The journalists are suspected of links to US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, accused of plotting the coup, as well as Kurdish militants. Cumhuriyet is Turkey's oldest secular paper. At the weekend, 15 other media outlets were closed and 10,000 civil servants were dismissed. Those targeted include academics, teachers, health workers, prison guards and forensics experts. Critics have accused President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of using an emergency law imposed after the coup attempt to silence opponents. Since then, a total of about 110,000 people have been sacked or suspended and 37,000 arrested. The government argues that Mr Gulen's network of followers is so vast that a wholesale purge is needed. Cumhuriyet editor Murat Sabuncu and eight other newspaper staff were detained on Monday, including columnists Aydin Engin and Guray Oz, state news agency Anadolu reported, Arrest warrants were also issued for other staff, including Cumhuriyet's previous editor Can Dundar, who resigned in August after being sentenced to five years in prison for revealing state secrets involving Turkey's operations in Syria. He fled Turkey when he was freed pending an appeal. Turkey is currently under a state of emergency, imposed after the failed coup three months ago, in which more than 270 people died. A few copies of Monday's edition had been left at the gates of Cumhuriyet's premises. The headline read simply: "Coup against opposition." The story was about the suspension of thousands of civil servants and other laws introduced under emergency decrees. Only hours afterwards, the editor-in-chief and several writers were detained and arrest warrants issued for over a dozen of the paper's executives. An investigation into Cumhuriyet executives was launched in August amid allegations that some of its reports had legitimised the coup attempt. Cumhuriyet is one of the last few remaining opposition papers in Turkey. It was awarded the Freedom of the Press prize by Reporters Without Borders last year and received the Right Livelihood Award, known as the alternative Nobel Peace Prize. Last week, 15 Kurdish and leftist newspapers were closed down under emergency laws. Now the opposition fears they might be silenced even further.

Summary: Turkish police have detained the editor and several writers of opposition newspaper Cumhuriyet amid a crackdown on media after the failed July coup.


The price of Brent crude oil fell below $39 a barrel at one point, its lowest since December 2008. The IEA said demand in the current quarter was growing by 1.3 million barrels a day, down from 2.2 million barrels in the previous quarter. The IEA predicts that will slip back to 1.2 million barrels a day next year. The price of Brent crude fell to $38.90 a barrel at one point, before recovering slightly to $39.13 - still down 60 cents in the trading session. US crude oil also fell, down 50 cents to $36.12 a barrel. Oil prices are down more than 10% over the week. The trigger was a meeting of oil producers' cartel Opec late last week, which broke up in disarray as the member countries failed to agree to put a lid on production. Opec producers pumped more oil in November than in any month since late 2008, almost 32 million barrels per day. That comes at a time when the world's economic growth is slowing, blunting demand for raw materials. The IEA said that although consumption was likely to have peaked in the third quarter, demand growth of 1.2 million barrels a day was still healthy. Earlier this week, the US Energy Information Administration forecast that US shale oil production, now a major source of oil supply, would fall in January for the ninth month in a row. Sustained falls in output could help to stabilise the price of oil, although some market forecasters suggest the price could continue to fall to as low as $20 a barrel.

Summary: The oil price has fallen to a new seven-year low after the International Energy Agency (IEA) forecast a slowdown in growth in demand for oil.


The four are now in police custody, after a crime spree that included raids on hotels, small shops and amusement arcades, Italian media report. On one occasion they allegedly raced off in a Porsche Cayenne after pointing a pistol in the driver's face. The gang reportedly boasted of their crimes in video clips on social media. They stole cash, smartphones, tablets and even on one occasion a youth's luxury shoes worth â‚¬530 (Â£465; $601), according to police. The crimes took place in Milan's Quarto Oggiaro district. Two of the young suspects are Italians aged 14 and 16, the others are of foreign origin, aged 15 and 17. They came from broken homes and are thought to have been controlled by an Egyptian man, aged 23. He is under arrest on a drugs charge and was convicted for previous offences. Police found that the youths - dubbed a "baby gang" in Italian media - possessed several firearms, including a pump-action shotgun. Italy's Rai news website said investigators "stressed that the baby gang used brutal violence on their victims in the style of A Clockwork Orange". One victim, a young man attacked in the street, was pistol-whipped and needed 10 stitches for a deep wound. The 1971 film A Clockwork Orange, directed by Stanley Kubrick, was a box-office hit. Based on a futuristic novel by Anthony Burgess, it portrayed a gang of juvenile delinquents who made a cult of gratuitous violence.

Summary: Italian police say four teenagers accused of 12 robberies in Milan gloried in violence like the notorious gang in the film A Clockwork Orange.


Businessman Jeffrey Spector, 54, of St Annes, Lancashire, died on Friday following a six-year illness. He was surrounded by friends and family at a meal shortly before his death at the clinic, which aids accompanied suicide. His wife Elaine and three daughters said they respected his decision. The family said in a statement: "Whilst we are now in a state of all-consuming grief and miss Jeffrey very much, we also recognise that he is now at peace and away from the fear which surrounded him in the last few weeks of his life. "Jeffrey ended his life with dignity and control which was his overwhelming desire." In an interview with the Blackpool Gazette last week, Mr Spector said: "If I am paralysed and can't speak, send me to the spirit world." He reportedly said the condition was affecting his nervous system. Friend Linda Earle, who had known him for 20 years, said: "He's fought it every step of the way. I've never known a man try so hard. "I don't blame him for a minute....it's no one else's decision but his own." Journalist David Graham told BBC Radio Lancashire he had spoken to Mr Spector at his hotel near the clinic in Zurich. Mr Graham said Mr Spector, a director of an advertising agency, had had a series of consultations with leading surgeons across the UK. "He had one operation which failed and I think that spurred him on the Dignitas route," said Mr Graham. In England and Wales, the Suicide Act 1961 makes it an offence to encourage or assist a suicide or a suicide attempt. Former Lord Chancellor Lord Falconer said he would attempt to reintroduce a bill that would allow assisted dying in the UK. He said it was "completely wrong" that terminally ill people did not have the option to end their life. "Whatever your take on the subject, it should be debated," Lord Falconer told the BBC. Last year the Director of Public Prosecutions, Alison Saunders, clarified assisted suicide guidelines, making the prosecution of health professionals less likely. However, in April, disability rights campaigners who said assisted suicide policy was too "liberal" won permission to bring a legal challenge to her policy. Rob George, president of the Association for Palliative Medicine, said he was concerned about any possible law change. He said: "This is a dangerous distraction from providing decent health care, and actually it's the dying that we need to look after. "Our job is to look after people as they die... not in order that they die." However, the daughter of a woman who died at Dignitas last year said she wanted the law to change so that terminally ill people could end their life at home. Jayne Bramwell's daughter Lindsay said that it would help to "ease the path for everyone involved and make what is a horrendous time a bit easier". She said it was "enormously distressing" for her mother to have to travel to Switzerland in a wheelchair. "She just wanted to be at home and have all her family with her..."

Summary: A British father-of-three who feared he would be paralysed by an inoperable tumour has died at the Dignitas centre in Switzerland.


House masters, in charge of residential halls at the university, will become known as "faculty deans". Harvard Law School is also deciding whether to change its official seal, because of links to slavery. US campuses have faced a series of protests over allegations of racism. Harvard has not agreed that the use of "master" represented a link to slavery, but it has accepted campaigners' calls for a name change. It will mean changing the job titles of 24 members of staff - but will not affect other uses of "master", such as a master's level degree. Harvard academics say that the word "master" derives from the Latin term "magister" - a form of address for scholars or teachers. It is similar to terms such as "school master" or "head master". But protesters have argued that whatever its original derivation, the word now has connotations of slavery. Student campaigners are also calling for a change in the official seal of Harvard Law School, with a sit-in being held this week. The seal includes the coat of arms of 18th Century college donor Isaac Royall, who as well as establishing the college's first professorship in law, was a notoriously brutal slaveholder. Isaac Royall, whose money helped to endow the university, has been accused of burning slaves alive. A decision on whether to change the seal is expected to be made soon. Disputes about race and identity have affected many US campuses. Carol Christ, director of the Center for Studies in Higher Education, University of California, Berkeley, has said that "symbolic fights are always about real and current political issues" and race and diversity remain major campus issues. "Race is so traumatic and central an issue in American culture," said Dr Christ. Last month, Amherst College, in Massachusetts, accepted student demands to drop links with its informal mascot, Jeffery Amherst, an 18th Century general accused of advocating infecting native Americans with smallpox. And there have been sit-ins at Princeton in a bid to rename a school named after Woodrow Wilson, because of claims the former US president held racist views. The protests by US students are part of a wider international campaign challenging historical titles, statues and emblems. But further demands for "safe space", where some students have called for the right to study away from attitudes or behaviour they find offensive, have been rejected by university leaders and others who have argued for the importance of protecting free speech. In South Africa, a statue of Cecil Rhodes was removed from the University of Cape Town, with protesters attacking the statue as an emblem of colonialism and apartheid. But a call to remove a statue of the 19th Century politician from Oriel College in Oxford University was rejected. Louise Richardson, the university's vice-chancellor, said students needed to be able to debate and confront "ideas that make them uncomfortable".

Summary: Harvard University in the US is going to remove the word "master" from academic titles, after protests from students who claimed the title had echoes of slavery.


