Media playback is not supported on this device The 32-year-old, who won 56 caps, was available on a free transfer after being released by fellow Premier League side West Ham in May. He said: "This is a massive club and there's a massive opportunity for the club to push on. "I've been lucky enough to have a really good career, but there's still a lot more I want to achieve." Cole, who also played for Chelsea, Liverpool and on loan at Lille, is Villa's second signing of the summer. Manager Paul Lambert has also signed former Arsenal defender Philippe Senderos on a free transfer from Valencia.

Summary: Aston Villa have signed former England midfielder Joe Cole on a two-year contract.


BBC Wiltshire report the 23-year-old forward left Sixfields before kick-off, having been told he wasn't involved in the squad for the League One match. Head coach Luke Williams said the matter would be dealt with "in house". The Robins are in the relegation zone after five straight losses, four points from safety, with 14 matches remaining. Swindon have won three, drawn four and lost 11 of their 18 games in all competitions since Tim Sherwood's appointment as director of football on 10 November.

Summary: Swindon Town's Jermaine Hylton may face internal disciplinary action after walking out on his side before Tuesday's 2-1 loss at Northampton Town.


His government has lasted just more than a year, with limited support from the main opposition party, Fianna Fáil. Brexit and Northern Ireland's political stalemate are among the challenges waiting for the new taoiseach. The leadership contest will begin on Thursday, with the new leader to be announced on 2 June after an electoral college of the parliamentary party. County councillors and party members will also have their say. While the field may widen before 2 June, the early favourites for the post are Social Protection Minister Leo Varadkar and Housing Minister Simon Coveney. Born in Dublin, the 38-year-old is the son of a Mumbai-born doctor and a mother from County Waterford. He was privately educated and studied medicine at Trinity College in Dublin, qualifying as a GP before entering politics. He was elected to parliament in 2007 as a representative for Dublin West and held the tourism and health portfolios before taking on his current post last year. In an RTÉ interview in 2015, he revealed that he is gay, explaining that he wanted to be clear on the matter ahead of the Irish referendum on same-sex marriage. "I just kind of want to be honest with people," he said. "I don't want anyone to think that I have a hidden agenda." Mr Varadkar has courted controversy by announcing that people convicted of welfare fraud will be "named and shamed" on a government website. In a recent speech reported by the Irish Independent, he outlined his attitude to Brexit, saying there should be "no economic border at all between north and south". The son of the former Fine Gael politician Hugh Coveney, the Cork-born 44-year-old has followed his father's footsteps to a seat in the Dáil (Irish parliament). As a teenager, he was expelled from the exclusive Clongowes Wood boarding school for drinking and bunking off to attend a beach party. In a candid interview with RTÉ, he said he had suffered from a stutter, and lived in the shadow of his more promising brother, who is now a successful businessman. He went on to study management at the Royal Agricultural College in Gloucestershire, England, before his election as the youngest member of the Dáil in 1998. He was appointed as agriculture minister in 2011 and responsibility for defence was added to his portfolio three years later. He has made no secret of his desire to lead his party - when RTÉ asked the question about his intentions, he said: "I am very ambitious, so the straight answer is yes, some day. "But I am personally very loyal to Enda and he knows that."

Summary: As Irish PM Enda Kenny quits as Fine Gael leader, eyes are focusing on who might succeed him.


She is the first non-white female cabinet-level official appointed to the incoming Trump administration. Mrs Haley is the daughter of Indian immigrants and was a vocal critic of Mr Trump on the campaign trail. A rising star in the Republican party, the 44-year-old is the youngest governor in the US. Mr Trump said in a press release: "Governor Haley has a proven track record of bringing people together regardless of background or party affiliation to move critical policies forward for the betterment of her state and our country. "She is also a proven dealmaker, and we look to be making plenty of deals. She will be a great leader representing us on the world stage." The Republican-controlled Senate will need to confirm her appointment before she officially takes office. In a statement, Mrs Haley said she was "moved" to accept the assignment and would remain the South Carolina governor, pending her congressional confirmation. She had endorsed Florida Senator Marco Rubio during the Republican primaries, later throwing her support behind Senator Ted Cruz - Mr Trump's final rival before he became the party's nominee. Although Mrs Haley eventually voted for Mr Trump, the governor said she was "not a fan" of either him or the Democratic candidate, Hillary Clinton. Eye-catching though her political career has been, little is known about Nikki Haley's views on the foreign affairs and the United Nations. Diplomats here have been Googling her to find out more. When her nomination was announced I was with a senior diplomat, who had expected President-elect Trump to downgrade the job of UN ambassador so that it was no longer a cabinet-level position. He was heartened that Mr Trump had selected a "political heavyweight", and viewed it as an early indication than the incoming administration will take the UN more seriously than he'd supposed. Certainly, she's no John Bolton, the US ambassador during the Bush administration who famously remarked that it would not make much of a difference if the UN headquarters in New York lost its top 10 floors - where the organisation's most senior figures, including the secretary general, have their offices. Many UN diplomats fear a Trump presidency and there's relief here that he hasn't appointed an outspoken UN-basher. She also sharply attacked Mr Trump's proposal to ban Muslim immigrants, calling it "un-American", as well as his refusal to release his tax records. For his part, Mr Trump had called her "very weak on illegal immigration" and said South Carolinians were "embarrassed" by her. But the newly minted president-elect, who will be inaugurated in January, invited her for a meeting last week at Trump Tower in Manhattan. Mrs Haley has little previous foreign policy experience, though the Charleston Post and Courier reports she has taken at least eight trips abroad since becoming governor in 2011, mostly in support of economic development deals for her state. During a trade mission to Europe in 2011, she was criticised by the newspaper for staying at expensive hotels and attending parties, costing the taxpayer $127,000 (Â£103,000). Born Nimrata "Nikki" Randhawa, Mrs Haley was raised

Summary: President-elect Donald Trump has named South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley as US ambassador to the UN, praising his former critic as "a proven dealmaker".


Burials were held for 33 of the 84 people whose bodies have been recovered. Several local people are still missing. Thousands of people gathered in the square outside the town's main church to pay their respects in front of a long row of coffins. Rescue workers are still searching the local river for victims. One resident of Salgar particularly hard hit is the city's cemetery worker who has prepared 15 graves for members of his own family - mostly cousins who died in the flood. A spokesman for the national emergency authorities said he expected to end the search for victims on Thursday or Friday. He said between 20 and 25 local people caught in the flood had not been accounted for. Locals and firefighters have been searching a 40km-long (25 mile) stretch of land on the banks of the Liboriana river. Most of the residents were asleep when the landslide hit at 03:00 local time (08:00 GMT) on Monday. The landslide was triggered by heavy rains that sent torrents of water and mud crashing into the La Liboriana ravine, causing an overflow that destroyed the neighbourhood below.

Summary: A mass funeral has taken place in the Colombian town of Salgar for victims of a devastating mudslide on Monday.


Media playback is not supported on this device Kerber, who reached last year's final, has struggled for form in 2017 and lost in the first round of the French Open. Though not at her best against world number 247 Falconi, the 29-year-old German came through 6-4 6-4. Kerber will play Belgium's Kirsten Flipkens for a place in round three. "The first round here is always tough," said Kerber. "It was a good match from both of us and it is always good to have a difficult match in the first round. She had nothing to lose; she came from through the qualifiers." Kerber won the Australian Open and US Open in 2016 and reached the final of Wimbledon, where she lost 7-5 6-3 to Serena Williams. She initially showed glimpses of her best form on her return to Centre Court on Tuesday, racing into a 3-0 lead in the first set. However, 15 unforced errors and an impressive display by Falconi meant Kerber had to work for her place in the second round. Nine-time Wimbledon singles champion Martina Navratilova Kerber said the memories of last year's final came back. She came out playing like she did last year in the finals. She needs to get into that mindset more if she wants to get into the final again. It was definitely a much better performance than we have seen so far this year. She still needs to be more aggressive but it was a step in the right direction. Media playback is not supported on this device Kerber will lose her number one ranking if she fails to reach the final and one of those who can take it from her, Karolina Pliskova, breezed into the second round. World number three Pliskova beat Caroline Wozniacki to win the Aegon International at Eastbourne last week and continued her good form with a 6-1 6-4 win against Evgeniya Rodina of Russia on Tuesday. Meanwhile, it took Wozniacki three sets to see off the challenge of Hungarian Tímea Babos. Former world number one Wozniacki, currently sixth in the rankings, won 6-4 4-6 6-1. Pliskova will play Slovakian world number 87 Magdalena Rybarikova in round two while Wozniacki takes on Bulgaria's Tsvetana Pironkova for a place in round three. Media playback is not supported on this device Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, the 16th seed, became the highest-ranked woman to be knocked out as she lost 3-6 7-6 (8-6) 9-7 against Australian qualifier Arina Rodionova. Victory for Rodionova, who is ranked 166th, was her first singles win at a Grand Slam. Agnieszka Radwanska, Wimbledon finalist in 2012, saw off the challenge of former world number one Jelena Jankovic to reach the second round. The ninth seed from Poland edged the first set on the tie-break before breezing through the second to win 7-6 (7-3) 6-0. France's Kristina Mladenovic, seeded 12th, defeated compatriot Pauline Parmentier 6-1 6-3 while Spain's 23-year-old Garbine Muguruza, seeded 14th, beat Ekaterina Alexandrova of Russia 6-2 6-4 to progress. Former world number one Victoria Azarenka, who has recently become a mother, has complained about the

Summary: World number one Angelique Kerber avoided an early upset as she overcame spirited American qualifier Irina Falconi to reach the second round of Wimbledon.


