Five independent commissioners will provide recommendations to deal with violence against the country's indigenous women. Indigenous Affairs Minister Carolyn Bennett announced the inquiry at an emotional ceremony in Gatineau, Quebec. The inquiry will last at least two years and cost up to $53.8m (£30.8m). Though the federal government has launched the commission, each province has agreed to allow the commissioners to look at all jurisdictions, including whether local law enforcement or governments played a part. The commission will also have the authority to summon witnesses to testify. The investigation is expected to focus on the systemic causes of violence against indigenous women as well as recommendations on prevention. A 2015 United Nations report revealed that young indigenous women in Canada were five times more likely to die under violent circumstances than non-Aboriginal women. Families of victims have argued that police do not investigate missing indigenous women with the same scrutiny for cases involving white women. The five commissioners are Marion Buller, British Columbia's first female First Nations judge; Michele Audette, a former president of the Native Women's Association of Canada; Qajaq Robinson, a Nunavut-born lawyer who focuses on aboriginal law; Marilyn Poitras, a law professor at the University of Saskatchewan; and Brian Eyolfson, a First Nations lawyer who served on the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario. The investigation is set to begin in September and will run through 31 December, 2018. BBC reporter Joanna Jolly went on the trail of the murdered and missing to find out why so many of Winnipeg's Aboriginal women and girls have been killed. Read full article

Summary: Canada has launched an investigation into missing and murdered indigenous women that will cost nearly C$14m (£8m) more than expected.


Lil' Chris, whose real name was Chris Hardman, rose to fame in Channel 4's Rock School. He was found dead at in Lowestoft on 23 March. His family said the 24-year-old struggled with mental health issues and depression. A private funeral was held earlier this month. The inquest, at St Margaret's House in Lowestoft, was told the full hearing has been adjourned until 28 July. Suffolk coroner Dr Peter Dean conducted the short hearing, which was told the musician was found by his friend. The emergency services were called to the house in Union Road, before Mr Hardman was declared dead an hour later by a paramedic. Dr Dean expressed his "sympathy" to the family. Following Mr Hardman's death, fellow musicians and fans paid tribute on social media to the singer, who had his first hit single with Checkin' It Out. It followed his appearances in the Channel 4 series with Kiss frontman Gene Simmons in 2006, which was set at the town's Kirkley High School. Guy Barnes, a producer who was working with Hardman, said: "As much as we're all mourning the death of the boy, everybody needs to put as much love and strength as they possibly can do into the Hardman family because I don't know how anyone deals with that." In a statement released after Lil' Chris's death, his family said he was a "huge personality who will be missed by everyone who knew him". "He was a hugely creative person who used this side of his personality to make others smile, to cheer people up and to make others feel better," they said. "A real people person, he would always take the time to stop and talk, no matter who or when and we are proud that he was so well thought of by all who knew him." Family and friends gathered for his funeral on 8 April in Gorleston, Norfolk, before releasing balloons in his favourite colour of green on Claremont Pier in his hometown of Lowestoft. Samaritans' deputy chief executive Fiona Malcolm has said the charity had been "saddened" by his death. "If anyone has been affected by this news, or is struggling to cope, we would like to let people know that Samaritans is here for them if they need to talk," she said.

Summary: Singer Lil' Chris's death was caused by hanging, an inquest has heard.


The teams came head-to-head in the FA Cup quarter-final, with Chelsea winning the match 1-0. The action wasn't all on the pitch though. Chelsea manager Antonio Conte and Mourinho argued throughout the game, and had to be separated by the assistant referee at one point. Mourinho does, of course, have past history with Chelsea having been sacked by the club back in December 2015. He started his new job with United in May 2016. N'Golo Kante scored the only goal in the game. The victory means the Blues could still win the double of the league and FA Cup. The argument between the two bosses flared when United midfielder Ander Herrera was sent off for two yellow cards, leaving United to play for almost an hour with 10 men. Chelsea will now face Tottenham in the semi-final.

Summary: Chelsea boss Antonio Conte and Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho argued during their match last night.


A number of leading politicians have stepped down from their positions within the Northern Ireland Executive including Peter Robinson who was the First Minister. The Northern Ireland Executive is a power-sharing government made up of ministers from the five biggest parties. Northern Ireland secretary Theresa Villiers, who represents the UK government, is now holding talks with all of the different parties to see if they can continue to work together to run the country. She expects the talks to take up to six weeks. The crisis has come about after a murder which the police say was carried out by the IRA - they were an armed group who wanted Northern Ireland to be part of a united Ireland separate from the UK. Sinn Fein is one of the biggest political groups in Northern Ireland. It traditionally had links to the IRA. The leaders of Sinn Fein insist that the IRA have "gone away". It's not clear what will happen if the political parties can not come to agreement. There might have to be a new election. At the moment people living in Northern Ireland won't be noticing any differences to their day to day services like schools and rubbish collections. Prime Minister David Cameron has said that he wants the talks to resolve the problems as soon as possible.

Summary: Politicians in Northern Ireland are holding talks over the next month to prevent the collapse of the government.


Trott hit 175 as Warwickshire totalled 413 at Taunton, backed by half-centuries from Tim Ambrose (63) and Rikki Clarke (57). Young paceman Grant Thornton then took two of the four Somerset wickets to fall on his Championship debut. But Marcus Trescothick was still there at the close on 41, out of 94-4. After two badly rain-interrupted days. the draw remains the most likely result. But the Bears, so badly beaten by an innings in their opening two matches, have at least given themselves a chance of forcing victory, although it would take 16 wickets in the day to do it - and getting Trescothick out twice. Bottom club Somerset's target on day four will simply be to avoid the follow-on - and they need a further 170 to do that. Somerset's Marcus Trescothick told BBC Radio Bristol: "One of the office staff told me around 10 days ago how close I was to 25,000 runs and I have been sweating on it since then. "I knew when I went in that I was 29 away. It got a bit tense as I moved closer. "It is an achievement I am proud of but there is still a big job for me to do in this game. "It wasn't a great day for us and we need to concentrate hard tomorrow to make sure we come away with a draw." Warwickshire's Jonathan Trott told BBC Coventry & Warwickshire: "It's great that Marcus is still playing county cricket and setting an example to the young players in his dressing room and opposition teams. "There is no chance I will be still be playing at 41. That's just silly! His will be a huge wicket for us tomorrow. "I had just got past 100 when the new ball was taken so it was important I hung around for longer if we were to get a decent score. I started to think in terms of 400 when Rikki Clarke came in and played so well. "There is a bit of turn because it is a used pitch. With so much rain, the crustiness has taken longer to form, but hopefully Jeetan Patel can cause them a few problems."

Summary: Warwickshire took command of the battle of Division One's bottom two after Jonathan Trott had reached the 42nd first-class century of his career.


The 47-year-old was on a practice run for a race in an electric car for the Amazon Prime show when the vehicle burst into flames. Hammond injured his knee and leg and in a blog entry says he had "two sleepless nights and several hours' surgery". The ex-Top Gear host posted photos of himself on crutches and his stitches. Another image shows his X-rays and the metal pins he has had inserted in his knee. The presenter had sustained a fracture to the knee, a spokesperson for The Grand Tour said. Writing on the Drive Tribe website, Hammond says: "I'm pleased to announce that after two sleepless nights and several hours' surgery, my Swiss Army Knee is finished and works. "It bends in the middle and whilst a problem at airport security, is at least rustproof. "Back in action soon." The incident on 10 June, which took place as Hammond completed a hill climb in the Hemberg area, was described as a "serious crash" by The Grand Tour. He had been driving a "Rimac Concept One", an electric super car built in Croatia, during filming for the show's second season. A photograph shows the burned out car overturned in a field. The Grand Tour said Hammond had "climbed out of the car himself before the vehicle burst into flames". It added: "The cause of the crash is unknown and is being investigated." The crash came 11 years after the presenter suffered life-threatening head injuries in a high-speed crash as he filmed for BBC's Top Gear. He was in a coma for two weeks after losing control of a Vampire dragster at Elvington Airfield, near York. The presenter suffered brain injuries and was in a coma for two weeks but made a full recovery.

Summary: The Grand Tour presenter Richard Hammond is vowing to be "back in action soon" following surgery on his knee after a car crash in Switzerland.


Anscombe has been out since December with a groin injury which was the latest issue to sideline the New Zealand-born outside-half. The 25-year-old has also suffered hip and ankle injuries since arriving at the Blues. "You start getting bracketed as being made out of glass," he said. Anscombe has been limited to 33 appearances for the Blues since joining in the autumn of 2014. "Traditionally I've never had problems with injuries," said Anscombe. "Coming from New Zealand, I played Super Rugby, ITM Cup and then finished the Cardiff Blues' season. "I don't know if my body was angry at me for doing that or something, because it just seemed to catch up with me." Anscombe has made nine Wales appearances and has a dual contract with the Blues and the Welsh Rugby Union that finishes at the end of the current season. He has been overtaken in the international pecking order by Sam Davies and Owen Williams, behind Dan Biggar but still believes he can play at international level. "It's been frustrating and disappointing," he added. "It's tough when you think you are good enough to play at that Test level, but I just haven't had enough games. "I guess everyone's got their doubts, but you've just got to keep competitive and believe in what you can do, "You have got to have that self-belief and earn the jersey. "There are a couple of guys there that have been playing well for a while now and deserve to be where they are, so Wales are in a lucky situation there. "If I play well for the Blues and they start winning, hopefully people recognise you again." Anscombe returned last month in the Challenge Cup match against Bristol and is in line to play against Connacht at the Arms Park on Sunday afternoon. "If I can have a big second part of the season, then we will see what happens," he said. "It's nice to be back in the Blues jersey. "We really need to start winning and we have got belief in the squad that we can do it."

Summary: Cardiff Blues outside-half Gareth Anscombe hopes to put his injury problems behind him and achieve Wales recognition again.


