The Colin Bloomfield Melanoma Appeal was launched in February to raise awareness of skin cancer and educate children in schools about sun safety. The target was reached on Monday after the Freemasons in Derby donated £10,000 with a new target set at £75,000. Radio Derby presenter Colin Bloomfield - who has stage four melanoma - said the donations were "hugely generous". BBC Radio Derby is working with the Derby Telegraph and charity Skcin, which specialises in skin cancer prevention. The station launched the appeal after Colin's diagnosis in 2013, and his openness and optimism on the disease touched thousands of listeners. The 33-year-old had a malignant melanoma removed from his leg 10 years ago but in 2013 he was told the cancer had returned and in November he was given months to live when it spread to his brain. "Every single pound has made such a big difference," he said, "As a child I never understood the seriousness of getting burnt but I'm living through it now. "[Melanoma] is a truly horrible disease that a lot of people don't understand the seriousness of. "We are not used to seeing the sun in this country and when we go out and enjoy it, it is about doing it safely and responsibly. "If we can hammer home that message to kids in schools that can only be a good thing." Earlier this month Derby County Football Club raised more than £14,000 after donating £10 for every away ticket sold at Norwich. The appeal aims to take the sun safe scheme to 200 schools in Derbyshire and East Staffordshire.

Summary: A skin cancer appeal backed by a BBC presenter has reached its £45,000 target after just six weeks.


It works by looking for a combination of "markers" in the blood which are different in healthy people and those with the disease. Delegates at the Alzheimer's Research UK Conference heard that the University of Nottingham is now developing a quick and easy test to do in clinics. It could mean much earlier diagnosis and better treatments, they said. The test uses some proteins that have been strongly linked with Alzheimer's disease, such as amyloid and APOE. But through careful analysis of blood from people with the disease, as well as those with early-stage memory problems, the researchers detected some other markers that were suggestive of the disease. Most notably, some proteins related to inflammation seem to have been added to increase the power of the test. Prof Kevin Morgan from the University of Nottingham said they still had to validate the test and it could be a decade before it was used in patients. But he added that the combination of markers they had found was looking very promising. "Our findings are exciting because they show that it is technically possible to distinguish between healthy people and those with Alzheimer's using a blood test. "As blood tests are a fast and easy way of aiding diagnosis, we are really encouraged by these findings and the potential they hold for the future." He said there were several ways the test could benefit patients, including giving people a definitive diagnosis, which was not always possible at the moment. It could also direct future therapies to make sure patients were getting the most appropriate treatment, he explained. Potentially, it could be a "cheap and easy pre-screen" test which enabled Alzheimer's to be picked up before symptoms appeared, he said. "The way we see it working is you can test people and it will tell them if they have the all-clear, or if they are medium- or high-risk. "If they are medium-risk, they can be monitored closely and high-risk patients can be referred to a specialist for more in-depth testing." Dr Eric Karran, director of Research at Alzheimer's Research UK, said: "Giving people with dementia an accurate diagnosis is not always easy, and so building up our armoury of diagnostic techniques is vital. "While there is still some way to go before a test like this could become available, the results are promising. "When used alongside other diagnostic techniques, a blood test like this could be a real help."

Summary: British researchers have developed a test to detect Alzheimer's disease in its earliest stages.


The story of Akong Tulku Rinpoche was screened at the Samye Ling site he founded in Eskdalemuir. A Remarkable Life covers everything from his birth in Tibet in 1939 to his murder in China in 2013. Shortly before his death, he authorised the film to be made which was given its premiere in southern Scotland. Akong Rinpoche was installed as abbot of a monastery in eastern Tibet at the age of just four having been identified as the reincarnation of the previous abbot. When he was 19, with China having occupied Tibet and tensions between the countries at their height, he joined a freedom walk over the Himalayas to India. It took 10 months and of the 200 people who started, only 15 survived. Akong eventually made his way to the UK in 1959 and acquired an old farmhouse at Eskdalemuir where Samye Ling was founded in 1967. The film's executive producer Vin Harris told BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland programme: "I think they travelled around lots of places, there was a story that it kind of reminded them of Tibet. "There was someone there who was running a spiritual centre and he was ready to move on so they basically took it over. "They were very much welcomed, particularly in Dumfries, Rinpoche made his family life there and had very good friends here." Samye Ling was the first Buddhist monastery to be founded in Europe and students later included David Bowie and Leonard Cohen. It has now grown into a large complex for the study and teaching of Buddhism, with a vast temple at its heart. From there, Akong spearheaded a range of projects including ROKPA International, which carries out humanitarian work in Tibet, Nepal, India and Africa. It was while in China in October 2013 that he was murdered, aged 73, but before his death he authorised the film of his life to be made. Its premiere at Samye Ling was attended by the current abbot, Akong's younger brother Lama Yeshe Losal Rinpoche. "We feel that the film is more a message of hope actually - a celebration of his life," Mr Harris said. "It kind of focuses on the fact that putting compassion into action, rather than being a kind of luxury, is so effective. "We look at what, as a refugee, he achieved - setting up centres all over the world and helping thousands and thousands of people without compromising that value of compassion."

Summary: A feature-length documentary film about the founder of Europe's first Tibetan Buddhist centre in Dumfriesshire has staged its world premiere.


Gloucester have played away from their Meadow Park home since a flood in 2007. In September, planning permission was approved to permit initial work on building a new ground for Gloucester. The University of Gloucestershire-based All Golds, who are in the third tier of rugby league, currently play in Cheltenham but want a permanent home. All Golds president Lionel Hurst told BBC Radio Gloucestershire: "We have met with those who own the club. "We can see that it makes considerable sense. We will need to have more meetings. "We are a long way from getting over the line on this, but watch this space. We are constantly seeking our own permanent base for the club. "Rugby league and football are very good friends throughout the land. It would be a very significant partnership if it happened."

Summary: National League North side Gloucester City are in talks with rugby league team Gloucestershire All Golds about a potential groundshare.


Former Celtic and Republic of Ireland goalkeeper Pat Bonner assesses the victors' performance in Sunday's Scottish League Cup final, while former Aberdeen and Scotland defender Willie Miller gives his marks out of 10 for Derek McInnes' side. Didn't do too much wrong, couldn't do anything about the goals. Not over-worked, but Celtic had a number of other chances. Not the worst. In second-half, he came more to life in terms of getting forward, which is a big part of his game. In team for his height and domination but didn't dominate his opponent or take responsibility for closing gap between defence and midfield. Use of the ball was poor. Probably his poorest performance for Aberdeen - uncertain, played too deep. He didn't close down James Forrest quickly enough for the second goal and conceded the penalty for the third. Must be disappointed, because he's looked good since coming to the club Wasn't exposed on too many occasions against Patrick Roberts. Did have the chance with a header and maybe should have done better with it. Moved to centre-back later, his preferred his position. Didn't play to the standard he's capable of. Not the worst in midfield. Tried hard but played in an area that was dominated by Celtic. Only got close to Celtic's midfielders on a couple of occasions and should have made it more difficult for them. An opportunity as captain to lift the trophy. He normally gives you an element of control in midfield but didn't do that. The gap between him and his defence was too wide, allowing Roberts, Rogic and Forrest to get in behind. Largely anonymous in the first-half. Spent his time worrying about defensive duties rather than what he's good at. Turned it around in second half and had a number of good runs, but he's a match winner and he didn't show what he was capable of. Celtic dominated in midfield and McLean must take responsibility. He's been at the club long enough to know what's expected, should be performing to a high level and on the big stage. If you want to be an international, you have to perform better. Whenever he got on the ball, you felt, if anything was going to happen creatively, it was going to come through him. He was taken out the game on two or three occasions and Celtic players realised he was the main threat. Not the Adam Rooney I know. Didn't do much in terms of causing a threat to the two centre-backs, who handled him extremely well. He needed to work harder to make it difficult for them but had little support. Should be a goal threat but didn't do that. Won a couple of headers, but his timing was out at times after coming on for O'Connor. Expect more from a player like him. With Hayes, who he replaced, he's the quality in terms of creativity and didn't create anything. Barely touched the ball after taking over from Rooney. Hard when coming on at 3-0 down. Had that save from Andrew Considine's first-half header

Summary: Celtic cruised to a 3-0 win over Aberdeen at Hampden Park as Brendan Rodgers secured his first trophy as the Scottish Premiership leaders' manager.


The problem is that so many of the initiatives and ideas sold to the country as ground-breaking prove to be business as usual. So the Communities Secretary Sajid Javid went out of his way to sound no-nonsense and tough today. He accused some English councils of "fudging" the numbers on housing need in their area and warned them that he was not going to allow that to happen anymore. But the response to the government's proposals has been decidedly mixed. Labour's shadow housing minister John Healey described them as "feeble beyond belief". "Re-treading old ground" was how the National Association of Commercial Finance Brokers described the White Paper. "Kicking the can down the road," one big investment fund said. The chief executive of the housebuilder Inland Homes, Stephen Wicks, bemoaned the failure to relax rules on green belt development. "Brownfield in itself can't possibly sustain the long-term housing requirements of the UK," he said. "It can go an awful long way but there needs to be a relaxation of some green belt to enable us to deliver the numbers that we are required to do." The White Paper does include measures to encourage developers, housing associations and councils to build more affordable homes more quickly, both to rent and to buy. But this government seems to speak with two voices on housing: the communities department wants to shift the balance of power firmly towards new development in places people want to live, but Number 10 and some influential Tory backbenchers are sympathetic to the passionate concerns of those who wish to protect the countryside and particularly the green belt. The real question that lies behind all the rhetoric and policy bullet-points is whether the balance of power between development and local opposition has fundamentally changed. Ministers now accept England needs 250,000 new homes every year, they have described the housing market as "broken" and they agree that radical change is the only way to mend it. But many have yet to be convinced that this White Paper amounts to a "realistic plan" to achieve that.

