Action on Hearing Loss Cymru said its south east Wales support service is one-of-a-kind with nothing similar elsewhere in Wales. It said "demand outweighs supply" for its two advisers and the referral process is "problematic". The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) said it had a number of relevant "tailored" services and funded others for those who need extra help. Action on Hearing Loss estimates 4% of the Welsh workforce - about 84,000 people - are deaf or wear hearing aids. The charity's employment service, which is funded by the DWP, has run for two years and received 29 referrals. It has now been extended until December. The charity told the Eye on Wales programme it had been "overwhelmed with demand" and, without it, there would be "no support for deaf people looking for work in Wales". Richard Williams, director of the charity in Wales, said: "Demand is far outweighing supply and our two advisors are currently only able to support clients in the south east Wales area. "No support is available throughout the rest of Wales for deaf clients. "The referral process is also problematic; jobseekers must be referred by their Disability Employment Advisor (DEA) on the first Monday of every month by telephone call, which creates a further barrier for those people looking for work." Of the 29 people referred so far, six have gone into long-term employment and several more are still on the programme. Construction worker Jack Griffiths, 25, of Tredegar, Blaenau Gwent, who was born profoundly deaf, found his confidence "ebbing away" when he struggled to find work. "Nobody was keener to get into work than me. And when you hear 'no' all the time, constant disappointment - it becomes a hard struggle to keep on applying," he said. But he managed to get a job at Willis Construction in Cardiff after getting help from the charity. "I feel better about myself. I am learning," he said. "When you're not working, you're not learning or progressing." The charity's research suggests people who are deaf or hard of hearing are four times more likely to be unemployed than a hearing person. "Every month our advisors are approached by deaf people desperate for support in finding employment but did not make it through the referral system and will have to wait another month," Mr Williams said. The DWP said it was "committed to helping disabled people" to find and stay in work. "As well as tailored help available through the Personal Support Package and Access to Work, our Jobcentre Plus disability employment advisors are working with thousands of people every day to provide the extra support that they need," a spokeswoman said. "We recognise there will be some people who need even more specialist help. That's exactly why we fund organisations such as Action on Hearing Loss in Wales through the Specialist Employability Support programme and we're currently considering how to extend this support in the future." The Welsh Government said it was in the process of refreshing its Framework for Action on Independent Living, a programme designed to

Summary: More should be done to help deaf people into work in Wales, a charity has said.


The cylindrical device, which was between six and eight inches long (15-20cm), was discovered at the Scaur at Kirkcolm on Wednesday. A police spokesman said the small bomb was rusty and resembled a dog bone. He urged anyone who finds similar devices not to touch them, but to contact Police Scotland as soon as possible with its location. The spokesman said: "The device has been dealt with and there is no danger to the public. "However, please be aware when walking along the coastline should any similar devices be found. "The devices will not explode, however they will burn at high temperatures and emit toxic fumes." The bomblet may have come from Beaufort's Dyke, a deep trench in the Irish Sea between Scotland and Northern Ireland, which has been used as a munitions dump.

Summary: Police have issued a warning after a World War Two phosphorous bomblet was found washed up near Stranraer.


IS and other jihadist groups appear to be exploiting new functionality introduced by the app last month, which allows users to broadcast their messages to an unlimited number of members via their own Telegram "channel". On 26 September, just four days after Telegram trumpeted the launch of its new "Channels" tool, IS media operatives on Twitter started advertising the group's own channel dubbed Nashir, which translates as "Distributor" in English. It has already amassed more than 4,500 subscribers. Since then, IS propaganda has started appearing first via Telegram, often several minutes before being posted to Twitter. The group's claim for an attack on Saudi and Emirati forces at a hotel in the Yemeni city of Aden on Tuesday was posted first on Telegram, for example, although Twitter remains a key platform for IS to spread its message. IS appears to be hoping the Berlin-based Telegram will offer it a more stable and resilient platform for its propaganda, faced with a sustained clampdown on its Twitter presence. But Telegram itself suggests it will take down illegal material that is made publicly available via the app - including posts related to IS, according to its website. IS has not had an official presence on Twitter since July 2014, when its last branded accounts were shut down. It then experimented with a series of less well-known social media platforms, such as the privacy-focused Diaspora as well as VKontakte, Russia's largest social network, whose co-founders the Durov brothers went on to set up Telegram in 2013. But IS was soon kicked off those platforms too. Since then, Twitter has remained the group's preferred platform. But it has been caught up in a cat-and-mouse game with the Twitter administration, which has also led to its quasi-official, non-branded accounts routinely suspended. Even before IS launched its latest propaganda channel via Telegram, there had been evidence that the group and its members were using the app. Earlier in September, IS had advertised an Iraqi mobile phone number, which people could use to get in touch with the group via the Telegram app in order to pay a ransom for two hostages being held by the group. And jihadists inspired by IS, including a British teenager convicted recently, have used the app's secure encrypted messaging to conduct attack planning. Jihadists have been drawn by Telegram's boast to provide a "secret chat" facility, which heavily encrypts messages user-to-user with a unique key to avoid interception by hackers or government agencies. Telegram is so confident of its security that it twice offered a $300,000 reward to the first person who could crack its encryption. But it is the app's new public broadcast function that jihadists have been quick to latch on to and it is not just IS that has started exploiting it. Al-Qaeda's Yemen branch (AQAP) launched its own Telegram "channel" on 25 September, although its material is still coming out first via Twitter, where the group has its own official accounts. And the Libyan Ansar al-Shari'ah group created its channel the following day. A raft of other pro-IS and pro-al-Qaeda

Summary: So-called Islamic State group (IS) has shifted its propaganda distribution to the secure mobile messaging app Telegram from Twitter, where its accounts have been repeatedly shut down over the past year.


But the latest Cinderella is bucking the trend - and seemingly appealing to audiences as a result. Directed by Sir Kenneth Branagh, Cinderella is a live-action version of Disney's classic 1950 animation that has taken $70m (Â£43.1m) on its opening weekend in the United States. Yet this adaptation is completely faithful to the traditional story - including wicked stepmother, fairy godmother, glass slipper, handsome prince and happy ending. British actress Lily James, best known as Lady Rose from ITV's Downton Abbey, stars as Cinderella. Cate Blanchett plays the stepmother and Helena Bonham Carter is the fairy godmother. "Keeping it classic is the twist," says Branagh, who started his directing career in 1989 with his adaptation of Shakespeare's Henry V. "I always felt that it's better to do a modern version of a story using the historical perspective, than say, make a story of Cinderella in Brooklyn in 2015. "I find that when you try and update Shakespeare to a contemporary setting too, you always pay a price. "In this case, the original material of Cinderella is far richer than my ideas, so it seems to me that it's my job to make it simple. Just let the fairytale speak, because it affects us in a more complicated way than we think. "Audiences have already come up to me saying the film is about patchwork families, about child bereavement, about the politics between women these days. Fairytales are a psychological brain-worm that need to be left alone to do their work." Helena Bonham Carter says that at first she was dubious "as to whether a straight version would work". "I think it's a really good film, but it could so easily have been bad. I was saying: 'So you're really going to do a completely straight version of Cinderella? No gimmicks, no extra frills, no 3D?' "It's very classic, but they know me, and they allowed me not to be that straight in my own role." Just as audiences seem to have taken to the film, critics such as the Guardian's Guy Lodge comment that "while it might have been nice to see the new-model Cinderella follow Frozen's progressive, quasi-feminist lead, the film's naff, preserved-in-amber romanticism is its very charm". But James disagrees that this Cinderella is an old-fashioned heroine, pointing out that at the start of Disney's 1950 classic, Cinderella "is staring out of the window dreaming of the prince and waiting for him to rescue her". "This Cinderella doesn't do that at all. I think we make it very clear that everything she does is her choice - even deciding to stay on at her parents' house with such wicked treatment from her stepmother. "She is told by her dying mother to 'have courage and be kind' and this is the film's, and Cinderella's, backbone." This is the first major leading role for Surrey-born James. "Not even a big TV series like Downton could prepare me for this fuss," she says. "I am getting slightly carried away. I keep seeing giant posters of me all over the place in a big

Summary: In recent years, Hollywood remakes and re-imaginings of classic fairytales have come thick and fast - all darker, more adult versions of tales that originally appeared in cinemas.


Even though Cuba is less than 100 miles away from the US, the two counties fell out in 1959, and no American president has visited since then. The fall out was because two brothers called Fidel and Raul Castro took power in a revolution. America did not agree with how they ran the country. Since being president, Obama has tried to make America's relationship with Cuba more friendly, and in 2015 he re-opened the US embassy which was closed 54 years earlier.

Summary: President Obama has arrived in Cuba, an island in the Caribbean, for an historic three day visit.


The child was airlifted to Swansea's Morriston Hospital following the incident on Telelkebir Road in Hopkinstown, Pontypridd, on Tuesday. He was in a stable condition after suffering serious leg injuries. The man charged in connection with the incident will appear at Merthyr Tydfil Magistrates' Court on Thursday.

Summary: A 20-year-old man has been charged following a collision between a quad bike and a seven-year-old boy in Rhondda Cynon Taff.


