Luke Gale put Tigers ahead, grounding a loose ball after Salford failed to handle a high kick. Murdoch-Masila's try reduced the deficit to two as Gareth O'Brien missed the conversion, but Greg Minkin powered over to extend Castleford's lead. Murdoch-Masila scored his second try to get Salford within two points, before O'Brien's penalty and drop-goal won it. Castleford had been top of Super League before the game after winning their opening four matches, but Wigan's draw with Huddersfield means they fall to second in the table. Tigers are the leading scorers in the competition this season, but they struggled to break down a resilient Salford defence. O'Brien missed his first attempt at a drop-goal, but Castleford knocked on from the restart to allow the former Tigers loanee a second effort. His kick earned Salford their third win of the season, taking them up to fifth in the early table. Salford head coach Ian Watson told BBC Radio Manchester: "I just thought our team mentality and our group unity in what we set out to do this week was brilliant. "I thought our middles were phenomenal, they controlled our pack. "He [Ben Murdoch-Masila] is a tough kid and he's a great player as well, we just need to get him up fully fit now and get him running properly." Castleford head coach Daryl Powell told BBC Radio Leeds: "I'm disappointed, it was a poor performance. "It was a tight game, conditions dictated a fair bit, but I thought we just went into ourselves way too much in the second half. "It was just one of those games where we just couldn't quite get going, but I thought they played really well. "If we'd have got a draw at the end it would have probably been a travesty, I thought they deserved to win the game." Salford: O'Brien; Johnson, Welham, Sa'u, J Carney; Lui, Dobson; Walne, Tomkins, Mossop, Murdoch-Masila, Griffin, Flanagan. Replacements: Brining, Krasniqi, Lopczak, T Carney. Castleford: Hardaker, Minikin, Webster, Shenton, Eden; Roberts, Gale; Lynch, McShane, Massey, Sene-Lefao, McMeeken, Milner. Replacements: Millington, Moores, Cook, Springer.

Summary: Ben Murdoch-Masila scored two tries as Salford fought back to end Castleford Tigers' unbeaten start to the season.


Northumberland County Council said the weather was now warm enough for its Jetpatcher machines to tackle the holes. It is hoped that 145 potholes each day will be "filled in" over the next four months, the council said. Extra staff will also be out repairing drainage systems damaged by heavy rain and to clear debris from gutters.

Summary: A county council has set aside £1m to fix almost 3,000 portholes created during Storm Desmond flooding.


Cornish-born Glover was meant to be back with winning partner Heather Stanning, but Glover, 27, won the with Swann last season. "We had a whole year together last year so hopefully it'll click into place," she told BBC Radio Cornwall. "It's clicking into place fairly easily, we just need to get back onto the same page technically and get doing the same things." Swann replaced Stanning last season after she Glover and Swann won three World Cup events together last season as well as the world title in South Korea. And with a good performance in Amsterdam, Glover says there could be some tough decisions for the Great Britain selectors as to who partners her in the coxless pair for the rest of this season. She said: "It's going to be a quite interesting one with Heather coming back after taking a year out with the army and Polly staying here. "There's lots of selection things about who will be in the pair out of those two. "But I want to keep my eye on the World Championships at the end of August in Amsterdam. "It'd be great to try and hold on to our world champion title, whoever else is in the boat with me."

Summary: Helen Glover expects her partnership with Polly Swann to develop quickly as they prepare for the European Championships in Belgrade.


Phase one of the project will take 10 weeks to complete and will see demolition of the rear function room of the Ship and Anchor pub. An old library building will also be knocked down and a new car park built. Pembrokeshire council also wants to create a one-way system, footways and a public transport hub, with work starting later this year. The master plan includes a new link road, retail units and the demolition of buildings, including the derelict Fishguard Junior School, on 1.5 hectares (3.7 acres) of land. Councillors hope it could encourage further investment in the town.

Summary: Work has begun on plans to alleviate traffic congestion and regenerate Fishguard town centre in Pembrokeshire.


Attention is focusing on how Khalid Masood was able to enter the Carriage Gates entrance of Parliament before he was confronted and subsequently shot. One security expert said the breach may have been a product of complacency. Ministers insist the police did their job and Parliament can't be sealed off - and a security review is under way. A Parliamentary spokesman said security was always under "constant review" but the building had to remain "open and accessible" for it to function. The review follows the fatal stabbing of PC Keith Palmer in the grounds of the Palace of Westminster. Ministers have declined to comment on unconfirmed reports that his alleged assailant was shot dead by a member of Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon's close protection team, who happened to be at the scene, rather than a uniformed officer stationed at the gate. Some MPs regard the carriage gates entrance, which is used by government cars to drop off and pick up ministers, as a weak point in the security perimeter. It is manned by two police officers but they are not always armed and the gate is often open, unlike other entrances to the Palace of Westminster. The Times reported that a 2005 review had found the entrance to be a weak point, primarily due to the number of delivery vans using it. The paper quoted parliamentary sources as saying any changes at the time had been regarded as "too cumbersome". The Met Police said the current security arrangements had been in place for many years and were "designed to provide access to the seat of our government balanced carefully with security that is proportionate but not overly intrusive". "Of course, after an incident like this, as would be expected, my team will work with parliamentary authorities to assess whether a different tone or a different balance is necessary," Assistant Deputy Commissioner Mark Rowley said on Friday. Parliament, which oversees its own security, said the arrangements should reflect the level of risk it faced. "As is good practice following any significant incident, the Houses in conjunction with the police and other bodies will also be carrying out a review of security around this specific incident," a spokesman said. Former Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers has said there is now a case for all police officers guarding Parliament and other "sensitive sites" to be routinely armed. There are two Metropolitan Police officers manning Carriage Gates at all times. Behind the gates there is a hut staffed by a third officer, whose job is to monitor pedestrians exiting the estate. All three officers are issued with stab vests. They check to ensure the driver of a vehicle or bicycle has the correct parliamentary pass. Cars are security vetted beyond the gates. They all have two way radios so can call for help in emergencies. Armed police are on patrol throughout the Parliamentary estate at all times but they are more visible at times of heightened security. Security expert Professor Anthony Glees said the attack had demonstrated a "lack of protection" within Parliament. "I am

Summary: Questions continue to be asked about whether Wednesday's fatal terror attack in Parliament could have been prevented if more officers had been armed.


McManus netted from close range on the quarter-hour mark to open the scoring and Ross Forbes' deflected strike quickly doubled Morton's lead. A shot by Kyle McAusland pulled Alloa back into the game before half-time. But another McManus finish and one by Denny Johnstone late on ensured a comfortable win for the hosts.

Summary: Declan McManus scored twice as Greenock Morton beat Scottish Championship bottom side Alloa Athletic, who remain 10 points adrift.


The number two seeds completed a 44-38 victory over China, who were champions in London four years ago. Find out how to get into fencing with our special guide. Romania, who finished sixth in the team epee in London, were in control throughout the game after winning the opening bout. The Russian team secured their sixth bronze of these games with a narrow 37-31 victory over Estonia. Subscribe to the BBC Sport newsletter to get our pick of news, features and video sent to your inbox.

Summary: Romania's women won gold in the women's team epee to secure their country's first medal at Rio 2016.


The trunk road drops from 150m (492ft) to 20m (65ft) as it enters a valley at the braes in Caithness. There have been accusations from business leaders and politicians that the problem with this section of the A9 was being "ignored". Documents key to progressing the improvements have been published. The documents, called made orders, are part of the process towards eventually appointing a contractor and then starting work in 2018, Transport Minister Humza Yousaf has said. He added: "The Scottish government has been working to progress the much-needed improvements to the A9 at Berriedale Braes. "The hairpin bend and steep hill at Berriedale Braes has presented drivers, in particular HGVs and other long vehicles, with a very challenging road to negotiate. "Having got the go-ahead last December following the public local inquiry, we are now able to publish the made orders for the scheme as a clear signal of our commitment to deliver this scheme."

Summary: Construction of planned improvements to a challenging hairpin bend on the A9 at Berriedale Braes could begin next year, the Scottish government has said.


Convicted criminal Steven Johnson had been wanted since January 2014 after breaching the terms of his parole. Police believe the 40-year-old went to Spain, where he posted Facebook and Twitter messages challenging officers to find him. He was arrested in Whiston, Merseyside, on Thursday and returned to jail. Read updates on this story and more from across Merseyside and Cheshire. Johnson, of Prescot, was serving a sentence of six years and 11 months for possession with intent to supply class A drugs, before being released on licence. During his time on the run, he used aliases on social media sites to post messages and photographs, including several of himself posing in front of luxury cars. In one message, he wrote: "Just got out of bed. Going for a massage." Merseyside Police said Johnson had now "got his wish". Sgt Mark Worrall said: "The arrest of Johnson shows that we never give up. "Johnson has been wanted on recall to prison for two years and he has obviously been living the high life abroad, but that has been cut short and he's now back behind bars."

Summary: A man wanted on recall to prison who taunted police with social media posts telling them "catch me if you can" is back behind bars.