Summary: Over the last three decades, governments of various stripes have promised radical change to solve England's housing crisis and today's White Paper is no exception.


The latest intake of Tory MPs is far and away the most Eurosceptic in the Conservative Party's history. Almost all of the pro-European "big beasts" of the Thatcher/Major years - men like Chris Patten and Michael Heseltine - are long gone from front-line politics. According to Tim Montgomerie, the assiduous student of backbench opinion who writes for the website Conservative Home, a third of those now on the Conservative benches would like to see a fundamental renegotiation of the UK's relationship with Europe, and another third would like Britain to come out altogether. The estimate of more than a hundred outright "withdrawalists" - Conservatives who essentially believe in the European policy of the UK Independence Party - suggests many Tory MPs are being coy about what they really believe. Only ten Conservative MPs have declared their position publicly, by joining the "Better Off Out" group, which campaigns openly for withdrawal. Today Euroscepticism is the iceberg of Tory politics; only the top is visible, but a large and - for the leadership - possibly dangerous mass lies beneath the water. That impression is reinforced by the fact that two of the MPs I interviewed for BBC Radio 4's Analysis would talk only on condition we concealed their identity. One of them told me that even though his views are, he believes, now "mainstream" in his party, he still sees support for EU withdrawal in Wildean terms as "the love that dare not speak its name". The other complained of a "supine approach" to Europe by the Party's leadership since it came into government. When the Conservatives were in opposition, David Cameron made a "cast-iron guarantee" that, should he be elected Prime Minister, he would hold a referendum on any EU Treaty that emerged, as "no treaty should be ratified without consulting the British people in a referendum". The Lisbon treaty was ratified by all EU states before the 2010 general election, but critics maintain that David Cameron reneged on his promise. "The collateral damage from that broken promise", our un-nameable MP said, "is a bit of a black cloud over the government even now". Could the government ship be heading towards a collision with the Eurosceptic iceberg? There are signs of new currents of opinion on Europe swirling through the left of British politics too. Last year, during the Labour leadership campaign, Ed Balls questioned one of the principles at the heart of the EU and its single market, the free movement of labour. Mr Balls, now shadow chancellor, said he wanted to stop "the practice where people can work in our country and send benefits back to their own countries". That theme has been picked up by Lord Glasman, the driving force behind the Blue Labour movement - which aims to revitalise the party's traditional grassroots support - and an influential adviser to the Labour leader Ed Miliband. Maurice Glasman argues against the current EU rules which, he says, encourage people in poorer member states to leave their families to work overseas, arguing the practice can depress workers' incomes in richer economies.

Summary: Two-thirds of Conservative MPs want to renegotiate the UK's relationship with Europe but are too scared to reveal their true Eurosceptic sentiment, claim Conservative Party insiders.


The 23-year-old has agreed a two-year deal, with the option of a third year, and will link up with the Super League club for pre-season in November. "We have been keeping an eye on Sam for a while and have been impressed with what we have seen," said Warriors head coach Shaun Wane. "It is a big step for him to make the move from the Championship but he is very determined and driven." Wane added: "I am confident under the guidance of our quality backroom staff he has both the ability and passion to become a success as a full-time professional." Hopkins joined the Centurions from amateur club Leigh East and has been a regular for the Championship side since 2011. "The Warriors are the biggest club in Super League and when I learned of their interest in me and the chance to progress my career with them, it was an easy decision to make," he said. "I am looking forward to the remainder of the season with the Centurions and can assure everyone of my commitment to try and achieve success with them for the remainder of the current season."

Summary: Wigan Warriors have signed utility back Sam Hopkins from Leigh Centurions.


It comes after the 24m (80ft) poles appeared close to the MacLeod House hotel and near the clubhouse at Mr Trump's Menie site. There have been concerns the poles are too large and bids for planning permission have now been submitted. The US presidential candidate's resort has been a focus for local protest. Mr Trump has called the links course one of the finest in the world. A legal challenge by the tycoon over plans for an offshore wind farm on the Aberdeenshire coast was rejected by the UK's Supreme Court.

Summary: Donald Trump's Aberdeenshire golf course has been forced to apply for retrospective planning permission for two large flag poles.


The review into 22 abuse cases in Northern Ireland criticised the authorities for not doing enough. The young people went missing a number of times over a 20-month period while being looked after in the care system. The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) said it has recently made policy changes aimed at keeping children safe. In September 2013, the PSNI said it had begun a major investigation into the sexual exploitation of children and young people who had gone missing from care in Northern Ireland. Officers said they had identified 22 people, aged between 13 and 18, who may have been sexually exploited. The PSNI investigation was known was Operation Owl. Thursday's report, examining the PSNI response, has been published by the Safeguarding Board for Northern Ireland. It said PSNI officers were effective in locating the teenagers and returning them to the care system. However, it found that they failed to properly examine the extent of the child sexual exploitation taking place and their attempts to find and stop the abusers was - in the words of the review - "limited and inconsistent". While there is praise for the help offered by some staff from residential care homes, Stormont's Health Minister Simon Hamilton said that the report shows not enough support was given to protect the teenagers from harm or the risk of harm. He said the review had identified "a significant gap" in knowledge about perpetrators of child sexual exploitation. The head of the PSNI's Public Protection Branch, Det Ch Supt George Clarke said that following Operation Owl, the PSNI has "implemented a number of changes in our approach to handling this issue to ensure we are doing everything we can to keep children and young people safe". "Indeed, in April of this year, the PSNI formed the Public Protection Branch which is now responsible for policy and practice in relation to a number of areas including child sexual exploitation. "The new structures enable us to work closely with our partner agencies in a much more cohesive way than before to ensure better protection and safeguarding for children and young people." The office said the PSNI has also revised its Missing Persons Protocol, a joint policy with the health and social care authorities. "This protocol is designed to support effective collaborative safeguarding responses by the PSNI and social services in respect of children who run away or go missing from their homes or care placements and builds upon developments in our knowledge and experience," Mr Clarke added. Last year, a separate review into the issue concluded that sexual exploitation was a growing threat to young people in Northern Ireland. That report also said that some abusers were thought to have links to paramilitary groups.

Summary: A child sexual exploitation report has found police made no sustained effort to find out who was responsible for abusing children in the care system.


They found that targeting a part of the brain called the parietal lobe improved the ability of volunteers to solve numerical problems. They hope the discovery could help people with dyscalculia, who may struggle with numbers. Another expert said effects on other brain functions would need checking. The findings are reported in the journal Current Biology. Some studies have suggested that up to one in five people have trouble with maths, affecting not just their ability to complete problems but also to manage everyday activities such as telling the time and managing money. Neuroscientists believe that activity within the parietal lobe plays a crucial role in this ability, or the lack of it. When magnetic fields were used in earlier research to disrupt electrical activity in this part of the brain, previously numerate volunteers temporarily developed discalculia, finding it much harder to solve maths problems. The latest research goes a step further, using a one milliamp current to stimulate the parietal lobe of a small number of students. The current could not be felt, and had no measurable effect on other brain functions. As it was turned on, the volunteers tried to learn a puzzle which involved substituting numbers for symbols. Those given the current from right to left across the parietal lobe did significantly better when given, compared to those who were given no electrical stimulation. The direction of the current was important - those given stimulation running in the opposite direction, left to right, did markedly worse at these puzzles than those given no current, with their ability matching that of an average six-year-old. The effects were not short-lived, either. When the volunteers whose performance improved was re-tested six months later, the benefits appear to have persisted. There was no wider effect on general maths ability in either group, just on the ability to complete the puzzles learned as the current was applied. Dr Cohen Kadosh, who led the study, said: "We are not advising people to go around giving themselves electric shocks, but we are extremely excited by the potential of our findings and are now looking into the underlying brain changes. "We've shown before that we can induce dyscalculia, and now it seems we might be able to make someone better at maths, so we really want to see if we can help people with dyscalculia. By Fergus WalshMedical correspondent, BBC News Read more in Fergus's blog "Electrical stimulation is unlikely to turn you into the next Einstein, but if we're lucky it might be able to help some people to cope better with maths." Dr Christopher Chambers, from the School of Psychology at Cardiff University, said that the results were "intriguing", and offered the prospect not just of improving numerical skills, but having an impact on a wider range of conditions. He said: "The ability to tweak activity in parts of the brain, turning it slightly 'up' or 'down' at will, opens the door to treating a range of psychiatric and neurological problems, like compulsive gambling or visual impairments following stroke." However, he said that the study

Summary: Applying a tiny electrical current to the brain could make you better at learning maths, according to Oxford University scientists.


During a "very busy two hour period" on Friday, the fire service said it received more than 100 calls to over 30 flooding incidents in Southend. Six people were rescued after their vehicles got stuck at a flooded roundabout on Woodgrange Drive. The roof of the Pearl Dragon restaurant collapsed under the weight of the rain. No-one was hurt. Crews were also sent to the Sea Life Centre, opposite the restaurant on the Eastern Esplanade, to pump water from the building. Martin Richardson, owner of the Happidrome on Southend's Golden Mile, said the amusement arcade had been overcome by water. "It came through the back, the side, it came through the wall, it came through the roof, the main drains," he said. "At least four of the arcades on the promenade suffered. "It's going to be a long while before we're open." Mark Baumann, owner of the Bourgee restaurant on the seafront, said he watched in vain as flood water entered the building. "I've never seen rain like it," he said. "The water started to come into the restaurant, and then it went further, and further. "It was all hands on deck - some of the customers helped to squeegee the water away." The rain has resulted in traffic delays, with the A12 London-bound at Witham blocked by flood water. BBC Travel has the latest on the disruption.

Summary: Six people were rescued from cars trapped in flood water, as heavy rain hit Essex overnight.