Hands shot up in agreement with what, in my humble opinion, was a pretty good case for Yorkshire declaring its immediate independence. But that was in the 1960s and the average age of those listening at the local schools' debating competition was probably under 15. We have all grown up a bit since then and so have the arguments and aspirations. The debate over the past decade has been about whether Yorkshire would be better off if it could take more control from Westminster and Whitehall. In the shadow of a referendum on independence for Scotland the opportunities for Yorkshire have clearly never been greater. "Whatever happens in the coming Scottish independence vote, there will be more devolution," says Peter Box, the veteran leader of Wakefield City Council and a serious player in the debate. He is also the chairman of the combined authority which was recently set up with the government's blessing to allow neighbouring councils to take full responsibility for all public investment in road and rail links across West Yorkshire. But Mr Box is firmly of the opinion that within 10 years Yorkshire will want more. "The genie is out the bottle, we want more power and I actually believe Yorkshire should be independent," he said. The fledging new political party Yorkshire First is also eyeing events in Scotland. "Five million Scots should, of course, be represented, but so should other regions, says its leader Richard Carter. "Yorkshire has a population of five million, an economy twice that of Wales, but with the powers of neither." The government appears to be leaving the door ajar as far as giving limited devolved powers to at least some sort of "Northern" political body is concerned. Over the past few months David Cameron, George Osborne and Nick Clegg have all lugged their soapboxes to Yorkshire promising billions of extra taxpayers' money will be heading "up north" accompanied by local autonomy on how it should be spent. The Labour leader Ed Miliband gave similar assurances as I trailed him around a factory floor near Leeds. It is over a decade since the last Labour government's proposals for directly-elected regional assemblies for the three northern regions of Yorkshire, the North West and the North East drowned in a sea of public apathy. "Times have changed," I was assured by James Alexander, one of the new generation of senior Labour leaders that have emerged in Yorkshire since then. "The idea got swamped by arguments over a new tier of government and how much more professional politicians would be paid," he told me in an interview for the BBC Look North. "Now we need a better way of making sure our needs are determined here in Yorkshire and not in Westminster." Despite the obvious high-level political support for more devolved powers practical details are scarce. It is more likely to be channelled through groups of existing bodies such as Local Enterprise Partnerships, city regions or local councils than any new directly elected assembly. As for my long-forgotten speech calling for independence? Well, it turned out the

Summary: There were around 100 at the event in Wakefield listening to my passionate speech.


Dewi and Dwynwen, named after two of Wales' most renowned patron saints, are nestled in a romantic "cwtch". Their arrival marks the launch of a campaign by heritage body Cadw to bring Wales' history to life. Four-metre (13ft) wide, smoke-breathing Dewi attracted a record-breaking 120,000 visitors to eight Cadw sites across Wales in 2016. His new companion Dwynwen, resplendent in purple, has been created at the same Cardiff-based prop company Wild Creations as Dewi. Secretary for economy and infrastructure Ken Skates said: "The Welsh dragon first appeared on Henry Tudor's flags at the Battle of Bosworth, and more than 500 years later, it is still a celebrated emblem of Wales which Cadw is proud to have brought to life." Dewi and Dwynwen weigh two tonnes, and were sculpted and moulded before being cast out of fibreglass, Caernarfon Castle has free entry today to celebrate St David's Day and visitors to the town's square will be able to meet the Cadw dragons for free until 16:00 GMT. Dwynwen is at Caernarfon Castle throughout March, while Dewi will be at Harlech Castle until the end of the month before making an appearance at Wrexham's DragonFest on 1 April.

Summary: A pair of enormous Welsh dragons have cuddled up outside Caernarfon Castle to celebrate St David's Day.


Williams driver Felipe Massa suffered two left-rear wheel failures and Renault's Kevin Magnussen a suspected broken left rear suspension. The session was stopped for 30 minutes as officials launched an investigation and cleared the track of debris. Williams had a wheel problem. Renault's turned out to be a suspension failure. Williams driver Valtteri Bottas said the team had found a problem with the "rim clearance" - the distance between the wheel and the wheel assembly - and that he had had the same problem as Massa but had been "more lucky". "If there is something under the rim too close, that can cause problems," the Finn said. Both Massa's failures happened on his first lap out of the pits on the entry to the Turn Six hairpin. On the first, Massa was pitched into a spin. On the second, he did not lose control, but the tyre appeared to simply pop off the rim. There were no clear television pictures of the failure on Magnussen's car. Williams did not send either of its cars out again when the session was re-started with eight minutes remaining. Magnussen, who had broken rear suspension, was also consigned to the pits. In a busy final few minutes of running, Rosberg supplanted early pace-setter Hamilton at the top of the times with a lap of one minute 38.037 seconds. The world champion was 0.146secs behind in the second Mercedes. Rosberg returned to the pits at the end of the session in "limp-home mode", his engineer telling him over the radio that he thought there was "an engine issue". Mercedes later diagnosed it as an ignition problem and said they hoped it would be solved for second practice. Hamilton already knows that he has a five-place grid drop from wherever he qualifies because of a gearbox change after the team discovered a potential problem and decided not to risk a retirement. Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel was third quickest, 0.628secs off the pace and 0.396secs quicker than Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo in fourth. Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen was fifth, ahead of Red Bull's Daniil Kvyat, Toro Rosso's Carlos Sainz and the McLaren of Jenson Button. Fernando Alonso returned to the McLaren after being forced to miss the last race in Bahrain because of a broken rib sustained in his high-speed crash at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix. The Spaniard faces further medical checks after the first session to establish whether he will be allowed to continue for the rest of the weekend but he made no public reports of any physical discomfort. Alonso was 12th fastest, 0.564secs slower than Button. Chinese Grand Prix first practice results Chinese Grand Prix coverage details

Summary: Nico Rosberg headed Lewis Hamilton as first practice at the Chinese Grand Prix was disrupted by three failures on two separate cars.


23 September 2016 Last updated at 14:12 BST This was the third night of protests in the city, and the second with the National Guard on the streets, following the killing of Keith Lamont Scott on Tuesday.

Summary: Demonstrators and police have hugged and shaken hands with members of the National Guard during a night of protest in Charlotte, North Carolina.


Its comment came after similar bunting was removed from Masham in North Yorkshire amid concerns its weight when wet might bend posts. Rad Wagon, who organised the 2,000 miniature knitted jerseys, said they had been "carefully weighed". The council said it had "no fears" it might get heavy and "pull things over". Knitters were asked to contribute to campaigns to decorate the routes of both the Yorkshire stage of the race on 5 and 6 July, and the Cambridge stage on 7 July by knitting tiny jerseys in the Tour de France colours. However, last week bunting was removed from Masham by North Yorkshire County Council over safety concerns. A spokesperson said: "We noticed that the lighting columns were leaning and in the interest of safety we asked for it to be taken down." The bunting was subsequently hung elsewhere in the town. Mr Wagon said he had taken precautions to ensure the miniature jerseys knitted to decorate the streets of Cambridge would not cause any damage. "We have a lot of knitting friends who are also engineers at the university and we have carefully weighed the jerseys when both dry and soaking wet. "We are also using short lengths of twine which means there will not be too many jerseys on each individual line of bunting," he said. All the information had been passed to the contractors employed by the council to hang the bunting and other decorations, Mr Wagon added. Asked whether Cambridgeshire's council might experience similar issues to those in Yorkshire, a spokesman said: "We have no such concerns. "All street furniture being used in Cambridge will have been checked appropriately. "We have no such fears about it getting wet and pulling anything over." The bunting is being hung around the city this week.

Summary: Cambridge lampposts are sturdy enough not to buckle under the weight of bunting knitted for the Tour de France, the county council has said.


They told the BBC's Asian Network they would be unable to grieve until they learned the truth. Shrien Dewani, 34, from Bristol, is accused of hiring a hitman to murder his wife. He denies any involvement. Mr Dewani was extradited to South Africa in April after a three-year legal battle. His legal team argued that his mental health was too fragile for him to stand trial. Anni Dewani was shot dead in Cape Town in November 2010, just days after the couple's wedding in India. The trial is due to begin on Monday and is expected to last two months. Mrs Dewani grew up in Sweden and her childhood home is on a quiet road in the small town of Mariestad. In the garden where she once played with her two siblings, her wooden playhouse remains intact. Inside, her room is just the way she left it - a single bed in the corner and a side cabinet adorned with cherished pictures from her childhood and teenage years. "Every day I come into her room and look at the photos and think about her," says Anni's mother, Nilam Hindocha. "She was a beautiful girl. I remember her smile, her eyes, her beautiful light brown eyes, her hair, the way she spoke. I remember everything about her." Photos of her as a happy bride are displayed on the walls of her parents' living room. "She was a charming, lovely and bubbly girl - we miss her so much," says Vinod Hindocha, Anni's father. "Now everything in our lives is empty, everything is quiet, there is no charm in life any more." Her ashes were scattered in the peaceful, glistening blue waters of Lake Vanern, where she spent many summer days. This is a place her parents come to recall happy memories of their daughter. But they say they have been unable to start grieving for their daughter's death because they still do not know the truth about what happened. Mr Hindocha says the past four years have been "torture". "We need to know what happened to our beautiful daughter," he says. "The only thoughts we have in our head are, 'Why did she die?' We need to know the truth." Three men are currently serving jail terms in South Africa in connection with the death of Mrs Dewani, including taxi driver Zola Tongo, who was jailed for 18 years after admitting his role in the killing. Xolile Mngeni, who prosecutors claim was the hitman, was convicted of premeditated murder over the shooting. Another accomplice, Mziwamadoda Qwabe, pleaded guilty to murder and was handed a 25-year prison sentence. Nilam, 62, who is in remission from cancer, has vowed to be in Cape Town throughout the trial. She says: "We know it is going to be torture hearing the details of Anni's death, but we will be in court every day. "We know it's going to be very difficult but we will do anything to get justice. People say time heals wounds, but in our case, the wounds are deeper the longer we live without

Summary: The parents of murdered bride Anni Dewani say they are desperate for answers ahead of next week's trial of their son-in-law in South Africa.