Marie Black, 34, of Norwich, stood trial with nine others, including five women, at Norwich Crown Court. Black denied 26 charges. A jury found her guilty of all but three counts. She was convicted of offences including rape and inciting a child to engage in sexual activity. Two men were found guilty of child sex abuse and another woman was found guilty of assault. Michael Rogers, 53, from Romford, was found guilty of 14 counts including cruelty, rape and inciting a child to engage in sexual activity. Jason Adams, 43, from Norwich, was convicted of 13 similar counts. Carol Stadler, 60, from Atkinson Close, Bowthorpe, Norwich, was found guilty of assault causing actual bodily harm but cleared of nine other charges, including serious sexual assaults. They are due to be sentenced on 28 September. Six other defendants, Anthony Stadler, 63, Nicola Collins, 36, Andrew Collins, 52, Judith Fuller, 32, Denise Barnes, 34, and Kathleen Adams, 84, all from Norwich, were cleared of all charges. Black sobbed uncontrollably in the dock as the verdicts were delivered. Opening the trial, prosecutor Angela Rafferty QC said Black, previously known as Marie Adams, played an instrumental role in using the five children as "sexual playthings". The abuse, which is said to have happened in and around Norwich and London, included forcing the children to have sex with one another. On some occasions, the adults threw parties and played card games to decide who would abuse which child, Mrs Rafferty said. In interviews the victims described how they were abused in front of one another and other adults. Some of the abuse involved children's toys, including Barbie dolls. All of the defendants denied abusing the children, saying it simply did not happen. During the trial it emerged police had launched an investigation into the conduct of one agency social worker involved in the case. The court heard that the trial had originally been due to start last year only to be delayed when prosecutors raised concerns over changes made by social workers to statements taken from the children. This resulted in Norfolk Police launching an investigation into anomalies in documents. Prosecutors decided no action should be taken, Norfolk Police said after the trial. A police spokeswoman added: "There was no wrongdoing found on the part of the council." Sheila Lock, interim executive director of children's services at Norfolk County Council, said: "The victims in this case have shown tremendous courage in speaking out. "The needs of the children, who were central to the prosecution case, have always been at the fore of our minds and have been the main focus of all of the agencies involved. "Our priority continues to be the children in this case who, despite the ordeal they have been through, are now doing well and are safe from harm." Deanna Neilson, head of safeguarding at Action for Children, said: "This appalling case reveals the premeditated and organised approach some people take to abusing children. "We cannot lose sight of the needs of the children who suffered at their hands, even though the abuse

Summary: A woman said to be at the centre of an abuse ring has been found guilty of child sex offences.


John Leathem, 32, will now serve at least 23 years in prison. He had originally been sentenced to a minimum of 27 years in jail. Leathem stabbed the 15-year-old 61 times after she stopped at his delicatessen in Clydebank, West Dunbartonshire, in March. Paige's family said there were no words to describe their feelings. The teenager's body was found in woods in March last year. Leathem admitted her murder and claimed to have "panicked" after Paige threatened to report him for sexual assault after she applied for a job. His car was filmed on CCTV at the site where her body was dumped - a wooded area close to Glasgow's Great Western Road, less than a mile from the deli. Lawyers for Leatham told the court that he had no previous convictions and had shown genuine remorse. His original life sentence, with a minimum term of 27 years, had been fixed because of the brutality of the killing and because he had hidden her body. However, his lawyers argued that Leathem had actually left the body where it could easily be discovered, unlike in the case of Alexander Pacteau, who had murdered student Karen Buckley and attempted to dispose of her body in an acid bath. Pacteau was also sentenced to a minimum of 27 years. The judges in Edinburgh agreed, and reduced Leatham's minimum term to 23 years. A statement posted on the Justice For Paige Facebook page said: "The man who brutally murdered a 15-year-old defenceless child has been given more time off his sentence. "He will only have to serve 23 years. There is no words to describe how we feel. "It's heartbreaking and serves no justice to Paige and her family. She had her whole life ahead of her and it's been ripped apart. In 23 years her killer will walk the streets." In delivering his ruling, appeal judge Lord Turnbull said of Leathem: "The appellant in the present case engaged in a brutal, savage and frenzied attack on a young defenceless child before attempting to cover up his actions. "In the course of that attack, he appears to have struck her in the region of 146 times. "Each case must be determined upon its own facts and those just identified demonstrate that the appellant committed a most appalling murder. "Even in such cases though, all of the relevant circumstances require to be given proper weight before the appropriate sentence can be identified. "The appellant was a family man of previous good character who had not offended before and who had expressed remorse. The murder was not premeditated." He added: "When these circumstances are all taken account of, we think it can be said that the length of the punishment part selected in this case was inconsistent with current sentencing practice and was excessive."

Summary: A shop owner who murdered schoolgirl Paige Doherty in a frenzied knife attack has had his sentence reduced.


The Canaries were all but down before kick-off, and Ramsey's volley on the angle and Carl Jenkinson's opportunistic strike sealed their fate. Earlier, Norwich keeper John Ruddy had to be alert to keep out Lukas Podolski and Olivier Giroud. Gunners keeper Lukasz Fabianski denied Jamar Loza and Robert Snodgrass. It was a sombre finish to a disastrous season for Norwich, who could only have survived if they had won and West Brom had lost to Stoke, coupled with a highly improbable 17-goal swing. Media playback is not supported on this device Whether Neil Adams starts next season's Championship campaign in charge is yet to be seen, after the former youth coach had the unenviable task of trying to keep City up following Chris Hughton's sacking with five games left. Striker Ricky van Wolfswinkel, the £8.5m signing whose only goal this season came on the opening day, was conspicuous by his absence from the squad. There was good news for England fans the day before Roy Hodgson names his World Cup squad as Arsenal's Jack Wilshere returned after a foot injury for the final 30 minutes, while knee injury victim Abou Diaby also came on for the Gunners in his first game in 14 months. But it was Ramsey, also returning from injury, who shone for the visitors, rifling in a superb volley from Giroud's delicate chip to the back post. It was the Welshman's 17th goal of an injury-disrupted season, and fans will wonder if Arsenal's title challenge, which looked promising until February, would have flourished had he not missed so much football. Arsenal went into the game with a Champions League spot already secured and with the prospect of a first trophy for nine years still to come in next week's FA Cup final, and a strong Gunners side rarely had to rise above second gear at Carrow Road. Media playback is not supported on this device After Ramsey's opener, Jenkinson grabbed his first Arsenal goal, pouncing on Podolski's deflected shot from Kieran Gibbs's cross. Norwich never wilted, and debutant Loza stung Fabianski's fingers while the Polish keeper had to be quick off his line to close down Snodgrass. But City face a summer of upheaval if they are to mount a challenge to make an immediate return to the top flight. Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger: "Unfortunately it's the first time in the Premier League that you finish fourth with 79 points and it was very tight. "We can be frustrated. We have won 11 games away from home, I think it's the best in the league and it was our 17th clean sheet - that is remarkable as well. "We just wanted to finish the season well and we did it in a serious way, so it is a good basis to prepare for the FA Cup final." Match ends, Norwich City 0, Arsenal 2. Second Half ends, Norwich City 0, Arsenal 2. Corner, Arsenal. Conceded by Russell Martin. Attempt saved. Elliott Bennett (Norwich City) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal.

Summary: Norwich City's relegation from the Premier League was confirmed as a stunning Aaron Ramsey strike spurred fourth-placed Arsenal to victory.


The chief executive of Twitter Dick Costolo didn't exactly hold back in a leaked memo to staff. Charles Sherwin went on ITV's Take Me Out in 2012 looking for love, but ended up with a string of abuse from Twitter trolls. Now the farmer's told Newsbeat the site needs to do more to punish trolls, and stop them ruining it for everyone else. The Cheshire lad remembers getting some pretty nasty tweets. "They said that my farm wanted burning down, and my cows wanted poisoning. "When someone wants to knife and kill you, that's the worse anybody can be told." Twitter's boss is worried they could be driving users away, and Charles only uses Facebook now, as he thinks it's safer. "It made my whole experience of Take Me Out, which is a really good show, very unbearable at the time. "I don't know why the trolls go at people, they do it to all the stars and it's a great shame really, because it's spoiling what is probably a good service. "More action should be taken to stop these sorts of people and punish them because it can be very threatening." Years on, and despite no longer being on Twitter, Charles is still scared. "I still get recognised when I go out, and in the back of my mind I think, 'Are they the people that put the nasty remarks on Twitter? Are they going to hurt me?' "I didn't get the police involved, because they're untraceable really." Despite everything though, Charles hasn't lost any optimism on the relationship front. "The trolls made it out that I was such a bad person, and I'm just a happy go lucky farmer lad who loves his cows and is looking for love." Twitter told Newsbeat that they're "not commenting on this one", but pointed us to their recent blog telling us to expect "new enforcement procedures for abusive accounts". Follow @BBCNewsbeat on Twitter, BBCNewsbeat on Instagram and Radio1Newsbeat on YouTube

Summary: "We've sucked at dealing with trolls, and we've sucked at it for years."


Welsh Language Minister Alun Davies has written to the corporation seeking assurances over the future of factual and drama production in Wales. BBC Studios has announced plans to cut about 300 staff across the UK. Its director Mark Linsey said the proposals will help "provide even greater value to licence fee payers". BBC Studios is a recent created division of the BBC which encompasses its in-house TV programme making in genres such as drama, factual and entertainment. Mr Davies, who has responsibility for the Welsh Government's broadcasting policy, said: "I was extremely concerned to learn of this announcement and its implications for the BBC in Wales, especially the loss of 27 jobs." The minister said he supported the Bectu union as it seeks assurances the redundancies will be achieved through voluntary means. In a letter to BBC Director General Lord Hall, Mr Davies said: "Throughout the BBC Charter Review process, the Welsh Government has expressed concern about the BBC Studios proposal. "We are not persuaded that a significant scaling back of BBC in-house production - which may well be the outcome of an entirely market driven approach to commissioning within the BBC - would be beneficial overall." Mark Linsey, director of BBC Studios, said: "A strong, creative and competitive BBC Studios is crucial to maintaining the BBC's role as one of the world's great programme makers and ensuring that in-house production at the BBC has a secure future. "With the removal of an in-house guarantee, we need to be able to develop programmes and projects for a variety of broadcasters, and compete effectively for the finest talent. "The changes announced [on Thursday] will help us to reshape in response to a new landscape and provide even greater value to licence fee payers."

Summary: The Welsh Government has said it was "extremely concerned" over news of 27 job cuts in Wales by the BBC's production arm, BBC Studios.