Thailand's Aphibarnrat, twice a winner this year, moved a shot ahead after a 40-foot breaking birdie putt at 14. But Fitzpatrick, 21, who has led since day one as he seeks a first European title, picked up his fourth birdie at 15 to join the Thai at 12 under. England's Luke Donald, now 66th in the world rankings, carded six birdies in nine holes in a 65 and is four adrift. Another former world number one, Lee Westwood, is two shots further back after a 67, with 16 players within five strokes of the lead. Donald, 37, who has not won since November 2013, said: "I've put myself in a good position. I'd love to shoot another round like this and if I did I think that might be good enough." Welshman Bradley Dredge, seeking his first European Tour title since 2006, withdrew shortly before the start of the round because of a viral infection. The 42-year-old, who lost his tour card in 2012 but regained it after finishing 81st on the Race to Dubai last year, had been only two shots off the lead.

Summary: Englishman Matthew Fitzpatrick shot a 68 to share the British Masters lead with Kiradech Aphibarnrat at Woburn.


A series of groups spoke out after Europe's top court ruled a Romanian man whose employer read his messages had not had his rights violated. He broke company policy by using a work account to talk to his family. In response, bodies representing directors and workers, as well as privacy and human resources groups, all issued similar warnings to bosses. The European Trades Union Congress, which represents workers across the continent, said the judges' decision should not act as a "green lightâ€¦ to start snooping" on staff. The case in the European Court of Human Rights did not introduce any new rules, but acted as a stress test for those that already allowed similar surveillance by employers in some circumstances. Institute of Directors director general Simon Walker said: "Employees should not be subject to Stasi-style surveillance at work. "We would strongly urge businesses not to read an employee's personal messages, apart from in the most exceptional circumstances." British Trades Union Congress general secretary Frances O'Grady said: "Big Brother bosses do not get the best out of employees. "Staff who are being snooped on are less productive and less healthy". And the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development said: "Employees that feel under excessive surveillance are also more likely to suffer from stress, so there needs to be a clear case for monitoring." They were joined by the privacy campaign group Big Brother Watch, which said: "None of us should ever assume that what we do online during work hours or when using devices owned by our employer, such as computers, tablets or mobile phones, is private - but, equally, no employee should be in fear of being monitored by their boss." The judges' ruling, handed down on Tuesday, said Romania had not failed to uphold the right to a private life of its citizen Bogdan Barbulescu. Mr Barbulescu's employer had sacked him after finding he had been using a Yahoo Messenger account to speak to both his fiancee and his brother, despite having been asked to set up the account for work purposes only, the seven judges said. The company had also banned private use of the internet at work. When confronted, Mr Barbulescu had denied violating the policy, the judges found. And the company had therefore been justified in reading both the work and private correspondence on the account - some of it highly sensitive. Mr Barbulescu said his rights had been violated and, having been unsuccessful in arguing as much in the domestic courts, asked the judges to rule that Romania had failed in its duty to him. The court's decision does not introduce new measures. Reading the messages was already legal in Romania, as it is in other countries, including the UK. Rather, it agreed with the Romanian authorities that the circumstances in which Mr Barbulescu's messages had been read did not represent a breach of his right to a private life. The judges, in effect, declined to send a signal to courts across Europe that they considered surveillance under those circumstances unacceptable. If the judges had found the

Summary: Bosses have been urged not to indulge in invasive surveillance by reading their employees' private messages.


"I wasn't 100% sober," she said at an event with fellow Justice Antonin Scalia. She said she "couldn't resist the fine wine" at the dinner which traditionally brings together some of the court's justices before the speech. At 81, Justice Ginsburg is the oldest serving judge on the Supreme Court. She was asked about the incident by the moderator at an event at George Washington University on Thursday evening. Justice Ginsburg was repeatedly pictured slumbering in her chair as President Barack Obama addressed the joint session of Congress in the House of Representatives on 20 January. "The audience for the most part is awake, but they're bobbing up and down all the time. And we sit there as stone-faced, sober judges. But we're not. "At least I wasn't 100% sober when we went to the State of the Union," she said, provoking audience laughter. Justice Ginsburg said she had vowed to stick to sparkling water after dozing at the speech in past years, but was unable to resist the lure of a "very fine California wine" brought by Justice Anthony Kennedy. "In the end, the dinner was so delicious it needed wine," she said. "Well, that's the first intelligent thing you've done," quipped Justice Scalia. Former Justice David Souter used to give her a pinch when he spotted the warning signs in years gone by, Justice Ginsburg said, but the judges beside her this time were "more timid".

Summary: US Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has admitted there is a reason she was seen nodding off at the president's State of the Union address.


Damage to to overhead wires meant the line is blocked north of Morpeth. Virgin East Coast, Northern Rail, and Cross Country services were affected, with reports of large queues at Newcastle Central Station. Buses were organised to take passengers between Newcastle and Edinburgh, with people advised to avoid travelling if possible. Services resumed late on Friday.

Summary: Rail passengers travelling between Newcastle and Scotland faced severe disruption on Friday.


The 22-year-old former Wales Under-20 international made his Dragons debut at 17, making him the youngest player to ever represent the region. He will fill the gap left by Micky Young and Peter Stringer, who will leave the club in the summer. Evans will compete for a place in Bath's side with Chris Cook, Will Homer and new arrival Niko Matawalu. "Having known Jonny since he was a youngster and seen his development for myself, I know he'll fit right in here," said Bath coach Darren Edwards, who worked with Evans at Dragons and with Wales U20s. "He brings a spark to the game and he's very much at an exciting stage of his career. He's joining a club that has a fantastic forward pack and he'll thrive on playing off such a strong platform."

Summary: Bath have agreed a deal for Newport Gwent Dragons scrum-half Jonathan Evans for next season.


He told Buzzfeed News he needed to go to a "quiet place" to focus on writing, adding that Twitter is "the least quiet place I've ever been in my life." "It's like taking the bar exam at Coachella," he said. "I really need to concentrate on this!" Some have labelled his portrayal of female characters, including Scarlett Johansson's Black Widow, as sexist. The criticism came as a surprise - as the writer-turned-director had previously been praised for creating strong female leads in his TV shows Buffy The Vampire Slayer and Dollhouse. He said, "I saw a lot of people say, 'Well, the social justice warriors destroyed one of their own!' It's like, nope. That didn't happen." Whedon also denied the accusation that he quit Twitter because of specific criticism from campaigning group Feminist Frequency. "Literally the second person to write me to ask if I was okay when I dropped out was [Feminist Frequency founder] Anita [Sarkeesian],"he said. Immediately prior to deleting his account, Whedon tweeted: "Thank you to all the people who've been so kind and funny and inspiring up in here". Soon after, a search for an account under the @josswhedon handle returned a "page not found" error. One critic had created a widely shared montage image showing many of the messages sent to Whedon. Some called him misogynistic and said he had done a "hatchet job" on Black Widow, whose big storyline in the latest Avengers film is a doomed romance. One critic asked why the words "strong female character" were not in his vocabulary. But many of Whedon's fans have now turned on the naysayers, subjecting some to harassment and abuse. Comedian and actor Patton Oswalt accused them of having "chased Joss Whedon off Twitter". Whedon had previously been a high-profile user of Twitter, calling it "enormous work - very fun". But he told Buzzfeed he had started to become uncomfortable with his habit. "Twitter is an addictive little thing, and if it's there, I gotta check it. When you keep doing something after it stops giving you pleasure, that's kind of rock bottom for an addict. "I just had a little moment of clarity where I'm like, 'You know what? If I want to get stuff done, I need to not constantly hit this thing for a news item or a joke or some praise, and then be suddenly sad when there's hate and then hate and then hate.'"

Summary: Director Joss Whedon has denied leaving Twitter over feminist criticism of his latest movie, Avengers: Age of Ultron.


Mr Gill has been criticised by some in the party for "double-jobbing". Asked on BBC Radio's Good Evening Wales programme if he would give up one of the jobs if asked, he replied: "Absolutely, but it has to be for a purpose." Mr Gill said "it would have to be the leader" asking him to quit a role. Mr Nuttall won the party's leadership contest on Monday, promising to target Labour voters in the north of England. He took 9,622 votes with 62.6% of support among party members. The AM for North Wales sits as an independent in the Senedd after falling out with the UKIP assembly group leader Neil Hamilton. UKIP's ruling national executive committee had earlier agreed to hold a ballot of Welsh members on whether Mr Gill should continue to be both an AM and an MEP. But Mr Gill claimed the new leader did not want the ballot to happen. He told BBC Wales: "I've spoken to Paul about this and Paul tells me he doesn't want a ballot to go ahead. I don't see what it's going to achieve." Mr Gill said "disgruntled left-behind Labour voters" were a target for UKIP. He added: "Nigel Farage was able to speak to those people and he is a Dulwich [public school] boy. "Now if Nigel can speak to those people then without a doubt Paul Nuttall from Bootle on Merseyside absolutely can and will." Mr Hamilton said: "I think Paul Nuttall has a very good chance of appealing very widely to ex-Labour voters... because he comes from an authentic working-class background in Liverpool. "I think Paul can win over Welsh Labour voters, perhaps with a bit of help from me and my colleagues in the assembly." Mr Nuttall previously called for compromise between Mr Hamilton and Mr Gill. But Mr Hamilton said Mr Gill "doesn't seem to accept that having been elected by the people of north Wales as one of the AMs that he should give his entire focus to this job". "There is no compromise on that. It's impossible," said the AM for Mid and West Wales. "It's like pregnancy. You are either pregnant or you're not. You're either full time or you're not." Mr Hamilton supported Mr Nuttall in the leadership contest. He tweeted he was delighted Mr Nuttall, an MEP for North West England, had won the contest. Another AM, Mark Reckless, the UKIP member for South Wales East, said Mr Nuttall's comments about targeting Labour voters in the north of England "touched on something with regard to south Wales." But Labour's Aberavon MP Stephen Kinnock said the British people were "not going to be fooled" by the new UKIP leader. "Paul Nuttall will use his leadership to fight for a hard Brexit that would put jobs, growth and living standards at risk," he said. "The best outcome for working people would be to reject UKIP's politics of division, and unite behind a progressive vision for our country that retains our unfettered access to the single market."