The 24 crew, mostly from Eastern Europe and Asia, are still on board the Maersk Tigris, anchored off Bandar Abbas. Maersk said it still did not know the reason why the Marshall Islands-flagged vessel was seized, and noted it had been in an international shipping lane. But Iranian authorities noted that it had been in the country's waters. Iranian media cited an official as saying the ship was seized based on a court order in connection with a complaint made by a private Iranian company about debts. On Wednesday, Maersk said it had been in contact with Singapore-based Rickmers Shipmanagement, from whom it charters the Maersk Tigris, and was "pleased to learn that the crew is safe and under the circumstances in good spirits". The crew includes a British national, but no Americans, as initial reports suggested. "We are continuing our efforts to obtain more information about the Iranian authorities' seizure - in international waters - of Maersk Tigris. We are not able at this point to establish or confirm the reason behind the seizure," Maersk added. "We remain in close dialogue with the Danish ministry of foreign affairs." A spokesman for Rickmers Shipmanagement said the vessel had been carrying commercial goods and no "special cargo" such as military equipment. The incident has prompted the US Navy to dispatch a destroyer and a reconnaissance plane to the area to "monitor" the situation. A general distress call sent out by the Maersk Tigris on Tuesday morning was picked up by US Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT). A Pentagon spokesman said Iranian Revolutionary Guards Navy patrol vessels had approached the ship while it was moving through Iranian territorial waters, but inside an area that under international agreement is open to foreign ships making an "innocent passage". The patrol vessels ordered the container ship to go deeper into Iranian waters, but the master refused. Only when they fired warning shots across its bow, did he comply. The Pentagon spokesman called the actions of the patrol vessels "inappropriate".

Summary: The crew of a container ship seized by Iran in the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday are safe and "in good spirits", Danish shipping company Maersk says.


HS2 Action Alliance says a paper by HS2 Ltd shows engineering work will mean closing parts of some passenger lines for 133 weekends, and some freight lines for 50 weekends. It would also mean 19 weekend closures at Euston station, the group said. HS2 said any closures would be carefully planned. On the Derby to Birmingham lines for example, the document says 32 weekends will be hit between 2017 and 2022, 13 of them for just a day and 19 for the entire weekend. The CrossCountry rail firm and freight services would both be affected. For the Coventry to Leamington Spa route, it says four whole weekends will be lost in 2018, with passengers asked to catch a replacement bus instead. Part of the busy West Coast Mainline will close for 31 weekends in 2018-19, as they build a new flyover junction in the Handsacre area, with trains diverted via Birmingham and Wolverhampton. Richard Houghton from HS2 Action Alliance said: "It is clear that once again HS2 is being less than honest with the travelling public. It is planning a huge number of weekend closures which will impact the travelling public. "Combined with this its arrogance continues. It is planning to issue Â£7bn of supplier contracts before the Hybrid Bill passes through Parliament and now we discover it will start closing Euston before they have the legal go-ahead for the new line." The document does say that the number and length of the closures are just estimates at the moment, and that work will be tied in with everyday engineering projects wherever possible, to minimise disruption. But it does warn that "HS2 phase one will need to recognise the cumulative effect on passengers and operators of disruption". Train operators could also be compensated for the impact on their services. HS2 Ltd spokesman David Meechan said: "Our railways are becoming increasingly crowded. Britain desperately needs this new high speed rail network to boost rail capacity and improve links between our biggest cities. "There will be times when construction impacts on the current railway, but this will be carefully planned with Network Rail and the train operators. "HS2 Ltd will do all it can to minimise disruption to passengers. Compensation to the train operators for any such disruption will be drawn from the existing budget for the HS2 project." Two years ago a government commissioned report said that the alternative to building HS2, basically beefing up what is already there, would cause 14 years worth of weekend problems across the network.

Summary: Building the proposed new High Speed Two (HS2) rail line will mean years of weekend "misery" for rail passengers, according to a campaign group.


Media playback is unsupported on your device 10 June 2015 Last updated at 13:24 BST Johanna Amunjela, a PhD scholar at the University of Aberdeen, in the UK, is among the first in the world to investigate the role that specific proteins have in how the disease develops. Earlier this year, she presented her findings at the Genes and Cancer conference held at Cambridge University. She has been speaking to BBC Africa's Farayi Mungazi.

Summary: A young Namibian scientist has vowed to find a cure for cancer - one of the biggest killer diseases in the world.


Prince Jacques is next in line to the Monaco throne, a rich principality on the southern French coast. A statement said both babies were doing well. Gabriella was born first, with Jacques arriving two minutes later. Their father is Prince Albert II, 56, son of the late Hollywood actress, Grace Kelly. Charlene, 36, is a Zimbabwean-born former Olympic swimmer. The couple married in 2011. The prince has two other children but they are excluded from the throne because they were born outside of marriage. Ahead of the birth, Prince Albert said that the first child to be delivered would become next-in-line, if the twins were the same sex. But since the twins are mixed sex, Jacques takes the role, due to Monaco's laws of succession favouring males. The gender of the twins had been kept a secret even from their father during Charlene's pregnancy. Forty-two canon shots were fired to mark the babies' arrival, 21 for each infant. It is the first time twins have been born to Monaco's royal family since it was founded in the 13th Century.

Summary: Monaco's Princess Charlene has given birth to twin babies, Gabriella and Jacques, the palace has announced.


The new Manchester City striker headed the Elephants in front from a right-wing cross by Max Gradel. Hilal Soudani equalised for Algeria against the run of play early in the second half and then forced goalkeeper Sylvain Gbohouo into a brilliant save. Gbohouo was rewarded when Bony headed in Yaya Toure's free-kick and Junior Tallo set up Gervinho for a late third. The margin of victory flattered Ivory Coast in what was an even contest and before former Arsenal striker Gervinho confirmed the result on the break, they had been under pressure from Algeria. Their defence seemed all over the place at times and semi-final opponents DR Congo will have taken note. Algeria, in the quarter-finals for the first time since 2010, made the brighter start to the contest and almost went ahead in the ninth minute. Yacine Brahimi raced into the left-hand side of the penalty area and the Elephants' defence failed to deal with his cross, allowing Soudani to get in a shot which was well held by Gbohouo. In the 21st minute, Riyad Mahrez volleyed over from close range but then Ivory Coast hit back. Two minutes later, Gradel floated in a free-kick from the left and Serge Aurier's downward header hit the base of the post and then in the 26th minute they took the lead. Gradel was again involved as he delivered a testing cross from the right and Bony escaped the defence to head home from eight yards. Bony shot wide from distance towards the end of the first half before at the other end, Saphir Taider's sharp volley was confidently saved by Gbohouo. The start of the second half mirrored the start of the first with one team dominating but the other one scoring. This time Ivory Coast were the team who started on top but a comedy of errors in their defence after a deep cross into their penalty area finally saw the ball fall to Soudani, who fired it home. That sparked a spell of dominance from the Desert Foxes with Gbohouo twice having to clear his lines before he made an amazing 66th minute save from Soudani's point-blank effort. The momentum changed and two minutes later Bony restored Ivory Coast's lead when he climbed highest to head Yaya Toure's set-piece inside the near post. Algeria piled on the pressure in the closing stages but could not find an equaliser and Gervinho finished them off when he passed the ball into the net.

Summary: Wilfried Bony scored twice to take Ivory Coast into the semi-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations.


Media playback is unsupported on your device 12 September 2015 Last updated at 12:39 BST The world's most experienced space flier was also joined by two crewmates, including Denmark's first-ever astronaut. Andreas Mogensen of the European Space Agency and Aidyn Aimbetov both spent less than 10 days in orbit. The three spacemen made their parachute landing in central Kazakhstan after leaving the International Space Station (ISS) at 9.39pm on Friday. Mogensen said the crew had had "a fantastic mission" at the ISS, whose nine members represented five different nationalities at the time. "This is a superb example of what can be achieved together when we work together across borders and boundaries," he added. Pictures from NASA TV.

Summary: Record-breaking Russian cosmonaut Gennady Padalka has returned safely to Earth after spending 879 days in orbit.


Wales was around 40th out of 68 in the last Pisa international school test results for science, maths and reading released last December. Wales also fell behind the rest of the UK with an average score of 468. Mr Lewis has set a new target score of 500. Conservatives said that amounted to "stagnation" not "aspiration". As a comparison, Scotland scored over 500 points last year, which means that the new target for Wales in 2021 would put it on a par with Scotland in 2013. Mr Lewis had told BBC Wales last December that ditching the target was the easy way out and he did not want to lower pupils' ambitions. On Thursday he insisted the new approach was still ambitious. "This is a better target, I think, because it relates to what teachers can aim for in their classrooms, in their schools, as regards the actual progress of young people," he said. "If we say to a head teacher 'we need to be in the top 20', it's very difficult to translate that into how their 15-year-olds should do at GCSE. "But if we say 'score 500' they can measure their progress towards it." Conservative shadow education minister Angela Burns ridiculed Labour for seeking to "raise Welsh performance from the worst performing UK nation to the second worst by 2021". "This isn't aspiration, but stagnation," she said. "This feeble new target shows a poverty of ambition for young people." But the National Union of Teachers (NUT) said it was "pleased" the minister was taking the "sensible approach". Owen Hathway, of NUT Wales, said: "It was always a little unwise to have created such targets simply for the headlines they drew. "Evaluating the progress of the points scored is a far better and more productive way of measuring progress." Plaid Cymru education spokesman Simon Thomas said he was "glad" Mr Lewis had now "placed more realistic expectations on the teaching profession". However Aled Roberts, who speaks for the Liberal Democrats on education, called on ministers to "make up their minds once and for all about their education strategy or hold up their hands up and admit they don't know how to fix our education system". The new target was announced as part of an education improvement plan launched by Mr Lewis. Qualified for Life sets out the Welsh government's vision for education up to 2020, with the ambition that every learner in Wales should benefit from "excellent teaching and learning". An annual "report card" will show how Welsh education performs against a range of measurable targets.

