Based on a true story, Pride shows how gay rights campaigners from London raised thousands of pounds for miners in the Dulais Valley, after the NUM had spurned their support. Despite initial scepticism on both sides, the characters break down preconceptions and strike an enduring friendship. Starring Bill Nighy, Dominic West and Imelda Staunton, the movie played to critical acclaim at the Cannes Film Festival this summer. But, according to writer Stephen Beresford, it's a tale which had almost been airbrushed out of collective gay history. "It was in the early 1990s, during the second round of pit closures, when I first heard about it," he said. "As a naÃ¯ve 21-year-old, I asked the question: Why should we support the miners? They don't support us. "Someone took me aside and said: 'Let me tell you a little story'. "I suppose the film's been in the making ever since." The film opens with gay activist Mike Jackson at the Pride march in 1984, looking for a cause to support. He persuades his friends that "The miners are hated by Thatcher, the police, and the tabloid pressâ€¦who does that remind you of?", adding "The only thing we have to worry about which they don't is Mary Whitehouse, and that's only a matter of time" Indeed, in real life it wasn't long until The Sun turned its moral indignation on the unlikely alliance as they branded a joint fundraising concert 'Pits and Perverts'. But Mike quickly discovers that, in the beginning at least, not all the miners are entirely comfortable with the solidarity offered by 'Lesbians and Gays Support Miners'. Christine Powell was treasurer of The Neath and District Miners Support Group, and recalls the first time LGSM visited Wales. "Well we were nervous, not about them, but about ourselves. We didn't know anything about gay people, none of us had ever knowingly met one, and we were just desperate not to say or do anything which was going to offend them - especially after they'd been so kind and supportive to us. "But from the first minute they had us in stitches, and we soon realised that we had far more things in common than there were which separated us. "Before that I suppose we'd been quite prejudiced, through ignorance. "One of the good things to come out of the strike was that it forced us to be less judgemental about things we didn't understand, and realise that there are friends everywhere if you're happy to accept them." After its West End premiere, Pride has its Welsh release in Swansea on Thursday, and opens across the UK on 12 September.

Summary: A film telling the story of how the 1984-85 Miners Strike united two utterly disparate sections of society is receiving its West End premiere.


Mr Abe will be accompanied by US President Barack Obama, making the visit the first by the leaders of both countries since the attack. Mr Abe will pray for the dead but will not issue an apology, his aides said. The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour killed 2,300 US servicemen and propelled the US into World War Two. After landing, the Japanese prime minister first headed to National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, and laid down a wreath. He stood for a moment of silence at the cemetery near downtown Honolulu, a memorial to those who died. All eight battleships at the base were damaged and four were sunk. But the key US aircraft carriers were at sea at the time. On Tuesday, Mr Abe and Mr Obama will pray for the dead at the site of the attack before holding a summit meeting in Hawaii, their last before Mr Obama steps down in January. Mr Abe's visit, three weeks after the 75th anniversary of the attack, follows a visit earlier this year to Hiroshima by Mr Obama. He became the first serving US president to visit the Japanese city, where about 150,000 people are believed to have been killed in 1945 by a US atomic bomb. 353 Japanese aircraft attacked the US Naval Base in Hawaii at 07:55 2,403 US personnel were killed in the attack 19 US Navy ships, including 8 battleships, were damaged or destroyed 328 US aircraft were damaged or destroyed in the attack, which lasted for one hour and 15 minutes The first Japanese leader to visit Pearl Harbor was Shigeru Yoshida who in 1951 stopped over in Hawaii both on the way to and from the signing of the peace treaty with the US in San Francisco. His visit on the way home included a meeting with the commander of the US Pacific fleet, Admiral Arthur Radford. The office where the two men met offered a direct view of the site of the Japanese attack. "I could almost see the wreck of Arizona" out of the window, Mr Radford later wrote in his memoir, referring to a battleship that sank in the attack. He recalled the meeting as having been initially rather awkward until his dog walked over to the Japanese visitor to be patted, breaking the ice between the two former enemies.

Summary: Japanese PM Shinzo Abe has visited several memorials in Hawaii, ahead of a visit to Pearl Harbor, the US naval base attacked by the Japanese in 1941.


Gayle, 25, scored 26 goals in 74 games for Palace after joining them from Peterborough for £6m in July 2013. "Newcastle has a massive fan base and a great history so it is amazing to be here," he told the club website. Scotland winger Ritchie, 26, featured 42 times last season as the Cherries maintained their top-flight place. "It's an unbelievable feeling to come to a football club like this," said Ritchie. "I loved it at Bournemouth - I had a fantastic time there and it had a huge impact on my career. But when a club like Newcastle comes calling, I couldn't pass up this opportunity." Both fees are undisclosed, but Gayle's move - which happened on the day Newcastle's England winger Andros Townsend went in the opposite direction in a separate deal - is reported to be worth £10m, while Ritchie's signing is believed to have cost around £12m. The attacking pair are manager Rafael Benitez's second and third signings since the club's relegation from the Premier League, following Wednesday's arrival of goalkeeper Matz Sels. "Dwight is a great player, a proven goalscorer, and it is fantastic news that he has joined us," said the 56-year-old Spaniard. "We have been following some wingers for a while and Matt was one of the best prospects for this team. "He has great ability and pace, and as soon as we knew that Andros Townsend could be leaving, our priority was to finalise this deal." Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page.

Summary: Newcastle United have signed Crystal Palace striker Dwight Gayle and Bournemouth winger Matt Ritchie, both on five-year deals.


Donald Swanson was born at Geise, near Thurso, and went on to become one of Britain's best Victorian detectives. Here, historian Alan McIvor, author Adam Wood, who is writing a book about Mr Swanson, and Mr Swanson's family reveal details of his early life and his work in tackling some of the 1800s most shocking crimes. Donald Swanson was born at Geise Distillery, about two miles from Thurso, on 12 August 1848. He was the youngest child of brewer John Swanson and his wife Mary. The distillery, which closed in 1851, is now long gone and ruined buildings now mark the spot. Mr Swanson was still a boy when his family left Geise and moved to a home in Thurso's Durness Street. He attended Robert Meikle's Parish School in Thurso's Market Place, before going to the Miller Institution. After leaving school, Mr Swanson was a teacher for a time at the Miller Institution, which is today a public library. In 1867, Mr Swanson left on a horse-drawn stagecoach with the aim of getting himself to London. His 83-year-old granddaughter Mary Berkin said: "When you are 20 the world is your oyster and I suppose he thought 'if I get on that stagecoach I will get to London eventually and make my fortune'." In 1868, the young man joined the Metropolitan Police. Mr Swanson rose through the ranks and earned promotions to sergeant, detective inspector and detective chief inspector in 1888 - the year of Jack the Ripper's murder of five women in the Whitechapel area. In 1896 he was made superintendent of the force's criminal investigation department. During his long career in the police, Mr Swanson handled investigations into some of the worst crimes of the Victorian age. He was involved in the arrest of murderer Percy Lefroy Mapleton in 1881. Mapleton planned a robbery on a train from London to Brighton. He targeted a former stockbroker, killing the man by throwing him out of a carriage after unsuccessfully shooting at him with a revolver. Mr Swanson was involved in two other major investigations that same year. One led to the recovery of jewellery worth Â£250,000 stolen from a Lady Alice Bective. Later, Mr Swanson found himself back in Scotland tasked with hunting down a gang of grave robbers who stole the body of an aristocrat and demanded a ransom for its return. A stone cross still marks the spot where the Earl of Crawford's body was found unceremoniously buried in woods near Dunecht in Aberdeenshire. In 1884, the detective helped in the hunt for those responsible for a prolonged bombing campaign, and four years later tackled his most gruesome case. Jack the Ripper murdered five women in the Whitechapel area of London. In private notes, Mr Swanson named "Kosminski" as the killer. In more modern times, writers have named Polish-born Aaron Kosminski as a suspect. Mr Kosminski, a hairdresser who arrived in England in 1882, had a history of mental illness. He was allegedly spotted at the scene of the murder of Elizabeth Stride, believed to be the Ripper's third victim.

Summary: A memorial has been unveiled in a Scottish town in honour of a teacher-turned-police officer who investigated the murders of Jack the Ripper.


The bird's head and wings became stuck in the wire fence in Bethesda while it was chasing a wood pigeon. RSPCA Inspector Mike Pugh, who freed the animal, said: "The buzzard was feisty, but luckily, had not had much feather damage. "I released the bird back to the wild where he belongs straight away."

Summary: A buzzard has been rescued after becoming trapped between fencing and a wall in Gwynedd.


Ministers shelved Wednesday's vote on relaxing hunting laws in England and Wales after the SNP said it would vote against the changes. The party had previously said it would not vote on issues affecting England and Wales only. Mr Cameron said the SNP's position was "entirely opportunistic". Downing Street said it was "disappointing" that the vote had to be postponed, and said new proposals on the Hunting Act would be introduced "in due course". The government has said the hunting vote will now be held after plans to give English MPs a veto on matters affecting only England - although this would not stop the hunting issue having to be voted on by the whole House of Commons. Ms Sturgeon, Scotland's First Minister, said the decision to delay the hunting vote showed "David Cameron can't carry his own parliamentary group", and that he only had a "slender and fragile" majority. She said he had also been forced to pull his English votes for English laws plans, showing that he was "not master of all he surveys in the House of Commons". She said if he "had any sense", he would come back with proposals based on "fairness and reasonableness" that "work in both directions". Earlier she had explained her party's decision to take part in the hunting vote, saying there had been "overwhelming demand" from people in England. Another reason, she said, was because David Cameron was making Scottish MPs "second-class citizens" in the House of Commons. Mark D'Arcy, BBC Parliamentary correspondent With two strategic retreats in the space of a week, the intersection of Hunting and English Votes for English Laws (EVEL) is generating some really interesting politics. Last week, the government paused its attempt to bring in EVEL, replacing a vote on Wednesday with a consultative debate. Today another "turn your back and run away, and live to fight another day" moment on the proposed changes to the Hunting Act. Read the blog in full The government plans to change Commons rules to allow English, or English and Welsh, MPs a "decisive say" on legislation only applying there. However, the current proposals would not prevent SNP MPs from voting against the changes. Downing Street said there were no plans to change the current proposals. This is because the statutory instrument ministers want to use to change the law would require the support of the whole of the House of Commons. The government's decision to reschedule the vote came as anti-hunting protesters gathered at the Houses of Parliament to protest against changing the law. The changes would have brought the Hunting Act in line with Scotland, where an unlimited number of dogs can be used to "flush out" a fox to be shot, compared to just two in England and Wales. It's been a rollercoaster week for the old, bitter enemies on each side of this debate. Last Wednesday - Budget day - there was quiet jubilation in hunts in England and Wales at the prospect of the loathed Hunting Act being relaxed. Dignity would be restored: they could hunt without

Summary: SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon has told David Cameron he is "not master of all he surveys" after her party forced a delay in a planned fox-hunting vote.