Imaginative thinking would be required to ensure trade between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland was not affected, said Mr Ahern. But he believed customs checks were inevitable. Mr Ahern added that now was not the time for a border poll. Speaking to the BBC's Today Programme, he said: "There has to be far more consensus, there still is a divided society, the institutions are not operational. "The big issue, I think, for the Irish and the UK government is on the other side of 8 June is to try to help broker a deal to get the institutions back up and running and certainly having a border poll in the foreseeable future will not help that process." In March, Mr Ahern told the BBC's Newsnight programme that dissident republicans might use the re-introduction of border posts in Northern Ireland to justify their campaign of violence. He said a hard border with customs checks would have to be re-introduced because of the UK's decision to leave most of the customs union under Brexit. Mr Ahern drew a comparison with the IRA's so-called Border Campaign in the 1950s. But he said he did not expect a return to large-scale violence. The UK government has pledged to ensure there will be no return to the "hard border" of the past.

Summary: Former Taoiseach (Irish prime minister) Bertie Ahern has warned there is no easy solution to resolving the Irish border issue before the UK leaves the EU.


The mural, called Slave Labour, disappeared from a wall in Wood Green, north London, in February and appeared in a Miami sale. But it was removed from the lot after protests by Haringey Council. It is now up for auction in June in Covent Garden by the Sincura Group. A local councillor and the local Trades Union Congress have attacked the sale. The mural, which depicts a boy hunched over a sewing machine making Union Jack bunting, appeared on the side of a Poundland store last May, just before the Diamond Jubilee celebrations. A spokesman for the auctioneers Sincura said the mural "has been sensitively restored under a cloak of secrecy", and will go on show alongside pieces by Damien Hirst, Andy Warhol, Mario Testino and Russell Young. But Wood Green councillor Alan Strickland said: "This is a piece of art given to the community for public enjoyment, and people will find it galling that you can only view this work at an expensive champagne reception, when it belongs with the people of north London, not a private owner. "We saw the level of public anger last time, as the story went around the world, and I expect the same this time." And Keith Flett, secretary of the Haringey Trades Union Congress, said: "The Slave Labour Banksy belongs to the people of Haringey not to a wealthy private client." When the mural was up for auction in Miami, it was expected to fetch up to Â£450,000. There was suspicion it had been stolen when it disappeared but the Metropolitan Police said there were "no reports of any theft". Slave Labour will go on sale at the London Film Museum on 2 June.

Summary: A Banksy artwork which had been withdrawn from an auction in the US has been put up for sale again.


The Oscar-winning John Ford film has been conserved in the US National Film Registry for its "cultural, historical, or aesthetic" significance. But brawling and boozing feature prominently in the 1952 film, which was shot in County Mayo and County Galway. An official warned "the theme is not likely to be well received here". Although counsellor Joseph Brennan said the film's colour was "beautiful" and its scenery "delightful", he raised fears it would provoke protests from Irish-Americans. His concerns were addressed to the Irish government's Department of External Affairs in a letter dated 17 April 1952, The Irish Times reports. He asked for a swift reply as he wanted to gauge the reaction to the film in Ireland, but no response was received until June. Another missive from the embassy official in July added: "If it were to be taken completely at its face value it would be accepted as a rollicking farce and no harm done. "But I fear it will be regarded by the Irish-American element here as purporting to portray actual life in Ireland. "We may then have protests." Mr Brennan's concerns are outlined in the latest volume of documents on Irish Foreign Policy 1951-1957 which are due to be published later this week. The Quiet Man, which starred John Wayne as boxer Sean Thornton and Maureen O'Hara as Mary Kate Danaher, won Oscars for Best Director and Best Cinematography. When it was added to the film registry in 2013, O'Hara described it as "the first great movie about Ireland" and said it had endured as it was "a simple and timeless story about people in love".

Summary: The Irish embassy in Washington feared protests by Irish Americans against the romantic comedy The Quiet Man, newly released documents reveal.


The militants do not meet in such large numbers in "one spot" because of the threat of an attack, a spokesman said. He did not give details of casualties. A resident said that al-Shabab had arrested several people from the remote central Somali village of Raso, after the US bombed its training camp in a nearby forested area on Saturday. The US said the strike, by both drones and manned aircraft, was aimed at preventing a "large-scale attack" by the al-Qaeda-linked militants. The resident told the BBC Somali service that al-Shabab recruits from around Somalia had been converging on the camp, about 195km (120 miles) north of the capital, Mogadishu, since last week. The US strike appeared to have led to heavy casualties, with al-Shabab reinforcements arriving to collect the dead, the resident added. Fighters who survived the assault had now left the area, he said. A spokesman for al-Shabab, Sheikh Abdiasis Abu Musab, confirmed to Reuters news agency that the US had bombed an area controlled by the militants. However, the US had exaggerated the number of casualties, he said. "We never gather 100 fighters in one spot for security reasons. We know the sky is full of planes," the spokesman added. On Tuesday, Pentagon spokesman Capt Jeff Davis said that initial assessments were that more than 150 fighters had been killed at the training facility. The camp had been under surveillance for some time, Capt Davis said. "We know they were going to be departing the camp and they posed an imminent threat to US and [African Union] forces," he added. A Somali official said their intelligence service cooperated with the US ahead of the air strikes, the Associated Press news agency reports. The US has a huge military base in neighbouring Djibouti. In a 2008 strike, it killed al-Shabab leader Adan Hashi Ayro. His successor Ahmed Godane was killed in a 2014 strike. 28 February - on a restaurant and busy junction in Baidoa killing at least 30 people 26 February - on Mogadishu's SYL hotel killing nine people 21 January - on a restaurant at Mogadishu's Lido beach killing 20 people 15 January - on a Kenyan base in el-Ade that Somalia's president said killed at least 180 soldiers

Summary: Militant Islamist group al-Shabab has dismissed as exaggerated US claims that more than 150 of its fighters were killed in an air strike in Somalia.


Concerns had been raised over readiness of the two countries to co-host the competition amid threats of fan violence and racism. But in a BBC Sport interview, Pohorecki said Euro 2012 had been a big success. "We feel pride because a lot of people didn't really believe we could make it and we did," said Pohorecki. Host nation: France How many nations? 24 countries for the first time, up from 16 in 2012, playing 51 matches over one month Clashes between rival Russian and and Polish football fans in the Polish capital Warsaw marred a Euro 2012 tie between the two teams on 12 June. But while admitting lessons had been learned, Pohorecki played down both that incident and also isolated cases of racial abuse from supporters. "From all the specific reports I have, there is always something you can do a little bit better for the next tournament," added Pohorecki. "And the next tournament is in France so we will pass our knowledge on to them." He added he had been "surprised" by the BBC Panorama programme days before the tournament which asked whether Uefa should have chosen Poland and Ukraine to co-host the event after revealing evidence of racist violence at football matches in both countries. "I was surprised by it [Panorama] because in every country you can make this kind of programme," insisted Pohorecki. "You can make it in England, you can make it in the Netherlands... this kind of message I think you can make in any country. "At this kind of event, the size of the event, by definition and statistics there will always bring issues. "But if you have riots in Warsaw and then after you have a report from the medical side which shows six people in hospital... six people in hospital is a normal day. "A regular wedding in Poland is usually six people in hospital! So everything is about how you want to show it." Pohorecki backed Uefa president Michel Platini, who said the 2020 European Championship could be spread across various cities in Europe, rather than having a single host. "Why not? Is it a crazy idea? We will see," he said. "Never say anything is impossible because everything is possible."

Summary: Euro 2012 executive director Krzystof Pohorecki says Poland and Ukraine have proved the doubters wrong by hosting a successful tournament.


The album, currently untitled, will be released in the autumn by Motown Records. "If your a rapper I suggest you run because I'm about to come for all of you sucka's," Hart wrote in a strongly worded post on Instagram. "Y'all just knocked on the door of a small giant that loves chicken nuggets and long walks in the park." Hart achieved fame as a stand-up before enjoying further success as the star of such films as Get Hard, The Wedding Ringer and Ride Along. He has already been seen this summer in the action comedy Central Intelligence, alongside Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. And he can be heard in hit animated film The Secret Life of Pets as the voice of a short-tempered rabbit named Snowball. The 37-year-old's previous albums have all been recordings of his stand-up shows.

Summary: US comedian Kevin Hart has signed a deal to release an album as his inept rapper alter-ego Chocolate Droppa.


The shelter - in a hollow left behind by a fallen tree - at Blick Mead was used over a 90-year period from 4336 BC, it is believed. Archaeologist David Jacques, said: "They... used the stump of the tree, about three metres high, as a wall." The finds are being shown to United Nations heritage experts, who are currently visiting Stonehenge. Archaeologists are concerned a planned 2.9km tunnel being considered for the nearby A303 main road will damage the site. Discoveries have also shown stones were warmed up by the Mesolithic Period inhabitants and used in a hearth to emit heat in the earthy snug. Mr Jacques, a senior research fellow at the University of Buckingham, has worked at Blick Mead for over a decade, making a number of discoveries about the inhabitants. The tree stump created a wall height similar to a "modern bungalow". "They've draped probably animal skins or thatch around the basin and connected it to a post so it's a very comfortable snug little place," he said. The wooden wall of the hollow was lined with flints and the large earthy pit created by the tree root lined with cobbles and decorated with "exotic" stones from outside the area. "There are some clever and sophisticated things going on, the hot stones that they put into this little type of alcove wouldn't have been on fire," explained Mr Jacques. "It looks more like these people have been using these hot stones as a type of storage heater so that you've got a lot of warmth coming off them." Mr Jacques will meet the UN experts later to ask for the route to be moved closer to Salisbury and for hydrological assessments to be made. "It's very likely the water flow would be reduced in and around the site," he said. "It would take out all the organics and destroy all the animal bone we've been finding which is crucial for finding where they have been living and for getting radiocarbon dates from all the organics like pollen and wood. "This is massively important for reconstructing what the landscape would have looked like." Andy Rhind-Tutt, former mayor and chairman of Amesbury Museum and Heritage Trust said: "I sincerely hope the team delivering the long-awaited A303 improvement look seriously at an alternative alignment south of Salisbury and away from this unequalled archaeological landscape. "It would be criminal to destroy such a rich heritage and connection with our ancestors for the sake of blocking the view to the passing public of Stonehenge."