Summary: Nathan Gill would stand down from one of his two elected positions if newly-elected UKIP leader Paul Nuttall asked him to, the AM and MEP has said.


7 July 2016 Last updated at 09:49 BST Speaking to Today programme presenter John Humphrys, he accepted that in retrospect it would have been better to challenge the intelligence used to justify the war, but stood by his decision to join the invasion.

Summary: Tony Blair says people will not accept that he means his regret over mistakes in the Iraq war until he disowns the decision to join the US coalition to topple Saddam Hussein.


Bailey, 16, was stabbed during a fight with a fellow pupil at Cults Academy. The schoolboy's killer is serving nine years for culpable homicide. The review, conducted by child welfare professional Andrew Lowe, made 21 recommendations last October. Mr Swinney will give a statement on Tuesday. The review found the pupil's death was "potentially avoidable".

Summary: Deputy First Minister John Swinney will give MSPs his response to a report into the death of Aberdeen schoolboy Bailey Gwynne next week.


Pan gyhoeddwyd canlyniad y bleidlais gyhoeddus ym Mrwsel nos Fawrth, fe ddaeth Derwen Brimmon - coeden tua 500 mlwydd oed ger Y Drenewydd - yn ail i goeden 650 oed yn Wisniowa yng Ngwlad Pwyl. Cafodd y goeden Bwylaidd 1,400 yn fwy o bleidleisiau. Yn ystod yr Ail Ryfel Byd fe gafodd y goeden honno - Derwen Josef - ei defnyddio fel lloches gan deulu o Iddewon oedd yn cuddio rhag y Natsïaid. Daeth Derwen Brimmon yn amlwg yn y newyddion pan gafodd llwybr ffordd osgoi'r Drenewydd ei newid er mwyn gwarchod y goeden hynafol yn dilyn ymgyrch gan bobl yr ardal a thu hwnt. Cyhoeddodd Llywodraeth Cymru ar y pryd y byddai'r llwybr yn symud 15 metr o fonyn y goeden er mwyn peidio aflonyddu ar y gwreiddiau.

Summary: Mae coeden dderw hynafol wedi dod yn ail yng nghystadleuaeth Coeden Ewropeaidd y Flwyddyn 2017.


In a study of more than 70,000 women, optimists were less likely to get fatal cancer, heart disease, lung conditions and stroke in their retirement years. Although some of the association is explained by healthier life choices and behaviours, experts believe a positive mental attitude is powerful in itself. And even if you lack a natural sunny disposition, optimism can be learned. Encouraging people to imagine a bright future could be a good medicine to boost public health, say the authors of the study in the American Journal of Epidemiology. The researchers looked at health data collected from a large US study of working and retired female nurses. The participants had been asked to rate how optimistic they perceived themselves to be on a scale of zero to 24. The healthy women, who ranged in age from 58 to 83, were monitored over the next eight years and any disease-related deaths were recorded. There were 4,566 deaths overall. Higher optimism was linked with lower death risk, even after controlling for other factors such as whether the woman was married, came from a richer or poorer family background, or had a history of diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol or depression. A significantly lowered risk was seen for deaths from a number of causes, including heart disease, stroke, cancer, respiratory disease and infection over the course of the study period. The researchers believe optimism may have a biological effect on the body as well as a psychological one, although they didn't look at this. Other studies have linked a positive outlook to lower inflammation, for example, and better heart health. Join the conversation - find us on Facebook. Investigator Dr Eric Kim, from the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, said there were several strategies people might want to try for an optimism boost: Or you could try a course of mindfulness or some sessions of talking therapy. He said: "Twin studies suggest up to 25% of optimism might be genetic or inherited which would mean up to 75% could be modifiable."

Summary: Women who look on the bright side of life cut their risk of many deadly diseases, according to researchers.


Concern is mounting about the potential of a vicious power struggle in Addis Ababa, triggering a negative chain reaction across the region. For many of Ethiopia's Horn allies, the death has come at an awkward moment, not least because a delicate political transition in Somalia is incomplete and under serious strain, and a stand-off between South Sudan and Sudan risks dragging the region into a new armed conflagration. Mr Meles was a complex figure, hard to pigeon-hole, much less force into a one-dimensional portrait frame. A mystique has over the years grown around his personality and politics, making the task to objectively assess his legacy difficult and highly fraught. To use a Churchillian phrase, the man was a riddle and a mystery inside an enigma, and by extension so too the secretive state he presided over. But he was the one African leader who was impossible to ignore. The diminutive ex-guerilla leader was a towering figure whose austere, unsmiling and understated public persona often belied his great influence and charisma. Since 1991 he has been the undisputed and pre-eminent key player in the Horn - a formidable strategist whose role remained indispensable in the regional efforts to resolve deadly conflicts and contain militant Islamism. Domestically, his legacy is contested. To his ardent fans, he was a true revolutionary impelled by a great sense of mission to overturn the residual feudal and Stalinist structures of the ancient regime. He was the outsider whose genius led to the overthrow of an entrenched and deeply loathed dictatorship. His message of social justice and modernisation resonated with many in the homeland, especially the marginalised "lowlanders" in Oromia and Ogadenia. His concept of revolutionary democracy and ethnic federalism promised to create a fairer and inclusive order. Measured against these lofty and progressive ideals, his record has, at best, been patchy and rather uninspiring. The much-vaunted ambitious economic modernisation and liberalisation programme has created a new middle class, attracted huge foreign investment, spawned massive infrastructure projects, spurred economic growth and generally transformed the skylines of the major cities such as Addis Ababa and Mekele. But it has not tackled the deep structural and systemic problems and inefficiencies that have hampered real growth. The Stalinist land tenure system and the complex bureaucratic system are still intact, and the vast majority remain trapped in poverty. The democratisation and political reform process, which Mr Meles himself termed "work in progress", has long stalled. Since the disputed May 2005 polls, the regime has increasingly become intolerant and autocratic, using a raft of new legislation to stifle and criminalise dissent and lock up opponents. Why West will miss Meles Obituary: Meles Zenawi Life in pictures: Ethiopia's Meles Zenawi A plethora of old and new armed ethnic factions continue to wage low-level insurgencies in the periphery. The new policy of engagement and piecemeal peace pacts with a select few has so far only succeeded in managing the problem and buying the regime more time. Feeling vulnerable and insecure, Mr Meles has in the last few years become a leader whose overriding domestic political manoeuvres

Summary: The death of Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi has thrown the populous Horn of Africa giant into a period of deep uncertainty and created a serious leadership vacuum in the region with profound geopolitical implications.


The High Court in Glasgow heard that Andrew Patrick pointed a gun at Alistair Rankine before giving him a bag said to have a bomb inside. The 40-year-old then ordered the driver to steal cash from a Bank of Scotland branch in Kirkcaldy, Fife. Patrick will be sentenced next month after admitting assault and robbery at the High Court in Glasgow. The court heard Patrick was working as a gym instructor, earning up to Â£300 a week at the time, but prosecutor Allan Nicol said he was facing financial difficulties. On 11 November last year he called a taxi firm, putting on a fake Polish accent, and asked to be picked up at an industrial estate in Lochgelly. Wearing sunglasses and with a scarf covering his chin, he got into the cab while clutching two holdalls. Still pretending to be foreign, he then directed the driver to a dead end in Kirkcaldy where he pulled out a black handgun and said: "You'll be safe if you do what I say." The court heard he handed a typed note to Mr Rankine and insisted he hand it over to staff at the nearby Bank of Scotland in the town's Carberry Road. It stated: "There is a transmitter in your bank and the lines are wired. "We can hear you and know if you try to call police. There is a bomb strapped to this man... also in the bag. They can go off if transmitter detect signal or call." The taxi driver tried to raise the alarm while walking to the bank by telling a passerby: "I am a taxi driver - there is a boy in my taxi with a gun. It's not a wind up." Despite the warnings, police were alerted and the note was read over to them. A security alarm was also pressed. One worker looked in the holdall and saw what she assumed was a bomb. Mr Rankine eventually left the bank with almost Â£10,000, but by this time Patrick had gone. Bomb disposal experts were called but the explosives were found to be fake, each consisting of little more than tubes, cotton wool and a mobile phone circuit board. Patrick was identified as a suspect after his description was circulated and mobile phone records showed he was in the area at the time. A cap like one used by the robbery was found at his home and draft emails referring to a bomb were discovered on a computer by a work colleague. The court heard the taxi driver continues to suffer flashbacks, insomnia, anxiety and fear. Bank staff were also left "extremely shaken". The gun used in the robbery was found to be an imitation. The judge Lord Bannatyne remanded Patrick, of Lochgelly, in custody and deferred sentencing for reports.

Summary: A man has admitted forcing a taxi driver to carry out a bank robbery by threatening staff with a fake bomb.


The incident happened at the Edenderry Industrial Estate on the Crumlin Road on Wednesday afternoon. The Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) said four fire engines attended after a report that a 40 gallon drum had exploded. A man was taken to hospital with minor injuries. The Health and Safety Executive is investigating. NIFRS said the man had been taken to hospital before firefighters arrived at the scene.

Summary: A man has been critically injured in an oil drum explosion at an industrial estate in north Belfast.