In a White House news conference, Mr Obama also said he "absolutely" has concerns about the president-elect. But he called on his fellow Democrats to accept the result and "recognise that that is how democracy works". Mr Obama declined to comment on Mr Trump's pick of controversial conservative figure Steve Bannon as his White House chief strategist. Speaking of his meeting last week at the White House with Mr Trump, Mr Obama said: "I emphasised to him that, look, in an election like this that was so hotly contested and so divided, gestures matter. Trump and Putin 'to mend ties' Kremlin says Trump presidency: Your questions answered "I did say to him, as I've said publicly, that because of the nature of the campaign and the bitterness and ferocity of the campaigns, it's really important to try to send some signals of unity, and to reach out to minority groups or women or others that were concerned about the tenor of the campaign." Mr Obama said of their Oval Office meeting: "We had a very cordial conversation. Do I have concerns? Absolutely." It was only a week ago that the nation's first black president was describing Mr Trump as "woefully unprepared for the job". But during last Thursday's White House meeting, Mr Obama said his successor had "expressed a great interest in maintaining our core strategic relationships". He said this included "strong and robust Nato" partnerships, which he said would convey "enormous continuity" to the world. Mr Trump on Monday spoke on the phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin, the Kremlin announced, and both agreed their countries' relations were "extremely unsatisfactory". Mr Trump's appointment of Mr Bannon, editor of the right-wing media outlet Breitbart News, as his senior advisor in the West Wing has stirred controversy. But Mr Obama told reporters it would "not be fair of me to comment on every appointment that the president-elect starts making". "It's only been six days," said Mr Obama. "I think it will be important for him to have the room, to staff up. "There are certain things that make for good soundbites, but don't make for good policy." He added: "Campaigning is different from governing - I think he recognises that." Mr Obama predicted "there are going to be certain elements of his temperament that will not serve him well unless he recognises them and corrects them. "Because when you're a candidate and you say something that is inaccurate or controversial it has less impact than it does when you're president of the United States." Mr Trump has also named Republican National Committee chairman Reince Priebus as his chief of staff, a relatively uncontroversial pick. Who is Trump's chief strategist? Trump presidency: Your questions answered Do you have more questions about a Donald Trump presidency?

Summary: President Barack Obama has urged Donald Trump to send "some signals of unity" after the US election campaign.


Truck drivers are resorting to cocaine, speed and ecstasy to help keep themselves awake on long journeys. Drug testing firms say to have 10% of drivers in an haulage firm test positive for drugs was "not unusual". Road safety minister Mike Penning insists Britain's roads are among the safest in the world. One lorry driver speaking to the BBC's5 live Investigatesprogramme, who works for a major international haulage company, claims he regularly sees drivers use ecstasy, cannabis, speed and cocaine to relieve the boredom of lengthy shifts. The highly experienced driver has tried to raise the issue with managers at his firm but says nobody wants to take responsibility and tries to pass the buck to another department. The driver, who spoke anonymously, says fellow drivers have in the past veered off motorways or overturned, and in some instances were not even able to remember the incident afterwards. In one incident the insider was told about, a heavily drugged-up driver ploughed into workmen's vehicles by the side of a motorway. When questioned by the police the driver was only tested for alcohol and he was not arrested. "They are basically taking a recreational drug like ecstasy and speed to keep themselves awake because of the distances involved and because boredom just kicks in," said the driver. He explained that drivers got around rules governing how many hours they were allowed to work by taking two tachograph cards, which record driver hours, speed and distance. Listen to the full report on 5 live Investigates on BBC 5 live on Sunday, 1 April at 21:00 BST or download the programme podcast. Listen via the BBC 5 live website Download the 5 live Investigates podcast Got a story? Contact 5 live Investigates To make it look like two drivers were operating a vehicle, when it was in fact one, drivers simply swapped the cards around at the end of a shift. The driver's testimony is backed-up by a number of drug testing companies contacted by 5 live Investigates. The companies did not want to be identified for fear of losing business but revealed they knew about a substantial number of positive readings among truck and van drivers. One firm carrying out tests for a major haulage company for the first time found 10% of drivers tested positive for illegal drugs, but said none of them lost their jobs. Told of 5 live's findings, another drug testing firm said in its experience 10% of drivers testing positive for illegal drugs in the transport industry was "not outrageous or surprising". That was backed up by a third testing firm which revealed a company that employs around 5,000 courier drivers, found around 10% of its drivers tested positive for illegal drugs. Another insider who assesses risk for major companies told the BBC how one firm tested 300 young van drivers in their 20s, and more than 40 of them tested positive for illegal drugs. In evidence submitted to the Commons Transport Select Committee the Road Haulage Association (RHA) said the vast majority of its members do not test

Summary: A culture of Class A drug taking is common among some drivers working in the UK road haulage business, say industry insiders.


The "twisted light" approach relies on what is called light's orbital angular momentum, which has been put forth as an unexploited means to carry data. Now a number of researchers, including some formally commenting in New Journal of Physics, say the idea is misguided. Responding in the same journal, the approach's proponents insist the idea can in time massively boost data rates. That promise is an enticing one for telecommunications firms that are running out of "space" in the electromagnetic spectrum, which is increasingly crowded with allocations for communications, broadcast media and data transmission. So others are weighing in on what could be a high-stakes debate. "This would be worth a Nobel prize, if they're right. Can you imagine, if all communications could be done on one frequency?" asked Bob Nevels of Texas A&M University, a former president of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers' Antennas and Propagation Society. "If they've got such a great thing, why isn't everyone jumping up and down? Because we know it won't work," he told BBC News. The disagreement in New Journal of Physics provides a window on the time-honoured practice of open debate in academic journals (as opposed to the increasingly widespread approach of debating issues before they are even formally published): a kind of "he says, she says" with references. The principle behind the idea is fairly simple. Photons, the most basic units of light, carry two kinds of momentum, a kind of energy-of-motion. One, spin angular momentum, is better known as polarisation. Photons "wiggle" along a particular direction, and different polarisations can be separated out by, for example, polarising sunglasses or 3D glasses. But they also carry orbital angular momentum - in analogy to the Earth-Sun system, the spin angular momentum is expressed in our planet spinning around its axis, while the orbital angular momentum manifests as our revolution around the Sun. The new technique aims to exploit this orbital angular momentum, essentially encoding more data as a "twist" in the light waves. That the phenomenon exists is not in question - it has been put to use recently in studying black holes, for example. What makes the current debate devilishly complex is arguing whether experiments by Bo Thide of the Swedish Institute of Space Physics and colleagues really do use and benefit from it. The team has carried out very public demonstrations of the idea, sending data across a Venice lagoon in a test first described in a New Journal of Physics article. But even before that article made it to press, other researchers were questioning the approach's validity. In a paper in IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation, Lund University's Ove Edfors and Anders Johansson argued that what was going on was a version of "multiple input, multiple output" - or Mimo - data transmission, a technique first outlined in the 1970s. "I've been trying to have a discussion with these guys, asking for arguments - because all the arguments they have put forward have been perfectly explainable by standard theories," Prof Edfors told BBC News. "What I get back

Summary: An idea to vastly increase the carrying capacity of radio and light waves has been called into question.


He was held in Essex by officers working on the investigation into historical sex crimes. The probe was launched in the wake of the Jimmy Savile scandal. The man has been released on bail until early December. The Met said the arrest fell under the strand of the operation known as "others". The investigation has also looked at the actions of Savile and allegations against "Savile and others". He is the 19th person arrested under the Yewtree probe.

Summary: A 79-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of sexual offences by Operation Yewtree detectives, Scotland Yard has said.


Paul Mason, of Ipswich, used to weigh 70 stone (440kg) but has lost more than 40 stone (254kg) with the help of gastric band surgery. He hopes the procedures in New York will help shed seven stone (44kg). His visa application had been delayed due to a previous criminal conviction. Mr Mason still needs to raise about Â£7,000 towards surgery-related costs. He was in the US in December for a consultation with Dr Jennifer Capla, who offered to remove his excess skin for free after hearing that the NHS would not perform the operations as quickly as Mr Mason hoped. However, his plans to make a quick return to the country were delayed when his visa application was referred to Homeland Security in March, because of a conviction for fraud in 1986. He has now received his visa and had been due to have surgery on 20 October. But this has been postponed as he needs to raise $12,000 (Â£7,400) to cover the post-surgery costs, which include accommodation and medicine. He is due to fly out later this week. Last time he was in the US he appeared on The View TV programme, where he accepted a marriage proposal from his girlfriend, Rebecca Mountain, who lives in Massachusetts.

Summary: A man once dubbed the world's fattest has been granted an American visa so he can have surgery to remove excess skin.