Summary: A 6,000-year-old "eco-home" has been discovered close to Stonehenge, archaeologists have revealed.


Diabetes UK Cymru says there are now 177,212 people in Wales living with the condition. It said if the trend continues these figures could rise to 288,000 by 2025. Launching Diabetes Week, the charity said a lack of education on managing the condition had led to "devastating" health complications, including amputations, blindness and strokes. According to the charity, many cases of type 2 diabetes can be prevented but there is no way of preventing type 1. Diabetes costs NHS Wales nearly Â£500m a year, it added. Diabetes UK Cymru's director Dai Williams said: "Over the last decade we have seen the number of people with diabetes rising at an alarming rate and these latest figures are a stark call to action. "We must act now or face the very real danger of diabetes devastating the lives of even more people, and threatening to wreck the already over-burdened NHS."

Summary: The number of people with diabetes in Wales has reached an "all-time high", a charity has warned.


Alan Wright and his wife visited Sissinghurst Castle Garden in Cranbrook in September 2015. He said a man they spoke to took their photo in the gardens. Mrs Wright, from Kent, died three months later. A tweet by the National Trust, which runs the site, has been shared more than 600 times. A trust spokesman said it was a "heartbreaking story". He added: "With luck the [person] who took the photograph at Sissinghurst Castle Garden will see Alan's letter and come forward." Mr Wright wrote to the trust's magazine for help in tracking down the mystery photographer. He wrote: "I have realised this would have been the last photo ever taken of her. I would dearly love to obtain a copy."

Summary: A widower is appealing to help find the stranger who took the last photo of him and his wife together before she died.


The 97 jobs will be created over the next five years. The firm began operating in Northern Ireland in 2012 and now employs about 100 people. Invest NI is supporting the investment with a grant of £727,500. Axiom is based in the US and employs around 1,200 people. The new posts in Belfast will have average salaries of £40,000. They include a mix of lawyers, project managers and technologists. Axiom provides out-sourced legal services. It recently announced a major partnership with an investment bank to provide improved risk management in derivatives. Kate Docherty of Axiom said the company had been "delighted by the success of our operation in Belfast and its contribution to our growth globally". "Our expansion in this region is a testament not only to that growth, but to the skilled pool of available talent in Belfast who have made that success possible," she added.

Summary: The legal services firm Axiom UK is to double its Belfast workforce in a £9m investment.


Anthony Knockaert headed wide early on but striker Baldock made no mistake shortly after, guiding Gaetan Bong's cross into the top corner. Helder Costa came closest to equalising just before the break but his long-range shot was tipped over by Brighton goalkeeper David Stockdale. Wolves pressed late on with several corners but Brighton held on. Walter Zenga's Wolves went into the game having won just two of their past nine away league games with only one clean sheet and they conceded what turned out to be the winning goal after only 16 minutes. Full-back Bong whipped in a pinpoint cross which was headed home by Baldock for his third goal in three games as the Seagulls took control before the break. Top-scorer Glenn Murray almost doubled Brighton's lead early in the second half but his header was narrowly wide and a minute later Knockaert forced a fine save from Carl Ikeme with a long-range left-footed shot. Wolves committed men forward late on but, despite a succession of corner kicks in the dying minutes, Albion held on for victory and their eighth clean sheet in 13 games. Brighton manager Chris Hughton: "It is very timely that Sam is in this form and I am very pleased for him. He's been good for us. "He may not score too many with his head but he showed a desire to get across the defender. "He is a team player, works hard for the team and he is at the right place at the right time." Wolves head coach Walter Zenga: "It was a good game in my opinion but they scored and we didn't. We played at the same level as Brighton. "We were in the game and there was no difference in the teams. I would prefer to play badly and take the points. "In the last four games we have only taken one point, but we must believe in our job." Match ends, Brighton and Hove Albion 1, Wolverhampton Wanderers 0. Second Half ends, Brighton and Hove Albion 1, Wolverhampton Wanderers 0. Attempt missed. Ivan Cavaleiro (Wolverhampton Wanderers) header from a difficult angle on the right misses to the left. Assisted by João Teixeira with a cross following a corner. Corner, Wolverhampton Wanderers. Conceded by Lewis Dunk. Lewis Dunk (Brighton and Hove Albion) is shown the yellow card. Jón Dadi Bödvarsson (Wolverhampton Wanderers) is shown the yellow card. Corner, Wolverhampton Wanderers. Conceded by David Stockdale. Attempt saved. Hélder Costa (Wolverhampton Wanderers) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Danny Batth. Corner, Wolverhampton Wanderers. Conceded by Jiri Skalak. Corner, Wolverhampton Wanderers. Conceded by Glenn Murray. Corner, Wolverhampton Wanderers. Conceded by David Stockdale. Attempt saved. Danny Batth (Wolverhampton Wanderers) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Danny Batth (Wolverhampton Wanderers) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Foul by Glenn Murray (Brighton and Hove Albion). Attempt saved. Romain Saiss (Wolverhampton Wanderers) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Substitution, Brighton and

Summary: Sam Baldock's first-half header proved enough to give in-form Brighton a home victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers.


The Exiles were top of their group but the results of their first two matches in Pool Two have been wiped out. Welsh postponed Saturday's match against Doncaster Knights because they are unable to raise a side. The Old Deer Park side, who won the competition last season, can appeal against the decision. A statement from the Rugby Football Union said: "The [British & Irish Cup] Organising Committee's decision was due to the uncertainty of London Welsh's future, its inability to fulfil the next two fixtures and the uncertainty as to whether the club would be able to fulfil its remaining fixtures." Media playback is not supported on this device For the latest rugby union news follow @bbcrugbyunion on Twitter.

Summary: London Welsh have been disqualified from the British & Irish Cup after the Championship club went into liquidation on Thursday.


A Spanish court has suspended a ban on the former France midfielder and World Cup winner, 42, coaching Real Madrid Castilla. The Spanish football federation punished Zidane and fellow reserve team coach Santiago Sanchez for not having the required qualifications. Media playback is not supported on this device Real said they would "pursue every legal avenue" to overturn the ban. The European champions said Zidane was awarded the necessary licence by the French football federation. He was appointed Real reserve-team boss this summer after working as assistant to first-team coach Carlo Ancelotti last season. Zidane won the World Cup with France in 1998 and was named World Footballer of the Year in 1998, 2000 and 2003. He spent five seasons with Real as a player after joining from Juventus in 2001 for £45.8m - then a world record fee - and scored the winner in the 2002 Champions League final. Castilla were relegated from the second division last season, before Zidane joined the coaching staff. They are currently 14th in Group 2 of the regional four-group Segunda B, the third tier.

Summary: Zinedine Zidane can continue coaching Real Madrid reserves until his appeal against a three-month ban is heard.


Those who participated in the Aberdeen Children of the 1950s project, which saw all primary pupils aged seven to 12 surveyed by the Medical Research Council in 1962, have been contacted. They have been asked to take part in the Scottish Family Health Study, which is recruiting 50,000 people. It aims to investigate why diseases such as cancer can run in families. Those recruited will have their health tracked, with the intention of creating a Scottish "bio-bank" containing genetic, medical and family history and lifestyle information. This will allow researchers to investigate the contribution of genetic and environmental factors to common conditions. Blair Smith, a GP and professor of primary care medicine at Aberdeen University, will run the project. He said: "We know that many diseases such as cancer, heart disease, mental illness and diabetes run in families and that tells us that genes are important. "But we don't know yet which genes are important or how they relate to other things such as lifestyle. "We can get more information about genes by studying DNA which carries the genetic blueprint handed down through the generations. "That is why we are collecting and analysing blood samples and health information from thousands of families across Scotland." He said the data gathered would help future research into the prevention, treatment and diagnosis of illnesses.

Summary: Aberdonians who were involved in health research nearly 50 years ago have been asked to sign up to another study.


Officers are searching 18 premises in London and one in Stoke-on-Trent. The Met Police said it was part of an ongoing inquiry into Islamist-related terrorism and not in response to any immediate threat to the public. Mr Choudary is the former UK head of the Islamist group al-Muhajiroun or Islam4UK, banned in the UK in 2010. The arrested men, aged between 22 and 51, are being held at police stations in central London. by Dominic Casciani, Home Affairs correspondent Anjem Choudary is a deeply controversial Islamic figure, a man who many Muslims despise because they believe he causes enormous damage to their position in British society. Alongside another now-banned cleric, he once spearheaded al-Muhajiroun, a group that argued that the West is fighting a war against Muslims and Islam. When the government banned the group, some of its former members founded new organisations, including Islam4UK and Muslims Against Crusades - which were also later banned. The latter group's protests against British soldiers returning from Afghanistan, led to counter-protests and the subsequent formation of the English Defence League. Mr Choudary has always denied allegations that he has either incited or glorified acts of terrorism. In a statement the Met said the men were being held on suspicion of being members of a proscribed organisation, supporting a proscribed organisation contrary to Section 11 and 12 of the Terrorism Act 2000 and encouraging terrorism, contrary to Section 1 of the Terrorism Act 2006. Police said a number of residential, business and community premises are being searched; 11 in east London, one in west London, one in north-west London and five in south London. A residential property is also being searched in Stoke-on-Trent. The arrests were carried out by the Met's Counter Terrorism Command (SO15).

Summary: Nine men, including the radical Islamist preacher Anjem Choudary, have been arrested in London on suspicion of being members of a banned organisation.