Media playback is not supported on this device Annemiek van Vleuten doesn't remember the rest: bike cartwheeling into the trees; a roaring silence followed by panicked voices; rivals sweeping past, one by one. That's one way to erase the memory of an Olympic dream crushed. "I remember I had a gap on my competitors and was thinking, 'OK, it's not necessary to go crazy going downhill'," the 33-year-old Dutchwoman, who was leading the road race in Rio when the crash took place, tells BBC Sport. "Then it started to rain a little bit, so I was actually extra careful. But the corner surprised me and I didn't take it properly. Next thing I remember I was awake in a hospital bed and I had my mother on the phone." Back in the Netherlands, poor Mrs Van Vleuten had been watching the race on her birthday. The agony these elite athletes put their parents through. Then again, what about us viewers - that wasn't what we were expecting when we switched on the TV expecting some wholesome sporting entertainment. And what about her poor team-mates - when Anna van der Breggen rounded the bend, she thought Van Vleuten might be dead. This being the Olympics, Van der Breggen didn't think of stopping but rode on to win the gold instead. But this interview didn't take place from said hospital, or even a different one in the Netherlands. Two weeks after the crash that was heard around the world, Van Vleuten was on her bike again. Never mind the three fractures in her back, the severe concussion, the worried mum, there were other races to be won. "The first week I was really struggling with the idea that I was going for gold and made that stupid, stupid mistake. But then I realised that thinking like this was not going to help me feel better. So I started making some new goals. "The three vertebrae were not broken in a dangerous place in my back, only on the side, and I never had serious symptoms of the concussion. And as a cyclist you're used to crashing at least once or twice a year, it's part of the job." Almost a month to the day after her Olympic hopes hit the skids, Van Vleuten won her first stage, the Belgium Tour prologue. Three days later, Van Vleuten clinched the overall title with a stirring solo effort on the final stage. "It's sort of a miracle but I sort of expected it," said Van der Breggen, apparently a difficult woman to stir. "She is really tough. That is Annemiek." A tough talker, too. Asked how she felt when she heard Britain's Lizzie Deignan (nee Armitstead) had been cleared to compete in the Olympic road race, having missed three drug tests in a year, Van Vleuten goes for the jugular. "I was angry about it because the rules are for everyone and you cannot make exceptions. It's part of the job, you have to take it seriously. It's very special to miss three tests in one year,

Summary: If you don't remember the name, let me remind you of the carnage: back wheel rears up, like the hind legs of a bucking bronco; rider performs a half-twisting front flip; rider lands on her shoulders, skids off the road and spins onto her front; rider hangs limp over the kerb, like a rag doll tossed from a car window.


21 October 2014 Last updated at 10:09 BST Strong winds are expected to cause disruption across the country as the remnants of Hurricane Gonzalo sweep in from the Atlantic. In Scotland, the west coast is expected to be the worst affected area as winds move towards the east. A few flights have been affected, ferries have been disrupted and the Skye Bridge is closed to all vehicles due to high winds. The strongest gust so far has been 64mph recorded on the Forth Road Bridge around 06:00. Strong winds are forecast to continue through the day. You can keep track of the latest weather warnings on the Met Office website Up-to-date forecasts can be found on the BBC Weather website The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) Floodline has the latest on flood warnings Scotland-wide travel information is available from Traffic Scotland and Traveline Scotland, while National Rail has the latest on rail disruption Regular travel updates are provided on BBC Radio Scotland - on 92 to 95 FM and 810 MW - and on the BBC Travel website If you know of a problem, you can call the travel hotline on 08000 929588 (call only if it is safe to do so)

Summary: Weather and travel information


Twenty-one animals had first beached at Staffin on Monday afternoon. Most of the whales were saved but 10 then went on to strand themselves on rocks on nearby Staffin Island. Eight whales died including a female and her new born calf. The stranding is thought to have been triggered by the female having problems while calving.

Summary: A group of long-finned pilot whales that became stranded on rocks off Skye were able to return to open water with help from rescuers on Tuesday evening.


Mae cais cynllunio amlinellol wedi ei gymeradwyo i ddatblygu ardal i'r gogledd a'r de o Ffordd Ystumllwynarth. Ymysg y cynlluniau, fydd yn costio tua £500m, mae adeiladu arena ddigidol a chanolfan gynhadledd i'r de o'r ffordd, yn ogystal â maes parcio aml lawr newydd a gwesty 13 llawr. Y bwriad yn yr ardal ogleddol yw agor rhagor o siopau, tai bwyta ac ardaloedd cyhoeddus newydd ar hen safle canolfan Dewi Sant. Bydd pont droed lydan yn cael ei hadeiladu dros y ffordd i gysylltu ardaloedd gogleddol a deheuol y ddinas. Dywedodd Martin Nicholls o Gyngor Abertawe: "Mae'r gymeradwyaeth yn golygu y gallwn ni nawr fwrw mlaen â'r cynlluniau ar gyfer y safle i'r de o Ffordd Ystumllwynarth, sef rhan gynta'r datblygiad. "Drwy weithio mewn partneriaeth a Rivington Land a'u tîm cynllunio, bydd gwaith cynllunio manwl yn digwydd nawr ar yr arena dan do, y gwesty, y maes parcio aml-lawr a'r bont i gerddwyr. "Unwaith y bydd y cynlluniau penodol wedi eu cwblhau, bydd angen caniatâd cynllunio, ond rydym yn gobeithio dechrau'r gwaith ar yr ochr ddeheuol ddiwedd gwanwyn a dechrau haf 2018."

Summary: Mae cynlluniau gwerth miliynau o bunnoedd i drawsnewid canol Abertawe gam yn agosach medd cyngor y ddinas.


The fire started at about 10:00 in the complex on Walter Hay Court in Rosyth, which contains about 30 retirement bungalows. The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said several people had been rescued and evacuated from the burning building. Police said a body had been found within the property. An investigation was under way at the site. John Mills, head of Fife Council's housing services, said: "We were alerted to an incident this morning at an address Walter Hay Court. "Unfortunately the fire has resulted in the death of an occupant and our sympathies are with their family and friends at this sad time." A Police Scotland spokeswoman said: "Police in Fife are investigating following a fatal fire at an address in Walter Hay Court, Rosyth. "The incident happened around 10am on Friday, December 16, when a fire was reported. Police and emergency services attended, however a body was found within the property. "Police are currently undertaking a joint examination of the circumstances with the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service. A report will be sent the procurator fiscal."

Summary: A man has died in a huge blaze at a sheltered housing complex in Fife.


Mr Dasuki is accused of awarding phantom contracts to buy 12 helicopters, four fighter jets and ammunition. He denies the allegations. The equipment was meant for the fight against Boko Haram Islamist militants. Mr Dasuki was picked up early in the morning by security agents, a PR firm representing him said. Two weeks ago, President Muhammadu Buhari ordered Mr Dasuki's arrest after he was indicted by a panel investigating the procurement of arm under the last administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan. PRNigeria said he was picked up by intelligence agents from his home in the capital, Abuja, where he was already under house arrest facing separate charges. Later on Tuesday, the former governor of Sokoto state, Attahiru Bafarawa and owner of a Lagos-based private TV station, Raymond Dokpesi, were detained separately by Nigeria's Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), in connection with the alleged fraud. Both men, who are political allies of the former president, have denied any involvement in the arms deal. Their arrest follows those of some of Mr Dasuki's associates by EFCC on Monday. The anti-corruption body said they included former Minister of State for Finance Bashir Yuguda and the sons of some prominent politicians of the former ruling party over allegations of impropriety in relation to the arm deal. Earlier, Mr Dasuki said he had not been given a chance to defend himself before the investigative panel and described its recommendation as "politically motivated". The former army colonel is already facing a trial for allegedly possessing illegal firearms. He is the first senior official of the former government to be charged under the rule of President Muhammadu Buhari, who took in office in May. The BBC's Martin Patience in Lagos says Mr Dasuki's arrest will reinforce President Buhari's message that he will not tolerate corruption no matter how senior the official. The president was elected partly on a promise to clean up Nigeria's notoriously corrupt politics, our correspondent says. Boko Haram has killed thousands in north-eastern Nigeria in its six-year campaign to create an Islamic state.

Summary: Nigeria's former national security adviser, Sambo Dasuki, has been arrested for allegedly stealing $2bn (Â£1.3bn), his representatives say.


It made an operating income of almost $4.2bn (Â£3.4bn) for the year to 2 October, up 16% on the previous year. That was mainly down to a strong showing for its biggest market, the Americas, where net sales rose 11%. However, in the fourth quarter of its financial year, global sales at existing stores rose by only 4%. That was lower than the 4.9% rise analysts had expected. The fastest growth was in the China and Asia Pacific region, which recorded growth of 23% for the year. Starbucks boss Howard Schultz said its Chinese stores were the most efficient and lucrative. While Starbucks still makes most of its profit in the US, Mr Schultz has said expansion in China will secure its future for "decades to come". Last month, Starbucks announced plans to more than double its stores in China to 5,000 by 2021. Mr Schultz said the company was facing "ongoing economic, consumer and geopolitical headwinds". Mr Schultz, who has been warning of a "seismic shift in consumer traffic" for years, said the popularity of online shopping was keeping people at home and away from main shopping streets or malls. In Europe, the Middle East and Africa, sales dropped by 1% during the fourth quarter, while in China and Asia Pacific, sales were up by 1%. Starbucks operates 25,085 stores in 75 countries worldwide, with 690 new ones having opened in the last quarter.

Summary: Starbucks may be complaining of "global headwinds" but that did not stop the world's biggest coffee chain from reporting record annual profits.