Summary: The target to put Wales into the top 20 best-performing countries in education by next year has been scrapped by Education Minister Huw Lewis.


Media playback is not supported on this device Do you get your business done early, or drag it out until the last minute? What tricks of the trade can an agent use? How do you keep your player happy? What kind of clauses/add-ons go into a contract? BBC Sport spoke to David Seligman, an agent at CM Sports in Manchester and an expert in sports law, and renowned agent Eric Hall for some insight into the type of last-ditch negotiations that occur when the transfer window is about to shut. Seligman currently represents a number of Football League players while Hall's client list once included the likes of England internationals Dennis Wise, Tim Sherwood and Neil Ruddock. "If it gets to deadline day, you know there isn't any time for the club to go and get somebody else, so the price goes up and you get them the better deal," says Seligman. "If you talk to your Harry Redknapps, Alex Fergusons and Terry Venables, they won't wait until deadline day if they fancy a player," says Hall. "Deadline day just gives people like me and the players extra ammunition. "On deadline day, you just go 'chat, chat, chat, chat'. Keep them chatting until you're near to that deadline hour and then they will give you anything, within a certain reason, that you want. Ask for everything because as silly as some stuff may sound, you'll probably get it. "I remember quite a few years ago, I took Kenny Sansom from Arsenal to Jim Smith and Newcastle and I got three times more than I probably should have got." Seligman adds: "I negotiated a lower league player's release from his contract at one club in January and we were offered £5,000 to cancel his contract two days before the window closed. "We waited and one hour before the window closed I got him double that. We were playing a game of chicken - we kept saying we wouldn't accept it - and it went down to the wire and the price went up." "It's all about assessing who has the power - the club or the player," says Seligman. "I once represented a player who had not scored a goal for a long time but he had played at a high level so, in his head, he wanted to earn a certain amount of money. "I eventually got him £2,500 a week after one club had initially offered £700 a week. He got a £10,000 signing on fee, too. From my point of view, when I first touted the player to the manager concerned, he was very interested. I gauged that by the fact he rang me back 25 minutes later after he'd done some digging and watched some videos. "He said there and then there would be an email with a contract offer within the hour. At that point, I knew I had the power - he was the club's number one target." "When you're dragging it out a little bit, that's where an agent really has to earn his corn," says

Summary: How do you get a player the best deal on transfer deadline day?


So, it's no small achievement that Star Citizen's creator says he has raised more than $108m (Â£75m) to develop the title via online crowdfunding campaigns. In fact, it makes the sci-fi space simulator the biggest crowdfunded project of all time. Not bad considering its creator, Chris Roberts, had originally hoped to raise about a tenth of the amount. That would have funded a much smaller game than Star Citizen has evolved into, Roberts told the BBC. "I never thought we would raise the money we have, I was going to start more contained and over time its sort of filled out," he said. But with the title running years behind its originally announced schedule, he has still to prove he can meet the backers' expectations. Roberts is famous among video game fans for the popular 1990's spaceship combat Wing Commander series. The popularity of these games built Roberts a huge fan base, which dug into its own pockets to fund his new PC game. Roberts' development company is called Cloud Imperium. It operates four studios spread across three different countries (the US, UK and Germany), all working to realise Star Citizen's grand vision. It's what's known as a massively multiplayer online (MMO) game, which allows the player to pilot space ships, big and small, and even become part of the crew on huge vessels. The universe is planned to be a huge explorable sandbox. Players should be able to engage in first-person combat, spaceship racing, visiting and exploring space stations and planets. It is a persistent universe of huge ambition - so ambitious it's taking much longer to develop than originally anticipated. The game was first announced back in 2012, with a release planned for 2014. But at present only small taster portions of the game are available to play. Inevitably some backers and internet observers have taken to forums and blogs to vent their anger at the delays. "People who make games are optimists," Roberts admits. "If you are building a two-bedroom house and suddenly change to building a castle it's going to be a different timeline." But he also thinks this game is far from unique when it comes to delays. "In the games business, games get cancelled all the time, games get pushed back and by the time you hear about the game it's probably been in development for years. "Things always took longer than anyone thought." He concedes that "there are always going to be some people that say, you told me it was going to be two years, I want it to be this big , I want it in two years." "That isn't necessarily possible," he adds. "Most of our customers aren't like that. They say: 'Take the time you need. If you need 10 years for a really great space game don't rush it out and make a bad one.'" With the development studios spread out across the US and Europe, Roberts is often travelling between them all, checking the progress of the individual teams. BBC Click visited the Los Angeles studio in California and

Summary: Few video games have a budget as big.


Tennant was the 10th Doctor and Piper played his on-screen companion Rose Tyler in the BBC One show. Filming on the show, which will also star John Hurt, will start next week. Tennant's successor, Matt Smith - also in the special with his new assistant played by Jenna-Louise Coleman - says fans "will not be disappointed" by the 3D show, due to air on 23 November. Tennant and Piper have long been rumoured to be making a return for the special, which is being written by the show's executive producer and lead writer Steven Moffat. In January, Piper, appearing on the Graham Norton show, denied she would be appearing. "I wasn't asked, no," she said. "I think Matt Smith may have said, in passing or in jest, it would be nice. "I think maybe he said that and then it became something quite different, but no." Smith has said the show "manages to pay homage to everything - and look forward". "I read it and I clapped at the end. I think it's hilarious, it's epic and it's vast," he said. Moffat, meanwhile, has said he took special care to protect the secrets of the story. "One length I've gone to which is a really good security measure - I make sure I don't get a script, because I will lose it," he said. "I forbid people to hand me one. It's on my computer under lock and key." The first story of Doctor Who's 2013 run, The Bells of Saint John - described by Moffat as a "proper London thriller" - was screened on Saturday. Viewers saw the Doctor and new companion, Clara, played by Coleman, battling an evil entity in the world's wi-fi networks. Future episodes of the show, which is filmed in Cardiff, see the return of the Cybermen and old enemy the Ice Warriors, who last appeared during the Jon Pertwee era in 1974. Tennant starred in Doctor Who from 2005 to 2010 while Piper first appeared in 2005 opposite Christopher Eccleston, who played the ninth Doctor. She left the show in 2006 but returned for a number of episodes in 2008 as well as for Tennant's final episode, broadcast on 1 January 2010. The first episode of Doctor Who, An Unearthly Child, starring William Hartnell as the Timelord, was broadcast on 23 November 1963. As part of the anniversary events, the BBC will also broadcast An Adventure in Space and Time - a one-off drama looking at how the sci-fi show came to be made. Doctor Who: The Bells of Saint John will be shown on BBC One at 18:15 GMT on Saturday.

Summary: David Tennant and Billie Piper will appear in the 50th anniversary special of Doctor Who, the BBC has confirmed.


He said in a tweet: "I did not make, and do not have, any such recordings." Days after he fired Mr Comey in May, the president had tweeted: "James Comey better hope that there are no 'tapes' of our conversations..." He has been under pressure to produce the tapes amid inquiries into alleged Russian meddling in the election. The House Intelligence Committee had earlier this month asked the White House to hand over any such recordings. James Comey was heading the FBI inquiry into alleged Russian interference in last year's presidential election, and whether the Trump team had any links to Moscow, when he was fired on 9 May. In the days that followed, a succession of stories appeared in US newspapers with allegations surrounding a private meeting Mr Trump had with Mr Comey in the Oval Office in February. They included the claim that the president had asked Mr Comey to drop an investigation into fired National Security Adviser Mike Flynn. It was in that context that Mr Trump sent his tweet, hinting that there were tapes of the conversation. Appearing before Congress earlier this month, Mr Comey confirmed he had been asked by the president to "let go" any possible prosecution of Mr Flynn for lying to federal agents about a conversation with the Russian ambassador. He said he was also asked by the president in no uncertain terms to give assurances that he would be loyal. When asked whether he thought the conversation had been recorded, Mr Comey replied: "Lordy, I hope there are tapes."

Summary: US President Donald Trump says he did not make secret recordings of ex-FBI chief James Comey despite an earlier hint to the contrary.


The Aberdeenshire-based company said there had been an "unprecedented response" to its Equity for Punks USA crowdfunding initiative. BrewDog hopes to raise up to $50m within six months to help fund expansion in North America. Plans include a new 100,000 sq ft brewery in Columbus, Ohio. It is scheduled to open later this year. Shares in the funding round cost $47.50 each, with a minimum investment of $95. According to BrewDog, more than 1,200 people have already signed up to the scheme. On its website, the company said: "This unprecedented response to our first crowdfunding round in the States shows the demand for our beer in America, and sets us up with a community of like-minded individuals ready and waiting to help us make our US business an explosive success." Its Equity for Punks USA investment scheme is the fifth fundraising venture by the brewery, and its first in the US. The Ellon-based company has raised more than £26m since launching its first Equity for Punks crowdfunding round in 2009. Its last UK round raised £19m to fund growth plans, including expanding its brewery in Ellon and opening new bars. The round, which closed in April, fell short of its £25m target. BrewDog's British business now employs more than 600 people globally and exports to 55 countries. It also operates more than 40 bars in the UK and overseas.

Summary: Craft brewer BrewDog has raised $1m (£770,000) from US investors within the first three days of a new funding round, according to the company.


