The Bournemouth striker, who has been included in a 27-man final squad, has yet to receive official clearance from Fifa to play for the country of his parents. The 23-year-old has represented England at youth level since 2005, having captained the Under-12s, won the Victory Shield with the U16s, and turned out for the U17s, U19s and U21s. Afobe is expected to join up with his prospective teammates next week in Kinshasa, but Fifa is yet to approve his application to switch nationality under world football's governing body regulations. According to the rules, players who have represented one country at junior level can play for another at senior level if they meet the qualifying stipulations. He holds dual nationality and has not played for England's senior side, making him eligible for the Leopards - once an application has been made to Fifa and approved. Afobe, who moved to Bournemouth from Wolves for £10m in January, has scored four goals in 10 appearances for the Cherries so far this season. The former Arsenal striker scored 23 goals in two seasons with Wolves. Meanwhile, the DR Congo squad will officially commence their preparations at Béatrice de la Gombe hotel in the capital on 20 March. They are currently third in Group B after a home win over Madagascar and a shock 2-0 defeat at Central African Republic in September. CHAN winner Florent Ibenge, who also guided DR Congo to third place at last year's Africa Cup of Nations in Equatorial Guinea, is desperate for positive results against group leaders Angola. Only group winners are guaranteed automatic qualification to the 2017 tournament in Gabon. The Leopards have also progressed to the final round of qualifying for the 2018 World Cup.

Summary: Ex-England youth international Benik Afobe will not play for DR Congo in next weekend's 2017 Africa Cup of Nations clash with Angola.


The Rugby Football League revealed a consortium was considering a formal bid for the financially-troubled Bulls with a sale expected after Christmas. That, however, has been rejected and the RFL and administrator remain in talks over the future of the club. Bradford, who were last in Super League back in 2014, entered administration on 14 November.

Summary: An offer for Championship club Bradford Bulls from a consortium has been rejected, report BBC Radio Leeds.


The Dons boss has guided his team to successive second-place finishes in the Scottish Premiership, and lifted the 2014 League Cup. Going into Sunday's game against Rangers, Aberdeen are 12 points clear of the Ibrox side in second place. "Derek's doing everything he can, extracting every ounce out of the club," Thompson told BBC Scotland. "I thought last summer, could they achieve more than they had done, was it maybe the right time for Derek to go, what else could he do with this Aberdeen team? "He's come up trumps again. If anything, they've been better than they were last season. With Rangers in the league, with a stronger Hearts team, they've still been the second-top team in Scotland and I think Derek and his players deserve enormous credit for that. Media playback is not supported on this device "Even if Rangers were to win (on Sunday), I don't think they will finish second. Aberdeen have been so consistent, especially at home, so I fully expect Rangers to lose." The Dons have made Pittodrie a fortress this season, embarking on a 10-game winning streak on their home patch. They may have been eased aside by all-conquering Celtic in November's League Cup final, but have the chance to reach another national showpiece when they face Hibernian in the Scottish Cup last four on 22 April. "Derek can't win the league, not against this Celtic side," Thompson added. "Success can be measured in other ways. To reach both cup finals would be success in itself, to finish second, to get European football again, to break records - I'm not sure what else he can do. "The consistency they've shown in the last two seasons has been phenomenal. I just think there aren't enough plaudits out there for Derek McInnes and the work he's done." Meanwhile, former Rangers player Thompson admits he has been baffled by the actions of new Ibrox boss, Pedro Caixinha. The Portuguese took the unusual step of revealing his team line-up a day before Wednesday's goalless draw with Kilmarnock, and two days ahead of their showdown with the Dons predicted the starting XI McInnes would select. Media playback is not supported on this device "For me, it's nonsensical to give the opposition your team," Thompson said. "It gives them extra time to prepare, and insight into how they're going to go about beating your side. "I've never worked under a manager who would consider giving away his team lines, let alone a day before like he did. I found that puzzling. "Possibly even more puzzling was to name the Aberdeen team. I think he's trying to show he's done his homework, but you can pretty much name the Aberdeen team because it doesn't change too often. "If I was Derek McInnes, what would I think of that? Is it mind games? It's not very good mind games, if you ask me." Thompson, who made over 60 appearances for Rangers, says Caixinha's carefree style sits in stark contrast with the rigidity and structure of his predecessor, Mark Warburton. The 46-year-old led the

Summary: Derek McInnes deserves more praise for his achievements at Aberdeen, says ex-Scotland striker Steven Thompson.


Media playback is not supported on this device In an interview with Football Focus, the Argentine, 31, revealed the shock of his diagnosis last year and the subsequent support from his team-mates. "It was really emotional to be back," he said. "I feel born again and like I'm enjoying things for the first time. "Of course, now I want to prove I can still be a Premier League player." Gutierrez had an operation to remove his left testicle in September 2014 after the discovery of a tumour, before undergoing chemotherapy. He made his return to the Newcastle first team for the 1-0 defeat by Manchester United on 4 March as a substitute. Gutierrez, who joined the Magpies from Real Mallorca in July 2008, is out of contract in the summer but is just focused on playing regularly again for the time being. "I know my situation here is a little tricky," he said. "The one thing I can do is work hard and do my best. "I want to stay in England and I love the Premier League, but I don't know about the future. "At present, I am with Newcastle and have two months to finish the season. When the season finishes, I start thinking about the future." The full interview with Jonas Gutierrez can be seen on Saturday's Football Focus at 1130 (GMT) and below are some of the highlights. "When they told me I had cancer, it was a shock. I remember I was with the Newcastle doctor and I started crying," said Gutierrez. "I went to my house to speak to my dad and he thought I was making a joke with him. He didn't realise and believe what I was telling him." He added: "Chemotherapy is a hard treatment. I was just thinking after each session it was a day less I had to recover. "I received a lot of support. To be back and train, do what you love, is another thing that makes you recover quickly." "It was really emotional to be back. It was good to have a first step a few days before against Aston Villa and be on the bench," said Gutierrez. "When I came on against United, I could just focus on the game. It was unbelievable and to get the armband was a great touch. "Now I want to fight for my place. What is in my head is to work hard, do all I can to get minutes on the pitch." "When the doctor told me I was recovering, I wanted to make a new tattoo," Gutierrez added. "I love Eminem, so I put part of a song on my arm and I put the date. It says: 'I am alive again, more alive than I have been in my whole entire life.'"

Summary: Newcastle midfielder Jonas Gutierrez says he feels "born again" following his return to Premier League action after overcoming testicular cancer.


James Holmes, 24, is accused of opening fire at a midnight showing of the new Batman movie last Friday, killing 12 and wounding 58. Judge William Sylvester has denied a request by Denver-area media for expanded coverage on 30 July. The suspect's lawyers had objected to the media's request. His first court appearance on Monday was filmed, despite the defence team's objections. He appeared dazed as he sat in court in a burgundy jail suit with dyed orange hair, prompting media speculation about his mental state. According to a report on ABC News , the suspect has been forced to wear a face guard because he kept spitting at prison officers. Judge Sylvester's order on Tuesday follows calls from some victims' family members to avoid using the suspect's name and his photos. "I don't want the media to be saturated with the shooter's name," said Jordan Ghawi, whose 24-year-old sister Jessica was killed in the shooting. Police were not allowing residents of Mr Holmes' apartment building to return on Tuesday, as investigators continued to work there. Officials reportedly found 30 grenades and several gallons of gasoline inside the apartment, rigged into a booby-trap. Twenty of the wounded remained in hospital on Tuesday, including six in critical condition. Batman star Christian Bale visited victims at the Medical Center of Aurora in the afternoon, the hospital's president confirmed. "It was good for the patients," Bill Voloch told the Denver Post. "We hope it was therapeutic for them, and all the staff really appreciated him coming." Mr Voloch said that the actor had asked to visit, but requested that the media not be notified. A Facebook photo of Bale at the hospital was posted online. The BBC's Alastair Leithead says the actor also met paramedics, doctors and police officers involved in treating people in the aftermath, as well as visited a makeshift memorial to the dead. Meanwhile, a heavily pregnant 21-year-old woman who escaped the cinema shootings gave birth to a baby boy on Tuesday morning. Katie Medley's husband Caleb, a 23-year-old aspiring comedian, was shot in the head and remains in a critical condition. A small group of Democratic lawmakers in Washington renewed calls on Tuesday to ban high-capacity gun magazines. But with November's elections looming, congressional leaders and President Barack Obama said there would be no movement on gun control in the near future. Senator Robert Menendez, among the few calling for tougher laws, conceded calls for legislation were unlikely to succeed, but said it was important to start a debate. "I hope that this does spark a national conversation about where we go in terms of reasonable gun control measures," Sen Menendez said. The shooting has heightened security at cinemas, and over the weekend three men were arrested in separate incidents:

Summary: Cameras will be banned from next week's hearing when the suspect in the Colorado cinema shooting is to be formally charged, a judge has ruled.


An Environment Agency severe flood warning - meaning danger to life - was removed from the A361 between East Lyng and Burrowbridge on 10 March. Residents in the area saw their homes cut off and experienced long diversions as a result of the closure. The road has been inspected by council highways officers and reopened at 17:00 GMT. There is still some water on a short stretch of the road and Somerset County Council said temporary traffic lights will be installed to protect the carriageway and allow motorists to pass safely. Councillor Harvey Siggs, responsible for Highways, said: "I'm delighted the A361 is to reopen at long last. "Our highways teams have been working hard all week to clear the road and make sure it is safe, and I would like to publicly thank them for their efforts to get this key route open before the weekend." A further inspection will take place early next week and the temporary traffic lights will be removed as soon as the remaining water has receded and the road judged to be safe, the council said. Mr Siggs added: "Although the road is clear, the rhynes at the side of the road remain full of water so I would urge motorists to take extra care when driving, particularly in the foggy conditions we have seen over the last few days." The clear-up of the A361 started on Monday with the removal of fallen trees and the cutting back of damaged vegetation. Around 30 tonnes of used sandbags were removed before a sweeping and cleaning operation covered the 1.5 mile section of carriageway. The council said that the road closure on the A372 Langport Road will remain in place next week for the removal of flood pumps. With improving weather conditions the large temporary pumps at Beer Wall, near Aller, are no longer needed, it added. The Environment Agency expects to begin removing the pumps on Monday and work is likely to take up to four days. The road will remain closed after the pumps have been removed so the council can assess flood damage and carry out emergency repair works.

