Speaking to the Atlantic magazine, he said the operation went as well as he had hoped, but Libya was now "a mess". The article also said he had warned the PM the UK would have to pay its "fair share" and spend 2% of GDP on defence. In response, Number 10 said there were "many difficult challenges" in Libya, while the White House said it deeply valued the UK's contributions. Downing Street did not comment on President Obama's remark to the PM about defence spending, reportedly made before Chancellor George Osborne said the government would fulfil a Nato pledge to spend 2% of national income on defence last year. In response to the interview, a spokesman for the US National Security Council said Mr Cameron had been "as close a partner as the president has had" adding that "we deeply value the UK's contributions on our shared national security and foreign policy objectives". BBC North America editor Jon Sopel said the unsolicited statement put out by the White House suggested Downing Street had reacted angrily to the article. "It's like we've seen a curtain drawn back on the unspun thoughts of President Obama, complete with frustration as well, and what we've seen tonight is the White House trying to close the curtain as quickly as it can," he added. The toppling of the Gaddafi regime in Libya - following UN-backed air strikes designed to protect civilians - led to a power vacuum and instability, with no authority in full control. The intervention was led by the UK and France - and in his interview, Mr Obama reflects on "what went wrong", saying: "There's room for criticism, because I had more faith in the Europeans, given Libya's proximity, being invested in the follow-up." Mr Cameron, he said, became "distracted by a range of other things". He also criticised former French President Nicolas Sarkozy, saying he had tried to claim the spotlight. The former French president, he said, "wanted to trumpet the flights he was taking in the air campaign, despite the fact that we had wiped out all the air defences and essentially set up the entire infrastructure" for the intervention. President Obama said the intervention "averted large-scale civilian casualties (and) prevented what almost surely would have been a prolonged and bloody civil conflict". But he added: "And despite all that, Libya is a mess." He also criticised what he called "free riders" in the interview, saying European and Gulf countries were calling for action against Gaddafi, adding: "But what has been a habit over the last several decades in these circumstances is people pushing us to act but then showing an unwillingness to put any skin in the game." Despite efforts to support Libya's National Transitional Council, and the first elections in the country for decades, it rapidly descended into violence, with two rival governments and the formation of hundreds of militias, some allied to so-called Islamic State. In January, Mr Cameron told MPs the "Libyan people were given the opportunity" to build a stable democracy - and it was a matter

Summary: David Cameron became "distracted" after the 2011 intervention in Libya, US President Barack Obama has said.


The weather also hit Norfolk and Lincolnshire, where homes were evacuated and an air display cancelled. BBC Weather said 50mm of rain fell in Cambridgeshire in an hour, damaging the banks of the River Nene in March. A Tesco shopper said water was "pouring through the ceiling near the fresh fish counter". Richard Mayer, 32, became trapped in his car at Bar Hill while he was visiting to buy a home in the area. Speaking from the vehicle he said: "Water is lapping over the kerb now. People can walk through it, but it's far more than you'd want to drive through. "I'm sitting in my car on the pavement in order to maintain some height just down from the Bar Hill roundabout near Tesco. "There are cars everywhere and the flooding is getting worse as people are trying to drive through it, but their engines are cutting out which is causing them to block the road." Fire service group commander Ryan Stacey said: "We have seven crews currently in the March, Doddington and Wisbech St Mary areas, assisting with evacuating residents, salvaging and pumping water out of homes. "The exact number of properties affected cannot be confirmed, but we understand that we are assisting currently at least 60 properties." He warned: "Don't try to drive through standing water - as well as the water damaging your car, there may be hazards under the water you can't see." A rest centre was opened in St John the Evangelist Parish Hall in Queens Street, March. There have also been reports of flash flooding in west Norfolk. Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service said officers have been dealing with about 40 flood-related calls with ongoing incidents in Swaffham, Necton, Outwell and Downham Market. Police in Cambridgeshire urged people to avoid driving on the county's roads unless absolutely necessary due to the "deluge of rain currently being experienced". Ch Insp Nick Night said: "We are assisting partner agencies including the Highways Agency, Fire and Rescue Service, Fenland District Council and Cambridgeshire County Council with road closures, evacuating residents and pulling vehicles out of flood water. "We do not have a stock of sandbags, so please do not call 999 requesting any." The UK Power Network said it had been working to restore power to homes and about 400 homes were still without power at about 21:00 BST on Friday.

Summary: Torrential rain in Cambridgeshire caused a riverbank to collapse, left 856 homes without power, trapped drivers and closed two supermarkets.


Brian Krebs says the administrator of a Russian cybercrime forum hatched a plan to order heroin, arranged for it to be delivered to his home, then tipped off the police, making it look as if the call had come from a neighbour's house. Fortunately, Mr Krebs was already monitoring the website and saw the plot being planned in real time. He alerted the FBI and local police. "I am little concerned", he told the BBC. "But then there are a lot of things people can do to upset you and get under your skin using a keyboard and few clicks of a mouse. "But what's the next level?" The person behind the attempted plot, according to Mr Krebs, set up a bitcoin wallet to accept donations of the digital currency from fellow forum members. He raised about $200 (Â£131) worth of bitcoins and used it to buy 12 small bags of heroin using the Silk Road online black market. The package duly arrived at Mr Krebs's house, and he handed it over to the police. This is just the latest example of a sustained smear campaign against Mr Krebs orchestrated by hackers and cybercriminals disgruntled at his exposure of their antics. In March he was visited by a heavily armed police unit tricked into responding to a 911 call that had been made to look as if it originated from his home. Mr Krebs says he opened the front door to find a squad of policemen pointing a battery of guns at him. After being hand-cuffed and questioned, he managed to persuade the police they had been hoaxed by hackers. The informant had used a instant message relay service designed for hearing impaired and deaf people to pretend to be Mr Krebs reporting that Russians had broken into his home and shot his wife. The phenomenon, known as swatting, after the special weapons and tactics (Swat) teams called out to handle hostage and other dangerous situations, had begun on the West Coast, the police told Mr Krebs, but had been working its way eastwards. "This type of individual prank puts peoples' lives at risk, wastes huge amounts of taxpayer dollars, and draws otherwise scarce resources away from real emergencies", Mr Krebs blogged. "What's more, there are a lot of folks who will confront armed force with armed force, all with the intention of self-defence." Mr Krebs also says his website suffered a major distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack. This is when a large number of hijacked computers flood another computer server with messages to render it helpless. The site was taken offline temporarily as a result. Mr Krebs will be giving a talk about the rise in DDoS attacks for hire at the Black Hat hackers conference in Las Vegas on 1 August.

Summary: A respected US-based internet security expert says he has foiled an attempt to frame him as a heroin dealer.


The female was found in the Llandovery area last month, struggling with a fever and dehydration. She was rehabilitated by RSPCA staff at a specialist wildlife facility in Taunton, Somerset. Her weight also increased from 2.8kg to 4.8kg by the time she was released near to where she was found.

Summary: An otter has been returned to the wild in Carmarthenshire after being found curled up in a puddle of water from a pressure hose.


When someone has a cigarette they inhale smoke - but this smoke is also breathed in by everyone else around them - and this is called passive smoking. Medical research suggests the effects of passive smoking on children cost the NHS Â£23m a year. It leads to 300,000 doctor visits and 9,500 hospital admissions annually and can cause breathing-related problems and other illnesses. Public Health England - the government body responsible for encouraging healthy lifestyles - found that three-quarters of smoking parents were shocked by the statistics. We asked you whether it bothers you when adults smoke around you. Do you worry about the effects on your health? Or do you think it's not a problem? This chat page has now closed but you can read a selection of your comments below "It annoys me when adults smoke because when I take my little sister to the park there are always adults smoking near it. I try to run past them so I don't have to breath it in." Leah, Surrey, England "My next door neighbour smokes and his wife only allows him to smoke outside in his garden. As my bedroom is overlooking his garden whenever I open my window I only get the smell of smoke and not fresh air because he is outside all of the time. I am never going to smoke because of this annoying experience." Isabel, London, England "It really bothers me when people nearby smoke because I have asthma so I'm scared it might affect my health. When someone is smoking nearby, I hold my breath and walk as a fast as possible to get away from them." Kaoutar, Manchester, England "I hate it when people smoke around me. It's just a dirty and horrible habit and it should make smokers feel dirty and smelly." Beth, Stoke, England "It's extremely bad and can cause loads of diseases and can be bad for the environment as it is made of poisons and also it is bad for the smoker. I feel really sorry for smokers." Jason, Lewisham, England "Smoking is an unpleasant thing to do. I usually hold my breath while I walk past someone who's smoking." Hannah, Powys, Wales "Smoking should be banned for ever and ever! My dad disappears into the garage to have, about 15 cigs a day. I don't like it. I hate people SMOKING!" Emma, Gloucester, England "It really annoys me when people smoke because it can damage their health and others as well." Emma, London, England "I think smoking is terrible and should be banned as it is dangerous not just to the smoker but to everyone surrounding them." Cat, England "I find it really annoying when you're trying to walk and adults just smoke in front of you as it really smells and it goes in your face." Nadia, London, England "When I am out and there are people are smoking it bothers me a lot! I hate the smell and when it blows onto me I feel like it clings to me! It's horrible." Genna, Swindon, England "You

Summary: A government advertising campaign is being re-launched to remind people of the dangers of second-hand smoke.