In 2015/16, 93.3% of youngsters were in a "positive destination" three months after leaving high school. That was up from 93% in 2014/15. The Scottish government figures also showed that those taking up training was 2.6%, down from 3.8% in 2014/15. The data is based on what happened to 52,249 pupils in S4 to S6 attending council-run and grant aided schools. Minister for Further and Higher Education and Science, Shirley-Anne Somerville, said the statistics showed that the government was making real progress in enabling young people in Scotland to realise "their full potential". She added: "It is especially encouraging to note that the proportion of school leavers in our most deprived areas going on to a positive destination is at a record high. "I am also pleased to note that the proportion of school leavers going directly into higher education has reached its highest ever level." The statistics also showed that from the 20% least deprived areas of Scotland, 96.6% of former pupils were in a "positive destination". That is up from 95.1% in 2011/12. When looking at the 20% most deprived areas, the data shows that 88.7% of former pupils continued in education, got a job or secured training - that is up by 0.2% on 2014/15 and up by 4.8% on 2011/12. At a local authority level Glasgow (89.9% of 4,551 pupils) and Clackmannanshire (90.2% of 489 pupils) had the lowest percentage of pupils going on to "positive destinations" while Na h-Eileanan Siar (97.6% of 248 pupils) and East Dunbartonshire (97.5% of 1,368 pupils) had the highest percentages.

Summary: The number of Scottish school leavers staying on in education, getting a job or doing voluntary work is up slightly.


Caven Vines claimed during an interview in January 2015 the MPs knew about the abuse but did not intervene. MPs Sir Kevin Barron and John Healey were awarded £40,000 each in libel damages at the High Court in London. Mr Justice Warby said the "offensive and wrong" allegation had caused "real anger and distress". Lawyers for the MPs said the allegation was "extremely grave" and could not have been more serious for politicians serving constituencies in the town, ahead of the General Election. Sir Kevin, MP for Rother Valley, said he felt an anxiety and unease that he had not felt in other campaigns, which made it "very stressful". His integrity "had been called into question which was a very grave matter", the hearing was told. Mr Healey, who represents Wentworth and Dearne, said the allegation had been damaging to his relationship with his constituents and had taken the focus away from things that needed to be done. He considered they had left "a very dark stain on him and his integrity" which might never fully be removed, the judge was told. Mr Vines, the former UKIP group leader in the town, claimed the pair had not suffered in any way, highlighting that both were returned to Parliament with an increased majority. Judge Warby recorded the judgment after concluding Mr Vines had failed to put forward any defence which could possibly succeed.

Summary: An ex-UKIP councillor has been ordered to pay £80,000 in damages to two Labour MPs over remarks he made about the Rotherham's child abuse scandal.


There could be "serious implications" for Gloucestershire Police, the police and crime commissioner has warned. Cotswold District Council's proposal to form a unity authority with West Oxfordshire has proved controversial. But CDC says the plans - dubbed 'Coxit' - are at an early stage but aim to improve accountability. CDC leader Lynden Stowe has said Gloucestershire's "historic borders" would remain under the proposals, which aim to improve the "administration and the delivery of council services". He told BBC Radio Gloucestershire a few weeks ago: "We would expect the police to patrol up to the existing county borders, exactly as now, so if there's a crime in Cirencester, Gloucestershire Police attend and if there's a burglary in Burford, Thames Valley Police attend." But Gloucestershire's PCC Martin Surl said he had taken legal advice on the "Coxit" proposal, and warned it could "signal the end of Gloucestershire Police as we know it". Under the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007, he said the Cotswolds could become part of Thames Valley Police District. "If they break away to a new district, we can't continue policing just half a district," he told the BBC. "So, either we start taking some of Thames Valley's area in Oxfordshire, or they start policing parts of Gloucestershire. Neither want that ." A spokesman for Cotswold District Council said they "fully understand the initial concerns" but they were "best addressed through the detailed studies that will now take place to assess the feasibility of the unitary proposal". Mr Surl, an independent, is standing for re-election as Gloucestershire PCC on 5 May, alongside Labour's Barry Kirby and the Conservatives' Will Windsor Clive.

Summary: The Cotswolds could be policed by the Thames Valley force if plans to "break away" from Gloucestershire County Council go ahead, it is claimed.


After a dreadful first-half showing, Spurs improved and the Wales left-back found the breakthrough against their Championship opponents with a deft header. Son Heung-min then wrapped up the victory when he converted Moussa Sissoko's pass to put Mauricio Pochettino's side in Monday's fourth-round draw. Tottenham have moved into third place in the Premier League on the back of a five-match winning run, but their second string struggled to click against a Villa side set out to frustrate. Without the rested Dele Alli, Harry Kane and Christian Eriksen, the hosts were short of ideas and the tie looked destined for a replay until unlikely goalscorer Davies arrived inside the penalty area. Villa mustered one shot on target all game and Steve Bruce will now turn his attention to overhauling a seven-point gap to the Championship play-off places. Tottenham were excellent in beating Premier League leaders Chelsea 2-0 in midweek, but perhaps unsurprisingly were nowhere near that level in the opening hour. Of the XI who started against Chelsea, only Toby Alderweireld and Eric Dier kept their places - and it showed. Alli, Kane and Eriksen had contributed 30 of Spurs' 51 goals this season, and 11 of 33 assists, before kick-off and without them Pochettino's side looked toothless. Stand-in striker Vincent Janssen, who has scored just three penalties in 23 appearances now, was particularly lightweight and it was only when Alli finally replaced him after an hour that Tottenham found a way through. It was another replacement, Georges-Kevin Nkoudou, who crossed for Davies to head home before Son - who had moved up front once Janssen went off - buried the second. A top-four finish remains Pochettino's most pressing assignment, but after a dismal Champions League campaign a first FA Cup win since 1991 should also be high on his list. More to follow. Match ends, Tottenham Hotspur 2, Aston Villa 0. Second Half ends, Tottenham Hotspur 2, Aston Villa 0. Corner, Tottenham Hotspur. Conceded by Sam Johnstone. Attempt saved. Son Heung-Min (Tottenham Hotspur) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Josh Onomah. Hand ball by Aaron Tshibola (Aston Villa). Attempt blocked. Ross McCormack (Aston Villa) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Foul by Georges-Kévin Nkoudou (Tottenham Hotspur). Aaron Tshibola (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in the attacking half. Attempt missed. Ross McCormack (Aston Villa) right footed shot from outside the box is just a bit too high from a direct free kick. Foul by Cameron Carter-Vickers (Tottenham Hotspur). Jack Grealish (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in the attacking half. Attempt missed. Josh Onomah (Tottenham Hotspur) right footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the right. Substitution, Tottenham Hotspur. Josh Onomah replaces Moussa Sissoko. Offside, Aston Villa. Aaron Tshibola tries a through ball, but Ross McCormack is caught offside. Foul by Ben Davies (Tottenham Hotspur). Leandro Bacuna (Aston Villa) wins a free kick on the right wing. Goal! Tottenham Hotspur 2, Aston Villa 0. Son Heung-Min (Tottenham Hotspur) right footed shot from the

Summary: Ben Davies scored his first goal for Tottenham as the eight-time winners ground out an FA Cup third-round win over a stubborn Aston Villa side.


"The rules of the game are changing," the prime minister declared. And he launched a 12-point plan of tough measures to deal with the threat of terrorism. I can remember writing them all down in my notebook and wondering when this bewildering list of policies was going to end. Chaos ensued. Opposition parties protested they had not been consulted. The then Labour chairman of the Home Affairs Select Committee dismissed the policies as "half-baked". And Mr Blair went on holiday leaving his Home Secretary, Charles Clarke, to pick up the pieces. Day after day, there were emergency news conferences as the policies were clarified, rewritten and embellished. Some were quietly forgotten - such as new powers to close mosques - and others provoked divisive parliamentary battles, such as allowing the police 90 days to detain terror suspects without charge. The attacks transformed the politics of the summer. But the key point is this: Mr Blair had already won his third election in May with a healthy majority of 66. In contrast, Theresa May is dealing with her terrorism while the election campaign is still going on. For the prime minister, there are several lessons she could take from the experience of her Labour predecessor. Anti-terror laws made up on the hoof in the heat of the moment are not always the best ones. And laws do not always help. Since 2000, there has also been a lot of counter-terrorism legislation passed by Parliament and yet the threat is still there and very real. Yet Mrs May clearly felt the need to say something in Downing Street in response to the London Bridge attack that went beyond the usual condemnation of the violence, sympathy for the victims and their families and praise for the security forces. The fact that she announced some policy prescriptions showed that, in her mind, the need to be seen to being doing something outweighed the inevitable criticism of politicising the reaction to the incident. And, of course, a four-point plan was better than Mr Blair's 12. This was a recognition by the prime minister that security is now a significant issue in this election. Long after the rows of this campaign are over the government that is elected will still be facing the threat of Islamist terrorism. Where once the last few days of the election might have been focused on Brexit or tax or spending, much time and space will now be devoted to police numbers, intelligence capacity and extremist ideology. It is a political truism that security issues tend to favour the incumbent, allowing the prime minister of the day to look and be prime ministerial. It lifts them temporarily from the petty partisan point-scoring to the Olympian heights of statesmanship and all that a Downing Street podium can confer upon them. In times of uncertainty, the status quo looks attractive. As Belloc rhymed, "Always keep a-hold of nurse for fear of finding something worse". Yet for Mrs May this is a double-edged sword. Her security background gives her the experience and knowledge to sound convincing

Summary: After the bomb attacks on London in July 2005, Tony Blair summoned the media to Downing Street for a news conference.