He had been making his way down the south ridge of 3,000ft-high Tryfan when he slipped on Saturday afternoon. An RAF Sea King helicopter, based at Valley in Anglesey, was called at 15:00 BST to help him back down the mountain. The man, in his early 50s, was flown to the Ogwen Valley mountain rescue team base after it was determined he did not need hospital treatment.

Summary: A man has been airlifted from a mountain in Snowdonia after injuring his leg while out walking.


A floor stone dedicated to Larkin - who died in 1985 - will join the names of the country's best-loved poets including WH Auden, TS Eliot and William Wordsworth. It will be unveiled on 2 December 2016, the 31st anniversary of Larkin's death. The last poet to be honoured was Ted Hughes in 2011. With poems like The Whitsun Weddings and This Be The Verse - which contains his famous musings on "your mum and dad" - Larkin is widely regarded as one of Britain's finest 20th Century poets. The decision to honour him was made by the Dean of Westminster, the Very Rev Dr John Hall. "Philip Larkin is one of the great poets of the 20th Century in English and it's been pressed on me by a number of his colleagues and friends that it's the right time to memorialise him," Dr Hall told the BBC. Prof Edwin Dawes, who chairs the Philip Larkin Society, said Larkin's words were quoted more frequently than those of any of his poetic contemporaries. "The memorialisation of Philip Larkin in Poets' Corner will be warmly welcomed by his many admirers in all walks of life," he said. "We are delighted that in 2016 Larkin will take his place at the very cultural heart of the nation, in Westminster Abbey amongst Britain's greatest writers." Born in Coventry in 1922, Larkin studied at Oxford and had his first poems published in 1940. He took up the position of librarian at the University of Hull in 1955 and, in the same year, published his acclaimed collection The Less Deceived. His last collection High Windows was published in 1974. In December 1984, a year before his death from cancer, he was offered the chance to succeed Sir John Betjeman as Poet Laureate but declined, being unwilling to accept the post's high public profile. The posthumous publication of Larkin's letters gave an often unflattering insight into his inner life and led to accusations of racism and misogyny. Despite the dent to his reputation, in 2003 Larkin was chosen as the nation's best-loved poet of the last 50 years, in a survey by the Poetry Book Society. Poets' Corner became established at Westminster Abbey after Geoffrey Chaucer's remains were interred in a tomb there in 1556.

Summary: Philip Larkin is to be honoured with a memorial in Poets' Corner in Westminster Abbey.


Media playback is not supported on this device England only needed a draw to finish top of the group and after a lacklustre first half, Nikita Parris set them on the way to victory after the break. The striker headed home Karen Carney's cross to give England the lead. England dominated thereafter and Carney doubled the visitors' advantage with a strike which took a heavy deflection. Jade Moore won the ball and released Carney who neatly beat one defender on the edge of the box before scoring with a strike which went in via Lorca van de Putte. It was a victory which extended England's unbeaten run to seven matches, with the past five of those ending in victories. The Lionesses last lost a competitive qualifier in November 2002. England had already qualified for next summer's tournament in the Netherlands thanks to the 5-0 thumping of Estonia on 15 September, but England boss Mark Sampson said before the match in Leuven that he was determined his team would end the qualifiers as group leaders. Belgium, the only team to have taken a point off Sampson's side during the campaign, could have finished top of Group 7 had they beaten England, but they never truly came close and must settle for second spot. Neither team impressed in a first half full of stray passes and pedestrian attacks. England's best chance fell to Lucy Bronze, whose long-range effort was a fraction wide from the top corner. Belgium also had an opportunity to break the deadlock and would probably have scored through a Tessa Wullaert in-swinging corner had Jill Scott not headed the danger away. Belgium were organised in defence and for most of the match were quick to close down playmaker Karen Carney whenever she received the ball, reducing her influence in the final third and consequently nullifying England. But on the rare occasions Belgium did give Carney space to pull England's strings, the Chelsea forward was ruthless. First, she floated a lovely cross towards the industrious Parris to score her third international goal and followed up with five minutes remaining with a strike which completely wrong-footed Justien Odeurs thanks to the deflection. Sampson has proved he is not afraid to make changes - tweaking the formation during this campaign and making two changes to the team which beat Estonia, with Siobhan Chamberlain and Gemma Davison replaced by Karen Bardsley and Gilly Flaherty. But it was the introduction of Moore that changed the course of this match, with the midfielder breaking up play and giving the visitors more ballast in midfield. England's Euro 2017 preparations begin in earnest with a friendly against France, a team ranked third in the world, next month in Doncaster.

Summary: England beat Belgium in their final match of the Women's Euro 2017 qualifiers, ensuring they finish as Group 7 leaders.


The deadline to enter the tournament, which begins on 24 November, was 28 October, but the 39-year-old five-time world champion has declined to enter. He has not played in a competitive match since losing 13-9 to Stuart Bingham in the quarter-finals of the World Championship in April. O'Sullivan beat Judd Trump 10-9 in last year's final to win his fifth UK title. This month, O'Sullivan also announced he would not be defending his title at the Champion of Champions event in Coventry, which begins on 10 November. The UK Championship is broadcast live by the BBC and is one of snooker's 'Triple Crown' events, along with the Masters and the World Championship. O'Sullivan's withdrawal will disappoint many fans of the popular competition, which is staged at the Barbican Centre. A spokesman from World Snooker, the sport's governing body, said they were still expecting "a great event" and that ticket sales were "extremely good".

Summary: Ronnie O'Sullivan will not be defending his UK Snooker Championship title in York in November.


SSAFA said there were more than 3,000 calls to Forcesline from serving troops last year, up from 1,600 in 2014. The service was set up at the Army's request after four recruits died at its Deepcut Barracks in Surrey. SSAFA said the rise in the number of calls "although not a cause for panic, is reason for concern". The charity's chief executive, Air Vice Marshal David Murray, said: "Those who serve in our armed forces are by their very nature resilient characters. They are then trained to be the most robust versions of themselves, so for some asking for help can be a real challenge. "It is interesting that the service men and women who are contacting us are choosing to come to SSAFA, rather than their own chain of command, as the 'grin and bear it' attitude within the serving community remains strong." He said it was "imperative" that the welfare of service personnel welfare remained a priority and troops did not feel they had to "deal with their issues on their own". "They have been there when our country has needed them and we must be there when they need us," he said. A Ministry of Defence spokesman said: "The government is absolutely committed to the wellbeing of our armed forces and provides a wide range of support both during and after service. "We enshrined the armed forces covenant in law and have introduced a raft of measures designed to improve service life. "The government works in close partnership with the service charitable sector on these issues and we value contributions such as this." SSAFA, formerly known as the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association, has a network of 7,000 volunteers providing support for serving personnel as well as veterans. Between 1995 and 2002, four Army recruits died from gunshot wounds in unexplained circumstances at Deepcut, sparking allegations of bullying and abuse. The Army said all of the deaths were suicides but, in each case, the families disagreed. A second inquest is taking place into the death of one of those recruits, Private Cheryl James, more than 20 years after her death. Among other things, the coroner will consider accusations that there were "shortcomings" with barracks policies on sexual behaviour, supervision of young women, drugs, alcohol and accommodation. In total, the SSAFA helpline received 21,983 requests for help in 2015, up 6% on the year before.

Summary: A confidential helpline has seen a nearly 90% increase in requests for help from serving military personnel, an armed forces charity has said.


Ex-Libyan dissident Abdul Hakim Belhaj says MI6 helped to arrange his and his wife's rendition - saying they were covertly taken from Thailand to Libya. The case, involving allegations against ex-Foreign Secretary Jack Straw and an ex-MI6 chief, prompted an unprecedented battle over whether it can even begin. The Supreme Court is to decide whether the couple can sue the UK government. Police have investigated the claims but the Crown Prosecution Service is yet to announce its charging decision. The so-called extraordinary rendition programme operated for years in the wake of the 9/11 attacks of the US. The claims involve the secret detention and transfer of terror suspects between countries for interrogation, allegedly including torture. The UK and rendition allegations Government can be sued over rendition claims Belhaj torture case against UK rejected Mr Belhaj, a former Islamist fighter who opposed the Libyan dictator Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, says he was seized by US forces alongside his wife, Fatima Boudchar, in 2004 as they tried to fly from Asia to the UK to seek asylum. The couple were taken from Thailand to Libya - and they were immediately imprisoned. Mrs Boudchar, then pregnant, says she was abused in prison and feared she would lose her baby before she was released three months later. Mr Belhaj has told British courts he was beaten, subjected to other abuses and, separately, interviewed by British intelligence officers. The regime sentenced him to death, but he was eventually released in March 2010. During the later fall of Gaddafi, papers uncovered in Tripoli revealed MI6's former head of counter-terrorism Sir Mark Allen had sent his congratulations to the Libyan regime for the "safe arrival" of Mr Belhaj. "This was the least we could do for you and for Libya to demonstrate the remarkable relationship we have built up over recent years," he is said to have written. "The intelligence about [Mr. Belhaj] was British." The couple launched a damages claim against the government, Sir Mark and former Foreign Secretary Jack Straw four years ago and have offered to settle for Â£1 and an apology. A High Court judge initially ruled out the claim, saying it could damage foreign relationships - but the Court of Appeal said the "grave" allegations must be examined. The Supreme Court must now decide whether to allow the government's final appeal which is focused on a complex legal principle. Ministers say the case should not proceed because it would breach a long-standing legal doctrine that prevents one state's courts from ruling on whether a foreign government acted unlawfully. The Court of Appeal ruled that while that principle was valid, it could not stop a British court from examining whether British agencies, officials or ministers were separately culpable. The four-day Supreme Court hearing is being heard before seven justices - a sign of how important they regard the issues. They are also looking at a similar case involving a Pakistan man, Yunus Rahmatullah, who says he was tortured by US forces after being handed over to them in Iraq by British forces.

Summary: One of the most controversial claims of rendition involving the UK is being heard by the Supreme Court.