The move comes barely two weeks after the NFF opened an investigation into reports that Keshi applied to manage Ivory Coast while under a valid contract with Nigeria. Keshi recently claimed an un-named agent had submitted his name without his knowledge for the Ivory Coast position. the Nigeria Football Federation has decided to exercise its option to summarily terminate the employment contract of Mr. Stephen Keshi with the Federation with immediate effect An NFF statement outlined his fate. "Having thoroughly reviewed the reports/findings of the NFF Disciplinary Committee and NFF Technical and Development Committee, as well as having reviewed the actions and inactions of Mr. Stephen Keshi, in the performance of his duties as Super Eagles' Head Coach, which we found to lack the required commitment to achieve the Federation's objectives as set out in the Coach's employment contract." "To this end and pursuant to the provisions of Clause 4.3 of the Employment Contract between Mr. Stephen Keshi and the NFF (The Contract) and the various clauses therein, the Nigeria Football Federation has decided to exercise its option to summarily terminate the employment contract of Mr. Stephen Keshi with the Federation with immediate effect." The NFF also said Keshi's sacking was "without prejudice to the settlement of any existing and due financial obligations between the NFF and Mr. Keshi." Keshi, a former captain of the national team, led the side to the 2013 Nations Cup title in South Africa and also qualified the Super Eagles for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, where they reached the second round before losing to France. His contract was not renewed after the World Cup but he later returned on a match-by-match deal, which ended in November after failure to reach the 2015 Nations Cup. As caretaker coach, Keshi endured a turbulent 2014, in which he was sacked by the NFF and only reinstalled after intervention from then Nigeria President Goodluck Jonathan. The 53-year-old, who returned for his third spell in April, led his side to a 2-0 home win against Chad in a 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in June, but has now been shown the exit door after less than three months in charge. Meanwhile, Shaibu Amodu who was formally appointed the country's technical director last week, takes over as caretaker coach and will be assisted by Salisu Yusuf until a permanent successor is appointed. Amodu who has previously managed the national team on four different occasions returns to the helm for a fifth time. He led Nigeria to a third-place finish in the 2002 Nations Cup and also held the job between 1994 and 1997. Amodu previously helped the country to qualify for the 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea. Under his stewardship, Nigeria qualified for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa but Amodu was sacked despite the team's third-place finish at the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations in Angola. It was the second time he had been removed from his post ahead of a World Cup finals tournament - Amodu was also fired ahead of the 2002 edition

Summary: Stephen Keshi has been sacked as coach of Nigeria and replaced by Shaibu Amodu, the country's Football Federation (NFF) has announced.


Valery Gergiev, a supporter of Russia's President Vladimir Putin, conducted the Mariinsky Symphony Orchestra, from St Petersburg, at Palmyra's Roman Theatre. Last July, IS posted footage online showing some of its fighters carrying out killings in the ancient theatre. Syrian forces, backed by Russian air strikes, retook the historic site. Palmyra in pictures Mr Gergiev led the orchestra through pieces by Johann Sebastian Bach, Sergei Prokofiev and Rodion Shchedrin, in front of a crowd of Russian soldiers, government ministers and journalists. Pictures of the concert, broadcast on Russian state television, were occasionally interrupted by footage of military action - showing Russian military backing for Syrian government forces as they liberated Palmyra from IS militants. Mr Gergiev was until recently principal conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra and is music director of the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra. In 2014, he backed Mr Putin over the annexation of the Crimea from Ukraine. In 2008, he performed in the capital of South Ossetia when Russia and Georgia were fighting over the territory. The maestro described the concert as a protest against the barbarism and violence exhibited by Islamic State militants who had used the city's Roman amphitheatre to execute prisoners. The Russian president also addressed the audience, by video link from his Black Sea residence in Sochi. He called terrorism a contagion of which the world needed to rid itself, and said the fact the concert was taking place at all was "surprising". "Today's action involved major inconvenience and dangers for everyone, being in a country at war close to where hostilities are still ongoing. That has demanded great strength and personal courage from you all," he said. However, UK Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said the concert was "a tasteless attempt to distract attention from the continued suffering of millions of Syrians. It shows that there are no depths to which the regime will not sink". This is about more than just music. By organising a concert in the ruins of Palmyra, Russia wants the world to see that it is making a positive contribution in Syria: bringing peace and stability to the country, and, in the case of Palmyra, saving a Unesco heritage site. Moscow will be hoping that images of its classical musicians in Syria will reinforce the message that Russia is a force for good. Such a musical message will be well received back home. For months now, Russian TV has been assuring viewers Russia's military intervention in Syria has benefited the world by taking on international terrorism. But Western officials remain suspicious of Russia's intentions. Moscow has faced accusations that it has not done enough to rein in Syrian government forces. The Russians deny that and accuse America of not using its influence with the Syrian opposition to halt the fighting. One of the soloists at the concert was cellist Sergei Roldugin, a friend of Putin's, who was recently named as the owner of offshore companies in the so-called Panama Papers. He denies all wrongdoing. Islamic State destroyed a number of monuments during its 10-month occupation of Palmyra and its associated Unesco

Summary: A renowned Russian conductor has led a concert in the ruins of Palmyra in Syria, which were recaptured from the so-called Islamic State (IS) in March.


The research firm warns he could disrupt the global economy and heighten political and security risks in the US. However, it does not expect Mr Trump to defeat Hillary Clinton who it sees as "his most likely Democratic contender". He is rated as riskier than Britain leaving the European Union or an armed clash in the South China Sea. China encountering a "hard landing" or sharp economic slowdown and Russia's interventions in Ukraine and Syria preceding a new "cold war" are among the events seen as more dangerous. "Thus far Mr Trump has given very few details of his policies - and these tend to be prone to constant revision," the EIU said in its global risk assessment, which looks at impact and probability. The EIU ranking uses a scale of one to 25, with Mr Trump garnering a rating of 12, the same level of risk as "the rising threat of jihadi terrorism destabilising the global economy". "He has been exceptionally hostile towards free trade, including notably Nafta, and has repeatedly labelled China as a 'currency manipulator'," the EIU said. It warned his strong language directed towards Mexico and China in particular "could escalate rapidly into a trade war". Mr Trump has called for a "big big wall" to be built on the US-Mexican border, paid for by Mexico, to keep illegal immigrants and drug dealers out of the United States. Why is Donald Trump considered only slightly less of a threat to global security than a new Cold War? Perhaps it is because unlike traditional presidential front-runners the candidate has little or no policy substance to back up his shoot-from-the-hip-style pronouncements. Want details on how the New Yorker would restructure US trade relations with China? Or how he would implement his proposed Muslim immigration ban? Good luck finding out. Mr Trump has been promising to reveal his foreign policy team since mid-February, but the deadline keeps getting extended. A well-developed foreign policy campaign structure would provide not only substance behind Mr Trump's rhetoric, it would also give foreign leaders connections for their questions. So far, however, it seems international affairs and national security experts in the US are more focused on stopping Mr Trump than trying to help him. Until that changes, expect the global alarm bells to continue to sound. On the campaign trail, Mr Trump has advocated killing the families of terrorists and invading Syria to eradicate the so-called Islamic State group and appropriate its oil. "His militaristic tendencies towards the Middle East and ban on all Muslim travel to the US would be a potent recruitment tool for jihadi groups, increasing their threat both within the region and beyond," the EIU added. Critics of Mr Trump have raised similar concerns. However, the businessman is moving closer to clinching the Republican presidential nominee ticket after winning most of the popular vote in primary elections. Mr Trump, who has no prior political experience, has said his supporters would "riot" if he was denied the nomination. In the event he does win the nomination and presidency, the EIU forecasts that

Summary: Donald Trump winning the US presidency is considered one of the top 10 risks facing the world, according to the Economist Intelligence Unit.


The Joiners Arms, in Hackney Road, east London, shut in 2015. Regal Homes, which wants to build nine flats on the site, incorporating a bar, has agreed to the planning condition, believed to be the first of its kind. Tower Hamlets Council imposed the condition after the area lost 73% of its LGBT venues since 2006. The Joiners Arms originally opened as an LGBT venue in 1997 and included fashion designer Alexander McQueen among its customers. Regal Homes, which bought the site in 2014 - a year before the pub closed - has said it will give an LGBT operator first refusal on a 12-year lease for a new bar. It added the redevelopment was expected to create 1,073 jobs. The council has been working with Amy LamÃ©, the mayor of London's "Night Czar", on how to bring back a LGBT venue to Hackney Road. In the application she says protecting LGBT venues is a "key part" of boosting London's "night-time economy". "They contribute to London's economy, generate stronger and more resilient communities and are vital for many people's freedom of expression," she said. "London has lost a quarter of its pubs and half of its nightclubs over the last 10 years." She added a University College of London report showed the capital had lost 58% of its LGBT venues over the past decade, while Tower Hamlets had lost slightly more. The czar said the report specifically cited the closure of The Joiner's Arms as one of several high-profile LGBT venues to shut in recent years. The development is expected to be given the go ahead at a meeting of the council's planning committee on Wednesday. John Biggs, mayor of Tower Hamlets, added: "Tower Hamlets Council is committed to celebrating our great diversity, which includes serving the needs of our LGBT+ community. "I am delighted that as a council we are leading the way in using innovative ways to protect spaces such as the Joiners Arms site."

Summary: Council officials have insisted a redevelopment of a former gay pub in London still includes an LGBT venue for the plans to go ahead.


It said the memory chips from the Su-24 bomber downed on the Syrian border were destroyed or badly damaged. The Russians had hoped to prove the plane never entered Turkish airspace, as claimed by Ankara. Work will continue to try to retrieve the data. The incident sparked a major bilateral crisis, with Russia imposing sanctions. The Russian military representatives presented their preliminary findings in Moscow on Monday, after opening the "black box" on Friday in the presence of international experts. Some 13 of the 16 chips had been destroyed, while x-ray tests on the others showed extracting information would be impossible using normal methods. What we know about how the Su-24 was downed How Russia's sanctions could hit Turkey The war of words as it erupted However, the BBC's Sarah Rainsford in Moscow says further work will be done to see if other methods of retrieving the data are possible. The Su-24 was shot down by F-16 fighters on 24 November. Turkey insists that the jet, from the Russian air contingent deployed in Syria in support of President Bashar al-Assad, ignored warnings to leave its airspace. Both crew members ejected but the pilot was killed, apparently by militants on the ground while the navigator was rescued. A Russian marine sent to rescue the crew was also killed and a helicopter destroyed on the ground. Russia says the plane was shot down within Syrian airspace. President Vladimir Putin has described Turkey's action as a "stab in the back" committed by "accomplices of terrorists". Russia has demanded an apology from Turkey and in the meantime has imposed sanctions including a ban on package holidays, which could cost Turkey billions of dollars.

