised, also requested information from the PSNI. In a letter, Supt Ryan Henderson said victims of car crime may or may not be penalised depending on their insurer and the terms of their policy. He said that police officers, like any individual, could decide to pursue a claim through the Motor Insurers' Bureau (MIB) if they were in a crash where the driver of the other vehicle was at fault and could not be traced or was not insured. "When claims against the MIB are settled, the MIB can seek to recover the cost incurred from the actual party at fault, i.e. the person who stole and was driving the vehicle," he said. "In reality this probably seldom happens as car thieves do not generally have the financial assets to repay what MIB

Summary: The owners of stolen cars are being sued by some police officers in Northern Ireland who were injured when chasing car thieves.


It is thought about 400 people in Northern Ireland live with permanent disabilities after surviving gun and bomb attacks. Those injuries include amputations, paralysis and blindness. They did get compensation, but they say it is now running out. Some victims now rely entirely on benefits. Because they could not return to work due to their injuries, they have not built up work-based pension savings. The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) is presently preparing a bill to go through Stormont to put a special pension in place for them. Current victims' legislation in Northern Ireland from 2006 does not judge how someone became injured. It is argued that means former paramilitaries should be eligible to get this pension if their injuries are serious enough. It is thought 10 former paramilitaries fall into this category. More could come forward if the pension scheme goes ahead. But the DUP say their proposed bill does not need to rely on that current definition of a victim. They plan to exclude anyone with a terrorist conviction. Ernie Wilson was a school bus driver and member of the Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR). In 1988, his bus was blown up by the IRA in Lisnaskea. He suffered injuries to his legs and eyes. He says no paramilitaries should be entitled to the proposed victims' pension. "My message is pay the people that have been injured by the terrorists. Full stop. "I know the men that are injured have to live, they have to get food, they have to get clothed, they have to be looked after. "But they should not be getting a pension for trying to kill me." Yet the BBC's Spotlight programme has learned that the injured paramilitaries have support from some surprising quarters. Paul Gallagher was 21 when the loyalist Ulster Freedom Fighters (UFF) took over his house with the aim of killing a republican who lived nearby. When they could not find their target, they shot Paul six times. He was left paralysed from the waist down. He told Spotlight that allowing injured paramilitaries to avail of the pension was a price worth paying. "It's a tough one. Say somebody was seriously injured, even by their own hand, they have needs now. So, I mean, they need to be looked after. "If they go forward to the NHS they are not going to be turned away at the door. "So why should they be turned away at the door of maybe the victims and survivors' service or other sorts of services? "For me, it is as simple as just looking at human suffering really as the qualification for eligibility or even to be recognised as a victim." Sinn FÃ©in told Spotlight they would not support the DUP bill if former paramilitaries are to be excluded. Spotlight was broadcast on BBC One Northern Ireland on Tuesday 2 June, and is available on the iPlayer.

Summary: It was one of the key points in the Stormont House Agreement - the plan to give the most seriously injured victims of the Troubles a special pension.


The vehicle was dragged for several hundred metres after being struck by a Paris-bound train at Conde-sur-Huisne in the Orne region on Friday evening. Deputy prefect Pascal Vion said the car "seemed to have stopped in the middle of the tracks" before the crash at 20:20 local time (18:20 GMT). A woman managed to escape from the car prior to the collision. None of the 34 passengers on the train, which was travelling from Le Mans to the French capital, were hurt, AFP news agency reports.

Summary: Three people have died after a train hit a car on a level crossing in the north-west of France, officials say.


The incident happened in Gerard Street, Ashton-in-Makerfield in Wigan at about 14:45 BST on Saturday. The woman, who has not been named but was in her 70s, was critically injured and died at the scene. Gerard Street was closed for a time while investigations were carried out. Police have appealed for any witnesses to contact them.

Summary: A woman has died after being hit by a lorry in Greater Manchester, police have said.