Sources say there has been a rise in avalanches, landslide-dammed rivers bursting, glaciers cracking and glacial lakes dangerously filling up. Studies by Chinese scientists have shown glaciers and permafrost rapidly melting in Tibet. Earthquakes also continue to destabilise them. A recent study has shown Tibet topping the list of places across the globe that has experienced an increase in water. Mining and dam construction in the Tibetan plateau have further fuelled concerns in downstream countries. In the absence of early warnings from Tibet, water-related disasters can cause human and property losses downstream in Bhutan, Nepal, India and potentially Bangladesh. One recent event took place in July when buildings in Nepalese towns bordering Tibet were swept away by a sudden flood. Authorities in Nepal say it was the result of landslides in Tibet that dammed the Bhotekoshi river. This is one of several rivers that run through Nepal which originate in Tibet. Most houses in Liping, the main town bordering Tibet, have either been swept away by floodwaters or brought down because of soil erosion caused by the floods. In Barabise and other smaller settlements, the BBC saw several houses precariously perched on the edge and all set to collapse because of the flooding. This was one of the most affected areas during last year's earthquake. "That is where my house used to stand and now all you see is a cliff overlooking the river," said Nimji Sherpa, a shopkeeper. "That night I received a call from my relative upstream that a flood was hurtling towards us. I dragged my old husband to higher land." "The next morning we came back to see that our house and all that we had was gone. Last year the earthquake destroyed my house and we had come here to start afresh and now floods have taken everything," she said, with tears in her eyes. Further up, a stretch of the Arniko highway, that links Nepal to Tibet, is gone which has disrupted traffic. "The authorities have told us to move 100 metres higher at night to sleep because we don't know what is coming our way," said Nimji Sherpa. "How long can we live like this?" Officials in Sindhupalchok district said they were able to evacuate people during the July flash flood. "We were lucky that we could save people because of our own early warning system but timely information from the Tibet side could have helped us save properties as well," said Gokarna Dawadi, chief government official in the district, who recently left this role. "We have approached the Chinese side a number of times to discuss this issue as we fear future disasters but it has not moved anywhere." In the past 80 years, scientists have recorded 10 occasions when glacial lakes burst out in Tibet and the flood waters reached Nepal. Officials in the Nepali capital Kathmandu said the Bhotekoshi disaster was an eye-opener. "So far we have no communication between China and Nepal regarding the early flood warning system," said Rishi Raj Sharma, director general of Nepal's department of hydrology and meteorology.

Summary: India and Nepal say a lack of information from China about glacial lakes and rivers in Tibet could hamper their ability to plan for flash floods.


The 71-year-old's show was "perfectly pleasant", said The Times' reviewer, but was "not full of the sort of comic vitality with which he made his name". The Daily Mail said the ex-Monty Python member had become "rueful - even, in the true sense of the word, pathetic". The Alimony Tour - so-called because Cleese says it is funding a divorce - opened in Cambridge on Tuesday. Comedy website Chortle said Cleese was "pleading penury" and had been "forced out on the road to scrape together a living when he'd rather be at home with a good book". As such, it continued, there was "a slight feeling that with the flagrantly money-making Alimony Tour that he's done just enough to get by". It described the Corn Exchange gig as a straightforward re-telling of his rise to fame, full of anecdotes he had polished in interviews over the years. "He hasn't even bothered to learn the script, reading his lines from a none-too-discreet autocue," its correspondent claims. The Independent's Julian Hall gave the show three stars out of five, saying fans of his classic sitcom Fawlty Towers were "in for a treat" because of clips that feature during the show. Yet The Times' Dominic Maxwell argued there were too many such clips, and "too little of Cleese developing intriguing ideas about craft". He gave the show two stars out of five, describing it as "a lecture tour more than comedy tour" that was more "intelligent" than "wildly funny". His sentiments were echoed by Quentin Letts in the Mail, who said his routine was "initially funny" but peaked after 20 minutes. "The audience tries to jolly him along, but the fizz has evaporated," he wrote. "Topical satire has yielded to autobiographical dribble." After his last Cambridge date on Saturday, Cleese will perform his show in several cities across the UK before closing the tour in Bath on 2 July. Speaking to the BBC in January, the Somerset-born star said the show would be "a fan show" that would steer clear of London's West End.

Summary: The opening night of comic actor John Cleese's first UK tour has been met with lukewarm reviews by critics.


They voted unanimously to ask pub firm Punch Taverns to not allow The Corn Exchange pub in Crickhowell to be turned into a convenience store. The town has only one national chain - Boots chemist - while all other businesses are family run and independent. Last week 200 people attended a protest over the plan. The final decision on the application will be taken by Brecon Beacons National Park Authority. Neither the park authority nor Punch Taverns were represented at the meeting.

Summary: More than 400 people have attended a meeting to oppose plans for a supermarket.


Officials believe Lawrence Phillips, 40, killed himself early on Wednesday. In the 1990s, he was a star player at the University of Nebraska, making him a sought-after rookie in the NFL. Phillips played for the St Louis Rams, Miami Dolphins and San Francisco 49ers until 1999, but he was plagued by trouble on and off the field. After his NFL career, Phillips continued to have problems with the law. Eventually, he was sent to prison after being convicted of assault for driving his car into a group of teenagers. In another case, he was convicted of assaulting a former girlfriend. Phillips, who was serving a term of more than 30 years, had been placed in a cell alone after he was accused of killing his former cellmate. On Tuesday, a judge found that there was enough evidence to try Phillips in the death of Damion Soward, 37. It is unclear how he took his own life. "He was an intelligent person and had some good qualities," Tom Osborne, his coach at Nebraska, told the Associated Press news agency. "Yet he had some anger issues and couldn't overcome the demons in his life.''

Summary: A former US professional football player whose career was cut short by disciplinary problems has been found dead inside his California prison cell.


Ocon, 20, is contracted long-term to Mercedes, Force India's engine provider, and has been racing for Manor in the second half of this season. He replaces German Nico Hulkenberg, 29, who has moved to Renault, and will be alongside Mexican Sergio Perez, 26. "Spending half a season at Manor Racing has given me some valuable experience and I feel ready for this," said Ocon. "It's something I've been working towards my whole life and I intend to grab this opportunity with both hands. "I want to say thank you to everybody at Manor and especially to Mercedes-Benz for their support and belief in me. I can't wait for 2017 and my first full season racing in Formula One." Ocon joined Manor for the Belgian Grand Prix at the end of August and has impressed increasingly as the season has progressed. Both he and Manor team-mate Pascal Wehrlein are contracted to Mercedes' junior driver programme. Ocon's best results for Manor have been the 16th-placed finishes he secured at the Belgian Grand Prix and at last month's Malaysian Grand Prix. Subscribe to the BBC Sport newsletter to get our pick of news, features and video sent to your inbox.

Summary: French driver Esteban Ocon will race for Force India in 2017 after agreeing a "multi-year deal", with the team.


The men, from Gambia and Senegal, were crushed while working at Shredmet Ltd in Birmingham on 7 July 2016. Police and the Health Safety Executive (HSE) are still investigating and inquests have yet to be held. The families said they were frustrated at the length of time the investigation was taking. Ousmane Kaba Diabi, 39, who was from Senegal, Alimamo Kinteh Jammeh, 45, Bangally Tunkara Dukureh, 55, Saibo Sumbundu Sillah, 42, and Muhamadou Jagana Jagana, 49, all Spanish citizens, died in the incident. They had come to the UK to work, some with their families, and were employed along with other Gambians at the plant in Nechells. Hawa Kaba Dukureh, the 42-year-old wife of Mr Dukureh, said: "Since the incident took place, I've never had any answers from anyone about why my husband died this way. "I am very sad... I have not stopped thinking about him." Two men who survived the incident, Basamaba Darama and Tombong Camara Conteh, said they would never forget what they had witnessed. Mr Darama said he was with the men sweeping up piles of waste metal against the concrete wall when it collapsed. As he walked away from his friends, he turned to see them suddenly buried under concrete blocks, each weighing 1.5 tonnes, and then scrap metal, which was behind the wall, pouring on top of them. "I was confused," he said. "I ran and I was confused because I didn't see anyone. The blocks were lying down on them. "I thought I was going to go crazy. I've never seen this kind of thing before in my life. "They are my colleagues, we work together, we are friends... and they are dead." Mr Darama, who still works at the plant, said he was very traumatised by what he saw. "I'm working there because of my family and I have to. My family has to survive. I don't have a choice.... at night I close my eyes and it's still happening." Mr Conteh, who suffered a broken leg, said: "I remember lying down and others buried under the rubble. I couldn't move I could just hear noise and from then until now I keep thinking how did it happen and how did I get away?" Ousman Njie, project manager with the Gambian Association, said: "We think it [the investigations] should have been better than how it is now, but because of legal matters we can't say much but we hope it can be done as quickly as possible. "We would like it move faster than it is so families know. It's not easy for them to wait and wait." At the time, Shredmet Ltd, which deals with more than 500,000 tonnes of scrap metal each year, said the wall had been in place for more than two years and had not been subject to any damage that could have caused the collapse. In a statement, the company said it remained "utterly devastated" by the incident and was continuing to cooperate with the investigation. It said it was "still in the dark" as to the overall

Summary: The families of five men who died when a 15ft wall collapsed on them at a scrap metal yard say they are still waiting for answers a year on.