Both Jenny Rathbone and Mike Hedges are applying separately to take part in a ballot which, if they win, will allow them to propose a bill to ban the fees. Mr Hedges said the fees were a "tax" on some of society's poorest with students among the biggest hit. But one letting agent said a ban could hit efforts to professionalise the sector. The Welsh Government said it was happy to consider how such legislation might work. The charges have already been banned in Scotland, while the UK government is planning to consult on doing the same in England. There are currently no firm plans to do the same in Wales, although the Welsh Government has said it was "actively considering" the move. Ministers have faced criticism for not acting sooner. AMs from all of the assembly's opposition parties have supported a ban. Assembly members can propose bills - proposals for new laws which when passed by the assembly become acts - from outside the government through a random ballot process. Mr Hedges said: "They are a tax on some of the poorest people in society who are engaged in private rented accommodation." The Swansea East AM said it was a big problem in university cities and a "big problem anywhere where there is more demand for housing then there is housing". Mr Hedges believes that about 20 AMs may apply to take part in the ballot - although only Mr Hedges and Ms Rathbone are currently known to be proposing banning the fees. Cardiff Council AM Jenny Rathbone said Mr Hedges' attempt "doubles the chances of one of us being picked". Catherine Iannucci, 21, originally from Barry and studying her third year of history and politics at Cardiff University, lives in a house with six other tenants. She said they have had to pay Â£80 each to take the home off the market - amounting to a fee of Â£560 for the agency. Ms Iannucci, who is a part of the group Labour Students and has conducted research on agency fees for Ms Rathbone, said: "It's a significant amount of money. "We don't really know what they're for and we don't know what that's gone towards." She also had to pay a deposit of a month's rent, plus Â£50. "In the middle of term, because we look around February time - nobody has that money to just throw away easily. It does put you under a lot pressure for the rest of the term," she said. She said she would be in favour of a ban as long as it meant that rents did not go up as a result. Douglas Haig is the director for Wales and vice-chairman of the Residential Landlords Association - which also owns Cardiff property management company James Douglas Sales and Lettings. He said his firm does charge fees, adding: "There are fees that go to landlord, there are fees that go to the tenant." Mr Haig said he did not condone "sharp practices" in the sector but warned that banning fees may make it harder

Summary: Letting agents' fees for tenants could be banned in Wales under proposals from two backbench Labour AMs.


He was seriously injured in a bomb attack in Afghanistan in 2006. Since carrying the torch on 26 June, Doncaster-based L/Bdr Parkinson has had thousands of requests on Facebook. But the site limits friend associations to 5,000 per personal page and he cannot accept all the requests. Flanked by hundreds of people, he walked for nearly half an hour with the Olympic torch with an assistant who supported his arm. L/Bdr Parkinson's nomination stated: "The brain injury took his speech, but not his personality and sense of humour," adding he now speaks unaided. It said: "Determined to prove everyone wrong, he fought back every step of the way. Ben's intelligence and wit [are] unchanged. Still the same funny and caring Ben." He spends 12 hours a day in the gym and rehab and walks with crutches, spending "the rest of his time spent raising money for many military charities and as patron of his beloved Pilgrim Bandits ". L/Bdr Parkinson's mother Diane said the responses had "been phenomenal" and that Ben was really "buoyed up" by the support and friendship he had been shown. She said: "It's just unbelievable, Ben's had way over 5,000 friend requests but Facebook won't let him have more than that number. "Thousands of people have joined the Pilgrim Bandits website and the messages of support we've had are great. "Ben's page has had 19,000 hits just on an update, I don't understand how these things work, but it's phenomenal." She said the amount of post the family had received had also increased. She added: "Some mail has just been addressed to Ben, please Mr Postie. "E-mail traffic has gone through the roof and Ben's had hundreds of requests to visit places with the [Olympic] torch. "He's absolutely bouncing and buoyed up and elated." Facebook would not comment on the issue but their guidance was that if people were receiving this many requests then they have become a public figure, so should consider having a page instead of a profile. Alternatively, Ben could use subscribe so that people can see his public updates without actually becoming a friend. A total of 8,000 people will carry the flame during its 8,000 mile, 70-day journey to the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in London on 27 July.

Summary: Injured paratrooper Ben Parkinson, who carried the Olympic flame, has been swamped with friend requests on social media and seen a huge increase in post addressed to "hero Ben".


Mr Murray, who was elected as Labour's only Scottish MP in 2015, held the Edinburgh South seat with 26,269 votes. The SNP came second with 10,755 votes. His majority increased significantly from 2,637 two years ago to 15,514. Across the capital, the SNP held three seats - Edinburgh South West, North and Leith and Edinburgh East, while the Lib Dems gained Edinburgh West. In his victory speech at the Meadowbank count in the city, Mr Murray told his supporters: "I stood here two years ago bemoaning the loss of my colleagues but tonight the Scottish Labour Party is back. "Nobody wanted this general election. Theresa May called this election to get rid of scrutiny in parliament for the hard Brexit she wanted to deliver. "Well the people of this country, the people of Scotland, have said tonight that we do not give the prime minister a blank cheque for a hard Tory Brexit." Mr Murray also told Nicola Sturgeon that his party's result was a verdict on SNP calls for another vote on independence. He said: "And to the first minister, we said at the start of this campaign that Scotland didn't want a second independence referendum. "The people of Edinburgh South have hammered the final nail in that coffin tonight." Tommy Sheppard won Edinburgh East with 18,509 votes, beating Labour's Patsy King into second place on 15,084. "The overwhelming story of tonight is that this is the Conservative Party snatching defeat from the jaws of victory," Mr Sheppard said. "There is one clear victor in the general election in Scotland, one party that is on course to win more seats than all other parties put together, and that party is the Scottish National Party. "Ruth Davidson sought a mandate in this election to try to prevent the people of Scotland having a choice about their future and she has overwhelmingly been rejected by the Scottish electorate." Nationalist Deidre Brock held her constituency Edinburgh North and Leith with 19,243 votes, despite a strong challenge from Labour's Gordon Munro on 17,618. The SNP's Joanna Cherry also kept her Edinburgh South West seat, with 17,575 votes to the Conservative Miles Briggs on 16,478. But Liberal Democrat Christine Jardine took Edinburgh West with 18,108 votes to 15,120 for the SNP's Toni Giugliano. The seat was won by Michelle Thomson in 2015, who later resigned the SNP whip after allegations relating to property transactions. Ms Jardine said: "We've been away for a wee while but the Scottish Liberal Democrats are back." Across the Forth in Fife, the SNP held the area's North East seat with just two votes. It was the final Scottish seat to declare in the UK general election, after a third recount. The SNP's Stephen Gethins won 13,743 votes compared with Janet Riches of the Scottish Liberal Democrats who polled 13,741. It is the joint-third narrowest victory in UK general election history and the closest since the Lib Dem's Mark Oaten won Winchester by two in 1997. Mr Gethins saw his majority cut from 4,344 in 2015. Labour's Lesley Laird took Kirkcaldy and

Summary: Labour's Ian Murray has increased his majority by more than 15,000 to secure his seat in Scotland's capital.


The panther chameleon was found on Monday by a dog walker in the wooded area at Marl Park. It had to be put down after X-rays showed all of its legs were broken and it had a deformed spine. RSPCA Cymru said it was an "extremely sad example of an abandoned and neglected exotic pet". Inspector Selina Chan said: "It is a possibility that the owners took on this animal but were unable to provide the care he needs and decided to release him to the wild. "We are urging potential owners of exotic animals to thoroughly research what is required in the care of the particular species before taking one on. "Potential owners need to make sure they can give their animal the environment it needs and they have the facilities, time, financial means and long-term commitment to maintain a good standard of care, as required under the Animal Welfare Act 2006." She added it was illegal to release non-native species into the wild.

Summary: Owners of exotic animals have been urged to do research before having them as pets after a seriously neglected chameleon was found in Cardiff Bay.


The aeroplane is a larger version of its new CSeries aircraft. The Montreal-based plane and train maker is under pressure to bring the CSeries into service after years of cost overruns. The smaller CS100 started testing in 2013. The wings and engine covers of the CS300 jet are made in Belfast. The aerospace company is one of Northern Ireland's biggest employers. About 5,000 permanent employees and about 1,000 temporary and contract staff work at its Belfast base. Michael Ryan of Bombardier Belfast said: "It is another testament to the skills of our workforce, and our design and manufacturing capabilities, which are helping bring a step change in aircraft wing technology."

Summary: Bombardier Inc has launched a test flight of its CS300 jet.


Phil Smith, chief executive of IT company Cisco, likened the situation to not having access to water or a road and said businesses would not be able to survive without it. He said a fast internet connection was vital to a country like Wales with a "complex landscape". The Welsh government insisted Wales was leading the way with broadband. Ministers and BT are currently delivering the scheme Superfast Cymru, which will give people access to fibre broadband. Earlier this year a Superfast Cymru spokesman said more than 80% of properties in Wales had access to the superfast broadband. But, speaking to BBC Wales at technology conference Digital 2016 in Newport, Mr Smith said: "I'm very surprised that broadband hasn't got to the level of penetration it should. "To be honest it's like saying you don't have a road now, or you don't have water. "Companies, countries and individuals can't survive without broadband, it's not some optional nice thing to have, this is the way business is done. "A country like Wales, it's got a wide population and complex landscape, it needs people to be on video, to engage anywhere in the world at any time. "I think it's really important that the government and industry push hard to get broadband to the highest level everywhere." A Welsh Government spokesman said an Ofcom report in August showed Wales was leading the way among the UK's devolved nations with the availability of superfast broadband. "The Superfast Cymru programme has already made superfast broadband speeds in excess of 24Mbps available to more than 581,000 Welsh homes and businesses, including in some very rural areas, and more premises will have access as the rollout continues," he added. "We are committed to making Wales a truly digital nation and continue to support businesses to take advantage of broadband technology which will help them to grow, to boost Wales' economic prosperity and create jobs."

Summary: A high profile figure in the world of technology has criticised poor broadband in parts of Wales.