Broadband speeds in Kingsmere, on the edge of Bicester, rarely exceed 2Mbps, and some homes cannot get a landline. Residents of the 400 homes have put up posters warning potential newcomers of the issue. Developer Countryside Properties said it had provided ducting for the cables but it was up to BT what went in them. BT said it proposed sharing the Â£45,000 cost of providing fibre-optic broadband. The development at Kingsmere is part of the 13,000 homes planned by the government to turn Bicester into one of a new generation of garden cities, announced earlier this month. Resident Matt Maunder said: "I'm a home worker, and I need good broadband to do my job. We've actually got residents who moved here in August who still don't have a phone line - that's just unacceptable. "I can't carry out my job effectively, I can't take advantage of services like Skype, my family live abroad so I can't get in touch with them as easily as I would like. "Unfortunately we have got people now saying they wish they hadn't moved here because of the way the service is and that's a real shame, particularly because it's been lauded as the latest and greatest housing development in the country." BT said it had reached an agreement for 726 additional homes yet to be built and a proposal for the existing houses would be ready by 10 January. Countryside Properties said the ducting installed at Kingsmere was based on a design agreed with BT in 2010, based on a copper network. A spokesman said: "It is then BT/Openreach's decision as to whether they would run copper or fibre through the ducting." Communications Minister Ed Vaizey said: "You wouldn't move into a brand new house in 2014/2015 and not expect to get superfast broadband. It is unacceptable."

Summary: Residents in one of the government's new garden cities are warning potential home buyers there is no fast broadband on their development.


Butterfield has a thigh injury while Olsson suffered a concussion in their 1-0 pre-season win at Sheffield United. "With any head injury you err on the side of caution," Pearson said. "We could push Jacob back quickly but I don't see the point in putting him into a situation where the potential for injuring him further is there." Pearson's Rams have six games in 20 days during August, but have few injury concerns other than Butterfield and Olsson. "It's a long season we've got to make sure any teething problems with players are managed sensibly because I'd like a fully-fit squad to choose from every week," Pearson told BBC Radio Derby. "I'm not going to have that but that's what the aim is. We want to keep the players in good condition and available." Derby drew with Brighton in both league meetings last season, but the Rams boss is happy with the level of preparation going into the new campaign. "Match days are a different entity to the rest of the week.," he said. "We always do as much as we can whether it's enough at any given time remains to be seen."

Summary: Derby County boss Nigel Pearson says injury may force Jacob Butterfield and Marcus Olsson to miss Saturday's season opening game against Brighton.


Joseph McHale, 38, Kevin Schruyers, 42, and Robin Vaughan, 43, all from Liverpool, were part of a gang who targeted ATMs. The gang struck in the early hours of the morning at machines in Stonehaven, Inverurie, Aberdeen, New Deer and Ellon between August and November 2013. Sentence was deferred. They used oxygen and acetylene to get to the safes behind the ATMs. At the High Court in Glasgow, McHale and Schruyers were convicted of blowing up the cash machine at Scotmid in North Deeside Road, Bieldside, Aberdeen and stealing £112,000. They were also found guilty of blowing up an ATM at the Royal Bank of Scotland in New Deer and stealing £21,020. The pair were also convicted of blowing up four ATMs in Ellon, Stonehaven, Inverurie and Aberdeen and attempting to steal from them, and stealing a quantity of clothing, golf equipment and money from the golf professional shop at the Paul Lawrie Centre in Aberdeenshire. The duo were also found guilty of attempting to break into a cash machine in Mintlaw by using a crowbar. Vaughan admitted blowing up the ATM in New Deer and Bieldside. He also admitted trying to force open the ATM in Mintlaw using a crowbar. The focus of the investigation led to Liverpool after a number of Scottish banknotes started to circulate in the Mersey area. Many of these notes had edges cut off in a bid to remove the signs of dye which went on to them. Others had some red dye on them even though the gang had tried to remove all traces of it. The court heard they duped Francis Clark - brother of actress and model Sophie Kennedy Clark and grandson of singer Calum Kennedy - into providing them with a hideaway after a meeting at a party. The court heard that Mr Clark was originally a suspect in the case, but appeared during the trial as a witness. Lady Scott deferred sentence until next month at the High Court at Livingston. Ch Insp Graeme Mackie, of Police Scotland, said afterwards: "This was a complex police enquiry. "I would like to commend the effort and work undertaken by all the officers involved in this enquiry and also the public, whose assistance was vital. "There is no place for serious organised crime in Scotland."

Summary: Thieves have been found guilty of using explosives to blow up cash machines in a series of raids which netted more than £130,000 across Aberdeenshire.


Severnside Provisions, of Leeway Industrial Estate, was also ordered to pay £400,000 at the city's crown court on Friday. Directors Anthony O'Sullivan, 47, and Martin Lincoln, 46, were given 24-week terms after admitting 12 offences. An investigation was launched in December 2013. In a statement, Newport city council said the pair were warned in 2010 that their company was not permitted to carry out turkey processing. However, it said records showed that large quantities of meat was sold by Severnside Provisions in 2011, 2012 and 2013. After an investigation started, environmental health officers found large quantities of turkey defrosting outside in dirty water and being processed in a garage in "unhygienic conditions". Items seized were destroyed but the Food Standards Agency launched a national recall after finding turkeys had already been sold to butchers' shops and restaurants. The council said O'Sullivan and Lincoln had admitted 12 food hygiene offences, including that they sold food that was unsafe and failed to keep equipment clean. As well as being jailed, the two directors were ordered to pay a confiscation award of £271,815 under the Proceeds of Crime Act and council costs of £35,185. The company was also fined £100,000. Newport councillor Bob Poole said: "This company was putting people's health at serious risk for the sake of profit."

Summary: Turkey processing firm bosses have been jailed after leaving large amounts of meat defrosting in dirty water before selling it, Newport council has said.


Ross Thomson and Graham Simpson filled in a giant ballot paper outside Holyrood to underline their support for the Vote Leave campaign. Fellow Tory MSP Margaret Mitchell also backs Brexit, but party leader Ruth Davidson is in favour of remaining in. Meanwhile, the Scottish remain campaign highlighted how much research funding universities receive from the EU. Campaigning outside the Scottish Parliament alongside Scottish Vote Leave director and former Labour MP Tom Harris, the two newly-elected MSPs underlined their support for Brexit. Mr Thomson said that with moves towards further centralisation, "Europe is going in a direction that Britain can't follow". He said: "I think if we had a Europe where there was real reform and was focused again on our trading relationship, that's something I could have supported. But I just feel that at the moment, the direction of travel in the EU is about further political centralisation, further political union. "I've always been fairly Eurosceptic, but when the Prime Minister said he was going to have a referendum and get a better deal it was something I was really keen on, and in fairness to him he put a Herculean effort in. "But I'm concerned that there's no treaty change. I'm concerned that heads of state are temporary - if the German chancellor loses an election or isn't returned, and the same with the other heads of state, that negotiation we've achieved isn't long-term." Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson has voiced support for the UK remaining in the EU, but Mr Thomson said she was "really relaxed" about her MSPs taking the opposite view. He added: "She said, 'I've made a personal decision based on my experience - I want to stay in but I respect that you and others will make their own personal decision'. "Ruth is really relaxed, saying we're going to have a grown-up, adult debate about the facts and our visions for the future, and I look forward to engaging in that properly." Meanwhile, the Scotland Stronger in Europe campaign have been highlighting the contribution the EU makes to university research funding. Writing in the Herald newspaper, Glasgow University principal Prof Anton Muscatelli said there was "unequivocal" evidence that "universities in Scotland and the UK benefit massively from our membership of the EU". He said: "Scotland's universities receive Â£88.8m a year from EU sources, which is about 13% of our total research funding. "This includes research to fight malaria, research on space, and vital medical research which benefits us all." Dundee University principal Prof Pete Downes has also warned of an impact on funding from Brexit, saying universities would be "impoverished" by a vote to leave the EU. Scotland Stronger in Europe spokesman John Edward said: "Being in the EU is clearly fundamental to pan-European academic collaborations and the success of Scotland's universities, which in turn underpins jobs and investment."

Summary: Two new Conservative MSPs have joined the campaign for the UK to leave the European Union.


The company currently employs 500 people at premises in Glasgow, Robroyston, Livingston, Ayr, Clarkston, Hamilton, Lanark and Clydebank. The expansion plans include new stores in Port Glasgow and Irvine, while other locations are "in negotiation". Existing stores in Clarkston, Ayr and Livingston will also be enlarged. The family-owned business, which is currently celebrating its centenary, has forecast a turnover of between Â£25m and Â£30m in 2015. Its sells a wide range of products, including clothing and accessories, housewares, jewellery, watches, books, toys and confectionery. Owner Willie Watt said: "Our business has changed dramatically since it first opened its doors in Glasgow's Sauchiehall Street, when the focus was exclusively on high-end ladies' fashions. "We have evolved as a business and recognised that a retail offer including a wider range of great value products in a department store-style setting has greater appeal to today's consumer. "We've seen positive growth in terms of both turnover and customer numbers, even in the recent recessionary period, and we've continued our expansion in terms of new store openings. "My long-term plan is to have a total of 16 stores throughout Scotland, and we're constantly looking at new opportunities to secure ideal locations."

Summary: Retailer Watt Brothers has announced plans to create 350 new jobs by opening six new stores and expanding three others over the next few years.


Figures from the university admissions service, Ucas, show it was the highest number for five years. Students placed through clearing tend to be those who did not get the grades for their favoured courses. But a dip in university applications has left universities looking to fill more places than usual. There have been reports of some leading universities offering places through clearing. This year's early figure is nearly double the number of students placed through the system at the same point five years ago. Overall, 437,070 students have been accepted on to university courses - the vast majority getting the grades for their chosen places of study. This is down 1.3% on the same point last year, Ucas figures show. About 134,840 students are still registered as looking for places in clearing. Since 2013, universities have been able to recruit unlimited numbers of students who achieved certain grades in their A-levels. It comes after the proportion of candidates awarded top grades rose slightly on last year. Ucas chief executive Clare Marchant said with nearly 45,000 courses looking for students there was a huge amount of choice out there.

Summary: Some 11,180 students were placed on undergraduate courses in the UK through clearing in the first 24 hours after yesterday's A-level results.