Summary: Data on the flight recorder of the Russian war plane downed by Turkey last month has so far proved to be unreadable, Russia's military has said.


The "iPitch" at the Stobart Stadium was criticised by former Warrington full-back Richie Mathers, who posted images of grazes to his body on Twitter. He described the surface, on which his side won 32-14, as an "absolute joke". But Widnes claim that Mathers' injuries are more likely the result of the icy conditions the match was played in. The club's chief executive, Julie Gaskell, stated: "We had four games on the pitch this weekend and you have to bear in mind the extreme weather. On Friday night, it went down to minus seven. We are happy for Widnes to continue using the iPitch "The injuries are consistent with those on any surface in those temperatures. We noted there were similar injuries from the game at Salford on Saturday. "Our players have been training on a similar surface for the last nine months and there have been no issues. I am sure any problems would have shown up. "We have also had five-a-side football and boys and girls tag rugby on the pitch over the last four weeks and again we have had no reported injuries." The Rugby Football League say their match commissioner had no concerns about the surface, which is the first artificial pitch ever to be used in the sport. "We are happy for Widnes to continue using the iPitch," said RFL spokesman John Ledger. "The indications are that it posed no more danger to players than on any other surface over the weekend. We believe the extreme weather may have been an issue."

Summary: Widnes have rejected concerns raised about the safety of their artificial pitch following Friday night's Super League opener against Wakefield.


It follows a long dispute over the future of education in the town, which would see the Tasker Milward and Sir Thomas Picton schools shut down. They could be replaced with an English medium high school on a different site. After a heated debate, councillors voted 28 to 22 in favour of another consultation. A previous consultation was abandoned last November after the trustees of the Tasker Milward and Picton Charity group warned they were considering launching a judicial review. Plans for a new Welsh medium school in Haverfordwest are continuing under a separate process.

Summary: Pembrokeshire councillors have voted to begin a fourth consultation on plans to shake-up education in Haverfordwest.


Five people died and dozens were hurt after an attacker - now named as Khalid Masood - drove a car on a pavement, stabbed a policeman and was shot dead by police in the grounds of Parliament. Addresses in Birmingham and London have also been searched. Dyfed-Powys Police said the search in Carmarthenshire concluded on Thursday. A force spokeswoman said: "The Wales Extremism and Counter Terrorism Unit, supported by officers of Dyfed-Powys Police, have today provided assistance to The Metropolitan Police, following yesterday's incident in London. "In doing this, they have conducted a search of one property in Carmarthenshire - this search has concluded. "The occupants are receiving appropriate support. They are not suspects and have not been arrested." There is no threat to the area, the force added, having earlier said it was "increasing patrols". On Thursday evening, the Met confirmed a 75-year-old man was the fifth person to die in the wake of the attack. The force said eight arrests have been made in the capital and in Birmingham - three women and five men - with searches at addresses in Brighton and south east London having now concluded. Earlier, police formally identified the man believed to have been responsible for the Westminster attack as Masood, a 52-year-old from Kent who was born Adrian Elms and who was thought to have most recently been living in the West Midlands. Police said Masood was not the subject of any existing investigations and there was "no prior intelligence about his intent to mount a terrorist attack". However, he was known to police and had a range of previous convictions for assaults, including causing grievous bodily harm, possession of offensive weapons and public order offences. South Wales Police and Gwent Police said they were reviewing their respective security arrangements in light of the incident and there would be an increase in police presence in busy areas. North Wales Police has asked people to remain vigilant and report anything suspicious. The Islamic State group has said it was behind the attack. Those killed by the attacker include PC Keith Palmer, Aysha Frade, who worked at a London college, and Kurt Cochran, 54, from Utah, United States. Seven of the injured are still in hospital, with five in a critical condition and two having life-threatening injuries. A further 29 were treated in hospital, police said.

Summary: Detectives investigating Wednesday's terror attack in London have finished searching an address in Carmarthenshire.


The company reported profits of $98m (£65m) for the quarter, after posting a big loss for the same period last year. The Z10 handset is seen as crucial to the future of Blackberry, which has struggled to keep up with new Apple and Android phones. It has been on sale for a month in the UK, Canada and other markets. It went on sale with little fanfare a week ago in the United States, Blackberry's most important market. The latest figures do not include US sales. Blackberry was previously called Research In Motion, but changed its name last year. Analysts greeted the results cautiously, saying that it was too early to judge the success of the Z10 and its sister device the Q10. Earlier in the week, Blackberry shares were hit when two major US brokerages expressed disappointment with the US launch of the Z10. In a note to its clients, Citigroup described the launch as "a big disappointment". The Blackberry results also showed the company lost three million users over the year. Its handsets are now used by 76 million people, down from 79 million 12 months ago. In total, Blackberry said it had shipped a total of about six million handsets in the three months to early March.

Summary: Mobile phone maker Blackberry says it shipped one million of its new Z10 smartphones in the first three months of 2013.


The force backed down from its policy of arming some officers for routine duties following a backlash last year. Giving evidence at Holyrood, Assistant Chief Constable Bernie Higgins said armed officers were among the best trained in the force. But he accepted police intelligence could sometimes get it wrong. Assistant Chief Constable Higgins told Holyrood's justice sub-committee that during a recent incident in Edinburgh two armed officers were confronted with a man wielding a knife. One was stabbed four times, he said, but the officers did not shoot the attacker because they feared it would put members of the public standing nearby at risk. Assistant Chief Constable Higgins said in another instance armed officers had comforted an injured pensioner in the street and intervened to prevent street brawls developing further. But he also confirmed that they had issued fixed penalties for public urination, drinking in the street and breach of the peace. In October, following pressure from politicians and civic society, Police Scotland said specialist armed police officers in Scotland would in future only be deployed to firearms incidents or where there is a threat to life. Earlier this month, in front of the same committee, Assistant Chief Constable Higgins said since October 2014 armed officers had "engaged with the public" on 1,644 occasions, including stopping drink-drivers and helping find missing people. He told MSPs then a review of the policy was currently being undertaken and was close to being finalised. During Thursday's session, Assistant Chief Constable Higgins also accepted criticism of police intelligence which led to a 91-year-old driver being ordered from his car at gunpoint by four armed officers. Mr Higgins said: "Based on the information the firearms officers had that time, their actions were entirely appropriate. "There was criticism of Police Scotland in terms of the intelligence that was held, the information that was held, and how quickly or otherwise that was passed to firearms officers." Some MSPs raised concerns about armed police seen shopping in supermarkets. Police Scotland received more than 5,000 complaints since May in total, said Assistant Chief Constable Higgins, ranging from incivility to use of excessive force.

Summary: Police Scotland has received 27 complaints from members of the public since May about its controversial armed policing policy, MSPs heard.


Volunteers were asked to act as traffic wardens at Tilbury Pioneer Academy in Essex in September 2015. But the BBC can reveal the powers were enforced by just one parent, with no penalty imposed. Thurrock Council defended the project, saying it highlighted the "deterrent value of the project". The pilot was introduced after the council said it only had six full-time traffic wardens to police illegal parking outside its 50 schools. However, a Freedom of Information (FoI) request by the BBC showed it was halted after three months A lone parent volunteer enforced the rules and no tickets were issued, the FoI showed. A spokeswoman for Thurrock Council said the trial would not be rolled out across the borough. She said: "There has been considerable improvement in parking behaviour as a result of the scheme but, due to the significant training commitment for the volunteers, continuing the project will be difficult." Jerry Glazier, national executive member of the National Union of Teachers in Essex, said the scheme had "the right motivation, but the wrong approach". "In the cold light of day the practicalities were such that this was simply not an effective runner," he said. "There needs to be proper engagement with parents."

Summary: Not a single fine was issued during a £5,000 trial to get teachers and parents to police roads outside a primary school, it has emerged.


Beth Potter, Laura Muir and Callum Hawkins sealed early places. Andrew Butchart, Eilidh Doyle, Zoey Clark, Chris O'Hare, Steph Twell, Josh Kerr and Eilish McColgan secured their spots at the British team trials. Guy Learmonth qualified at the Anniversary Games, while Lynsey Sharp and Jake Wightman were handed team berths by the selectors. Marathon runner Robbie Simpson had qualified but then withdrew due to a calf injury. Scotland's previous best total of athletes at the worlds was seven, achieved in 1983 and 2015. The number of Scots represented reflects a recent improvement in the results of the nation's athletes. Middle-distance runner Muir is leading the way, having set five British and two European records in the past year. She will go in the 1500m and the 5,000m. O'Hare, who runs in the 1500m, is another Scot to watch, following a great season that included victory at the British Team trials and the Anniversary Games. Kerr, who finished second at the trials, joins O'Hare in the team, with Wightman also selected after finishing third at the trials. Doyle will be competing at her fifth World Championships as she goes in the 400m hurdles, while Aberdeen's Clark will sample her first major championships having earned her spot in the 400m. Learmonth will be racing in his first World Championships, having finished second in the 800m at the British trials and secured the qualifying time at the Anniversary Games. Butchart will be up against Mo Farah in the 5,000m. "First of all let me firmly congratulate the athletes, their families, their coaches and the clubs involved in their development on selection by GB and NI for a World Champs," said Rodger Harkins, performance director with Scottish Athletics. "We should never be under the impression that selection for a British team at this level comes lightly. It comes after many years of hard work and dedication, sacrifice by athletes and families, and strong commitment, guidance and experience from coaches. "Looking through those selected, I can see examples of that in each and every one of those 13 Scottish names."

Summary: Scotland will have 13 athletes at the London 2017 World Championships - almost double the previous best total.