Workie, as the animal is called, will star in a TV advertising campaign that starts on Wednesday evening. Since 2012, 5.4 million workers have been signed up to a workplace pension, under the auto-enrolment programme. But millions more people who work for small businesses, or individuals, have yet to be offered a pension plan. All employers are being warned that they need to offer pensions to anyone who is over the age of 22 and who earns more than Â£10,000 a year. That includes, for example, nannies, care workers, plumbers and bar staff. The pensions minister, Baroness Altmann, was said to be "personally involved" in designing Workie. A spokesperson for The Pensions Regulator said Workie was the embodiment of something you cannot ignore.

Summary: A ten foot tall hairy monster - reminiscent of Sweetums in The Muppets - is to be used to persuade more employers to set up a pension scheme.


One Met Police officer received an overtime payment of £45,000 last year, a Freedom of Information request found. The overtime bill for officers and staff in England and Wales totalled almost £1bn over three years and went up by £6m last year. The Home Office said the government had "already taken steps to reduce unnecessary overtime payments". "We have asked the independent Police Remuneration Review Body to consider whether more can be done on this issue," said a spokesman. "Police officers' pay should reflect the difficult work they do - but the public rightly expects that this is not abused." The National Police Chiefs' Council said it was "only right" that officers should be compensated for overtime. By Danny Shaw, BBC home affairs correspondent "Overtime does not go sick or take leave." That pithy phrase, from Tim Godwin, the former Metropolitan Police Deputy Commissioner, sums up the usefulness of overtime to a service that has to cope with sudden and unexpected events. Whether it's the surveillance officer monitoring a terrorism suspect, the detective constable deployed on a murder investigation, or the civilian staff employee answering calls after hours because a colleague has gone home ill - overtime has a valuable part to play. Sir Tom Winsor's review recognised that, while also recommending changes designed to reduce the overall bill. The year-on-year increase, identified by 5 live's research, does not mean that work has stalled. But it's interesting to note that some overtime payments appear to be connected to staff shortages. As the police workforce shrinks further, it may well be that existing officers and staff are increasingly asked to plug the gaps. Figures for 39 forces in England and Wales show the overtime bill rose from £307.1m in 2013/14 to £313.2m in 2014/15. The Metropolitan Police accounted for about a third of the overall bill, while in two other forces, Bedfordshire and Cleveland, the overtime bill went up by 50% - explained in part by gaps in recruitment. The Met said officers earning the highest amounts were in specialist roles, where working time was determined by the operational circumstances. An officer at West Midlands Police earned £32,702 in overtime working in a contact centre. Inspector Tony Morris from that force said "recruitment in this business area has been on hold" due to a reorganisation. "This means the department has been carrying a significant number of vacancies, resulting in an increased need for planned overtime." Sergeants and constables are eligible to claim overtime for working extra days, for staying on at the end of a shift, or for being recalled between shifts. On four days each week, officers are expected to give the first 30 minutes of unplanned overtime for free, traditionally referred to as "half an hour for the Queen". Three years ago, Sir Tom Winsor's review of policing in England and Wales called for "cultural change" to reduce the cost of overtime. He suggested that in future, the police pay review body may consider a "buy out" for sergeants which would see them give up overtime pay in return for an

Summary: Some UK police forces are using overtime to cover gaps caused by staff shortages, BBC Radio 5 live has found.


Six suicide attackers and an Afghan security guard were killed. At least 17 civilians were injured. A minibus was detonated but another bomb-laden car defused, police said. The Taliban, who have launched several high-profile raids on Kabul, said they were behind the attack. The BBC's Bilal Sarwary in Kabul says the attacked area is often packed with civilians who come to collect passports and national identity cards at the interior ministry. Intelligence chief Gen Zaher Zaher told the BBC the clearance operation was now over. The area affected in central Kabul is heavily barricaded - and the NDS compound, which also houses several Western embassies, is surrounded by tall, thick cement walls designed to protect it from bomb blasts. A senior Afghan security official told the BBC that the attackers targeted the NDS unit where suicide attackers and key Taliban commanders are interrogated. The NDS said that one suicide attacker drove a minibus which exploded outside the NDS building. Five others, armed with semi-automatic weapons and hand grenades, then fought the security forces for 15 minutes before being killed by guards. According to the NDS, another vehicle packed with explosives was defused shortly afterwards. The main explosion took place around noon local time (07:30 GMT). A plume of smoke rose from the area, and gunfire and police sirens were then heard. One eyewitness, Mohammad Zia, told Associated Press that the vehicle with the bomb inside drove up to the gates of the barricaded NDS building and then was detonated. A number of wrecked cars could be seen. Shop owner Qais Ahmad told Reuters: "I was inside the shop when I heard noises and a huge bang. All the windows in my shop were destroyed and injured my head." The attack comes shortly after the return from the US of President Hamid Karzai, who was discussing the future of his country after the Nato-led troops withdraw at the end of next year with President Barack Obama. Wednesday's attack on the embassy area of Kabul is the first since November, when a suicide bomber killed two Afghan security guards and wounded three. Last month, NDS chief Asadullah Khalid was wounded in a Taliban suicide bombing in the Taymeni area of central Kabul. The Taliban said the attacker had posed as a peace messenger. Mr Khalid has been in the job since September and has a reputation for being fiercely anti-Taliban. Militant groups continue to mount regular attacks in Afghanistan, raising questions as to how the Afghan security forces will cope after 2014.

Summary: Suicide bombers have attacked a building belonging to Afghanistan's National Directorate of Security (NDS) in the capital, Kabul, officials have told the BBC.


Garbutt, 26, was sent off in the 71st minute of his side's 38-4 loss for punching opponent James Tamou. The Australian was banned for two games by the Rugby Football League on Monday. "It's not something that I am about. I don't condone violence and I sought James out after the game to apologise," said Garbutt. "I accepted the ban and I'm very disappointed I won't be out there with the boys for the next couple of weeks." "Everyone that knows me knows I'm not the sort that does that kind of thing."

Summary: Leeds Rhinos prop Mitch Garbutt has apologised for his red card in Sunday's World Club Challenge defeat by North Queensland Cowboys.


From her early days as a prodigious youngster, the career-threatening injury, the comeback and first world title to the iconic gold at London 2012. Then came Ennis-Hill the mum, a second world title and her final act, a silver at Rio. Minichiello has seen it all and tells BBC Sport why the "hard-working mum" deserves her place as Britain's greatest ever athlete. "How would I describe Jess in three words? A hard-working mum. "Leading into London she was an athlete first and foremost. But after her son Reggie was born she was a mum who did athletics. That is a lovely example, look at her, how she changed, she became just a mum with a hobby. "The World Championship medal in 2015 and the Olympic medal at Rio was more about doing something for her son; her son would see that and have an affinity with it. He is very sporty, and can throw a broom handle thinking it's a javelin. "He has seen his mum, whatever memory he may or may not have, he will have experienced what his mum's reputation will always be." Media playback is not supported on this device "I met Jess when she was nine. I was teaching on summer camps at the time and I saw this kid who stood out from her peers because she was just that bit quicker. "She only came down because her friend came down but she stuck with it and the friend went in a different direction. "Jess kept exceeding and exceeding expectations, people criticised her for being too small, said she'd never make it. They said my coaching was no good. But I was like 'no, come and see this kid, what she does, she is tenacious, a highly-competitive individual'. "She can be a pain, she is always ultra competitive. She gets it from her mum, even lobbing a drinks bottle into a bin from five metres. "Her best quality is her ability to be ultra competitive but be incredibly grounded and modest. She is critical of herself. She does not say 'look at me, the great I am'. She is modest and strives to be better and has an incredible work ethic. You could not ask for any more. She got her physicality from her parents and add that to the work ethic and competitive bit; bring all that together and you have lightning in a bottle. "She has always been sassy and was a cheeky little kid. But she has that determination to do better and never be satisfied with her performance." Media playback is not supported on this device "For me, the highlight of her career wasn't London 2012, but coming back from pregnancy and winning the World Championship in Beijing in 2015. "Number two would coming back from three stress fractures in her foot and winning her first World Championship in 2009 because that was potentially a career-threatening injury. The home Olympics was big but in my perspective overcoming adversity was better. "London was superb, but a bit surreal because the crowd were so supportive.

Summary: Coach Toni Minichiello has been by Jessica Ennis-Hill's side through the highs and the lows of her golden career.


The Taylors will, we are assured, make "quite an entrance" when they arrive in Albert Square this summer, giving the resident Walfordians "a rude awakening". EastEnders executive producer Sean O'Connor describes them as "noisy and brash" who "lack cash" but "have love and warmth in spades". The announcement has split opinion among fans on the soap's Facebook page, with some worried they are a stereotypical white working-class family and/or a pale imitation of the Millers. Others have said there should be more ethnic minority families instead, or have questioned whether they would be able to afford to live in the East End these days. But some are looking forward to what O'Connor described as their "explosive" impact on Walford life. Follow us on Facebook, on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, or on Instagram at bbcnewsents. If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news@bbc.co.uk.

Summary: Two real-life brothers, an actress who has played TWO previous roles in EastEnders, a bloke from Benidorm and a bearded dragon called Rooney - this is the new "not-to-be-messed-with" EastEnders family.


Morgan Owen, from Buckley, Flintshire, died after being restrained on 5 December. He had also been stunned with a Taser by police two days earlier. The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) backed North Wales Police's actions. An inquest jury concluded the death was accidental through taking cocaine. The inquest in Abergele, Conwy county, heard Mr Owen, 24, suffered cardiac arrest as a result of taking the drug. He was found to have "toxic" levels of cocaine in his body. He collapsed shortly after being held by members of the public because he was kicking cars as he made his way along Farm Road. Police were called and Mr Owen was handcuffed but officers noticed almost immediately he had no pulse and attempts to revive him were unsuccessful. The inquest focused on the attitude of the officers towards him. Officers had also been called to other incidents in the days before Mr Owen's death including the one where the Taser was used. The jury was told of concerns that more was not done to respond to his mental state and questions were raised about whether he was treated appropriately given the behaviour he was demonstrating. The IPCC investigation looked at a number of complaints from Mr Owen's family about the police handling of the incidents. It found where police used force, including deploying the Taser, it was necessary and appropriate. It added police had taken steps to assist Mr Owen's welfare and to protect others and tried along with a member of the public to resuscitate him before paramedics arrived. IPCC Commissioner Jan Williams said: "Ultimately this was a very sad series of incidents. "Our investigation found that North Wales Police officers did act in a proportionate and reasonable way in their interactions with Morgan."