Summary: A road on the Somerset Levels which closed in December when it was engulfed by flood water has finally reopened.


The former Oceana nightclub building will be demolished in October and replaced with a new office block. It forms part of the council's plans to transform the Kingsway into a business district. The authority is moving from its seafront location as part of a wider regeneration of the city centre. Work is due to start in 2017. The current civic centre site is likely to be replaced with public spaces, tourist attractions and homes. Swansea council bought the Oceana building - which was once at the heart of the city's nightlife - in May and it is understood it has been earmarked as the potential new home for the civic centre and central library. Demolition is due to take until March. "Once we have control of that site we will look at the development and possibly start construction in 2016 to build offices which could be home for the council offices and Swansea library," said Swansea council leader Rob Stewart. The building, originally constructed by the Rank Organisation in 1967 for a cinema, has accommodated a number of nightclubs over the years, including Ritzy and Icon, Time and Envy, and most recently, Oceana. It also previously housed an Odeon cinema and Tesco before they were turned into a different club and bar respectively. But it is no longer fit for purpose and a council move is one of a number of options being considered for the site.

Summary: The site which used to house Swansea's biggest nightclub could become the new home for Swansea council and library.


But wins for Kent and Lancashire later in the evening meant they were eliminated from the competition. Colin Ingram hit 102 off 93 balls in Glamorgan's 251-9, with James Harris taking 4-38 against his old club. But Malan and Paul Stirling (58) began Middlesex's reply with a stand of 139 as they reached 255-2 in 39.4 overs. Stirling was caught off Kieran Bull and paceman Dewi Penrhyn Jones, playing only his second game for the Welsh county, had Sam Robson lbw for 22. By then, however, it was far too late with Malan in full cry at the other end and he hit four sixes, one of them striking the top-tier balcony, and 18 fours in his 128-ball innings. Neil Dexter finished the game in style by clearing the rope from a free-hit following a no-ball by Penrhyn Jones, whose 6.4 overs cost him 73 runs. Middlesex seamer James Harris told BBC Wales Sport: "We played really well from start to finish after losing the toss, bowled really well upfront and never let Glamorgan get away from us, I managed to get a few cheap wickets at the end. "For us to finish it off with a bit of style and for Dawid (Malan) to play so well, it was a very satisfying day. "For Dawid to start like that and build an innings, when you have 140 on the board before you lose a wicket you're going to win a lot more one-day matches than you lose. Then for him to carry on and score 150 was pretty special." Glamorgan century-maker Colin Ingram told BBC Wales Sport: "It's always nice to come to Lord's, it's a good day out and I just kept working hard. When you're playing well it's key to realise that and try to extend it as long as possible. I was fortunate again to do that today and thoroughly enjoyed it." "It was nice to see two young guys (spinners Andrew Salter and Kieran Bull) do well, so that's invaluable experience for them and even some of the other younger guys, it'll be a good experience if a harsh one."

Summary: Dawid Malan hit a brilliant unbeaten 156 as Middlesex completed their One-Day Cup group stage fixtures with an eight-wicket win over Glamorgan.


All 10 had their passports confiscated after they were detained at Montreal's Trudeau International Airport at the weekend. Police said in a statement on Tuesday that none of the suspects had been charged, but investigations were ongoing. Their families have been informed. "These are very difficult times for the relatives and loved ones of the persons arrested, as the decision to leave the country was not that of the family, but of a single family member," the statement said. "As a result, family members often find themselves at a complete loss and unable to understand the decision made by the youth." Police said they could not disclose the identity of the suspects or provide information about what led to their arrests. Steven Blaney, Canada's public safety minister, commended the officers for their "continued vigilance" in protecting communities from "the ongoing global terror threat". Canadian troops are part of a multinational coalition to halt the advance of IS militants in Iraq and Syria. Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced in March that he planned to expand the mission and has since pledged $139m (Â£89m) to help alleviate the growing humanitarian crisis in the region.

Summary: Ten youths have been arrested by Canadian police on suspicion of planning to travel to Iraq and Syria to join Islamic State.


The man, who was in his 60s, died at Silverthorn Avenue in the town and police were informed of his death just after 12:00 GMT on Tuesday. Officers investigating the circumstances of his death arrested a 25-year-old man in Coleraine just after 17:30 GMT. There are no further details at present.

Summary: Police are treating the death of a man in Coleraine, County Londonderry, as suspicious and have made an arrest.


They said the Indian prime minister stole the show when he rolled out his yoga mat and eased uncomfortably into the lotus position to help break the world record for what is claimed to be the largest yoga session in history. Narendra Modi boasts that he does yoga for an hour every morning but he looked a little stiff as he joined 37,000 other people to perform a series of asanas - yoga positions - on the lawns outside the Indian parliament in celebration of the first UN World Yoga Day. Mr Modi had consistently said he wouldn't be taking part in the record attempt but in the event he stretched and puffed his way through the 35-minute routine with the rest of them. Some say he simply couldn't resist the opportunity for an image that will undoubtedly appear in newspapers around the world tomorrow morning. And that's in keeping with the real spirit of this event, because this is all about public relations. The Indian government's new-found enthusiasm for yoga can be traced directly back to Mr Modi. He's already created a ministry of yoga with its own dedicated yoga minister, and his personal intervention is said to have been decisive in persuading the UN to designate June 21st as World Yoga Day. The official publicity presents today's festivities as a humble celebration of an ancient Indian tradition of exercise. It is India's second greatest gift to the world after the number zero, according to Mr Modi's PR machine. But there was always much more to the government's agenda than that. It isn't about propagating Hindu nationalism, as some in India's Muslim minority complained. The government quickly stripped out anything that could be described as "Hindu" from today's event in response to these criticisms, purging the Om chant and sun salutations from the menu. But Mr Modi has recognised that yoga can do more for India than just encourage health and happiness through regular exercise. The Indian prime minister has always had a talent for publicity and he has spotted that with yoga India has a unique "brand" that can deliver huge economic benefits for the country. According to one estimate the worldwide yoga industry has boomed into a $30 billion-plus business. Hundreds of thousands of tourists visit ashrams and undertake yoga classes in India every year. Mr Modi is hoping tens of thousands more can be persuaded to come. But he's also got an eye on the country's wider image abroad. He sees yoga as a wonderful way to promote India in the world. What better badge of nationhood than this ancient tradition of health and harmony? And if that enhances the image of Mr Modi himself along the way, all the better, will be Mr Modi's likely judgement.

Summary: Today wasn't World Yoga Day but World Modi Day, sniped some critics this morning.


The referee was happy with conditions when he arrived at 11:00 GMT, but the situation deteriorated and he called the game off after a 13:00 inspection. "The persistent rainfall over the last 18 hours has meant that the pitch is unfit and the referee had no choice," said Oldham chief executive Neil Joy. No date has yet been agreed for the rearranged fixture.

Summary: The League One match between Oldham and Blackpool has been postponed because of a waterlogged pitch.


The pound has gained 1% and although the stock market is down more than 2%, a lot of that happened before Theresa May called a snap election for 8 June. Still, market watchers are reading the tea leaves and have made a few observations. Since the big fall in sterling after the referendum result, the pound has tended to rise at times when a softer Brexit has looked more likely and vice versa. Today's rise in the pound suggests markets are betting that Theresa May will (a) win and (b) win a bigger majority than she currently has, which (c) will make her less dependent on hardline Eurosceptics in her own party. The theory goes that all this will allow her room to deliver a softer Brexit, which will be less of a shock to the economic system - hence the pound strengthens. The stock market is falling because most of the UK's largest companies make their money in foreign currencies. As the pound rises, those foreign earnings are worth less in sterling terms. That is the way markets are reading it today, but as we know, markets can be pretty terrible at reading politics and it is certainly not a done deal that Theresa May will use any consolidation of her position as an opportunity to peddle a softer line on Brexit. One thing an election in June does give her - if she wins - is more breathing room. She will be under less pressure to deliver a "clean" Brexit in 2019 without the deadline of another election in 2020 bearing down on her. Facing the country again while possibly still enmeshed in tortuous negotiation (with potentially little control over immigration by then) was an unappealing political prospect. Business groups have been broadly supportive of the move. All other things being equal, businesses prefer the additional certainty that a government with a larger majority can provide. The EEF said "a fresh and stable mandate from the country can only provide greater certainty about the future direction of travel for policy", while the CBI had a cooler response, saying: "Distraction from the urgent priorities of seeking the best EU deal and improving UK productivity must be kept to a minimum." While it's true that this election is a further complication to an already mind-bogglingly complex situation, very little can meaningfully be achieved in negotiations until after elections in France, Germany and possibly Italy. Everyone else seems to be having an election, so we might as well have one here while the political and economic going is good. The economy has defied the gloomy prognosis that many, including the Treasury and the Bank of England, gave before the referendum. Average wages are rising a smidgeon faster than prices (although this is expected to change imminently) and there are a record number of people in work. The economic window for this political gamble is open.

Summary: Markets don't generally like surprises and today's announcement certainly qualified as one, but the market reaction has so far been fairly calm.