Speaking on the Sunday Politics Scotland programme, employability minister Jamie Hepburn cited a Fraser of Allander report. It said the economy was close to recession and was performing poorly when compared with the UK as a whole. The report suggested much - but not all - of the explanation was the oil price. Mr Hepburn said: "About two-thirds of the sluggish growth is down to the oil and gas downturn." He added: "Clearly there are other underlying trends that we have to get underneath the skin of. "But I think the other things we should reflect on are the strengths of the Scottish economy." Dean Lockhart of the Scottish Conservatives told the programme that the SNP had to take responsibility for economic performance. He said: "This is a real indictment. "The Fraser of Allander report... said we've had a lost decade under the SNP and that's absolutely right." Scottish Labour's Jackie Baillie said growth had fallen under the SNP. "If you look at the Scottish economy over the last 10 years, it has grown by 1.2%," she said. "That's a really small figure when you compare it to the preceding seven years, when it grew by 17%." Earlier, the programme had heard from an economist who believes the oil price fall has been a factor, along with wider underlying problems. Prof David Bell of the University of Stirling said: "The fall in the price of oil had a really pretty bad consequence for the North-East, which spread out across the rest of Scotland. "I guess other parts of the economy have lacked dynamism in the last 10 years or so. "We've got a situation now where the Scottish economy is performing pretty poorly for a pretty long period of time." He added: "One should be looking at the long-term factors. "There what we're thinking about is more infrastructure investment and on much more clear skills policy to ensure that if businesses do want to come to Scotland, there are the people available that could make these businesses prosper." David Johnstone is the managing director of the digital marketing agency After Digital. He told the programme that he is already aware of shortages in key skills areas. He said: "We are finding it quite tough to get these people in. "What we tend to see, if it's a marketing or brand-related job ad, we are inundated and we could probably come to a short list and pick one of five people. "The shortage of skills comes more from a technical development side of things." Mr Johnstone said it is very difficult for colleges and other training providers to keep up-to-date with developments in the business. He added: "I do sympathise with them because we live and breath this every day. "A course might start in September and by December some of the teaching of what they are trying to do might already by out of date."

Summary: The Scottish economy is still suffering the effects of a fall in the price of oil and gas, a government minister has said.


The move to make the state property registry secret is not yet law - it still has to go before parliament. TI, an anti-corruption watchdog, said the new measure would "raise the impunity of government officials". It was proposed by the Federal Security Service (FSB), successor of the KGB. A government committee approved the proposal this week. Most Russian MPs are government supporters, so it looks likely to become law. "This could make it harder to tackle money-laundering and illicit enrichment," said Andrey Zhvirblis, deputy director of TI's Russian branch. TI's annual Corruption Perceptions Index gives Russia a poor rating for 2014. It ranks 136th out of 175 countries, below Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and Mexico. The FSB also wants to block public access to registries listing officials' ownership of planes and yachts. But many of those assets are registered overseas, often by companies, whereas home ownership in Russia is more serious, Mr Zhvirblis said. The FSB argues that ordinary citizens should be denied access to the Unified State Registry of Property Rights, a real estate database. Only official bodies would be allowed to use that data freely without the property owner's permission, under the FSB plan. The FSB says that criminals have abused open access to the registry, and that commercial databases are profiting from the personal data. Anti-corruption campaigner Alexei Navalny, a fierce critic of President Vladimir Putin, has exposed cases of civil servants owning property that appears lavish compared with their official salaries. Before the open registry's introduction in the 1990s, Mr Zhvirblis said, there were thousands of abuses involving fraudulent claims to property. The new measure risks making home ownership and tenancies less secure and "will affect almost everyone", he told the BBC from Moscow. Currently a buyer can get the necessary ownership details from the registry for just 200 roubles (Â£2; $3), he said. Even so, he pointed out, "it just gives the plot of land and owner's name" - not more personal data. Mr Zhvirblis said it was not the role of the FSB to draft Russian laws, and "it's strange that it's becoming an entity doing that". President Putin ran the FSB in the late 1990s before becoming president. He had been an officer in the Soviet KGB, the communist secret police. The news website Lenta.ru says the new proposal coincides with certain restrictions on Russian access to offshore havens. Western financial sanctions on Russia, as well as global anti-corruption efforts, have made the offshore option less attractive, it reports. Putting a veil of secrecy on property in Russia could reduce the incentive for officials to keep their wealth overseas.

Summary: The Russian government has approved legislation that would conceal property owned by state officials and would hamper anti-corruption investigations, Transparency International (TI) warns.


The Scottish government has already drafted legislation for a referendum after Nicola Sturgeon said another ballot was highly likely in the wake of the UK voting to leave the EU. But Ms Sturgeon told STV News that any referendum would not been held in 2017. Her predecessor, Alex Salmond, has predicted a vote on independence will be held in the autumn of next year. Ms Sturgeon said: "There is not going to be an independence referendum in 2017, I don't think there is anybody who thinks that is the case." She has previously said a vote on independence will be held if the Scottish government concludes it is the only way to protect Scotland's place in Europe. Ms Sturgeon has urged the UK government to negotiate a so-called soft Brexit and retain its membership of the single market. Failing that, she wants a special arrangement to allow Scotland to stay in the single market even if the rest of the UK leaves. The first minister's latest comments regarding the timing of a second referendum follow her insistence at the weekend that she is not bluffing on calling a re-run of the 2014 ballot if Scotland's position is ignored. But she has also indicated that a soft Brexit could take the issue off the table in the short-term. Ms Sturgeon told BBC One's Andrew Marr Show: "We have to ask ourselves in Scotland are we happy to have the direction of our country, the kind of country we want to be, determined by a right-wing Conservative government perhaps for the next 20 years, or do we want to take control of our own future?" "That's the case that in those circumstances, I think, it would be right for Scotland to have the opportunity to decide." Asked if she was looking at a referendum "much quicker" than in five or 10 years' time if there was a hard Brexit, she said: "I would think, yes. But let me not get away from this point, I'm putting to Theresa May a compromise solution." Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson said ruling out an independence referendum this year was an "empty gesture" by Ms Sturgeon. Accusing the first minister of "leaving Scotland in limbo", Ms Davidson added: "If she's serious about allowing Scotland to move on from constitutional navel-gazing, she should ditch her draft referendum bill immediately." Scottish Labour deputy leader Alex Rowley said: "While it is welcome that Nicola Sturgeon has ruled out another independence referendum in 2017, this doesn't come close to ending the uncertainty. "The first minister should rule out forcing another independence referendum on the people of Scotland altogether, not just for the next twelve months." But the Scottish Greens welcomed the Scottish government' commitment to keeping a second referendum on the table. Co-convenor Patrick Harvie said: "This cannot be a quiet time ahead for supporters of independence; although the Brexit negotiations will take two years, work must begin now to build support and strengthen our case."

Summary: Scotland's first minister has explicitly ruled out holding a second referendum on independence this year.


The singer - who is the first woman to win the award twice - also won best pop vocal album and best music video for her track Bad Blood. Rapper Kendrick Lamar won the most prizes on the night with five awards. British singer Ed Sheeran also won his first two Grammys for song of the year and best pop solo performance for his number one hit Thinking Out Loud. See the list of key winners A surprised Sheeran beat Lamar, Swift, country group Little Big Town and Wiz Khalifa to the song of the year accolade. "We wrote [the song] on a couch in my house. Thanks to my parents who've flown to the Grammys every year for the last four years and every time I lose I say 'maybe next year'," he said as he collected the award. "If you'd told my 11-year-old self I would receive an award from Stevie Wonder I'd be chuffed." Swift was equally surprised at winning the top honour. Her album, which was released in 2014, came out too late to be eligible for last year's awards so was finally recognised at this year's ceremony. She gave a powerful acceptance speech saying: "As the first woman to win album of the year at the Grammys twice, I want to say to young women: There are going to be people along the way who will try to undercut your success or take credit for your accomplishments or your fame. "But if you focus on your work and don't let those people sidetrack you, someday when you get where you're going, you'll look around and you'll know it was you and the people that love you that put you there. And that will be the greatest feeling in the world." Lamar's wins included best rap album for To Pimp A Butterfly; best rap song and rap performance for Alright; best rap/sung collaboration and best music video, which he shared with Swift for Bad Blood. Alabama Shakes were triple winners. They collected best alternative music album while their song Don't Wanna Fight won best rock song and rock performance. The Weeknd also picked up two Grammys for best urban contemporary album and best R&B performance. Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars won two awards for their hit Uptown Funk, including record of the year, while Meghan Trainor was named best new artist. British rock band Muse also won best rock album for Drones, and Tony Bennett collected his 18th Grammy for best traditional pop vocal album. Justin Bieber also won his first Grammy for his collaboration with Skrillex and Diplo, winning best dance recording for Where Are U Now. Outside the main categories, Amy - Asif Kapadia's documentary on the life of Amy Winehouse - won the Grammy for best music film. Swift opened the ceremony with a rendition of her song Out of the Woods and was one of many who performed during the show, along with Lamar, Adele, Ellie Goulding, James Bay and The Weeknd. Adele's performance was slightly hampered, however, by audio problems which appeared to

Summary: Taylor Swift's 1989 has won the coveted album of the year award at this year's Grammys in Los Angeles.


The 48-year-old ex-Oxford manager has guided the Cobblers to promotion from League Two this season, after a series of financial problems at the club. Wilder is currently on a one-year rolling contract with the League Two side. Jimmy Phillips has been in charge of Bolton since Neil Lennon left in March but could not prevent relegation. Wanderers chairman Ken Anderson said on Monday that the club had a shortlist of three managers from applications they had received and hoped to make an appointment soon. The Championship's bottom side have also confirmed that assistant manager Steve Walford and first-team coach Garry Parker have left the club.

Summary: Northampton's Chris Wilder is Bolton's preferred choice to be their next manager, BBC Radio Manchester reports.