He was rattling across the arid wastes of the Baluch desert in Pakistan on Saturday morning in that most Afghan of cars - a battered white Toyota Corrola - when the missile, fired from a US drone, struck his vehicle. All that was left was a charred and twisted wreck beside the desert highway. US President Barack Obama described his death as an "important milestone", but disentangling what it actually marks is not straightforward. The most obvious question is what it will mean for the Taliban. The Pentagon said it had targeted Mansour because he had become "an obstacle to peace and reconciliation". But it isn't clear that the new leader will be any more open towards the peace process. Mawlawi Hibatullah Akhunzada was Mullah Mansour's former deputy, and the official line from the Taliban is that his approach is going to be very similar. What's more, his appointment doesn't rule out the possibility of a battle for succession. Mansour struggled to contain the splintering of the movement into a series of factions that followed the death of Mullah Omar, the founder of the Taliban. That would increase instability in Afghanistan, fuelling local conflicts and entrenching the insurgency. Taliban leader Mullah Mansour killed, Afghans confirm Afghan Taliban announce successor to Mullah Mansour Mullah Mansour's battle to be leader Who are the Taliban? Profile: Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour Then, there is the question of what it means for US relations with Pakistan, which are regarded as crucial to the effort to fight global terrorism. The drone attack suggests the US has lost patience with the Pakistani authorities, which have failed to bring the Taliban to the table, while allegedly harbouring the movement's leaders. So the killing of Mullah Mansour may actually set back the efforts to negotiate a peace settlement. On Monday, the US ambassador was summoned to the Pakistani Foreign Ministry to be harangued about what it described as a "violation of Pakistan's sovereignty". The official Pakistani line is that the attack will be an obstacle to future talks. The third question is the one most likely to affect those outside the region: the impact on the drugs trade. It would be tempting to conclude that removing Mansour will make the battle to eradicate opium more straightforward. Mansour helped oversee the transformation of the Taliban from a movement of pious fanatics, largely funded by true believers from abroad, into something very different. After the invasion of Afghanistan in 2001, remittances from the Gulf fell away. The Taliban needed new sources of finance. Mullah Mansour is thought to have developed a huge new source of income for the Taliban - along the way enriching himself and his fellow tribesmen. The movement he officially took over last year had been refashioned into what is, in effect, a multi-billion dollar drugs cartel. Afghanistan has now completely eclipsed the former hub of world opium production, the so-called Golden Triangle between Myanmar, Laos and Thailand. But whether the death of Mansour will reduce Afghanistan's opium production is a moot point. Helmand is a Taliban stronghold and

Summary: Mullah Mansour, Afghan Taliban leader and the commander of a militia of thousands of men, died a lonely death.


Just over 46,000 vehicles were registered north of the border - a year-on-year increase of more than 2.7%. However, UK sales increased by 5.3% to almost 519,000 - the strongest month recorded since 1999. March is typically the biggest month, accounting for about a fifth of the year's car registrations. Last month saw Vauxhall retain its position as market leader in Scotland, with more than 10,000 units sold. The Vauxhall Corsa remained the most popular new car, while the Ford Fiesta had a strong month and moved into the number two spot for the year to date. The figures were compiled by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. Top Scottish sellers in March 1. Vauxhall Corsa 2,575 2. Ford Fiesta 1,772 3. Vauxhall Astra 1,249 4. Ford Focus 1,126 5. Volkswagen Polo 1,077 Source: SMMT Scottish Motor Trade Association chief executive Sandy Burgess said: "All areas have experienced growth with the exception of Dumfries and Galloway and Strathclyde. "The reductions however are minimal and with the fantastic growth on 2015 numbers elsewhere, we have come out of this critical sales period well ahead for the year to date. "We have been aware of some dealers who were experiencing new vehicle delivery issues towards the end of the month, and this may well have had a small but noticeable negative effect. "The rest of the UK continues to show stronger growth but as we have mentioned previously this may not all be down to sales with specific manufacturers and dealers taking tactical decisions on registrations."

Summary: New car sales in Scotland grew last month but at half the rate of the UK as a whole, according to motor traders.


The Scotland striker does envisage a return to the domestic scene in his homeland - but not in the near future. Naismith was not an automatic first choice after Norwich dropped down to the Championship in England. "They changed the manager and, looking forward, it's going to be really exciting," said the 30-year-old. Naismith moved to Carrow Road from Everton in January 2016, but he was unable to help prevent Alex Neil's Canaries being relegated and fell out of favour under his fellow Scot. After Neil was sacked in March, the striker was a more regular starter as Norwich ended the season with another Scotsman, Alan Irvine, in interim charge. Naismith realises more game-time will again be his goal under former Borussia Dortmund reserve-team coach Farke. "That's a factor," he said. "As you get older, it's all about routine and playing, so that's when you do need to think about playing more. "I've got two years left of my contract there, I still think I can contribute massively and help the club get to where they want to be, and we'll see how it goes in pre-season." Naismith has worked under a number of managers in his career and hopes Farke will have a similar impact on him as Roberto Martinez did at Everton. "You've got a new manager, a German, so it's something new for me," he said. "I'm hoping to learn lots from him. "Growing up, I had a lot of British-based managers who gave me my fundamental learning skills for what I've got and the type of player I am. "I had Martinez - that was the total opposite - and he gave me a whole new dimension on how to play the game. "I loved that and now, hopefully with the new manager, I'll learn much more. "The club has had a shake-up and no player at the club is safe - and that's probably a good situation for the club in terms of moving forward." Farke has already added Marley Watkins, the former Inverness Caledonian Thistle winger, from Barnsley to his forward options, but Naismith has no thoughts of being squeezed out at Carrow Road. "I signed expecting to see out my contract and that's what I think I'll be doing," said the Scot, who scored seven times in 32 appearances in the 2016-17 season. "I'll go down for pre-season. Obviously, when any new manager comes in, that can change if you're not in his plans. "I'm going back to work as hard as I can, show my worth and hopefully he accepts me and wants me to be a big part of his squad." Naismith's former club, Rangers, are embarking on a reshaping of their squad under new manager Pedro Caixinha, but Naismith does not see himself returning to Scotland just yet. "I think I will come back to Scotland at some point to play, to finish off hopefully, and I'll assess my options when that day comes, but I don't like to think too far in front," he added.

Summary: Steven Naismith is aiming to impress new Norwich City head coach Daniel Farke and has no plans to leave Carrow Road before the end of his contract.


Charlie Walker's deflected free-kick put the hosts ahead, before Giorgio Rasulo's shot doubled the lead. Grimsby then took a 3-2 lead with goals from Padraig Amond, Omar Bogle and Nathan Arnold, before Rhys Browne fired in an equaliser for Aldershot. But Jon Nolan's cross went over Shots keeper Phil Smith and into the net to earn the Mariners all three points. The result keeps Paul Hurst's Grimsby side third in the table, seven points above sixth-placed Braintree. Aldershot Town boss Barry Smith told BBC Surrey: Media playback is not supported on this device "I am just disappointed with the goals we conceded, but I thought the first-half the players showed that commitment and desire. The passing football we like to do and like to play made us score two great goals. "In the second half we still played some good stuff and the boys still worked hard, but lapses of concentration in our box cost us. "The players know who they are picking up in the box. Phil Smith has held his hand up for two goals and feels he could've done better, which is credit to him, but it's lapses of concentration." Grimsby Town manager Paul Hurst told BBC Radio Humberside: Media playback is not supported on this device "First-half going in at 2-0 was very concerning because I asked them some questions and they were quiet. "To drag themselves back into the game and get in front and then have the disappointment of going 3-3, but clearly there was some luck in the end with the winning goal from Jon Nolan. "We've certainly earned some luck, we haven't had it recently and I'm hoping that's a change in that fortune. What a fantastic three points and reward for the fans that were not happy at half-time as we all weren't."

Summary: Grimsby fought back from two goals down to beat Aldershot and boost their National League play-off hopes.


Ian Brown, 44, and Daniel Dunkley, 35, took their own lives at HMP Woodhill last July. Their relatives claimed Woodhill's governor had not complied fully with Prison Service Instructions (PSIs). The governor and Justice Secretary Liz Truss said the judicial review claim was "neither appropriate or necessary". PSIs cover management of prisoners at risk of harm to themselves, to others and from others, early days in custody and medical emergency response codes. Heather Williams QC, for the families, said the claim addressed what she said was an "exceptionally high" rate of self-inflicted deaths at the Milton Keynes prison. Seven prisoners killed themselves last year, five in 2015, with 18 in total since May 2013. Ms Williams said the case raised serious ongoing breaches of Article 2 of the Human Rights Act, which protects the right to life, and involved long-term failures to comply with the responsibility placed on the authorities to protect prisoners. James Strachan QC, defending, said: "Not only have the governor and the secretary of state taken significant action in 2016 to improve the situation, but this is a continuing high priority." Lord Justice Irwin and Mr Justice Garnham rejected the judicial review claim. In their ruling, they said the families had failed to establish a "systemic failing". Mr Justice Garnham said: "The defendants have made it clear that they share the great concern of the claimants about the rate of suicides in prisons generally, and HMP Woodhill in particular. "They have in place sensible and satisfactory policies. "The defendants have acknowledged that, on occasions, operational errors have been made by their staff in dealing with those at risk of suicide and have sought to prevent those mistakes being repeated."

Summary: Families of two men who died in prison have lost a High Court case related to the high rate of suicides there.