The men from the 1st Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment sat on the floor when ordered to stand to attention. The protest by 16 soldiers was sparked by grievances with their captain and colour sergeant. It took place in February while on exercise in Kenya. Fifteen were sentenced to detention, one of whom was dismissed from the Army. A 16th was also dismissed. All the soldiers pleaded guilty to disobeying a lawful command - an offence that carries a maximum sentence of 10 years' imprisonment. The soldiers complained of being "led by muppets", the court martial heard. The prosecutor at the court martial said members of the platoon had been seething at the way they were being managed, and felt that they were "not appreciated". The court heard a captain and sergeant apparently got drunk before a lengthy training march in the Brecon Beacons last winter. The troops were said to have been furious at finding their two commanders asleep, rather than greeting the soldiers as they crossed the finish line. Tensions came to a head at the end of a training exercise in Kenya in February, when 16 soldiers decided to protest. Ahead of a parade, a ringleader shouted "sit down" and members of the platoon did so. The commanders ordered each man in turn to stand up, but were ignored. Corporal Anthony Brown, said to be the ringleader, was stripped of his rank, dismissed from the Army and sentenced to 60 days' detention. Two lance corporals were reduced to privates and sentenced to 60 days' detention, while a third was reduced to private and dismissed without detention. Twelve privates were sentenced to 40 days' detention. The soldiers were in the 1st Battalion at the time of the protest. However, the 1st has now become the 2nd, following Army restructuring. John Wilson, a retired colonel and former editor of the British Army Review who lectures in military history, described the nature of the soldiers' protest as "unprecedented". The sentences given to the troops at the court martial were "strong enough to make the point", added Col Wilson. "I don't think a corporal, whatever his grievances, can expect to orchestrate such a public protest in front of the entire battle group parade and get away with it." An Army spokesman said it was "not appropriate" to comment on the sentencing.

Summary: Fifteen soldiers have been jailed after a court martial for staging a "sit-in" in protest at being "led by muppets".


Police said they were called to Wingfield Road, Alfreton, at about 03:55 BST on Monday, where the body was discovered. Detectives said the man had suffered head injuries and has not yet been formally identified. The road was closed in both directions and police have appealed for people who were in the area between 03:00 and 04:00 to contact them. Officers also want to hear from anyone who have noticed any damage to a car that could have happened overnight.

Summary: A man has been found dead in a road in Derbyshire.


The Island's Conservative executive council voted against a motion of no confidence in Andrew Turner. Opponents said Mr Turner caused "turmoil" over his personal arrangements and past expenses. Mr Turner, who has been the island's MP for 14 years, said he was "very pleased" at the vote. The Isle of Wight's Conservative Association Executive Council met for over three hours on Friday evening to debate whether they should "rescind" their choice of Mr Turner as the parliamentary candidate. Mr Turner, who had a stroke in 2006 and now suffers from the speech disability known as aphasia, said he won over members of the executive by "telling the truth, as I always do." "The truth is that we're busy working towards the election and we're very pleased about that," he said. The motion which had been submitted by an association member, proposed: "The executive council can no longer have confidence in Mr Turner's candidature and requests him to stand down as the candidate with immediate effect." Two Conservative Association trustees had written to Mr Turner saying he was "in thrall" and "totally dominated" by his parliamentary aide and former partner Carole Dennett. Concerns have also been raised over his past expenses claims. Earlier this month, Mr Turner told the BBC: "In the end, I make the decisions". By designating his home in Newport as a second home, Mr Turner was able to claim Â£103,000 in allowances in 2004. The MP has said he "can't remember" what happened around that time, in terms of why he was spending more time in London. After Friday night's meeting Chairman Allan Wells said party rules prevented him giving a breakdown of the vote about Mr Turner, but said it had "secured his future". "It wasn't an easy meeting, there were lots of different opinions. There was no unpleasantness. The party will move forward in a united manner," he added.

Summary: The Isle of Wight's Conservative MP has survived an attempt by his own party to force him to stand down as a general election candidate.


Core earnings fell 41% to $1.59bn (Â£1.03bn), with pre-tax profits down to $708m from $1.9bn a year earlier. Like many other energy companies, BG's results have been affected by the fall in oil prices from a year ago. BG said it was still happy with Shell's Â£47bn offer for the firm, despite a recent recovery in oil prices. "There is no change to our view on the offer," said BG chief executive Helge Lund. BG agreed to be bought by Royal Dutch Shell last month. Mr Lund said the deal was expected to be completed by early-2016. BG more than doubled production from its Brazil and Australia operations in the first quarter. However, the impact of the lower oil price from a year earlier was seen in a 21% fall in revenues to $3.99bn.

Summary: UK oil and gas exploration firm BG Group, which is set to be taken over by Royal Dutch Shell, has reported a big drop in first-quarter earnings.


The judges said Neurotribes: The Legacy of Autism and How to Think Smarter About People Who Think Differently was a "tour de force" of journalistic and scientific research. It is the first popular science book to win the prize in its 17-year history. The shortlist had included Jonathan Bate's Ted Hughes: The Unauthorised Life and Robert Macfarlane's Landmarks. Historian Anne Applebaum, chair of the judges, praised Silberman's "compassionate journalism" and said he excelled at using stories and anecdotes to explain complex medical issues to a wide audience. The American author, who is based in San Francisco, has been a science writer for Wired and other magazines such as the New Yorker, the MIT Technology Review, Nature and Salon for more than 20 years. "We admired Silberman's work because it is powered by a strongly argued set of beliefs: that we should stop drawing sharp lines between what we assume to be 'normal' and 'abnormal', and that we should remember how much the differently-wired human brain has, can and will contribute to our world," Applebaum said. "He has injected a hopeful note into a conversation that's normally dominated by despair." Neurotribes, she added, was "a tour de force of archival, journalistic and scientific research, both deeply researched and widely accessible". In its review of Silberman's book, The Guardian described Neurotribes as "a gripping narrative written with journalistic verve". The £20,000 Samuel Johnson Prize was won last year by Helen Macdonald's H is for Hawk.

Summary: Author Steve Silberman has won the £20,000 Samuel Johnson Prize for Non-Fiction for his book about autism.


The woman, who was just 14 at the time, told detectives how she believed Howard was trying to rape her in his flat in Castlederg, in the early 1990s. Arlene, 15, went missing some time later, in August 1994. Her body has never been found, and Howard, who died in prison last year, was the main suspect. It has emerged that some time after the alleged assault, the woman had warned Arlene Arkinson not to have anything to do with Robert Howard. The woman cannot be named for legal reasons. She explained how she had known Howard a little, and how she had always been uncomfortable about the way he looked at her. She told detectives: "He would glare at me. He made me feel very uncomfortable" She later explained how visits to Howard's flat were mostly fine, and uneventful. But one visit became a "nightmare" when Howard came into a room and assaulted her. She told the court: "I thought we were playing an innocent game of hide and go seek." But she said the assault began instead. "I knew that Bob Howard was gong to have sex with me against my will and I was so lucky to get away," she said. She said she shouted for Donna Quinn, the teenage daughter of Howard's girlfriend, who she said was also in the flat at the time. She said when she was struggling to get away from Howard: "I was thinking that he was going to rape me, and I knew I had to do something." Eventually, the court heard, she was able to strike Howard with her knee and get away. When she ran to find her friend Donna Quinn in another room she said she was surprised to see her sitting in a chair there. She also explained how she immediately left the flat and never had anything to do with either Robert Howard or Donna Quinn again. The woman explained how for years she had not told anyone what had happened, until she spoke to detectives about it in 2002. She told a barrister: "That was a living nightmare. When it came into my head, I had to shut it out." Howard was later convicted of the assault of a different teenager and the murder of teenager Hannah Williams in London. Arlene, who was from Castlederg, vanished after a night at a disco in County Donegal in 1994. Later, a social worker told the inquest that Arlene had been "dealt a pretty raw hand by life". She was referring to the teenager's difficulties after the death of her mother in 1990. Michelle McKernan told police that Arlene was missing in August 1994. She did so with the agreement of Arlene's family. This happened a few days after Arlene was last seen - her brothers and sisters had thought she was staying with another family member. Ms McKernan described Arlene as a softly-spoken young person, with beautiful long hair, and who was always wearing makeup when she met her. She was questioned at length by a barrister for the

Summary: The inquest into the death of County Tyrone schoolgirl Arlene Arkinson has heard a chilling account of an assault by child killer Robert Howard.


The ex-pupils were caught up in a violent dispute outside Holy Cross Primary School in 2001, which made headlines around the world at the time. The Department of Justice confirmed the payments after a Freedom of Information request from the Belfast Telegraph. The DoJ has received eight claims so far, three of which have been settled. The payments were made under the terms of the Northern Ireland Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme 2002. However, the department would not disclose how much money has been paid out to the former Holy Cross pupils, in order to protect their identities. It told the newspaper this level of detail was "exempt from disclosure" under the Freedom of Information Act and would "contravene the first principle of the Data Protection Act". The school was thrust into the international spotlight at the start of term in September 2001, when hundreds of loyalist protesters tried to block the main route taken by the children and their parents on their walk to class. The three-month protest was sparked by a local dispute between Catholic and Protestant residents in Ardoyne, north Belfast. The Protestants claimed that Catholics were attacking their homes and said the school protest was their way of highlighting their concerns. However, stones, bottles, fireworks and even a blast bomb were used during weeks of unrest. Following the initial violence, the police and Army put up crash barriers to keep a corridor route open for the Holy Cross pupils. Armed police officers escorted the children to class until the dispute was resolved. Ardoyne's parish priest at the time, Fr Aidan Troy, told the Belfast Telegraph he could "fully understand why people who have been through trauma would want to apply for compensation". "These were girls aged between four and 11, they were very young and very impressionable and were deeply affected by it. Every one of us were," he said. The priest added that while he would not "go down the route of compensation myself" he could "well imagine the impact would be very great on children at such a formative age". "You could see their trauma," said Fr Troy. About 100 pupils needed counselling due to their daily ordeal, according to principal at the time, Anne Tanney. Speaking to the BBC in 2004, she said that even as an adult, she was traumatised by the protests . "There were times when I couldn't eat, couldn't sleep," she said. "I used to bite my lip, trying not to cry in front of the children."

Summary: Three former Catholic schoolgirls have received compensation for having to walk through loyalist protests on their way to primary school 15 years ago.