The Staggies won the League Cup and have secured a top-six finish. Mark Warburton is in the running after steering Rangers to the Championship title, lifting the Challenge Cup and reaching the Scottish Cup final. Peter Houston, whose Falkirk side lie second in the Championship, and Jim McInally, whose Peterhead are third in League One, are also nominated. Part-time Peterhead also reached the Challenge Cup final and still have a chance of promotion via the Championship play-offs. Falkirk have reached the Premiership play-offs and presently lead Hibernian in the race to finish second in the second-tier table. Bairns manager Peter Houston told BBC Scotland: "I am thrilled that people have voted for me and it has come as a surprise. "Because I look at other managers and the resources they have and some wonderful jobs are being done." McIntyre's County knocked holders Celtic out of the League Cup semi-finals before lifting the trophy for the first time. The County manager said: "It was a big surprise as there are some fantastic nominees beside me and there also other managers out there who have had real success this season by winning their leagues and they have not been nominated." There is no place on the award shortlist for Celtic's Ronny Deila, whose side are poised to win the Premiership title - their fifth successive league triumph. However, the Norwegian has already announced he will stand down at the end of the season after failing to win either domestic cup competition and having had poor campaigns in the Champions League qualifiers and Europa League group stage. Despite Deila leading his side to a league and League Cup double, last season's award went to John Hughes, whose Inverness Caledonian Thistle side lifted the Scottish Cup and finished third in the Premiership - their highest-ever position ensuring a debut in European competition. The 2014 winner, Derek McInnes, also does not make the shortlist this time despite his Aberdeen side posing the biggest challenge to Celtic for a second year running in the top flight. Neither does Allan Johnston, who won the award in 2013 for leading Queen of the South to the third-tier title and has done so again with Dunfermline Athletic, and Gary Naysmith, whose East Fife side have won League Two. Hearts head coach Robbie Neilson is another notable absentee, with his side sitting third in the Premiership after winning promotion last season. Top 4: Peter Houston (Falkirk) Jim McInally (Peterhead) Jim McIntyre (Ross County) Mark Warburton (Rangers)

Summary: Ross County's Jim McIntyre is the only Premiership boss in the running for PFA Scotland's Manager of the Year award.


He began broadcasting in the days of skiffle and was still at the microphone in the second decade of the 21st Century. Many of the most enduring acts in pop history kick-started their careers on one of his many radio shows. And, as presenter of Thank Your Lucky Stars, he introduced the Beatles and the Rolling Stones to a television audience. Brian Matthew was born in Coventry on 17 September 1928 into a musical family. His mother sang professionally while his father was the conductor of the local silver band. His radio career began when he was serving with the Army in post-war Germany where he worked as a programme presenter and newsreader on the British Forces Network, which broadcast to troops serving abroad. He also developed something of a talent for acting and on leaving the Army, he went to Rada, securing a number of roles with the Old Vic Company. It was there that he met his wife, Pamela, whom he married in 1951. There was a short time with Radio Netherlands Worldwide, the Dutch English language service, before he returned to the UK and took up a job as a milkman in his home city. Matthew was back behind a microphone in 1954 when the BBC recruited him as an announcer and producer. One of the programmes he hosted was Saturday Skiffle Club, later renamed Saturday Club, which went out on the BBC Light Programme on Saturday mornings. The BBC virtually ignored the boom in popular music in the 1950s and Matthew's show quickly found an appreciative teenage audience. Skiffle, which was based on acoustic guitars and a variety of home-made instruments including tea chests and washboards, had a fleeting moment of fame with artists such as Lonnie Donegan, before it was swept away by rock and roll. With bands such as Bill Hailey and the Comets from the US, and up-and-coming British performers like Adam Faith and the Shadows, the demand for pop music grew and Matthew's show was extended to two hours from the original 30 minutes. The programme brought a British audience the music of a host of US stars, including Gene Vincent, the Everly Brothers and Jerry Lee Lewis alongside emerging British talent. In later years the show would highlight performances by The Beatles, The Searchers and Manfred Mann. In 1960, the BBC launched a Sunday morning show called Easy Beat and Matthew was drafted in to present that as well. By now he was the authentic voice of the pop music explosion that came to dominate the 1960s. A year later his audience finally put a face to the voice when he was recruited to present ITV's new pop show, Thank Your Lucky Stars. It featured bands such as The Beatles and the Rolling Stones miming to their latest single. A guest DJ and three teenagers would also review new releases. This latter section of the show introduced Janice Nicholls whose "Oi'll give it foive" delivered in her strong Black Country accent, passed into folklore. By the mid-1960s, the BBC's pop offering was looking

Summary: Brian Matthew's career spanned 60 years of popular music.


His comments follow a row between Ed Miliband and No 10 after the Labour leader said PM David Cameron was "wrong" not to oppose Israel's attacks. No 10 said it was shocked Mr Miliband would "play politics with such a serious issue". Thirty Palestinians have been reported killed on Sunday and militants have continued to fire rockets into Israel. The Foreign Office confirmed that Mr Hammond had spoken to the Israeli foreign minister Avigdor Lieberman and Israeli justice minister Tzipi Livni on the telephone on Sunday. During that call Mr Hammond said he reiterated the UK's "need for an immediate and unconditional humanitarian ceasefire". He said: "I welcome indications that Israeli forces may begin to withdraw from Gaza within the next few days." Mr Hammond also told the Sunday Telegraph the crisis in Gaza could become "an endless loop of violence". "The British public has a strong sense that the situation of the civilian population in Gaza is simply intolerable and must be addressed - and we agree with them." In a strongly worded statement on Saturday, Mr Miliband said Mr Cameron had previously been "right to say that Hamas is an appalling terrorist organisation". "Its wholly unjustified rocket attacks on Israeli citizens, as well as building of tunnels for terrorist purposes, show the organisation's murderous intent and practice towards Israel and its citizens," he said. "But the prime minister is wrong not to have opposed Israel's incursion into Gaza and his silence on the killing of hundreds of innocent Palestinian civilians caused by Israel's military action will be inexplicable to people across Britain and internationally." On Sunday Mr Miliband reiterated that criticism, telling the BBC the government needed to send "a much clearer message to Israel that its actions in Gaza are unacceptable and unjustifiable". "What I want to hear from David Cameron is that he believes Israel's actions are wrong and unjustified and we haven't heard that from him." He said rocket attacks on Israel by Palestinian militants "cannot excuse the scale of the loss of life of innocent Palestinian civilians including children that we are seeing". The aim should be to "force both sides to have a ceasefire and the long-term solution we need", he said. Downing Street said: "The PM has been clear that both sides in the Gaza conflict need to observe a ceasefire. "We are shocked that Ed Miliband would seek to misrepresent that position and play politics with such a serious issue." Some 1,700 Palestinians, mostly civilians, have been killed since the conflict began more than three weeks ago. A total of 66 Israelis have died, all but two of them soldiers. A Thai worker in Israel also died. A UN-brokered humanitarian ceasefire, intended to last 72 hours, ended on Friday after less than five hours, with each side blaming the other. Israel says it is defending itself from attacks by Palestinian militants and blames Hamas for civilian deaths in Gaza, saying fighters deliberately operate from civilian areas. Critics of Israel's actions say Gaza is so densely populated any conflict there will inevitably affect civilian

Summary: The situation in Gaza is "simply intolerable and must be addressed", Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond says.


Media playback is not supported on this device The 24-year-old missed the Indian Premier League (IPL) auction last month in order to concentrate on his international future. Vince has played three T20 matches so far for England, scoring 125 runs, with a strike-rate of 119.04. "If it's a platform to go on and play other formats for England, then that'll be ideal," he told BBC South Today. "First and foremost, I'm going to try and help England win the World Cup and try to learn off some very good players when I am out there. "It will be a good experience and one I cannot wait to start." County team-mates Liam Dawson and Reece Topley have also travelled to Mumbai with the England T20 squad. All-rounder Dawson, 26, was included despite head coach Trevor Bayliss admitting he had never seen the all-rounder play competitively, while left-arm paceman Topley was preferred to Chris Woakes. Led by captain Eoin Morgan, England's first match will be against the West Indies on 16 March, with Sri Lanka and South Africa and a group winner from the first-round qualifiers their other Super-10 opponents. "I think having it in the unofficial home of cricket is massively exciting," said Topley, 22. "It's going to be brilliant and it's definitely going to be testing." "Everybody talks about the size of the grounds being a little smaller. They talk about the heat and the dew at night having an effect. It will be a great occasion."

Summary: Hampshire captain James Vince says the ICC World Twenty20 can help put him on the path to playing Test cricket.


They are sitting on the dusty steps of a hair salon, feet tapping to the rhythm of music. "Music is a pleasure for us," Mr Toure says. "We can now dance and do whatever we want: We can walk together with women, we can shout, we're the young people of Timbuktu, this is what we like doing." Music was banned under the strict Islamic law that militant Islamists imposed when they took over the ancient desert city last year. All traditional folklore and ceremonies that make Malian culture vibrant were declared blasphemous. Other people soon join Mr Toure's little gathering, and a man offers to make some tea. The militants banned men and women from mixing in public. Now, Karia Cisse, who is passing by with a basket full of smoked fish on her head, grabs a cup. "We can chit-chat with our brothers, our friends, and even our boyfriends," she says. "It's a real pleasure, we're so happy. I want to thank God." Residents of Timbuktu can again enjoy the simple things they were used to, before the city fell under Islamist control 10 months ago. They can also dress the way they want to. Women have swapped the full black niqab, or full-face veil, for colourful local pagnes, a piece cloth wrapped around the body to form a skirt. Most of them wear a thin scarf over their head, just as they had in the past. There is an incredible feeling that the people are slowly coming back to life here. However, many have also been quick to vent the frustration and anger built up over months, which, they say, felt like a lifetime. In pictures: Why Malians now love France Scenes of looting on Tuesday revealed the deep inter-communal grievances and raised concerns about possible reprisal attacks. Dozens of people were out in the streets breaking into shops owned by ethnic Arabs and Tuaregs, whom they accuse of having collaborated with the militant Islamists. Weapons and boxes of ammunition were pulled out of at least one shop. However, most Arabs and Tuaregs have already left Timbuktu in fear of violence. But it is also time to uncover the wounds inflicted by the militants. In the city centre, a local bank had been turned into the headquarters of the Islamic police. The symbol of the jihadis - marked with a Koran, an AK-47 rifle and a cutlass that militants had cemented into the wall - has been taken down. A tiny cash machine attached to the building around the corner was used as a cell. Why do we know Timbuktu? In pictures: Timbuktu manuscripts "They threw me in and whipped me," says Salaka Djikke, 25. Ms Djikke was arrested at around 23:00 on New Year's Eve as she went for a romantic ride on her boyfriend's motorcycle. When they arrived in front of his house, her boyfriend saw four jihadis coming at them. She did not see them and got off the bike. "He drove off and got away, but they rushed at me and whipped me." Ms Djikke was

Summary: Yacouba Toure and a couple of his friends have gathered around his crackling radio in Mali's historic city of Timbuktu, soon after French-led troops captured it from militant Islamists.