Justice Secretary Michael Matheson has directed Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland to investigate the actions of undercover officers. A review is ongoing in England and Wales, but the UK government has refused to extend it to Scotland, leaving Mr Matheson "disappointed". Victims of police spying had called for a Scottish inquiry to be set up. Holyrood's parties had been united in calling for an extension to the Pitchford Inquiry, which was set up in England and Wales to investigate allegations of misconduct by undercover officers. There are allegations that undercover Metropolitan Police officers had fathered children and caused miscarriages of justice, with claims of this activity extending to Scotland. Mark Kennedy, one of five officers known to have had relationships with women while undercover, is alleged to have infiltrated environmental groups ahead of the G8 summit at Gleneagles in 2005. Labour MSP Neil Findlay wrote directly to the policing minister, Brandon Lewis, but was told that it was "not possible" to extend the probe north of the border for "a number of reasons". Mr Matheson said he was "firmly of the view" that extending Pitchford would be the "right thing to do", and said he was "disappointed" with the UK government's refusal. He said: "Given the operational extend of the units involved, the Scottish government believes that a single coherent inquiry is the most effective approach to provide a comprehensive investigation into these activities. "However, in light of the Home Office's decision I have today directed Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland to undertake a strategic review of undercover policing in Scotland." The justice secretary said this investigation would cover "the extent and scale of undercover policing in Scotland" dating back to 2000, as well as operations carried out by the Met Police units under investigation by Pitchford. He added: "This review will also give independent assurance on the operation, procedures and safeguards in place by Police Scotland in relation to undercover policing." The Scottish Liberal Democrats welcomed the news, with Liam McArthur describing the probe as "nothing less than required". But Mr Findlay said it was "minor progress", calling it "the police reviewing the police" rather than the public inquiry he had called for. Victims who are participating in the Pitchford Inquiry had hit out at the decision not to extend it to Scotland, calling on Holyrood to order its own probe. A group of 17 victims issued a joint statement after Mr Lewis refused to extend the inquiry saying they were "extremely frustrated", saying it "sets the inquiry up to fail before it even begins". One of the group, Merrick Cork, added: "It's outrageous that Theresa May thinks victims of police abuse deserve justice in England but not in Scotland. "The police admit English officers committed human rights abuses against citizens on Scottish soil. It's absurd to expect public trust in police when abuses of power are swept under the carpet, and it's a snub to Scotland to say it doesn't matter there." Mr Lewis defended the limited scope of the inquiry, saying it was "extensive and

Summary: The Scottish government has ordered an independent review of undercover policing in Scotland.


The first planes landed on the sand in the wide bay of Traigh Mhor in June 1936. It was officially licensed as an airport in August that year. Today, it is one of Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd's busiest sites and regularly features on lists of the world's most scenic airports. Flights to and from Barra are dictated by the tide and its three runways are fully submerged at high tide. Small planes, specially designed to be able to land on the beach, fly between the island and Glasgow on a lifeline service subsidised by the Scottish government. Last year, Canadian company Viking Air Limited won the contract to provide two new 19-seater Twin Otter DHC6-400 aircraft to fly on the route. According to Hial, the route involves more than 10,000 passengers a year. There are also about 60 private light aircraft flights to Barra per year.

Summary: The Isle of Barra's world famous beach airport is 80 years old.


The M8 westbound was closed for five hours at Newhouse in North Lanarkshire because of a jackknifed lorry, which also caused a diesel spillage. The M77/A77 has reopened northbound at junction 8 Kilmaurs in East Ayrshire following an accident at 06:00. There was snow in the Inverness area and roads around Fort William and Glencoe were very icy. Head of network operations at Transport Scotland, Hugh Gillies, told BBC Radio Scotland some incidents had lasted for longer than they would have liked, and he urged drivers to remain cautious as the icy conditions continued. He added: "There can be no complacency. It has been a difficult couple of days with the weather. "Speaking to Met Office colleagues the forecast for the next three to four days remains challenging, so vigilance remains the case." The Met Office has issued amber "be prepared" severe weather warnings for Central, Tayside and Fife, south west Scotland and Lothian and Borders for Tuesday night into Wednesday morning. A yellow "be aware" warning is in place for the Strathclyde area. Five schools in the Highland Council area are closed, according to the local authority's website. In Aberdeenshire, the council warned that there had been some changes to school transport because of the weather, with some school buses not running. In Glasgow, the Clydeside Expressway was closed westbound - leaving the city - at Finnieston due to an accident, but is now open. Police said a car skidded on the ice and hit the barrier shortly after 06:00. BBC Travel online updates Scotland-wide travel updates BBC weather updates Met Office weather warnings Traveline Scotland The M8 in North Lanarkshire was closed westbound at junction six from 04:30 until 09:30 causing long delays. Northern Constabulary said the B9007 Ferness to Carrbridge road was closed at the snow gates. The A9 Causeway Mire had also been affected by snow. Many side roads in the Caithness area are also affected by lying snow. Drifting snow was making driving difficult on the A836 Tongue to Lairg road between Altnahara and Crask. All other routes were open and passable with care. Grampian Police said several routes were affected. A number of minor routes in the Formartine and Buchan area had lying snow, as did the A920 Huntly to Dufftown road near Dufftown, the A939 Ballater to Corgarff stretch between Ballater and Gairnshiel, and the A939 Cockbridge to Tomintoul road from Corgarff to the Lecht Ski Centre. Police said: "If travelling, drivers are advised to allow extra time for their journey and to ensure that both they and their vehicle are suitably equipped and prepared for changeable wintry weather, to exercise caution and drive according to the prevailing weather and road conditions." In Dumfries and Galloway, the freeze caused a spate of accidents with at least eight vehicles involved. The accidents were spread across the region from the A76 at Auldgirth to the A75 at Crocketford. Scottish Transport Minister Keith Brown said: "We have seen a few incidents that have caused some disruption. That is why the Multi Agency Response Team and SGoRR remain operational.

Summary: Drivers have been warned about very icy conditions affecting many roads across Scotland.


Media playback is unsupported on your device 7 April 2015 Last updated at 08:39 BST Labour needs a swing of 3.9% to oust the Conservative candidate in the west London constituency. Some residents are concerned that local services cannot support the extra residents that house building will attract. BBC London's Victoria Hollins reports. The known candidates for the 2015 General Election for Ealing Central and Acton are: Angie Bray Conservative Party, Jon Ball Liberal Democrats, Peter Florence UK Independence Party, Rupa Huq Labour Party, Tom Sharman Green Party

Summary: Ealing Central and Acton is one of about 20 seats that could shape the outcome of the election.


Michael Hoolickin, 27, suffered multiple stab wounds in a fracas between a group of men and women on 14 October in Middleton, Greater Manchester. Timothy Deakin, 21, of Lever Street, Heywood, denied murder but was found guilty by a jury at Bolton Crown Court. He was ordered to serve a minimum of 27 years. Deakin was also sentenced to three years for wounding and possession of an offensive weapon in a public place, which he had also denied, and 12 months for assault, which are to be served concurrently. The 21-year-old admitted the assault charge. After sentencing Mr Hoolickin's family said: "Michael was much loved by all his family and friends and had his whole life ahead of him." The family said he was taken away in "completely unnecessary circumstances". "We cannot express how devastated we are that his life has been stolen from him. "Today his killer has been sentenced and justice has been served." His family added: "We can try to repair our heartache although no matter how long the sentence is, it will not bring Michael back or make our loss any easier."

Summary: A man has been given life imprisonment for murdering a man in a mass street brawl.


3 January 2016 Last updated at 16:39 GMT The Met Office warned of heavy rain in the morning, followed by heavy showers, from 04:00 GMT. This latest band of heavy rain is expected to last until Tuesday. The chief forecaster said a greater risk of localised flooding than normal might be expected given the already saturated ground following weeks of heavy rain. One lane in each of the Brynglas tunnels in Newport was blocked due to flooding while Dyfed-Powys Police reported a number of flooded roads in Powys, Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire. Leah Williams captured flooding in Burry Port, near Llanelli, as a river overflowed.

Summary: A yellow 'be aware' weather warning was re-introduced in parts of Wales on Sunday.


Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, who is better known as Evans, says he was unlawfully detained and a subject of trial by media. He stated that he should be charged or released. Police have told the BBC that they obtained an order from the Federal High Court to hold him for three months to enable them carry out investigations. In Nigeria, suspects are supposed to be charged within 48 hours of arrest and Mr Onwuamadike was detained nearly three weeks ago. At the time he was paraded before the media with the police celebrating his capture. They have been under pressure to tackle a wave of kidnappings in and around Lagos state. The police spokesman, chief superintendent Jimoh Moshood said that the suit was "mischievous". and that police had sought more time from the courts because the suspect is accused of serious offences including "murders and armed robbery". The BBC's Haruna Shehu reports that since his arrest, Mr Onwuamadike, who has acquired notoriety in the country as reportedly being a kidnap kingpin, has given several interviews disclosing some of his methods and tactics. In his law suit, Mr Onwuamadike is claiming $1m (Â£780,000) in damages.

Summary: An alleged head of a kidnapping ring in Lagos, Nigeria, is suing the Inspector-General of Police.


The roll-on roll-off vehicle and passenger vessel is the third of its type to be built for CalMac and will be part of its Clyde and Hebrides fleet. The hybrid ferry, named "Catriona", was launched on Friday morning by Transport Minister Derek Mackay. It was very briefly delayed when the ferry needed some gentle persuasion on the slipway. After the launch bottle smashed, onlookers had a few nervous moments to wait as workers helped the vessel on its way. The ship is almost 150ft long and can take up to 150 passengers, 23 cars or two HGVs. It will use a low-carbon hybrid system that combines traditional diesel power with electric battery power and will lead to a reduction in fossil fuel consumption and carbon emissions. The vessel's sea trials are scheduled for April 2016 and it will enter service in the summer following testing and certification. This is the first ship of its type to be built by the recently-formed Ferguson Marine, which won the contract in September 2014 shortly after the shipyard was rescued from closure. Clyde Blowers Capital - owned by Scots billionaire Jim McColl - bought the yard after it went into administration. The yard had previously built two other hybrid ferries - the MV Hallaig and MV Lochinvar - for CalMac.