Every evening, at an air base in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, coalition spokesman Saudi Brig-Gen Ahmed al-Assiri delivers an upbeat assessment for the media. The narrative has changed little since the opening days of "Operation Decisive Storm". "We are achieving our aims," says the general. "We are systematically destroying the enemy's bases." But what exactly are those aims and are they being achieved? When the air strikes began on 25 March the war aims of the Saudis and their allies were simple: reverse the takeover of Yemen by rebels and restore the legitimate president, Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi, to power. Neither of those two aims has been achieved. Yet. Mr Hadi is stuck in a guest palace in Saudi Arabia, effectively in exile, while his remaining support base withers away in Yemen. The poorly-armed but determined southerners trying to defend the city of Aden from the Houthi northerners grumble that their president fled the country, leaving them to fend for themselves. The Houthis, who began their takeover of Yemen by overrunning the capital Sanaa in September, have certainly taken a battering from the air strikes. But on the ground they have remained largely in control of the whole of western Yemen where the population is concentrated. Their success is due, not so much to any alleged support from Iran, but to the help they are getting from renegade former President Ali Abdullah Saleh, who has backed them with Republican Guard and other military units still loyal to him. The rebels come from the far north of the country, and as Shia they share the same branch of Islam as only 30 percent of the population; the remainder are Sunnis. So they know they probably cannot hold onto the south indefinitely and will announce a strategic withdrawal once they feel they have made their point, namely that they have survived the onslaught of several air forces and their US-made precision guided missiles. The Saudis have a lot resting on this campaign. The new defence minister, Prince Mohammed bin Salman, is only 34 years old and relatively untested. If the campaign fails it will reflect badly on him but more importantly on his father, King Salman. So the Saudi leadership knows it cannot afford to fail in Yemen, not just for fear of instability spilling across their common border but also for what it means for their own credibility amongst the Saudi people. Periodically there are reports of Saudi armour moving closer to the Yemen border, prompting speculation about a ground offensive. But everyone knows Yemen can be a graveyard for invaders. Its rugged, mountainous terrain and fiercely territorial tribesmen make it an extremely difficult country to fight in. Ask the Egyptians, the British and even latterly the Saudis, who have all taken casualties there. So any ground incursion by the Saudi-led coalition is likely to be a temporary measure - such as, say, throwing a cordon sanitaire around Aden - to secure a better bargaining position when the political negotiations begin in earnest. Iran, whose exact role in Yemen is somewhat murky, has called

Summary: For almost three weeks the Saudi-led coalition of mostly Gulf Arab air forces has been pummelling Houthi rebel positions across Yemen.


Have the media lost interest? Is it a question of chronic political fatigue? Are our brains simply not wired to think long-term? The BBC World Service's The Inquiry hears from four expert witnesses. Max Boykoff founded the Media Climate Change Observatory a decade ago. "We monitor 50 sources around the world across 25 countries on six continents. We seek to put our fingers on the pulse of the ebbs and flows of coverage of climate change over time, month to month. "It's not an exhaustive reading of all media accounts everywhere around the globe across all platforms, but rather is a way to get us talking productively. "In 2004 there were relatively low levels of coverage. Around 2006, into 2007 there was an uptick. There was a high water mark in 2009 [at the time of the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen]. "From that high water mark to 2014, coverage has dropped: 36% globally; 26% in the US; and as much as 55% in the UK. "Within the last year here in the United States, National Public Radio reduced its environment reporting team from three to one reporter. "We see examples of this unfolding quite regularly. There's certainly newsroom pressures. There's shrinking time to deadline, there's reduced resources to cover complex issues such as climate change that require a certain level of investigation, a certain level of familiarity with the contours and the nuances of the topics." Jennifer Morgan is the Global Director of the climate change programme at the World Resources Institute. "Copenhagen was supposed to be the moment when over 190 countries came together and agreed a new legally binding agreement to address climate change. It was very much a great excitement and anticipation of trying to finally get a global agreement after the Kyoto years. "I remember walking in with a colleague of mine, and saying 'Okay, we have to do it. We have to get this done, these moments don't happen very often'. "But it soon became clear that negotiations weren't going to plan: "In the middle of the second week normally what happens is the options start to get narrowed down, and you can see the package emerging. That wasn't happening, and that's when we all started to get very concerned." China's chief negotiator was barred by security for the first few days, sessions were routinely suspended in the name of finishing on time, developing countries said they were ignored, and the EU was missing from a final meeting where a last-minute, non-binding deal was drawn up. "It was terrible. [We felt] an exhausted defeat, just a deep fatigue, particularly from the European side, of just wanting to take a break. The personal sacrifice - it sounds crazy - but believing and trying to make something happen, I think it was a trauma, just to put so much blood, sweat and tears into it. "Right after Copenhagen, there was a sense that there needed to be a bit of a time out on the world leaders' side of things. So it definitely went into a very

Summary: Since there is a consensus amongst the majority of the world's scientists that temperatures are rising - most likely driven by human behaviour - why does climate change coverage seem to be drying up?


Marc Carter's plea to find a replacement sippy cup for son Ben was retweeted more than 12,000 times. The 14-year-old has only drunk from the double-handled vessels, which are no longer produced, since the age of two. Tommee Tippee said it will produce 500 cups after it searched factories worldwide and found the original mould. The firm's attention was drawn to the family's plight when Mr Carter launched the Twitter appeal to find a replacement. More on a dad's desperate search for a cup, and other stories His original plea prompted offers of help from as far away as Australia. Mr Carter, 42, said the response from well-wishers had been "incredible" and it was a "huge surprise" to be contacted by the manufacturer. Mr Carter said: "For me it's massive. Some people think I'm exaggerating but without it he doesn't drink so personally I'm very relieved." Tommee Tippee will send the cups on demand for free to the Carter family. Mr Carter said: "I would not be happier if I won the lottery. We've moved down to the middle of nowhere and don't want much. "Just knowing he has got these cups gives us peace of mind." Northumberland-based Tommee Tippee does not normally keep the moulds but had been searching factories around the world in the hope of finding the original plans. A spokesman said: "We are delighted to confirm that we are able to start production on a run of the original cup. "This will ensure that Ben has a lifetime supply and that his family won't ever have to worry about finding another cup for Ben." Mr Carter, from Devon, told the BBC his son has had his current blue cup for three years, but it is now falling apart and may only last a few more weeks. He said: "This tiny blue cup dictates our life."

Summary: A dad's desperate search to replace his autistic son's beloved "little blue cup" has ended - after the manufacturer stepped in to make a lifetime's supply.


The arrests are part of an operation that has seen women targeted for posting photos showing them not wearing headscarves on Instagram and elsewhere. Women in Iran have been required to cover their hair in public since 1979. The eight unnamed people were among 170 identified by investigators as being involved in modelling online. They included 59 photographers and make-up artists, 58 models and 51 fashion salon managers and designers, according to a statement from the court. The arrests were announced by the court's prosecutor Javad Babaei during a state television programme broadcast late on Sunday that focused on the "threats to morality and the foundation of family" posed by social media. Mr Babaei claimed modelling agencies accounted for about 20% of posts on Instagram from Iran and that they had been "making and spreading immoral and un-Islamic culture and promiscuity". Of the 170 people found to be involved in online modelling, 29 were warned that they were subject to criminal investigation, the prosecutor added. "The persons who reformed their behaviour after receiving a notice did not face any judicial action, and eight out of the 29 have been arrested," he said. A spokesman of the Iranian Centre for Surveying and Combating Organised Cyber Crimes, Mostafa Alizadeh, said: "Sterilising popular cyberspaces is on our agenda. "We carried out this plan in 2013 with Facebook, and now Instagram is the focus," he added, saying fresh operations would begin in the coming days. There was no immediate comment from the photo-sharing site Instagram, which is owned by Facebook.

Summary: Iran has arrested eight people working for online modelling agencies deemed to be "un-Islamic", the prosecutor of Tehran's cybercrimes court has said.


Marcel Kittel o'r Almaen oedd y cyntaf i gyrraedd y llinell derfyn yn Liege, gyda Thomas yn seithfed. Mewn glaw trwm ac amgylchiadau anodd, cafodd Thomas a phencampwr y llynedd, Chris Froome, hefyd o Team Sky, ddamwain ar hyd y daith, ond llwyddodd Thomas i gyrraedd y terfyn yn ddianaf. Ond Geraint Thomas sy'n parhau ar frig y tabl ar sail amser. Dywedodd Geraint Thomas fod y profiad o ddod yn fuddugol yn y ras yn erbyn y cloc ddydd Sadwrn yn anghredadwy, a diolchodd i'w gefnogwyr am eu dymuniadau da. Bydd y trydydd cymal yn dechrau yn Verviers yng Ngwlad Belg ddydd Llun, ac yn croesi'r ffin i Ffrainc cyn gorffen yn Longwy. Tabl y Tour de France wedi dau gymal 1. Geraint Thomas (Prydain/Team Sky) - 4:53:10" 2. Stefan Kueng (Swisdir/BMC Racing) - +5 eiliad 3. Marcel Kittel (Yr Almaen/Quick-Step) - +6 eiliad 4. Vasil Kiryienka (Belarws/Team Sky) - +7 eiliad 5. Matteo Trentin (Yr Eidal/Quick-Step) - +10 eiliad 6. Chris Froome (Prydain/Team Sky) - +12 eiliad Gallwch wylio uchafbwyntiau'r Tour de France ar S4C yn ddyddiol.

Summary: Bydd Geraint Thomas yn gwisgo crys melyn y Tour de France unwaith eto ddydd Llun er nad enillodd ail gymal y ras.


