Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said it was a "hurtful action" and that Australia had "belittled" the row. Jakarta would review co-operation, he said. Australian PM Tony Abbott expressed regret but said he would not apologise. The allegations published by Australian media came from documents leaked by whistleblower Edward Snowden. Mr Abbott said he regretted "any embarrassment" caused by the reports. "I regard President Yudhoyono as a good friend of Australia, indeed as one of the very best friends that we have anywhere in the world," he said, speaking in parliament on Tuesday. However, he added: "I don't believe that Australia should be expected to apologise for reasonable intelligence-gathering operations, just as I don't expect other countries or other governments to apologise for their reasonable intelligence-gathering operations." Indonesia, The Jakarta Globe, editorial There is no doubt that if Australia wishes to limit the damage from the fallout of the spying scandal, it needs to apologise to the Indonesian government and the Indonesian people. Indonesia, The Jakarta Post, commentary The argument that such tapping is normal practice is but an excuse, not a justification. The true inherent reason is that Australia is stuck in a mind-set of mistrust toward its northern neighbour. Australia, Sydney Morning Herald, article Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's furious and direct attack on the Australian prime minister shows just how deep the diplomatic schism between the two countries is, and how Tony Abbott has badly mishandled the crisis. Australia, The Australian, article Recalling its ambassador to Canberra represents a serious deterioration in the relationship and may well presage further real trouble, as more revelations from the rogue US consultant, Edward Snowden, are almost certain to follow. Spy row: Media reaction Indonesia recalled its ambassador on Monday, after the latest allegations emerged, and said it was summoning Australia's ambassador for questioning. The leaked document showed that Australian spy agencies named Mr Yudhoyono, the first lady, the vice-president and other senior ministers as targets for telephone monitoring, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) and the Guardian said. The presentation from the Defence Signals Directorate (now known as the Australian Signals Directorate) showed that agencies attempted to listen to Mr Yudhoyono's calls at least once, and tracked calls made to and from his mobile phone, in August 2009, they added. It is the latest in a series of spying allegations that have strained relations between the two allies. Earlier this month, Indonesia expressed anger over reports that Australia's Jakarta embassy was used as part of a US-led spying network in Asia. On Tuesday, in a series of strong tweets, Mr Yudhoyono said: "These US & Australian actions have certainly damaged the strategic partnerships with Indonesia, as fellow democracies." He said that Indonesia would review its "bilateral co-operation agenda" with Australia. He also expressed "regret" at Mr Abbott's response to the allegations, saying that he had "belittled this tapping matter on Indonesia, without any remorse". Speaking in parliament on Monday, Mr Abbott had said: "The Australian government never comments on specific intelligence matters." "All governments gather information and all governments know that every other government gathers

Summary: Indonesia's president says ties with Australia have been "damaged" by reports that Canberra spied on his phone calls and those of his ministers.


The 34-year-old England international, who scored 15 league goals last season, has signed a three-year deal. "It's great to be back," said Defoe, who as a teenager spent the 2000-01 season on loan at Bournemouth from West Ham, scoring in 10 successive matches. "It was an easy decision, joining a top team with a top manager. The one thing I can guarantee is goals." The former Tottenham, Portsmouth, West Ham and Charlton player is seventh on the Premier League all-time goals list with 158 in 468 appearances. Cherries manager Eddie Howe said Defoe's signing is a "huge moment for the club". Defoe moved to Sunderland in January 2015 after a brief spell at MLS side Toronto and, after saving the club from relegation in the 2015-16 season with 15 goals, signed a contract extension until 2019. There was a clause in his contract that allowed him to leave on a free transfer if Sunderland were relegated, which he was able to trigger when the Black Cats finished bottom last season. Defoe made his England debut in 2004 and played at the 2010 World Cup, but did not feature for the national side between 2013 and 2017. His excellent form last season earned him a recall to Gareth Southgate's side, and he scored his 20th international goal against Lithuania in a World Cup qualifier in March. Defoe is Bournemouth's second signing of the summer, following the arrival of goalkeeper Asmir Begovic from Chelsea. "We want to bring players here who can have a big impact on our continued rise and we believe Jermain fits that as a natural, proven goalscorer," added Howe. The Cherries finished ninth in the Premier League last term - their second season in the top flight. Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page.

Summary: Sunderland striker Jermain Defoe has re-signed for former club Bournemouth on a free transfer.


The pound jumped by 0.85%, or more than one euro cent, to â‚¬1.4072, although against the dollar the pound was down 0.26% at $1.5783. On the stock market, the FTSE 100 was 16.93 points higher at 6,842.60, adding to the sharp gains seen on Monday. However, the FTSE was lagging gains elsewhere, with Germany's Dax and France's Cac 40 both up more than 1%. Shares in business supplies distributor Bunzl dropped 1.6% - the biggest faller in the FTSE 100 - after it said organic revenue growth had slowed in the first half of its financial year. Bunzl also announced it had bought four businesses in the US, Colombia, Canada and France. However, the most eye-catching move was in the FTSE 250, where shares in Ladbrokes jumped 16% after it said it was in merger talks with Gala Coral.

Summary: (Noon): The pound hit a four-week high against the euro as the single currency weakened on Tuesday.


Police in Arkansas wish to unlock an iPhone and iPod belonging to two teenagers accused of killing a couple, according to the Associated Press (AP). Less than a day after its San Bernardino announcement, the FBI agreed to help in the homicide case. Syed Farook and his wife were shot dead after killing 14 people in December. A judge agreed to postpone the Arkansas case on 28 March to allow prosecutors to ask the FBI for help. Hunter Drexler, 18, and Justin Staton, 15, are accused of killing Robert and Patricia Cogdell at their home in Conway, Arkansas last July. Staton had been raised as a grandson by the Cogdells. "We always appreciate [the FBI's] cooperation and willingness to help their local law enforcement partners," Faulkner County prosecuting attorney Cody Hilland told the AP. An attorney for Mr Drexler told the AP he was "not concerned" about any data on the phone. Previously, the FBI had asked Apple to write new software that would allow it to gain access to Farook's iPhone. However, the company refused, arguing it would be wrong to compromise the security of one of its devices since that might lead to vulnerabilities in many other iPhones.

Summary: The FBI has offered to unlock another iPhone for police after revealing it could access the handset used by San Bernardino killer Syed Farook.