Summary: A new £12.3m diesel-electric hybrid ferry has been launched at the Ferguson Marine shipyard in Port Glasgow.


Sam Vokes turned Owls captain Glenn Loovens, squaring for strike partner Andre Gray to tap in for the visitors. Wednesday equalised when Atdhe Nuhiu headed down Barry Bannan's centre for the onrushing Lee to tuck home. The Clarets could have won it but Vokes could not get a clean contact on substitute Matt Taylor's ball in. The result leaves the hosts a point outside the Championship play-offs, while Burnley are three points behind second-placed Middlesbrough, having played two games more. Burnley had the better of the first half, Kieren Westwood saving superbly on his line from Vokes' header, although their Yorkshire opponents had a penalty appeal waved away by referee Andy Woolmer after Daniel Pudil went down in the box. The Owls threatened more after the interval and new loan signing Aiden McGeady came on for his debut in the final few minutes after joining the club on transfer deadline day. Wednesday have not lost in the Championship at home since the end of August, going 12 games unbeaten, and are level on points with Birmingham, who they visit on Saturday. Sheffield Wednesday head coach Carlos Carvalhal: "We tried to find the second goal but we just couldn't. I think if anyone was going to win it, it was us. We'll take the point against one of the strongest teams in the competition. "The second half was nearer to what we can do. A draw is the correct score in my opinion, but if anyone was going to win it was us. "The negative was that we conceded so early. The positive is that we got back into it using our heads and our hearts." Burnley manager Sean Dyche: "I think we arguably had the best chance of the game which we didn't take, but really both teams attempted to play on a really tough pitch. Overall, it was just about right. "I have been pleased with the players and I'm pleased again. It's hard to dominate every game and we have dominated a lot lately. "We were really secure in our third and the middle third, I just felt we didn't keep the ball well enough in the final third." Match ends, Sheffield Wednesday 1, Burnley 1. Second Half ends, Sheffield Wednesday 1, Burnley 1. Attempt saved. Scott Arfield (Burnley) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Sam Vokes with a headed pass. Jack Hunt (Sheffield Wednesday) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Foul by Sam Vokes (Burnley). Sam Hutchinson (Sheffield Wednesday) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Foul by Ben Mee (Burnley). Corner, Burnley. Conceded by Daniel Pudil. Foul by Lucas João (Sheffield Wednesday). Ben Mee (Burnley) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Attempt missed. David Jones (Burnley) right footed shot from outside the box is too high following a set piece situation. Attempt saved. Scott Arfield (Burnley) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Foul by Jack Hunt (Sheffield Wednesday). Sam Vokes (Burnley) wins a

Summary: Kieran Lee's second-half leveller earned Sheffield Wednesday a draw and halted Burnley's charge towards the automatic Championship promotion spots.


Scotland's health boards paid more than £20m in overtime and additional pay to some doctors in 2015/16, up from the £14m paid out in 2014/15. The British Medical Association said there were not enough consultants. But Health Secretary Shona Robison said overtime was a "tiny percentage" of the overall spend on consultants. And she said the government was "determined to eradicate high cost overtime payments in NHS Scotland". The BBC asked all 186 organisations running NHS hospitals in the UK about overtime and extra payments over the last three years. Across the UK, overtime and additional payments have increased by more than a third, to £168m, in 2015/16 - with one doctor in Lancashire making almost £375,000 in the space of 12 months. In total, 23 NHS trusts had to pay at least one consultant more than £100,00 for extra work, with another 39 paying at least one more than £50,000. Much of the overtime work involves non-emergency procedures designed to meet waiting times targets. It is up to hospitals to negotiate their own rates for extra work, with the most lucrative ones in place for routine treatments, such as knee and hip replacements. Consultants doing overtime in these areas commonly make £600 for a four-hour shift - three to four times what they normally get. Overtime for urgent and emergency work tends to be much lower - around £300 for a shift. Of Scotland's 14 health boards, 12 responded to the freedom of information requests. This showed spending going up from £14.27m in 2013/14 to £20.92m in 2015/16. NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde paid out the most, with an outlay of £7,749,870 on higher rate payments for additional shifts, while NHS Orkney did not make any payments. NHS Grampian had the greatest increase in payments, from zero in 2013/14 to £1.6m two years later. There were also sharp increases at NHS Lanarkshire, from £1.8m to £3.4m, and NHS Lothian, from £1.3m to £2.1m. A number of hospitals asked about the payments UK-wide said there was a shortage of consultants, meaning they had to try to get existing staff to do extra work. They also said high emergency-room pressures had led to the cancellation of more routine treatments, increasing the need for overtime. A spokesman for the British Medical Association said: "The fact is the NHS is only paying overtime on this scale because it does not have enough doctors to do the work." However, Scotland's health secretary insisted that consultant staffing was at a record high. Ms Robison said: "NHS consultant numbers have increased by almost 43% under this government to a record high level. This spend on overtime represents a tiny percentage of the overall spend on consultants. "We are determined to eradicate high cost overtime payments in NHS Scotland, which is why we have launched a national programme for the effective management of all temporary staffing, to help boards move away from reliance on high cost temporary staff, reduce overall costs and ensure value for money for NHS Scotland. "We have also set up and championed the use of

Summary: Growing pressures on hospitals are forcing them to ramp up costly overtime payments to consultants to do extra work, a BBC investigation shows.


The 24-year-old arrived at Rodney Parade from Llanelli in September on a one-season contract because of a back row injury crisis. He will make his 18th appearance against Leinster on Friday, has been rewarded with a new Dragons deal. "I was given an opportunity to prove myself as a professional and hopefully I have done that," said Cudd. The former Scarlets academy product has impressed this season and been one of the success stories of the season for the Dragons. "We haven't had the best of results this season but I think it is going well for me on a personal front," said Cudd. "I have had plenty of games and feel that I am improving as a player. "Over the past few months I have improved in terms of physicality and carrying the ball."

Summary: Flanker Nic Cudd has signed a new two-year deal with the Newport Gwent Dragons.


That was just over over half of last year's haul, when the website auctioned a coffee meeting with the Apple boss. The money will benefit the Robert F Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights. CharityBuzz declined to reveal the winner, who will get a one-hour lunch with Mr Cook at Apple headquarters (cost of travel not included). Mr Cook also added a second prize on Twitter, which will give the winner a VIP seat at an upcoming Apple event. CharityBuzz had estimated the value of the lunch date at around $100,000. Part of the reason for the lower price tag could be that CharityBuzz implemented a finance authorisation requirement for anyone wishing to bid on the auction. But while appetite for a bite with Mr Cook may have cooled (or Silicon Valley lovers might just prefer a well-brewed cup of coffee), his stock, much like Apple's, remains high. An auction for a similar lunch date with former Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke took in just over $70,000, and a still-open auction for a coffee date with AOL boss Tim Armstrong - which also includes a tour of HuffingtonPost Live and a taped interview - currently has zero bids. Warren Buffett, chief executive of Berkshire Hathaway, was one of the first to popularise a "lunch with the boss"-style charity auction 14 years ago. Last year, lunch with the "oracle of Omaha" sold for more than $1m on eBay, off the record $3.5m winning bid in 2012.

Summary: A lunch date with Tim Cook has sold for close to $330,000 (£196,000) on the auction website CharityBuzz.


Wayan Mirna Solihin, 27, met with two friends in a Jakarta cafe on January 6. She collapsed after complaining about her coffee's taste and died a short time later. Traces of cyanide were found in her coffee and tests confirmed she had been poisoned, but Indonesian officials have not named a suspect. Ms Solihin's best friend Jessica Kumala ordered the coffee, but has denied any knowledge of the cyanide. Ms Kumala's lawyer and uncle Yudi Wibowo said a third friend, Hani, had also tried the coffee. "That means Mirna did not die because of the coffee. Two people drank the same coffee but Hani is alive and well," Mr Wibowo was quoted as saying in the Jakarta Post. The friends had reportedly studied together in at design colleges and university in Australia. Australian Federal Police (AFP) confirmed in a statement that they had been asked to investigate the women's links from their time in Sydney and Melbourne. The statement said the AFP would consider the request but did not make further comment on the case.

Summary: Indonesian police have asked for Australia to help investigate the case of a woman who died after drinking cyanide-laced coffee.


Dave and Leslie Blissett, of Lincolnshire, bought the Tornado GR1 - extensively involved in the 1991 conflict - as a shell. For sale on Gumtree, it has no engine, or guns and the wings have been removed for transportation purposes. The ex-RAF engineers, whose love of aeroplanes brought them together, said it would make an ideal museum display. Mr Blissett said he has always had a passion for taking things apart. He took on the project after being involved in the restoration of a Lightning jet at RAF Binbrook, near Market Rasen. "What we started with was literally a bare frame - you couldn't recognise it as a Tornado," he said. "Over the years we've bought, swapped and gone through scrap bins to get it to where it is now." Mrs Blissett said when it first arrived it looked like a "metal caterpillar on the back of a lorry". "Some people go for garden gnomes, we go for aeroplanes," she said. The Panavia Tornado GR1 was used extensively in combat by the RAF in 1990s, including in the Gulf War in 1991. On the classified ads website, the couple have written: "She is virtually complete and is ready to move as her wings have already been removed." Andrew Panton, manager of the Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre, said it was "unusual" to sell aircraft on Gumtree, as they are generally sold via the Ministry of Defence surplus service. "They way they are doing it - making it known worldwide - could work in their favour," he said. As interesting as the piece is, it is the "wrong era" for the centre in Spilsby, which focuses on World War II aircraft, he said.

Summary: A Gulf War-era fighter jet has been put on sale online for £20,000 by a couple who took six years to rebuild it.