The procession will visit the East Riding on 18 and 19 June and northern Lincolnshire on 26 and 27 June. It will travel on the Cleethorpes Coast Light Railway, visit the Pods centre in Scunthorpe and abseil down Grimsby's Dock Tower. Torchbearers chosen to carry the flame include Tom Burnett, 12, from Hull. Most computers will open PDF documents automatically, but you may need Adobe Reader Download the reader here Most computers will open PDF documents automatically, but you may need Adobe Reader Download the reader here Tom, a pupil at Kelvin Hall School, is among 212 12-year-olds who have been selected as torchbearers through the London 2012 Get Set Education programme. He said he was "really excited" about the role. Tom was nominated by his teacher Sean Thompson after representing his school at football and rugby and being selected to represent Hull at a regional cross country event. His father Peter said: "To actually get the call to say he's been picked... we were blown away. We were gobsmacked. It's amazing." On 18 June, the torch will arrive in Bridlington and go via Beverley to Hull, where it will stay overnight. On 19 June the torch will exit the East Riding, going past the Humber Bridge, though Brough and Goole. The procession will return to the Humber region on 26 June, arriving in Scunthorpe and visiting places including Wrawby, Immingham and Cleethorpes. The Dock Tower abseil will take place on 27 June. Councillor Terry Geraghty, from Hull City Council, said: "We are delighted to be hosting the Torch Relay in our great city. Most computers will open PDF documents automatically, but you may need Adobe Reader Download the reader here Most computers will open PDF documents automatically, but you may need Adobe Reader Download the reader here "I look forward to welcoming the city's inspirational torchbearers who will run our route." Alice Kaye, who lives near Brigg in North Lincolnshire, has also been chosen to carry the Olympic flame. The 17-year-old is a student at Caistor Grammar School and is part of the Scunthorpe and District Athletics Club. She was selected through the Lloyds TSB London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay nomination scheme. She said: "I'm incredibly excited. Just being part of the Olympic Games is incredible." Power lifter Lynn Williams, who represented Great Britain at the 2011 Special Olympic World Summer Games in Athens, will carry the torch in Goole. The BBC's home of 2012: Latest Olympic news, sport, culture, torch relay, video and audio In her nomination the 54-year-old was hailed as a "shining example to young people with learning difficulties who may have their own Olympic dreams". The Olympic flame arrives in the UK on 18 May and begins its 70-day journey at Land's End on the morning of 19 May. During the 10-week relay the torch will be carried by 8,000 torchbearers and will travel about 8,000 miles. Locog says the torch will come within 10 miles of 95% of the population.

Summary: The Olympic torch will hitch a ride on Cleethorpes' light railway and visit Scunthorpe's new leisure centre as it passes through the Humber region.


International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach is urging the tour to adhere to World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) rules. The PGA Tour has a doping policy but it is not as strict as Wada standards. "I can only encourage the PGA Tour to follow and finally accept the Wada code and to be compliant with this," said Bach at St Andrews during The Open. Bach added that he wanted "a harmonised anti-doping regime there for all the golf players and... a level playing field for all golfers". Asked if non-compliance might put golf's Olympic future in jeopardy, he replied: "Of course, we'd have to take this into consideration." Neither the PGA Tour or European Tour publishes details of the number of drug tests it carries out during a year. Governing body the R&A does not publish details of how many tests it conducts at The Open Championship. Asked earlier this week for a specific figure, R&A chief executive Peter Dawson would only say that the number was significant. Golf is returning to the Olympics for the first time since 1904 at Rio next summer. The sport's ruling bodies were criticised by two-time major winner Greg Norman for not taking the threat of doping seriously enough. The International Golf Federation (IGF) will run the drug-testing programme for the Olympics, beginning 13 weeks before the Games. It will include blood testing (at the moment there are only urine tests in golf), out of competition testing and an introduction of the whereabouts rule. All Olympic golfers - male and female - will have to inform anti-doping officials where they are going to be for one hour each day between 5am and 11pm so they can be tested. Bach added: "The athletes will have to accept the Olympic standards during the next year prior to the Games and, of course, during the Games the first five will be tested on top of the random-testing and the targeted-testing during the Olympic period." David Howman, Wada's director general, said on Wednesday: "No sport can be complacent on the doping issue." He added that the Wada system was the "gold standard" and the best way to ensure that "clean athletes and the watching public can have full confidence in the anti-doping system".