It was the school's 18th title, won with the help of some 4,300 participants in the sumptuous parade. Fans of the samba school, which is rooted in Rio's Mangueira favela, screamed with joy as the results were read out. In an indication of how high the stakes are in the carnival championship, the results came in an armoured car.

Summary: One of Rio de Janeiro's most traditional samba schools, Mangueira, has won this year's Carnival.


The claims against the agricultural commodities trader were made in a report by Mighty, a US-based environmental lobby group. Mighty also accuses Olam and its main stakeholder, Singapore state-owned investment company Temasek, of turning a blind eye to these practices. Both companies reject the allegations. Singapore and Malaysia regularly suffer from haze caused by slash-and-burn practices by small-scale farmers and rogue palm oil traders in Indonesia. Indonesia is often blamed for not doing enough to tackle the agriculture fires used to clear vegetation for palm oil, pulp and paper plantations in the Riau province in East Sumatra, South Sumatra, and parts of Kalimantan on Indonesian Borneo. Singapore-based Olam has confirmed that it buys 99% of its palm oil from third party suppliers and while it is a relative newcomer to the industry, it says it accounts for less than 1% of the global market. Mighty's report says Olam and Temask could be unwittingly encouraging unsustainable palm oil trading practices that may contribute to the haze that is caused by the fires. It also says Olam created a "secretive market for rogue palm oil companies" that allowed the vast majority of its product to be bought from unknown sources. But Olam chief executive Sunny Verghese told the BBC that the firm had a "very vigorous sourcing policy and we insist that there is zero tolerance for burning, so it's a 'no burn-no peat-no deforestation' compliance policy". The company only agreed to release the names of its 14 suppliers on Monday, having previously resisted calls by Mighty to do so. Mr Verghese said he believed the firm's current suppliers all met Olam's strict requirements, but added that the vetting and verification process would take several more years to complete. He added that producers who do not comply with the company's sustainable principles would be removed from its supply chain. Since Temasek is the majority stake holder in Olam, Mighty's allegations could link Singapore's state fund to the devastating annual haze affecting Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia - if the claims of sourcing from rogue palm oil producers are proven. Temasek's investment in Olam means that "the people of Singapore have unwittingly financed what is likely one of the world's black boxes for the kind of unsustainably produced palm oil that fuels the haze," the report says. Temasek has dismissed the allegations, explaining that they "fully support no-burn policies for land clearance, and would urge oil palm companies and plantation owners to do the same." The fund told the BBC: "Olam's operations are properly matters for the board and management of Olam to address. "As a matter of proper governance, Temasek does not direct the business operations of our portfolio companies, including Olam." It would be fair to say that the palm oil industry globally has a troubled track record. It is one of the world's biggest industries, projected to be worth $88bn by 2022 but also often accused of unfair and illegal labour practices, as well as deforestation and the burning of plantations. Green groups and palm oil executives often find themselves at loggerheads

Summary: Palm oil giant Olam has been accused of using suppliers that may use unsustainable practices in parts of Southeast Asia.


President Barack Obama said it was a "step towards a more normal and productive relationship". But he may face a battle in Congress where some Republicans are opposed to his dealings with the communist island. The new ambassador, Jeffrey DeLaurentis, had been working at the new US embassy in Havana, which opened in July last year. President Obama said there was "no better-qualified public servant". President Obama and Cuba's President Raul Castro have begun to reignite the diplomatic relations that were broken off in 1961 after the Caribbean island's communist revolution. What next for Washington and Havana? What is behind the US-Cuba thaw? In pictures: US-Cuban relations Restrictions on flights have been lifted but the US embargo on Cuba remains in place. Republican Senator Marco Rubio, who is Cuban-American, has previously said the improved relations will go "a long way in providing the economic lift that the Castro regime needs to become permanent fixtures in Cuba for generations to come''.

Summary: The US has appointed its first ambassador to Cuba in 55 years as relations between the countries thaw.


Media playback is not supported on this device West Ham manager Slaven Bilic questioned Dean's decision to send off Sofiane Feghouli in his side's 2-0 defeat by Manchester United on Monday. It was the fifth red card Dean has shown in 15 matches this season. The Hammers are appealing against Feghouli's dismissal. Dean sent off the Algeria international midfielder after just 15 minutes following his collision with Phil Jones, but Bilic felt the United defender had committed the more dangerous tackle. The dismissal was the 25th by Dean since the start of the 2013-14 season - the highest number by any current Premier League referee in that period. Writing in The Times, former player Tony Cascarino said Dean "lost all control of the game" while Sky Sports pundit Niall Quinn called Dean "arrogant" and the decision "rank bad refereeing". But former Manchester United captain Gary Neville later tweeted: "I was critical of Mike Dean's performance in the game. He was poor. But I think the reaction since towards him is disgraceful. "Yes, he should be criticised but to suggest he wanted to be centre of attention and he should be sacked or not referee again is wrong!" Sunday's FA Cup match between Tottenham and Aston Villa is live on BBC One from 15:35 GMT, and full match commentary will be available on BBC Radio 5 live from 16:00 GMT.

Summary: Mike Dean will referee Sunday's televised FA Cup third-round tie between Tottenham and Aston Villa - despite recent criticism of his performances.


The 29-year-old striker arrived on Wearside last week and made his debut before his first training session in Saturday's 3-0 defeat by St Johnstone. He has joined a Black Cats side relegated from the Premier League last season, but eager to do well. "Some of the lads I can see really want it," Vaughan told BBC Newcastle. "The Championship is definitely relentless, a completely different game, it's Saturday-Tuesday every week pretty much and the lads need to be mentally tough. "If we all stick together and work hard, we'll get there." Wearsiders manager Simon Grayson brought in Vaughan, with whom he previously worked at Huddersfield, to bolster his squad after Jermain Defoe and Fabio Borini left at the end of last season. He joins teenagers Josh Maja and Joel Asoro among the striker options at the Stadium of Light, but says there is no pressure to be the main source of goals this season. "It's not about me scoring goals," Vaughan added. "It's about me working hard for the team. I'll do that every week. "If the goals come, they come but if they don't it's no issue, it's just about us getting the three points."

Summary: Sunderland have the necessary mental toughness within the squad to cope with a gruelling Championship campaign, according to new signing James Vaughan.