A working reactor caught fire, explosively. Radioactive debris was sent 30,000 feet into the air - the height at which airliners conventionally fly. Some of that debris came down thousands of kilometres away, in concentrations strong enough to prohibit the eating of meat and the drinking of milk produced locally. The upgrading of Japan's Fukushima incident to a level seven - the maximum - on the International Nuclear and Radiological Event Scale (INES) puts it on a par with Chernobyl. And a spokesman for Tokyo Electric Power Company (Tepco), which runs the plant, suggested it could even end up being worse than Chernobyl. This, though, appears to be a minority view among engineers - both those who generally support nuclear power, and those who have in the past voiced criticisms. Timeline: nuclear accidents "The classification of seven means there's a leak of radiation into the wider environment; and although it'll be interpreted as being 'the same as Chernobyl', it's not the same," said Paddy Regan, professor of physics at the UK's University of Surrey. "The amount of radiation release is a lot less, and the way it's released is very different. "The Chernobyl fire was putting lots of radioactive material into the atmosphere and taking it over large distances; here, there have been a couple of releases where they've vented [gas from] the reactor, and then released some cooling water." Don Higson, a retired Australian nuclear safety specialist, was more pithy. "To my mind, [rating Fukushima equivalent to Chernobyl] would be nonsense," he said. In the month following the Chernobyl explosion, he said, 134 workers were hospitalised with acute radiation sickness and 31 died. The equivalent figures for Fukushima are none and none. (Although workers have been taken to hospital with radiation burns, this is not the same as acute radiation sickness.) So why the uprating? What it does not mean is that things have got worse at the plant; in fact, conditions appear to be markedly more stable than in the days following the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami, although not completely under control. Rather, Japan's Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency (NISA) has re-analysed data from the incident and decided that collectively the releases of radioactivity mean it slots into a level seven categorisation. The manual for agencies using the INES scale, published by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), runs to 218 pages. One of the criteria for evaluating the severity of an incident is the total release of radioactive material. This is derived by first adding up the amounts of each different radioactive isotope released, then multiplying each by a conversion factor related to the characteristics of that particular isotope, then adding up all of the resulting numbers. Radioactivity is measured in becquerels (Bq); a million million of these is a terabecquerel (TBq). A level seven rating is defined as "An event resulting in an environmental release corresponding to a quantity of radioactivity radiologically equivalent to a release to the atmosphere of more than several tens of thousands of TBq of Iodine-131." NISA puts the Fukushima figure at 370,000 TBq

Summary: Chernobyl is regularly labelled "the world's worst nuclear accident" - and with good reason.


Lagmar Barking, a joint venture between MAR Properties and the Lagan Developments (Holdings), owned the Vicarage Field shopping centre in Barking. It has been bought by Benson Elliot, a UK-based private equity property fund manager. The last accounts for Lagmar Barking showed it owed its lenders £70m. The loan secured on the centre was bought by the US investment fund Cerberus as part of its purchase of the National Asset Management Agency's (Nama) Northern Ireland loan book in 2014. Peter Cornforth, director of retail at Benson Elliot, said the deal was "an exciting purchase for Benson Elliot". He added that it provided the firm with "a fantastic opportunity to contribute to the regeneration of a key east London metropolitan centre". Cerberus is continuing to rapidly work through the former Nama portfolio with a combination of asset sales, refinancings and enforcements.

Summary: A shopping centre in east London that had been owned by two Northern Ireland property groups has been sold for £35m.


Oliver Schmidt, a former head of VW's engineering and environmental office in the US, admitted to participating in an attempted cover-up after regulators raised questions the "defeat devices". He faces up to seven years in prison, and up to $400,000 (£306,000) in fines. The scandal has cost Volkswagen as much as $25bn. US prosecutors say Volkswagen installed special software in certain diesel vehicles that allowed them to perform better during emissions tests than they did under normal driving conditions. The emissions were sometimes 30 times higher than permitted under US rules. Volkwagen sold almost 600,000 vehicles with the devices in the US between 2006 and 2015, and about 11 million globally. The allegations have also prompted probes in other countries. Volkswagen: The scandal explained VW papers shed light on emissions scandal Diesel cars: What's all the fuss about? Mr Schmidt was informed that the devices had been installed in 2015, after a nonprofit in the US exposed discrepancies and regulators confronted the company, according to court filings. Mr Schmidt, who was arrested while travelling in Miami, was one of six people charged related to the scheme in January. The others live in Germany. The US also charged a former manager at Audi - which is part of Volkswagen - in July. A Volkswagen engineer last year pleaded guilty on related charges. His sentencing is expected later this month. Mr Schmidt, who admitted to conspiring to defraud the US and violating the Clear Air Act, is scheduled to be sentenced in December. In exchange for Ms Schmidt's guilty plea, US prosecutors dropped a charge of wire fraud. Mr Schmidt also agreed to deportation after his release. Volkswagen has agreed to pay more than $4bn in fines in the US and to spend up to $25bn to satisfy claims from owners and others. The emissions scandal in the US contributed to a wider backlash against diesel-powered cars, which were once believed to be more environmentally friendly. Four major cities have moved to ban such vehicles by 2025. Volkswagen was also recently accused of teaming up with other carmakers in a breach of EU cartel rules.

Summary: A former Volkswagen executive has pleaded guilty for his role in the German automaker's scheme to cheat US emissions requirements for diesel cars.


People started fastening the padlocks to cables on St Botolph's Bridge, Boston, in Lincolnshire, after it opened in 2014. The locks supposedly symbolise the everlasting bond between two lovers. In recent years, the trend has spread across many parts of the UK - with bridges in Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire targeted. Lincolnshire County Council said it had to remove the locks because they could potentially damage the stainless steel cables. A spokesperson for the authority said: "Unfortunately, some are starting to rust and it has become necessary to take them off to prevent further damage. The trend has met with some criticism, with the No Love Locks campaign calling it "an epidemic". One local woman also questioned whether the town was an appropriate place for such acts of love. She told BBC Radio Lincolnshire: "I'm not sure Boston would be the romance centre of the UK." The locks are being removed exactly a year after the bridge over the River Haven opened. They will be kept at Boston Borough Council's headquarters in the town for 21 days if anyone wants to claim them back.

Summary: Love locks on a new river footbridge are being removed because of fears they are damaging the structure.


The firm admitted releasing a quantity of benzole, exposing five workers to risk of death from flammable vapours coming off it, in June 2011. A Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation showed it failed to take appropriate safety measures. Tata Steel was fined £930,000 and ordered to pay costs of £70,000, at a hearing at Hull Crown Court. At a previous hearing, the company pleaded guilty to breaching the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. More stories from around East Yorkshire and northern Lincolnshire The HSE said two of the workers involved in the incident were exposed to the chemical and suffered coughing and breathing difficulties. They were sent to hospital and discharged the next day. It said the release of benzole could have caused serious injury or death had it been ignited. HSE inspector Stephen Hargreaves said: "It was extremely fortunate no one was seriously affected by this incident. Had the flammable vapour cloud ignited this could have resulted in multiple fatalities. "This incident highlights the need for all duty holders to implement and address all concerns and potential risks which have been identified. "Tata's failure to do so in this case put a number of workers at risk of serious harm."

Summary: Tata Steel has been ordered to pay £1m after it exposed five people to toxic substances at Scunthorpe Steel Works.


It is hoped the vaccinations will halt the spread of TB from hotspot areas in the South West and West Midlands. Groups will be offered funding of up to 50% of the costs for vaccinating. The move comes as the government prepares to cull more than 1,000 badgers in west Gloucestershire and west Somerset. Areas identified for vaccination include Cheshire, Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Warwickshire, Northamptonshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Berkshire, Hampshire and East Sussex. The aim is to create a "buffer" zone to prevent the spread of the disease in new areas of the country where incidence is currently low. The programme is part of the government's strategy to achieve bovine TB free status in England by 2038. The scheme has been welcomed as "fantastic" by Dominic Dyer of the Badger Trust and Policy Advisor at Care for the Wild. "Badgers are no more than a minor player when it comes to bovine TB... culling them is a completely pointless, unscientific and ultimately unsuccessful way of dealing with this small percentage of infectious badgers," he said. Projects considered eligible for the Badger Edge Vaccination Scheme (BEVS) need to be predominantly close to the borders of the hotspot areas and must cover a minimum area of about nine sq m (15 sq km). Nigel Gibbens, the UK's Chief Veterinary Officer, urged groups to take advantage of the offer to help stop the spread of the disease. "We know vaccination cannot cure badgers already carrying TB, but used in the right areas, it can play a vital role in creating a barrier to the disease's spread," he said. Culling of badgers is due to begin again in Gloucestershire and Somerset, with the maximum number of badgers that can be culled set at 1,091 in Gloucestershire and 785 in Somerset.

Summary: A scheme to vaccinate badgers against bovine tuberculosis in a bid to tackle the disease in cattle has been launched by the government.


Several decades later it had become, in the words of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, India's "greatest internal security challenge". Maoists are also known as "Naxalites" because of the violent left-wing uprising in 1967, which began in the West Bengal village of Naxalbari. Although this was eventually quashed by police, over the years India's Maoists have regrouped and asserted control over vast swathes of land in central and eastern India, establishing a so-called "red corridor". This spans the states of Jharkand, West Bengal, Orissa, Bihar, Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh and also reaches into Uttar Pradesh, and Karnataka. The Maoists and affiliated groups are active in more than a third of India's 600-odd districts, the authorities say. And more than 6,000 people have died in the rebels' long fight for communist rule in these states. The Maoists' military leader is Koteshwar Rao, otherwise known as Kishenji. He reportedly suffered temporary paralysis in June 2010 when a police bullet hit him in the knee. Normally a regular communicator with the press, Kishenji was little heard of until January 2011 when he issued a statement saying he expected India to succumb to a Maoist revolution by 2025. Latest estimates suggest he commandes at least 20,000 armed fighters. They are said to get most of their weapons by raiding police bases. Analysts say the longevity of the Maoist rebellion is partly due to the local support they receive. The rebels say they are fighting for the rights of indigenous tribespeople and the rural poor who they say have been neglected by governments for decades. Maoists claim to represent local concerns over land ownership and equitable distribution of resources. Ultimately they say they want to establish a "communist society" by overthrowing India's "semi-colonial, semi-feudal" form of rule through armed struggle. The BBC's Subir Bhaumik in Calcutta says that while there is little prospect of them making any headway in urban areas - or indeed non-jungle rural areas - the rebels remain a force to be reckoned with in remote areas where the security forces are thin on the ground. Our correspondent says the key question now is whether to deploy the army against the rebels in the same way it has been used in Indian-administered Kashmir and some north-eastern states. Such a move would be highly controversial, because it would inevitably been seen by some critics as evidence that the rebels are making headway in what is seen by some as "mainland India". Over the years the Maoists have managed to launch a series of damaging attacks on Indian security forces. In 2009, rebels gained virtual control of Lalgarh district in West Bengal barely 250km (155 miles) from the state capital, Calcutta. For many months, rebels, supported by local villagers, held hundreds of paramilitary forces at bay. The Maoists declared it to be India's first "liberated zone" but Indian security forces finally overwhelmed the rebels. April 2010 saw rebels ambush paramilitary troops in the dense jungles of central Chhattisgarh state, killing at least 76 soldiers. Correspondents say it was the worst-ever Maoist attack on Indian security forces. In

Summary: India's bloody Maoist insurgency began in the remote forests of the state of West Bengal in the late 1960s.