Summary: Action taken by police on a soldier who died after being handcuffed during a disturbance was "reasonable and proportionate", an investigation found.


Jones, 31, suffered a shin injury while on international duty with Trinidad and Tobago on Tuesday. Cardiff manager Russell Slade said there was no break and Jones will be assessed once he returns to Wales. "We're hoping he will be in on Sunday," said Slade. "We don't know how long he'll be out for." This is the second time in the space of two months Jones has been unavailable for Cardiff following international duty. He missed the opening four games of the season after being deemed unfit following his involvement in the Gold Cup, held in America and Canada in July. The latest set-back came in his country's goalless draw with Nicaragua in Port of Spain when he was carried off on a stretcher after 73 minutes. "It's not broken, that's the most important thing, but there is a lot of swelling there. It will be assessed the moment he lands," said Slade. Jones' injury ends a miserable week for Slade that also saw him lose defender Bruno Ecuele Manga for at least two months to a groin injury sustained while training with Gabon. "As with Bruno, it's difficult to get the information you require," added Slade of Jones' condition. Cardiff missed the striker's presence on Saturday in a dour stalemate with Preston. Slade admitted his side were poor as they registered two efforts on target against a team that started the afternoon on the bottom of the Championship table. "I didn't think we got going until 50 or 60 minutes into the game and that can't happen," he said. "Clearly it's not something we designed or wanted. We set out exactly what we wanted to do but we didn't do that. "It can happen away from home sometimes, but it's dangerous because when you come up against top opposition, they will punish you in those periods. "We haven't served up too many halves like that so benefit of the doubt. "We came out for the second half and looked like a team again that wanted to go on and win a football match." Slade's mood on Saturday evening would not have been helped when one of his discarded strikers, Javi Guerra, put Rayo Vallecano in front against Barcelona in La Liga at the Nou Camp. Guerra, 33, moved to Rayo on a season-long loan in August after being told he was not in Slade's plans.

Summary: Cardiff City are waiting to discover the extent of the injury to Kenwyne Jones that forced the striker to miss Saturday's draw at Preston.


The £14.8bn project's 1,000-tonne boring machine has broken into the eastern end of Liverpool Street Crossrail station. By 2018 high-speed trains will run from Reading, through central London to Abbey Wood and Shenfield in Essex. Andrew Wolstenholme, from Crossrail, said the project was on the "final countdown" to link all the tunnels. The machine, which is named Elizabeth after the Queen, has 2,460ft (750m) to bore until it reaches the end of the line as part of the project's longest tunnelling drive from Limmo Peninsula, near Canning Town, to Farringdon, which is expected to be finished in the spring. Crossrail's chief executive Mr Wolstenholme said: "We are now on the final countdown to the big east/west breakthrough at Farringdon, which will link all of Crossrail's tunnels for the first time. "This is a phenomenal feat of civil engineering that London can be justifiably proud of. "The next challenge is to implement railway systems across the route, keeping the project on time and within budget." More than 60% of the overall work has been completed for the project. A sister machine, named Victoria, will reach Farringdon several weeks after Elizabeth.

Summary: Crossrail workers have made their latest breakthrough by tunnelling under the City of London.


FirstGroup takes over on Sunday amid ongoing disputes over driver-operated doors and the role of train guards. The company said it would be "retaining a second person" on board trains. The RMT union said in talks the firm refused to provide a guarantee "despite what they have been telling the press". FirstGroup and Hong Kong company MTR will provide 90 new trains by December 2020 with doors that can be operated by the driver. Franchise managing director Andy Mellors said: "Our commitment with the 750 new carriages for the suburban routes out of Waterloo is that we will be retaining a second person on board those trains." But following talks the RMT said FirstGroup altered the wording to say it was "planning" to keep a second person. General secretary Mick Cash said: "The company refused to give a guarantee that there will be a second person â€Žon their trains despite what they have been telling the press. "They also failed to clarify what safety competencies and role a second member of staff would have on their services." The union sees a second member of staff on board its trains as "critical" to passenger safety. In an earlier BBC interview, Mr Mellors said the new trains would "retain a second person" on board, but could not say what that person's role would be. A company statement said: "We know that a second member of staff provides assurance to our passengers on trains and ensures we have capable colleagues on board to deliver assistance during the journey for anyone that needs help or advice while travelling on our trains." Disputes over driver-only operated trains on other rail services have led to 16 months of industrial action by the RMT. The South Western rail service currently operates routes between London Waterloo, Reading, Bristol, Exeter, Weymouth, and Portsmouth, as well as Island Line on the Isle of Wight.

Summary: The new South Western rail franchise holder has been criticised by a union for allegedly refusing to guarantee a second staff member on board its forthcoming trains.


Media playback is not supported on this device The Frenchman, 25, died on Friday as a result of head injuries suffered in a crash at the 2014 Japanese Grand Prix. Chilton, who raced with Bianchi at Marussia in 2013 and 2014, dominated the race at Iowa Speedway to earn his first win in any series since 2012. "I probably thought of Bianchi every five or 10 laps," said Chilton, 24. "He was a driver destined to probably be a world champion," he added. The Briton said he had learned of Bianchi's death on Friday night US time before going on to take a victory which saw him lead for 87 of the 100 laps at the 0.894-mile oval. Chilton's win came as a surprise as he was sitting 10th out of 15 drivers in Indy Lights going into the weekend. This was Chilton's ninth race in Indy Lights, his previous best finish being third. Bianchi had been in a coma since crashing his Marussia into a recovery vehicle at October's rain-hit race in Suzuka. "It's been a difficult nine months, to be brutally honest with you,'' Chilton said. "I've learned a lot from him and he was part of that win.' As well as racing as Marussia team-mates for two years, the pair also competed in karting from the age of 10 before rising through the racing ranks together. The Briton tweeted yesterday: "No words can describe what his family & the sport have lost. All I can say is it was a pleasure knowing and racing you."

Summary: Ex-Marussia driver Max Chilton dedicated his victory in the Indy Lights race on Saturday to his friend and former team-mate Jules Bianchi.


Mike Welch, chief executive of Blackcircles.com, can expect to gain a third of that sale price, while staying with the company. He started selling tyres aged 16 before joining Kwik-Fit. Aged 21, he set up Black Circles, basing it in Peebles, where it employs 50 people. Welch, now aged 36, built it up to annual sales in 2013 of £28m, with annual growth of around 20% per year since 2008. The first three months of this year have seen revenue rise by 34% on the same period last year. The company developed a "click and fit" business model. Customers choose their tyres online, they are then delivered directly from manufacturers to one of 1,350 independent garages, where the customer then books in a tyre-fitting session. According to the chief executive, prices undercut conventional sales by 20%-to-40%. In March, the company announced that it was looking at ways to extend its growth, including a float on a stock exchange, private equity investment, or a sale. It recruited former Tesco boss Sir Terry Leahy onto the board, to use his expertise in retail. There is also a trial of a Blackcircles fitting service at some Tesco superstores. The Michelin deal opens up expertise and a much wider distribution network, without limiting Blackcircles.com to the parent company's brand products. Michelin already owns the conventional tyre distributor ATS Euromaster, and the French firm hopes there will be synergies between the two distributors, although Blackcircles.com will continue to operate independently within the Michelin group. "I'm delighted to have found in Michelin a partner who shares our passion for customer service, innovation and technology," said Mr Welch. "The strength of the Michelin Group will allow us to underpin the multi-brand offering that we deploy in each garage, on every street corner. "I am convinced that our teams, our customers, our garages and our suppliers will rapidly start to see the benefits of this partnership." Jean-Dominique Senard, chief executive of the Michelin Group, commented: "Our strategy illustrates our ambition: to be ever more innovative, efficient and proactive for our customers by offering them products and services suited to individual needs, and by simplifying the entire purchase process, from choosing their tyres to having them fitted by professionals." Michelin has 68 production plants in 17 countries, and employs 117,000 people. An interview with Mike Welch can be heard on Business Scotland this weekend - at 06:00 on Saturday and 07:30 on Sunday - on BBC Radio Scotland.

Summary: One of Scotland's most successful entrepreneurs has sold his tyre-fitting business for £50m to Michelin.


After going down to 12 men, following Ben Flower's red card, Wigan scored 21 unanswered points to triumph. The Warriors have lost the past two Super League deciders at Old Trafford. "We will take a lot of confidence coming into the back end of the year when confidence is important going into big games," Smith said. Victory when the Catalans Dragons visit the DW Stadium next week would guarantee Wigan a home semi-final, while their hopes of clinching the League Leaders' Shield are slim as Warrington travel to second-placed Hull FC. Warrington only need a draw to win the first piece of Super League silverware this season. "We are looking just to win the game next week. Whatever comes of it, being first or second, gets us a home semi and that is what we want," Smith told BBC Radio Manchester. "We want to get to Old Trafford and want to win. We've had a disappointing couple of years, and it is all about progressing now and putting in a performance next week." If Wigan do reach the final for a fourth successive season, they may be without Flower after his elbow on Declan Patton saw him sent off with 23 minutes remaining on Friday. It was the prop's first dismissal since receiving an early red card in Wigan's Grand Final defeat by St Helens in 2014. A man down and with the League Leaders' Shield being made ready for presentation to Wolves, the visitors produced a remarkable turnaround from 28-14 down in the second half. Josh Charnley touched town twice and Lewis Tierney completed a brace of his own before Smith edged Wigan ahead with a drop goal. Anthony Gelling's late try put the result beyond doubt. "As soon as we got the first try when Benny got sent off I think the belief was there to go on and do something special," Smith said. "When you come to stadiums like this and get results like that, it gives you a massive lift."