Now in his 60s, Othman and fellow villagers in the town of Wana, 22 miles (35km) north-east of Mosul, still depend on the dam as a vital source of water and irrigation for his crops. "Life is water," said Othman, who is proud of his Kurdish roots, adding that his ancestors have lived in Wana for the last 800 years. Sitting on an earth mound on the edge of his field, and puffing on a cigarette, he said his family had been uprooted from the town just once, when militants from the so-called Islamic State (IS) captured Mosul Dam and Wana in August 2014. IS extremists were forced to retreat from the dam after 11 days, and from a number of surrounding villages, following US-led air strikes and a ground offensive by Kurdish Peshmerga forces. Dressed in traditional Kurdish clothes and speaking in broken Arabic, Othman said: "We can't imagine what life would be like if we had to leave our houses again this time under the threat of the potential collapse of the dam." Inaugurated in 1984 during the era of Saddam Hussein, the dam today is falling into disrepair as a result of neglect over the past 18 months after the Kurds wrested it back from IS. Budget shortfalls due to the slump in oil prices and political rivalry between the central government in Baghdad and the regional government of the semi-autonomous Iraq Kurdistan have hampered urgently needed repairs. There is also a desperate shortage of workers. Half the workforce has left the dam for other jobs on account of not being paid for up to five months. We had special access inside the dam's labyrinth of tunnels to see the urgent problems first-hand. Outdated machinery is still being used to try to stabilise the dam's foundations. The dam's deputy director, Mohsen Yaqoub, showed us samples of soil that had suffered erosion. "These black parts are the treated cement used to inject into the holes and fractures created by the water that constantly eats away at the unstable foundation of the dam," he said. "The dam is today in danger because of the erosion at the natural gypsum base under the water and serious erosion at the flow gates. "The joints at the two main gates have been dislocated vertically and horizontally, which could lead to the collapse of the dam but we don't know when. It could happen next month, next year or in five years' time. We actually don't know when." The Iraqi government has been struggling for more than two years to strike a deal with an international company to undertake the much-needed repair works. Insecurity is scaring away bidders and the economic crisis has forced the oil-rich country to seek help from the World Bank and key allies like the United States. "We just have empty promises from the international community to repair the dam," said Mr Yaqoub, who was previously an engineer at the site for 28 years. "I met the American advisers and took them in a tour inside the dam. They were just

Summary: Othman Mahmoud al-Barazinj is a farmer who has been living in the shadow of Iraq's largest dam ever since the colossal facility was established in the 1980s.


The fire started at South Wales Wood Recycling in Heol Llan, Coity, just before 03:30 BST on Monday. Firefighters from Pencoed and Bridgend have isolated the burning material and they will resume work on Tuesday. South Wales Wood Recycling said they were working around the clock to help stop the blaze. In a statement the company said the blaze had affected an estimated 1,000-2,000 tonnes of recycled wood chip. The cause of the fire is not yet know, but the company said the "circumstances were suspicious". Natural Resources Wales officials are also at the scene in case of any environmental impact.

Summary: Firefighters have been battling a blaze at a recycling business in Bridgend after about 2,000 tonnes of wood chips set on fire.


The 23-year-old midfielder was signed a year ago after being released by Hull City, but an ankle injury restricted him to only 13 league starts last term. "It's been a frustrating few months with the injury but I am 100% fit now," he told Crawley's website. "It [the contract] gives me the opportunity to hit the ground running in pre-season and hopefully impress the manager enough to get another one." Henderson, who began his career at Arsenal, played only one first-team game during his year at Hull and was loaned out to Stevenage. "This is a fresh start for Conor," said Crawley manager Mark Yates. "I know he has a lot of ability and he has the chance now to show what he's about."

Summary: Conor Henderson has agreed a new six-month contract with Crawley Town.


The new charge will be imposed from April 2017 and help ensure that big business shoulders the cost of training workers, George Osborne said. But business groups have described the levy as a new "payroll tax". The Institute of Directors said it would be a big cost for many companies, including medium-sized firms. The CBI said it was a significant extra tax for business that would hit many smaller companies. Only businesses with a wage bill of more than £3m will pay the levy, which the government said would exempt 98% of employers. Mr Osborne told the Commons: "It's a huge reform to raise the skills of the nation and address one of the enduring weaknesses of the British economy." But Institute of Directors director-general Simon Walker said: "We are very concerned by the government's assumption that a quarter of the money collected will be spent on just administering the levy. "Firms have been promised they will get back more than they put in, but it's not clear how this will happen if so much is being lost in bureaucracy." CBI director-general Carolyn Fairbairn said the levy was the sting in the tail for business in the chancellor's statement. The Office for Budget Responsibility, the organisation that compiles forecasts for the government, said that the levy would help reduce wage growth over the next five years by 0.7%. The OBR added: "We assume that most of the cost will ultimately be borne by employees." Chris Sanger, head of tax policy at EY, said the chancellor had tried to sugar-coat the introduction a new tax, which accounted for more than half of the tax rises announced in the Autumn Statement. British Retail Consortium director-general Helen Dickinson said: "The government is absolutely right to want to increase the number of apprenticeships but in doing so it must make sure the quality is increased too." However, Petra Wilton, of the Chartered Management Institute, said: "If businesses want a skilled workforce then it's only right that they pay for it." In other announcements affecting business, £165m of research and development grants distributed through Innovate UK will be turned into loans. The chancellor said this approach had been used successfully in France for years. An Innovate UK spokesman said the change meant that it would "have to focus its work within a new operational funding framework". John Longworth, British Chambers of Commerce director-general, said it was important that replacing grants with loans did not "reduce our dynamism in the global economy". The BCC also welcomed increased spending on infrastructure, particularly for the road network, which it said would help businesses to expand. Support for the aerospace and automotive industries will be maintained at existing levels for the next decade. Paul Everitt, chief executive of ADS Group, which represents aerospace, defence, space and security companies, said the move was "an unprecedented vote of confidence" for the UK aerospace industry. "Long-term funding for aerospace R&D will ensure our industry remains globally competitive and one of the most attractive locations for this high value and high skilled activity," he said.

Summary: A new apprenticeship levy of 0.5% on company payrolls will raise £3bn a year and fund three million apprenticeships, the chancellor has announced.


The highly symbolic visit, Mr Xi's first since becoming leader in 2012, comes amid an increasingly tense political climate. Official celebrations are planned, as well as large protests from pro-democracy and pro-Beijing camps. Several well-known activists were arrested on the eve of Mr Xi's arrival. The group, which included student leader Joshua Wong, had staged a protest at an iconic sculpture symbolising the handover. The golden sculpture of a bauhinia flower - Hong Kong's emblem - by the city's harbour was a gift from China. Mr Xi arrived for the three-day visit with his wife Peng Liyuan at the city's main Chek Lap Kok airport. The couple were welcomed by a marching band and children waving flags. In a brief speech on the tarmac, he said Hong Kong was "always in my heart". Beijing's central government "has always been a strong backer of Hong Kong" and "will, as always, support Hong Kong's economic development and improvement of people's lives". He also said Beijing was "willing to work with all sectors of Hong Kong's society in maintaining Hong Kong's extraordinary journey these past 20 years", and would "ensure 'one country, two systems' will continue with stability". The city was handed back from British to Chinese rule in 1997. Beijing agreed to govern it under "one country, two systems", granting the city its own legal system, limited democracy with multiple political parties, and rights like freedom of assembly and free speech. But China's growing influence has been met with unease and concerns that the mainland could undermine Hong Kong's more politically liberal traditions. Activists have been campaigning for years for Hong Kong to have more political freedom. A series of official celebrations are planned for this weekend, as well as the inauguration of Hong Kong's incoming chief executive Carrie Lam. But parts of Hong Kong are under a tight security lockdown amid worries of further protests, with several major roads closed and sections of the city centre blocked off from the public. Thousands of police officers are being deployed across the city and along the route Mr Xi's motorcade will take when it enters the city. When former president Hu Jintao visited for the 15-year celebrations in 2012, he was met with hundreds of thousands of protesters, marching against what they saw as Beijing's stifling influence on political reform in the city. Tensions spilled over into mass protests in the city centre in September 2014, with calls for full democracy and the resignation of then-Chief Executive CY Leung.

Summary: Chinese President Xi Jinping has arrived in Hong Kong to mark 20 years since the territory was handed back to China by Britain.


The charity is campaigning to help protect ancient or old trees, that have grown in the UK for hundreds of years. They say that having more trees is good for our health as well as the environment. Currently around 2% of the UK is listed as ancient woodland. The UK has seen around 45 rare species of trees disappear in the last 100 years. Some people are calling for lots more homes to be built in the UK and the Woodland Trust say they are worried that building new houses would mean that old trees would be chopped down to clear space. The Government have been talking about the issue in a new White Paper, which presents ideas for changes to the law. It could mean that some trees in England would be protected like historic buildings.

Summary: The Woodland Trust have said that some trees should have the same rights as old buildings.