Princess Anne spoke to well-wishers outside the church after attending the service with her father Prince Philip, brother Prince Edward and other royals. Buckingham Palace said the Queen is "still recuperating" from a heavy cold. Missing church was a "precautionary measure" in cold and wet weather and there was "no sense of undue concern". Twelve days ago the palace said both the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh had heavy colds and had cancelled their plans to travel to Sandringham on 21 December. They left for their Christmas break a day late, travelling by helicopter instead of train. Prince Philip has since made a full recovery. The Queen did not attend the Christmas Day service at her Norfolk estate, the first time she has missed the service in many years. The New Year's Day service at Sandringham was led by the Bishop of Norwich. Princess Anne's husband, Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence, who accompanied her to the service, added that the Queen was feeling "not too bad". The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were also absent from the service, after they, Prince George and Princess Charlotte spent Christmas with Kate's family at Bucklebury in Berkshire. By Royal Correspondent Peter Hunt For a second time, during the holiday season, senior royals have attended church. For a second time, the Queen has been a notable absentee. Given her deep personal faith, it's a decision the Supreme Governor of the Church of England will not have taken lightly. But at 90 - and on the advice of her doctor - she is exercising caution as she recovers from a heavy cold which she's had for at least 12 days, and which is bound to have left her feeling pretty miserable. Officials insist the head of state is up and about; she has not been to hospital or had tests; and she continues to deal with the documents she receives in her government red box. As well as missing church, the under-the-weather monarch has become a voluntary prisoner inside her own Sandringham home. She hasn't yet had an opportunity to go outside and explore her 20,000 acre private Norfolk estate. Read more here.

Summary: The Queen is feeling "better" despite missing a New Year's Day church service at Sandringham, her daughter Princess Anne has said.


Mr Vine was riding his bicycle in Kensington, west London, on 26 August when a row occurred, Hammersmith Magistrates' Court was told. Shanique Pearson, 22, from Vauxhall, is said to have formed the shape of a weapon with her fingers and "cocked it" at Mr Vine's head. Ms Pearson denies acting in a threatening manner. In response to the charges she denies using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour and driving without reasonable consideration for other road users. Ms Pearson has admitted driving an unlicensed vehicle on the day in question. The defendant claimed Mr Vine was mistaken in what he thought he had seen and said she instead raised her middle finger at the presenter, who she thought was "a bit crazy" for following her after their initial row. Footage of the argument, which took place in Hornton Street, west London and was filmed on Mr Vine's helmet camera, has since been viewed online millions of times, the presenter said. The video was played in court. After initially clashing when Mr Vine stopped his bike in front of Ms Pearson's Vauxhall Corsa, Ms Pearson drove past the Radio Two presenter, the court learned. But the argument erupted a short while later when Ms Pearson spotted Mr Vine trying to take a photograph. Explaining the next few moments to the court, he said: "She's gone back in the car, she's sitting at this junction. I am behind her with my cycle, the lights are red. I draw parallel to the car because I want to see inside. "As I draw level and I look in [to the car] she produces her fingers like this, and aims them at me, and cocks her thumb and goes like that, in a firing sign." In her evidence, Ms Pearson said she had initially reacted to Mr Vine's stopping in front of her car because: "It was too quick, it kind of shocked me. "I could have hit him [with the car] and I don't think he understood the danger of that, hence why I was so angry." The hearing has been adjourned until 26 January.

Summary: A driver "made a gun sign" at BBC presenter Jeremy Vine during an alleged road rage incident, a court heard.


Northern Ireland's Rea finished second after an exciting duel with Welshman Davies at the Spanish circuit. Rea led for most of the race after starting ninth on the grid and briefly hit the front again on the last lap. Despite not winning for the first time this year, Rea has extended his championship lead to 50 points. Marco Melandri of Italy was third with England's Tom Sykes in fourth place. Davies crashed in Saturday's race one while leading in the closing stages, and the victory sees him regain second place in the overall standings. Rea, 30, is attempting to become the first rider to win three successive WSB titles. "I tried my hardest but it wasn't enough," said Rea. "I had a good first few laps and got stuck into a rhythm but, with the slipstream, the group stayed together. "It was so windy, it was quite scary. "On the last lap, Chaz made a mistake and opened the door but then he quickly closed it again. "Congratulations to Chaz - he did a good job after what happened yesterday." Rea started the season with double wins at Phillip Island and Thailand, and made it five out of five by winning the first race at Aragon.

Summary: Defending champion Jonathan Rea's run of five successive World Superbike victories ended when Chaz Davies won race two at Aragon on Sunday.


The jihadists seized buildings on the eastern edge of the adjacent city of Tadmur on Thursday, but their push was reportedly halted by the Syrian army. Syria's antiquities chief warned that if IS seizes the Unesco World Heritage site it will destroy everything there. The group has ransacked and demolished several ancient sites in Iraq. Palmyra has already suffered some damage during the four-year civil war. It is situated in a strategically important area on the road between the capital, Damascus and the contested eastern city of Deir al-Zour, and close to gas fields On Thursday, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that IS militants were mounting an assault on Tadmur, the modern town next to the ruins of Palmyra. Twenty-six civilians in a village outside Tadmur were summarily killed by IS - at least 10 by beheading - on Thursday after being accused of collaborating with President Bashar al-Assad's government, Mr Abdul Rahman said. IS itself claimed on Twitter that it had taken control of northern and eastern parts of Tadmur, and that it had shot down a Syrian air force MiG jet in the area. Homs provincial governor Talal Barazi confirmed that al-Sukhanah, a town to the north-east, had fallen on Wednesday and said 1,800 families from the town were sheltering in Tadmur. The Syrian Observatory said more than 70 soldiers and 40 militants had been killed in the battle for al-Sukhanah. Rising out of the desert and flanked by an oasis, Palmyra contains the monumental ruins of a great city that was one of the most important cultural centres of the ancient world, according to Unesco. The site, most of which dates back to the 1st to the 2nd Century when the region was under Roman rule, is dominated by a grand, colonnaded street. At the southern end of the 1.1km street is the great temple of Bel, considered one of the most important religious buildings of the 1st Century in the East and of unique design. Syria's director of antiquities, Maamoun Abdul Karim, said that if Palmyra were to fall to IS, it would be an "international catastrophe". "It will be a repetition of the barbarism and savagery which we saw in Nimrud, Hatra and Mosul," he told AFP news agency. The ancient sites in northern Iraq were recently blown up by IS militants, who control swathes of territory on both sides of the Syria-Iraq border. A US-led coalition has carried out air strikes on the jihadist group's positions since September. However, it says it does not co-ordinate its actions with the Assad government.

Summary: Palmyra, one of the archaeological jewels of the Middle East, is said to be under threat from Islamic State (IS) militants in Syria.


Evaldas Vaicekauskas was arrested after Border Force officers intercepted a package from China that he had bought on eBay. The 23-year-old claimed he had no intention of selling on the weapons and had only bought them because they "looked cool". He will be sentenced in December. Dundee Sheriff Court was shown one of the stun guns, which are hidden in torches. The court was told that the torch section was "fully functional, as opposed to being a stun gun disguised as a torch." Because of their dual use, the stun guns did not meet the criteria for a mandatory minimum five-year prison sentence under the Firearms Act. Depute fiscal Eilidh Robertson told the court: "The outside of the package described the contents as "tools", but when the package was opened it was found to contain 50 extendable friction lock batons, each contained within their own holder. "Within his home address three stun guns were found." Vaicekauskas told police that he had bought the stun guns on ebay for Â£12 each. The offences took place at his home in Arbroath and at his business address in Dundee. Vaicekauskas admitted being concerned in the importation of prohibited goods. He also admitted a charge under the Firearms Act relating to the stun guns. Defence solicitor Lee Quimseh said: "My instructions are that there was no intention to sell. "He simply purchased them because he thought they looked cool and no other reason." Sheriff Alastair Brown deferred sentence until December and remanded Vaicekauskas in custody. He said: "The only conceivable inference for importing 50 weapons is an intention to supply to other people. "Those who import weapons with what appears to be a commercial motivation can expect no sympathy from this court."

Summary: A businessman who bought three stun guns and 50 extendable batons on an internet auction site has been remanded in custody.