For the past 31 years, the European Union has had quotas, or limits, on how much milk farmers can produce. The rules were put in place so farmers wouldn't make too much but would also get a fair price. But now those quotas have been lifted so with no limits farmers are being allowed to produce as much milk as they want. Four farmers got in touch with Newsbeat to tell us how they'll be affected by the changes. "We've all known this has been coming for some time. We've been trying to put our businesses in the best possible position - to produce milk as cheaply as possible. "This means keeping as many cows and pushing out as much milk as we can for every worker, as well as producing as much milk as possible from grass - the cheapest feed available on our farm. "It's likely that this will lead to a flood of milk and probably pull down the price even further. "It's not an easy game and it never will be. I suppose, really and truly, the most efficient farms will survive the test of milk quota removal. "It'll be a survival of the fittest." "I'm from a family farm and we've mixed feelings about the end of the quotas as it leaves the dairy industry in an unknown area. "You don't know how the markets are going to evolve with the access to more products from Europe and also allowing farmers within the UK to expand. "Usually in the spring time, that's when the cows get [put] to grass, and you get an increase in milk production. "So if you're lifting the quotas at the same time, you're going to have a lot of milk in the country and not necessarily be getting a very good price for it." "I think pretty much everyone is aware that milk prices aren't great, which means farmers are losing money. "It's heartbreaking when you see people leaving the industry. It sounds silly, but cows become a part of your family and to face the prospect of walking into an empty farmyard is something none of us want. "The removing of quotas is potentially a great opportunity for famers to move into the global market. It's all down to how you see it, do you view it an opportunity? Or do you see it as a time to quit? Some people see it that way, but I hope that doesn't put young farmers off." "The milk price at the minute is devastating small farmers like myself, simply because you physically can't afford to carry on really. "It's going to get to the point where there's only going to be these so-called super farms left, with 1,000-2,000 cows or in some cases even more. "My parents are just barely scraping by to keep the household going. "Dairy farming's hard - you're doing 12-13 hours days every day. It's not a job, it's a way of life and we love it. "It's a valuable part of the English countryside and it just seems

Summary: Dairy farmers work hard to help get things like milk, cheese and butter from the farm and into our kitchens.


Organisers of the Magical Journey, at The Belfry Golf Club, near Sutton Coldfield, said they had "no alternative" after a "key financial backer dropped out". The attraction closed temporarily after receiving hundreds of complaints on its opening day last month. Ticket-holders have been advised to contact their banks for refunds. In a message posted on the attraction's website on Monday night, bosses apologised to those who had bought tickets. "After all we've been through having to shut down in the final week is devastating," they wrote. "However, today a key financial backer has dropped out leaving us in the lurch. We have tried desperately over the last few hours to find a replacement but to no avail." The attraction had been due to operate the event until Christmas Eve. Llewelyn-Bowen, who said he only found out about the closure via Twitter, said he was shocked at the news. "I was really impressed with the way they addressed all the issues the first time around and the energy and resources that went into it so I'm extremely surprised the towel's been thrown in at this stage," he said. His contribution had only been "some design concepts" and he had not backed the project financially, he added. "I feel very much I was the designer and I'm a very public face so people are cross with me," he said. Helen Blakemore, from Aldridge in the West Midlands, visited the Magical Journey on Monday night with daughters Lucy, eight, and Molly, 11. She said it had been "very busy" and there was "no indication" of any problems. "There were lots of helpers, lots of happy elves," she said. "It was wonderful. The kids thoroughly enjoyed meeting Santa." Other customers took to Facebook to express frustration at the short-notice cancellation. Tracy Peach said it was "so unfair for families who have paid for their children to go." "How awful to have to tell them at this point that Santa won't see them," she wrote. Louise Tanner branded the attraction "the tragic journey" and said she had received an email on Monday night advising her of the closure. The Belfry's managing director Lynn Hood said the resort had not charged operator Magical Journeys for using its land. She said because the firm was a start-up company the hotel had not asked for payment. "We genuinely thought they would create a magical journey," she said. "We're shocked and very saddened at what's happened." "We were given no prior warning." The event closed for three days last month, after dissatisfied customers branded the top price of Â£22.50 for a children's ticket a "rip-off". Some reported seeing elves smoking and criticised the poor quality of gifts handed to children. Event director Paul Dolan admitted bad weather had hampered first-day preparations and it had not been ready to open.

Summary: A much-criticised Christmas attraction designed by Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen has closed down permanently.


Mr Trump pointed to the fact that during the caucus the Cruz campaign told voters rival Ben Carson planned to quit the race, which was not true. The Cruz campaign apologised to Carson's camp, saying it was a misunderstanding. Mr Trump also cited Cruz leaflets that accused Iowans of "voting violations". Paul Pate, the top election official in Iowa, condemned the mailers on Saturday, saying the state does not track or grade individual voters. Mr Pate said Mr Cruz's mailers "misrepresent Iowa election law" and that they were "not in keeping in the spirit of the Iowa Caucuses," but he stopped short of any official action. "Ted Cruz didn't win Iowa, he stole it. That is why all of the polls were so wrong and why he got far more votes than anticipated. Bad!" Mr Trump said. Earlier, he wrote on Twitter that Mr Cruz "illegally" won the caucus, but later deleted the tweet. The reaction contrasts with his concession speech on Monday night, which was seen as a humble departure from his usual bombastic style. Mr Trump placed second in Monday's contest, which he called "a long-shot great finish" in an earlier tweet. Mr Cruz's camp is not taking the accusations too seriously. "Reality just hit the reality star - he lost Iowa and now nobody is talking about him, so he's popping off on Twitter," Mr Cruz's communications director Rick Tyler told Politico in an email. "There are support groups for Twitter addiction, perhaps he should find his local chapter." There is no precedent for re-doing a caucus. The remaining candidates are now in New Hampshire, the next state to hold a primary vote, where Mr Trump is leading in the polls. Rand Paul, a Republican who represents the Libertarian wing on the party, dropped out of the race on Wednesday after finishing fifth in Iowa.

Summary: Presidential candidate Donald Trump has called for a new election in Iowa, accusing the Republican winner, Ted Cruz, of fraud.


On a number of occasions concerns were raised about the little boy, who was only two-and-a-half-years old when he died. His nursery alerted social services, worried by a change in Liam, and the fact that he was losing weight and had a number of injuries. Liam's childminder had also made her concerns known. The High Court in Livingston heard from Patricia Smith, who used the same childminder. Ms Smith told the jury she phoned Fife Social Work department after meeting the Fees in the street. Liam was in his buggy but she told the court she didn't know if he was drugged or dead. A senior Fife social worker admitted in court that at one point Liam "fell off their radar." A member of staff had gone off sick, no-one else was assigned and Liam's case was not reviewed until further concerns were raised. It has already been announced that these and other issues will be addressed by a Significant Case Review (SCR). It will be chaired by Dr Jacqui Mok, a retired paediatrician and child protection specialist. She will review all records and interview staff involved in the circumstances leading up to Liam's death. Douglas Dunlop, vice-chair of Fife's Child Protection Committee, which represents the local authority, police, NHS, and the voluntary sector, said: "From that, we will have a picture of the involvement of all services with Liam prior to his death which will give us a picture of any lessons which can be learned." He added: "I know it was said in court that there was a break in contact from a specific team in relation to Liam and other services continued to be involved with him during that period. "That is the sort of issue that will be examined in some detail through the SCR." It will be the second SCR in Fife in two years after the murder of Mikaeel Kular, who was beaten to death in January 2014 by his mother, who was later jailed for culpable homicide. It also looked at the actions of Edinburgh council's social work department after Mikaeel's family moved there. A total of 13 actions for future learning and implementation were identified in the report, including a "national case transfer protocol for non-child protection cases across local authority areas". And there has been a series of previous tragic cases in which reviews have been carried out after a child was killed by those who should have protected them. They include: The Scottish Association of Social Workers (SASW) has admitted these cases are tragic, but its manager, Trisha Hall, said bureaucracy and resources were problems which must be addressed. She said: "I don't think there are enough children and family social workers. There is a real issue about under-staffing. "But the main issue that still impacts is that people still spend 80% of their time writing reports or doing paperwork and only 20% of actual social work time is spent in engaging with children and families." She said one of the reasons for the shortage of specialists was the traumatic work they

Summary: One of the questions raised by the case of Liam Fee - whose mother and her partner were convicted of his murder - has been "could anyone have saved him?"


Celebrations are taking place in the West Bank town where it is believed that Jesus was born. However this year they are overshadowed by the latest Israeli-Palestinian violence that shows no signs of abating. Mary Anastas runs a shop selling her husband's stone sculptures and feels a special affinity with her namesake, the Virgin Mary, mother of Jesus. She is a mother of three children herself and worries about their safety in these tense times. The two eldest are studying at Birzeit University, north of Ramallah, but come home at weekends. Young Palestinians regularly join protests that result in confrontations with Israeli soldiers. There are flashpoints across the West Bank including on the edge of Ramallah and in Bethlehem. Like many Palestinian Christians, Mary thinks the holiday spirit is dampened this year and that festivities will be relatively low-key. Shepherds watching their flocks by night are believed by Christians to have been the first to hear about Jesus' birth. Tradition has it that they were told the news by an angel in the Shepherds' Field in Beit Sahur, next to Bethlehem. Nowadays, Kamal Nabaheen keeps sheep and goats in this area. He is Muslim, but prizes his connection to the Biblical shepherds. Recently shepherding has become much more difficult because of a lack of open land. Jewish settlements are expanding nearby. They are seen as illegal under international law, but Israel disagrees. Israel has also built part of its separation barrier here. It says this is needed for security, but Palestinians see it as a land grab. According to the Bible, there was no room at the inn in Bethlehem for Mary and Joseph. With no bed available, baby Jesus was laid in a manger. In modern times, hotels are usually full on Christmas Eve. Arab-Israelis as well as foreign visitors come to join the festivities as processions of church leaders arrive from Jerusalem. Fadi Kattan runs a new boutique guesthouse, Hosh al-Syrian, in the Old City of Bethlehem. He says that since the recent troubles, people have cancelled their hotel bookings for next year. There are also other underlying challenges for local tourism. It tends to be seasonal with Christian pilgrims coming at Easter and Christmas, but more and more visitors are staying elsewhere and coming to Bethlehem as a day trip on a Holy Land tour. The main attraction is the Church of the Nativity, built on the spot where it is believed Jesus was born. The Nativity story tells how wise men, or magi, came to pay their homage to Jesus bringing him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. Each Christmas Eve, Latin Catholic priest, Father Jamal Khadr, accompanies the patriarch in a traditional procession from Jerusalem. On the way to the Church of the Nativity, they are met by Palestinian Christians for a special mass at midnight. In 2003, an 8m(26ft)-high concrete wall was erected in Bethlehem - part of Israel's barrier built in and around the West Bank. A series of gates were constructed in the wall so that church leaders could continue to pass. Nowadays clashes

Summary: As Bethlehem prepares for Christmas, five people chosen to represent characters in the original Nativity story have been speaking about their hopes and fears for the festive period.