An app which helps people share pictures of litter and report it to their local council may not seem a threat. But to one of the world's largest corporations it was, with the US internet giant's lawyers saying the name was "unacceptable". Trademark infringement cases are not new, so how have they been won or lost in the past? Back when the iPhone and Macbook were a twinkle in Steve Jobs' eye, there was a bigger Apple. Set up by The Beatles in 1968 to release their songs and manage their creative affairs, Apple Corps was the first. The dispute dates back to 1980, when the George Harrison noticed an advert for a fledgling computer company in a magazine. The sides reached a deal in 1981 allowing Apple to use the name as long as it stuck to computers, while The Beatles' company would continue in the entertainment field. With the advent of iTunes and the iPod this changed and battle recommenced. A deal was finally struck in 2007 with Jobs' Apple taking full control of the brand, licensing certain trademarks back to Apple Corps. A popular sandwich bar in Birmingham faced the wrath of Hollywood with its choice of Hungry Hobbit as the name for its business. The cafe chose the name in honour of the author who grew up in the Moseley area. But in 2012 lawyers for the Saul Zaentz Company objected saying it was trademark infringement. A campaign ensued with actor Stephen Fry voicing support for the eatery. As of 2016 its name remains the same. Before Little Mix became chart sensations they were plain old Rhythmix- a group of X Factor contestants pushed together in the hope of forming a successful girl band. Unfortunately for them, and X Factor, the name Rhythmix was already being used by a Brighton charity. Simon Cowell's show eventually caved in and a new name was sought. The four girls were said to have come up with the name Little Mix themselves. A comedy club chain may be responsible for forcing one of the biggest TV hits of the past 10 years to change its name. The owner of The Glee Club, Mark Tughan, took 20th Century Fox to court in 2014 arguing its TV show Glee breached its trademark rights. He won his case. What's more, he recently won an appeal. However, 20th Century Fox said it is planning a fresh round of appeals.

Summary: Instagram has ordered the owner of a British anti-litter app to change its name from Littergram, but how have other "David v Goliath" corporate name battles panned out and does the big guy always win?


It was the first time the Single Transferable Vote (STV) system had been used to select two members in the same ward in a by-election. The SNP topped the vote in the Leith Walk by-election, while Scottish Labour won the second seat from the Greens. The by-election was called after Deidre Brock of the SNP and Maggie Chapman of the Scottish Greens stood down. The SNP's John Lewis Ritchie topped the Leith Walk poll with 2,290 votes. He was elected at stage one in the STV process with a swing in first-preference votes of 7.6% from Labour. Labour's Marion Donaldson received 1,623 votes, ahead of Susan Jane Rae of the Scottish Greens on 1,381. Ms Donaldson was elected at stage 10 of the voting process after other preferences had been considered. The by-election was called after Ms Brock stood down when she was elected as the SNP MP for Edinburgh North and Leith in May. Ms Chapman, of the Scottish Greens, resigned from her post to concentrate on standing for the Scottish Parliament in next May's election. The turnout for the by-election was 25.1%. The SNP also held the Midlothian West seat on Midlothian Council with a swing of 6.3% from Labour. The party's Kelly Parry secured 1,540 votes, ahead of Labour's Ian Miller on 945 votes. The by-election was called after Owen Thompson was elected as SNP MP for the Midlothian constituency.

Summary: Two new councillors have been elected in a by-election in the City of Edinburgh.


The 21st Century successors to the Red Guards are not a physical presence. After the chaos of the Cultural Revolution and the tragedy of the Beijing massacre in 1989, young people are not allowed to demonstrate in China. But some now hound their enemies online. The underlying rage is reminiscent. The instinct for intimidation is the same. Despite all its strengths and all its engagement with the world, China is once again prey to political groupthink and fear. The latest trigger is a speech by a Chinese student at an American campus. On 21 May, at an official event, Shuping Yang praised the fresh air and freedom of speech she had found at the University of Maryland. The video clip of her speech quickly went viral and triggered an outpouring of anger from fellow Chinese students in the US and critics at home. Shuping Yang swiftly apologised, asked forgiveness and said she had no intention to belittle her country. But that was not enough to stop the flood of "I am proud of China" posts accusing her of lies and deception, or the online "human flesh searches" to dig up incriminating information about her and her family. Of course there are good reasons to be proud of China and every Chinese citizen is entitled to list them. In the past week alone, China has sent a submersible deep into the Mariana Trench and its world champion go player Ke Jie took on the AlphaGo AI computer programme and almost beat it. Every day ordinary Chinese people display the energy, talent and hard work of which their fellow citizens should be proud. But being proud of China does not mean denying another Chinese citizen the right to an opinion. In fact, Shuping Yang herself said she too was proud in her message of apology. The irony is that the very backlash against her has only served to make her point about the want of freedom of speech in her homeland. It has also highlighted a conflict between a commitment to free speech in Western countries that host large communities of Chinese students and the growing determination of the Chinese government and some of its citizens that free speech should be limited when it comes to talking about China, even beyond Chinese borders. Freedom of speech is any society's feedback loop. It means precisely the freedom to say what is different or what may even offend. Of course, different societies have a different view on how much of this is appropriate. But if China's freedom of speech goes no further than parroting the leader and attacking those who dare to speak from a different script, then its spirit is lurking in the shadow of the Mao era. Which brings us to Chairman Xi and his style of leadership. In English Xi Jinping is usually referred to as President Xi. But his power comes from being leader of the Communist Party and since taking up that role five years ago, he has collapsed the distinction between party and government and dramatically shrunk the space for

Summary: Half a century ago millions of Chairman Mao's Red Guards gathered in rallies in Tiananmen Square to chant slogans and wave their red books of his quotations in a show of loyalty to the ideas of the "Great Helmsman".


Wayne Rooney and Ashley Young are back in training after respective ankle and groin injuries and might be involved. Chelsea head coach Antonio Conte has a full-strength squad and could name an unchanged side. Cesc Fabregas and Willian are the most likely of any players to earn a recall. Guy Mowbray: "On paper it's one of the biggest fixtures of the season, but there are factors to suggest that this won't be a United-Chelsea classic. "A close one as with last month's FA Cup tie? Almost certainly. End to end attacking excitement? Probably not. "Chelsea will be fresher than United and quite frankly are much the better team right now, so Jose Mourinho is unlikely to set his side up for an open game. "Moreover, he'll be very keen to avoid any prospect of a third defeat of the season to his old side - and maybe more pertinently to Antonio Conte. "A fourth Old Trafford Premier League draw in a row will be a popular prediction." Twitter: @Guymowbray Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho on Chelsea: "It's not for no reason that they are top of the league. "It's not just because they're fresh but they have individual quality and they have collective quality. "They have a certain style of play, they stick to it, they do it very well. "For me, it is just a game. One more game. No difference for me." Chelsea head coach Antonio Conte: "I have zero problems [with Mourinho]. It's only a sporting competition between him and me. "There is a game of football. I want to try and win with my team. He wants to try and win with his team. It's normal to be at conflict during the game, but only a sporting conflict." I was tempted to go for a draw but, because of United's schedule, I am going to back Chelsea to take another step towards the title. Prediction: 0-2 Lawro's full predictions v singer Sting and his son. Head-to-head Manchester United Chelsea SAM (Sports Analytics Machine) is a super-computer created by @ProfIanMcHale at the University of Salford that is used to predict the outcome of football matches.

Summary: Goalkeeper David de Gea is expected to start for Manchester United after missing out against Sunderland with a hip problem and only making the substitutes' bench against Anderlecht.


The bank said profits before tax not including those settlements dropped 10% to £1.43bn for the July-to-September period. The result comes a day after the bank confirmed Jes Staley would be joining as its new chief executive. Barclays said it had seen slow progress with its so-called non-core businesses, which it is selling. Losses for the package of businesses, which includes some investment bank assets and parts of the European retail banking operation, more than doubled to £337m. Barclays provided £270m to settle claims in the US over mortgage bonds and £290m to compensate clients over bad foreign exchange rates. For the businesses the bank plans to keep, including its UK High Street bank and Barclaycard, profit rose 1% to £1.76bn. Including the £560m hit, and other costs and gains the bank considers to be one-offs, third-quarter profit before tax fell to £861m from £1.22bn a year ago. Revenues dipped to £6.1bn from £6.4bn for the June-to-September period. On Wednesday, Barclays announced that Mr Staley will be joining the bank as its new chief in December. Mr Staley currently works for US hedge fund Blue Mountain Capital Management, and previously has worked for JP Morgan. Barclays' previous chief executive, Antony Jenkins, was fired in July after falling out with board members. Mr Staley will be paid £1.2m in salary, £396,000 in pension contributions and as much as £5.5m a year in bonuses, which will mostly be paid in shares. He will also receive £1.15m in shares per year that he will have to keep for five years before cashing in. That is a total of £8.2m for the year, if he is awarded the maximum bonus. He will also receive shares in Barclays worth about £1.93m to replace shares in JPMorgan he will lose for leaving his former employer. In a letter to staff on Wednesday, Mr Staley indicated he would focus on areas of investment banking that did not require as much capital - the buffer of reserves it keeps to protect it from unexpected losses. Analysts said this could include such areas as merger advice and trading in stocks.

Summary: Barclays has reported a fall in third-quarter profits and set aside £560m for more customer refunds and litigation.