Author and academic Sir Anthony Seldon says China's strict schooling style needs to change or its youngsters will suffer, along with its economy. Chinese schools, often criticised for rote and repetitive learning, should be more holistic, says Sir Anthony. The comments come during Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to the UK. In a speech at the Institute of Education on Wednesday, the president seemed to take on board some of these notions. He said, after watching a BBC programme recreating a Chinese school in England, he had realised that "the British have learned the virtues of strict discipline" from China. The Chinese, meanwhile, had been learning the advantages of recreation, he added. "Chinese children do not play enough. They should play more," Mr Xi said. The school day in China's state schools starts at 7am with various physical exercises. Amongst other daily constitutionals, such as Tai Chi, pupils are encouraged to massage their eyes to keep them healthy and get them ready for the day. The children have two meal breaks in the 12-hour school day and will exercise together every day - sometimes twice a day. The teaching style is focused on note-taking and repetition, otherwise known as rote learning. This is a great contrast to England's more interactive teaching style, where pupils are encouraged to participate in class and make judgments for themselves. The Chinese believe children learn faster and better by rote learning Chinese children live under the One Child Policy and feel the weight of responsibility on their shoulders, so there is great importance placed on their educational achievements. Good exam results are associated with social status and success and entire families can pin all their hopes on the single child. Chinese pupils learn the same subjects as English school children in the main, but are combined with practical work experience around the school campus, as well as Chinese culture, morality and ethics. One feature of Chinese schools that England's teachers may welcome is that the pupils almost always are required to clean their own classrooms. China's schools educate an estimated 192,000,000 children - a fifth of the world's school age children. In a speech in Shanghai on Friday, Sir Anthony, now vice-chancellor of the University of Buckingham, said: "China has some of the top schools in the world and is leading the way with maths and science." Indeed Shanghai and Hong Kong are among the top performing districts in the world, according to the Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development. Sir Anthony added: "It is the 'human' skills that cannot be replaced by computers that Chinese schools and schools worldwide need to be giving far greater focus. "Many schools are robbing the young of the opportunity to blossom into the unique individuals that they are because too many teachers think that solely cramming pupils' heads full of facts is education. "Many education systems focus on exams being the sole validators of school, but recent research suggests that jobs with a big growth in salary have been those that require a high degree of social skills," he adds.

Summary: China's education system is robbing its young people of the chance to become unique individuals, a leading educationalist says.


Johnny Rodrigues, chairman of the Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force, said Cecil's head was found in the home of Theo Bronkhorst, one of the co-accused. Cecil was shot in July by US dentist Walter Palmer. Zimbabwe is seeking his extradition. The death made headlines around the world, sending Mr Palmer into hiding. Mr Rodrigues told the BBC the plan had been for the head to be sent to South Africa and then on to the United States where Mr Palmer would be able to claim it. But it was seized by police on 7 July from the home of Mr Bronkhorst, a guide on the illegal hunt attended by Mr Palmer. "The police have it all now and they are using it as evidence," said Mr Rodrigues. "But we are going to try and get the authorities to release so it can be mounted in the Hwange National Park as a memorial," he told the BBC. "We can put it near the entrance so people can pay tribute to him. We are just waiting for everything to die down." Only the head and pelt of the animal are left, he said. "The body has been eaten by scavengers and vultures but the head is intact." Mr Rodrigues said the Task Force would raise the money for Cecil's head to be mounted in a glass case and would ask the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Authority about the plan "once the dust had settled". "Any tourist should be able to come and see the cause of all this turmoil around the world," he said. No one was available for comment from the Hwange National Park or police station, where Cecil's remains are reportedly being held. Mr Rodrigues said he has been subjected to a torrent of abuse after speaking out against hunting following Cecil's death. "I had to put my phone off. Hunters are using this as a way to get to me, sending insults and remarks by email and by text." He said he had been accused of taking money from hunts, a claim he denied. "I hate hunting, I don't believe in it," he said. Cecil's six cubs were being looked after by another lion, Jericho, according to Mr Rodrigues. "We were expecting the worst and for the other male to come in and take the female and kill the cubs. But Jericho is doing a good job. "They are following him around and he is playing with them. We are monitoring them all the time and everybody is happy." Cecil was "iconic", Mr Rodrigues said. "He was a tourist attraction and I hope we can get the tourists back."

Summary: A Zimbabwe conservation group says it wants the head of Cecil the Lion to be mounted in a case in Hwange National Park, where he was killed last month.


The council backed a French-drafted resolution to send up to 228 police for an initial period of a year. Burundi earlier said it would accept no more than 50 police officers. More than 400 people have been killed in unrest since President Pierre Nkurunziza said he would run for a third term in office last April. More than 200,000 people have fled their homes. "Given an increase in violence and tension the Security Council must have eyes and ears on the ground to predict and ensure that the worst does not occur in Burundi," said French UN Ambassador Francois Delattre. "This is a strong act of preventative diplomacy," he added. The government of Burundi earlier warned it would agree to no more than 50 UN police officers. Diplomats are now negotiating how to implement the UN Security Council's resolution. Although both Burundi's opposition and government forces are ethnically mixed, some fear that the violence could descend into a repeat of the genocidal killings which the country has previously experienced. President Nkurunziza is the former leader of a Hutu rebel group which battled a Tutsi-dominated army for many years until he came to power in 2005 as part of a peace deal.

Summary: The UN Security Council has authorised the deployment of a UN police force to Burundi to try to quell violence and human rights abuses in the country.


The Dundee-based company said shareholders had wanted changes to be made to improve performance. Chief financial officer Alan Trotter is to leave Alliance Trust, while chief executive Katherine Garrett-Cox is to step down from the board. The financial services company's share price rose when trading opened following the announcement. Alliance Trust had been facing demands for a change in governance from US-based activist investor Elliott Advisers. The firm aims to simplify its structures and reduce costs by £6m per year by the end of 2016, although details of staff cuts or other efficiency measures have not been announced. Ms Garrett-Cox leaving the board means it now consists solely of non-executive directors, making it fully independent. In a letter to shareholders, chairman Karin Forseke said the changes would take effect "as soon as practicable", and no later than March 2016. She said: "The actions we have announced represent some of the biggest changes in our history, and are designed to further improve shareholder value. "Implementation will require considerable further work by the team, but we believe that as a result Alliance Trust will be significantly better positioned for the future." Managers at Alliance Trust, the venerable Dundee finance house, have been under siege for years. Having had to sue for peace earlier this year, the terms are now clearer, and they mean a radical change of direction. A cut in costs of 20% will feel painful at the Tayside headquarters. Non-core assets are being sold, and new benchmarks are being set, with regular overviews to check how management of the fund performs against the market. They've been ahead of their benchmark since last year, but if they don't perform adequately in future, the board members brought on by activist investors will re-consider the decision not to contract out fund management to another company. The scale of the change to the Trust's strategy, and the clipping of senior executives' influence, by removing them from the board, is such that you might expect the resignations of chief executive Katherine Garrett-Cox and/or chairwoman Karin Forseke. However, this follows consultation with the full range of shareholders, and the long-term smaller ones may see the current bosses as their best protection against short-term profit-taking. With lead activist investor Elliot Advisers upping its stake recently, this is an uneasy-looking settlement.

Summary: Investment firm Alliance Trust is to cut costs by £6m while restructuring its board to become fully independent.


The move showed the UK has no "real influence" over world events, Russia's foreign ministry said. Mr Johnson said events in Syria had "changed the situation fundamentally" and he would go to G7 talks instead. The UK deplored "Russia's continued defence of the Assad regime even after the chemical weapons attack on innocent civilians," he added. The foreign secretary said: "We call on Russia to do everything possible to bring about a political settlement in Syria and work with the rest of the international community to ensure that the shocking events of the last week are never repeated." Rather than travelling to Moscow to meet Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov, he will now be travelling to Lucca, in Italy, for a G7 meeting, where he will call for Russian President Vladimir Putin to pull his troops from Syria. His Russian visit, which would have been the first by a UK foreign secretary in five years, was cancelled after discussions with the US, which is sending Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to Moscow to deliver a "clear and co-ordinated" message to the Kremlin. In a statement, the Russian foreign ministry said: "During Johnson's visit to Moscow there were plans to hold open and exhaustive talks on the entire spectrum of international problems, and also to discuss the state of Russo-British relations, which have, in essence, been forced into a dead end by the UK. "The decision to call off Johnson's visit to Moscow confirms once again doubts in the presence of added value in speaking to the UK, which does not have its own position on the majority of present-day issues, nor does it have real influence on the course of international affairs, as it remains 'in the shadow' of its strategic partners. "We do not feel that we need dialogue with London any more than it does." The Russian statement added that Mr Johnson's plan to "discuss Russian support for the Assad regime" with G7 partners showed a "fundamental misunderstanding or ignorance of what is happening in Syria, Russia's efforts to settle this crisis, and the purpose of diplomacy in general". Russia and Iran have condemned US air strikes against Syria as a violation of international law. The SNP's Foreign Affairs spokesman Alex Salmond joined in with the criticism of the foreign secretary on the BBC's Andrew Marr show, saying: "Boris Johnson just looks daft. "What is the argument for not going ahead with a visit? "Rex Tillerson is going on Wednesday so it can't be that we have moved to a Cold War position of no talking whatsoever. "And the idea that the foreign secretary can't be trusted because he might pursue his own line or have an independent thought or cross over what the Americans might say makes him look like some kind of 'mini-me' to the USA and that's not a position that any foreign secretary would want to be in." Labour's shadow chancellor John McDonnell told Sky News the foreign secretary "should be in Moscow nowâ€¦ saying to the Russians just how appalling the situation is and the role

Summary: Russia has criticised Boris Johnson's decision to scrap a planned trip to Moscow after discussions with the US.