Governor Rick Scott issued the executive order in four counties after samples taken from the St Lucie River tested positive for toxins. The green slime appeared when polluted water was discharged from Lake Okeechobee to prevent flooding. The toxic algae can be harmful to plants, animals and humans. The US Army Corps of Engineers began discharging freshwater from the lake more than two weeks ago. Lake Okeechobee, the largest freshwater body in the state, is contaminated with runoff that includes human waste, animal feed and fertiliser. The process sent millions of gallons of the nutrient-heavy water into the river and triggered the growth of blue-green algae on some of Florida's southern rivers and beaches. Samples taken in the river near Palm City and Stuart tested positive for hazardous levels of toxins. If ingested, the toxic algae could cause nausea and vomiting and rash or hay fever if touched or inhaled. Beaches along Florida's Treasure Coast were closed last week in response to the expansion of the green sludge. Though many of the beaches have reopened, officials recommend that people stay away from the hazardous waterways. Governor Scott blamed the polluted waters on water storage limitations and the federal government. "Florida's waterways, wildlife and families have been severely impacted by the inaction and negligence of the federal government not making the needed repairs to the Herbert Hoover Dike and Florida can no longer afford to wait," Scott said. Florida Senator Marco Rubio on Friday called on President Barack Obama to declare a federal state of emergency and to release funds to help businesses affected by the algae. Mr Rubio and Senator Bill Nelson have also urged the US Army Corps of Engineers to stop the flow of water between the river and Lake Okeechobee. The Army Corps began reducing the flow on Friday, focusing on the Caloosahatchee Estuary and the St Lucie Estuary.

Summary: Swathes of thick, algae blooms have plagued miles of Florida coastline, prompting the governor to declare a state of emergency.


However, the resolution is non-binding, with Nigeria and Senegal opposing a withdrawal. South Africa and Burundi have already decided to withdraw, accusing the ICC of undermining their sovereignty and unfairly targeting Africans. The ICC denies the allegation, insisting it is pursuing justice for victims of war crimes in Africa. The AU took the decision on Tuesday following a divisive debate at its annual heads of state of summit in Addis Ababa. Part of the resolution also said the AU would hold talks with the UN Security Council to push for the ICC to be reformed. After being discussed in several previous summits, this was a huge announcement showing how frustrated the AU was with the international court. But the debate itself showed how divisive the whole issue is. The resolution isn't as strong as many who are opposed to the court would have liked. It only calls on countries to consider how to implement the decision but does not bind them to it. It's a victory for human rights activists who insist the court still has a very important role to play in the continent where many countries have weak judicial systems. The resolution also calls for African countries to continue pushing for reforms of the court - another clear indication that ditching the court en masse isn't such a popular decision. The likes of South Africa and Kenya, which have pushed for withdrawing, will be disappointed that the discussions about completely severing ties with the ICC will have to wait another six months for the next summit. Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir, who is wanted by the court on charges of genocide in Darfur, was at the summit. In 2015, a South African court criticised President Jacob Zuma's government for failing to arrest Mr Bashir when he attended an AU meeting in the main city, Johannesburg. The government later announced that it was withdrawing from the ICC because it did not want to execute arrest warrants which would lead to "regime change". A total of 34 African states are signatories to the Rome Statute, which set up the ICC. The ICC and global justice: What does the ICC do?

Summary: The African Union has called for the mass withdrawal of member states from the International Criminal Court (ICC).


One of the most celebrated African-American broadcasters in the US was best known for moderating Washington Week in Review and for PBS NewsHour. Ifill had been absent for last week's election coverage due to ongoing health issues and had been on leave since May. "She was a journalist's journalist and set an example for all around her," said a PBS NewsHour executive producer. "Gwen was a standard bearer for courage, fairness and integrity in an industry going through seismic change," said producer Sarah Just. "She was a mentor to so many across the industry and her professionalism was respected across the political spectrum." At a daily news conference, President Barack Obama offered his "deepest condolences" from himself and the first lady. "She was a friend of ours, she was an extraordinary journalist, she always kept faith with the fundamental responsibilities of her profession," he said. Ifill had moderated two vice-presidential debates as well as a Democratic primary debate last year. In 2004 she moderated the debate between Dick Cheney and John Edwards, and in 2008 between Joe Biden and Sarah Palin. Last year she hosted the primary debate between Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders. Sarah Glover, the president of the National Associated of Black Journalists, expressed her condolences on Facebook, saying that Ifill "was a transformative voice among journalists". In 2013, after being named co-host of PBS Newshour, Ifill told the New York Times that she hoped she would inspire future minority journalists. "When I was a little girl watching programs like this - because that's the kind of nerdy family we were - I would look up and not see anyone who looked like me in any way. No women. No people of colour", she said. Paula Kerger, president and CEO of PBS, said that Ifill's "contributions to thoughtful reporting and civic discourse simply cannot be overstated." "She often said that her job was to bring light rather than heat to issues of importance to our society. Gwen did this with grace and steadfast commitment to excellence", Mrs Kerger added. Before working in broadcasting, Ifill had worked as a print reporter for the Baltimore Evening Sun, the Boston Herald American, the Washington Post, and the New York Times. She died after a battle with cancer.

Summary: Veteran journalist and news anchor Gwen Ifill has died aged 61, the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) has said.


Media playback is not supported on this device Wednesday's 3-0 defeat at Sunderland was the second time they have conceded three goals since losing to Manchester United at Wembley on 23 April. Everton are 12th in the table with one win from their past 10 league games. "We tried to get the focus after being in the FA Cup semi-final and sometimes it drops the intensity," said Martinez. Martinez has come under pressure from some Everton fans this season, while Ajax manager Frank de Boer and Southampton boss Ronald Koeman have been linked with his job this month. Patrick van Aanholt's free-kick and two close-range strikes from Lamine Kone sealed a comfortable win for Sunderland at the Stadium of Light which secured their survival and relegated Newcastle and Norwich. Spaniard Martinez, who took over from David Moyes in June 2013 and signed a new five-year contract in 2014, added: "The effort we put in deserved a lot more. "It was not an easy game and Sunderland had a lot of momentum with their focus on the league. "We have one more game to get the winning feeling and perform in a manner in which we can get the three points and end the season better." Everton finished fifth in the table with a record Premier League points tally in their first season under Martinez in 2013-14, and 11th the following year. They end their campaign at home to Norwich on Sunday.

Summary: Manager Roberto Martinez says Everton have struggled to focus on the Premier League following their FA Cup semi-final defeat.


Wellington Zoo said Lanky had arthritis and had been struggling to support his own weight. He had stopped eating or taking his medicine. He was euthanised "in his best interests", the zoo said in a statement on Monday. An Australian pelican, Lanky was the longest living resident of Wellington Zoo, arriving there in 1978. "Lanky had regular medical examinations and we were able to manage the arthritis in his ankles with pain relief and anti-inflammatories, but his lameness increased over recent months," said the zoo. His recent refusal to eat was in contrast to his appetite in better days, when he consumed a kilo of fish a day, sometimes "sneaking food off his neighbours" in his favourite haunt of Monkey Island, said Senior Keeper Phil Wisker. Pelicans from Australia do occasionally drop into New Zealand but Lanky was the only one permanently in the country. He originally arrived in Wellington from Australia's Adelaide Zoo, after being rescued with three other wild pelicans from a local drought, the zoo said. "All of us here at the Zoo are sad to see Lanky go, as he has been a real character and much loved by everyone who has cared for him over the last decades," it said.

Summary: New Zealand's only resident pelican has been put down after living at Wellington Zoo for nearly 40 years.


The Office for National Statistics found it contained the highest proportion of deprived areas, followed by West Bromwich in the West Midlands. Guildford in Surrey was the least deprived town. The study considered factors such as income, employment, health, education, skills and training and crime. It also looked at disability, access to housing and the built environment in cities and towns in England and Wales. The north-west of England had five of the ten most deprived towns and cities, while the West Midlands had three of the top five. The data revealed that while Oldham was the most deprived overall, West Bromwich came off the worst for employment and income. The town in Sandwell was ranked the lowest out of 109 areas for both aspects and second lowest for education. Where are the most and least happy places in England? Birmingham was also given the lowest ranking for housing. At the opposite end of the table, Guildford, Woking and St Albans were all found to have the highest proportion of the least deprived areas. The study by the ONS also revealed 29 out of 45 towns and cities in southern England had an average house price of more than £200,000, compared with only three out of 64 in the North and Midlands. Through research looking at England and Wales, the ONS found house prices have risen the most in Cambridge since 2010, increasing 47%. Swansea saw prices decrease 4% over the same period. The cheapest place to buy a home is Burnley in Lancashire, according to the ONS. A detached home goes for an average of £166,000 while a semi-detached attracts about £120,000. Flats go for an average of £69,950 while terraced houses are priced at an average of £54,498, making the overall average £78,000. St Albans has the most expensive housing, with an average detached home costing £675,000 or £529,400 for a semi-detached. An average terraced house goes for £400,000 and a flat for £255,000, making the overall average £390,000. Councillor Eddie Moores, Oldham Council's cabinet member for health, said: "In the last five years we've worked hard to improve health, wages, skills and employment opportunities through initiatives like Get Oldham Working, the Oldham Education and Skills Commission and the award-winning Warm Homes Oldham, which has already lifted more than 3,300 people out of fuel poverty. "We've also invested in the borough's biggest post war regeneration programme so that people can benefit from a growing economy and get more opportunities to succeed." Sandwell Council Leader Darren Cooper said: "We have faced massive cuts from central government, and this has taken a huge amount of money out of the local economy. "Some of the ONS indicators are out of the council's control, but we are trying hard to build the local economy and create more jobs, fighting back against the rising tide of austerity." Among the successes were the New Square shopping centre, campuses at Sandwell Colleges Central and Sixth Form Campuses, and the Health Futures University Technical College and there were plans for an expanded Metro and improved bus and road

Summary: Oldham in Greater Manchester is the most deprived town in England, an official study into housing and poverty has found.