Adams will make her professional debut in Manchester on Saturday when she fights Argentina's Virginia Carcamo. "Virgil has a lot of knowledge and one thing I like about him is he knows how to take an Olympic champion and turn them into a pro," said Adams, 34. "He did it with Andre [Ward] and he's capable of doing the same with me." American Ward, 33, has gone from winning gold at the 2004 Olympics to becoming a two-weight world champion and being unbeaten in 31 fights. Adams has been training alongside the likes of IBF, WBA and WBO light-heavyweight champion Ward as she prepares for her fight, and says doing so "has left me a bit in awe, to be honest". She added: "Like every fighter, my ultimate goal is to headline a show in Las Vegas and with the way the sport is building at the moment I see no reason why I can't get there. "Other female boxers like Claressa Shields and Katie Taylor have been putting women's professional boxing on the map and now that I've joined them it can only raise the bar again."

Summary: Great Britain's double gold medallist Nicola Adams believes new trainer Virgil Hunter will play a key part in success as a professional.


Officers were called to Leith Walk at about 06:00 following reports about a man with a neck injury. Detectives said it was believed he sustained the injury sometime between 05:30 and 06:00 in nearby Smith's Place. He was taken to the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary where his condition was described as serious but stable. Det Sgt Neil Spowart said: "We're working to ascertain the full circumstances surrounding this man's injury. "We believe that he was in a business premises on Leith Walk, near the junction with Balfour Street, at around 5am and that the injury was sustained sometime between 5.30am and 6am. "Anyone who remembers seeing a man in the Smith's Place area around this time, or has any information which may be able to help us establish the cause of his injury, is urged to get in touch."

Summary: Police in Edinburgh have appealed for information after a man was found seriously injured in Leith.


That the UK is still 'bold' but 'dependable', 'outward looking' and a bastion of free trade. She has done that in private sessions with several leaders and a press conference with President Obama. But very frank words from the United States, Japan and Donald Tusk, the President of the European Council, will steal plenty of the headlines instead. Remember she was an advocate, albeit a pretty quiet one, of staying in the EU in the first place, with the economy one of her main concerns. So Downing Street says she hasn't been surprised by the warnings about the future. And perhaps dealing with public expressions of sentiments that have been already expressed in private isn't really the problem. Perhaps the real difficulty for the now not so new prime minister is that the biggest demands on her abroad are the same as those at home. Other countries want more details of her plans for Britain's life after the EU. But with no consensus, or anything like the details of post-Brexit Britain from government, there isn't that much that she can really tell them. The political danger of such a relatively blank page is that others will fill the space.

Summary: Theresa May's intention at this summit was to reassure other countries that life after the EU might be tricky to work out, but in the end, all will be just fine.


The glutinous dish is a part of many people's celebration of New Year. According to local reports, 18 people were taken to hospital in Tokyo after suffocating on the snack. Three of those died, an official from the fire department said. The Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper said the death toll from rice cake accidents reached nine by Friday across Japan. Another 13 people were in a serious condition. The fire department is advising people - especially the very young and elderly - to cut mochi into small pieces before consuming. Several people die each year in Japan after choking on rice cakes. New Year is one of Japan's biggest holidays. Families traditionally celebrate by cooking a vegetable broth called "ozouni" and then putting the rice cakes into the soup. Follow @BBCNewsbeat on Twitter and Radio1Newsbeat on YouTube

Summary: Nine people have choked to death in Japan after eating a traditional rice cake, known as "mochi".


Exports of the fish jumped more than 53% by value to £408m, the Food and Drink Federation (FDF) said. UK food and drink exports rose 8.5% to £10.2bn, helped by the fall in the pound after last year's Brexit vote. But the FDF warned that without a favourable Brexit trade deal, British exports could become less competitive. Whisky remained the top export, while salmon was second, and beer rose to third, overtaking chocolate. But while the volume of salmon exports rose by 24%, whisky exports actually fell 1% by volume, and beer exports fell 2.2%. The pound has fallen sharply against the dollar and euro since the UK voted to leave the EU in June last year, giving a boost to UK exports, as they have become relatively cheaper. However, the weaker pound has also pushed up costs for British businesses that bring in food and raw materials from abroad, the FDF said. It said the UK's food and drink trade deficit - the difference between how much the UK imports and exports - widened 16% to £12.4bn over the period. British salmon is becoming more popular globally, according to Andy Bing, sales director of Loch Duart Salmon in North West Scotland. "This half we've sold more than we ever have," he said, adding that the firm's main export markets were France, the US, Italy, and Switzerland. UK salmon exports have grown after Chilean producers suffered problems in 2015 with algal blooms that killed a large amount of their fish, he said. Looking ahead, the firm is optimistic about the eventual post-Brexit trade deals that can be struck with EU countries. "Europe needs lovely Scottish salmon just as we need lovely French wine and wonderful German cars," he said. However, he added that Loch Duart was "finding it difficult to plan without better guidance" from the government about Brexit. The two biggest importers of UK food and drink are Ireland and France. If there is no deal and World Trade Organization (WTO) tariffs with the EU are brought in, "food and drink would face significantly higher tariffs than most other products," an FDF spokesman said. For example, some fruit and vegetables would face tariffs of 157%, and for some drinks products, importers would have to pay 152% tariffs. Goods "could face lengthy delays at border for checks and inspections that would add delays and cost to products, particularly those with short shelf lives," the spokesman added. However, the free market think tank, the Institute for Economic Affairs, said it would not be a "disaster" if the UK failed to strike a deal with the EU. Jamie Whyte, IEA research director, said: "In fact, we could unilaterally eliminate all import tariffs, which would give us most of the benefits of trade and export to the EU under the umbrella of the WTO rules." A UK government spokesman said it wanted to reach a deal with the EU "allowing for the most frictionless trade including in food and drink as possible". Source HM Customs and Excise In the first half of the year, UK

Summary: Sales of British salmon helped the UK to export a record value of food and drink in the first half of the year, according to industry figures.