Many in the list have been found down old mine tunnels or on slag heaps where water and even fire have had the opportunity to work up novel compounds. It is another example, the researchers argue, of our pervasive influence on the planet. New minerals and mineral-like compounds are now being formed faster than at anytime in Earth's history, they say. "These 200 minerals are roughly 4% of the total known minerals, but they all occurred in the last couple of thousand years, most in the last couple of hundred years," explained Robert Hazen from the Carnegie Institution for Science in Washington DC. "That's an incredible rapid spike in the rise of mineral species unmatched in the history of our planet," he told BBC News. The only period that bears comparison is the time when oxygen became abundant over the surface of the Earth just over two billion years ago. But that event would have played out over millions of years. Minerals are specific combinations of chemical elements arranged into crystalline structures. Earth's rocks are built from different aggregations. The likes of feldspar, quartz and mica will be known by most people. But bobcookite, calclacite, or elyite are obscure, to say the least. Their existence is down to humans creating a setting where chemical reactions can take place between materials that might otherwise not have come into contact. In addition to mines, which seem to be a particularly productive environment, the new minerals have been found to occur inside smelters, old geothermal piping, on the surfaces of archaeological artefacts, even inside museum specimen drawers. The 208 man-mediated minerals are listed by Prof Hazen and colleagues in a paper just published by the American Mineralogist. They have all been approved by the International Mineralogical Association. This organisation operates some quite tight definitions on the sorts of compounds that can appear among the 5,200 entries in the official catalogue. And the group that does not make the grade is the huge number of mineral-like materials that have been manufactured by humans for a specific purpose. "Human synthesise thousands and thousands of materials - semi-conductors, and laser crystals, and magnets, and batteries, and building stone," said Prof Hazen. "These have mineral-like materials that will persist in the geological record for the next billion years." It is further evidence, if more were needed, that Earth has now entered a new epoch. Currently, geologists label the time since the last ice age, 11,700 years ago, as the Holocene. But there is a push to introduce a new classification to reflect the immense, planet-wide changes driven by humans in recent decades - and for it to be called the Anthropocene Epoch. The list of new man-mediated minerals bolsters the case. Co-worker Marcus Origlieri from the University of Arizona commented: "In the sediment layers left behind from our age, future mineralogists will find plentiful building materials such as bricks, cinder blocks, and cement, metal alloys such as steel, titanium, and aluminium, along with many lethal radioactive byproducts of the nuclear age. They might also marvel at some beautiful manufactured

Summary: Scientists have identified 208 new minerals that owe their existence wholly or in part to humans.


Stephen Hammond said job roles would change when the paper system for car tax discs is scrapped in October. The minister allayed fears about job losses in a letter to Swansea East AM Mike Hedges. Mr Hedges said the minister's response would "give comfort" to DVLA employees. Concerns over the future of some of the 5,000 workers at the Driving and Vehicle Licensing Agency centre were raised in October after Chancellor George Osborne's Autumn Statement. The chancellor announced that the tax disc would be replaced with an electronic system in October 2014. The new system will allow people to pay the charge by monthly direct debit. Mr Hedges had written to Mr Hammond asking for clarification of the government's intentions. In his response to Mr Hedges, Mr Hammond said: "It is likely that the introduction of a direct debit scheme may mean there will be a natural reduction in the amount of refunds received, in addition to the withdrawal of the tax disc. "This may mean changes to job roles and the need to train on new processes. "Any reductions in numbers of people needed for these activities will be managed through redeploying to other growth areas of the business." Mr Hedges welcomed the minister's assurances. He added: "Whilst disappointed that the changes will reduce the number of job opportunities at the DVLA, I can see the advantages of both paying by monthly direct debits and not having to show a tax disc. "I am pleased the minister is committed to redeployment rather than redundancies and I am sure this response will give comfort to many concerned DVLA employees."

Summary: Staff at Swansea's DVLA offices will be redeployed rather than face redundancy after changes to the way motorists pay their car tax, a UK transport minister has confirmed.


The 27-year-old, injured in training on Monday, will be replaced in the squad by fellow off-spinner Laura Marsh. Hazell's place in the side for Tuesday's game with India went to left-arm spinner Rebecca Grundy. "This is obviously very disappointing news for Danielle," said England head coach Mark Robinson. "She was an important component of the attack, especially given her excellent current form and the conditions here in India, but we are fortunate to have such a talented and experienced replacement in Laura." Durham-born Hazell is second in the International Cricket Council's rankings for bowlers in women's Twenty20 internationals, behind England pace bowler Anya Shrubsole. Kent's Marsh, 29, has played 58 Twenty20 internationals for England, including the World Twenty20 success in 2009. Although she was left out of England's squad for the recent series in South Africa, she has played T20 cricket for Sydney Sixers and Otago this winter. She will join the squad in time for Sunday's game with Pakistan in Chennai.

Summary: England spinner Danielle Hazell has been ruled out of the rest of the Women's World Twenty20 with a calf muscle strain.


Fellow scrum-half Greig Laidlaw was Scotland's man of the match in their opening Pool B win over Japan. But Pyrgos takes over as skipper as head coach Vern Cotter rotates his squad against the USA on Sunday. "Greig had a great game on Wednesday, but I'll focus on my role and do it to the best of my ability," said the Glasgow Warriors 26-year-old. "I just look at it like it's a great opportunity. "Hopefully, we get the right result." Pyrgos led Scotland in a World Cup warm-up defeat by Ireland last month and will be determined to retain his place. However, Laidlaw is almost certain to return for the potentially decisive meeting with South Africa in Newcastle a week on Saturday. "I knew coming in that was how it was going to go," added Pyrgos. "It was amazing to lead the team out against Ireland and again it's a huge honour to captain Scotland at a World Cup. "I know how much it means to the country and I'm really excited. "I'm not sure how I'll feel when I get out there, but it'll be a big moment for myself and my family."

Summary: Henry Pyrgos is ready to make the most of what could be his only chance to captain Scotland at this World Cup.


Preston, 21, scored seven goals for the Lions last season to retain their National League status following his move from Blackburn Rovers last summer. The ex-Rovers academy player also scored 12 goals while on loan to Ayr United in 2015-16. "It's a good opportunity for coming coming back to full-time football." Preston said. "The manager has spoken very highly of the club and our ambitions for the coming season." Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page.

Summary: Gateshead have signed forward Jordan Preston on a one-year deal following the expiry of his contract at Guiseley.


Concerns were raised after the youngster drew a picture of a man cutting the vegetable. Staff in Luton told the child's mother they believed he was saying "cooker bomb" instead of "cucumber". The case was sent to a police and social services panel instead of de-radicalisation scheme Channel. It decided not to take further action. The boy's mother, who has not been named to protect her son's identity, concluded the confusion was due to the way her son pronounced the word. "She (the member of nursery staff) kept saying it was this one picture of the man cutting the cucumber....which she said to me is a 'cooker bomb', and I was baffled," she told the BBC Asian Network. Read this and more stories from Beds, Bucks and Herts She said she feared her children would be taken away from her and added: 'But I haven't done anything wrong... It was a horrible day." Teachers and public service workers have a legal obligation to report any concerns of extremist behaviour to the authorities since July. Just under 2,000 under-15s were referred between January 2012 and December 2015. Teaching unions say there is confusion over the government's counter-terrorism strategy in schools. Alex Kenny from the National Union of Teachers said: "Teachers are scared of getting it wrong. "They think Ofsted is going to criticise them if they haven't reported these things, and you end up [with] the boy making the spelling mistake, or the boy saying something in Arabic - that then gets reported on." The Department for Education said its counter-terrorism strategy Prevent is "entirely consistent" with schools' responsibilities and "good schools would already be safeguarding children from extremism".

Summary: A nursery suggested referring a four-year-old boy to a de-radicalisation programme after he mispronounced the word "cucumber", it is alleged.


The 21-year-old, who has been playing for Icelandic side IBV this summer, has signed a one-year deal. "I'm looking forward to a new chapter in my career. "It was disappointing that I didn't play more Premier League football, but sometimes you have to take a step back to go forward again," the right-back told the League One club's website. "I know a couple of the other lads and I've had a good spell in Iceland so I feel fit and raring to go." James is a terrific defender but he loves to get forward and fits the template of player I want in our squad Hurst, who has represented England at Under-16, Under-17, Under-19 and Under-20 level, spent time on loan at Birmingham and Shrewsbury last season. He began his career at Portsmouth, but failed to make a senior appearance at Fratton Park and moved to West Brom in 2010 following a previous loan spell with IBV. He was restricted to three appearances in all competitions for the Baggies and had five separate loan spells away from the Hawthorns during his time with the Premier League side. Crawley manager Richie Barker said he was delighted to secure Hurst's signature. "Right-back was a key position for us when it came to adding to the squad," Barker said. "He's a terrific defender but he loves to get forward and fits the template of player I want in our squad - someone who is young, athletic with a willingness to learn and improve and [has] a terrific attitude."

Summary: Crawley Town have completed the signing of former West Brom defender James Hurst on a free transfer.


The debate, on Thursday, was discussing "serious and widespread failures" in Gloucestershire's children's service. Cllr Shaun Parsons, chairman of the council, said members had been told the proceedings were being televised. Two said they had been listening, one blamed medication, but the fourth admitted the meetings "drag a bit". Mr Parsons said he believed the chairman's role is to make sure the meeting runs smoothly and efficiently but added it is not his place to "give councillors a nudge". But the former MP for Stroud, Neil Carmichael disagreed. He said it was "wrong" that councillors fell asleep "during such an important meeting on such a critical subject". "As chairman of the Commons Select Committee I felt it was very much my job to ensure that meetings were run briskly and that all those present were fully engaged throughout," the Conservative said. Four councillors were spotted nodding off, including deputy leader, Conservative Ray Theodoulou who blamed his heart medication for making him "a little drowsy". Fellow Tory Rob Bird said he may have "closed his eyes for a moment", while Liberal Democrat John Cordwell admitted he "might have nodded off very briefly". Both men insisted they were aware of the proceedings. But Labour's Graham Morgan was more forthright though, stating: "Those meetings drag a bit and I'm 66." Mr Parsons said although he had not seen the BBC film it was important to listen to what the councillors had said in mitigation. "It was a very long day, people had been briefed quite considerably on the facts. "But it's not a good appearance for people maybe to have been asleep or indeed nodding off... , it's most unfortunate."

Summary: The chairman of a meeting in which four councillors were filmed apparently dozing during has described their actions as "embarrassing".