The 16-year-old boy was arrested at his home in the borough of Lewisham on suspicion of affray at intu Bromley. He was treated in hospital for a minor wound before being taken into custody. A second 16-year-old boy arrested at the scene on Saturday on suspicion of affray and possession of a weapon remains in custody. Scotland Yard originally said the first person arrested had suffered a minor head injury during the incident and "was believed to be in his 20s". The force later issued another statement putting his age at 16. "At this stage officers believe he sustained the injury as a result of an altercation between a number of youths," it added. Police, who were called at 15:45 GMT on Saturday to reports of an injured youth, say they recovered two knives. A photograph taken by a member of the public appeared to show that a machete had been found. Video filmed at the scene also appeared to show shoppers fleeing in panic.

Summary: A second teenager has been arrested after a suspected knife fight broke out at a London shopping centre on Boxing Day, the Metropolitan Police has said.


Little is beyond their reach. Official documents and private communications are made public, and websites blocked. They hijack CCTV cameras, electronic billboards and network printers. The best known of the virtual warriors are the Ukrainian Cyber Troops, the Cyber Berkut and Anonymous International. All three present themselves as independent activists, separate from other, government-sponsored groups. The most prominent pro-Ukrainians hackers are the Ukrainian Cyber Troops, led by Kiev-based programmer Yevhen Dokukin. Most recently, he claimed to have hacked into two Russian interior ministry servers and an email account used by police in Russia's Rostov region - bordering Ukraine's eastern separatist regions. "I gave all this data to Ukraine's security service, but they still can't get round to analysing it, so do it yourselves," he urged readers on Facebook. Volunteer activist group Inform Napalm sifted through more than 35 gigabytes of the data and found what looked like official reports confirming that Russian military servicemen were among the hundreds of people evacuated to Russia after being wounded in Ukraine. The Ukrainian Cyber Troops make extensive use of one of the most tried and tested tools in cyber warfare, the distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack. "DDoS attacks are the Ukrainian Cyber Troops' artillery," Mr Dokukin likes saying. Scores of rebel websites were made inaccessible when the Ukrainian Cyber Troops relentlessly bombarded them with fake service requests. To disrupt separatist funding, they target accounts held by rebels in electronic payment systems such as PayPal and WebMoney. The Cyber Troops have also hacked into public CCTV systems in rebel-held areas of eastern Ukraine and monitor them for the movement of troops and military hardware. On 8 December, Yevhen Dokukin claimed to have hijacked network printers in eastern Ukraine and Crimea to print pro-Ukrainian messages and insults against Russian President Vladimir Putin. Some media reports suggest that Ukraine's security services have used information obtained by hackers to direct artillery fire. But officials deny this. "We only use data obtained by people we trust and know," Ukrainian military spokesman Oleksiy Dmytrashkivsky told the BBC. On the other side of the conflict is Cyber Berkut, a staunchly anti-Western group which takes its name from the riot police used against protesters during the unrest in Kiev that led to the ousting of President Viktor Yanukovych. The group's declared goal is thwarting Ukraine's military plans and thus stopping the "genocide" that it accuses Kiev of unleashing at America's behest. Its motto is "We won't forgive or forget", and its rhetoric closely resembles that of Russian state media. During US Vice-President Joe Biden's visit to Kiev on 20-21 November, Cyber Berkut hacked several Ukrainian government websites, placing a message on their front pages which read: "Joseph Biden is the fascists' master." Cyber Berkut claims to have retrieved confidential documents from a mobile device used by one member of Mr Biden's team while it was in Kiev. The documents appear to detail Washington's military assistance to Ukraine. Another stunt carried out by Cyber Berkut is the apparent hacking of electronic billboards in Kiev, which were made to show a video branding Ukrainian officials and

Summary: Throughout the bitter violence of the Ukrainian conflict, another hidden war has been waged, involving several groups of computer hackers.


Sepsis can lead to shock and rapid organ failure following an infection. A snapshot of 290 hospital patients showing signs of sepsis found only 12% were initially screened and treated in line with best practice. Health Secretary Vaughan Gething said more needed to be done and he was "open minded" about potential options. Last year, more than 7,500 people were admitted to hospitals with sepsis. It can be treated effectively with antibiotics - if spotted quickly enough. Research, due to be published later this week, was led by intensive care consultant Dr Tamas Szakmany. "We have seen in our study this year there was big variation in how the clinical teams were responding to sepsis," said Dr Szakmany. "There are important pockets of very good practice and we have seen there are hospitals, there are health boards, where the response is less good." The issue is the focus for BBC Wales' Week In Week Out programme, following Welsh weatherman Derek Brockway as he explores how his own father Cliff died of sepsis last year. On 30 December 2014, 17-year-old Chloe Christopher collapsed and died after developing sepsis. Her mother Michelle told Derek Brockway about the heartbreaking last moments of her daughter's life. The Welsh health secretary told the forecaster: "We have got a health improvement programme. "We are the first country within the UK to have this early warning score system... but it has always been about how consistently that has been adhered to. "If we level out that variation, we will end up saving more lives. So I wouldn't pretend to you or anyone else that we are perfect where we are." Mr Gething said he is considering whether to make hospitals screen patients with symptoms in the same way. "I am open minded to that, absolutely," he said. "I am not going to run away from choices to be made about improving the service." Early indications from the second annual snapshot by Dr Szakmany's team, expected to be published next year, suggest there has been an improvement.

Summary: A killer condition linked to 1,500 deaths every year in Wales is not always being treated in the same way in Welsh hospitals, new research claims.


A horse-drawn chaise post retraced the route taken in 1815 from Old Royal Naval College, in Greenwich, to St James's Square, where news from Belgium was delivered to the Prince Regent. A procession to mark the occasion has also taken place in central London. Events have been staged in Belgium and the UK to remember the battle. In June 1815 - following the victory of the Duke of Wellington's allied forces over Napoleon's French army - Major Harry Percy left Belgium carrying a letter written by the Duke relaying news from the battlefield to an expectant nation. But the ship carrying the dispatch began to drift in the English Channel, resulting in the men having to row the 20 miles to shore, landing at Broadstairs, in Kent. From there, the dispatch was taken by carriage to the Prince Regent, who was at a dinner party in London. Once there, the Prince Regent initially thought Major Percy - who was still covered in blood from the fighting - was bearing bad news. But once told of Wellington's victory, guests then rushed into the street to celebrate. Actors dressed as Major Percy and Commander James White - who also helped to carry the original victory message - have retraced the original three-day journey from Waterloo. They travelled across London in horse-drawn carriage, along with replicas of two captured Imperial Eagles and Standards of the French army. An actor playing Major Percy delivered the message at the East India Club in St James's Square - where the message of victory was originally received by the Prince Regent - in front of Princess Anne. He told the Princess Royal: "I've come to you directly from the Duke of Wellington's headquarters in the village of Waterloo. "His grace, along with our Dutch and Belgian allies, and the Prussian forces as well, have met the Corsican Empire in the field and have dealt him the most shattering defeat." The eagles were then presented to the Princess Royal. The carriage then joined the Waterloo Parade along The Mall, accompanied by military bands. Julian Farrance, who played Major Percy during the commemoration, said the whole experience had been "simply astonishing". "It has been an astonishing privilege for us to be able to do this - to be able to ride the post chaise through the middle of town, but also to have started out at Waterloo and followed this journey through." The 200th anniversary of the battle has seen a series of events re-enacting important moments. On Saturday a huge re-enactment of the Battle of Waterloo took place in the same Belgian fields where Napoleon's army was defeated. Around 6,000 volunteers dressed as infantry and cavalry officers to recreate the battle and commemorate those who died. The volunteers dressed as soldiers, with 300 horses and 100 cannon, carefully re-enacted the battle for a crowd of 60,000 spectators. On Thursday, the Prince of Wales, the Duchess of Cornwall and Prime Minister David Cameron were among guests at a commemoration service at St Paul's Cathedral in London.

Summary: Commemorations of the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo concluded with a re-enactment of the moment news of the allied victory reached London.


At least five members of an oil exploration team were killed, a spokesman for the University of Maiduguri said. Soldiers and members of a vigilante group also died in the ambush. The high number of casualties will be a blow for the government, which insists the insurgency is all but defeated. At least 20,000 people have been killed and thousands more abducted since Boko Haram launched its insurgency in 2009. In the most notorious abduction case, it seized 276 girls from a boarding school in the north-eastern town of Chibok in 2014. It has since freed more than 100 of the girls, in exchange for the release of its fighters detained by Nigeria's security forces. Details of what happened on Tuesday remain unclear, with initial reports from the army suggesting the abducted geologists and surveyors, who worked at the University of Maiduguri, had been rescued. On Tuesday, the army said the bodies of nine Nigerian soldiers and a civilian had been recovered. But now the university has said at least five members of staff, including two academics and a driver, were killed when the heavily armed convoy made its way back to Maiduguri, in north-east Nigeria. Several others remain missing. "We got the impression our staff on the team were rescued because that was what the military spokesman said yesterday," Maiduguri University spokesman Dani Mamman said, quoted by AFP. "But we were shocked when we were given four dead bodies. This means it wasn't a rescue. We still have other staff that are yet to be accounted for." Sources told the BBC that more than 40 people, most of them soldiers and volunteers from a vigilante group, had been killed in total - although other sources suggest the number killed may rise further still. "The death toll keeps mounting," a source told AFP, adding: "More bodies are coming in."