NHS England guidelines say that 85% of patients should wait a maximum of 62 days to begin their first treatment following referral from their GP. But figures show this slipped to 84.4% from January to March this year. Charities Cancer Research UK and Macmillan Cancer Support both said it was a worrying sign. The target for treating people diagnosed with cancer within 62 days fell from 85.8% during the previous quarter to 84.4% in the first three months of 2014. Mike Hobday, director of policy and research at Macmillan Cancer Support, said the number of trusts missing this target had doubled over the last year. "This is a clear warning sign that the NHS is under huge strain. "The UK already has some of the worst cancer survival rates in Europe. "More patients are now facing delays, which means more patients are facing anxiety for longer and more lives are being put at risk. "We're very worried that the coordination of cancer care is getting worse and that cancer is being overlooked in the new NHS." He said cancer patients were set to increase from two million to three million by 2020. Sarah Woolnough, executive director of policy and information at Cancer Research UK, said some patients were being failed. "The breach of the '62 day target' is very concerning, particularly as four in 10 of those who aren't treated within two months are having to wait three months or more. "These targets exist to encourage swift diagnosis of cancer and access to treatment, which is vital to improve survival rates. "Patients want confidence that suspected cancer is taken seriously and prioritised by the NHS. We hope urgent action will be taken to ensure this breach is a one off." Sean Duffy, national clinical director for cancer for NHS England, said work must be done to make sure standards are met. "It is vital cancer patients are diagnosed and treated quickly so they have the best possible chance of recovery," he said. "Latest figures show nationally the NHS has met and exceeded seven out of eight cancer waiting time standards. But there is variation in meeting the challenging standards, and national performance against one of the targets has dipped." He said clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) were working with local providers in areas where the standard is not being met to ensure patients are treated quickly. Other figures released by NHS England on cancer waiting times showed the number of people seen by a specialist within two weeks of an urgent GP referral for suspected cancer also dropped from 95.6% to 95%. For people urgently referred for breast symptoms, where cancer is not suspected, 93.9% are being seen within two weeks, compared to 95.5% previously. The target is 93%. In total, 60,425 patients with breast symptoms where cancer was not initially suspected were seen in the first three months of this year after being urgently referred.

Summary: A key government target for treating people diagnosed with suspected cancer has been breached for the first time since it was introduced in 2009.


Ron Jones, from Bassaleg, in Newport, only retired from collecting for the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal in 2016, after 30 years' service. Mr Jones's advice for living to a ripe old age is to simply "live your natural life, that's all I've ever done". He is celebrating his centenary with a family party. Mr Jones was captured in the Middle East during World War Two and said he arrived at Auschwitz in October 1943. He said he never spoke about his experience at Auschwitz until the release of a Steven Spielberg film about the holocaust in 1994. "Nobody seemed interested until they put the Schindler's List on and then everybody found out about it of course," he said. Speaking about his arrival at the camp, Mr Jones told BBC Wales: "We saw all this barbed wire and men in pyjamas digging trenches, and someone said to one of the guards 'who the heck are they?' "He said 'Jews', just like that, as though we should have known. "And we couldn't understand what the smell was. Someone asked, and he said 'oh that's the crematorium'. "It took us two or three weeks before we actually accepted that they were gassing and burning them." He has previously recounted his experiences at the camp where he worked six days a week in a factory and being permitted to play football with his fellow soldiers on Sunday. Mr Jones said he used playing football with a "rag ball" as a form of escapism and embroidered the Prince of Wales' feathers on his shirts using old socks. "It was a relief, you know, to do something." But he said he returned home a different person: "It altered me. My wife used to look at me and say 'you're not the man I married'. "Well, I wasn't. I was a changed man completely when I came home. I was in a hell of a state. "I used to get nightmares and boils and all sorts. "It took me about four or five years before I was a normal man again, and then she used to kiss me and say 'you're back to normal'." Of his 100th birthday celebration, Mr Jones quipped: "I'll be glad when it's over because of the fuss they're making." Ant Metcalfe, the Royal British Legion's manager for Wales, said: "By sharing his incredible story of survival and resilience with the press and media Ron has touched so many people and left a lasting impression on many." Mike Jones, Poppy Appeal organiser for Gwent, added: "Ron is a true ambassador, such a character and a real gentleman. Not only [was] he one of our oldest collectors but one of our most popular."

Summary: One of Britain's oldest poppy sellers, who was a prisoner of war in the Nazi death camp Auschwitz, celebrates his 100th birthday on Sunday.


The discussion centred mainly on the gas market, energy security and the risks of having to rely on supplies from Russia in the distant future. But, actually, the report says, the short-term risks in the gas market of things such as having to pay more for imports and security of supply are minimal. The £500m is actually made up of technical factors involving the electricity market, specifically if the UK fails to negotiate continued membership of the Internal Energy Market (IEM). That cost comes from things such as losing access to more efficient cross-border energy trading systems. But the report is clear such costs could be avoided if the UK remained part of the IEM, as non-EU members such as Norway have managed. The report is also concerned about the possibility of it becoming more expensive to finance big investment projects such as new power stations, but that is not part of the £500m. And it mentions potential problems involving the UK finding "itself excluded from EU 'solidarity principles' in which European nations agree to supply to their neighbours in the event of a gas supply crisis". It stresses the uncertainty surrounding the forecasts, but concludes: "The impact of Brexit on the UK energy system is very likely to be negative." But it does not say at least £500m, it says up to £500m. Reality Check verdict: There is considerable uncertainty about the figure and much of the effect could be avoided by staying in the IEM. READ MORE: The facts behind claims in the EU debate

Summary: A Vivid Economics report prepared for the National Grid shows leaving the European Union would put an extra £500m a year on to UK energy bills, Energy Secretary Amber Rudd has told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.


Speaking at the UN, Mrs Clooney said IS had declared it will "destroy" the country's Yazidi ethnic group through murder, rape and forced conversions. The British-Lebanese human rights lawyer said IS was also attacking Christians, and Shia and Sunni Muslims. Mrs Clooney, who is based in London, accused the UN of "inaction". She said: "The UN was created as the world's way of saying 'never again' to the genocide perpetrated by the Nazis. "And yet here we are, 70 years later, discussing the UN's inaction in the face of a genocide that we all know about, and that is ongoing." The UK is drafting a Security Council resolution to establish a UN investigation, but Mrs Clooney said the Iraqi government needs to send a letter formally requesting the inquiry before the 15-member council can vote. Mrs Clooney called for mass graves to be preserved and exhumed, and witness evidence to be recorded, even if it was not supported by Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, who was present at the UN meeting. Mrs Clooney said the organisation should press ahead regardless. She ended her speech to the UN by saying: "Don't let this be another Rwanda, where you regret doing too little, too late. Don't let Isis [Islamic State] get away with genocide." Who, What, Why: Who are the Yazidis? Mrs Clooney, a barrister at Doughty Street Chambers, appeared at the UN in New York to represent victims including Yazidi genocide survivor Nadia Murad. Ms Murad told UN members: "I can't understand why you are letting IS get away with it." Last year, the UN accused Islamic State for the first time of committing genocide against Yazidis in Iraq and Syria. A report said IS had subjected captured Yazidis to the "most horrific of atrocities", killing or enslaving thousands. At least 3,200 Yazidis were being held by IS, the report stated.

Summary: Lawyer Amal Clooney has urged the UN to act against so-called Islamic State by backing a UK-led investigation into the group's atrocities in Iraq.


Media playback is not supported on this device Hamilton, 30, won a thrilling United States Grand Prix to seal the drivers' title with his 10th victory of 2015. He pressured team-mate Nico Rosberg into a mistake during a frantic last 10 laps after a safety car and swept by. It was an exciting climax to a race of fluctuating fortunes, lead changes and superb racing in changing conditions. Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel could have kept the race open until Mexico next weekend had he finished second, but could manage only third place behind Rosberg. "Amazing," Hamilton told singer Elton John during the podium interviews. "I can't find the right words to tell you how amazing this feels. "I love you guys and everything you do for me. For all my family, I love you all." Rosberg's error came a lap after a restart following one of two safety car periods in a race that also featured two interruptions by the virtual safety car. Media playback is not supported on this device Before that, the advantage had continuously swung back and forwards between the two Mercedes drivers in a race of fluctuating fortunes. With 15 laps to go, it appeared as if Hamilton was going to miss out, as he led the race but appeared a sitting duck with Rosberg on fresher tyres and closing in behind after stopping under a virtual safety car period while Hamilton stayed out. But then a heavy crash for Red Bull's Daniil Kvyat when the Russian lost control at Turn 19 gave Hamilton a lifeline when the actual safety car was deployed. He stopped for fresh tyres and rejoined in second place, right behind Rosberg, and the two were set up for an all-out battle for victory in the closing 10 laps. Now Hamilton had the advantage, on tyres eight laps fresher, and on lap 48 of 56 Rosberg lost traction out of the Turn 12 hairpin at the end of the long back straight, his car flicked from side to side and he ran wide off the track as Hamilton swept into the lead. The German tried to come back at Hamilton but the Englishman held him comfortably at bay. Hamilton was told he had won the title over the radio on his slowing down lap and initially struggled to speak, apparently fighting back tears, before managing to thank the team and his family for their support. He then performed donut spins for the fans in the stadium section towards the end of the lap before touring back to the pits for the ceremonies. Hamilton's team-mate Rosberg congratulated the Briton as they prepared for the podium interviews, but then appeared furious when Hamilton tossed a 'second place' cap towards the German, who then launched it back toward the champion. Rosberg said: "It has never happened to me ever something like that [the error], I can't explain it. I just need to look into it afterwards. It was really tough at the time to lose the lead like that and the win. "Turn One for sure was very

Summary: Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton won his third Formula 1 World Championship to become only the second British driver after Sir Jackie Stewart to achieve the feat.