The Independent Police Complaints Commission said there were six fatal police shootings between April 2016 to March 2017, up from three in 2015/16. The number of deaths in police road traffic incidents rose by 11 to 32 - the biggest total in eight years. The six shootings included that of Westminster attacker Khalid Masood. It is the highest number in 12 years. Twenty-eight of the road traffic deaths were related to police pursuits of vehicles. Since the IPCC was set up in 2004, there have never been more than a handful of fatal police shootings in a year, so the fact there have been six is unlikely to raise alarm bells. And, as the watchdog points out, the number has to be set in context: there were more than 14,700 police firearms operations during the same 12-month period - the vast majority pass off without a shot being fired, let alone anyone dying. However, the sharp rise in pursuit-related deaths - after a concerted effort by police and the IPCC to reduce the number of such casualties - will prompt searching questions. Of the 28 who died, 18 were either passengers in the suspect vehicle or other road users. Does the rise simply reflect an upsurge in criminal activity? Is it because suspects have become increasingly reckless? Or have police standards on the roads slipped? The IPCC and the National Police Chiefs' Council will have to get to the bottom of it quickly. Dame Anne Owers, chairwoman of the IPCC, said the six fatal shootings occurred across six forces. The shooting of Khalid Masood was the only one related to terrorism. The watchdog said the investigation into that case and two others had been completed and all three found no evidence of any misconduct by firearms officers. In addition, another inquiry, which is still ongoing, is also yet to find any evidence of wrongdoing by police. Investigations into two other shootings are still to conclude. The National Police Chiefs Council and the IPCC will examine whether changes to police pursuit safety or training are needed after the rise in road traffic deaths, added Dame Anne. The IPPC data also showed there were 14 deaths in police custody - the second lowest figure it has recorded. Eight of the 14 people who died were reported to have mental health problems.

Summary: The numbers of fatal police shootings and deaths after police pursuits in England and Wales both rose sharply in the last year, the latest figures show.


The court in Novorossiysk gave two of the dancers 10 days in jail each, a third 15 days and two others received fines on charges of petty hooliganism. Prosecutors had said their "erotic and sexual twerk dance" was disrespectful to historic memory and unacceptable. Earlier this month, Russian officials closed a dance school after a similar dance video emerged on the internet. The latest incident involves six dancers - one of them a minor who was not convicted - who had posted a video on YouTube. "This incident of disrespect for the memory of war history is unacceptable and any attempts to desecrate sites of military glory will be stopped immediately," prosecutors said. The sentences come as Russia prepares to mark the 70th anniversary of the World War Two victory. They also follow the incident early in April when a video clip from the Orenburg dance school on YouTube was viewed millions of times. The video clip, entitled Winnie the Pooh and the Bees, showed a group of teenage girls dancing on stage in striped leotards, long socks and mini-skirts, They perform hip-thrusting moves characteristic of twerking. A committee is investigating whether the performance amounts to negligence or even "debauched action", which is punishable by a range of sanctions from community service to three years behind bars.

Summary: A Russian court has jailed three women for performing a twerking dance in front of a World War Two memorial.


Daniel Jason Shepherd, 23, from Skewen, Neath Port Talbot, pleaded not guilty to the manslaughter of Jonathon Robert Thomas, 34, who died following an incident on Princess Way in November. Mr Thomas played for Swansea RFC along with his brother, Nicky. At a hearing at Swansea Crown Court, Mr Shepherd was bailed to appear for trial on 16 May.

Summary: A man will go on trial charged with the manslaughter of a rugby player in Swansea.


Well the first part of it, that there are no commitments in the manifesto that require additional borrowing, is binding up until May 7 - in the sense that Labour is not offering goodies to voters without saying what services or benefits will be cut or which taxes will be increased to pay for those goodies. Ed Miliband was at pains to contrast this putative prudence with Tories' promise to increase NHS spending by £8bn or their pledge to increase the 40% tax threshold and the tax-free threshold - which would also cost around £8bn - without saying where the £16bn odd would come from. So in that sense Labour has subjected itself to discipline which the Tories have decided they don't need (largely because they think voters will give them the benefit of the doubt, based on the cuts they've delivered in the current parliament). But to state the bloomin' obvious, this first element in the lock can only keep Labour fiscally honest until the election. After that, and if in power, they could in theory launch on a grateful or ungrateful nation any number of initiatives that would not be funded by tax rises or commensurate spending cuts. So Ed Miliband has forsworn offering us unaffordable bribes to get elected. But it is the other parts of the lock that would be important to keep a Labour government - if such arrives after May 7 - fiscally constrained (which may or may not be a good thing, by the way). What are they? Well again the first one - that the deficit will be cut every year - would on current forecasts for economic growth allow quite a bit of additional spending: the overall deficit would still fall as a share of GDP so long as overall spending increased marginally slower than GDP, all else being equal; and it would also fall in absolute terms so long as economic growth generated an increment to tax revenues marginally greater than the spending increment. So this rule again wouldn't tie the hands of Ed Balls desperately tightly, if he became chancellor. That leaves the third and most important pins and levers in the lock, that Labour would "get national debt falling and a surplus on the current budget as soon as possible in the next parliament". Now as it happens the current government expects the national debt to fall as a share of GDP, by a smidgeon, this year - from a record 80.4% of GDP to 80.2% of GDP - in large part because it plans to sell more shares in semi-nationalised Lloyds Bank and other banking assets acquired by the Treasury during the 2007-8 banking crisis. Since Labour has already committed to the spending targets for 2015-16, and since it presumably would also sell those banking assets if market conditions permit, Ed Balls could meet his target of cutting the debt within months of taking office. In other words, it is probably the very last bit of the lock - of achieving a surplus on the current budget "as soon

Summary: So how constraining on Labour is its self-imposed "Budget Responsibility Lock"?


Annie Besala Ekofo, 53, and Bervil Kalikaka-Ekofo, 21, were found dead in East Finchley on Thursday. Scotland Yard said officers will explore whether anyone else linked to their address could have been a target. It comes as their family released tributes to the pair. Police were called to the flat in Elmshurst Crescent by the London Ambulance Service early on Thursday morning. Four other people, including a child, were also at the property at the time of the incident but were not harmed. Officers said they were keeping an open mind as to a motive for the shooting. Launching a fresh appeal for witnesses, Det Ch Insp Andrew Partridge said: "We have already spoken to a number of people who have come forward and provided useful information. "Whilst the murders took place early in the morning, I am confident that there would have been people up and about, getting ready for work and school. "It is possible that someone may have noticed a stranger on the estate, or a vehicle that is not usually there." He said specially trained detectives were providing support to the "devastated" family. Mr Kalikaka-Ekofo, who was studying psychology at the University of West London, was described by his mother Maymie Botamba Chantelle as a "bright, intelligent young man... always caring for those around him". "He was always making people laugh," she said. "He was very creative and was in love with music, photography and art." His father, Patrick Ekofo, said his son "never looked for trouble. He was always the peaceful one". Mrs Besala was described by her family as a "wonderful and loving mother and wife, always smiling... a glue that kept everyone together".