Summary: More than 40 people have died during an attempt to free people during an ambush by militant Islam group Boko Haram, sources have told the BBC.


Theresa May told the Commons it was a 100% failure rate, as all of the samples submitted so far since the Grenfell Tower fire had failed. She urged local authorities and housing associations to "get on with the fire safety checks". At least 79 people are feared to have been killed in the blaze on 14 June. Meanwhile, regulator NHS Improvement said it has written to all NHS trusts and foundation trusts to ask them to carry out urgent fire safety checks. There are 36 organisations that need additional support to find out if they have cladding similar to Grenfell, it said, and fire safety tests on building material is expected to be completed "by early next week". Mrs May told MPs that she expects to name a judge to head the public inquiry into the disaster soon. She said 282 temporary properties had been identified for residents of the tower, 132 families have had their needs assessed and there have been 65 offers of temporary accommodation. The government has made almost Â£1.25m of discretionary payments and will be giving an extra Â£1m to a local group of charities, trusts and foundations, Mrs May said. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said the tragedy had "exposed the disastrous effect of austerity" and said: "Fewer inspectors, fewer building control inspectors, fewer planning inspectors - we all pay a price." The blaze, which started in a fridge-freezer, destroyed 151 homes in the north Kensington block and in the surrounding area of the London Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. Questions were raised about the cladding used on Grenfell in the immediate aftermath of the disaster and a nation-wide operation has taken place to identify and test buildings with similar cladding. It has emerged that London Fire Brigade issued a warning to all 33 London councils about panels attached to the exterior of buildings in May this year, in a letter seen by the BBC. On Tuesday, Mrs May said there should be a "major national investigation" into the use of cladding on high-rise towers.

Summary: Cladding from 120 high-rise buildings in 37 local authority areas in England has now failed fire safety tests, the prime minister has said.


The round £1 will be legal tender alongside the new, more-secure coin until 15 October. The public are being urged to use their current £1 coins or bank them before they lose their legal tender status. The government estimates around a third of the £1.3 billion worth of coins stored in piggy banks or saving jars around the UK are the current £1 style. Some of those returned by the public will be melted down and used to make the 12-sided version. The new style was announced in the 2014 budget and has been billed by the Royal Mint as "the most secure coin in the world". Its introduction will come as a new set of coin designs are also brought into circulation, celebrating the achievements of Jane Austen and Sir Isaac Newton. The Royal Mint said the new designs have a "strong pioneering theme" and will start appearing this spring. A Jane Austen £2 coin will celebrate the author 200 years after her death, while another £2 version will remember the Royal Flying Corps. A 50p coin will mark the achievements of mathematician Sir Isaac Newton, a one-time Master of the Royal Mint. Dr Kevin Clancy, director of the Royal Mint Museum, said: "This is a particularly significant year in Royal Mint history as we welcome in the new 12-sided £1 coin, with its innovative security features. "This year we also mark the achievements of Jane Austen, Sir Isaac Newton and the Royal Flying Corps - all pioneers in their own field."

Summary: The new 12-sided £1 coin will enter circulation on 28 March, the government has said.


Rafa Benitez's ill-fated reign had left Los Blancos trailing both Atletico Madrid and Barcelona in La Liga, with points dropped in four of their previous eight games and memories still fresh of a humiliating 4-0 home thrashing by Barca. Now, less than nine months later, not only are Zidane's Real the European champions, they are also on the verge of breaking La Liga's all-time record for consecutive victories. Sunday's 2-0 triumph at Espanyol was the 16th straight victory for Zidane's men, who ended last season just one point behind champions Barca after winning their final 12 games. This season they have established early control of top spot with maximum points from four games. That winning streak is a Real record and also equals the best winning sequence in Spain's top flight, achieved by Pep Guardiola's all-conquering Barca in 2010-11. And they have the chance to beat that on Wednesday with victory over Villarreal at the Bernabeu. So, how has Zidane done it? Not in the way you might have expected. Saturday, 27 February 2016 was a major turning point in 44-year-old Zidane's early managerial career. Real lost their derby at home to Atletico 1-0, jeered off by dissatisfied fans who felt the team had failed to progress since Benitez's exit. Until then, Zidane had shoe-horned as many attacking players into his line-ups as possible in an attempt to fulfil his pledge to deliver the kind of exciting, free-flowing football associated with his playing days. It wasn't working. The forwards were getting in each other's way and the lack of defensive instincts in midfield was making the team vulnerable, brutally exposed by the way Atletico strolled unchallenged through the centre of the pitch for Antoine Griezmann's match-winner. Zidane knew something had to change - and that something was the introduction of defensive midfielder Casemiro, the low-profile Brazilian who had previously only played 23 minutes under his management. Casemiro, 24, moved to the Bernabeu from Sao Paulo in February 2013, making his debut under Jose Mourinho in a 3-1 home win over Real Betis two months later. But Carlo Ancelotti sent him on loan to Porto for the season in the summer of 2014, then he was largely left on the bench by Benitez and initially by Zidane, with both managers compromised by the pressure to field more flamboyant, attacking talents. However, derby defeat forced Zidane to rethink, and Casemiro rapidly became indispensable, with his powerful physique, tackling ability and positional discipline giving the team a previously lacking defensive presence in midfield. Real began their winning streak with a 3-1 triumph at Levante, and were five victories into it when the game that would prove to be their turning point arrived: the Clasico at Barcelona on 2 April. Barca were paying tribute to club legend Johan Cruyff, who had died a week earlier, and they had every intention of marking his memory with another crushing victory over their biggest rivals. Instead, it proved to be a prototype performance from Zidane's new-look team, who were undeterred by falling behind to Gerard Pique's header and bounced

Summary: When Zinedine Zidane was appointed Real Madrid manager in January, the Spanish giants were in disarray.


North Wales Police claimed Owen Jones, 52, of Caernarfon, Gwynedd, was not fit to hold a firearms certificate after officers looked at his profile. Mr Jones, who had held a licence for more than 30 years, appealed against the decision and won. Caernarfon Crown Court heard on Friday that he was not a cause for concern despite the posts. The hearing was told a senior police officer regarded the posts as "highly offensive", prompting the licence to be revoked. Judge Niclas Parry said Mr Jones was ignorant about the subject of the Muslim faith, but added: "None of those messages were created by the appellant. "The appellant has liked certain messages that appeared on his Facebook profile. He has then effectively re-published the message."

Summary: A man who liked "highly offensive" Facebook messages about Islam had his shotgun licence revoked by police.


The Council of Europe's commissioner for human rights said budget cuts cannot be used as an excuse for not upholding the rule of law. More than 300 people were killed by the security forces in Northern Ireland. Nils Muiznieks said the government is currently breaching the European Convention of Human Rights. He said they were doing so by not conducting effective, independent and reasonably prompt investigations into the killings. "Article two, the right to life, is one of the core rights," he told the BBC. "It involves not only the state's responsibility to protect people from unlawful death, but also the responsibility to investigate effectively the circumstances of the death and punish those responsible. It is an absolute obligation." As one of 47 members of the Council of Europe, the UK has signed up to the Convention on Human Rights. The European Court has previously ruled that the British government had failed to comply with its legal obligations. In response, the government put forward a package of measures it said fulfilled its legal duties. The government points to the work of the Historical Enquiries Team, the office of the Police Ombudsman and inquests in Coroner's courts as evidence of its commitment to investigating the past. However, critics and campaign groups say, that in reality, the investigation into killings by soldiers and police officers has virtually ground to a halt. The HET has ceased conducting investigations and will cease to exist from the end of the year. Investigations by the police ombudsman into some highly controversial killings have been delayed because of budget cuts. A lack of resources has also led to long delays in inquests. "I'm concerned. I think far too long a period has passed before people have received justice and information about the fate of their loved ones and about the fate of these cases," Mr Muiznieks said. "It is clear that budgetary cuts should not be used as an excuse to hamper the work of those working for justice. Westminster cannot say 'well we will let the Northern Irish Assembly deal with this, this is under their jurisdiction'. "The UK government cannot wash its hands of the investigations, including funding of the investigations. These are the most serious human rights violations. "Until now there has been virtual impunity for the state actors involved and I think the government has a responsibility to uphold its obligations under the European Convention to fund investigations and to get the results. "The issue of impunity is a very, very serious one and the UK government has a responsibility to uphold the rule of law. This is not just an issue of dealing with the past, it has to do with upholding the law in general." In a statement released on Thursday, a Northern Ireland Office spokesperson said the UK government has a "strong track record in upholding human rights, and takes its human rights obligations extremely seriously". "We are working assiduously on a range of processes under way which relate to Northern Ireland's past, including very extensive disclosure exercises," the statement added. "Developing

Summary: A European official has said the government should pay for investigations of killings by soldiers and police during the Troubles.