The pair, aged 24 and 25, were arrested in a raid in the western suburb of Fairfield on Tuesday. Details of the alleged plot are not known, but police say a hunting knife, an Islamic State (IS) flag and a video describing an attack were seized. Australia, which has joined the coalition fighting IS in Iraq, raised its domestic terror alert last year. The move was a response to growing concern over the impact of militant conflicts in Iraq and Syria. Sydney is also on alert after a siege at a cafe in the city in December which left two hostages and the gunman dead. Prime Minister Tony Abbott said the latest arrests were a sign that the IS "death cult" was "reaching out all around the world, including here in Australia, and regrettably there are people in this country who are susceptible to these incitements to extremism and even terrorism". New South Wales Deputy Police Commissioner Catherine Burn said police believe the men arrested on Tuesday were preparing to carry out an attack that day. The video found in the raided home "depicted a man talking about carrying out an attack", said DC Burn, adding that the arrests were "indicative of the threat" the security agencies now have to deal with. No details have been given of the alleged plot, but she said the threat was "consistent with the messaging coming out of IS". The pair, named in court documents as Omar Al-Kutobi and Mohammad Kiad, were not previously known by police and counter-terrorism officers were only aware of them when they received information on Tuesday, forcing them to act immediately, she said. They have been charged with undertaking acts in preparation or planning for a terrorist act. They chose not to appear at an initial hearing on Wednesday, where bail was formally refused. New South Wales Premier Mike Baird urged vigilance and said the alleged plot was "beyond disturbing". "Certainly something catastrophic was avoided yesterday and for that we should be very thankful," he said. Last September, Australia conducted its biggest counter-terrorism raid in Sydney, in response to intercepted intelligence about an alleged plots. About a dozen people have been arrested overall, including one man accused of plotting to behead members of the public in Sydney and Brisbane. Many of those targeted in the raids are alleged to be linked to or supportive of IS, or are accused of helping people travel overseas to fight with extremists. In October, Australia joined the US-led military action against IS in Iraq, with Mr Abbott saying IS was a "death cult" that must be stopped. But critics say this has increased the risk of attacks on Australian soil. The Australian government believes at least 60 Australians are fighting with terror groups in the Middle East and at least 100 are actively supporting them from home. December's siege at the Sydney cafe was carried out by a man known to have extremist Islamist views, who made hostages hold up a black Islamist flag. But investigators do not believe he had links to IS or

Summary: Police in the Australian city of Sydney have charged two men with planning to carry out an imminent attack.


The Seagulls remain one point ahead of second-placed Newcastle. Tommy Smith's angled shot put the hosts in front before Tomer Hemed rounded the goalkeeper to equalise. Nahki Wells fired into the top corner and Elias Kachunga nodded in to make it 3-1 before half-time, and Lewis Dunk's red card added to Brighton's misery. Centre-back Dunk was sent off for a second yellow card midway through the second half for a lunging challenge on Izzy Brown, having been booked in the first period for a foul on the same player. The Terriers' seventh win in nine league matches keeps them fifth, but they are now just two points behind fourth-placed Leeds, who they play at home on Sunday. Brighton, knocked out of the FA Cup by non-league Lincoln five days earlier, were uncharacteristically poor in defence and conceded three goals in a league match for the first time in almost 12 months. The outstanding Rajiv van La Parra had already hit the post before full-back Smith's attempted cross landed back at his feet, and his subsequent shot flew in at the near post. Hemed pounced on a poor back header from Huddersfield's Aaron Mooy to level, but that proved to be the only clear chance they created in the entire 90 minutes. Wells' excellent finish from just inside the box was his 100th goal in English football, and it was the former Bradford forward's shot which goalkeeper David Stockdale palmed into the air for Kachunga to head in Huddersfield's third from close range. After Dunk's dismissal, the fifth of his career, there was still time for Australian midfielder Mooy to strike the upright from long range and Stockdale to tip over a powerful attempt from substitute Kasey Palmer. Huddersfield head coach David Wagner told BBC Radio Leeds: "It was a good one, maybe one of the best this season. We scored three goals and had chances for more, and conceded a sloppy goal which was easy to avoid, but it was very good. "We are fresh and still very hungry and greedy, even when we are humble and we know we're playing against the best team in the division. "We gave ourselves no limits, we try our best and today our best was very good." Brighton manager Chris Hughton told BBC Sussex: "Every now and again you get a real bad one, and that was a real bad one. "We were nowhere near the levels you need to play any game in this division, never mind one as good as Huddersfield, and on their own ground too. "If we put in another performance like this at Brentford on Sunday, we will lose again. We need to be far better. "Lewis Dunk has played the ball but he was already on a yellow and he's given the referee a decision to make. It's another one for him and something he has to learn from. We are going to miss him. It's a blow." Match ends, Huddersfield Town 3, Brighton and Hove Albion 1. Second Half ends, Huddersfield Town 3, Brighton and Hove Albion 1.

Summary: Huddersfield showed their promotion credentials with an impressive home win over Brighton, who missed the chance to extend their Championship lead.


Charlene Walker, 36, suffered a single stab wound at the Darlington home of Julie Gowling in December. The 44-year-old tried to cover up the killing and dispose of the weapon, a kitchen knife, by burying it in a garden, Teesside Crown Court heard. Judge Mrs Justice Jefford told the mother-of-four she must serve a minimum of 14 years in prison. The court heard Gowling, who had denied murder, got into a heated argument with Ms Walker - a known drug user - over the missing cash on 6 December. It ended when Gowling lost her temper and stabbed Ms Walker in the chest. She then fled the house and tried to dispose of the knife. The court was told Ms Walker died as a result of massive blood loss. After the hearing, Det Supt Dave Ashton, of Durham Police, said: "Our condolences go to the family of Charlie Walker who, since her death have shown nothing but dignity and courage. "Ms Walker had a difficult life in many ways but the extreme act of violence which ended her life was not justified during an argument over a relatively trivial matter."

Summary: A woman who stabbed her lodger during a row over a missing £21 has been jailed for her murder.


The France midfielder has accepted a violent conduct charge for the incident during Saturday's goalless draw. Sissoko, 27, apologised but was charged by the Football Association. Spurs will not appeal against the decision. His suspension will include Tuesday's EFL Cup tie at Liverpool, plus league games against Leicester and Arsenal. The FA said the incident was missed by match officials. "I need to say the elbow was in the face of Arter and it is clear," Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino said on Monday. "We are in a period where we need all the squad, all the players to compete. It's difficult now because he is a player who was in our plans to play tomorrow, so we have to change a little bit." Speaking to Match of the Day after Saturday's game, Arter said he was happy to accept Sissoko's explanation that the contact was accidental. He said: "I never want to see a player get into trouble if they didn't mean to. Sissoko apologised. I'm happy to move on from it." Media playback is not supported on this device

Summary: Tottenham's Moussa Sissoko will be banned for three matches for elbowing Bournemouth's Harry Arter, missing the north London derby with Arsenal.


The Serbs lost 6-4 6-4 to Brazilians Marcelo Melo and Bruno Soares in Rio. The loss came a day after Djokovic was knocked out of the singles by Argentine Juan Martin del Potro. World number one Djokovic, 29, suffered a surprise third-round defeat at Wimbledon in July when he lost to American Sam Querrey. The 12-time Grand Slam winner came back to claim his 30th Masters title in Toronto before the Olympics. Subscribe to the BBC Sport newsletter to get our pick of news, features and video sent to your inbox.

Summary: Novak Djokovic lost in Rio for the second time as he and 40-year-old team-mate Nenad Zimonjic exited the men's Olympic doubles in round two.


He headed in Daniel Johnson's free-kick as Preston inflicted a first home defeat of the season on the Canaries. Norwich's Cameron Jerome hit the post with a volley moments after the goal and forced Chris Maxwell into a fine reflex save with the follow-up. Bailey Wright then cleared Alex Pritchard's header off the line as Norwich tried in vain for an equaliser. The win extended Preston's unbeaten run to seven games as they rose to ninth place in the Championship, while Norwich slipped from second place to fourth as they lost for just the third time this season. Maxwell made a smart save from Jerome after just 14 seconds and Michael McGovern thwarted Jordan Hugill four minutes later. But neither side had another great chance until well into the second half as Pritchard's curling free-kick was deflected by a Preston defender and edged just past the angle of post and crossbar. Baptiste's powerful header proved to be the difference as he met a free-kick after Martin Olsson had unnecessarily fouled Callum Robinson by the corner flag. Norwich City boss Alex Neil: "It was really, really sloppy. We have defended set-pieces well all game and then we allow Baptiste to have a free run from a central area and head the ball in. "It was a very frustrating game for us because although we had a lot of the ball we didn't do enough with it. That is what can happen when five or six of your players aren't at their best. "We had a lot of possession, but that means nothing if you don't make full use of it. We needed to do more with the ball today. It was really disappointing." Preston manager Simon Grayson: "We defended really well and we also posed a threat to them as well and had plenty of chances over the course of the game. "It wasn't that long ago that we had lost six of the first seven and the some of the natives were getting a little restless. But since we lost 5-0 at Brentford the lads have knuckled down and put a good run together. "The confidence of the players is obviously high at the moment after the good results they have had but no-one is getting carried away." Match ends, Norwich City 0, Preston North End 1. Second Half ends, Norwich City 0, Preston North End 1. Corner, Norwich City. Conceded by Bailey Wright. Russell Martin (Norwich City) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Foul by Jordan Hugill (Preston North End). Offside, Norwich City. Martin Olsson tries a through ball, but Wes Hoolahan is caught offside. Substitution, Preston North End. Paul Huntington replaces Callum Robinson. Nélson Oliveira (Norwich City) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Foul by Ben Pearson (Preston North End). Foul by Nélson Oliveira (Norwich City). Alex Baptiste (Preston North End) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Attempt missed. Graham Dorrans (Norwich City) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right following a set piece situation. Attempt blocked.

Summary: Alex Baptiste's header late in the second half saw Preston upset high-flying Norwich at Carrow Road.