David Thomas, 50, and his son Stephen, 17, from Swindon were among those who died. Stephen's mother Julie was rescued from the Leviathan ll. Nigel Hooker, 63, from Southampton, Salford-born Jack Slater, 76, who had lived in Canada for many years and Katie Taylor, 29, also died. Canadian government investigators are looking into the cause of the accident. All five of the victims were on the open, upper deck of the boat, but were not wearing life jackets, regional coroner Matt Brown told a news conference. The other passengers were all in an enclosed part of the boat. Officials have said more of the 27 people on board could have died had it not been for the "amazing response" from locals around Tofino. A 27-year-old Australian man from Sydney is still missing after the accident on Sunday afternoon. The Down's Syndrome Association described Stephen Thomas as "a very talented young man and a gifted photographer". Chief executive Carol Boys said: "We were all delighted when Stephen's beautiful image 'Moraine Lake' won the national 'My Perspective' photographic competition last year." She added that David Thomas was one of the driving forces behind the Swindon Down's Syndrome Group where he was a trustee. Isambard Community School in Swindon also paid tribute to former pupil Stephen. Headteacher Sue Banks said he was "always a positive role model for others - he never used the term 'I can't' and was constantly smiling". She said he had a love for art and his work was regularly exhibited in the school and sold at the annual art show. David Thomas worked for Microsoft. A statement from the company said they were "shocked and saddened" to hear the news. Michel Van der Bel, Microsoft UK general manager, said: "Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with their family, friends and David's colleagues and we will be doing everything we can to support them." Mr Slater's family said he was a retired navy engineer from Toronto, who had lived in Canada for over 30 years and had three daughters. He was on the boat with his wife, Marjorie, who is being treated in hospital. His daughter Michele Slater Brown wrote on Facebook he was "larger than life, a charmer, handsome, entrepreneur, engineer in the Navy... he was our dad, our lovely dad, I will miss him forever but I'm grateful for all the times I spent with him, I love you dad." Ms Taylor was also a British ex-pat living in the ski resort of Whistler. Corene Inouye, director of operations at Jamie's Whaling Station and Adventure Centre, the company that owns the boat, said: "It appears the incident happened so quickly that the crew didn't have an opportunity to send out a Mayday." She added the skipper of the ship has more than 20 years' whale-watching experience and had completed 18 years with the company. Company owner Jamie Bray said passengers on the boat were not required to wear life jackets as it has enclosed compartments, which would be difficult to exit in the event of a sinking. Another whale-watching

Summary: The five Britons who died when a whale-watching boat sank off the coast of western Canada have been named.


Kevin Paddick, 34, of Rosemary Road, Clacton, Essex, is accused of killing Danny Myers, 23, from Enfield. Mr Myers died in hospital after he was stabbed at an address in Rochford Road, St Osyth, in the early hours of Monday. The accused is expected to appear before magistrates later. A 29-year-old woman from Clacton, who was arrested on suspicion of murder, has been released without charge.

Summary: A man has been charged with murdering a man who was stabbed to death.


The 54-year-old was convicted of two counts of common assault against the boys, aged 14 and 15, in a food store in north London, in October 2014. One boy had been trying to pass Joyce in a narrow aisle and after an exchange of words was knocked to the floor. Joyce will be sentenced at Westminster Magistrates' Court on 27 May. The former Labour MP had claimed he was performing a "citizen's arrest" at News & Food Express in Chalk Farm and asked the shopkeeper to call police. The attack happened close to the drinks fridge at about 21:40 BST on 17 October and was filmed on the store's CCTV. Joyce "flung" the 14-year-old boy to the floor and held him down by the throat, the court heard. "He started shouting in my face. I remember begging him to leave me alone," the boy said. His 15-year-old friend was elbowed and winded while trying to help and both boys then fled the shop, the court was told. Shopkeeper Ali Fahan said: "I told the man to let him go because he was crying." Giving evidence, Joyce insisted he had overcome his battle with alcohol after a string of previous convictions. The court heard that he assaulted politicians in the House of Commons bar in 2012, which led to his resignation from the Labour Party. He said: "I have a background as a judo player. I was conscious I didn't want to over-act." The former army major told the court he felt threatened when the boys walked by because one was shouting and swearing and had taken an "aggressive" stance. Joyce said he put his hand out to stop the teenager knocking over a supermarket shelf but it fell anyway. Delivering his verdict, District Judge John Zani said: "In my view, you underplayed the violence you meted out to these young men and wanted the police called so as to justify your actions. "You readily told police, incorrectly, that [one boy] head-butted you for no reason." He said all sentencing options including imprisonment would be considered. Joyce is not standing in the general election and has been released on conditional bail until sentencing.

Summary: Former Falkirk MP Eric Joyce has been found guilty of assaulting two teenage boys in an "unjustified and unprovoked" attack in a shop.


The South Africa-born 23-year-old had been playing club cricket in the East Anglian Premier League this season. "Sean shows a great maturity with the bat and understands his game well," Kent's high performance director Simon Willis told the club website. "The number of runs he has scored in all formats is testament to his focus and concentration." Dickson, who has a British mother and holds a UK passport, has previously played first-class cricket for Northerns in South Africa. He also bowls medium pace and could make his first-team debut for the club in their T20 Blast match against Glamorgan on Friday. Kent have not disclosed the length of his contract at the St Lawrence Ground.

Summary: Kent have signed batsman Sean Dickson after he impressed during a trial spell with their Second XI.


She took power over the weekend following the death of 78-year-old President Bingu wa Mutharika, who died in office after heading up the southern Africa country since 2004. Mr Mutharika's decision to appoint her as his running mate for the 2009 elections surprised many in Malawi's mainly conservative, male-dominated society - which had never before had a female vice-president. Equally surprising was her decision to publicly stand up to her boss - by refusing to endorse his plans for his brother, Foreign Affairs Minister Peter Mutharika, to succeed him as president in 2014 when he was due to retire. She was promptly thrown out of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party - and subjected to daily doses of derision at public rallies and on Malawi's state airwaves. A senior ruling party official openly said Malawi was "not ready for a female president", while First Lady Callista Mutharika said Mrs Banda was fooling herself that she was a serious politician - saying she was a mere market woman selling fritters. "She will never be president, how can a mandasi [fritter] seller be president?" Mrs Mutharika said. Mrs Banda took all this in her stride, saying she was glad to be identified with market women since more than 80% of Malawian women belong to that category: "Yes, she's right, I'm indeed a mandasi seller and I'm proud of it because the majority of women in Malawi are like us, mandasi sellers." She also resisted calls for her to resign as the country's vice-president - she was elected not appointed so she could not be fired by Mr Mutharika - and instead set up her own People's Party. Born in 1950 in the village of Malemia near the southern town of Zomba, Joyce Hilda Ntila was the eldest in a family of five children. Her father was the leader of Malawi's police brass band and her youngest sister, Anjimile, ran pop star Madonna's charity Raising Malawi until it closed in December. She left her first husband in 1981, taking her three children with her, because he was abusive. "Most African women are taught to endure abusive marriages. They say endurance means a good wife but most women endure abusive relationship because they are not empowered economically, they depend on their husbands," she told the BBC about her decision. Eight years later, Mrs Banda founded the National Association of Business Women, a group that lends start-up cash to small-scale traders - making her popular among Malawi's many rural poor. That work also earned her international recognition - in 1997, she was awarded, along with former Mozambican President Joachim Chissano, the US-based Hunger Project's Africa Prize for Leadership for the Sustainable End of Hunger. She also set up the Joyce Banda Foundation, a charity that assists Malawian children and orphans through education - she has a degree in early childhood education. Joyce Banda cut her teeth in politics in 1999 when she won a parliamentary seat on the ticket of the former ruling United Democratic Front. She held a number of cabinet positions under former President Bakili Muluzi

Summary: Joyce Banda, who has made history becoming Malawi's first female president and only the second woman to lead a country in Africa, has a track record of fighting for women's rights.


The pontiff granted Spanish Monsignor Lucio Vallejo Balda a Christmas-time clemency after he served half of his 18-month sentence, the Vatican said. The priest was convicted in July. The leaked papers were cited in books published in 2015, that alleged corruption in the Catholic Church. A former colleague of the priest was given a 10-month suspended sentence. On Tuesday, the Vatican said in a statement that Pope Francis granted "conditional freedom" to Mgr Angelo Lucio Vallejo Balda. "This is a clemency measure which allows him to regain his freedom. The penalty is not quashed." The statement added that all his professional ties to the Vatican had ended, and he would now be under the authority of the Bishop of Astorga in Spain - the priest's original diocese. Mgr Balda has made no public comment on the latest developments. The books, by journalists Emiliano Fittipaldi and Gianluigi Nuzzi, were based on leaked materials and exposed waste and financial mismanagement in the Church. The original Vatileaks episode saw the last Pope's former butler, Paolo Gabriele, sentenced to 18 months in jail in 2012 after being found guilty of stealing sensitive documents from the pontiff's desk. He served nearly three months of his sentence under house arrest in the Vatican before Pope Benedict visited him and personally pardoned him. The Vatican has only two prison cells but it can ask Italy to house its prisoners under the terms of a 1929 treaty.

Summary: Pope Francis has freed a priest jailed for leaking official documents in a trial known as Vatileaks II.