US lifeline for death row dog Stella Stella was seized by Devon and Cornwall Police in 2014 and kept in a cage without exercise. A campaign to save Stella has gained momentum with more than 20,000 signatures on combined petitions. Police said the dog was "deemed too dangerous to walk due to her aggressive behaviour". Nicole Bruck, from the pit bull rescue centre Animals R Family based in Connecticut said: "We will take Stella and fly her to the US at our cost. Breed specific legislation is banned in Connecticut. "Breed specific legislation is wrong and ineffective. In the US, pit bulls are one of the most popular dogs for family pet." Devon and Cornwall Police confirmed Stella's owner has "launched a late appeal against the destruction order against Stella" and she will "remain in kennels until the outcome of the appeal is known". Owner Anthony Hastie had 21 days to appeal a destruction order passed by Torquay Magistrates' Court on 8 February. Tina Wagon, from the firm Wheldon Law, is acting on behalf of Mr Hastie. Ms Wagon said: "Plan A is that Antony would like his dog back. Plan B is for us to get some help." Mr Hastie said: "The appeal has been lodged now. I want Stella back, but if that's not possible I just want to make sure she's kept alive." Animals R Family states on its website: "We rescue cats and dogs who have been abused, neglected, abandoned, and provide vet care, training, food, shelter and lots of love, while finding them a loving, forever home." A joint statement from Devon and Cornwall Police and the Police and Crime Commissioner on the forces website said "we wish to answer as many of the concerns as possible on this highly emotive issue". Chief Superintendent Jim Nye said: "Many of you have been in contact following BBC Inside Out's story on dangerous dog Stella. "We had to seize Stella, she is both an illegal breed and an extremely dangerous dog. "The welfare of dogs are extremely important to us. In the past year we have seized in the region of 100 dogs, and only Stella has been assessed as too dangerous and unpredictable for kennel staff to walk. "Stella was used on two occasions as a weapon by the owner in a threat to attack police personnel prior to being seized. "The dog has then also attempted to bite a number of independent animal behavioural experts who tried to interact with her during their appraisals." The statement did not say if any prosecution resulted from the alleged use of Stella as a weapon to threaten police, but Mr Hastie told the BBC he has never been arrested over the matter. Police and Crime Commissioner Tony Hogg said: "The protracted legal process is wrong both in the way it has prolonged the dog's incarceration and in the cost to the public purse. "It has cost the public Â£10,000 to keep the dog in kennels. The defence was responsible for 10 of those [11] adjournments so I am satisfied that

Summary: A lifeline has been offered to death row dog Stella by an American pit bull sanctuary which has offered to fly her to the United States.


Inflation, as measured by the Consumer Prices Index, rose by 0.3%. It was helped by smaller falls in food and fuel prices than a year ago. Annual inflation has been below the Bank of England's 2% target for two years, and last year it was zero. The BoE said earlier this month that it expected inflation to stay below 1% this year. North Sea oil prices dropped to a 12 year low of $27.10 last month and have almost halved over the past 12 months. But the Office for National Statistics measure of fuels and lubricants costs was only 7.3% lower than in January 2015, the smallest drop since November 2014. Continuing low inflation makes the chance of an interest rate rise in the near future unlikely. Few economists expect the BoE to raise rates before late this year at the earliest, and some analysts see a risk that the BoE could instead have cut to rates below the record low of 0.5% where they have been for almost seven years. Financial markets do not currently expect interest rates to rise until the end of the decade due to concerns including a global economic slowdown and continuing low oil prices. Food prices fell by 0.6% between December and January as opposed to a 1% fall a year earlier. Supermarkets have been engaged in a long-running price war, and discounters such as Aldi and Lidl continue to take market share from the "big four" supermarkets - Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury's and Morrisions. But the ONS said alcohol prices rose 5.2% between December and January, with spirits increasing by 7.5%, beer climbing by 3.6%, and wine up 4.8%.

Summary: UK inflation edged up to a 12 month high in January, as a fall in petrol prices eased.


Energy company BG Group said it was gradually taking workers from the Lomond installation - about 145 miles east of Aberdeen - by helicopter. A Norwegian vessel which caught fire was about 12 miles away. Tugs were being sent from Aberdeen to take the vessel under tow.

Summary: About 300 workers are being taken off a North Sea platform after a fire left a nearby vessel drifting without power.


Alex Robinson was drowned in the bath two days before Christmas at his home. Stewart Greene, 65, of Grimoldby, Lincolnshire, said he drowned Alex Robinson in a bath but denies murder. Dr Philip Joseph told the jury: "In over 30 years, this is one of the most callous killings or murders I have been involved with." Alex was in Mr Greene's care at his home while his mother - the defendant's daughter - was out last December. Giving evidence at Lincoln Crown Court, Dr Joseph said his diagnosis of Mr Greene was that he had a psychopathic personality disorder, characterised by a "callous unconcern for the feelings of others" and an "incapacity to experience guilt". He said Mr Greene would exaggerate his symptoms and engage in manipulative behaviour to get himself into hospital. But despite his mental condition, Dr Joseph - who has dealt with more than 800 homicide cases - said Mr Greene understood what he was doing and that his ability to form a rational judgement was not impaired. He told jurors: "Although his judgement was abhorrent, immoral and illegal, it was rational. When asked if he was surprised Mr Greene had killed Alex, he replied: "Yes - I am surprised." Earlier in the trial, Timothy Spencer QC, defending, asked Mr Greene whether he had drowned his grandson, to which he replied: "I drowned him in the bath, yes." He told the court he drowned Alex because he was angry with the nine-year-old's mother. The trial continues.

Summary: A psychiatrist told a murder trial the death of a nine-year-old Lincoln boy was one of the most "callous killings" he had ever seen.


Sir Paul is worth an estimated £20m more than last year and enjoys a significant boost from his American heiress wife's £150m stake in her family's US trucking business. It puts him well ahead of his nearest rival on the list, Andrew Lloyd Webber, who is estimated to be worth £650m. The full list will be published by the newspaper on 26 April. Of the 1,000 richest people in the UK and the 250 wealthiest in Ireland, the list puts Irish band U2 at third place with £431m. Pop veteran Sir Elton John and Rolling Stones' frontman Sir Mick Jagger follow with their fortunes, thought to be worth £270m and £225m respectively. 1. Sir Paul McCartney and Nancy Shevell £730m 2. Lord Lloyd-Webber £650m 3. U2 £431m 4. Sir Elton John £270m 5. Sir Mick Jagger £225m 6. Keith Richards £210m 7. Michael Flatley £195m =8. Ringo Starr £180m =8. Sting £180m 9. Roger Waters £160m For the third year running, singer-songwriter Adele, who is 26, has topped the list for young music millionaires under the age of 30 in Britain and Ireland, with an estimated fortune of £50m. The four members of the boy band One Direction plus former band mate Zayn Malik share the second spot with an estimated wealth of £25m each. One of the fastest rising new young stars is the 22-year-old soul singer Sam Smith, who is currently in the running for the prize for the most played song of the past year at The Ivor Novello songwriting awards. The Stay With Me singer has amassed a personal fortune of £12m since rising to fame in late 2012.

Summary: Former Beatle Sir Paul McCartney has topped the Sunday Times Rich List of musicians with his £730m fortune.


Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH), which has issued the advice, had previously heard complaints about "significant problems" with irresponsible owners. Farmers said some were unable to control their dogs around livestock and let the pets run through crops. The advice includes opening up less sensitive areas to dog walkers rather than trying to ban them completely. Drawing on the experiences of farmers and estate owners, the guidance also encourages landowners to explain why certain places should be avoided. The reasons include ground-nesting birds using the land and areas being used for rearing young lambs or calves. NFU Scotland, Scottish Land and Estates, The Kennel Club and The Scottish Kennel Club were consulted by SNH. Bridget Finton, SNH recreation and access officer, said almost four million adults visited Scotland's outdoors every year and about 48% of those people brought a dog with them. She said: "These high numbers show how dog walking helps lots of people get healthy outdoor activity, but it's really important to minimise the number of occasions when dogs cause land managers' concerns. "This guidance aims to influence the behaviour of the minority of dog walkers who act irresponsibly - actions that can have a big impact on livestock and wildlife, as well as those who are trying to enjoy the outdoors without getting dog dirt on their shoes." Gemma Thomson, of NFUS, said: "NFUS has been aware of increasing issues experienced by members as a result of dog access. "There have been a number high profile instances which have occurred recently. "NFUS is pleased to support the guidance, which should go some way to helping some land managers in ensuring that they are clear about access rights, and also assist them in finding innovative ways to address issues where they occur." Anne Gray, policy officer with Scottish Land and Estates, said a variety of problems related to dog walking were reported to her every year. She said: "These issues range from people not picking-up after their dog has gone to the toilet to dogs disturbing livestock, game birds or wildlife. "We hope this guidance will give landowners, farmers and other land managers helpful tips on how to manage dog-walking on their land in a positive and effective way. "We want everyone to have a good experience of being out and about in the countryside."

Summary: New guidance has been offered to landowners to help them avoid clashes with dog owners.


Prices were up to 5.4% compared to the same quarter in 2015 - in the previous four quarters the annual rise was more than 7%. Compared to the second quarter of this year, prices were almost flat, rising by just 0.8%. The figures are from the NI Residential Property Price Index, which analyses almost all sales, including cash deals. The average standardised price, across all property types, is just over Â£124,000. The biggest annual rise in the third quarter was in the Antrim and Newtownabbey council district where prices were up by 7.3%. The smallest annual rise was in Ards and North Down where prices were up by 2.1% Among property types the biggest annual rise was for terraces, up by 7.1%. The smallest annual rise was for apartments which were up by 4%. The number of deals completed in the third quarter was 5,200.

Summary: House prices in Northern Ireland continued to rise in the third quarter of this year, but at a slower rate.