The dinosaurs were able to make the journey when a spell of warming allowed passage over frozen land bridges between the continents. Two fossil discoveries in Australia shed new light on this theory. Both specimens are sauropods - a group of large, herbivorous dinosaurs with long necks and small heads. Further classified as titanosaurs, they are among the largest dinosaurs ever to walk the Earth. Lead researcher Dr Stephen Poropot, of the Australian Age of Dinosaurs Museum, said the specimens add to our knowledge of the area 95 to 98 million years ago. "We get a much better idea of the overall fauna," he said. "And as a result we can start piecing together how climate affected these dinosaurs, how the positions of the continent affected those dinosaurs and how they evolved through time as well." One of the dinosaurs was found near the town of Winton in Central West Queensland. It has been named Savannasaurus elliottorum after members of the Elliott family, who found the fossil in a pile of bones while rounding up sheep at their property. The skeleton has been pieced together from 17 pallets of bones encased in rock - a process that took 10 years. The researchers also uncovered head bones from another sauropod species Diamantinasaurus matildae. "This new Diamantinasaurus specimen has helped to fill several gaps in our knowledge of this dinosaur's skeletal anatomy," said Dr Poropat. "The braincase in particular has allowed us to refine Diamantinasaurus' position on the sauropod family tree." The two specimens have helped to show that titanosaurs were living worldwide by 100 million years ago. This became possible because of the arrangement of the continents and changes in the global climate. Prof Paul Upchurch, of University College, London, said Australia and South America were connected to Antarctica throughout much of the Cretaceous. When Savannasaurus was alive, 95 million years ago, global average temperatures were warmer than they are now, but it was quite cool at the poles. "We suspect that the ancestor of Savannasaurus was from South America, but that it could not and did not enter Australia until approximately 105 million years ago," he said. "At this time global average temperatures increased allowing sauropods to traverse landmasses at polar latitudes." The research is published in N Scientific Reports. Follow Helen on Twitter @hbriggs.

Summary: Some of the giants of the dinosaur family may have originated in South America and crossed over Antarctica to Australia about 100 million years ago.


A report by the Food and Agriculture Organization said agriculture accounted for about a fifth of emissions, which it said needed to be reduced. The State of Food & Agriculture 2016 report said "business as usual" would leave millions at risk from hunger. Last year, nations adopted a UN goal of ending hunger by 2030. "The climate is changing, so agriculture must change too," explained Rob Voss, director of FAO's Agricultural Development Economics division. "We are saying that because agriculture is already very affected by the impacts of climate change, particularly the countries in the tropical zones. "Also, agriculture is contributing itself to about one fifth of the global emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases," Mr Voss, who headed the team that produced the FAO State of Food & Agriculture 2016 report, added. "If we continue along the present pathways then we will not be able to [deliver] food security around the world and we will not be able to stabilise the climate." As a result, he told BBC News, there was a need for "major changes" to take place in the sector. "One of the challenges is agriculture itself. As soon as we shovel the ground then we are already releasing greenhouse gas emissions. Also, as it is so dependent on water and quality of land, any impact from the change in climate has a direct impact." Therefore, he said, the challenge was bearing these changes in mind and looking at ways to shift to a more sustainable footing. "A lot of the technologies that are available that allow us to do things differently do face a number of hurdles, especially when it comes to smallholder farmers in developing countries.' These include the cost of changing the way farmers produce their food; knowledge of shifting to the novel ways of farming; urbanisation; access to water. In terms of making the change to deliver a robust global food system, Mr Voss said the report highlighted four steps that could be taken: "First, put in the steps that would help farmers switch to more sustainable practices, such as more efficient use of fertilizers and using heat tolerant and drought resistant crop varieties." He added that management systems, such as agroforestry - which places forestry cultivation around farmlands, would also be beneficial as it helps farmers build in great resilience against the impacts of climate change. "Secondly, we need to work harder to increase the capacity of soils and forestry to sequestrate carbon. Deforestation and changes to land-use is one of the major sources of emissions from the sector. "A third area where we can immediately start work on is to reduce food losses and waste. We estimate that about one third of the food we produce gets lost in the post-harvest process or gets wasted at the consumer end. "The fourth area, which is more challenging, is to try and do something about people's diets. What we have been seeing around the world is a clear shift towards increasing demands for food products that put a lot more pressure on natural

Summary: The global farming sector has a big role to play in the effort to curb greenhouse gas emissions and adapting to future climate change, the UN says.


The Conservative minister said he was inviting other political parties for talks on securing "the best possible devolution settlement for Wales". A new UK cabinet committee chaired by Commons Leader William Hague will now meet for the first time on Wednesday. Mr Crabb's comments come as Wales' First Minister Carwyn Jones called for a convention on future of the UK. Speaking on Tuesday at the Labour Party conference, Mr Jones said the union cannot be rebuilt through conversation between only Westminster and Scotland. Now the Welsh secretary has pledged to keep Wales at the discussion table on the future of devolved powers across Britain. Mr Crabb said he had already held preliminary discussions with Mr Hague, a former Welsh secretary himself. "We are both in absolute agreement that Wales should be central to the debate that is now commencing," said Mr Crabb. "I want us to use this opportunity positively to look again at how we secure the best possible devolution settlement for Wales. "I want to move forward in a realistic, open-minded and pragmatic way." Mr Crabb has written to the leaders of other Welsh parties at Westminster inviting them to a Wales Office "summit" to discuss "how we deliver devolution that works for Wales". The meeting is likely to take place when parliament returns next month. He said he is also arranging meetings with party leaders in the National Assembly to ensure their views feed into the debate. The comments from Mr Crabb came as Prime Minister David Cameron hosted discussions with backbench Tory MPs at his Chequers country residence. One of the two Welsh MPs to attend was the Aberconway MP, Guto Bebb. He said events in Scotland have "completely changed the nature of the debate" on devolution. Key to Monday's talks have been the issue of "English votes for English laws", which would see Welsh and Scottish MPs excluded from voting on devolved matters in the House of Commons. That has led to Labour Party leader Ed Miliband accusing Mr Cameron of planning to set the UK nations against each other. But the Aberconway MP said he took a different view. "The promises made to Scotland must be delivered upon and if they are delivered on then we are going to end up in my view with English votes for English laws and that in my view is a simple matter of fairness," said Mr Bebb.

Summary: Wales should be central in the debate on the UK union and devolution, Welsh Secretary Stephen Crabb has insisted.


The newly minted millionaire was reported to have just returned from a holiday with his family when they were told the news. "My husband was literally pumping the air when he was on the phone," said the unnamed child's mother, according to local media. It is not known how the winner reacted. Bonus Bonds are an investment that pays out thousands of prizes to savers, lottery-style, every month. NZ$1m is the biggest monthly prize. The child's Bonus Bonds account was reportedly set up when he was born with just NZ$250 ($180; £140) worth of bonds, given by a relative. ANZ bank, which runs the scheme, confirmed the win but said it was respecting the family's wishes by not giving further information about the winner.

Summary: A New Zealand toddler has won NZ$1m ($726,600; £560,700) in Bonus Bonds prize money - the youngest ever winner of the investment lottery scheme.


The Environment Agency (EA), which manages it, has chosen the Severn and Wye fish smokery as its preferred bidder to become its new custodian. In 2014, the EA said it was looking for an investor to "secure the long-term future of the important historic site". Lydney Harbour was built in the early 1800s to transport iron and later coal. Richard Cook, of the smokery, said he would now work with the local community, the council and the EA "to help develop and promote what we believe to be one of the Forest of Dean's hidden gems". Ian Jones, from the EA, said: "We see transferring the harbour as an essential step in revitalising the area and ensuring that all users retain the ability to use the harbour and its surroundings with enhanced facilities." The EA said it would continue to manage and operate the harbour while negotiations - expected to "take a while" - were completed. During its heyday, the harbour saw about 300,000 tons of coal being exported annually in more than 2,000 vessels. The final export of coal was in 1960 and it finally closed in 1977.

Summary: The future of Lydney Harbour in Gloucestershire has been secured after a deal has been done for it to be operated by a local business.


If this volume is hard to visualise, imagine the Earth's entire land surface covered in a layer some 180m deep. The new calculation comes from a Canadian-led team and is published in the journal Nature Geoscience. Significantly, little of this water - just 6% - is the kind of bankable resource that is most useful to people. That small fraction is referred to as "modern" groundwater: it is extractable because it is near the surface, and can be used to supplement above-ground resources in rivers and lakes. "It's the groundwater that is the most quickly renewed - on the scale of human lifetimes," explained study leader Tom Gleeson from the University of Victoria. "And yet this modern groundwater is also the most sensitive to climate change and to human contamination. So, it's a vital resource that we need to manage better." To quantify just how much water is stored in the top 2km of the Earth's surface, Dr Gleeson's team had to combine large data sets with an element of modelling. They included information on the permeability of rocks and soil, on their porosity, and all that is known about water table gradients, which tell you about inputs from precipitation. Key to determining the age of all this stored water is a collection of thousands of tritium measurements. Tritium is a radioactive form of hydrogen that spiked in the atmosphere 50 years ago as a result of thermonuclear bomb tests. It can therefore be used as a tracer for all the rain that has made its way underground ever since. The map above shows the distribution of this modern groundwater around the globe. Dark blue shows where it is very quickly renewed. Light blue shows the older groundwater, which is mostly stagnant and non-renewable. "Old water is highly variable," Dr Gleeson told BBC News. "Some places it is quite deep, in some places not. In many places, it can be poor quality. "It can be more saline even than ocean water and it can have lots of dissolved metals and other chemicals that would need to be treated before it could be used for drinking or agriculture." This puts further emphasis on the modern reserves and the need to manage them in a sustainable way. The study underlines just how unevenly they are spread around the globe. The next step, Dr Gleeson said, was to try to work out just how fast some water stores were being depleted. Also writing in Nature Geoscience, Ying Fan, from Rutgers University, US, commented that "this global view of groundwater will, hopefully, raise awareness that our youngest groundwater resources - those that are the most sensitive to anthropogenic and natural environmental changes - are finite". Jonathan.Amos-INTERNET@bbc.co.uk and follow me on Twitter: @BBCAmos

Summary: The total amount of groundwater on the planet, held in rock and soil below our feet, is estimated to be 23 million cubic km.