Summary: Detectives investigating the killing of a mother-of-nine and her nephew in a shooting at their north London flat say they have not found any evidence to suggest they were the intended victims.


She told The Sun her three rivals were all "continuity Miliband" candidates who would not connect with aspirational low and middle income voters. It come as another contender, Yvette Cooper, sets out a plan to create two million high tech jobs. Ms Cooper, Ms Kendall, Andy Burnham and Jeremy Corbyn will take part in a leadership hustings later. The four MPs are vying to succeed Mr Miliband as Labour leader, with the result of the election to be announced in early September. The campaign so far has been dominated by the candidates' attitudes to Labour's election defeat and how far they are willing to distance themselves from the policies put forward by Mr Miliband. Claims by Ms Kendall and her supporters that only she would break from the past have led to a war of words between their rival camps. In an interview with the Sun, Ms Kendall said she made no apology for calling for a complete change of approach, claiming that "if we stick with what we have been saying for the last five or eight years, we will have the same result". "I think I am the only person in this race that isn't continuity Miliband," she said. "The other candidates haven't spelled out how they would be different from Ed Miliband." In a direct appeal to readers of the Sun, which was highly critical of Mr Miliband's leadership, Ms Kendall said Labour needed to show it could be trusted with people's money and had more to say to homeowners and those who run their own business. "We have got to get back to the values of the British people - work, responsibility, wanting to get on, wanting to be a success, and being proud of that - not making people ashamed or think somehow that they are doing something wrong." During a campaign visit to the University of Manchester, Ms Cooper will argue that Britain is being "left behind" as a country, with its spending on research and development and science lagging behind that of other comparable European economies. Even when major scientific discoveries are made in the UK, such as with graphene - a material that has been been touted as having the scope to transform electronics - she said the UK has often been slow to exploit their commercial potential. Acknowledging that Labour's relationship with business is in "real need of recovery", she said a future Labour government must aspire to spend 3% of the UK's national output on science and R&D to bring it into line with the likes of Germany. Such a financial commitment, backed by a 10-year plan, was needed to create two million high-skilled manufacturing jobs, she said. "Britain can't compete with Brazil or Indonesia on low-wage, low-skills jobs," she said. "But with high-skilled jobs in emergent technologies, in the harnessing of new technologies such as graphene, we can do what we've done before: punch well above our weight as a small island off the coast of Europe. That should be Labour's mission." All small businesses, she argued, should have guaranteed access

Summary: Liz Kendall says she is the only Labour leadership candidate who would fully break with Ed Miliband's leadership.


Culture Minister Helen Grant told MPs their future was "unresolved" and bookmakers must take immediate action to increase protection for players. People can wager £100 every 20 seconds on fixed-odds betting terminals. Labour said they were "an example of David Cameron's Britain" and councils should have new powers to curb them. But following a Commons debate, Labour's call for local authorities to be given new powers to restrict the growth of the machines was defeated by 314 to 232 votes. There are more than 33,000 fixed-odds betting terminals in the UK. The last Labour government relaxed the gambling laws, allowing bookmakers to start installing them. But the party has accused the gambling industry of exploiting those changes to target poorer parts of the country, It says fixed-odds betting terminals are acting as a magnet for crime and anti-social behaviour and local authorities should be given new powers to deal with "clusters" of shops opening together. They would also review the number of high-speed, high-stakes fixed-odds betting terminals allowed on bookmakers' premises and would take steps to make the machines less addictive by requiring pop-ups and breaks in play. Shadow culture minister Clive Efford said the last government had always maintained the machines should be kept under review. The "world had changed" since they were first licensed, he said, with the online gambling industry now worth more than £2bn. "These machines are an example of Cameron's Britain - one rule for constituents and another for big business which operate the betting shops," he said. Another Labour MP, Brian Donohue, said fixed-odds betting terminals had been "likened to cocaine" as they were "absolutely and totally addictive". Ministers insist that local authorities can already reject applications for new gambling premises and review existing licences. But Ms Grant acknowledged the growth of the machines was "concerning" and she expected the industry to introduce voluntary player protection measures, such as suspensions in play and automatic alerts when stakes hit a certain level, by March. She said the government was waiting for the findings of a study into "how [the machines] are used and the real impact on players" before deciding what further action may be needed. "There is no green light for these machines. Their future is unresolved pending the research we have started," she told MPs. Labour, she added, had liberalised gambling laws and accused them of "rank hypocrisy, total cynicism and outright opportunism". "Labour bought these machines into being and they have the audacity to bring forward a motion blaming the government for any harm caused," she said. The gambling industry insists it does not target deprived areas and has introduced a code of conduct for player protection and responsible gaming. "Betting is a pursuit enjoyed by millions of working class people throughout Britain and we seek to reach the widest audience possible by being present on High Streets," the Association of British Bookmakers said. "We accept there are concerns about these gaming machines and are always open to a constructive dialogue with politicians about the appropriate powers for local authorities." It added: "The claims

Summary: Ministers have said the growth of high-stakes roulette machines on the High Street is "concerning" and they do not rule out action to restrict them.


3 October 2016 Last updated at 13:34 BST Greater Ardoyne Residents Collective (GARC) supporters, including spokesperson Dee Fennell, confronted the high-profile priest after the Orange Order Parade passed the Ardoyne shops. A small crowd of protesters accused him of taking sides with Sinn FÃ©in and the Orange Order against a majority of local residents. Fr Donegan has ministered in the Ardoyne area for the last 15 years, and is due to take up new duties next week at the Tobar Mhuire retreat centre in Crossgar.

Summary: Fr Gary Donegan was confronted by a small crowd of angry protesters following Saturday's Orange Order march in north Belfast.


The 50-year-old Dubliner won two league titles with the Crues in 1995 and 1997 and began his managerial career at Seaview before taking charge of several League of Ireland clubs. His most recent position was as Roddy Collins' assistant at Waterford United. He replaces Kieran Harding, who quit last month after Carrick lost seven of their opening nine games. Callaghan was capped for the Republic of Ireland at Under-21 level. The defender played for Shelbourne, St Patrick's Athletic and English clubs Stoke City, Oldham, Crewe and Preston as well as having a successful spell in the Irish League with Crusaders. After replacing Roy Walker as manager for the 1998/99 season, he gained further managerial experience in the League of Ireland with Athlone Town, Longford Town, Bohemians and UCD. "I would like to transfer the identity of the club onto a professional platform and I look forward to working with all key stakeholders to achieve this objective," he said. "It's a league I have achieved great success as a player and a manager. "I am confident of improving the current squad's tactical, technical, psychological and physical abilities." Club secretary David Hilditch said he hopes the appointment "will bring stability to matters on the field" and develop the club. Callaghan's first game in charge will be an Irish Premiership match at home to Glenavon on Saturday. The club are in 11th place with four points from 11 games, with only Portadown further adrift because of their points deduction.