But such apparently excessive pay is not a new concern. Back in the early 1960s the Conservative government was interested in cutting back the sprawling and loss-making British railway network. The man who was chosen for the job was a senior ICI director called Dr Richard Beeching. He was appointed as chairman of the new British Railways Board in 1961 and two years later published his first, and infamous, report on "The Reshaping of British Railways". Even before he devised his controversial plans for pruning British Rail, there was another controversy, at least in the newspapers - over his pay. The Times reported in 1961 that Dr Beeching would be paid the same as his ICI salary while he was on secondment to the government. That was the then huge figure of £24,000, which was thirty times higher than the average annual UK salary of just over £800 a year and £14,000 more than that of the then Prime Minister Harold Macmillan. "Is this man - or any man - worth pounds 450 a week?" thundered the Daily Sketch. Let's fast forward a couple more decades to the 1980s. It was then that the current trend for spiralling executive pay took root. According to some analyses, the touch paper was lit by the boom in City salaries that followed the Big Bang of financial deregulation in 1986. That prompted not only a bidding war for City traders and the like, but attracted a rush of US investment banks who set up in London. They brought with them American-style pumped-up salaries, so fitting for the "greed is good" ethos famously espoused by the character Gordon Gekko in the film Wall Street. Outside the City, in 1987, the boss of the Burtons men's clothing firm, Sir Ralph Halpern, was paid £1.3m, becoming the first million-pound-a-year-businessman in the process. Since then, we have seen a parade of ever-higher pay packages for supposedly top executives. Public indignation over the issue boiled up. In 1994, the then chief executive of privatised British Gas, Cedric Brown, was pilloried as Cedric the Pig. He had enjoyed a 75% pay rise to £475,000 a year, for running what had been a boring state owned utility only a few years before. By the late 1990s, according to the High Pay Commission, the ratio of top pay to average pay had risen to 47 times. What could be done? There were various reports into corporate governance in the 1990s (Cadbury, Greenbury and Hampel) which pondered, among other things, how executive pay should be decided. None have had any effect on pay. And from time to time even big City shareholders have baulked at some of the more generous pay deals that executives have been able to wangle out of their companies, arguing that shareholders have been taken for a ride. So how to explain the boom in top salaries and pensions? The economist Paul Ormerod, who famously wrote a book "The Death of Economics" more than 20 years ago, wrote last year that we shouldn't look to his profession for an explanation.

Summary: The average pay for chief executives of firms in the FTSE 100 index is now 144 times that of the UK's average salary, says the High Pay Centre.


The Local Government Association said authorities were reviewing fire risk assessments and the construction of buildings. Staff are also working closely with tenants to review and offer fire safety advice. Police say at least 30 people died as a result of the west London blaze. Live: Latest updates on the Grenfell Tower fire Lord Porter, LGA chairman, said: "Following the horrific fire at Grenfell Tower, councils with tower blocks in their local area have been working with their local fire service, and undertaking urgent reviews of their high-rise buildings. "Fire risk assessments and the construction of buildings are being reviewed and double checks are being made to ensure remedial work recommended under previous assessments have been carried out." Extra fire safety checks were immediately organised across local authorities, including Camden, Newham, Croydon and Redbridge. In Leeds, which has 116 blocks, the council is carrying out a review of fire safety in all blocks as a matter of urgency, but reassuring residents adequate checks are already in place. In the Midlands, councils in Coventry and Birmingham, which have 38 high-rise blocks, say they have double-checked records and no buildings have cladding like the type used in Grenfell Tower. London fire: Homes offered to Grenfell victims London fire: Fire protesters storm town hall May promises 'proper investigation' into fire In Wolverhampton, the city council said that of the 36 tower blocks across the city, a number have external cladding. The authority said it was "confident" the cladding is of a correct standard, but will undergo urgent checks with manufacturers. Fire crews in Solihull have visited high-rise blocks to reassure residents. Senior councillors in Liverpool will hold a meeting with social landlords on Saturday, while the fire service is reviewing its inspection processes for high-rise buildings and prioritising inspections of high-rise premises across Merseyside. St Katherine's Court in Northampton, which was recently refurbished, was inspected earlier by the fire service. Management said cladding used is a different type to that used on Grenfell Tower. Meanwhile, fire services in Lincolnshire, Cambridgeshire and Humberside have also confirmed they will be visiting high-rise buildings. And in Cornwall, which has one tower block, a meeting with residents and council and fire officers is planned for next week. Lord Porter added: "Councils take the safety of residents extremely seriously. We need to know with certainty how this fire started and why it spread so quickly so that councils can start to take any action needed."

Summary: Councils across England are carrying out urgent reviews of high-rise buildings in the aftermath of the Grenfell Tower fire.


A further 24 shops have been closed down altogether, while police have also arrested 186 alleged offenders. The Home Office said it was "encouraged" that so many retailers had been "denied the chance to profit from this reckless trade". However, the charity DrugWise said the ban had driven the market underground. Legal highs became popular on the drug scene around 2008. They contain substances which mimic the effects of illegal drugs such as cocaine, cannabis and ecstasy and go by names such as Spice and Black Mamba. What are legal highs? 'Legal highs made me punch my own face' Laws criminalising the production, distribution, sale and supply of the drugs - known as the Psychoactive Substances Act - came into effect at the end of May. Commander Simon Bray, from the National Police Chiefs Council, said London's Metropolitan Police had also seized nearly 14,000 nitrous oxide or laughing gas canisters since the change. Mr Bray said although it was difficult to draw firm conclusions about the impact on use of the drugs, "intuitively I think it must have had an effect". "It will certainly make it less easy for the casual first-time user to get involved in this sort of stuff," he said adding that he believed many people were "lulled into buying these things" thinking they were legal and therefore safe. The Angelus Foundation, which educates people on the risks of legal highs, said it believed many online traders had also shut down. Jeremy Sare, director of communications at the charity, told the BBC: "I think the ban has made a big difference and we are supportive of the legislation. "What we are surprised about is the online supply hasn't surged. Traders seem to have stopped selling. It is still early days and we may look back in 12 months and see more online trading but many look to have closed. "Many were operating within the law but now the law has gone against them so they haven't continued." He said the two biggest groups still using the drugs were homeless people and prisoners. Greg, originally from Essex and now living in west Wales, told BBC Radio 5 live about his experience of a legal high known as Holy Smoke. "I had just a little bit... My head just started spinning and I had this paranoid feeling. I just wanted to go home and hide but I couldn't walk properly. I honestly thought that I was going to die. "From what I've heard it is still pretty regularly available. I think most people still think it's legal." "Alison" a recovering drug user, has also used legal highs. "They've got names like Train Wreck, Black Cobra and Pandora's Box," she said. "It's still really easy to get. You can get three packets for about Â£25. "No prices have changed. Nothing has changed at all. People are still walking around with it and selling it from home. I don't think it [the ban] has made one bit of difference." However, Harry Shapiro, director of DrugWise, said although the ban may have put off

Summary: More than 300 UK retailers are no longer selling so-called legal highs, three months after a ban was introduced, the Home Office has said.


Jamie Stevenson's entry, which incorporates a saltire, their black and white colours and their nickname - The Honest Men, won 48% of the votes. The Scottish Championship club were forced to find a new crest as their old one broke ancient heraldic law. Designs were whittled down to a shortlist of five that were voted on by the public. Commercial manager Graeme Miller told his club website: "Nobody wanted to change our badge. "However, when left with no option, I think the route we chose to take has been a hugely positively one. "We visited numerous local schools with our players and mascot Pandamonium and the response from the kids was incredible. "Hundreds of entries were sent in from local youngsters and hopefully the excitement generated when we visited them will have given them an interest in the club for the future." Winning designer Stevenson, who has lived in Peru for five years, attended his first Ayr match in 1979 and went on to design the club's match-day programme. A badge containing an anchor, representing Ayr's proximity to the sea, came second with 25%. The new badge will be adopted from 1 July.

Summary: An Ayr United fan living in Peru has designed the winner of an online poll to choose a new club badge.


The 24-hour industrial action is part of an ongoing dispute over staffing and the role of conductors. A strike planned for 4 April on Southern routes was moved to 8 April after the company offered fresh talks. Merseyrail said coinciding a strike with the race meeting would damage Liverpool's reputation. Speaking after its failed talks with the union on Monday, Merseyrail's managing director Jan Chaudhry-van der Velde said the strikes would "do immeasurable damage" as the "eyes of the world will be on Liverpool" during the Grand National. RMT general secretary Mick Cash said the "cynical and hostile stance from Merseyrail" left the union "with no option but to put on this additional strike action". He said the RMT "recognises the severe impact that the action will have" but asked the public "to understand that we have no option but to take this high-profile action to force the company back to the negotiating table". Mr Chaudhry-van der Velde said the RMT "has sunk to a new low" by inflicting "a barefaced attack on the reputation of our region" on "one of its proudest and most important days of the year". Merseyrail has "a range of contingency plans" which would "almost inevitably involve using buses to replace trains", he said. Mr Cash called on Southern to "get out of the bunker and to start making some progress". He said RMT members on Southern "have shown incredible strength and resilience throughout the past year" and "have been clear from the off that this is not a dispute about who opens the doors". "It is a dispute about a safe method of operation and about the guarantee of that crucial, second safety-critical member of staff," he said. A Southern spokesman said: "We have received no official confirmation from the RMT and will review our response when we do." Richard Allan, deputy managing director of Arriva Rail North, said he was "surprised" at the move as "we had been in contact with their officials in the last 24 hours to organise further talks". David Sidebottom, director of independent watchdog Transport Focus, said: "Yet more strikes are being dumped on passengers who may have to cancel plans or endure miserable journeys. "It is vital that all parties in this dispute get back around the table to resolve this matter without bringing the railway to a standstill." Up to 2,000 staff at Southern rail, Merseyrail and Northern rail walked out on 13 March in the ongoing dispute but only limited disruption was reported.

Summary: Workers on Southern, Merseyrail and Arriva Trains North are to hold fresh strikes on 8 April, the day of the Grand National, the RMT union has said.