Summary: The US PGA Tour has been warned over its stance on doping before golf's return to the Olympics in 2016.


The Social Mobility Commission warns of many "treadmill families running harder and harder but standing still". It points to an unfair education system, a two-tier labour market, a regionally imbalanced economy and unaffordable housing. Prime Minister Theresa May has promised to tackle social inequalities. The commission's State of the Nation 2016 report, laid before Parliament on Wednesday, says young families now can no longer expect to do as well as their parents' generation. It highlights that home ownership is in sharp decline, particularly among young people. The commission urges the government to commit to building three million homes over the next decade and to expand the sale of public sector land for new homes. It should also allow targeted housebuilding on green-belt land and modify the starter home initiative to focus on households with average incomes. Alan Milburn paints a depressingly familiar picture of a "them and us" Britain divided along the fault-lines of wealth and opportunity. But the conclusion of his report - most families are now doing worse than their parents' generation - is staggering. It means social mobility is going backwards not forwards, despite successive attempts to tackle it. Phrases such as: "Huge swathes of Britain feel left behind," and: "The chickens have now come home to roost," pepper the report. "So many families are struggling to get by, let alone get up," Mr Milburn said. He highlights that of the 65 parts of the country identified by his commission as "social mobility coldspots", only three voted to remain in the EU. Mr Milburn, himself immersed in issues surrounding the social mobility conundrum for six years, clearly feels the country's mood is now becoming dangerous. And with a nod to 1930s Europe, he told reporters: "We know from the history of our own continent, when people feel they are losing out unfairly, the mood can turn ugly." The commission notes that a child living in one of England's most disadvantaged areas is 27 times more likely to go to an inadequate school than a child in the most advantaged areas. And young people from low-income homes are one-third more likely to drop out of education than better-off classmates with similar GCSEs. The report says the government should have "as its core objective" the narrowing within the next decade of the GCSE attainment gap between poorer children and their better-off classmates by two-thirds. It also urges the government to rethink its plans for more grammar schools and more academies. The report says grammars are "at best, a distraction, and, at worst, a risk to efforts aimed at narrowing the significant social and geographical divides that bedevil England's school system". The report notes a growing gap between the generations, warning that those born in the 1980s are the first post-war cohort not to start their working lives on higher salaries than their immediate predecessors. It says the government must work with large employers, local councils and Local Enterprise Partnerships to bring high-quality job opportunities - backed by financial incentives - to Britain's social mobility "coldspots". The report also calls for an

Summary: Middle-income as well as low-income families are being held back by a "deep social mobility problem" in Britain, a report warns.


Spireites midfielder Gary Liddle was sent off after only 16 minutes for a foul on Kane Vincent-Young. Chesterfield kept the U's out until Drew Wright broke free with 20 minutes remaining, cutting the ball back for Bonne to strike right-footed. However, three minutes later Lee Novak converted from the spot after he was felled by Richard Brindley. Colchester's winless run in League One stretched to 17 matches as they remain rooted to the foot of the table while a point was enough to take Chesterfield out of the relegation places.

Summary: Macauley Bonne scored his first goal in 11 games but Colchester were held to a draw by 10-man Chesterfield.