Summary: Former Crusaders defender and player-manager Aaron Callaghan is the new manager of Carrick Rangers.


The firm will resume in-house domestic vinyl production at a Japanese factory south-west of Tokyo by March 2018. The move comes amid renewed demand for old-fashioned black plastic records, which now occupy a key market niche. At one time, the format had been expected to disappear after the rise of CDs, digital downloads and streaming. During vinyl's long decline from the late 1980s onwards, many vinyl record factories closed down, with production confined to a few specialist independent firms. But this year, global vinyl revenue is expected to hit $1bn (Â£770m), with many consumers swearing by its supposedly superior sound quality. Analysis: Jonty Bloom, business correspondent They said the CD had killed it and that digital downloads had left it dead and buried: but vinyl is back. Sony, which played a major part in killing off vinyl by developing CDs, has seen them replaced in turn by other music technology such as downloads and streaming, but vinyl is increasingly popular once again. The format has been saved by a resurgence in demand, as it attracts not only nostalgic older consumers, but also younger generations who have rediscovered records, especially in clubs and at music festivals. Sony is even struggling to find older engineers who know how to make records. Part of the reason for the popularity of vinyl records may be that you can actually sell them in shops. In the UK, record sales brought in more money last year than streaming platforms - although the unit costs of vinyl is many times that of streaming. Vinyl records have been growing in popularity again in recent years, boosted by events such as Record Store Day in April every year, for which record companies produce special limited-edition singles and albums. Sony's move comes a few months after it equipped its Tokyo studio with a cutting lathe, used to produce the master discs needed for manufacturing vinyl records. It has not yet said which titles it will be pressing in vinyl, but big sellers in the format these days are a mixture of classic back-catalogue items and modern releases by new bands.

Summary: Sony Music, one of the big three global record companies, says it will start pressing its own vinyl releases again for the first time since 1989.


State House Speaker Thom Tillis defeated Mark Harris and Greg Brannon, who were seen as insurgent candidates. Mr Tillis avoided a runoff election by earning 46% of the vote in the eight-person race on Tuesday. Republicans aim to wrestle Senate control from the Democrats in November. "I want to go to Washington and clean up Kay Hagan's mess," Mr Tillis told supporters. "If we want to change the mess of Obamacare, we have to change our senator," he said, referring to President Barack Obama's signature healthcare reform law, which Republicans uniformly despise. "The North Carolina results are a strong indication that the GOP rank and file is undergoing a shift from prioritising purity to prizing victory." - James Hohmann, Politico "Though backed by establishment forces and, as a former management consultant, easily portrayed as a process-oriented tool of the party's business interests, Tillis has some conservative bona fides." - Eliana Johnson, National Review "If this race is any indication, the 'Republican civil war' storyline so beloved of pundits in recent years may have to be retired." - Molly Ball, the Atlantic "For conservatives, Thom Tillis was the worst possible outcome in North Carolina." - Eric Erickson, RedState blog For more, please visit the BBC's Echo Chambers blog Republicans have sought to capitalise on Democratic US President Barack Obama's low approval ratings and dissatisfaction with the healthcare law in their effort to wrestle six seats from Democrats and take control of the US Senate in November. "Thom Tillis has spent his time in Raleigh pushing a special-interest agenda that has rigged the system against middle-class families," Ms Hagan wrote in a statement. "This is not an agenda that works for working families, and his priorities are out of sync with our common-sense North Carolina values." Ms Hagan was elected in the 2008 Democratic wave and is seen as vulnerable in her first bid for re-election. Elsewhere on Tuesday, Republican House Speaker John Boehner easily defeated two candidates associated with the right-wing populist tea party movement in the Ohio Republican primary election. Republican Congresswoman Susan Brooks also beat challengers, winning 75% of primary votes in Indiana. The North Carolina primary in particular was viewed as a test of the Republican establishment's ability to exert its influence on the nomination process and keep more divisive tea party candidates off the ballot in November. In the 2010 and 2012 election cycles, the Republican Party watched as popular tea party candidates won party primaries only to flame out in the general election because their strident rhetoric turned off independent voters.

Summary: A North Carolina Senate candidate backed by the Republican Party establishment has won the party's nomination to face Democratic Senator Kay Hagan in the November election.


After last year's test which focused on a collapse in house prices in the UK, this year's test will have a more international flavour. Under the scenario, global growth will fall, the Chinese economy slow markedly and the UK and the eurozone will face a new bout of recession with rising unemployment and falling property prices. In Britain, the economy will contract by 2.3%. As the Bank grapples with the new crisis, interest rates in the UK are cut to zero. And as the global economy slumps, the oil price collapses to $38 and deflation - causing companies to withdraw investment - "increases the real burden of debt and increases market concerns". The world would see the worst levels of deflation since the 1930s. Some major global banks and companies could default on debt repayments. To be clear, the Bank's five-year scenario does not mean it believes these events will happen. This is what is called a "tail-risk" event. It could happen but the probability is exceedingly low. But then again, no-one predicted the severity of the financial crisis. And actually this scenario is not as bad as what actually happened in 2008, even though it is put in place to try to stop those calamitous events ever occurring again. Six banks will have their balance sheets tested against this stress test - HSBC, Barclays, Royal Bank of Scotland, Lloyds, Santander UK and Standard Chartered. The building society Nationwide will also be tested. Many believe that this will be a tougher test for banks with large international businesses - HSBC and Standard Chartered - than the UK domestic test of last year. Co-op Bank, a mainly UK bank, has been dropped from this year's test. "Last year's stress test demonstrated how much stronger the core of the UK financial system has become since the financial crisis," said Mark Carney, the governor of the Bank of England. "This year's test will have a different focus. "By assessing the resilience of the UK banking system against a major external shock, we will improve further our ability to identify vulnerabilities and we will ensure that banks have plans in place to address a wider range of possible stresses. "We are committed to ensuring our major banks are resilient [and] that they can weather shocks without calling on tax payer support." Under the scenario, banks will be obliged to continue lending to the UK economy, one of the biggest risks of a global turndown. The results of the tests, which bank officials believe are "severe", will be published in December. Banks might then be required to raise more capital to strengthened their balance sheets. One big missing piece of the stress test is a break up of the eurozone. That might seem odd, given events in Greece. But Bank officials explain that the eurozone is a more immediate issue and that the direct exposure of the UK banks to Greece is low at about £2bn. Put simply, British banks should already have in place the mechanisms to deal with a eurozone break-up.