Summary: Wigan have the confidence to go on and win the Super League Grand Final after overcoming leaders Warrington on Friday, says half-back Matty Smith.


Not far away, in Brooklyn Bridge Park, where once derelict piers have been converted into outdoor sports centres, the soccer pitches are usually more crowded than the basketball courts. A short walk down the hill, an archway under the Manhattan Bridge last summer hosted one of New York's World Cup "viewing parties", where thousands gathered to watch games, and not just those involving the American national team. So it seemed incongruous to stand in front of the courthouse last week, fielding questions from presenters in London about why a country with no interest in football had suddenly assumed the role of global policeman of the global game. That line of inquiry seemed about a decade out of date. It is akin to the blanket condemnation that Americans lack a sense of humour or irony - this in the land of Jon Stewart, Tina Fey, Stephen Colbert, Chris Rock, Amy Poehler, Jerry Seinfeld, David Letterman and Garry Shandling. True, football, or soccer as it is known here, is not as central to American as it is to European, African or South and Central American life. Nowhere near. Up until recently, the game has been unloved by the major US television networks, which have long bemoaned the lack of breaks in play, the paucity of goals and the glut of draws. Absent from the US game are big-name male stars and big-name clubs. The New York Red Bulls will never rival the New York Yankees. Real Salt Lake pales, rather risibly, alongside Real Madrid. However, football is no longer met with American indifference. Nor any more does it offer proof of America's sporting isolationism. In this polyglot nation, the game is growing in popularity and importance, an upward trend that will continue long into the future as America becomes less white and more Hispanic. Already, America is the number one country in the world for youth participation in football. More than three million youngsters were registered to play in 2014, compared with just 103,432 in 1974. Major League Soccer matches now have a higher average attendance - 19,148 in 2014 - than basketball and ice hockey. The game ranks third after American football and baseball. Though the crowds here are significantly smaller than in the Bundesliga in Germany, the Premier League in England and Wales, La Liga in Spain or Serie A in Italy, they are on average bigger than in Argentina, Brazil, China or the Football League Championship. Bundesliga: 43,532 Premier League: 36,083 La Liga: 26,803 Serie A: 22,019 Major League Soccer (in 2014): 19,148 The Seattle Sounders, America's most-watched team, attracts larger crowds for home games than Everton, Tottenham, Aston Villa or even Chelsea. The strength of the game in Seattle is also a measure of how its popularity extends well beyond the new immigrant hubs of New York, Chicago and Los Angeles. Sporting Kansas City, in the American heartland, is also one of the better-supported sides. Last year's World Cup in Brazil witnessed record viewing figures in America, even though the national team did not make it past the final 16.

Summary: Outside the courthouse in Brooklyn where the trial of the Fifa officials charged with corruption will take place is an all-weather football pitch crowded throughout the week with players of all ages.


Iva Barr, from Bedford, was taking part in her 20th marathon, completing about 14 miles of the route. Ms Barr has been running marathons for "30-odd years" and took part in the first London Marathon in 1981. She said she would "never forget" her final attempt at the famous event, despite not quite completing the route. Ms Barr tackled the first 14 miles of the marathon before taking an Underground train to Westminster, and walking the final part of the course to The Mall. "I rather wanted to go out in a blaze of glory," she said. "That didn't happen but I still had a great day." And she said she had "no regrets" about giving it a go. "I just thought 'I really can't do this and I don't think I should carry on'," she said. "But in the end I only didn't do about eight or nine miles, because I gently walked the last couple of miles to the finish line. "It was so wonderful, everybody was fantastic with me, especially the young people. I will never forget it."

Summary: An 88-year-old woman who became the oldest competitor in this year's London Marathon has confirmed Sunday's event will be her last.


Media playback is not supported on this device The 25-year-old batsman died when he was by a short-pitched delivery in Sydney. The incident was described as a "freak" by medical experts. Hampshire-based manufacturer Masuri has given the BBC an exclusive look at its prototype helmet, which features extra protection at the rear. Media playback is not supported on this device Batting for South Australia in a Sheffield Shield game against New South Wales in Sydney, Hughes was hit by a bouncer from Sean Abbott. The batsman, who was wearing a Masuri helmet, collapsed immediately and died in hospital two days later. After his death, the company began investigating a possible redesign and have introduced a "stemguard", a device made of foam and a rubber-like compound that clips onto the back of a helmet. According to the company, Masuri provide "the most widely used helmet in Professional Cricket". Design consultant Alan Meeks believes it will be both light and robust enough to prevent serious injury "This arrangement of the foam and honeycomb gives as much protection as a hard helmet," he told BBC Sport. "Even though it moves around and will touch the player when the ball hits them, it will absorb a significant amount of energy." The International Cricket Council, which governs the game, has raised its recommendations for helmet safety standards in recent years. Media playback is not supported on this device However, in response to the growth in popularity of the 20-over format of the game, which encourages a greater range of strokes and a riskier style of batting, research and development had focused on protecting a batman's face. The death of Hughes, who played 26 Tests for Australia, changed things. "That tragic event definitely had an impact on the public," said Masuri's managing director, Sam Miller. "I don't think there was a helmet on the market which would have protected Phillip. "There had been some talk of protection to that area in the past, but it had been a footnote." The "stemguard" has been tested extensively in a laboratory while it awaits production. Masuri say they have consulted international cricket boards throughout the design process. A patent for the product is pending but its introduction in matches will depend on players' desire to wear the redesigned helmets.

Summary: A British-based firm has designed a cricket helmet aimed at preventing another tragic death like that of Australian Phillip Hughes last year.


Next month, archaeologists will begin work off the coast of Kenya to identify a wreck believed to have belonged to the man some historians believe inspired the adventures of Sinbad the Sailor. Chinese archaeologists, who arrived in the African country this week, are hoping that the shipwreck could provide evidence of the first contact between China and east Africa. Setting sail more than 600 years ago, Zheng's armada made seven epic voyages, reaching south-east Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. Some say he even made it to America - several decades before the celebrated European explorer Christopher Columbus - although this has been widely disputed by historians. Zheng, known as the Three-Jewel Eunuch Admiral, carried gifts from the Chinese emperor aboard his "treasure ship", which groaned with valuable cargo including gold, porcelain and silks. These were exchanged along the established Arab trade routes for ivory, myrrh and even China's first giraffe, promoting recognition of the new Ming dynasty. But within years of his death, Zheng appeared to fade from public consciousness, and for centuries his legend was overlooked as China turned its back on the world and entered a long period of isolation. Now Zheng is enjoying a resurgence - and there appears to be more than historical curiosity behind his revival. The sunken ship is believed to have been part of Zheng's armada, which reached the coastal town of Malindi in 1418. The Chinese seem confident they will find the wreck near the Lamu archipelago, where pieces of Ming-era ceramics have already surfaced. The Chinese government is investing Â£2m ($3m) in the three-year joint project, which Kenya says it hopes will throw up important findings about early relations between China and Africa. Analysts say this ties in well with China's diplomatic overtures to African nations, as it goes about securing natural resources and political influence. Zheng He - also known as Cheng Ho - is being hailed anew as a national hero; invoked by the Communist Party as a pioneer of China's "open-door" policies that have once again made China a world power. "The rise of China has induced a lot of fear," says Geoff Wade of the Institute of South-east Asian Studies in Singapore. "Zheng is being portrayed as a symbol of China's openness to the world, as an envoy of its peace and friendship - these two words keep cropping up in virtually every reference to Zheng He out of China," says Prof Wade. In talks with the head of Asean, a grouping of South East Asian nations, earlier this year, Chinese state councillor Dai Bingguo, who is a leading figure in foreign policy, said: "I want to assure you that China is not to be feared." The voyages of Zheng He, he said, had brought "porcelain, silk and tea rather than bloodshed, plundering or colonialism" - a reference to violent coercive measures used by Western colonisers. "To this day, Zheng He is still remembered as an envoy of friendship and peace," Mr Dai said. Zheng He was an admiral in the time of "empire", when there were no

Summary: Standing seven feet tall, China's maritime giant Admiral Zheng He led the world's mightiest fleet, with 300 ships and as many as 30,000 troops under his command.


Ryan Morse, from Brynithel, Blaenau Gwent, died on 8 December 2012 from undiagnosed Addison's disease. Dr Leonard Peter told Cardiff Crown Court Dr Joanne Rudling, of Cardiff, did not ask enough questions about Ryan's condition hours before he died. She and Dr Lindsey Thomas, 42, of Tredegar, deny manslaughter. Dr Peter, who has worked as a GP for 41 years, told the court 46-year-old Dr Rudling, one of his GPs, should have shown more curiosity about Ryan's state. Zoe Johnson, defending Dr Rudling, put it to Dr Peter that medical notes suggested Ryan was "feeling a bit better from a temperature point of view" the day before he died, but still suffering from sickness and diarrhoea. She said Dr Rudling had offered him the chance to see a male doctor on Monday after she was told of a change in the colour of Ryan's genitalia, something she felt was a symptom of puberty. "Looking at the record I'd be concerned that a child had serious symptoms in the morning, sickness, delirium...and had now developed a symptom I'd never seen before (the skin colour change). "Doctors are curious, or at least they should be curious...and you can't risk manage it if you haven't seen it." Dr Peter replied. "She had a lot of this information in the records and nor did she seek the information that wasn't in the records. "She didn't take an overall view of what was happening...this was a 12-year-old whose mother was changing him (because of such severe diarrhoea). "Had she seen it, she wouldn't have thought it was puberty, she'd have thought 'I've never seen anything like this in my life.'" The court has previously heard Ryan's death could have been prevented if he had been examined at any point up until a couple of hours before it happened. Both doctors deny manslaughter through gross negligence. Dr Rudling also denies attempting to pervert the course of justice with an entry made in Ryan's medical notes two days after he died. The trial continues.