Zaneta Krokova, 11, and Helina Kotlarova, 12, who were "holding hands" as they crossed the road, died after the crash on Ashton Road. Four men, aged 59, 48, 38 and 18, remain in custody on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving. A fifth man, aged 23, has been de-arrested, police said. Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said he was initially arrested for the same offence but was now assisting police with enquiries. Greater Manchester Police said it had identified the car involved in the collision as a Blue Peugeot 807. The dark blue vehicle, which had evidence of previous damage to its rear window, was found abandoned on Honeywell Lane. Nigel Whittle, principal of Oasis Academy, Oldham, said the school was "deeply saddened" by the news of the deaths of Zaneta, who was a first year student, and her cousin Helina Kotlarova, a former pupil. He said: "Our thoughts and prayers are with their families and friends at this extremely distressing and difficult time. "We are a very closely-knit school community. As our students return following the Christmas break, I know that they will care for one another, and our staff will be available to offer the support and time necessary as we all come to terms with this awful loss." He said with the agreement of the Krokova family the school would join together to pay tribute to Zaneta in the coming weeks. A book of condolence would be opened on Thursday, he said.

Summary: Police have been given more time to question four men held over an apparent hit-and-run crash in Oldham on New Year's Eve in which two cousins died.


Fire, police and coastguard teams were called to Butley Creek near Orford, Suffolk, on Wednesday by a member of the public who had seen the supine figure of a man lying in the water. The "body" turned out to be a work of art called A Thousand Tides, which has been at the site for more than a year. A Suffolk Police spokesman described the work as "quite realistic". Read more Suffolk stories here The sculpture, by artist Laurence Edwards, was designed to only be seen at low tide and was intended to sink eventually. However, Mr Edwards said it had "stayed on the surface longer than it should". He said: "I've always been a bit worried that a helicopter would spot it and want to rescue it. "To convince someone it's a real person is a great achievement, although I would like to apologise to the poor person who called it in." The sculpture was a parting gift to the area from Mr Edwards, who had a studio and foundry works nearby for 15 years until spring 2016 before moving to Halesworth. Mr Edwards' website says his work "attempts to do justice to the locality and its history, by peopling it with large figures that have survived the ravages of the water and the elements." Suffolk Police confirmed they attended Butley Creek, saying: "Police received a call from a member of the public reporting what they believed to be a body in the river. "The fire service and coastguard were also called to assist, but a short while later this was actually confirmed to be a sculpture." A Thousand Tides is reminiscent of Antony Gormley's Another Place installation on Crosby beach in Merseyside, which depicts 100 bronze figures looking out over the Irish Sea.

Summary: Three different 999 services had to be stood down after a "body in the water" turned out to be a bronze sculpture.


Despite decades of tobacco control policies, population growth has seen an increased number of smokers, it warned. Researchers said mortality could rise further as tobacco companies aggressively targeted new markets, especially in the developing world. The report was published in the medical journal The Lancet. "Despite more than half a century of unequivocal evidence of the harmful effects of tobacco on health, today, one in every four men in the world is a daily smoker," said senior author Dr Emmanuela Gakidou. "Smoking remains the second largest risk factor for early death and disability, and so to further reduce its impact we must intensify tobacco control to further reduce smoking prevalence and attributable burden." The Global Burden of Diseases report was based on smoking habits in 195 countries and territories between 1990 and 2015. It found that nearly one billion people smoked daily in 2015 - one in four men and one in 20 women. That was a reduction from one in three men and one in 12 women who lit up in 1990. However, population growth meant there was an increase in the overall number of smokers, up from 870 million in 1990. And the number of tobacco-related deaths - more than 6.4 million in 2015 - increased by 4.7% over the same period. The study found some countries had succeeded in efforts to help people quit, mostly through a combination of higher taxes, warnings on packages and education programmes. Over the 25-year period, Brazil had seen the percentage of daily smokers drop from 29% to 12% among men and from 19% to 8% among women. But, the report said, Bangladesh, Indonesia and the Philippines saw no change from 1990 to 2015. Russia saw smoking among women rise by 4% over the same period and similar trends were emerging in parts of Africa, the authors warned.

Summary: Smoking causes one in 10 deaths worldwide, a new study shows, half of them in just four countries - China, India, the US and Russia.


The body of Waldek Mural, 57, was discovered by a member of the public in Burley Park Burley on 5 September. A post-mortem examination showed he had died as a result of multiple injuries. Grzegorz Kowalczyk, 41, from Headingley, appeared at Leeds Magistrates' Court where he was remanded in custody to appear at the city's crown court on Tuesday.