Summary: The Bank of England has outlined its annual "stress test" - the exam Britain's major banks must go through to ensure they have enough available capital to withstand a global downturn.


Simmons, 52, was suspended in September for questioning the continued omissions of Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard. He issued a public apology to the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB). "I regret my public outburst during a press conference and the revelation of the vote that took place at the selection meeting," said Simmons. "I extend a public apology to all whom I may have offended. I have personally apologised to my fellow selectors and the WICB and now do so again publicly. "I am looking forward to putting this behind me and doing the job I enjoy with the West Indies' senior men's teams." Simmons played 26 Tests as an all-rounder for the West Indies between 1988 and 1997, and became head coach of their senior squads in March. Eldine Baptiste took over from Simmons for the current tour of Sri Lanka, with the West Indies losing both Tests and all three one-day internationals before Wednesday's concluding Twenty20 match.

Summary: West Indies have reinstated Phil Simmons as head coach of their senior squads after he apologised for criticising team selection.


Media playback is not supported on this device "Great to be here," he offered in a slightly less Americanised accent than I expected. "Raining as always." "I can't wait to play this week," he enthused to the assembled journalists. "I've been looking forward to this for a long time, probably four or five years to be honest." So have we Russell. It's exciting, even for battle weary Scottish journalists, to see someone performing at the top of their game on a world stage with the potential to go further. That's not beyond Knox and the next two weeks provide the perfect platform for him to deliver further on his potential and achieve many of his dreams. Victory at the this week's Scottish Open in his home town of Inverness would certainly be one. That would push him right up the list for Ryder Cup qualification. Then there's the matter of next week's Open at Troon. Currently 27th in the world rankings, 131 places above the nearest Scot, Richie Ramsay, Knox is Scotland's best hope to at least fight for these trophies. He is a contender in most tournaments these days, primarily on the PGA Tour, and for a place in Darren Clarke's Ryder Cup team. As his star rises, Knox remains adamant that playing in front of an expectant home crowd over the next two weeks won't be a hindrance, despite heightened expectation. His demeanour backs that up. He seems philosophical - what will be, will be. "It adds a little bit of pressure," he said. "We're used to it, every week you've got pressure. I put a lot of pressure on myself every time I play so I don't really feel added pressure. "I've been wanting to do this my whole life. I've been wanting to play on the PGA tour, European Tour, all the majors and hey, it's starting to happen. "I've been wanting to win tournaments, be in the top 20, 10 in the world, see how high I can get. "This is what I've been dreaming my whole life. I'm not sure if you're ever really ready for it but you've just got to do your best and go for it." There's a wider goal for Knox than doing well in his home country, or even achieving a dream Ryder Cup place. Getting into the top 20 or 30 players in the world is tremendously hard. Staying there is just as difficult, if not more challenging, and plenty of players have been there and fallen away. "Of course the goal is to stay inside the top 50 but you have to play well to do that," said Knox. "It's so hard to stay there. To be honest I don't know how I'm going to do. I could quite easily move forward or quite easily move back. "That's the hard thing about golf. It's such a hard game. One week you feel like you can hit any shot, then up comes a week like last week when you're like 'Am I even good enough to play golf?' I feel

Summary: Russell Knox has every right to beam from ear to ear, as he did for the majority of his 15-minute media gathering, after flying in from his base in the United States to a sodden Castle Stuart.


Part of the road from the West Circular Road to Lanark Way had been cordoned off since early on Tuesday afternoon. A police spokeswoman said Army bomb disposal officers "carried out an examination of a suspicious vehicle, however, nothing untoward was found". She said the vehicle has now been seized for examination.

Summary: The Springfield Road in west Belfast has reopened after a security alert.


Bethany Haines also told ITV News that she hoped her father's body would be returned to his family. Mr Haines, who was born in Yorkshire and educated in Perth, was killed by IS earlier this month. He had been taken hostage while carrying out aid work with refugees in Syria. Mr Haines had been living in Croatia with his second wife, who is Croatian, and their four-year-old daughter. His parents live in Ayr. His older daughter Bethany gave her television interview from her home in Scotland as MPs prepare to vote on military action against IS. The 17-year-old said: "IS need to be eradicated. They can't continue this way. They can't be doing this to people and get away with it. No matter what nationality, if they are Western or not. "Hundreds of Syrians have been killed by them. They need to be stopped. If airstrikes and ground force is what it takes, that's what it takes." Ms Haines said her family had been touched and moved by the messages of support they had received. She added: "Anyone who needed help he was there. Tragically he's lost his life doing what he loved but he wouldn't have stopped. Even if he'd come back after this he would've gone out again and again and again. He loved helping people. "He was such a bright character. Always making people laugh, telling jokes. He was a brilliant man. And he will be remembered like that by everyone who knew him and probably by people who didn't know him. "He will be remembered and not for the way he was shown in that video. But for the truly amazing work he did and the bright character he was." Bethany Haines said her father's commitment to helping others had encouraged her to follow his example. "I'm hoping to do some aid work after next year and do a bit of work with a charity," she said. "Hopefully it will spark a career doing that. He'd tell me of all the people he'd helped and I want to do that too."

Summary: The daughter of David Haines, who was killed by Islamist militants, has said the Islamic State (IS) group should be "eradicated".