The Iron are currently sixth in the National League, one point and one place outside the play-off spots. "I thought we asked a lot of questions of a very good Barrow team," Cowley told BBC Essex. "When you come off the back of a six or seven-hour journey and you concede a goal after five minutes it's always going to be tough." Barrow extended their unbeaten league run to nine games with the victory, and although Braintree's losing run extended to three games, Cowley remained positive. "What we've done so far has been nothing short of remarkable," he continued. "But if anyone thought this journey was going to be easy, then they're living in cloud cuckoo land. "We're a part-time team. This is our toughest challenge to date, but we're going to embrace it. We're going to enjoy it and see where it takes us."

Summary: Braintree manager Danny Cowley said the task ahead of his team is "a brilliant challenge" after the defeat at Barrow.


Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters Moscow was tired of the accusations. He said a report released by US intelligence agencies detailing the allegations was groundless. It is the first official reaction from Russia since President-elect Donald Trump received the report on Friday. The unclassified report contains allegations that Russian President Vladimir Putin had ordered the hacking of Democratic Party emails to damage Donald Trump's Democrat rival, Hillary Clinton, and influence the election. When presidents and spies fall out Can US election hack be traced to Russia? Does Trump need a daily briefing? What can Trump's tweets tell us? In his comments on Monday, Mr Peskov said Russia "categorically denied that Moscow had been involved in any hacking attacks". "Groundless accusations which are not supported by anything are being rehearsed in an amateurish, unprofessional way. We don't know what information they are actually relying on." The claims amounted to a "witch-hunt", he added. Read more on the report here Mr Trump used the same "witch-hunt" term last week in a New York Times interview to disparage the hacking claims, which he has repeatedly rejected since winning the presidential election in November. But his incoming chief of staff, Reince Priebus, told Fox News Sunday that the president-elect had accepted the findings of the report, which was presented to him by intelligence chiefs on Friday. "He's not denying that entities in Russia were behind this particular campaign," Mr Priebus added. He did not clarify whether Mr Trump believed the report's assertion that Russian President Vladimir Putin had directly ordered the hack. Mr Trump described his meeting on Friday with National Intelligence Director James Clapper, CIA Director John Brennan and FBI Director James Comey as "constructive" and said he would ask, within 90 days of taking office, for a plan on how to stop cyber attacks. But he declined to single out Russia, saying it was one of several countries, outside groups and people who "are consistently trying to break through the cyber infrastructure of our governmental institutions, businesses and organizations including the Democrat(ic) National Committee". With less than two weeks until his inauguration, Mr Trump is under increasing pressure from both Democrats and Republicans to respond to the allegations. President Obama has already expelled 35 Russian diplomats from US soil over the hacking. Russia said it would not reciprocate.

Summary: Russia says US allegations that it ran a hacking campaign to influence the American presidential elections are "reminiscent of a witch-hunt".


Chiltern Edge School in Sonning Common had been rated inadequate by Ofsted after following the inspection in March. Inspectors also said pupil attainment was too low and a disadvantaged pupils' fund was not being used effectively. Oxfordshire County Council said it will begin consulting on Friday over whether the school should shut. The school, which educates children between 11 and 16 years old, received a good rating from Ofsted in 2012. But after the most recent inspection, the watchdog said the school had shown a lack of management and effective teaching, which led to pupils underperforming. It added: "Standards in reading are too low. Pupils do not read well or widely enough. "This restricts their access to the wider curriculum." The council will discuss the potential closure of the 500-pupil school with parents on 3 May. A spokesman said the consultation - which will run until 16 June - will explore the potential impacts of the closure and how it can provide good-quality education to pupils. Director of children's services Lucy Butler, said: "It's important to stress at this stage that no decisions have been taken and that the school would not close without appropriate transfer arrangements in place for every child to attend a better-performing school." The school would not comment on the potential closure, but a letter to parents read: "Inevitably, this is a time of great concern and uncertainty for everyone but I assure you that everything possible will be done to safeguard the education and progress of our students."

Summary: A secondary school placed in special measures by inspectors last month could be closed, a council has said.


The pensioner was found by her son when he arrived to visit her in Townhill Road, Hamilton, on Sunday morning. Police said she had been unable to get up from the floor or call for help after a man forced his way into her home and attacked her. The assault happened at about 19:00 on Saturday. The man also stole cash. The suspect was thought to be in his 50s or 60s and was wearing a dark, hooded top and trousers. The woman was taken to Hairmyres Hospital in East Kilbride on Sunday where she is in a stable condition. Officers are checking CCTV and speaking to local residents in the area. Det Insp David Cockburn said: "Despite the significant inquiries carried out by our officers so far, the man responsible for this horrendous incident has not been caught. "It is absolutely crucial that we speak to anyone who was in the surrounding area on Saturday evening who may have seen anything suspicious. "No matter how minor you may think your information is, please let us be the judge of that as it could prove to be vital to our investigation." A three-figure sum of money was taken from the house.

Summary: An 86-year-old woman was left on the floor of her South Lanarkshire home overnight after being assaulted in a "horrendous" attack.'


The international anti-corruption summit - the first of its kind - is aimed at exposing, punishing and drive out global corruption. Political leaders, businesses, sporting organisations, and charities will meet at Lancaster House on Thursday. Mr Cameron says corruption is "the root of so many of the world's problems". He also described it as "an enemy of progress". "It destroys jobs and holds back economic growth, traps the poorest in desperate poverty, and undermines our security by pushing people towards extremist groups," he added. "The battle against corruption will not be won overnight. It will take time, courage and determination to deliver the reforms that are necessary. But we cannot hope to solve the major global challenges we face without tackling the exploitation, fraud and dishonesty at their heart. "For too long there has been a taboo about tackling this issue head-on. The summit will change that. Together we will push the fight against corruption to the top of the international agenda where it belongs." Among the world leaders attending the summit are presidents Ashraf Ghani of Afghanistan, Juan Manuel Santos of Colombia and Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria, and Norwegian prime minister Erna Solberg. Russia is to be represented by deputy foreign minister Oleg Syromolotov. Panellists are expected to include World Bank president Jim Yong Kim and International Monetary Fund's managing director Christine Lagarde. Under the prime minister's plans, leaders at the summit would pledge to expose corruption and pursue and punish those who perpetrate, facilitate or are complicit in it. Campaigners have also called for a crackdown on tax havens linked to the United Kingdom. The recent Panama Papers leak showed how some wealthy people use offshore firms to evade tax and avoid sanctions. A Downing Street spokesman said: "We are in discussions with the Overseas Territories and Crown dependencies with major financial centres about their attendance, and expect a number to join the summit." Robert Barrington, of anti-corruption campaigners Transparency International, said: "The prime minister is creating a platform for governments that are serious about fighting corruption to make really significant changes and set the agenda for a generation to come. "What is key now is that other governments are persuaded to sign up to ambitious targets and that the UK government does not give in to the usual last minute attempts by less committed countries to water down the summit's ambitions".

Summary: Prime Minister David Cameron has said he wants to put tackling corruption at the "top of the international agenda" ahead of a London summit on the issue.


The men, identifying themselves Andreas Richter and Piotr Koper, appeared on the country's TVP public television. In a statement they said they had "irrefutable evidence" the train existed, but failed to provide proof. Officials have cast doubt on the claims in recent days. The military was said to be inspecting the alleged site on Friday. Last week deputy Culture Minister Piotr Zuchowski said he was "99% convinced" that a World War Two German military train was buried near the south-western city of Walbrzych. Local legend says a Nazi train filled with gold, gems and guns went missing near the city in 1945. Speaking to TVP on Friday (in Polish), German national Mr Richter and Mr Koper, from Poland, said they had "legally informed state authorities about the find and have precisely indicated the location in the presence of Walbrzych authorities and the police". Their knowledge was based on information from witnesses and on their own research, carried out with their own equipment, Mr Koper said in his statement. He insisted they were not responsible for the "media uproar" around the case, saying confidential information provided to the authorities had been leaked. The pair want a 10% finders' fee and have reportedly vowed to spend part of the sum setting up a museum at the undisclosed site. Meanwhile, TVP said on Friday that the train was not in a tunnel, as previously thought, but instead buried in the ground. The train was rumoured to have been carrying gold from what is now the Polish city of Wroclaw as the Soviet army closed in at the end of World War Two. Local folklore said it went missing near Ksiaz castle, 3km (two miles) from Walbrzych. In a statement earlier last week, Mr Zuchowski warned the public to stop searching for the train until official procedures to secure the find were completed. He said there could be "hazardous substances" and there was a "huge probability that the train is booby-trapped".

Summary: Two men who claim to have found a Nazi train said to be laden with gold have gone public in Poland.


The British supermarket giant, the world's third largest retailer, has been looking to dispose of its loss-making US food chain for some time. Around 4,000 of Fresh & Easy's 5,000 employees are to transfer to the new business as part of the deal. Tesco said in a statement that this is an "orderly and efficient exit from the US market". Under the terms of the deal, Tesco will loan the new business around Â£80m. Fresh & Easy, which operates 200 stores across California, Nevada and Arizona, has lost money since opening in 2007. Tesco did not specify which stores are being transferred to Yucaipa, but it is understood the remaining 50 shops will be closed. It will cost Tesco Â£150m to dispose of the Fresh & Easy brand, but part of that is a loan which may be paid back. Also, if Yucaipa is sucessful and the business becomes profitable, Tesco has the option to buy a stake. Yucaipa is a Los Angeles based private equity company focused on supermaket and restaurant businesses and is run by billionaire investor Ron Burkle. In April of this year, Tesco reported its first fall in annual profits for 20 years.

Summary: Tesco has agreed to sell 150 of its Fresh & Easy stores to the investment company Yucaipa Companies.