Huddersfield had the better of the first-half chances, and Michael Hefele could have given them the lead when he headed wide from Aaron Mooy's corner. But the Owls took the lead shortly after the break, Wallace smashing into the top corner from 30 yards out. Town's Jack Payne was shown a straight red card, before Fernando Forestieri tapped in for Wednesday late on. Moments earlier striker Sam Winnall, who joined the Owls from Barnsley on Friday, had been denied a debut goal by Terriers goalkeeper Danny Ward. But Callum McManaman rounded the on-loan Liverpool player, before Forestieri flicked his effort into the net to extend the Owls' winning run against Huddersfield to four consecutive league games. Carlos Carvalhal's side are now sixth in the table, just one point behind Town and five clear of seventh-placed Derby. Huddersfield remain level on points with fourth-placed Reading, having seen an eight-match unbeaten run in all competitions come to an end. Sheffield Wednesday head coach Carlos Carvalhal: "It was an amazing goal from Wallace, a typical Ross Wallace goal. He deserved this goal. We gave him permission to fly and he flew to a fantastic goal. "I didn't see the red card, I was too far away. I think Forestieri should have been given a penalty though. "Winnall really affected the game, he's a good player and made a big impact, just like McManaman. When we win, we win together. "I am very happy with the fans today. We felt they were with us even when the first half wasn't going our way." Huddersfield head coach David Wagner: "We were more dangerous in the first half but we were not clinical enough today. You have to use your opportunities. "Three big decisions went against us; Nahki Wells was fouled in the build-up to the first goal, the red card was harsh and Forestieri might have been offside for the second goal. "I think we shouldn't forget where we are today, against one of the best teams in the division. "The first half was very good but the second half was only okay. After the red card, the game changed." Match ends, Sheffield Wednesday 2, Huddersfield Town 0. Second Half ends, Sheffield Wednesday 2, Huddersfield Town 0. Christopher Schindler (Huddersfield Town) is shown the yellow card. Liam Palmer (Sheffield Wednesday) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul. Nahki Wells (Huddersfield Town) wins a free kick on the left wing. Foul by Liam Palmer (Sheffield Wednesday). Christopher Schindler (Huddersfield Town) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Foul by Callum McManaman (Sheffield Wednesday). Attempt saved. Callum McManaman (Sheffield Wednesday) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Fernando Forestieri. Foul by Elias Kachunga (Huddersfield Town). Tom Lees (Sheffield Wednesday) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Goal! Sheffield Wednesday 2, Huddersfield Town 0. Fernando Forestieri (Sheffield Wednesday) right footed shot from very close range to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Callum McManaman. Attempt blocked. Callum McManaman (Sheffield Wednesday) left footed shot from the

Summary: Ross Wallace's superb strike helped Sheffield Wednesday beat 10-man Huddersfield in the Championship.


Davies, 26, followed up sealing her World Championship place in the 20km by setting two new British bests in the mile and 5km event. The Cardiff walker won the 5km at the British Championships in Birmingham. "It's been a very good week, all the hard work has paid off," said Davies. Davies competed in three events in seven days which began with achieving the London 2017 qualification time when she finished in a Welsh record 93:04 behind Gemma Bridge. Davies will be joined by Bridge and Tom Bosworth and Callum Wilkinson at the World Championships next month in London (August 4-13). "It is unbelievable," said Davies. "I probably when I was younger never expected to get to this level of sport. "It hasn't sunk in yet and when I get there I will probably have to take a few moments. "It's absolutely fantastic to be on the same stage as such big names. "This will be the biggest competition I have ever been to and it will be a big step up." Davies will now take part in a three-week altitude camp in Livigno, Italy and St. Moritz, Switzerland and attend a British Athletics holding camp in Paris before her event on 13 August on the Mall. Media playback is not supported on this device "It will mean so much because the first chance I saw race walking was at London 2012," said Davies. "To go from a spectator to the start line alongside the girls who have inspired me and are now my friends and rivals will be amazing. "It is going be a home event where all my friends and family will be watching. "Growing up, the thing I remember was watching the London Marathon finishing on the Mall. "To be there and doing my sport at the highest level is going to be amazing." Davies believes walking is receiving a higher public profile. "From when I started it (walking) has grown," said Davies. "We are getting more attention which has been helped by Tom Bosworth coming sixth in the Olympics last year which has raised the sport's profile. "Race walking is a really good way to get people drawn into athletics."

Summary: Welsh walker Bethan Davies says the hard work has paid off after qualifying for the World Championships in London and setting new three personal bests in a week.


The list includes five from the UK and one American author, Tania James, for her novel The Tusk that Did the Damage. Poet Andrew McMillan's Physical won The Guardian First Book Award last year. The Swansea University-backed award will go to the best published literary work in English, written by an author aged 39 or under. Chair of the judges Prof Dai Smith called the works "eye-catching, eclectic and totally energising". The shortlisted writers are: A set of short stories set in Caerphilly by locally-born writer Thomas Morris was on the long list but did not make the final cut. The winner will be announced at a gala ceremony at Swansea University, which sponsors the prize, on International Dylan Thomas Day, 14 May.

Summary: The shortlist for the £30,000 Dylan Thomas Prize for young writers has been unveiled.


An "in-depth investigation" will look into claims made by Veracruz governor Miguel Angel Yunes Linares on Monday, the Ministry of Health said. He alleged fake medicine had been bought and used in state hospitals under his predecessor Javier Duarte. Mr Duarte has been on the run from the authorities since October. The former governor, who was elected in 2010, has not been seen since a week after he stepped down amid allegations of corruption. He has been charged with organised crime and money laundering, but there are calls for the Attorney General's office to file criminal charges relating to the latest accusations. On Monday, Mr Yunes Linares told a press conference that an investigation into malfeasance and corruption under Mr Duarte had uncovered medical fraud. `We have tests on a medication given to children, a paediatric chemotherapy that wasn't really a medication, it was an inert substance, practically distilled water,'' he said. "This really seems to us a brutal crime, an attempt against the lives of the children. We're finishing our analysis and, at the appropriate time, we'll be filing legal complaints." Mr Yunes Linares also alleged there had been inadequate tests for HIV detection and the existence of outdated medicines. The allegations have shocked Mexico. "It is absolutely inhuman, criminal," Senator Roberto Gil Zuart said, according to Mexican news site Quadratin. Mexico's Secretary of Health JosÃ© Narro Robles has promised to act on "the persons or companies involved" if irregularities or responsibility is found, the ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.

Summary: Mexican authorities are to investigate allegations children battling cancer were given "distilled water" instead of chemotherapy.


L/Cpl Craig Roberts and two others died on an SAS selection exercise in 2013. The government said allowing court action would not help training safety. But Kelvin and Margaret Roberts said they believed the army would be more responsible if they were legally accountable. In March, the Ministry of Defence was reprimanded over failures which led to the deaths of L/Cpl Roberts, from Penrhyn Bay, Conwy county, Cpl James Dunsby from Trowbridge, Wiltshire, and L/Cpl Edward Maher, of Winchester, Hampshire. At their inquest last year a coroner ruled neglect contributed to their deaths. The Health and Safety Executive issued a censure, which is the highest action it can take, as the MoD cannot be prosecuted. It has since apologised for the failings. But, responding to the Commons Defence Select Committee report 'Beyond Endurance?' which was published after the deaths of the SAS candidate reservists, the UK Government ruled out amending the 2007 Corporate Manslaughter Act. Mr and Mrs Roberts said: "We are extremely disappointed that the government has decided not to accept the recommendation of the... committee to remove the immunity from prosecution from the MoD when served with a crown censure. "The government states that they fail to see how losing the immunity would make improvements to the safety of military training, however, we believe that if the MoD are legally accountable for their actions then they will be more responsible and diligent in their training methods. "We have done our best to have the immunity removed and bereaved families in the past have also tried, so we are pleased that the Defence Committee intend to pursue their interest in this matter with the MoD." The three men were on a selection march in Powys on one of the hottest days of 2013 when they fell ill. All three were on course to complete it within the allocated time but were found in three separate locations at different times. An inquest found they died after suffering the effects of hyperthermia - or overheating. Coroner Louise Hunt, who ruled the men died as a result of neglect, warned there was a risk of future deaths on SAS selection marches unless action was taken. The HSE investigation into the men's deaths found the MoD failed to plan, assess, and manage the risks associated with heat illness during the training. In its response to the 'Beyond Endurance?' report, the UK government said existing arrangements in respect of military training fatalities worked effectively as a means of ensuring lessons were learnt and mistakes were not repeated. It said: "The MoD invariably implements any corrective measures identified by the HSE and treats crown censure as a matter of the utmost seriousness. "It is not therefore clear how the proposed amendments to the act, which would only take effect once the MoD has been subject to a crown censure, would result in any tangible improvement to the safety of military training. "These safeguards (to learn lessons, implement corrective measures identified by the HSE and the seriousness with which we treat crown censure), together with the ability to

Summary: The parents of one of three soldiers who died on the Brecon Beacons have said they are "extremely disappointed" the government will not allow the Ministry of Defence to be prosecuted.


Sharing revenge-porn images and videos became a crime in England and Wales in February, but the law currently gives victims no right to hide identities. The move was jointly started by Keeley Richards-Shaw, whose ex-boyfriend was the first sentenced under the new law. The Ministry of Justice said judges had discretionary powers to withhold names. Speaking on the BBC's Victoria Derbyshire programme earlier in December, Ms Richards-Shaw said media coverage had increased her distress and a change in the law was crucial to help victims "keep their personal life personal". North Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Julia Mulligan, who is also behind the petition, has written to the government with Ms Richards-Shaw about the issue. A loophole existed, the PCC said, because revenge porn was classed as a domestic abuse offence rather than a sexual offence. She said: "It's wrong that victims of this very personal and distressing crime are being violated all over again by their stories being played out online and in the media. "Any victim of revenge porn should have full confidence that their identity will be protected by law and this matter deserves to be far higher up the political agenda."

Summary: A petition calling for revenge porn victims to be given the same anonymity as other victims of sexual offences has gained more than 5,500 supporters.