Summary: A man has appeared in court charged with the murder of a Polish national found dead in a park in Leeds.


The rock legends' set went out on the BBC World Service as part of Alexis Korner's Rhythm and Blues programme and was taped from an AM radio in Europe. It includes the band's only known recording of the track Sunshine Woman. The session recording has been restored with help from guitarist Jimmy Page for inclusion on a new compilation. The Complete BBC Sessions, which will be released in September, is a remastered update of a 1997 collection of tracks recorded for the BBC between 1969 and 1971. It includes eight previously unreleased recordings, including the first broadcast of Stairway To Heaven, from the BBC Paris Cinema in London on 1 April 1971. Versions of songs from the band's first two albums also feature, including Communication Breakdown and What Is And What Should Never Be. Formed in 1968, Led Zeppelin went on to become one of the world's biggest bands, with each of their studio albums making the top 10 of the US Billboard charts. They officially split in 1980, following the death of drummer John Bonham. The remaining members reformed for a 2007 concert in London, with Bonham's son Jason playing drums.

Summary: A 1969 Led Zeppelin session for the BBC that was thought to have been lost when archives were wiped has been recovered from a recording made by a fan.


Qualification for France looks little more than a formality from a favourable group that offered England and manager Roy Hodgson the perfect rehabilitation period after their embarrassing early retreat from South America at the group stage. The thrilling victory against Slovenia in Ljubljana on Sunday made it six wins out of six in Group E and with a six-point lead and four games remaining, it gives Hodgson and England the chance to make amends for events in Brazil when they reach France, as they surely will, next summer. It was also, however, a win that exposed cracks in England's make up as well as demonstrating some of the quality they can offer in attack. England's chaotic win, which contained some excellent passages of play, was the perfect antidote to those who believe they are entirely functional under Hodgson - but much of it was the wrong sort of excitement, especially in defence. So how far have England come since the World Cup and that defeat by Italy in Manaus a year ago? And can they make a serious impact in France? On results alone, England and Hodgson are above criticism - so it seems churlish to add any rider to a perfect qualifying campaign that is unblemished and a season that has seen them go unbeaten for the first time since 1990-91. This has been, however, "The Group of Death" only when it comes to excitement. Once England skilfully negotiated what appeared to be the most hazardous fixture on their schedule, a 2-0 win in Switzerland in September courtesy of two goals from Danny Welbeck, the tone was set for routine qualification. Hodgson will rightly argue England can only beat what has been put in front of them, which they have, but none of the qualifying games will provide any sort of accurate measure to how they would cope when confronted with an elite power in a competitive environment. And of course comfortable qualification for last summer's World Cup counted for little when England were effectively out after two games. The bottom line is that heads would have rolled had England failed to qualify from this Euro 2016 group, with an inquiry to follow presumably, but it has been negotiated efficiently if not spectacularly. Hodgson is entitled to ask what more England could have done - but it may be that friendlies arranged between now and the Euros will actually tell us more than the qualifying campaign. There is no better plus point than an unblemished record of six from six - and there are other factors Hodgson can point to as he engenders hope and optimism ahead of Euro 2016. Hodgson often talks of his squad being young and this is true. There is a younger, fresher look to England's squad, in part because of the retirement of the likes of Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard and the decision to move away from experienced players such as Glen Johnson. This feels like a new generation. Joe Hart remains one of the best goalkeepers in the world and Hodgson will look to

Summary: England are one year on from the debacle of their World Cup campaign in Brazil and one year out from Euro 2016 in France - the midpoint in a crucial process of recovery.


2 June 2017 Last updated at 08:09 BST Although kids aren't able to vote, the decisions made in the election will have a big impact on the lives of all children across the country. But with so many different political parties competing with each other, we're giving you the lowdown on the main ones. Find out all you need to know about the Labour Party in Newsround's 60-second guide.

Summary: There's a general election coming up on 8 June, when adults will vote to decide who will run the UK.