Wales international Huws, 23, is a Manchester City academy graduate. Samuel, 22, came through the ranks at Reading and has two goals in 16 senior appearances for the Championship side. He has also previously had loan spells at Colchester, Dagenham, Coventry and Gillingham and was Ipswich's sixth addition of the transfer window. Samuel signed during Ipswich's 3-0 defeat by Derby and will be ineligible to face his parent club on Saturday. Huws, Ipswich's seventh January signing, links up with his international team-mate Jonny Williams, who is on loan from Crystal Palace. Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page or visit our Premier League tracker here.

Summary: Ipswich Town have signed Cardiff midfielder Emyr Huws and Reading striker Dominic Samuel on loan until the end of the season.


The quartet of Allison Schmitt, Leah Smith, Maya Dirado and Ledecky won in a time of seven minutes 43.03 seconds, with Australia second and Canada third. America trailed Australia but Ledecky, the 200m and 400m freestyle champion, overtook Tamsin Cook on the last leg. Find out how to get into swimming with our special guide. Ledecky, 19, has now won four Olympic gold medals during her career. Her first Olympic gold came when she won the 800m title as a 15-year-old at London 2012. Ledecky will attempt to complete the sweep when she goes in the 800m heats on Thursday, with the final taking place on Friday. Subscribe to the BBC Sport newsletter to get our pick of news, features and video sent to your inbox.

Summary: Katie Ledecky won her third gold of the Rio Games as she guided the United States to victory in the women's 4x200m freestyle relay final.


The Cheshire TB Eradication Group has been set up after a rise in cases of the disease in the county from 30 in 2005 to 116 in 2012. Chester farmer Richard Fair said the county was the "final frontier" to stop the disease travelling north. Wildlife groups have been campaigning to stop culls of badgers, which spread the disease. The National Farmers' Union (NFU) said if trial culls in the South West successfully controlled the spread of TB they could be used in other areas where the disease was endemic, but vaccinations and other methods would also be used. Mr Fair, who has lost five of his diary herd recently to TB, said: "Tackling the disease in Cheshire is seen as critical if the spread north is first to be stopped and then pushed back. "It is hoped that by bringing together everyone who has an interest in stopping the spread of this disease, we may really get a handle on where the disease is and work together to stop it in its tracks." The group's first move is to work with the University of Liverpool on a survey of TB in Cheshire's wildlife to focus badger vaccination effectively. An NFU spokesman said: "Culls will only ever be carried out in areas where TB is endemic and will never be carried out nationwide. "Although the problem in the county is clearly getting worse, thankfully there is no evidence of wildlife infection." Earlier this week environment secretary Owen Patterson called the issue "the most pressing animal health problem in the UK" and set out the government's long-term plans to eradicate it. Plans include a controversial cull of badgers, due to start this year in two areas of South West England. The draft strategy published on Thursday said "further research into alternative population control methods (eg sett-based culling methods and non-lethal methods) is also under consideration".

Summary: Farmers and wildlife campaigners have joined together to try to stop the spread of TB in cattle in Cheshire.


Media playback is not supported on this device Rachel Morris led GB's rowing success with arms-shoulders single sculls gold. Lauren Rowles and Laurence Whiteley won the trunk-and-arms mixed double sculls and the mixed coxed four added a third gold for ParalympicsGB. In track cycling, Lora Turnham won the B 3km individual pursuit and the men's C1-5 team claimed sprint gold in a world record time. Compatriot Neil Fachie won cycling B 1km time trial silver, with Sophie Thornhill, gold medallist in the 1km time trial on Friday, and her pilot Helen Scott taking bronze in the B 3km pursuit. There were British triathlon silvers for Lauren Steadman in the PT4 and Alison Patrick in the PT5, with Melissa Reid taking bronze in the same event. GB's Tom Aggar won bronze in the men's arms-shoulders single sculls. The four rowing medals were won within an hour on the Lagoa water in Rio and Great Britain have now claimed 20 gold medals and 46 overall to sit second in the medal table behind China. Morris, who had both legs amputated because of complex regional pain syndrome, finished ahead of China's Lili Wang, while Israel's Moran Samuel took bronze. The Welsh competitor switched to rowing in 2013 and now has three Paralympic medals across two sports, adding to the hand-cycling time trial gold she won in Beijing in 2008 and bronze at London 2012. "That was the hardest thing I've ever done," she said. "It just goes to show if you have stuff drilled into you every day by the coaches and you do it you can win." The pairing of Whiteley and Rowles was only created last year, when 18-year-old Rowles switched from wheelchair racing to rowing. The duo won silver at last year's World Championships and in Rio beat the silver medal-winning pair from China and the third-placed French team to add a Paralympic title to their collection. James Fox, Pam Relph, Dan Brown and Grace Clough, along with cox Oliver James, defended Great Britain's gold from London 2012 in the mixed coxed four, finishing ahead of the USA and Canada. GB have dominated this event in recent years, taking gold at the past three World Championships - although only Relph, 26, remains from the boat that prevailed in London four years ago. "It feels amazing. Coming through that last 250 metres I knew that we had won it," said Relph. "We knew we were fitter, stronger and faster than our rivals but we still had to deliver." Media playback is not supported on this device Turnham, 26, who has a hereditary sight-loss condition, teamed up with her pilot Corrine Hall to beat New Zealand's Emma Foy to improve on her fourth place at London 2012 and bronze at the World Championships. Jody Cundy, who won gold in the 1,000m time trial on Friday, Jon-Allan Butterworth and Louis Rolfe, bronze medallist in the C2 3,000m pursuit, beat their own world record, set in qualifying, to take team sprint gold. The trio clocked a winning time of 48.635 seconds to beat China by 1.279secs.

Summary: Britain claimed five more gold medals at the Rio Paralympics, including a best-ever tally of three in the rowing.


Jamie Taggart, from Argyll and Bute, failed to return from a plant-hunting trip to the northern mountainous area. He has not been seen since 2 November, when his rucksack and passport were found at a guest house in Sapa. Mr Taggart, 41, runs Linn Botanic Gardens in the village of Cove on the Rosneath peninsula and serves the area as a retained firefighter. Local police and the British embassy in Hanoi have been informed about his disappearance. Friend and fellow botanist Ian Sinclair, who has been liaising with the search parties, said they had been hampered by horrendous weather. "The snow is continuing to melt, but there is a massive amount of snow damage to the forest such as collapsed trees," he said. "The weather has been horrendous, with snow down to Sapa. This is extremely unusual as Sapa is upper tropical rainforest. "A large group from the national park will be doing an intensive search once the snow melts." A search due to begin on Tuesday will concentrate on four trails inside the forest of Lai Chau and Lao Cai, he said. Family and friends of Mr Taggart in his hometown of Cove have issued an appeal for funds to help cover the cost of the search. A Facebook page - Jamie Taggart Search - has also been set up. Organisations and individuals have so far raised thousands of pounds, including six-year-old Annie Ferguson of Cove who donated her Â£14.50 savings. The botanist's father, Jim Taggart, found out his son was missing when he failed to appear on a scheduled flight home to Scotland on 29 November. He had arrived at a guest house in Sapa on 30 October and left on a motorbike taxi to explore the hills. On 2 November his rucksack and passport were found at the accommodation. Dr Taggart previously told BBC Radio Scotland that he had received a handful of text messages from his son before contact stopped. "I don't think he had got lost. Either something happened to him on his first day on the hills or there is some explanation we can only guess at," he said. A Foreign and Commonwealth Office spokesman said: "We are still in close contact with the local authorities and are providing consular assistance to the family at this difficult time."

Summary: The search for a Scots botanist missing in Vietnam is expected to resume later after being abandoned in heavy snow.


Media playback is not supported on this device Ennis-Hill, 30, hinted at retirement after narrowly losing her heptathlon title to 21-year-old Belgian Nafissatou Thiam in a thrilling contest in Rio. Minichiello told the BBC she should "take two or three months and work out exactly what you do want to do" . "When she takes that time and makes that decision we'll move from there." Next year the World Championships come to London, where Ennis-Hill won Olympic gold four years ago, but after missing out on retaining her title by 35 points, the Sheffield athlete would not commit to continuing. "It's going to be a tough decision, I'm going to go away and think about it," she said. "At this moment, I'm tired and emotional - it's a big decision." Minichiello has coached Ennis-Hill since she was 13, helping her become world champion in 2009, Olympic champion in London three years later, and then take gold at the 2015 World Championships just 14 months after she gave birth to her son Reggie. The Sheffield-born coach said it might be time for him to "be selfish", should Ennis-Hill retire. "She clearly won't do another Olympic Games in 2020. If there are opportunities coming up, I need to start having a look at that as a career going forwards," he continued. "It will be a bit of a decision I have to make for myself so maybe it's time for me to be a bit selfish and make some choices for me." Minichiello said that he counted Ennis-Hill's silver in Rio as a "better performance" than her gold at London 2012, but he had "mixed emotions" after the event. "If you look at the progress she's made, having missed two years of heptathlon competition to come back, the progress she's made is pretty remarkable," he added.

Summary: Britain's Olympic silver medallist Jessica Ennis-Hill should "take time" to consider her future, her coach Toni Minichiello has said.