The Transocean Winner, which has diesel on board, was under tow west of Lewis when it was hit by severe storms. It became detached from the tug boat overnight, before running aground at the beach of Dalmore in the Carloway area. Stornoway Coastguard said there were no personnel on board the rig and there was no risk to life. However, coastguard personnel have blocked access to the beach for health and safety reasons. The Marine Accident Investigation Branch has begun an investigation into the incident. The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) said it was monitoring for any pollution from the rig. The agency said Transocean Winner has 280 metric tonnes of diesel on board. Scotland's Environment Secretary Roseanna Cunningham said key agencies were doing what was necessary to "ensure the rig is secured and to minimise any immediate safety or environmental risks". A spokesman said: "Following the grounding of the semi-submersible drilling rig Transocean Winner on the Isle of Lewis, the Secretary of State's Representative (SOSREP) for Maritime Salvage and Intervention Hugh Shaw is now in discussions with the owners Transocean and the salvors. "The Maritime and Coastguard Agency's counter pollution branch and the SOSREP have both been monitoring the situation since yesterday evening and the local authority, police and Marine Scotland have all been kept informed." Salvage company Smit has been mobilised to deal with the incident, the MCA added. The Transocean Winner was being towed from Norway to Malta. BBC Alba reporter Angus Macdonald said the structure was "towering over the beach". He told BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland programme: "The rig has more or less come ashore at the beach of Dalmore. "Dalmore is a well-known beauty spot. It is a sandy beach where a lot of surfers turn up because the waves are so good." Foster Evans, who visited the stretch of beach involved last week, sent BBC News Scotland online an image showing how the wide sweep of sand usually looks. Western Isles SNP MSP Alasdair Allan and MP Angus MacNeil said the incident underlined the need for Scotland to have two emergency tugs. An emergency towing vessel has been sent to the scene from the Northern Isles. Scotland used to have two of the boats available to the coastguard to cover the north and west coasts, before the UK government reduced the service to a single ship in 2012. Mr Allan said: "This morning the tow line between a tug and the Transocean Winner oil rig snapped in heavy weather, resulting in the rig going aground at Dalmore on the west side of Lewis. "I am grateful to hear that there have been no injuries reported after this incident but it does leave us with a significant environmental threat to deal with. "I am also deeply concerned to hear that the Maritime and Coastguard Agency's nearest emergency towing vessel was in the region of 14 hours away."

Summary: A 17,000-tonne drilling rig has run aground after being blown ashore on the Western Isles.


More than 100 people have been arrested as officers were attacked, police vehicles damaged and shops looted. Disorder spread to Enfield, Walthamstow and Waltham Forest in north London and to Brixton in the south of the city. Home Secretary Teresa May has cut short her holiday to return to the UK following the disorder. Some 35 officers have been injured over the two nights of rioting. Three officers were hurt when a vehicle hit them as they tried to make an arrest in Waltham Forest, east London. Clashes broke out in Enfield, north London, on Sunday evening where shop windows were smashed and a police car damaged. There have been reports of a gang of up to 200 youths looting shops and charging police in Coldharbour Lane and the High Street in Brixton, south London. Metropolitan Police Commander Adrian Hanstock said: "This is not groups of people acting on behalf of communities or with any consent. "This is individuals who are actually attacking communities, businesses, properties and houses and actually causing a huge amount of upset and criminality." The Met said it had dealt with several incidents of "copycat criminal activity" across the city. These included: Kit Malthouse, Deputy Mayor of London and Chair of the Metropolitan Police Authority, described the scenes of the last two nights as "disgusting and shocking" and said the police did a good job. He added: "Obviously there are people in this city, sadly, who are intent on violence, who are looking for the opportunity to steal and set fire to buildings and create a sense of mayhem, whether they're anarchists or part of organised gangs or just feral youth frankly, who fancy a new pair of trainers." Talking about the impact on the capital's image, one year ahead of the Olympic Games, he said: "It's pretty rotten for London, it does not look good. "What we need to do over the next few months is to underline to people the fundamental truth about London which is that it is one of the safest, great big cities on earth. "We have a low murder rate and this kind of violence is very rare." The Home Secretary, Theresa May said: "Last night, police officers again put themselves in harm's way to protect Londoners and their property. "Londoners have made clear that there are no excuses for violence, and I call on all members of local communities to work constructively with the police to help them bring these criminals to justice." BBC London's Paraic O'Brien said he had witnessed widespread looting in Brixton. He said: "They smashed a William Hill, they set bins on fire. "And now what we're seeing as the night progresses is that replicated, sort of flashpoints all along Brixton High Street. By Andy MooreBBC News I saw the rioting in Tottenham on Saturday and I saw the rioting last night and it was certainly different in character. What might have been started in Tottenham by youngsters aggrieved about what they saw as police persecution has become something very different in nature. Last night there was

Summary: Police have condemned a wave of "copycat criminal activity" across London in a second night of looting and disorder following riots in Tottenham.


Are those voices being heard when it comes to the election? Courses to help young people get into work are held at the Spectrum Centre on the Shankill Road in Belfast. Among them is 18-year-old Donna Rennie who said she would "love to get a job". "I've applied for loads but it doesn't work, there's always somebody better," she said. "It's not a nice feeling." It's a feeling Marc Young knows only too well. "I went to school, got my GCSEs and A-levels and I thought I would walk into a job but I haven't," he added. "I've applied everywhere and just haven't heard back which is really frustrating." So what is the answer? What should the politicians be doing? William Glass has been in and out of jobs for the past two years since leaving school at 16. "Why not spend the time, the four years in school, training for a job or career that you want to be in? "Then more people are going to have the skills they need for the job. "I want a career, I don't want to be going from job to job." Thomas McKeown is looking for a job in youth work and he feels frustrated when he watches what happens at Stormont. "I feel the politicians today are just so bitter-minded about wanting to get one up on each other," he said. "How long do we actually want this to go on? It's been going on long enough." William agrees: "I believe there are people in Stormont who are stuck in the past and fighting. "For me, that era is truly over. "I want to see people using legal highs to get help and I want to see drug reform and better health care." And Dylan Bell believes the politicians need to be more visible when it isn't election time. "You see the politicians round your door every day for a month and a half," he said. "Then the rest of the ten and a half months you see them on the news and that's it - they're more worried about being on the big screen."

Summary: Almost one in five young people are unemployed in Northern Ireland, according to latest figures.


The 25-year-old, who is 6ft 9ins tall, joined the Minstermen from Tranmere Rovers on a two-year deal in May, but has only made five appearances. Mooney's first stint in professional football in England was at Wycombe and he spent time at Conference North side Oxford City before joining Tranmere. He is available for Alfreton's game against Welling United on Saturday.

Summary: Alfreton Town have signed goalkeeper Jason Mooney on loan from League Two side York for the rest of the season.


Coleraine's Peter Chambers and Englishman Will Fletcher are into the semi-finals of the men's lightweight double sculls. Holly Nixon, Joel Cassells and Rebecca Shorten have all moved straight into Sunday's finals of their respective boat classes. Chambers and Fletcher began the quest for a lightweight double sculls European title fresh from their gold medal winning performance in the first World Cup regatta in Belgrade earlier this month. However they were forced to qualify for Saturday's semi-finals through the repechage after finishing behind Germany in their heat with only the winners progressing directly. The duo regrouped and in the afternoon session held off the fast finishing Greek boat to take first place. Ireland's Rio Olympics silver medal winning brothers, Gary and Paul O'Donovan, who are defending their European title won in Brandenburg twelve months ago, had to follow the same path as Chambers and Fletcher. They were beaten by Poland in their heat but won their repechage ahead of Ukraine. Enniskillen's Holly Nixon and her team mates Jess Leyden, Bethany Bryan and Mathilda Hodgkins-Byrne moved up from fourth place to second behind the Netherlands to claim an automatic qualifying place in Sunday's women's quadruple sculls final. With only five entrants in the women's eight an exhibition race took place to decide the lane draw for Sunday's final with Great Britain finishing second behind Romania. The GB crew includes Belfast's Rebecca Shorten who is making her senior international debut. Likewise Coleraine's Joel Cassells and partner Sam Scrimgeour were fourth in their lightweight pairs exhibition race behind winners Mark O'Donovan and Shane O'Driscoll from Ireland. Cassells is aiming for a third European gold medal in consecutive years.

Summary: Four rowers from Northern Ireland in the Great Britain squad have advanced from the heats at the European Championships in Racice, Czech Republic.


In an election pledge, Labour said giving working parents 30 hours free childcare a week for 48 weeks of the year would cost an extra £84m annually. Economist Gillian Paull told BBC Wales the "upper limit" could reach £200m if "nearly all" parents took up the offer. The Welsh Government said it was currently analysing the likely costs. The promise to provide 30 hours free childcare a week was one of Labour's key election pledges and is now part of its five-year programme for government. The childcare will be made available to working parents of three- and four-year-olds for 48 weeks of the year. In a report for the Welsh Government in February, Ms Paull, of Frontier Economics, produced various cost estimates for the policy. It said the cost would be £84m a year if the childcare was offered to working parents and if 87% of them took up the offer at a cost of £5 per hour. However, Ms Paull warned that she thought the policy was unlikely to encourage many non-working parents to take up jobs. The Welsh Government insists the policy will remove one of the "major barriers to employment". Ms Paull said if the policy proved to be successful in enabling large numbers of parents take up jobs, its annual cost would increase considerably. "The cost estimate [in the report] is based on a very small response in working behaviour," she told the Sunday Politics Wales programme. "If there is a bigger response, the cost could be considerably higher. "A reasonable upper limit would be around £200m, based on an extreme response of nearly all parents becoming eligible by working." David Dallimore, a social policy researcher at Bangor University, warned that money would also have to be spent expanding the availability of childcare in Wales, which he claimed was already "patchy". "It's very dependent on where you live," he said. "Wales has a measurably lower rate of childcare than other nations in the UK. "In Wales it's about 30 childcare places for every 100 children - it's about 40 in England and it's nearly 50 in Scotland." He added: "I think there's a lot of concern within the sector that there isn't enough provision to be able to deliver this [policy] in the current form we have." Indicating the end of the Communities First anti-poverty programme on Tuesday, Communities Secretary Carl Sargeant cited the childcare policy as a way of helping parents find work. "Across government we are ensuring prosperity for all," he said. "The creation of a generous childcare offer for working parents will help to remove one of the major barriers to employment." A Welsh Government spokeswoman said: "We know there are issues with capacity and cost in some parts of Wales and we are working with the childcare sector to address this. "We are also currently undertaking complex modelling of costs. "We have a cost range, and the purpose of our modelling and analysis is to look at key factors such as the number of eligible children, take-up rates, number of hours utilised and hourly

Summary: Welsh Labour's promise to increase free childcare could cost considerably more than it has predicted, the author of a report on the matter has said.