The profit included a 'write back' of £27m in impairment charges. That means money which had been set aside to cover expected losses can now be released as loans performed better than expected. These are the first performance figures the bank has published since a corporate reorganisation in 2015. At that time the bank's parent company, RBS, split Ulster Bank's Irish operation into separate businesses, north and south of the border. Richard Donnan, head of Ulster Bank in Northern Ireland, said the results also showed a 6% decline in operating costs from £154m to £145m. "We still have work to do to manage our costs in order to grow our business in a sustainable way, but we have made significant progress on that front," he said. "I am pleased that we have impairment write backs of £27m, driven by improved residential and commercial property market conditions." In March, the bank said it would close nine of its 64 branches from October. Ulster Bank is one of the big four local banks in Northern Ireland, employing about 2,200 staff. In 2016 RBS, which is 72%-government owned, reported a £7bn annual loss.

Summary: Ulster Bank in Northern Ireland made a 2016 pre-tax profit of £58m on a turnover of £176m.


The study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, analysed data from 48 separate trials. The Canadian team concluded that sticking to a diet was more important than the diet itself. Obesity experts said all diets cut calories to a similar level, which may explain the results. Diets go in and out of fashion on a regular basis, with a current debate around the relative benefits of low carb and low fat diets. Scientists at McMaster University in Ontario and the Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute in Toronto analysed data from 7,286 overweight dieters. The range of diets covered included, Atkins, South Beach, Zone, Biggest Loser, Jenny Craig, Nutrisystem, Volumetrics, Weight Watchers, Ornish and Rosemary Conley. It showed that after 12 months, people on low carbohydrate and low fat diets both lost an average of 7.3kg (16lb). Those on low carb meal plans had lost slightly more at the six-month marker. The report said: "The differences [between diets] were small and unlikely to be important to those seeking weight loss." It concluded: "Our findings should be reassuring to clinicians and the public that there is no need for a one-size-fits-Âall approach to dieting because many different diets appear to offer considerable weight loss benefits. "Our findings suggest that patients may choose, among those associated with the largest weight loss, the diet that gives them the least challenges with adherence." However, the study did not look at wider health issues, such as levels of cholesterol, which may vary according to diet. Prof Susan Jebb, from the University of Oxford and a government advisor on obesity, said diets were more similar than they appeared, advocating cutting calories to 1,500 a day, sticking to strict meal times and avoiding biscuits, cakes and chocolate. "The issue is about adherence and it's how closely and how long can you keep sticking to the plan over time that matters. "That probably means finding the right diet for you, rather than one being so particularly better than the others." She said people should try to match diets to their lives. Vegetarians would struggle more with a high protein, low carb diet, while people living on their own may find liquid (instead of meals) diets easier than those who would still have to cook for a family.

Summary: All diets - from Atkins to Weight Watchers - have similar results and people should simply pick the one they find easiest, say researchers.


The minister, Katherine Zappone, revealed the figure as she addressed the DÃ¡il (Irish parliament). She made a statement following last week's revelation that "significant quantities" of human remains had been found at one of the homes in Tuam. Ms Zappone said the Tuam discovery "confirmed what we had all feared". The minister also paid tribute to the "tireless" County Galway historian Catherine Corless, whose personal research led to the inquiry and an excavation of site. Ms Corless found death certificates for 796 infants who died at the Tuam home from a range of natural causes when she was writing a history of the site. She continued to ask questions about what was done with their remains when she could not locate their burial records. An inquiry, set up in 2014, confirmed last week that human remains had been found in "underground chambers" on the site of the demolished home. The minister told the DÃ¡il that for former residents, campaigners, and Ms Corless it was a "moment of vindication". "After decades, and years of hard work, determination and unwavering commitment, the truth has been laid bare for all of us to see. "This House and our entire State owe a debt of gratitude to Catherine Corless for her work. "Many men and women alive today spent time in that institution, either as children or as young women. "Today I offer them my personal solidarity and, as a citizen, my personal apology for the wrongs that were done to them." During the last century, thousands of pregnant unmarried women and girls were sent to mother-and-baby homes as it was deemed shameful to bear a child outside marriage. Conditions in many of the institutions were harsh, and some former residents have said they felt "incarcerated" in the homes. The home in Tuam, County Galway, was run by the Bon Secours order of nuns. A child died there nearly every two weeks between the mid-1920s and 1960s. Ms Zappone said it can "take time to shine a light on dark periods of our history" but added that what went on in the homes was "not without the support of many pillars in society". "We must acknowledge that sometimes it was fathers and mothers, brothers and uncles, who condemned their daughters, sisters, nieces and cousins and their children to these institutions," the minister said. "We must accept that between 1940 and 1965, a recorded 474 so-called "unclaimed infant remains" were transferred from mother-and-baby homes to medical schools in Irish universities." She said the plight of residents of mother and babies homes was raised in the DÃ¡il in the 1950s. "We must acknowledge that this very House debated legislation that allowed for those residing in institutions such as county homes to work for little or nothing in return for the so-called charity that was shown to them," Ms Zappone said. "Lest we contend that people did not know what was happening, let us remember that some Members of this House spoke out against it."

Summary: The remains of 474 infants were transferred from mother-and-baby homes to medical schools over 25 years, the Irish minister for children has said.


Goals from Ciaran McNulty, Sam Caine and Conor Doyle helped the Isle of Man side to a 3-1 victory in the final over Felvidek of Hungary. A team spokesman said it was a "golden chance which they took". Last year, Ellan Vannin finished second at the inaugural World Cup for nations and regions outside FIFA. A team spokesman said it had been a "tough test" and "ideal preparation" for the forthcoming ConIFA European Football Cup in Hungary.

Summary: Ellan Vannin have booked their place in next year's ConIFA World Cup after winning the Niamh's Challenge Cup at the Bowl in Douglas.


In March, the ICAO issued an alert on Thailand's aviation body after a safety audit revealed that it failed to adequately oversee its airlines. The move led to a ban on new flights to China, Japan and South Korea. Thai officials had then submitted plans to deal with the concerns in March. But, the ICAO "red flagged" the country's body on Thursday for failing to solve the issues within 90 days. Thailand's aviation sector joins 12 other developing countries, including Nepal and Sierra Leone, that have been downgraded to Category 2 from Category 1 by the organisation for its safety standards. An audit in January by the United Nations body had found that Thailand's aviation authority had a shortage of technical officers and issues with certifying the transportation of hazardous goods. The warning meant the country's airlines had to cancel flights and refund or alter thousands of air tickets. The country's flag carrier, Thai Airways, said in a statement that it followed the "highest safety standards" in all operational areas, despite the red flag from the international regulator.

Summary: The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has downgraded Thailand's aviation standards, "red flagging" the country for failing to address safety concerns.


Shazia Ahmad and Wasim Ali, from Newport, Umar Arif, Umar Butt and Khalid Yassen, from Cardiff, and Zawed Malik from Greater Manchester, all deny conspiracy to supply the class A drug. Cardiff Crown Court heard two cars were followed by undercover police officers. Almost 40kg (88lbs) of heroin worth about £5m was seized between 2013 and 2014. The jury was told the speaker was being carried in a car that was stopped by police. Mr Butt and Mr Yassen were arrested on the M5 with 36.5kg of heroin in a speaker and suitcase in their Citroen Picasso. Undercover officers said they followed the Picasso and a Fiat Punto "travelling in convoy" but admitted under cross examination that they did not see a "speaker box" being placed in the Picasso. The court heard money was handed over at locations across Newport, including a Lidl car park. The case continues.

Summary: Six people accused of being involved in Wales' largest heroin seizure kept the drugs in a speaker, a court has heard.


10 September 2016 Last updated at 18:36 BST The house of Pietro's owner collapsed as a result of the quake. The cat was taken to a veterinary clinic and is said to be in a critical condition. He was found when his owners returned to the house to get some belongings. Nearly 300 people died in August's magnitude-6.2 earthquake. Read more Tales of survival Before and after images show destruction

Summary: A cat has been rescued from the rubble of a house 16 days after an earthquake hit the Italian city of Amatrice.


Voters in Bassetlaw District Council take to the polls to elect a third of the north Nottinghamshire authority. Labour currently has an overwhelming majority on the council but admitted its biggest fear is UKIP. The Conservative group is hoping to increase its share and go someway to returning to its only period in power. The Lib Dems have six candidates. Labour has controlled the council for decades apart from two brief periods in the 1970s and then again about eight years ago. The area of Bassetlaw is divided in two by the A1 with the Labour heartland of Worksop to the west and the more Conservative Retford to the east. Despite being in Nottinghamshire economically it looks to its large neighbour in Sheffield, rather than the distant county town of Nottingham. It prides itself on being the birthplace of the United States of America - three of the first four signatories to the Mayflower Compact were from Bassetlaw. Labour's John Mann has been MP for Bassetlaw since 2001. That was towards the end of Tony Blair's leadership when the party was unpopular nationally, even in the former coal-mining heartland of Bassetlaw. The Conservatives enjoyed several years in power but in 2011 the council returned to red and this is the first election where it faces a serious challenge from UKIP. "Our biggest worry is UKIP," councillor Griff Wynne said. "This is the first time they have entered candidates in every ward. "They are targeting Labour seats for the first time and they are an unknown quantity." Mr Wynne, deputy leader of the council, said the main issue though is to convince people to vote at all. Former leader of the council and the Conservatives Mike Quigley is hoping to win back a seat after he lost two years ago. "The problem with local politics is that people tend to be driven on what's happening nationally," he said. "We took control when Labour was doing pretty badly nationally and I think that's often how people vote." UKIP is hoping to capitalise on the party's popularity nationally and is the only party to field a candidate in every ward, hoping to build support for future European elections. Roger Vernon said: "We did quite well in the county council elections last year, which isn't bad considering we [the local branch] were only formed in March. "We are up against a strongly entrenched Labour party, we realise it is a hard race for us to row." The Liberal Democrats have not had a councillor in Bassetlaw for more than 10 years. A total of 54 candidates are fighting for 16 seats including two independents.