Fifty-nine people had died up until and including Thursday, and 617 others had been infected, bringing the total affected to 7,359, the ministry added. The news came as the local authorities and relief agencies attempted to get clean drinking water to those areas worse affected by Hurricane Tomas. The storm caused flooding and left eight people dead in western Haiti. The charity, Save the Children, said that in Leogane, the streets had been turned into "rivers" and some 35,000 people had been affected. By Laura TrevelyanBBC News, Leogane The UN estimates 15,000 people in Leogane have been affected by the floods. Amercie lost her home when January's earthquake flattened this small town west of Port Au Prince. And now her tent has been flooded because the river burst its banks. The mother-of-three is sitting opposite Leogane's cemetery, where family tombs lie on their sides, cracked in two by the quake, now surrounded by water. Amercie is worried the combination of dead bodies and stagnant water from the flooding could spread the cholera outbreak to here, where so far no cases have been reported. Next to Amercie, Jean Pierre, a farmer who just planted what he hoped would be a new crop of banana trees and yams, says the flood has washed away his plantation. His childhood home collapsed in January's quake; the house he built afterwards has just flooded. No-one is helping, he says angrily. As we leave, the sun has come out and the flood waters are receding. The market is open, and the merchants are selling fruit and vegetables, trying to make a living as best they can. The BBC's Laura Trevelyan in the town said the water reached her knees, and that people were afraid of the risk of disease. There was also flooding in Les Cayes, Jacmel and Gonaives, while many mountain towns have been cut off by flooded roads and landslides. There was widespread relief on Friday after Hurricane Tomas passed without destroying the tented camps in and around the capital, Port-au-Prince, housing about 1.3 million survivors of January's earthquake. However, attention soon turned to preventing the spread of cholera, which is caused by bacteria transmitted through contaminated water or food, in the unsanitary conditions. Cholera causes diarrhoea and vomiting, leading to severe dehydration, but can kill quickly. It is treated easily through rehydration and antibiotics. A spokesman for the Pan-American Health Organisation, Christian Lindmeier, told the Reuters news agency: "Cholera is a water-borne disease and so additional water means additional risk." "We do expect the infection rate to jump up due to the flooding and to the bad sanitation conditions in many areas," he said. In the town of Saint Marc, in the northern region where the outbreak began three weeks ago, a Cuban doctor in charge of the local hospital said there had been more cases of cholera since the hurricane. BBC Health: Cholera Cholera 'difficult to predict' "The situation here - after the storm - has worsened," Dr Buenaventura Sanchez told the Associated Press. "We are seeing higher numbers [of cases] than in the

Summary: The death toll from the current cholera epidemic in Haiti has exceeded 500, the country's health ministry has said.


In Theresa May's letter triggering Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty she states: "We believe its necessary to agree the terms of our future partnership alongside those of our withdrawal from the EU.' But Donald Tusk responded today: "Starting parallel talks on all issues at the same time as suggested by some in the UK will not happen." Bluntly, the divorce bill would have to settled before talks on trade can begin. What's more, only one party to the break-up, the European Council, would decide if the settlement is good enough. This rebuff was always likely, and the Downing Street response restrained - in effect, reminding us we were simply at the beginning of the negotiating process. So no flames fanned, but it may not be long until Theresa May feels the heat. Ahead of a divided Labour Party in the polls, she may be at the zenith of her political popularity. Because now her own party's apparent unity is set to be tested. If some of her own MPs don't like the size of any proposed financial settlement, they may not only suggest it's better to walk away with no deal, but attempt to apply pressure to this end. That in turn might lead to the largely self-muting Remainers in her ranks to find their voice. And there are more time bombs in Tusk's draft guidelines. If Theresa May wants a transitional deal, she will have to accept a "supervisory" regime for a time - presumably the European Court of Justice whose jurisdiction she wants to end. So UKIP are likely to claim by the next election that we are still "half-in, half out". And with the EU refusing to do a final trade deal until after the UK has left, it may be difficult for her to demonstrate the benefits of leaving - allowing the Liberal Democrats to claim we should never have cast aside single market membership in the first place. It's an old political adage but one with which Theresa May will be familiar: "you cannot please all of the people all of the time." But she may find it a challenge to please some of the people some of the time, even in her own party.

Summary: A tale of two sentences, drafted in two different capitals, exposes the clear blue water between London and Brussels.


Australia centre-back Wright, 24, has been with Preston since 2009 and his existing contract expires in 2017. "We'd like to have him tied down, he's been good for us, but the football club has been very good to him as well," Grayson told BBC Radio Lancashire. "I'm sure there'll be some more talks. It's something we'll try and resolve." Wright has made 20 appearances in all competitions so far this season, helping Preston to their current position of 11th in the Championship. Grayson added: "I think Bailey owes the club a lot. But whatever outcome will be, will be. "If he leaves on a free, then so be it, because we've brought in some decent free transfers over the past few years as well who have turned out to be good signings for us. "But while he's here, he'll still be considered to play."

Summary: Preston North End manager Simon Grayson says defender Bailey Wright "owes the club a lot" and hopes he will agree a new deal with the Championship club.


The parishioners at St Paul's, Shipley, posted the video on Facebook in February after a traditional advert failed to attract any applicants. It was viewed more than 30,000 times and attracted media coverage across the UK. The new vicar, Henriette Howarth, will take up the post next week. The song, written by the children with the help of the church's musical director Rachel Hesselwood, listed the qualities the new vicar needed. It begins with the lines: "If you want this choice position have a cheery disposition. Make us laugh, smile lots, play games, tell jokes." Other requirements included "You must be kind, you must be fair. Bible stories you will share. "Boy or girl it doesn't matter - but you must enjoy Harry Potter!" It ends with a promise by the children to keep the church tidy and not to "talk in your sermons, we'll be good you'll see".

Summary: A church in West Yorkshire has recruited a new vicar following a video job advertisement sung by a choir of children.


Prosecutors said Darren Byrne, 40, struck Maria Byrne, 35, on the head at their home in Theydon Bois after she discovered he was having an affair. The jury was told Mr Byrne doused his unconscious wife in white spirit and turned on the hob before going out. At Chelmsford Crown Court, Mr Byrne denies murder and arson in February. Prosecutor Andrew Jackson said former city trader Mr Byrne and his wife had a row on the morning of 13 February after she found he was continuing an affair with a married woman. Mr Jackson said: "It's the prosecution case that the catalyst for this alleged murder was Maria Byrne's discovery for the second time of his alleged infidelity." The court was told that after dousing his wife's body with the flammable liquid he went on a walk with the family dog. CCTV footage showed he was away for more than an hour. Returning to find his plan had not worked, he concocted a charade, said the prosecutor. He called the emergency services to say his wife was "burned" and told the operator: "The stove was on and the frying pan's on the other side of the room. She's not breathing." Mr Byrne told paramedics his wife had been making him a bacon sandwich and when he returned home she was dead, the court heard. A post-mortem examination identified white spirit on Mrs Byrne's clothing and a half-empty bottle of white spirit was found in the garage, the jury heard. The couple had two children together who were not at home at the time of their mother's death. The trial continues.

Summary: A man killed his wife and then took their dog out for a walk while he hoped their house would burn down with her inside, a court has heard.


NHS Direct initially won 11 of the 46 regional contracts for the service, covering 34% of the population. It has already pulled out of two services, but now says the remaining nine are "financially unsustainable". The whole 111 service has been plagued with problems. NHS bosses have said there is no room for complacency. The service is run by different organisations in each area, including private companies, ambulance trusts and NHS Direct - which ran the old telephone advice line. Discussions are already taking place with other providers, particularly the ambulance trusts, to see who could take over from NHS Direct. NHS Direct announced in June that it was pulling out of two areas - Cornwall and North Essex - even before the services were launched. And earlier this month, it warned that the volume of calls at two of its larger contracts, North West and West Midlands, were 30-40% lower than contracted leading to lower income and leaving its whole 111 service "financially unsustainable". NHS Direct used to be paid more than £20 per call when it ran the old 0845 number. The payment is between £7 and £9 per call for the new 111 service. Projections reported earlier this month showed NHS Direct had lost £2.8m since April and was "heading for a deficit of £26m if we continue to run the same volume of 111 services until the end of this financial year". The organisation is now seeking a "managed transfer" of its 111 contracts, which have between two and five years left to run, to another provider. NHS Direct has already pulled out of contracts for 111 services in Cornwall and North Essex Nick Chapman, the chief executive of NHS Direct, said: "We will continue to provide a safe and reliable NHS 111 service to our patients until alternative arrangements can be made by commissioners. "Whatever the outcome of the discussions on the future, patients will remain the central focus of our efforts, together with protecting our staff who work on NHS 111 to ensure that the service will continue to benefit from their skills and experience." The health minister Lord Howe accused NHS Direct of "losing control of the ball" and said the majority of the country was getting a good service. "Their problem, I'm afraid, is that they got their sums wrong, which is very disappointing," he added. The whole 111 service was meant to be up and running in April. However, many areas were not ready and only half of services were operational by May. Some parts of England will not have an operational 111 service until 2014. There have also been problems with reports of callers not being able to get through and calls being inappropriately referred, leading to an extra strain on ambulances and hospitals. Dame Barbara Hakin, the deputy chief executive of NHS England, told the BBC: "We've been in discussions with other providers, particularly the ambulance trusts who, with their experience, will be able to, in a properly managed fashion, take over this service from NHS Direct. "I'm not going to

Summary: A major provider of the NHS non-emergency telephone service in England is seeking to pull out of its contracts due to financial problems.


International Trade Secretary Liam Fox will travel from the US to meet Mexican counterparts to discuss trading relationships. Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson is on a two-day tour of Australia, saying post-Brexit trade is "top of the agenda". And Brexit Secretary David Davis will hold private talks in Germany ahead of the next round of negotiations. The globetrotting by the three ministers - dubbed the "three Brexiteers" for their role in backing a Leave vote - comes amid increased scrutiny of the opportunities and challenges facing Britain in terms of negotiating free trade agreements with other countries once it leaves the EU. No deals can be done until withdrawal in March 2019 but the UK has established a series of inter-ministerial working groups in the US and Australia to discuss the way ahead while also signalling to other countries, such as New Zealand, that they will be "near the front of the queue". US President Donald Trump has said a deal with the UK could be "big and exciting" in terms of jobs, accusing the EU of a "very protectionist" stance towards America. The EU has insisted Brexit talks will only be held by the European Commission, and the Department for Exiting the European Union confirmed Mr Davis' talks with officials in Germany would be private. Brussels has also made clear that trade talks between the UK and the EU must wait until other issues, including the status of expats and any "divorce bill" to be paid by the UK, have been settled. The role of the European Court of Justice has emerged as a stumbling block to a deal on citizen's rights, despite both sides insisting that they want to come an arrangement. The UK is seeking a "comprehensive free trade deal" with the EU after Brexit to replace its membership of the common market and customs union.

Summary: Senior cabinet ministers will push the UK's Brexit agenda on three different continents later.