Jack Keene, 17, from Hertfordshire, was involved in a collision between a Renault Clio and a minibus on the A4086 near Capel Curig in which five other people were injured. His family described him as a kind, loving and selfless person who "touched the lives of all he met". They thanked the emergency services and the people at the roadside who tried to save Jack. In statement, they said: "As a family we are beyond heartbroken to have tragically lost our treasured and much loved son, brother, uncle and friend to so many." Police are continuing to appeal for witnesses. Officers want to speak to the occupants of a silver or grey coloured pick up vehicle that overtook a white mini bus between Plas y Brenin and Penygwryd before the incident at about 07:00 BST. Police said it was not involved in the crash, but the driver may have seen the other vehicles before the incident.

Summary: Police have named the teenager who died in a crash in Conwy county on Thursday.


One of the most shocking aspects of the government's decision to spend £9m on a campaign to promote Britain's EU membership - judging by social media reaction - is that it is based around leafleting. Leaflets seem like a staggeringly inefficient and low rent way of getting a message out in today's networked world. Even a 16-page glossy brochure, of the kind produced by the government, has a very "old school" feel about it. Most of them will probably go straight in the bin, along with take-away flyers and credit card offers, say critics. But David Cameron must feel that enough people will take a look at what the government has got to say to make it worth their while. He has insisted the £9m campaign is "money well spent" - a little premature perhaps, given that we don't know the outcome of the referendum yet. In fact, both sides in the debate will be entitled to a free mailshot once the official campaign period gets under way. What is causing so much controversy is that the government would not have been allowed to spend £9m on leaflets during the campaign, due to spending rules. So why is everyone so desperate to pepper the country with unread pamphlets? About a third of the £9m will be spent on an online and social media campaign - but printed material is still where it is at, says Philip Cowley, professor of politics at Queen Mary University of London. "Political parties would not spend millions of pounds each election putting this stuff out if it didn't work. "It's still the main mechanism by which voters hear from political organisations. It dwarfs every other form of contact." A face-to-face chat on the doorstep was still the most effective method of converting voters to your cause, he told BBC Radio 4's The World at One, but that was time-consuming, so mailing out leaflets was a "cheap" and "relatively easy" alternative. Social media, he added, came a "poor third" as a tool of persuasion. Leaflets reach the silent majority of people who are not glued to their smart phones day and night, particularly older people who tend to vote in large numbers and could swing the referendum in a close contest. Another major advantage of mailshots over social media is that your claims are not immediately shot down and ridiculed by your opponents. The government's EU brochure leaflet is available online, where the world can pick it apart. But when you retrieve it from your doorstep, and take a glance at its contents on the short journey to the kitchen bin, your letterbox will not start spewing out spoof versions of it and angry rebuttals. Many of which will be more interesting than the original and a lot funnier. Unlike on social media. The government has attempted to justify its campaign by saying people are hungry for facts about the EU referendum. We know from our own inbox at the BBC how true this is. The problem is that there are very few facts. Just about everything in

Summary: Haven't they heard of the internet?


Flanker Peter O'Mahony captains the side in Rotorua, with tour skipper Sam Warburton on the replacements' bench. Maro Itoje starts at lock in an otherwise unchanged pack from the one that beat the Crusaders last Saturday. "Even though it's a strong side we have to make sure we aren't fully showing our hand," said boss Warren Gatland. "We need to keep the All Blacks guessing a little bit about what the final squad [for the first Test] may be." Sexton, 31, has not started since the first match of the tour against the Provincial Barbarians, but came off the bench to good effect in the win over the Crusaders in Christchurch. He partners fellow Irishman Conor Murray at half-back. "Johnny needs some more rugby and he's got a bit of his mojo back, so we wanted to give him a start," Gatland added. Farrell is among the replacements, and Gatland says there is "every chance" he will play alongside Sexton at some point in the game. Gatland has previously played down the possibility of Farrell and Sexton operating in the same backline. "Owen Farrell has had quite a bit of rugby and he's pretty important to us at the moment," Gatland said. "We need to make sure he is fit for the following week, because he has been pretty crucial to us. "He is on the bench and he can come on and we could end up with a 10/12 combination [with Sexton], or we can end up with him coming on at 10. "At some point he will get some game time." Maori All Blacks: J Lowe; N Milner-Skudder, M Proctor, C Ngatai, R Ioane; D McKenzie, T Kerr-Barlow; K Hames, A Dixon (capt), B May, J Wheeler, T Franklin, A Ioane, E Dixon, L Messam. Replacements: H Elliot, C Eves, M Renata, L Price, K Pryor, B Hall, I West, R Thompson. Lions: L Halfpenny (Wales); A Watson (England), J Davies (Wales), B Te'o (England), G North (Wales); J Sexton, C Murray (both Ireland); M Vunipola, J George (both England), T Furlong (Ireland), M Itoje, G Kruis (both England), P O'Mahony (capt, Ireland), S O'Brien (Ireland), T Faletau (Wales). Replacements: K Owens (Wales), J McGrath (Ireland), K Sinckler (England), I Henderson (Ireland), S Warburton (Wales), G Laidlaw (Scotland), O Farrell, E Daly (both England). Gatland says Warburton is aware of the competition he faces in the back row if he is to start the first Test against the All Blacks on 24 June. Warburton returned from a minor ankle injury to play over an hour in the midweek defeat by the Highlanders in Dunedin. "He is fully aware that loose-forward trio went extremely well against the Crusaders," Gatland said. "This tour isn't about Sam Warburton, it's about putting the squad first, so if he isn't involved in the first Test he will fully understand that." Elswehere, Ben Te'o is alongside Jonathan Davies in the midfield, with George North, Anthony Watson and Leigh Halfpenny in the back three. Liam Williams does not feature in the matchday squad for the second successive

Summary: Johnny Sexton has been preferred to Owen Farrell at fly-half for Saturday's British and Irish Lions match with the Maori All Blacks.


Landlords who let properties to more than three unrelated people need to apply for a licence for a House of Multiple Occupation (HMO). But many are put off - because a licence can cost ??1,000 - despite facing a fine of up to ??20,000, Southampton City Council said. The authority estimated a total of 1,500 unlicensed HMOs in the area. Shelter helpline adviser Nadeem Khan said fear of eviction and living in poorly maintained properties are frequent concerns raised by HMO tenants. "Because of the huge shortage of affordable homes people are being forced into rented homes which are unregulated. We receive about five or six calls a day about this," he said. Nationally, mandatory licensing for HMOs is aimed at houses of three storeys or more and occupied by five or more unrelated people. In Southampton, the licences affect properties in Bargate, Bevois, Portswood, Swaythling (Designation 1 - introduced in 2013) and in Shirley Freemantle, Millbrook, and Bassett (Designation 2 - introduced in 2015). A council spokesman said: "Landlords have generally co-operated with the regime, but a small minority have resisted applying for their licence." The council said it had so far gained prosecutions against one firm and 13 individuals.

Summary: Tenants in Southampton may face eviction because landlords are holding incorrect paperwork, Shelter claims.


Seven months after Mourinho's arrival as successor to Louis van Gaal, United are sixth in the Premier League, 13 points behind leaders Chelsea and six points adrift of the top four to guarantee Champions League qualification. Speaking in the build-up to Wednesday's trip to Crystal Palace (20:00 GMT), Mourinho said he wants to keep his squad together for the rest of the season. However, sources have told BBC Sport he would like to make changes. United have spent £480m since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013 after 26 years as manager. They broke their club record in January 2014 by signing midfielder Juan Mata from Chelsea for £37.1m, and spent a British record £59.7m on Real Madrid winger Angel di Maria later that year. In August this year, they gave Mourinho a world record £89m to sign midfielder Paul Pogba from Juventus. The BBC understands Mourinho acknowledges it might not be easy to move on high wage earners - but it is thought he views this as a matter for executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward to address. Mourinho has said he is "open to listening to offers" for any player. Netherlands forward Memphis Depay is one of those most likely to leave. The 22-year-old joined United from PSV Eindhoven for £31m last year but has started only one game this season, at Northampton in the EFL Cup on 21 September. The last of seven substitute appearances, totalling 79 minutes, came against Feyenoord in the Europa League on 24 November. Italian title contenders Roma are among a number of European clubs monitoring Depay. Everton have also been linked with a loan move for the player, but he may prefer a fresh start away from England. It seems likely German World Cup winner Bastian Schweinsteiger will leave in January. The midfielder, 32, was exiled from Mourinho's squad at the start of the season, though he was introduced for the final four minutes of United's EFL Cup quarter-final win over West Ham on 30 November. In addition to Depay and Schweinsteiger, the only senior outfield players to have started fewer than five games for United this season are midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin and winger Ashley Young. Schneiderlin joined United from Southampton for £25m in 2015, signing a four-year contract. The 27-year-old France international was a regular in his debut season, but his three Premier League appearances this term have totalled just 11 minutes. Young, 31, signed a three-year contract extension in 2015 and was part of United's defence in the goalless draw at Liverpool on 17 October but has figured only twice since. West Brom are known to be interested in the former England man. "I am always open to listen to offers for every player. I am always ready to listen to the players themselves. So any player who knocks on my door and is not happy and wants to move, when the offers are correct, I will never stop a player from leaving, even if it is to a rival. No problem at all. "I am happy with the squad I have. I would like

Summary: Manager Jose Mourinho will need at least two more transfer windows to get close to the squad he wants, say senior Manchester United figures.