The eurozone group said reforms were Greece's "best guarantee" to overcome tough economic and social challenges. European markets were mixed in morning trading, after Asia had recorded earlier gains. The Syriza party, which rejected the bailout terms and came a close second, said it would lead the opposition. With 99.9% of ballots counted, interior ministry results put New Democracy on 29.7% of the vote (129 seats), Syriza on 26.9% (71) and the socialist Pasok on 12.3% (33). There are 300 seats in parliament and Greece has a rule that gives the leading party 50 extra seats. Greek voters had gone to the polls on Sunday following inconclusive elections in May. New Democracy leader Antonis Samaras said Greeks had chosen to stay in the euro and called for a "national salvation government". By Gavin HewittEurope editor If Antonis Samaras is confirmed in power he will have a stronger opposition breathing down his neck. He will say to Europe that he has anchored Greece in the eurozone and wants something in return. That will be difficult. Already German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle has come out and said that the substance of the Greek reform bailout programme is non-negotiable. Where there might be some flexibility is over the timing of the implementation of reforms. There may also be some movement over interest rates on the loans and the EU might offer Greece some funds to boost growth. But the message is clear; the austerity programme with its budget and spending cuts will stay. The German finance minister underlined that message when he said: "Greece's path will be neither short nor easy". He is now meeting President Carolos Papoulias, who is expected to give him the mandate to try to form a government. Syriza's leader Alexis Tsipras said his party would not take part in the government, and would instead become a powerful anti-austerity voice in the opposition. The BBC's Mark Lowen, in Athens, says Mr Samaras is expected to try for a broad coalition, hoping to create a stable government with a stronger popular mandate. He says Mr Samaras will push for a lightening of the bailout terms from Brussels, arguing that Greeks have accepted more pain by electing a pro-bailout party and that Europe should now cut Greece some slack. However, correspondents also point out that only 40% of voters backed parties that broadly support the bail-out deal with the EU and the IMF. Tough austerity measures were attached to the two international bailouts awarded to Greece, an initial package worth 110bn euros (Â£89bn; $138bn) in 2010, then a follow-up last year worth 130bn euros. Sunday's vote was watched around the world, amid fears that a Greek exit from the euro could spread contagion to other eurozone members and deepen the turmoil in the global economy. European stock markets were mixed in morning trading. Asian shares had earlier advanced. Japan's Nikkei 225 index and South Korea's Kospi both closed up 1.8%. BBC business editor Robert Peston says the election results have been seen by investors as avoiding the worst short-term outcome, which would have

Summary: World leaders have welcomed the narrow election victory of Greece's broadly pro-bailout New Democracy party and urged Athens to form a cabinet quickly.


The 32-year-old former England right-back joined the Potters from Liverpool in 2015 and has made 50 appearances in all competitions. Johnson, whose existing contract was due to expire this summer, said the new deal was a "no-brainer". "I've really enjoyed my time as a Stoke City player so far," he added. "People made me feel really welcome from the moment I walked through the door two years ago and it's a good place to be. "I still feel as though I've got plenty to offer as a player and want to continue to help Stoke City move forward," he added. Manager Mark Hughes said that it would be "foolish" to let a player of Johnson's ability leave. "He's 32 and remains a key figure in my plans and needless to say, I'm delighted he has signed a contract extension," added the 53-year-old.

Summary: Stoke City defender Glen Johnson has signed a one-year contract extension that will keep him at the club until the summer of 2018.


Gordon Thomson, 37, said he splashed two basins of water on Russell Findlay after the incident outside his home. Mr Thomson also told the High Court in Glasgow that one of the accused, William Burns, 56, was at the scene. Mr Burns and Alexander Porter, 48, deny attacking the paper's investigations editor in Glasgow on 23 December 2015. Mr Thomson told the court that he heard a child screaming at about 08:30 and "it was more distressed than playful". He said he looked out of his window and saw his neighbour, Mr Findlay, wrestling with another man on the ground. The witness said: "I initially thought it was a burglary. I ran down the stairs and by the time I arrived there Russell was asking the gentleman certain questions." Mr Thomson told the jury that Mr Findlay was sitting astride the man who was on his back and struggling to get free. He said that lying nearby was a red Royal Mail jacket and delivery bag and a broken set of false teeth. The court has previously heard Mr Findlay say that his attacker claimed to be a postman who needed a signature for a parcel, before splashing a "corrosive liquid" on him. In court, Mr Thomson identified the man on the ground struggling with Mr Findlay as Mr Burns. Mr Thomson said that Mr Findlay told him he was an investigative reporter and someone had sent a hit on him and had thrown a substance in his face. The witness said he asked if there was anything he could do and was told by Mr Findlay to fetch water to try to wash the acid off his face. He added: "His face, the right hand side, was starting to blister and his right eye was starting to close over and was very bloodshot." The neighbour told the court that he splashed two basins of water over Mr Findlay's face before ambulance staff took over. Mr Thomson was asked if he heard the man he identified as Mr Burns say anything about who had sent him, and replied: "As he was being led away I heard the words 'Jamie boy sends his regards' or words to that effect." Under cross-examination Mr Thomson was asked if he heard that or had been told that by Mr Findlay and replied: "It's my recollection that I heard it, but possibly." PC David Ross later told the court that when Mr Burns was searched after being detained he was wearing two pairs of gloves - one black woolly pair and below that a clear pair of vinyl gloves. Eye specialist Dr Katheravelu Ramash also gave evidence. Asked what would have happened if the liquid thrown was sulphuric acid and prompt treatment had not followed, Dr Ramash replied: "He could have lost the eyesight in that eye." Mr Burns and Mr Porter deny assaulting Mr Findlay to the danger of his life by throwing sulphuric acid on his face. They also also deny shooting and attempting to murder Ross Sherlock near St Helen's Primary in Bishopbriggs on

Summary: A neighbour who came to the aid of a Scottish Sun journalist after he had acid thrown on him has told a court how his face began to blister afterwards.


The 21-year-old has been playing in the Glasgow first team since 2012 and made his senior international debut the following year. Gray regularly partners brother and former Warriors lock Richie in Scotland's second row. "I'm very happy to be staying at Glasgow," the younger Gray told Glasgow's website. "It's my home club and I'm just glad I've had the opportunity to sign. "It's been a a fantastic few years development for me. When I was younger I always had the ambition to play for Glasgow and Scotland and playing in a Rugby World Cup has been a fantastic experience. "It's great to see [team-mate and fly-half] Finn [Russell] signing as well [for three years] and there is a lot of talent at the club and it's great to be a part of it. "Everyone works very hard and that just makes you want to improve as a player and improve the team as well. To have the opportunity to work with the coaches and players at the Warriors is fantastic. "Scotstoun is a fun place to be and everyone works hard for each other and the culture is great. "I used to go and watch my brother playing at Firhill and it's incredible to see the crowds growing since we moved to Scotstoun. The fans are really passionate and they make it a very special place to play." Gray has made around 60 appearances for club and country in his professional career and played in four of Scotland's five matches during their World Cup campaign, which ended at the quarter-final stage. And head coach Gregor Townsend said: "Jonny has made a huge contribution over the last couple of seasons and it's great news that he's staying with us for another three years. "He works very hard and has made the breakthrough for club and country over the last couple of years."

Summary: Scotland lock forward Jonny Gray has signed a new contract with Pro12 champions Glasgow Warriors until 2018.


Police were called to Station Road, Wood Green, at about 03:20 BST after receiving reports of a stabbing outside the Jolly Anglers public house. Paramedics treated the man, named by police as 33-year-old Vincent Harvey, but he was pronounced dead at the scene. No arrests have been made and the Met have appealed for witnesses. Det Ch Insp Noel McHugh said there was "a large number of people in and around the Jolly Anglers pub at the time Vincent was stabbed". "It is vital that anyone who saw this incident, or the events leading up to the incident, get in contact with police," he said.

Summary: A murder investigation has been launched after a man was stabbed to death outside a busy north London pub.


British Transport Police (BTP) said the incident happened at the Gipsy Lane level crossing, Needham Market, near Ipswich at about 14:00 BST. The woman was struck by the Liverpool Street to Norwich service, officers said. Paramedics from the East of England Ambulance Service were called to the scene but the woman was pronounced dead. A BTP spokesperson said: "Officers are currently on scene working to establish the identity of the deceased and inform her next of kin. "The incident is currently being treated as non-suspicious and a file will be prepared for the coroner."

Summary: A woman has been killed on a level crossing in Suffolk.


"It's great that we are attracting players of Mandy's calibre to the club," manager Kelly Chambers said. "Mandy will add to our young squad." Centre-back Van den Berg, 26, led her country at the 2015 World Cup in Canada and has been capped 75 times. She played 13 times for Liverpool this season as they finished fifth in Women's Super League 1.

Summary: Netherlands captain Mandy van den Berg has joined Reading Women from Liverpool on a permanent deal.


Johnston's goal put Kilcoo 1-6 to 0-6 up early in the second half and was always likely to prove decisive in such a low-scoring contest. Kilcoo's lead was cut to a point but the Down champions moved three ahead again and then held on. Scotstown duo Francis Caulfield and sub Brian McGinnity were sent off late on. Caulfield was dismissed after getting a second yellow card while McGinnity saw red after appearing to strike impressive Kilcoo full-back Darragh O'Hanlon. The Monaghan champions, beaten by Crossmaglen after extra-time in last year's provincial final, only had points from Darren Hughes and Donal Morgan to show for their early domination as several other good chances were missed. Kilcoo hit back with five unanswered points after Aaron Branigan opened up their account in the ninth minute. Conor Laverty's typically busy display was crucial to Kilcoo's improvement as Donal Kane, Paul Devlin (two) and Martin Devlin also notched points. After being held scoreless for almost 20 minutes, Scotstown found their range again late in the first half as the lively Shane Carey pointed a free and keeper Rory Beggan also hit the target from a 45 after missing three earlier long-range efforts. Aidan Branigan's departure at half-time looked a blow for Kilcoo but instead his replacement Johnston went on to become the central personality in the match. The sides were level at 0-6 a piece when Johnston held his nerve to produce a great finish past Beggan after Laverty had flicked on a long ball. After Shane Carey's reply, Johnston looked to have palmed in a second Kilcoo goal but the effort was ruled out - harshly it appeared - for a square ball. The controversial decision looked as though it could be match-turning as another Carey point cut Kilcoo's lead to the minimum but crucially Beggan and Carey then missed chances to get Scotstown on terms. Paul Devlin's superb long-range point and an Aaron Morgan score, after more great work by Laverty, left Kilcoo three ahead with three minutes of normal time left and Carey's seventh point was all Scotstown could summon in the remaining eight minutes of action. In addition to Johnston and Laverty, Niall Branigan and Darragh O'Hanlon were among Kilcoo's stars as they set up a meeting either Kilcar or Glenswilly on 30 October.