Presidio Terrace is now owned by two investors, Tina Lam and Michael Cheng, who snapped up the private road for about $90,000 (£69,039, €76,203). The street - parking, pathways and all - was sold by the city over a $14-a-year tax which went unpaid for decades. Wealthy residents say they knew nothing about the sale until it was done. The result is that residents no longer own the road, pavements, trees, or any of the common land - and might have to pay its new owners for parking. The terrace, an oval-shaped private compound, is seen as one of the expensive city's most prestigious addresses. Like other US municipalities, the City of San Francisco regularly auctions off properties that owners have failed to pay taxes on. According to the city's website, San Francisco advises bidders that all sales are final and so they must thoroughly inspect the property for any damage and consult local zoning rules. Because maintenance is the duty of owners, privately owned roads can save money for cities. However, some cities discourage the practice, out of concern that private owners might at some point require taxpayer dollars to keep roadways functioning. Owners become legally liable for any accident or injury that occurs due to lax upkeep, such as not clearing snow or repairing potholes. Number 24, recently for sale, was listed at $6.5m. Number 26, an "exceptional residence" on the southern slope, was listed for $14.5m. "Among San Francisco's many prestigious communities, there are few that offer the privilege of privacy amid the magnificence of nature," reads the blurb on one property ad. The agency was keen to point out that "stone privacy walls and a round-the-clock security guard provide peace of mind". But despite the affluence of the neighbourhood, it didn't pay its taxes - and so the city sold it at auction for defaulting on a $944 tax debt. The auction took place in 2015, the San Francisco Chronicle reported, but residents didn't know about it - it took place in an online auction among a mix of properties. "We just got lucky," Mr Cheng told the newspaper. He and Ms Lam outbid dozens of others to buy the street without seeing it - and are deciding what to do with their investment. "We could charge a reasonable rent on it," he said of the 120 lucrative parking spaces that they now own. But some residents believe their new landlords may be looking to sell the street back - at a profit - to the locals who believe they should still own it. You may also be interested in: In a twist, the street is now owned by two investors of Asian origin - despite originally being governed by a "racial covenant" which prevented anyone except Caucasian whites buying property there (a provision made illegal decades ago). Mr Cheng is originally from Taiwan, and Ms Lam from Hong Kong. Mr Cheng told the Mercury News newspaper that he was considering building a home for himself and Ms Lam on the street, if land use rules allow it.

Summary: Residents of a San Francisco private street where homes sell for millions of dollars have had the street itself bought from under them.


Media playback is not supported on this device The 29-year-old was overlooked for their triumphant Six Nations campaign after starting in the 2015 World Cup. The surgery ruled him out of contention for the tour to Australia in June. "You always have to keep the goal there to get back in the England side. I don't think you can ever lose sight of it," he told BBC East Midlands Today. "Because I was injured, yes you do end up doubting yourself a little. But you soon dust yourself down, get back here, train again and then you are ticking along again. "I've always had determination, but there is probably a bit more there now to prove people wrong and prove to myself that I'm good enough." Youngs, capped 22 times, was not selected after Eddie Jones took over as national boss, with the Australian naming hooker Dylan Hartley as his captain. Saracens' Jamie George and Exeter's Luke Cowan-Dickie played as replacement hookers during the triumphant summer tour to Australia. "They had a great summer tour, 3-0 in Australia is very special," Youngs said. "It's never great not being selected, but there is no point moping about because you need to be training hard. I'm not one to mope, I just say 'fair enough, I understand' and then go off and work on things I need to work on. "The back injury was probably the worst thing, because I couldn't prove anything. "If I get the phone call great, but I'll concentrate on getting fit, playing and leading by example for the club." Youngs said recovering from surgery was "a dark time" as Leicester's bid for European Champions Cup and Premiership glory ended at the semi-final stage of both competitions last season. While Leicester reached the Premiership play-offs for a 12th straight season, it was the third successive time they fell short of a spot in the final. Youngs will mark his recovery by taking over as Leicester club captain. "It's a huge honour and a big job to do," he said. "I want to get Leicester back to where we should be really, and where we are striving to be. We have been in three semi-finals now and lost all three. "We need to finish in the top two this year and push for that and reach a final. That is what we are pushing for in all competitions."

Summary: Leicester Tigers hooker Tom Youngs refuses to give up on an England recall, despite admitting he doubted himself after undergoing back surgery.


Environment Minister Mark H Durkan said drilling could have a significant impact on the environment. Tamboran Resources wanted to drill a 750m deep hole at a quarry at Belcoo, using permitted development rights. It issued a statement saying it was "deeply concerned" by the minister's decision. By John CampbellBBC News NI Economics & Business Editor Tamboran had intended to drill using "permitted development rights", which meant the firm would not have needed to apply for planning permission. The minister could only veto this if he assessed that work was likely to have "a significant environmental impact". And that is exactly the position he has arrived at. Tamboran will now have to make a full planning application with an accompanying environmental statement, a process that will, conservatively, take months to complete. But it does not mean the borehole will not eventually be drilled. Alternatively, Tamboran may want to try to get a judicial review of the decision, arguing that the minister has not interpreted the planning regulations correctly. "The company is currently reviewing its position and will release a further statement in due course," Tamboran said. Tamboran will now have to make a full planning application with an accompanying environmental statement. On Monday night, protesters held an ecumenical service at the gates of the quarry to celebrate the minister's decision. Donal O'Cofaigh from Belcoo Frack Free welcomed the decision and said it could delay the project considerably. "It's a great relief, the minister has made the right decision," he told the BBC. "This is the first time that we are going to have the opportunity to be consulted on that. This is something that is of grave concern to the local community." The MP for the area, Michelle Gildernew of Sinn FÃ©in, also welcomed the announcement. "The decision to deny Tamboran to begin deep bore test drilling in Belcoo, Fermanagh, is the correct decision given the clear opposition to fracking in the area," she said. Tamboran staff moved into the quarry three weeks ago and carried out work to secure the site. Protesters objecting to both fracking and gas exploration had held a permanent vigil at the quarry. The aim of the borehole was to check if there was enough gas below ground to warrant seeking a licence to set up a fracking operation. Protesters said they feared a borehole could be the first step towards the setting up of an industry that they believe could damage the environment and the health of local residents. The borehole drilling process would not have involved fracking. Currently, Sinn FÃ©in, the SDLP and UUP say they oppose fracking, while the DUP has said exploration should take place, and any application for extraction should be judged at the time. Last week, politicians condemned a petrol bomb attack that targeted the family home of a Tamboran worker in Letterbreen.

Summary: Anti-fracking protesters have been celebrating a decision to block permission for an exploratory borehole for shale gas in County Fermanagh.


Alexander Wotherspoon, 83, appeared at Paisley Sheriff Court charged with causing the death of Eilish Herron by driving without due care and attention. The 17-year-old was struck by Mr Wotherspoon's car at an Asda petrol station in Linwood in September 2014. The charge says he had failed to keep control of the car while reversing. Mr Wotherspoon, from Houston in Renfrewshire, uses a zimmer frame to help him walk. He denied starting the engine of his car and reversing while the driver's door was still open, failing to keep control of the car and, while it was reversing, causing it to hit the Renault Clio Eilish was filling up with petrol. The charge states that his actions knocked her to the ground, moved her car out of the way and caused his car to reverse over her, dragging her underneath the car, "causing her to be so severely injured that she died." The incident happened at the Asda petrol station at the Phoenix Retail Park in Linwood on 10 September 2014. Sheriff Susan Sinclair adjourned the case for a trial to take place in August and continued Wotherspoon's bail. Speaking previously, Eilish's mother Shanneal, 47, said: "Eilish was a really good girl, a normal teenager who loved her life, loved her family and loved her sport. "She was my best friend, we had such a good laugh. "I can't put into words how much she's missed in our family. We are all very close." Eilish was a keen netball player and played for Paisley Juniors as well as volunteering as a junior coach. After her death, Netball Scotland created the The Eilish Herron Young Coach of the Year Award, which will continue as a yearly recognition award for young coaches.

Summary: A pensioner has denied causing the death of a teenage girl by by reversing over her as she was filling her car up with petrol in Renfrewshire.


Ex-Leeds prop Bailey, 31, joined after the start of the season and made 15 appearances for Wire. Forward Cox, 24, arrived on a one-year deal from Hull KR while Australian prop Dodds, 27, had an injury-hit season. "I'd like to thank all three players for their contributions over the season," said head coach Tony Smith.

Summary: Super League side Warrington Wolves have announced Ryan Bailey, Jordan Cox and Mitchell Dodds will leave at the end of their contracts.


Ben, from Sheffield, was 21 months old when he disappeared on the Greek island of Kos. An "item" believed to have been in Ben's possession at the time was found during fresh searches. South Yorkshire Police said the current line of inquiry, that Ben was killed accidentally, was the most probable cause of the boy's disappearance. Read more about this story and others from across Sheffield and South Yorkshire The force said it remained committed to the investigation into Ben's disappearance and stressed the case remained open. Ben Needham's mother 'would tear up island' in search Det Insp Jon Cousins, who is leading the inquiry, said: "During the course of the inquiries we have made over the last 19 months, we have closed off a large number of theories about what happened to Ben, many of which have been open for over 20 years. "My team and I know that machinery, including a large digger, was used to clear an area of land on 24 July 1991, behind the farmhouse that was being renovated by the Needhams. "It is my professional belief that Ben Needham died as a result of an accident near to the farmhouse in Iraklis where he was last seen playing." The information that prompted the fresh searches was revealed to police following television appeals in May. A friend of a digger driver, who was clearing land with an excavator on the day the toddler went missing, said the man may have been responsible for Ben's death. The driver, Konstantinos Barkas, died of cancer in 2015. A team of 19 South Yorkshire Police officers, forensic specialists, an archaeologist and search and rescue personnel have spent 21 days digging near the farmhouse and a second site 750m away. Det Insp Cousins said an item, found on Saturday close to another item dated to 1991, had been shown to the Needham family. "It is our initial understanding that this item was in Ben's possession around the time he went missing," he said. "The recovery of this item, and its location, further adds to my belief that material was removed from the farmhouse on or shortly after the day that Ben disappeared." The Needham family, who have long believed Ben may have been abducted, have been fully informed of the force's findings. Speaking to the Daily Mirror before the police briefing, Ben's mother, Kerry Needham, said: "They know he's dead but just can't find him. "Police said it's time we ended our 25-year search. They are right but I can't say goodbye knowing he's still on that island somewhere. I feel physically sick. I can't feel any worse than I do." She said she just wanted to "tear up" the whole island. "Someone knows where he is. For God's sake, help me find him. We know he's dead but we need to find him. When someone dies you find a special place." Det Insp Cousins said: "Our thoughts are with the family as they are given time to digest this and they have our full and continued support. "Our drive has always

Summary: Toddler Ben Needham "most likely" died in an accident near to where he disappeared in 1991, police have said.