Summary: A GP should have been more curious about a 12-year-old boy's symptoms and seen him "as soon as possible" the day before he died, a court has heard.


Scientists have struggled to explain the so-called pause that began in 1999, despite ever increasing levels of CO2 in the atmosphere. The latest theory says that a naturally occurring 30-year cycle in the Atlantic Ocean is behind the slowdown. The researchers says this slow-moving current could continue to divert heat into the deep seas for another decade. However, they caution that global temperatures are likely to increase rapidly when the cycle flips to a warmer phase. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), global average temperatures have increased by around 0.05C per decade in the period between 1998 and 2012. This compares with a decadal average of 0.12 between 1951 and 2012. More than a dozen theories have been put forward on the cause of this pause in temperature growth that occurred while emissions of carbon dioxide were at record highs. These ideas include the impact of pollution such as soot particles that have reflected back some of the Sun's heat into space. Increased volcanic activity since 2000 has also been blamed, as have variations in solar activity. The most recent perspectives have looked to the oceans as the locations of the missing heat. Last year a study suggested that a periodic upwelling of cooler waters in the Pacific was limiting the rise. However this latest work, published in the journal Science, shifts the focus from the Pacific to the Atlantic and Southern oceans. The team, lead by Prof Ka-Kit Tung from the University of Washington, US, says there is now evidence that a 30-year current alternately warms and cools the world by sinking large amounts of heat beneath these deep waters. They've used observations from a network of devices called Argo floats that sample the oceans down to 2,000 metres. The researchers say that there was another hiatus between 1945 and 1975 due to this current taking down the heat, that led to fears of a new ice age. From 1976 though, the cycle flipped and contributed to the warming of the world, as more heat stayed on the surface. But since the year 2000, the heat has been going deeper, and the world's overall temperatures haven't risen beyond the record set in 1998. "The floats have been very revealing to us," said Prof Tung. "I think the consensus at this point is that below 700 metres in the Atlantic and Southern oceans [they are] storing heat and not the Pacific." A key element in this new understanding is the saltiness of the water. The waters in the Atlantic current coming up from the tropics are saltier because of evaporation. This sinks more quickly and takes the heat down with it. Eventually though, the salty water melts enough ice in Arctic waters to lower the saline level, slowing down the current and keeping the heat near the surface. "Before 2006 the saltiness was increasing, this indicated that the current was speeding up," said Prof Tung. "After 2006, this saltiness is diminishing but it's still above the long-term average. Now it is slowly slowing down. "Once it gets below the

Summary: The hiatus in the rise in global temperatures could last for another 10 years, according to new research.


UK-based Chatham House says more needs to be done to protect key transport routes such as the Panama Canal, the Suez Canal and the Turkish Straits. Almost 25% of the world's food is traded on international markets. This, the report says, makes food supply and prices vulnerable to unforeseen crises or climate change. Infrastructure at the chokepoints is often old and would struggle to cope with natural disasters which are expected to grow in frequency as the planet warms, the report authors add. They urge governments to invest in "climate-resilient" infrastructure, and diversify food production and stocks. The report gives examples of how reliant the world is on this trade: "The risks are growing as we all trade more with each other and as climate change takes hold," says Laura Wellesley, one of the study's authors. There are risks for both the food security of importing countries and the economies of those exporting food, she added.

Summary: The world's food security is increasingly reliant on 14 "chokepoints" for trade, a think-tank report has warned.


In an unexpected move, Greece's culture minister said the country would pursue a "diplomatic and political" approach to retrieving the sculptures instead. In doing so, the country has rejected the advice of barrister Amal Clooney, who had urged Greece to take Britain to the International Criminal Court. The Marbles were taken from Greece's Parthenon by Lord Elgin 200 years ago. Greece insists the Parthenon Sculptures - as they are properly known - were taken illegally and has pursued a high-profile campaign in recent years for their return, latterly with the help of Mrs Clooney. Mrs Clooney reportedly submitted a 150-page report to the Greek government this week urging it to formally request the repatriation of the marbles and take Britain to the International Criminal Court if it refused. But Greece's culture minister Nikos Xydakis told the country's Mega TV: "One cannot go to court over whatever issue. Besides, in international courts the outcome is uncertain". He said he believed attitudes to the future of the Marbles were slowly changing and would favour Greece in a diplomatic approach. For 30 years, Athens has been locked in a bitter dispute over its demand for the marbles to be returned. The British Museum recently turned down a proposal by UNESCO, the UN cultural agency, to mediate in the dispute. Mr Xydakis condemned the refusal, accusing Britain of "negativism" and a "lack of respect". In December, the museum loaned one of the marbles for the first time to Russia for a display in St Petersburg's State Hermitage Museum. The Greek Prime Minister at the time, Antonis Samaras, said the museum's decision was "an affront" to the Greek people.

Summary: Greece has ruled out taking legal action against the UK to reclaim the Elgin Marbles from the British Museum.


The Bluebirds are seven points adrift of the Championship play-off places and have been placed under a transfer embargo. Slade has insisted he is still the man to lead the club but Dalman says his position is under scrutiny. "He knows the pressures; he's done this job before," Dalman said. "Russell knows the score. I talk to him on a regular basis and he knows what's ahead. "He has been here for a while with us and of course his position comes under scrutiny, it always has been. To say it never has been would not be true. "The jury's out on every single one of us every time we have to deliver something." Cardiff have been placed under a transfer embargo by the Football League following a breach of Financial Fair Play rules. The Bluebirds have become the fourth Championship club currently under a transfer embargo, joining Bolton, Fulham and Nottingham Forest. The embargo will be in place for the rest of the January transfer window. Slade confirmed he had spoken with club owner Vincent Tan but said there would be no talks over a new contract for him this month. The former Leyton Orient manager says Tan is still as committed as ever to the club and denied suggestions the Malaysian's scaling-back of club finances showed a lack of backing. "You see bigger clubs building castles and thinking the investment they put in will give them a great chance, but it doesn't guarantee it," Slade said. "You've got to cut your cloth accordingly. There are rules in place." Slade continued: "You can't just go spending £5m here or there. Whatever we do it will have to be under financial constraints."

Summary: Cardiff City chairman Mehmet Dalman says the "jury is still out" on manager Russell Slade.


Gary Price was suspended from all council duties for five months in November after Powys council's Standards Committee ruled he had breached the code of conduct. His appeal has been dismissed by the Adjudication Panel for Wales following a two-day hearing in Llandrindod Wells. Mr Price has been contacted for comment. He was found to have sent information which the council said "incorrectly and unfairly" portrayed what happened at a grievance appeal hearing, in which he was a panel member. The Adjudication Panel for Wales unanimously agreed to refer the matter back to the Standards Committee with a recommendation that Mr Price be suspended for three months. Council leader Barry Thomas said the decision "sends out a clear message that those who enter public office have to operate within the members' code of conduct and maintain the highest possible standards".

Summary: A decision to suspend a Powys county councillor has been upheld.


Intense negotiations are under way between political parties amid public anger at a one-off levy of up to 10% being imposed on savers. President Nicos Anastasiades said refusing the bailout would have led to the collapse of the country's banks. The speaker of the European Parliament has called for the levy to be revised to protect small-scale bank customers. The 10bn-euro ($13bn; Â£8.6bn) deal agreed by the EU and IMF in Brussels marks a radical departure from previous international aid packages. Under its terms, people in Cyprus with less than 100,000 euros in their accounts would have to pay a one-time tax of 6.75%. Those with sums over that threshold would pay 9.9% in tax. Depositors will be compensated with the equivalent amount in shares in their banks. It is believed that eurozone leaders, particularly in Germany, insisted on the levy because of the large amount of Russian capital kept in Cypriot banks, amid fears of money-laundering. Q&A: Cyprus bailout UK to help troops President Anastasiades, who was elected only last month, is due to address the country shortly (from 18:00 GMT). He said in a statement earlier that Cyprus had had to choose between the "catastrophic scenario of disorderly bankruptcy or the scenario of a painful but controlled management of the crisis". The president has been meeting with members of the parliament's finance committee, his office said. On Saturday the head of the committee, Nicholas Papadopoulos, expressed shock at the deal, saying it was "much worse than expected". The president's Democratic Rally party - which has 20 seats in the 56-member assembly - needs support from other factions to ratify the bailout. A spokesman for one of its coalition partners, the Democratic Party, told BBC News they wanted assurances that the deal would resolve the problems facing Cyprus before voting in favour. Opposition leader George Lillikas, an independent, said the president had "betrayed the people's vote". The speaker of the European Parliament, Martin Schulz, argued in a newspaper interview that there should be an exemption from the levy for savers, for example, who had less than 25,000 euros in their accounts. By Gavin HewittEurope editor "The solution must be socially acceptable," Mr Schulz, who belongs to Germany's opposition Social Democrats, told Germany's Welt am Sonntag newspaper. The German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, defended the levy. "With this deal, the responsible people are partly included in those countries and not only the taxpayers in other countries," she said at a party meeting in her home constituency. "And I think it's right that we went down that road and I think it's a good step which will certainly make it easier for us to approve the help for Cyprus." As with past eurozone bailouts, the deal must be approved by the lower house of parliament in Germany, the EU's biggest economy. If the levy goes ahead, it will affect many non-Cypriots with bank accounts, including UK expatriates. However, depositors in the overseas arms of Cypriot banks will not be hit. Bank of Cyprus UK and Laiki Bank UK both confirmed on their websites that

Summary: Cyprus's parliament has postponed an emergency session on a controversial bailout deal for the country's banks.