Ogogo, 27, has resumed training as he continues his recovery from a knee operation in early February. "The physio and the surgeon are both impressed with how quickly he's got to this point," Shrewsbury boss Paul Hurst told BBC Radio Shropshire. "If he keeps joining in and he feels good, I'm not going to rule him out but I'm not going to rule him in either." Ogogo suffered medial knee ligament damage against Scunthorpe on 11 February but had still played in enough games this season to trigger a contract extension. The former Arsenal trainee joined Shrewsbury from Dagenham & Redbridge in June 2015 and has made 79 appearances for the club.

Summary: Shrewsbury Town midfielder Abu Ogogo could make a surprise return before the end of the season.


Norah Boyle, 85, suffered a head injury as Sabrina Duncan and Benter Ouma put her to bed at The Green Nursing Home in Kings Norton. She died 23 days later. The workers delayed calling 999 and pretended Mrs Boyle knocked her head on the head board. They must do 160 hours' unpaid work and pay Â£500 court costs each. The pair were not prosecuted for being responsible for the fall, but for being "grossly negligent in their response". Mrs Boyle died in hospital after developing pneumonia. In sentencing, judge Mark Wall said it was impossible to say whether reporting the incident any earlier would have made any difference to Mrs Boyle's eventual death. Her daughter, Ellen Boyle, said: "I'm appalled that that's what they got for what happened to my mum. "I'm appalled that my mother's life is only worth 12 months of a community order." Speaking after the court hearing Det Sgt Victoria Lee said the pair had delayed calling an ambulance while they came up with a cover story. "While [Duncan and Ouma] plotted, Mrs Boyle laid in bed with a serious head injury, her head bleeding onto the pillow," she said. "Most of us have relatives who are frail, disabled or vulnerableâ€¦ we expect them to be cared for professionally and compassionately." Duncan, 40, of Shartlands Close, Cotteridge, and Ouma, 31, of Summerfield Crescent, Edgbaston, had pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing at Birmingham Crown Court to neglect and ill-treatment.

Summary: Two care workers who admitted neglect after a pensioner fell from a hoist at a Birmingham care home have been sentenced to 12-month community orders.


The two nations meet in a 2018 World Cup qualifier on Armistice Day, also known as Remembrance Day, when the United Kingdom remembers those who have lost their lives in war. But Fifa, who are in charge of world football, say they do not allow any nations to have any political, religious or commercial messages on shirts. They had turned down a request to allow England and Scotland's players to wear armbands with poppies on. The FAs have now said that they will let their players wear the armbands anyway and will accept any punishment. Poppies are worn by millions as a symbol to remember those who have lost their lives in war or been injured. British Prime Minister, Theresa May, has said Fifa's refusal of players being allowed to wear poppies is "outrageous". Speaking at Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday, she said: "Our football players want to recognise and respect those who have given their lives for our safety and security - I think it is absolutely right they should be able to do so." The Football Association of Wales has also written to Fifa requesting permission to wear poppies on armbands during their game against Serbia in Cardiff on 12 November but has not yet said if it will ignore the ban.

Summary: The Football Associations of England and Scotland say they will ignore a ban on players wearing poppies in their upcoming match on 11 November.


The 29-year-old, from Cornwall, started his career at Penryn and has played for Exeter Chiefs and Rotherham, as well as spending time playing in Spain. "He's impressed us - he is renowned for his work-rate, physicality and passion," said coach Gavin Cattle. Alex O'Meara and Alex Day have agreed new one-year contracts, with hooker Tom Channon signing for two more seasons. Wing O'Meara, 24, has spent two years at the Mennaye, while scrum-half Day has played 52 games in his time at the club. Channon joined from Bristol in 2013 and is three games short of making 100 appearances. Pirates are sixth in the Championship with two games to go, and now have 19 players confirmed for next term.

Summary: Cornish Pirates have agreed to sign lock Toby Freeman from Nottingham on a two-year deal, starting next season.


A Health Protection Agency study found a 10-fold increased risk in cases of the sleep disorder in children seen in sleep centres who had received the jab. Manufacturer GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) has been ordered to investigate the link. Families who believe they were affected are now considering a group legal action. Pandemrix was most widely used in the UK during the 2009-10 flu pandemic and given to almost a million British children between six months and five years old. The vaccine, which is no longer used, has already been linked to narcolepsy in youngsters from Finland, Sweden and Ireland. Narcolepsy is a rare sleeping condition. The main symptom is falling asleep suddenly and it may also cause muscle weakness. The HPA abstract paper, from Developmental Medicine in Childhood Neurology, was presented to a conference of paediatricians in Manchester and is now being considered for publication in full by the British Medical Journal. It estimates the risk was one in 52,000 in those vaccinated. Specialists reviewed 75 children aged four to 18 who developed narcolepsy about the time Pandemrix was rolled out. Of these, 18 had received Pandemrix. They found a 10-fold increased risk of the condition within six months of having the jab which "suggests a causal association consistent with reports from Finland and Sweden". An expert in vaccines who was in charge of one of the paediatric clinical trials of Pandemrix, Prof Adam Finn from the University of Bristol, said: "The risk is so much increased that it seems very unlikely that this is a biased result. "The bottom line is they have found they were somewhere between 10 and 16 times more likely to have had Pandemrix than other children. So that confirms what you would expect to see based on other studies done in Finland, Sweden and Ireland, which are all the same." Research programme The European Medicines Agency (EMA) warned in 2011 that Pandemrix should only be given to children and teenagers at risk of H1N1 flu if other jabs are unavailable because of concerns of potential link to narcolepsy. It has ordered GSK to commit to a complex research programme to look at the root causes. GSK say they take the safety of patients very seriously and are working hard to better understand the research emerging from a select number of countries. A spokesperson said: "Narcolepsy is a complex disease and its causes are not yet fully understood but it is generally considered to be associated with genetic and environmental factors, including infections. "It is crucial that we learn more about how narcolepsy is triggered and how Pandemrix might have interacted with other risk factors in affected individuals. Throughout development there was no data suggesting a potential for an increased risk of narcolepsy among those vaccinated." It is understood that one possible trigger is the high levels of adjuvant in the vaccine used to enhance the recipients response. The UK government, which gave GSK a legal indemnity against having to pay compensation, could now face the prospect of a group legal action by families affected. The Department of

Summary: An increased risk of narcolepsy has been found among English children vaccinated with the swine flu vaccine, Pandemrix.


Jordan McNab, 21, and two others entered 48-year-old Ian Dickson's flat in East Kilbride on 20 November 2014. Following a prolonged attack, the victim suffered facial bruising, a collapsed lung and a fractured rib and would have died without medical help. McNab admitted a charge of assault to severe injury and danger of life. He faces jail when sentenced later. The High Court in Glasgow heard that McNab, along with two others, entered Mr Dickson's home through an unsecured window. Mr Dickson was punched, kicked and hit with a baseball bat and a piece of wood over a period of 20 to 30 minutes. Neighbours who heard a disturbance called the police shortly after 02:00. When officers arrived they found both back windows ajar and Mr Dickson lying injured on the floor in the back bedroom. The entire flat appeared to have been ransacked. Mr Dickson was given first aid and taken by ambulance to the South Lanarkshire town's Hairmyres Hospital. When police searched the flat they found a wallet containing bank cards and identification in the name of Jordan McNab. McNab, from East Kilbride, was later detained and found to have Mr Dickson's blood on his clothing. He was originally charged with attempted murder but has his guilty plea to the lesser charge accepted. The motive for the break-in and attack is still not known. Judge John Morris deferred sentence on McNab until next month.

Summary: A man who broke into a flat and brutally beat the householder was caught after he left his wallet behind.


It is the classic Yorkshire Dales landscape. But all is not right here. There is one other famous feature of this countryside and they keep disappearing. Sheep rustling is the problem and efforts are being stepped up to tackle it. On the southern flank of the dale, David Dinsdale calls instructions to his border collie Tom to round up his flock of mule gimmers - young ewes. For miles around, the white dots of other flocks can be seen against a green backdrop. The purpose of gathering the sheep in is to teach police officers how to spot a stolen animal. Mr Dinsdale has farmed here all his life and remembers a time when there were more police living locally. He said: "There was the main station at Leyburn. There was a policeman in Bainbridge and another at Hawes. "We'd see our nearest once a week but now we very rarely see a policeman ride up this back road. "It's easier for people to get into the area and get stock away." Improvements in communication technology, along with roads in the area, mean the days of the village bobby here are long gone. That modernisation thought has also brought hi-tech gadgetry with it. Mr Dinsdale expertly grabs one of his sheep and shows PC John Wilbor the ear tag on the animal . This has a microchip inside and when scanned with a wand, with which officers are being issued, it indicates the number of the flock it comes from. If police stop a suspicious vehicle, the animals in the trailer can be identified immediately. Of course, thieves are not stupid and these tags can be quickly removed - so there is also a far more traditional, low-tech means to enable identification. Mr Dinsdale shows PC Wilbor the Shepherds' Guide - an extraordinary 450 page book which lists the unique markings of every flock in northern England. From fleece markings to horn burns - every flock is distinct. "If the police know what they're looking for, they have a much better chance of apprehending those responsible," says Mr Dinsdale. According to insurer NFU Mutual, claims for stolen livestock totalled £6.6m in 2014. The firm said that equates to the disappearance of 89,000 sheep. They are all believed to have been slaughtered and the meat then sold in to the food chain. Officers believe the trail of stolen animals leads to the big northern conurbations about an hour's drive from the dales. They are working with other organisations to try to track the animals but most sheep are rustled from remote pastures where no-one can see what is happening. They also only take a few at a time meaning the thefts are not spotted until the sheep are counted - which can be weeks after the crime has been committed. But, armed with the new and old technology and better training police officers in this part of the country will now be able to stop suspicious vehicles and quickly establish if animals are stolen.

Summary: Wensleydale in North Yorkshire - a patchwork of green pastures divided by dry stone walls rising to meet moorland, where the heather is bright purple at this time of year.