Venera Minakhmetova died when she was struck by lorry at Bow Roundabout, on Wednesday. The Russian, who had been on the Cycle Superhighway 2 (CS2) just before the collision, was the fourth of five cyclists to die in London in nine days. Her sister Dina said: "If you know something, if you witnessed it, please come forward and contact police." She also thanked people for their support following her sister's death. Ms Minakhmetova had worked at London-based Edelau and investment bank Merrill Lynch and was living in the Bethnal Green area to develop her financial services business. So far this year, 13 cyclists have been killed, eight of which have involved HGVs. The leader of Southwark Council, Peter John, has called for HGVs to be banned during rush hour to protect cyclists. Currently, the movement of HGVs are restricted in London between 21:00 and 0700 on weekdays, and between 13:00 on Saturdays through to 07:00 on Mondays. Speaking to BBC Sunday Politics London Ben Plowden, of Transport for London, said the Olympics showed it was possible to achieve a very significant change in when and how deliveries take place. "Something like a fifth of freight activity moved out of the busiest times in the day and that was because we worked closely with the boroughs and the councils, the freight industry and the supermarkets and other people to make that happen," he said. "So what that shows is you can make a big change, the question is how do you make that part of everyday life rather than a one-off thing for the Olympics?" Catherine West, head of transport on London Councils, said a balance was needed so that Londoners could get a good night's sleep. "A lot of people live on busy roads and they live above shops. We just have to be mindful that a lorry delivery at 4am may not be great for residents," she said.

Summary: The sister of a cyclist who was killed in east London last week has urged witnesses to contact police.


The medicine does not contain the ingredient that produces the high associated with recreational cannabis. The treatment, called Epidiolex, is based on one of the non-psychoactive components of the cannabis plant, CBD. Early studies in the US have shown treatment with CBD may reduce the frequency and severity of seizures in children with severe forms of epilepsy. The new trial marks the first time the treatment has been tested in the UK. Patients are being enrolled for a trial of the treatment at Edinburgh University's Muir Maxwell Epilepsy Centre, based at the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Edinburgh, and Great Ormond Street Hospital. The Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Glasgow and Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool are also driving the study. There are further centres in the US, France and Poland. Their initial focus will be on children with Dravet Syndrome, a rare but serious type of epilepsy that is difficult to treat. Some children will receive the treatment while others will receive a placebo. In a further phase, researchers will also study the effect on children with Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome. Only children whose seizures cannot be controlled with existing medications will take part in the trial. Dravet Syndrome usually takes hold in the first year of life. It causes seizures that are often prolonged, lasting longer than five minutes. They then develop other seizure types. This has a significant impact on the child's development and can be fatal in some cases. Epidiolex has been developed by the British biotechnology company GW Pharmaceuticals, which is sponsoring and funding the trial. Dr Richard Chin, director of the Muir Maxwell Epilepsy Centre, said: "Many children with serious forms of epilepsy do not respond to the medications that we currently have available. "We need new means of treating these conditions so that we can give back some quality of life to these children and their families."

Summary: Children with severe epilepsy could be helped by a new treatment derived from the cannabis plant.


In one Muslim school, a "female governor sat out of sight of the male governors in an adjacent room". The watchdog inspected 22 schools in England which had previously been inspected by the Bridge Schools Inspectorate. Inspectors found that nine of these schools were inadequate. Ofsted chief inspector Sir Michael Wilshaw has written to Education Secretary Nicky Morgan with the findings of inspections of 15 Muslim and seven Christian schools, in cities including Manchester, Coventry, Birmingham and Leicester. Previous checks of these private faith schools had been carried out by the Bridge Schools Inspectorate (BSI), an independent inspectorate which had inspected about 50 private Muslim and Christian schools. Independent schools do not come under the same Ofsted process as state schools, with inspections being carried out by independent agencies such as the Independent Schools Inspectorate and the School Inspection Service. Ofsted had raised concerns about the "quality of BSI inspection" and, this autumn, Ofsted took over its inspection responsibilities. One school in this current wave of Ofsted inspections - Manchester Islamic High School for Girls - was rated outstanding. But Sir Michael's letter highlights a range of concerns about other schools previously inspected by BSI. Four of the schools were assessed not to be "promoting fundamental British values". This included not promoting "mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs". There were concerns about a lack of exposure to other religions and "inappropriate" books. At Al Ameen primary school in Birmingham, inspectors say pupils were not protected from reading "inappropriate literature about extremist, sexist or partisan views". Inspectors said that at Darul Uloom Islamic High School in Birmingham, "the only female governor sat out of sight of the male governors in an adjacent room to the main meeting. "As a result, she could only contribute to the meeting through a doorway. Governors told inspectors this was their usual arrangement. "A senior HMI has pointed out to the school that this practice is unacceptable as it fails to show proper respect for women." This school, now rated as inadequate, had been inspected by Ofsted inspectors since 2011. In October 2013, Ofsted rated it as good and described the head teacher as "forward thinking". Ofsted says that although its own inspectors carried out a number of inspections in recent years, the school was considered to have been part of the BSI inspection system. In Cornerstone School in Epsom, a private Christian school, Ofsted said pupils were "not given sufficient opportunities to learn about different cultures and the perspectives of others". There were eight schools where there were safeguarding concerns, including "not paying due regard to the guidance issued in 'Keeping children safe in education', a lack of checks on staff or insufficient records on pupil attendance. And in a further 10 cases there were concerns about schools not providing a sufficiently broad curriculum. Sir Michael's letter to the education secretary says it should be a priority to inspect other former BSI schools.

Summary: Ofsted inspectors have found that some private faith schools are not doing enough to respect women, or people of other faiths and beliefs.


Donations have poured in to 34-year-old Paul Gallihawk's JustGiving page since he disappeared during a 750m open water swim on Saturday. He was reported missing after he failed to collect his bike at Leybourne Lakes in Kent for the cycling stage. A two-day search for Mr Gallihawk, from Maidstone, ended when rescue teams found his body in the lakes on Monday. He wrote on his JustGiving page that he was competing to raise money for King's College Hospital in London, which had looked after his father. Since his disappearance was announced, donations on the page have risen to over £12,500 - more than 4,000% of the target. Messages of condolence on the page include: "Stars shine bright, yours will shine the brightest tonight! RIP Paul. Thoughts are with your loved ones." The cause of Mr Gallihawk's death remains unclear but Kent Police is not treating it as suspicious. Mr Gallihawk's girlfriend, Hayley, said: "He was the most amazing and thoughtful partner. I loved him to bits and always will. "He was incredible in every way and he always put others before himself." In a statement, his family said: "[Paul] had such a caring nature and will be sadly missed by all the family, extended family and friends. "Paul was a brilliant son and brother to Nick - he would do anything to help anyone and would always put them first." The triathlon event was organised by Ocean Lake Triathlon, based at Leybourne Lake Country Park, near Larkfield, and Simon Langton School in Canterbury.

Summary: A fund set up by a man who died in his first triathlon race has exceeded his £300 target by more than £12,000.


The exotic pet, which is 12 months old, has a vulnerable shell and the shop appealed for information on Facebook, saying it was concerned about its "specific care requirements". The animal was taken from Lathom Pets and Aquatics in Ormskirk on Tuesday afternoon, Lancashire Police said. The shop's owner said CCTV showed a man taking the tortoise - which needs calcium supplements - out of the tank. Four people had entered the pet shop together, co-owner Catherine Broxholme said. "I was serving, chatting to the group and getting change out of the till for a woman I was serving. The tortoise tank is just a few feet away from the till. We only have five tortoises and when I checked later there were only four." CCTV footage confirmed a man had taken the tortoise, she said. Ms Broxholme said she was concerned for the exotic pet's welfare, adding: "They have specific care needs. We are a welfare-oriented pet shop, making sure the pets go to good homes. "The tortoise is about 12 months old and its shell is still vulnerable and it needs calcium supplements. We just want to get the tortoise back safe." Police said the tortoise was valued at Â£120.

Summary: A baby tortoise has been stolen from a pet shop in Lancashire.


One Direction, an English-Irish boy band, is particularly popular. For most of November, the top hashtags trending in Russia either directly referenced One Direction or were promoted by the band's fans. One example is "#1DRU" (which stands for "One Direction Russia") and another is "#PurposeFollowsMITAM" (which references recent albums by Justin Bieber and One Direction). On most other days, the top-trending hashtags in Russia were also associated with Western pop culture, or its fans. Particularly active were followers of the bands My Chemical Romance and 5 Seconds of Summer, and TV or film series such as The Hunger Games, Teen Wolf and Shameless. There was only one day in November when the top hashtag had anything to do with the day's news in Russia. On 24 November, Turkey shot down a Russian bomber on the border with Syria, and "#plane" was the top trending hashtag. The starting point is usually a single tweet. "Wow, I only need 33 more followers, let's trend #PerfectFollowsHistory," says a One Direction fan, mixing English words with Russian slang, and referring to an album and a song authored by the band. The hashtag was trending within three hours, being tweeted more than 40 times a minute. The main point of such "Twitter storms" is to get more followers. This tactic seems to work well, as some Russian One Direction fans boast tens of thousands of followers. User @vodkaforharry, for example, has 82,300. The tweets are worlds away from the mood music in Russia's mainstream media, which echoes the Kremlin's belligerent rhetoric towards the West. Russian pop fans, it would appear, do not see Twitter as a place to discuss the Ukrainian or Syrian conflicts. Twitter is by no means representative of the whole of Russia. But the top-trending hashtags show that despite the political tensions, Western pop culture still casts a spell on many young and tech-savvy Russians. BBC Monitoring reports and analyses news from TV, radio, web and print media around the world. You can follow BBC Monitoring on Twitter and Facebook.