A pre-inquest review was due to take place on Monday, but has now been postponed until March. West Sussex County Council said the full inquest was now likely to be held late 2017, but was "very dependent" on the police investigation. A lawyer representing some of the victims' families described "a measure of frustration" at the news. A vintage hawker hunter jet crashed on to the A27 during an aerobatic stunt at the Shoreham show in August 2015, killing 11 men. The pilot, Andrew Hill, 51, survived the crash and is being investigated for manslaughter. Plans were put in place for the inquest to begin in March, but neither the police investigation nor the full Air Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) report have yet been published. Specialist aviation lawyer James Healey Pratt said the victims' families had full confidence in the coroner and the investigation. He said the pre-inquest hearing was being delayed until March as a decision by the CPS on whether to bring charges was due then. He also revealed the families had been invited to a meeting in Farnborough on 19 December, at which they would be told the results of the AAIB investigation. Sussex Police's report is not expected until the new year at the earliest. West Sussex Senior Coroner Penelope Schofield said the decision to postpone the pre-inquest review was "not taken lightly", particularly as she was anxious to ensure the inquests were dealt with in a timely manner. But it was anticipated little progress could be made with the police and AAIB report still outstanding, she added.

Summary: An inquest into the deaths of 11 men at the Shoreham Airshow is not likely for another year, the BBC can reveal.


The Germany midfielder ran onto a lofted pass from Lucas and, with his back to goal, hooked a volley into the top corner. With Jurgen Klopp's side sitting in third, it could prove to be a valuable goal as they push for Champions League football - but was it the goal of the season? Media playback is not supported on this device "We scored a fantastic goal," Klopp said. "Actually, I would love to see it again - everybody is speaking about it. "I only saw it once but it looked already pretty nice. I turned a little early and didn't see it hit the back of the net. "He is a good boy, a good player and he deserves it," added the German manager. Liverpool have not been strangers to special goals this season - with midfielders Jordan Henderson, Sadio Mane and Georginio Wijnaldum all winning Match of the Day's Goal of the Month competition. With 11 goals in 100 career league starts, Can is not the most frequent goalscorer, and the player admitted himself that his strike at Vicarage Road was his best to date. "I have never scored a goal like that - maybe when I was younger. That is the best goal I've ever scored," Can said. "I saw the space and I ran behind and my first thought was that I wanted to head it, then I didn't think too much." Team-mate Adam Lallana, who made his return from injury as an early substitute, said that Liverpool players will be allowing Can to try more acrobatic efforts in training. "He does like to try speculative efforts, and we will not have a pop now after he produced that," said the England midfielder. "It was a 'worldy' goal, worthy of winning any game. "Credit to him, he was brave enough to try it and it flew into the top corner." The goal of the season will be chosen at the end of the campaign. Tottenham's Dele Alli won the award last season for his strike at Crystal Palace, and the last Liverpool man to win the honour was none other than Steven Gerrard for his brilliant winner in the 2006 FA Cup final.

Summary: It was only his seventh Premier League goal since arriving from Germany three years ago, but Emre Can's sensational overhead kick was enough for Liverpool to beat Watford on Monday night.


An eyewitness said Charing Cross underground station "filled with smoke" at about 15:20 BST. One person has been arrested in relation to the incident, British Transport Police said. The station was closed for more than half an hour until the smoke cleared. Allie Elwell, who was in the station at the time, said there were "cops everywhere". She said: "It was madness. There were fans singing and cheering down the tunnel. "We turned the corner and could smell smoke. Fans seemed to just ignore it all, still singing and banging on the side of the escalator. "Soon after, there was announcement on the PA to evacuate due to an emergency. We jumped on one of the last Tubes." Crystal Palace play Manchester United in the FA Cup final at Wembley later. The area is now safe and the fire alarms have been reset, with the station reopening just before 16:00 TfL did not say which group of fans were responsible.

Summary: A Tube station was evacuated after football fans heading to Wembley Stadium set off a smoke bomb and fire alarms, Transport for London (TfL) has said.


David Lipton, second in command at the IMF, outlined some of these risks in a speech to the National Association for Business Economics in Washington on Tuesday. "The IMF's latest reading of the global economy shows once again a weakening baseline," he said. "We are clearly at a delicate juncture." The comments come after weaker-than-expected trade figures from China showing that exports plunged by a quarter from a year ago. The IMF has already said it is likely it will downgrade its current forecast of 3.4% for global growth when it next releases its economic predictions in April. The dismal picture is one that has on-going ramifications for businesses and industries that bet on China's growth story. Read more from Karishma: Why a story about bulk shipping matters

Summary: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has warned that the global economy faces a growing "risk of economic derailment" and must take steps to boost global demand.


Around 400 residents in east Rhyl were forced to leave their properties when severe storms breached the sea defences in December 2013. Chaz Moore, whose bungalow was flooded when the sea wall collapsed, said it was a "risk" living in the area. The third and final phase of Â£1.1m of improvements by Denbighshire Council is due to start on Tuesday. Cllr David Smith, of Denbighshire Council, admitted the flooding was a "major catastrophe" and major work had been done to protect properties from a repeat of three years ago. "It will be a lot safer knowing what we know now, but the one thing that I cannot say, that no one can say, is that it will not happen again," he said. "It is as safe as we can do it." Mr Moore, who had only been living in his home for six months when the storms hit, said about 18in of water flooded through his bungalow. Watching back his home video of the floods, Mr Moore said: "If you listen to the soundtrack, my wife is on the phone to her sister, saying 'we need someone to part the sea for us'. "We definitely feel safer, we have got to say that, it is a risk living here, but the benefits are great." The work will involve the construction of a new storm water "outfall" which will pump out the flood water from a holding lagoon at the golf club, channelling it out to sea during low tide.

Summary: Work is set to begin on a pump to protect hundreds of flood-hit homes in Rhyl from the tides.


Jack Letts, 20, from Oxford, who has been dubbed "Jihadi Jack" by some newspapers, is said to have left for Iraq aged 18. John Letts and Sally Lane, denied providing money for suspected terrorism at Westminster Magistrates' Court. They are due to appear at the Old Bailey on 23 June. Mr Letts, 55, and Ms Lane, 54, spoke only to confirm their names and address. They are both charged with three counts of arranging the availability of property or money to another person knowing or having reasonable cause to suspect it could be used for the purpose of terrorism. It is alleged the couple, both of Chilswell Road, Oxford, transferred £223 on 2 September last year, £1,000 on 31 December 2015 and £500 on 4 January 2016. Ms Lane is charged with two further counts of attempting to provide money or property knowing or having reasonable cause to suspect it could be used for the purpose of terrorism. The court heard she allegedly attempted to send two payments of £500 to her son on January 4 2016. They pleaded not guilty to the charges. The 20-year-old was suspected of being the first white Briton to join the terror group after he left his Oxford home and travelled to Syria last year.

Summary: The parents of a man alleged to have joined so-called Islamic State group have been remanded in custody after being charged with terrorism offences.


Thousands of pounds were allegedly stolen when security guards were targeted at the Hatfield Avenue Shell garage in Fleetwood on Wednesday. An axe was said to have been thrown at a police car during the raid, while a woman was dragged out of her vehicle. Four men from the Bolton area, aged 22, 24, 27 and 32, have been charged with two counts of robbery. They were also charged with dangerous driving and threatening a person in a public place with a bladed or pointed article. They are due before Blackpool magistrates later.

Summary: Four men have been charged in connection with a robbery at a Lancashire petrol station.


Under the policy, the US has formal ties with China rather than the island of Taiwan, which China sees as a breakaway province. In a TV interview on Sunday, Mr Trump said he saw no reason why this should continue without key concessions. China urged Mr Trump to understand the sensitivity of the Taiwan issue. Foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told reporters that the "One China" policy was the basis for relations with Washington. China's hawkish Global Times tabloid dubbed Mr Trump "ignorant as a child". "I fully understand the 'One China' policy, but I don't understand why we have to be bound by the 'One China' policy unless we make a deal with China, having to do with other things, including trade." The US was being hurt by Chinese currency devaluation, tariffs, the building of a "massive fortress" in the South China Sea, and a failure to help over North Korea's nuclear ambitions, he told Fox News. The comments come hot on the heels of Mr Trump taking a call from the Taiwanese president, who congratulated him on his election victory. It earned a rebuke from Beijing. In Sunday's interview, Mr Trump remained defiant. "It was a call, very short call, saying 'congratulations, sir, on the victory'... and why should some other nation be able to say I can't take a call?" Taiwan: A pawn in Trump's chess game The Trump phone call that will stun Beijing Trump rejects CIA Russia hacking report Rewind to 1949 and the Communist takeover in China. Kuomintang nationalists fled to Taiwan and set up their own government. Since then, China has seen it as a renegade province, sometimes going so far as to threaten the use force if it ever declares independence. After decades of formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan, the US decided in 1979 it was in its best interests to recognise the Communist government in Beijing as the sole legal government of China. This was the result of years of warming ties between Washington and Beijing, starting with President Richard Nixon's celebrated visit in 1972. Formal ties with Taiwan were cut, but strong informal links remain, including substantial military support. So the "One China" policy is Washington recognising that there is only one China, and Taiwan is part of it. It is seen by many as ambiguous, but any suggestion that this could be changing raises hackles in Beijing. Read more on the 'One China' policy? The strength of China's displeasure depends on who you listen to. Here's that Chinese foreign ministry spokesman again: "China has noted the report and expresses serious concern about it. I want to stress that the Taiwan issue concerns China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and involves China's core interests. "Upholding the 'One China' principle is the political basis for developing China-US ties. If this basis is interfered with, or damaged, then the healthy development of China-US relations and bilateral co-operation in important areas is out of the question." But the Global Times, which is linked to the ruling Communist Party, is somewhat firmer. It suggests China may have

Summary: China says it is "seriously concerned" after US President-elect Donald Trump expressed doubts about continuing to abide by the "One China" policy.


The blaze in the Aberdeenshire town's High Street in May that year claimed the life of 43-year-old Gordon Graham. Barry Henderson, 41, from Fraserburgh, was charged with murder and attempted murder when he appeared at Peterhead Sheriff Court. He made no plea and was released on bail.

Summary: A man has been charged with murder following a fire in Fraserburgh in 1998.