Summary: A dyed-in the wool Labour council is facing UKIP in every ward for the first time in Thursday's election.


In a speech marking the end of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, he said Iran still had sharp differences with the US, above all over the Middle East. Iran would continue to back Syria, Iraq, the Palestinians and "oppressed people" in Yemen and Bahrain, he said. The deal on Iran's nuclear programme came after years of negotiations. The agreement limits Iran's nuclear activities for at least 10 years in exchange for the gradual lifting of sanctions which have hampered the country's economy. "Whether the [nuclear] deal is approved or disapproved, we will never stop supporting our friends in the region and the people of Palestine, Yemen, Syria, Iraq, Bahrain and Lebanon," Ayatollah Khamenei said. "Even after this deal our policy towards the arrogant US will not change." The supreme leader also denied that Iran was intending to create a nuclear bomb. "The Americans say they stopped Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon," he said in his speech at the Mosala mosque in Tehran. "They know it's not true. We had a fatwa [religious ruling] declaring nuclear weapons to be religiously forbidden under Islamic law. It had nothing to do with the nuclear talks. "We have repeatedly said we don't negotiate with the US on regional or international affairs; not even on bilateral issues. "There are some exceptions like the nuclear programme that we negotiated with Americans to serve our interests... US policies in the region are diametrically opposed with Iran's policies." The supreme leader said it was now necessary for Iranian politicians to scrutinise the nuclear agreement and make sure that Iran's national interests were being preserved. Correspondents say that Ayatollah Khamenei's views are in contrast to the acclaim that the accord has received from President Hassan Rouhani and Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif.

Summary: Iran's stance towards the "arrogant" US will not change despite the nuclear deal reached earlier this week, supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has said.


Mazembe made sure of the win having held their opponents to a 1-1 draw in Algeria in the first leg of the final last weekend. They won the final 5-2 on aggregate, to add the Confederation Cup to their list of honours after winning the African Champions League in 2015. On Sunday, Mazembe went ahead in Lubumbashi after just seven minutes through Merveille Bope who reacted quickest to a Jean Kasusula free- kick which hit the woodwork. Zambia international Kalaba (pictured) hammered home a volley on the stroke of halftime to make it 2-0 and scored again just after the hour mark to put the result beyond the Algerians, appearing in their first continental cup final. Bejaia scored a consolation goal in the 75th minute from Sofiane Khadir but the three-goal advantage was restored within 60 seconds by Jonathan Bolingi. Mazembe were eliminated early in the defence of their African Champions League trophy this year and dropped down to the continent's second tier club competition. They will receive $660,000 following their Confederation Cup triumph with Bejaia receiving the runners-up prize of $462,000. Mazembe will now play this year's African Champions League winners, Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa, in the 2017 African Super Cup on the weekend on 17-19 February.

Summary: Zambia international Rainford Kalaba scored twice as TP Mazembe of the Democratic Republic of Congo beat Algeria's Mouloudia Bejaia 4-1 at home on Sunday to win the African Confederation Cup for the first time.


RWE Innogy UK had applied for a permit to divert water from the River Conwy to supply a new hydroelectric scheme near Betws-y-Coed. Campaigners had feared the scheme would reduce the waterfall to a "trickle". Natural Resources Wales refused permission saying it could harm the local environment. RWE Innogy UK had said its Conwy Falls hydro power station plans, in Conwy Valley, could provide more than 3,200 households with power. The plans, which had faced opposition from environmentalists, anglers, canoeists and businesses, would have seen a new hydro power scheme built 400 metres (1,312ft) upstream from the falls. But on Thursday, NRW turned down the application for a permit to build and operate the plant saying the company wanted to abstract too much water at times from the river. Sian Williams, head of operations north for NRW, said: "The Conwy is an important natural asset for the area and we've conducted a detailed assessment of the proposals before reaching this decision. "We support sustainable developments in the right places. "But the evidence we've scrutinised shows that the proposal submitted could harm the local environment. As such, we can't grant it a permit." In March, Snowdonia National Park Authority's planning committee rejected the scheme. RWE Innogy UK has been contacted for comment.

Summary: Controversial plans for a £12m energy scheme at a waterfall beauty spot in Snowdonia National Park have been refused.


Greg Dyke has invited Astle's widow Laraine and his daughters, Claire and Dawn, to Wembley Stadium on 10 August. The ex-West Bromwich Albion and England forward died in 2002. A neurosurgeon said last month that he died from a brain condition linked to boxers rather than Alzheimer's disease as previously thought. Dawn Astle said: "We want to stress the immediate message in dealing with head injuries and concussions, to discuss the FA's medical policies on this and work on player education. "[The issue] has to be taken seriously because it's about lives. "It's not like a back or knee injury, because once the brain is damaged it doesn't repair itself and Dad is proof of that." Ms Astle said Dr Willie Stewart, who carried out a new examination of Mr Astle's brain, would also be at the meeting. Astle's family have campaigned for the FA to carry out research into the risks of heading footballs and players suffering concussion. The Justice for Jeff group has also held protests at West Brom games. The FA previously apologised to the family for not keeping them informed about its work and said its rules on concussion were due to be changed ahead of the 2014/15 season. A spokesman for the FA said Mr Dyke "had been keen to meet the Astle family for a long time" to hear their concerns. It was initially believed Astle died from Alzheimer's disease, but the coroner at his inquest ruled his brain had been damaged by heading heavy leather balls. He played for West Bromwich Albion from 1964-1974 scoring 137 goals in 292 league appearances.

Summary: The family of the former footballer Jeff Astle is to meet the FA chairman next month to discuss head injuries in the game, as part of their campaign.


He was speaking before the arrival of ministers and some heads of state in Marrakech on Tuesday. They are coming to try to take the next steps to tackle global climate change. But the meeting has been rocked by the possibility that President-elect Donald Trump will withdraw the US from the pact. US lead negotiator Dr Pershing told a packed news briefing that the passion and dedication displayed in the effort to deliver the Paris treaty was strong enough to withstand the impacts of a Trump presidency. “Heads of state can and will change but I am confident that we can and we will sustain a durable international effort to counter climate change,” he said. Dr Pershing said that he expected personnel from the Trump transition team to start arriving at the State Department in the coming weeks and they would drive the “shape and thrust” of US diplomacy over the next four years. On the campaign trail, Donald Trump sketched a plan to “cancel” the Paris Agreement and withhold US payments to the UN body tasked with stemming climate change. He has also appointed Myron Ebell, from the Competitive Enterprise Institute, a man well known for his contrarian views on climate change, to head his Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) transition team. Dr Pershing said that he had no information on who might lead on climate change issues in a Trump administration. Whoever it was, he said, should recognise the strength of last year's climate agreement and what it could help the world to achieve. “The Paris agreement protects economic growth and the environment, all while providing nationally determined flexibility to accommodate differing circumstances,” he said. “It is durable, it is inclusive it is ambitious.” Negotiators from across the globe have been reluctant to directly criticise the incoming US administration. They have instead opted to focus on the benefits to economies of a transition to greener sources of energy. The EU climate commissioner Miguel Arias Canete said that investments in renewable sources were worth more than $329bn last year, six times the amount in 2004. But the commissioner said that Europe expects the US to stay in the agreement. "We expect that the commitments made by the Americans on climate change will be upheld, after all they are the second largest emitter in the world and they also have to do their fair share to fix the climate.” Away from the conference the former French President Nicolas Sarkozy has been calling for a carbon tax on US goods if President Trump follows through on his promise to walk away from the Paris deal. "Donald Trump has said - we’ll see if he keeps this promise - that he won’t respect the conclusions of the Paris climate agreement,” Mr Sarkozy, who is a candidate for next year's French presidential elections, told the TF1 television channel on Sunday. “Well, I will demand that Europe put in place a carbon tax at its border, a tax of 1%-3%, for all products coming from the United States, if the United States doesn’t apply environmental rules that

Summary: The Paris climate agreement will survive a Trump presidency says the US special envoy on climate change Dr Jonathan Pershing.


The deal ends months of speculation about the future of the Gulls, who were facing financial difficulties. "There is relief that the club is saved. We were looking at a serous financial situation," outgoing chairman David Phillips told BBC Sport. The deal is subject to ratification by the National League and supporters have raised concerns about GI. The group pulled out of a bid to buy the club in the summer. However, Phillips said Torquay had been close to going into administration and added: "This deal had to be done. "All of the other people that were supposedly in the background, I've spoken to Chinese, Hong Kong and American, we asked them to to put some money in to save the club and it was never forthcoming." Nobody from the new owners was at Plainmoor to talk about the deal. "I would like to take this opportunity of assuring everyone connected with, and supporting, the club that we will try our best to secure the club's long term future," said GI head Clarke Osbourne in a statement. "Our initial work is to ensure that the club is stable whilst compiling a five-year plan to secure the club's future and bring high-level football entertainment to Torbay." There has been talk of the club leaving their Plainmoor home for a new ground on the outskirts of the town, a plan which the Torquay United Supporters' Trust has questioned. "With GI, our biggest concern is that they are a property developer, they have very little interest in football apparently and they have very little connection with Torquay as a place," TUST spokesman Alan Robinson told BBC Sport. "I totally understand the financial constraints the club is under. We understand that at this moment in time GI was the only option. "Our concern is over the last 18 months we have at least twice or three times developed the opportunity of commitment ownership."

Summary: National League club Torquay United have been taken over by Swindon-based Gaming International (GI).