Summary: Young Russians are using Twitter en masse to share their reverence for Western pop bands and TV series - in sharp contrast to Russia's mainstream state-controlled media.


Having a baby is a joyous occasion for most women - but for one in 10, pregnancy and the period following childbirth can be anything but rosy. Depression, anxiety and stress can be the overriding feelings they experience and, if left untreated, the risk increases that they develop into serious psychiatric disorders, such as schizophrenia, psychoses and eating disorders. The mental health of this group of women during pregnancy and after birth - whether the illness already existed beforehand or developed for the first time - has been of particular concern to mental health professionals for some time. Psychiatric disorders are the cause of 7% of all maternal deaths during pregnancy and the six months after the birth. So why are there still women falling through the net? Guidelines from NICE, the health watchdog, say women at risk of mental health problems should receive extra support at all stages of pregnancy, be provided with a care plan for their treatment and be offered advice on the safest and most appropriate drugs to take during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Research suggests providing this level of care will improve not only the long-term well-being of the mother but protect the child's emotional and physical development too. But the Maternal Mental Health Alliance (MMHA), which represents more than 70 organisations committed to improving the mental health of mothers and their infants, says this isn't happening in many areas of the country. Dr Alain Gregoire, consultant and honorary senior lecturer in perinatal psychiatry, and chair of the MMHA, says this failure is costing lives. Suicide is an increased risk for women with serious perinatal psychiatric disorders, he says. And then there's the cost to society, he points out, of Â£8bn a year in lost earnings and NHS care. He says: "It's a very critical time in women's lives and it's important to get it right." The inquest heard that Ms Bevan stopped taking her anti-psychotic medication some time before the birth of her daughter because she wanted to breastfeed. Dr Gregoire says decisions like this should be part of a care plan agreed in advance and need not be a major issue, he adds. "There are many medication options available with no evidence of risk to the baby, whereas there is clear evidence that women being unwell is not good for mother or baby." Stopping medication suddenly is never advised and can be avoided because there are always other effective treatment options, he says. Rachael Jones felt no connection with her pregnancy and no happiness at the thought of son's arrival five years ago. She had always wanted children but she didn't tell anyone how she was feeling because she didn't understand the feelings herself. "No-one asked me how I was feeling. There wasn't an opportunity to talk about it, no invitation to chat about it from anyone I saw." It was only after the birth that Rachael admitted to a health visitor that she felt detached, lonely and depressed. She had experienced suicidal thoughts too. During a 12-month wait for talking therapy on the NHS, she

Summary: The family of Charlotte Bevan, whose body was found in the Avon Gorge with her four-day old daughter, has called for a dedicated service which looks after women with serious mental health problems before, during and after childbirth.


The 21-year-old will help cover the loss of James Clare, who has a serious knee injury, and the release of Lee Smith from his contract. Naughton came through the academy at Bradford, and spent a year at Sydney Roosters before joining Hull in 2015. "Bringing in Curtis gives him an opportunity to catapult his career at the top level," said coach Neil Jukes.

Summary: Super League newcomers Leigh Centurions have signed Hull FC utility back Curtis Naughton on a season-long loan deal.


The Gills, who finished 20th in League One last season, have signed eight players so far this summer. But having started the season with a 0-0 draw to Doncaster and a 2-0 loss to Reading, Pennock wants more recruits. "They've got to be the right players, the right characters and more importantly they've got to be good players," Pennock, 46, said. "Everybody is pulling together in the right direction - it's a good changing room and if we can add two or three more I'll be very happy." Although the club are still on the lookout for new additions, Pennock is pleased with those who have already arrived. Gillingham have brought in defenders Gabriel Zakuani, Luke O'Neill, Connor Ogilvie and Alex Lacey, strikers Liam Nash, Conor Wilkinson and Tom Eaves and midfielder Billy Bingham. "Overall, I'm happy with every single one of them - all of the new lads who have come in have contributed to what we've done, they've been absolutely first-class," Pennock told BBC Radio Kent. "I think it's pushed the others on who were here last year as well. The whole club at the moment is in a good place."

Summary: Gillingham are looking to add "two or three" more players to their squad, according to manager Ady Pennock.


Elections for 29 governors and all 36 state assemblies are taking place. Some of Nigeria's governors control huge budgets and are among the country's most influential politicians. The vote comes two weeks after Muhammadu Buhari defeated incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan to become the country's first opposition candidate to win a presidential poll. Gen Buhari won by more than 2.5 million votes. Polling stations opened at 08:00 local time (07:00 GMT). While presidential polls two weeks ago encountered some problems with the electronic card reader, the process this time appears to be taking place without any hitches, reports BBC Hausa's Mansur Liman. In many of the states, Saturday's gubernatorial and state assembly elections could prove to be a tight race between Mr Jonathan's People's Democratic Party (PDP) and Gen Buhari's All Progressives Congress (APC). Nigeria's 36 governors enjoy wide powers and some, especially in oil-producing areas, control bigger budgets than those of national governments in some neighbouring West African countries. The key battlegrounds include commercial hub Lagos, and the oil-rich Rivers state. Tensions are reported to be especially high in Rivers. The AFP news agency reports that an overnight curfew was imposed on the eve of the election to prevent any violence. The Independent National Electoral Commission (Inec) spokeswoman for Rivers state, Tonia Nwobi, told AFP that they were working with security agents to ensure a "hitch-free election". Results are not due until Sunday. Biometric voting cards are to be used again, despite some problems with their debut in last month's election. Technical problems slowed down voter registration, even affecting President Jonathan. But Abubakar Momoh from Inec told Reuters that the new system was crucial. "The card reader is the only way that rigging on a large scale can be stopped in this country," he said. Observers have generally praised the recent presidential election, though there have been allegations of fraud even with the use of biometric voting cards.

Summary: Nigerians are going to the polls to vote for state governors in the final round of the election process.


8 October 2013 Last updated at 17:01 BST The Taliban have tried to stop women and girls getting an education in Swat, the area of Pakistan where Malala lived. Malala has recovered and continues to campaign for education - but there are still people back home in Pakistan who aren't happy about that. Newsround reporter Nel went to Birmingham to meet Malala and find out how her life has changed.

Summary: Almost one year ago Malala Yousafzai was shot on her way home from school in Pakistan.


The worst-affected areas were in the Midlands, where roads flooded, rail passengers were stranded and many schools closed. About 50 Environment Agency flood warnings - meaning "immediate action required" - are currently in place. More than 160 lower-level flood alerts have been issued across much of England and parts of Wales. Flooding continues to cause severe disruption on some roads, including sections of the A428 and A3400 in Warwickshire. BBC forecaster Tomasz Schafernaker said Thursday's weather would be a "lot quieter", with "none of that heavy rain that we had first thing in the morning on Wednesday". He said cloud would clear overnight, leaving a "few spots of rain" in central and eastern England by Thursday morning, with clear skies and low temperatures elsewhere. On Wednesday, British Transport Police formed human barriers to hold back crowds at London Euston after trains between Rugby and Milton Keynes were cancelled. In Warwickshire, 14 schools were closed and a number of people were rescued from cars by firefighters due to floodwater. In Birmingham, a man was filmed using a ladder as a bridge to reach a van which was stranded.

Summary: Dozens of flood warnings remain in place in central England following heavy rain and disruption on Wednesday.


The SNP's John Wallace won the Ayr East ward after the vote on Thursday. Turnout for the by-election was 34.4%, with 4,006 votes cast out of an electorate of 11,638. The by-election was called following the resignation of Corri Wilson, who was elected as SNP MP for Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock earlier this year.

Summary: The SNP has held a South Ayrshire Council ward following a by-election which was called after the previous incumbent was elected as an MP.


Jordan Maguire-Drew nearly put the Daggers in front early on when he struck the woodwork while at the other end, Ryan Bird did the same with a header as the sides sparred. In the second half, Matt Robinson threaded a through-pass to Whitely, who controlled and dispatched under Ryan Clarke with the confidence of a striker - a goal that ended an impressive 10-match unbeaten run for the hosts. Whitely could have put a greater gloss on matters for John Still's side, but he struck the bar from 20 yards. Report supplied by the Press Association. Match ends, Eastleigh 0, Dagenham and Redbridge 1. Second Half ends, Eastleigh 0, Dagenham and Redbridge 1. Substitution, Eastleigh. James Constable replaces Ryan Bird. Substitution, Eastleigh. Jamie Cureton replaces Adam Dawson. Frankie Raymond (Dagenham and Redbridge) is shown the yellow card. Substitution, Eastleigh. James Granger replaces Adam Dugdale. Goal! Eastleigh 0, Dagenham and Redbridge 1. Corey Whitely (Dagenham and Redbridge). Substitution, Dagenham and Redbridge. Fejiri Okenabirhie replaces Sam Ling. Second Half begins Eastleigh 0, Dagenham and Redbridge 0. First Half ends, Eastleigh 0, Dagenham and Redbridge 0. Matt Robinson (Dagenham and Redbridge) is shown the yellow card. First Half begins. Lineups are announced and players are warming up.

Summary: Corey Whitely took Dagenham to second place in the National League with the only goal in their win away at Eastleigh.