Summary: Ryan Johnston's half-time introduction help Kilcoo edge out 13-man Scotstown 1-8 to 0-9 in the Ulster Club Football preliminary round game at Clones.


About 80,000 works of art, ceramics, manuscripts, letters and photographs faced being auctioned to help pay off the pottery firm's pension debt. But a public fundraising campaign launched in September hit its target in just a month. Adminstrators Begbies Traynor said the collection will remain on display at the museum in Barlaston, Staffordshire. The Art Fund, which led the campaign, will gift the collection to the Victoria and Albert Museum, before it is loaned to the Wedgwood Museum. Administrator Bob Young said it had been "incredibly satisfying" to sign off on the sale on Monday. "Today's fantastic outcome wouldn't have been possible without the spirit of goodwill and determination shown during the often complex negotiations," he said. The Wedgwood Museum inherited Waterford Wedgwood plc's pension bill after the firm collapsed in 2009. In 2010 the museum also went into administration, and in 2011 a high court judge ruled its collection could be sold to reimburse the Pension Protection Fund. Alison Wedgwood, whose husband Tom is a direct descendant of company founder Josiah Wedgwood, said the collection was "important" for Staffordshire. The collection risked being "sold and scattered around the globe" had the money not been raised, she added. Tristram Hunt MP, who was involved in the campaign, said the sale was "fantastic news". "The items contained within the Wedgwood collection chart a significant part of Britain's cultural development over centuries and play a crucial part in defining our national identity today," he said.

Summary: The Wedgwood Museum collection has been bought from administrators after £15.75m was raised to save it.


Salva Kiir issued a decree dismissing all ministers and deputy ministers, as well as Vice-President Riek Machar. No clear reason was given for the sackings, but analysts say Mr Kiir and Mr Machar have been embroiled in a power struggle for months. South Sudan has suffered from chronic economic problems since it split from Sudan in 2011. There was tight security outside ministry buildings on Wednesday, while radio broadcasts urged people to remain calm, the AFP news agency reports. Its stability has been hampered by lingering rows over territory and oil with its northern neighbour. Recently some of Mr Kiir's colleagues have hinted at discontent with his leadership. Local reports say Mr Kiir is battling to maintain control of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM), the former rebel group that now runs the country. Mr Machar, who had been stripped of some of his powers in April, had hinted that he may stand against Mr Kiir for leadership of the SPLM before the next presidential election in 2015. By Nyambura WambuguBBC News, Juba Dissolving the cabinet in South Sudan hints at a wider attempt by the president to restructure not only the government but power and access to power in the country. There have been reports in recent weeks of strained relations within the governing SPLM and the relationship between the president and his deputy are said to be at an all-time low. Although the cabinet restructuring has been a long time coming, its timing is curious and raises suspicions that the president could be using his executive powers to stamp out dissent in the party and disagreement within his government. Whether the sacking of the entire cabinet will succeed in calming the disquiet within South Sudan's political circles remains to be seen -there is also a real fear that this might further divide the country along ethnic lines. The BBC's Nyambura Wambugu in the capital, Juba, says there is a real fear that the sacking could further divide the country along ethnic lines. Mr Kiir is from the Dinka community, which is the largest in South Sudan, while Mr Machar is from the second-largest group, the Nuer, some of whom have complained about Dinka domination. Under-secretaries have been put in charge of the departments and the government insists it can function smoothly until new ministers are appointed. Barnaba Marial Benjamin, who had been information minister until Tuesday, characterised the sackings as a "major reshuffle" and said it was part of Mr Kiir's constitutional mandate. "Some of these people will come back and some will not," Mr Benjamin AFP. Among the other leaders to be dismissed was Pagan Amum, the top negotiator in peace talks with Sudan. He was removed from his post as SPLM secretary general and the decree said he would be investigated for mismanaging the party. Last month Mr Kiir sacked two other senior ministers embroiled in a multi-million dollar financial scandal, a decision reportedly criticised by Mr Amum. It was unclear whether Tuesday's decree had any link to the scandal. South Sudanese journalist Nhial Bol said Mr Kiir

Summary: South Sudan's president has sacked his entire cabinet, in an apparent power struggle with other senior leaders.


When I caught up with Gavin Robinson in the leafy streets just outside the Stormont estate he had his DUP colleagues Arlene Foster, Lord Morrow and Ian McCrea for company. But there's no protection from a barking dog - or its owner. At one doorstep the householder told the DUP candidate not to worry, his animal didn't bite, before adding rather worryingly "unless I tell him to". The pet owner then tackled Gavin Robinson about the pact agreed between the DUP and the Ulster Unionists in East Belfast, telling him "I didn't like you joining up with two parties together against Naomi". The candidate responded that the deal had been decided "over my head". On another doorstep not far away another candidate, Alliance's Naomi Long came across another over excited dog, named Chuckie. "Don't worry" the lady who answered the door assured her, "Chuckie's an Alliance supporter". Naomi Long's victory over the DUP leader Peter Robinson, who held East Belfast for 30 years, was the big surprise of the 2010 election. Alliance benefited from an anti-Robinson mood after TV investigations into his family's business dealings and a decision by some loyalists to lend their votes to Ms Long. But since then the Alliance MP has found herself on the receiving end of death threats as a result of the Belfast council Union Flag dispute. She told me the intimidation remains a regular occurrence - indeed she was hit by a projectile just this week after visiting a nail salon which had been targeted by racist arsonists. Whilst condemning that kind of behaviour, unionists argue that Alliance bears responsibility for its own decisions in limiting the flying of the Union flag over Belfast City Hall. Now Gavin Robinson, a namesake but not a relation of the DUP leader, has high hopes of winning East Belfast back for unionism. The man with the barking dog might not like the pact, but others I talked to on the streets of East Belfast think unionists should have been co-operating long ago. Gavin Robinson insists the pact has been broadly welcomed. But Naomi Long claims it has galvanised some Ulster Unionists to back her rather than let their choices be dictated by the unionist leaders. Four others are competing for votes in East Belfast. They are Sinn Fein's Niall Ã“ Donnghaile, the SDLP's Mary Muldoon, the Greens' Ross Brown and the Conservative Neil Wilson. But it's the DUP Alliance battle which is box office - something underlined by the large audience which packed out the Strand Cinema in East Belfast to watch the two frontrunners go head to head. The Slugger O'Toole election debate wasn't quite the thriller some might have hoped for. Both Naomi Long and Gavin Robinson were at pains to reject suggestions they can't stand each other. Gavin Robinson also distanced himself from remarks by his party leader that Ms Long she should "dry her eyes" rather than complaining about the unionist pact. The candidates differed about issues like the extent of paramilitary racketeering or the impact a future withdrawal from the European Union

Summary: The advantage of canvassing close to Stormont is that you can call on your party colleagues to help you out.


Speaking to reporters, FBI boss James Comey said the plans to enable encryption by default could thwart law enforcement investigations. Lives could depend on police forces continuing to get access to the data on devices used by criminals and terrorists, he said. The FBI was talking to both Apple and Google about its fears, said Mr Comey. The conversations with tech firms needed to be had before the day when police forces lost access to those devices, he said. "I'd hate to have people look at me and say, 'Well how come you can't save this kid?' 'How come you can't do this thing?'" said Mr Comey in a briefing. His comments came in reaction to a decision by Apple to enable a file encryption system on its iOS 8 software for which it has no keys. This means it would not be able to comply with any official request to help police get at the data on those devices. Google has said it too is planning to enable a similar encryption system by default on the next version of Android. Mr Comey said he was "very concerned" about these plans because of what they would allow people to do. "What concerns me about this is companies marketing something expressly to allow people to place themselves beyond the law," he said. "I am a huge believer in the rule of law, but I am also a believer that no-one in this country is beyond the law," he added. Apple and Google have yet to respond to Mr Comey's comments. Ten days prior to Mr Comey's press statement, iOS data forensics expert Jonathan Zdziarski pointed out that Apple's encryption system would not stop police getting at data on portable devices. Specifically weakening security systems just to aid the police was a bad decision, he said. "For the sake of privacy and overall security, the only logical solution is to make products as secure as possible, and let good detective work do the crime solving, rather than an easy button," he wrote in a blogpost.

Summary: Plans by Apple and Google to do more to protect customers' privacy have made the FBI "very concerned".


Midfielder Kirby, 23, has played more than 100 times for Rovers since 2012 and has agreed a one-year extension. Defender Gumbs and midfielder Duggan, both 20 and former academy players, have also signed one-year deals. Defenders Buxton, 25 and Ridehalgh, 26, who has made more than 150 appearances for Rovers, have both signed contracts until the end of the 2018-19 season.

Summary: Jake Kirby, Adam Buxton, Evan Gumbs, Mitchell Duggan and Liam Ridehalgh have all agreed new deals with Tranmere.


Evans took another step towards a possible world title shot in a scrappy fight that swung in favour of the champion in the later rounds. Ormond was down twice at the end of the final round as two left hands to the body secured a 10-7 round for Evans. The judges scored the contest 97-91, 99-89, 96-93 in favour of the Welshman. Evans stated before the fight that he wants a shot at WBO lightweight champion Terry Flanagan and victory over Ormond will improve his WBO ranking of ninth.

Summary: Welshman Craig Evans secured a unanimous points victory over Irishman Stephen Ormond to retain his WBO European lightweight title.


Robert Gray, 60, from Bearsden, submitted a string of false VAT returns to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) between October 2011 and August 2013. Dumbarton Sherriff Court heard that the fabricated returns, which had been "carefully planned", triggered VAT repayments he was not entitled to. Gray was caught following an investigation by HMRC.

Summary: A man from East Dunbartonshire has been jailed for two years after pleading guilty to a £50,000 VAT fraud.