Media playback is not supported on this device Sadio Mane scored twice in the space of 138 seconds as second-placed Spurs disappointed at Anfield. "If you start a game like we start then it is very difficult," said Pochettino. "It is difficult to fight for the Premier League if you show that lack of desire to play for a win." Chelsea can extend their lead at the top if they beat Burnley at Turf Moor on Sunday, and Pochettino added: "If Chelsea go 12 points clear, it is a big problem." Spurs have won just twice on the road since 24 September, including defeats at Chelsea and Manchester United in addition to draws at fellow top-six rivals Arsenal and Manchester City. In their past 17 meetings with the other top-six sides away from home, Pochettino's team have won just once. "In the first 45 minutes you saw a team that is not ready to fight for the Premier League," the Argentine told BT Sport. "We are in a position that is up to us. But if you show like today that you cannot cope with the pressure then it is difficult to challenge and fight for the Premier League." Former Liverpool and Spurs midfielder Danny Murphy on Match of the Day "I couldn't believe what I was watching, they had the best defensive record last season and the joint best this year, but they were all over the place. Against the big sides they have played with a back three but they had a back four today, but I think they should have stuck with what they have done against the big sides - play with a three. "It was so unlike Spurs, they do so well at home, but the contrast is amazing. There's a lack of pace, and a different mindset when they go away from home. They have to improve and quickly."

Summary: Tottenham showed a "lack of desire" to win the Premier League with their first-half display in the 2-0 loss at Liverpool, says manager Mauricio Pochettino.


Aberdeen's Graeme Shinnie was a notable absentee from the national coach's two separate squads named for friendlies against Czech Republic and Denmark. "I know Gordon can only pick so many, but I wouldn't swap him for anybody," said Dons boss McInnes. "I think he's the best left-back in the country." Celtic's 18-year-old left-back, Kieran Tierney, was one of six players - including Aberdeen midfielder Kenny McLean - to be called into a Scotland squad for the first time. While Tierney was named for the squad to face Denmark on 29 March, Hull City's Andrew Robertson is the natural left-back in the party to take on Czech Republic five days earlier. Versatile pair Steven Whittaker, of Norwich City, and Charlie Mulgrew, of Celtic, are also options for that role and are included in both squads. "I'm so disappointed that he's not in it," said McInnes of 24-year-old Shinnie, who joined Aberdeen from Inverness Caledonian Thistle last summer. "I'm really surprised that he's not in it. "It is just the manager's preference. It is his job to pick the squad and, let's not kid ourselves, he's done the job very well. "There is no criticism from me. I'm just disappointed for my own player but happy that Kenny's involved." Aberdeen paid St Mirren £300,000 for McLean just over a year ago. "I'm hoping Kenny goes and shows everybody at Scotland why we regard him so highly and why he's deserved his inclusion in the squad," said McInnes. "The challenge for Kenny now is to continue to improve with us, as he has been with us all season, and be a regular. "I think he's good enough to go and show that." McInnes had also been hoping that McLean's fellow 24-year-old midfielder, Ryan Jack, would receive a first call up. "Ryan's time will come, I firmly believe that," added the Dons manager. "He's just coming back from injury and it's maybe understandable why he's not in it. "He's just come back two or three games ago there, but I expect him to be pushing to be in future squads."

Summary: Gordon Strachan has omitted the best left-back in Scotland from his latest national squads, says a "surprised and disappointed" Derek McInnes.


The girl, named locally as Holly Hughes, is now in a stable condition after the crash involving a tanker and a van on the A44 in Powys on Tuesday. Her mother mother Alison Hind, 28, died in the crash. Ms Hind's uncle Martin Pugh, 47, and his partner's parents Margaret, 65, and John Kehoe, 72, were also killed. Holly was flown to the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff after the collision around 15 miles (24km) from Aberystwyth, near Eisteddfa Gurig, between the villages of Llangurig in Powys and Ponterwyd in Ceredigion. The family's Ford Focus was travelling east on the A44, the transit van was driving behind it and the tanker was going in the opposite direction. Local councillor Gareth Morgan described the incident as a "great tragedy" for the community. He said the road was known to be one of the most dangerous in Wales and said the crash called for a major assessment of its dangers. A Welsh government spokesperson said it was committed to doing all it could to make Wales' roads as safe as possible.

Summary: An 18-month-old girl who was the sole survivor of a crash which killed her mother and three relatives is improving in hospital, police have said.


Joshua, 27, and Ukraine's Klitschko, 40, had agreed terms on a world heavyweight title bout. But Klitschko is reportedly reluctant to fight without at least one of the WBA or WBO titles on the line. Hearn said he was "crossing fingers" that Klitschko took the fight. Both the WBA and WBO will need to sanction the bout for their respective belts to be made available, but are yet to do so. Britain's Tyson Fury beat Klitschko last November to win the WBA, IBF and WBO titles, before being stripped of the IBF title for failing to fight the mandatory challenger. Britain's Joshua then beat American Charles Martin to win the IBF belt in April. Last week, Fury, 28, relinquished his WBA and WBO belts and his boxing licence was then suspended. The WBC belt is held by American Deontay Wilder. "We are beginning discussions with other opponents now while crossing our fingers that Klitschko takes the fight, regardless of how many belts are on the line," Hearn told Sky Sports. Another option for Klitschko would be to fight New Zealander Joseph Parker for the WBO belt in Germany. "In an ideal world, there would be as many belts as possible on the line, but I hope he takes up the challenge rather than a soft touch in Germany," added Hearn.

Summary: Britain's Anthony Joshua will defend his IBF heavyweight title in Manchester on 10 December whether it is against Wladimir Klitschko or another fighter, says promoter Eddie Hearn.


On Saturday, sirens sounded for a third consecutive day warning of an incoming rocket fired from Gaza. People spending the Jewish Sabbath by the beach were sent rushing for cover. The Israeli military used its Iron Dome defence system to intercept and destroy the missile. A fifth battery had been added to it, just outside the city, only hours earlier. After the explosion, close to the coast, a small black cloud was left hanging in the sky over the sea. Tel Aviv is Israel's largest city and commercial centre but it is also a popular place to relax or party. However, despite the sunshine, outdoor restaurants, parks and pavements were much quieter over the weekend. It has taken a psychological adjustment for locals to realise that they too are now within the firing range of certain Palestinian rockets - believed to be the Iranian-made Fajr-5, which can reach up to 75km (45 miles). "For Tel Aviv people this is a bit of a shock. The rockets hit all the time in the north and south of Israel but in Tel Aviv this never happens. I've lived here for ten years," said a jogger, Tzipi. Soli, who was carrying his little daughter, remarked: "Everyone is talking about it. You can see the streets are emptier than usual and this is from just a few missiles." But he said there was broad support for the continuing military offensive in the Gaza Strip. "I'm not happy with the situation where we are bombing Gaza but I think we have to do it, we have to defend ourselves," he said. A retired man, Amos, agreed that Palestinian militants posed a real threat. "We have to finish this problem. This is the language they understand, not the language of peace," he said. Asked about the government decision to authorise the call-up of up to 75,000 military reservists, he gave his strong approval. "We have the force. We need to have it," he said. "I'm sorry about it but this is our life, our destiny." With Israeli troops continuing to head towards the Gaza border and speculation about a possible ground invasion, this is a difficult time for families with members serving in the military. "I'm very worried because my son is doing his national service. He will go south," one man said as his wife's eyes filled with tears. "This is what happens, I cry every time I think of my son," she added. The Israeli military, which has its vast headquarters in Tel Aviv, told the BBC that its offensive was putting Hamas, which governs Gaza, "under great pressure". However, spokeswoman Avital Leibovich confirmed that incursions still remained a possibility. "We are getting ready for an option of ground operation. It's not decided yet but it's an option we're considering at this point," she said. "Some troops were asked to approach specific areas surrounding the Gaza Strip. Some are already there, some are on their way." In the southern part of Tel Aviv, journalists were shown around the emergency control room for the municipality, located in

Summary: Tel Aviv is beginning the new working week on a higher level of alert.


It is likely to include a scrappage scheme for older diesel cars in areas with high levels of dirty air. Speed bumps could be removed in some cities to cut pollution from cars slowing down and speeding up. Environmental lawyers ClientEarth said they would "thoroughly analyse" the proposals. According to the Royal College of Physicians, air pollution across the UK is linked to around 40,000 premature deaths every year. The UK has struggled to keep within EU limits on some pollutants, particularly nitrogen dioxide (NO2), which is produced by diesel engines and is linked to a range of respiratory diseases including asthma. Some 37 of the 43 regions of the UK are in breach of NO2 limits. Under earlier government plans, some parts of the UK would not have met EU NO2 standards until 2030. The original deadline to achieve these limits was 2010. Exasperated by what they believed was government foot-dragging on the question of cleaner air, ClientEarth mounted a legal challenge to force faster action. In April 2015, the UK Supreme Court ruled the government had to take immediate steps on the issue. Unhappy with the timescales in the plan that was then produced, ClientEarth went to the High Court last November for a judicial review. Once again the court supported the lawyers, telling the government that its scheme was "woefully inadequate" and giving ministers until 24 April this year to produce a new draft. With a general election in the offing, the government last week asked the judge for permission to delay the draft plan. But Mr Justice Garnham disagreed and ordered publication by 9 May. "These steps are necessary in order to safeguard public health," he said. Earlier this week, the government said it would not appeal against the ruling and would publish. In their previous plans, ministers wanted to create "clean air zones" in five cities outside London with high levels of NO2. Only the most polluting vehicles would have to pay a charge to enter the zone under that scheme. The new draft plan is expected to create many more such zones. Councils will be given the power to impose fines or restrictions on all polluting vehicles in these areas. In the worst cities, so called "toxin taxes" could range up to Â£20 a day but the government is said to be keen not to punish drivers who bought diesels as a result of incentives brought in by a previous Labour administration. This is something that the lawyers at ClientEarth support. "Successive governments have encouraged people to buy diesel. We don't want to see diesel drivers vilified, and we think the plans should also include properly funded incentives to help people move to cleaner forms of transport," said ClientEarth CEO James Thornton. "We will thoroughly analyse the government's draft plans when they are produced. If we do not think they are in line with the court order, to deal with illegal levels of pollution as soon as possible, then we will consider our next steps." According to newspaper reports, the government has agreed to back a

Summary: The UK government is set to publish a draft air pollution plan after a protracted legal battle with environmental campaigners.