The film, directed by British film-maker Saul Dibb and starring Michelle Williams and Kristin Scott Thomas, is, according to Williams, "entirely dedicated and a tribute to Irene Nemirovsky and her descendants," a Jewish author from the Ukraine who settled in Paris. Despite her conversion to Roman Catholicism, she was arrested by the Nazis and died, aged 39, at Auschwitz concentration camp in 1942. "It's quite overwhelming, the level of emotion you feel when you even think about Irene's story as it's more extraordinary than anything she wrote, even Suite Francaise," says the actress. "As soon as I read the script, I could see Irene, and hear her voice around me. It very rarely happens, but her words sounded like music to me." Williams, the winner of a Golden Globe in 2012 for playing Marilyn Monroe in Simon Curtis's My Week With Marilyn, adds that "when you are dealing with the legacy of a real life person, it's a responsibility heaped on you. "You want to be true to that person, and in this case, I wanted to be faithful to Irene. The fact that this story was very nearly never published makes it more precious." Williams plays the role of Lucille, a young wife in the French provincial town of Bussy, who waits for news of her husband, fighting for France, under the disapproving eye of her mother-in-law, played by Kristin Scott Thomas. She meets a young German officer and falls in love, even as the town is brutalised under occupation from its invaders. In the novel, Lucille's love affair is just one of many stories Nemirovsky weaves of life under Nazi control. But Suite Francaise, written in tiny handwriting in a notebook as paper became more scarce, was never completed. Nemirovsky was taken to Auschwitz, and her notebook was passed to her youngest daughter, Denise Epstein, who didn't open it until 2004, thinking it contained her mother's journals. Upon discovery and publication, Nemirovsky was posthumously awarded the prestigious French literary prize, the Prix Renaudot, and her other novels were also successfully republished. Expressing her sorrow that Epstein died in 2013, "just before we made the film, and so I never got to meet her," Williams calls meeting the author's descendants "the most special day of filming; they came to the set, and it was emotional for everyone". And Scott Thomas added: "It just really is all about the incredible story of Irene and her book, and I just hope the film has done it justice, because its publication was very important - it's a historical document for France. "This tale of violent occupiers - this is recent history we are re-telling, from the time of our grandparents, and it has terrible poignancy for today as well, all over the world. "I think what was interesting is that Irene had no Jewish characters in her book, or anything to say about their persecution. "Some commentators have called her anti-Jewish as she hadn't embraced or exposed what was going on with her people at that period in France. "However, in our film version,

Summary: It's a book that lay undiscovered for 60 years and which went on to become a phenomenon: Irene Nemirovksy's epic French novel Suite Francaise, written in the early years of the World War II, not only became a worldwide bestseller upon its publication in 2004, but is now an English language movie.


British police accuse him of stealing $250m (£160m) over eight years. The prosecutor called him a "thief in government house". Ibori, once seen as one of Nigeria's wealthiest and most influential politicians, was arrested in 2010 in Dubai and then extradited to London. Some $35m of his alleged UK assets were frozen in 2007. As his trial at London's Southwark Crown Court was about to begin, Mr Ibori changed his plea to guilty and admitted stealing money from Delta state and laundering it in London through a number of offshore companies. The BBC's Chris Summers says between 20 and 30 of Mr Ibori's supporters turned up to court - some wearing T-shirts with the slogan "Free Ibori". There was not enough room for them all in the public gallery. Prosecuting QC Sasha Wass said Mr Ibori, 53, had "tricked" his way into becoming Delta state governor, by giving a false date of birth and claiming he had no criminal record. "He was never the legitimate governor and there was effectively a thief in government house. As the pretender of that public office, he was able to plunder Delta state's wealth and hand out patronage." He is due to be sentenced on 16 April. Ibori's wife, Theresa, his sister, Christine, his mistress, Udoamaaka Okoronkwo, and his London solicitor, Bhadresh Gohil, have all been convicted of money-laundering. Their convictions could only be reported on Monday after reporting restrictions were lifted. Nigeria's Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had asked the UK's Metropolitan Police to look into the ex-governor's financial affairs. "The vast sums of money involved were used to fund Mr Ibori's lavish lifestyle," Detective Inspector Paul Whatmore, the officer in charge of the investigation, said. "We will now be actively seeking the confiscation of all of his stolen assets so they can be repatriated for the benefit of the people of Delta State." He said that the money Ibori stole should have been used to pay for sanitation, power supplies and healthcare for some of the poorest people in the world. Ibori spent some of the stolen money buying six houses in London - he paid £2.2m in cash for one Hampstead mansion - and put his children in expensive British private schools, police say. Three of the money-laundering charges relate to the sale of Delta state's share in mobile phone company V-Mobile to neighbouring Akwa Ibom state. This raised $37m which Ibori stole and laundered through his solicitor Gohil, who has been jailed for 10 years. In 2007, a UK court froze assets allegedly belonging to him worth $35m. His annual salary as Delta state governor was less than $25,000. He had already left the UK when his assets were seized but he was arrested in Nigeria later that year. The charges were dismissed but he was then re-arrested in Dubai on a British warrant. Ibori has been convicted in the UK before - in 1991 for stealing, in cahoots with his wife who worked as a cashier, from the Neasden, London, branch of the DIY shop Wickes. He was also found

Summary: James Ibori, a former governor of one of Nigeria's oil-producing states, has pleaded guilty in a UK court to 10 counts of money-laundering and conspiracy to defraud.


McKenzie, 38, will take on Jahmaine Smyle at York Hall on 12 November for the English super-middleweight championship. The ex-Norwich and Peterborough man became a professional boxer in 2013 having quit football two years previously. He has a record of eight wins and one draw from his nine fights. McKenzie is the son of former British and European champion Clinton and is trained by his uncle, former three-time world champion Duke McKenzie.

Summary: Former Premier League striker Leon McKenzie is to fight for a national boxing title.


Lib Dem sources say 30,000 local authority places are being lost as money is diverted to new free schools. They said Mr Gove was "ideologically obsessed" about backing free schools. Tory education sources called the Lib Dems "pathetic", saying more school places were being created overall. Asked about the issue on BBC One's Andrew Marr Show, David Cameron said free schools were "an excellent innovation" and he would "get on with delivering what matters, which is good schools for our children". The Liberal Democrats' deputy leader, Malcolm Bruce, said the budget for free schools was "completely out of control" and accused the education secretary of being "monetarily obsessed". He told the BBC: "He [Mr Gove] is basically raiding money that should be going to the vast majority of schools that have real needs for a small number of free schools, many of which are in places where there isn't a pressure or a need." Mr Bruce added: "Michael Gove needs to be reined back, the programme needs to be properly costed and controlled." The row is not the first within the coalition government over education policy. But BBC political correspondent Iain Watson said the "striking" language used was evidence that both parts of the coalition were becoming more willing to air their disagreements and grievances in public a year ahead of the general election and less than two weeks before local and European elections. According to sources in Mr Clegg's office, last December Mr Gove overruled the Lib Dem schools minister David Laws to take £400m from the Basic Need Budget for 2015-17. They claim the money was diverted to help cover a projected £800m overspend between 2013 and 2016 in the budget of free schools - a project close to Mr Gove's heart. By Alex ForsythBBC Political Correspondent With less than two weeks to go before the local and European elections, increasing tensions between political parties are no surprise. The coalition parties in particular are trying to put clear water between them, and this isn't their first public disagreement. But on this occasion both sides have bandied round strong language - calling the other 'pathetic' or 'laughable' and describing funding decisions as 'lunacy'. Those involved may see it as an opportunity to promote their party's policy and convince voters of what they stand for - in the strongest possible terms. To others it might be viewed as two political parties, both in government, attacking each other and policies they've officially both agreed. They may view this as good tactics. The public may view it differently. Free schools can be set up by parents, teachers, charities, businesses, universities, trusts, religious or voluntary groups, but are funded directly by central government. There are currently 174 free schools in England with another 116 approved to open from this September. A Lib Dem source said the Conservatives were "putting the needs of a handful of their pet projects ahead of the requirements of the other 24,000 schools in the country". "Michael Gove was warned by the schools minister David Laws that this was a bad

Summary: A row has broken out in the coalition over school places funding in England, with allies of Lib Dem Deputy PM Nick Clegg accusing Conservative Education Secretary Michael Gove of "lunacy".


John Vine said the group, typically foreign students, is growing in number. His report warned that immigration officers did not know how many of those told to leave the UK had actually left. Immigration minister Damian Green blamed the last government - but Labour said the report was damning. The latest report from the inspector focuses on a previously unknown problem in the UKBA, concerning people from outside Europe who have deadlines to leave the UK. Many of these people are students and if they do not leave when told to do so, they are added to the "migration refusal pool" (MRP). "There are over 150,000 cases nationally of migrants who have been refused an extension of stay in the UK," said Mr Vine. "The Agency does not know how many of these individuals have left the country or are waiting to be removed. "I also saw no evidence that there is a clear plan in place for the Agency to deal with this stream of work to ensure this does not become another backlog. "I believe it can and must do more to demonstrate it is dealing with this issue in a more proactive manner." The report said the number of MRP cases had grown from 153,000 in October of last year to almost 160,000 by mid-December. Mr Vine said: "The Agency needs much more effective planning in place to deal with this stream of work in order to ensure it removes individuals still in the UK who have no right to be here, while setting out clear performance targets to manage these cases much more effectively." Immigration Minister Damian Green said "Under the last government there was no effective strategy in place to ensure migrants left at the end of their time in the UK. The UK Border Agency is now working through a group of potential over-stayers to identify those who have not left. "This includes checking passenger records using our e-borders database which now covers all flights outside Europe. "This summer the UKBA launched a UK-wide operation to remove over-stayers and we have already seen 1,800 removals since the campaign started." But shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said the coalition was "failing on illegal immigration." "The damning conclusion from the government's own immigration inspector has concluded that the government is giving a very low priority to finding and removing people who have been refused permission to stay. "We've had the fiasco of the border scandal, where the Home Secretary has admitted she doesn't know how many people came in without checks. We now have huge queues at our airports because of poor management and the cuts to nearly 900 UK Border Force staff."

Summary: The UK Border Agency has no "clear strategy" for dealing with a group of more than 150,000 foreign nationals staying on after visas expire, the borders and immigration inspector says.