US experts found B3, also known as nicotinamide, boosts the ability of immune cells to kill Staphylococcus bacteria. B3 increases the numbers and efficacy of neutrophils, white blood cells that can kill and eat harmful bugs. The study, in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, could lead to a "major change in treatment", a UK expert said. B3 was tested on Staphylococcal infections, such as the potentially fatal MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus). Such infections are found in hospitals and nursing homes, but are also on the rise in prisons, the military and among athletes. The scientists used extremely high doses of B3 - far higher than that obtained from dietary sources - in their tests, carried out both on animals and on human blood. And the researchers say there is as yet no evidence that dietary B3 or supplements could prevent or treat bacterial infections. The researchers say B3 appears to be able to "turn on" certain antimicrobial genes, boosting the immune cells' killing power. Prof Adrian Gombart, of Oregon State University's Linus Pauling Institute, who worked on the research, said: "This is potentially very significant, although we still need to do human studies. "Antibiotics are wonder drugs, but they face increasing problems with resistance by various types of bacteria, especially Staphylococcus aureus. "This could give us a new way to treat Staph infections that can be deadly, and might be used in combination with current antibiotics. "It's a way to tap into the power of the innate immune system and stimulate it to provide a more powerful and natural immune response." Prof Mark Enright, of the University of Bath, said: "Neutrophils are really the front line against infections in the blood and the use of nicotinamide seems safe at this dose to use in patients as it is already licensed for use. "This could cause a major change in treatment for infections alongside conventional antibiotics to help bolster patients immune system. "I would like to see in patient clinical trials but cannot see why this couldn't be used straight away in infected patients."

Summary: Vitamin B3 could be the new weapon in the fight against superbugs such as MRSA, researchers have suggested.


The United Airlines flight UA2081 took off from Edinburgh Airport at 14:22 but declared a second emergency a short time later. It comes a day after the same aircraft diverted to Edinburgh from London Heathrow with a fuel leak problem. There were no passengers on the plane. Edinburgh Airport officials said there had been no impact on operations. The plane landed back at Edinburgh at 15:30, after circling the airport for 10 minutes. An United Airlines spokesman said: "United Airlines flight UA2081 from Edinburgh to Chicago today (July 13, 2016), which was being repositioned and was not carrying any customers, returned to Edinburgh Airport after take-off because of a mechanical issue."

Summary: A plane bound for Chicago has been forced to make an emergency landing for the second time in two days.


Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe was sentenced to five years for allegedly plotting to topple the government in Tehran. Her husband, Richard Ratcliffe, has criticised the UK government for a lack of action and said the appeal against the term was happening in "secret". It is understood it is being held in Tehran on Wednesday. Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe, 38 has spent time in solitary confinement since her arrest at Tehran Airport last April, with her two-year-old daughter Gabriella. The child has remained in Iran after the government confiscated her passport and is being looked after by her grandparents. Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe was sentenced to five years in jail in September on charges that have not been disclosed. Mr Ratcliffe said the family could not go to his wife's appeal hearing and did not know when to expect a result as it was "another of these secret trials". He said: "Obviously her father is terrified, as am I. We are increasingly on tenterhooks as to what could happen." Mr Ratcliffe, 41, believes his wife is being used as a bargaining chip in a diplomatic row between Iran and the UK. He said he will know when the appeal has happened and what was said in the courtroom but the final outcome "might come today, it might come next week". There was a gap of about four weeks between his wife's trial and the verdict, he added. Mr Ratcliffe said his wife had felt suicidal and had started a hunger strike during her time in jail but there was "more fight in her" since being moved out of solitary confinement over Christmas. He told BBC Breakfast the outcome of the appeal was "unpredictable" as it could see her sentence quashed, reduced or increased. Speaking about his daughter, Mr Ratcliffe said: "I have watched her grow up on Skype. "She has lost her English, and she is now pretty much fluent in Farsi - with only a few words in English. "Conversations now either have to be translated through one of her aunts and uncles or they are very physical - so playing peekaboo and watching her dancing." Mr Ratcliffe said he was trying to get a visa so he could visit his wife and daughter. Amnesty International UK said Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe was a "prisoner of conscience" who was being held for "peacefully exercising her right to freedom of expression and association". Risk campaign manager Kathy Voss added: "Though she shouldn't even find herself in this awful position, we very much hope the appeal will rule in Nazanin's favour and order her immediate release."

Summary: The husband of a British-Iranian charity worker jailed in Iran is "terrified" about the outcome of his wife's appeal, he has said.


Mr Garner will join Nationwide in spring 2016 to replace current chief executive Graham Beale, who is retiring. He will leave Openreach, the fixed-line network provider, after almost two years in charge. Mr Garner said the Nationwide job was "too good to turn down". He said: "I've greatly enjoyed my time at Openreach and deciding to leave has been an extremely hard decision, but Nationwide is a firm I long-admired during my time in financial services." Mr Garner was previously head of HSBC UK, where he worked with banking clients including First Direct and Marks and Spencer Bank. Nationwide chairman David Roberts said: "Joe is an exceptional leader and is exactly the right person to lead the society through the next chapter of its journey." Gavin Patterson, the BT chief executive, said: "I am sad to see Joe leave but he is moving to a terrific job and I wish him well." His departure comes as communications regulator Ofcom investigates whether Openreach should be split off from BT. Rival internet providers argue BT has an unfair competitive advantage from owning the telecoms infrastructure business. Most internet service providers offer services through the pipes and cables run by Openreach.

Summary: Nationwide building society has appointed Joe Garner, currently boss of BT's Openreach unit, as its new chief executive.


The West Midlands officer and two other men are being questioned on suspicion of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice. Police said they were given "false and malicious information" suggesting an officer was to "be kidnapped as part of a terrorist plot". West Midlands police were put on high alert because of the hoax. The three Birmingham men are questioned by anti-terrorism and anti-corruption teams. The 28-year-old officer at Birmingham West & Central Local Policing Unit has also been arrested on suspicion of misconduct in a public office and misuse of police systems. The other men, aged 25 and 31, are also being questioned on suspicion of conspiracy to commit misconduct in a public office. The force issued an alert to officers and staff after receiving the anonymous tip-off on 8 December last year. It urged them to take extra precautions, including not wearing uniform during journeys to and from work. "At a time when the national threat level was severe, the threat was considered credible and police acted swiftly to protect officers and police staff," a police spokesman said. The three men are being questioned by detectives from West Midland Police's Anti-Corruption Unit, with support from the Counter Terrorism Unit. A 31-year-old man, who was arrested on the day of the offence, was eliminated from inquiries and has been deported.

Summary: Three men, including a police officer, have been arrested following a hoax terror plot to kidnap an officer.


Media playback is not supported on this device The 23-year-old earned GB's second medal of the Hong Kong championships following Elinor Barker's silver medal in the women's scratch on Wednesday. Latham emerged from the pack to take bronze as he chased down Adrian Teklinski of Poland, who won gold, and Lucass Liss of Germany, who got silver. In the men's team pursuit, GB were beaten to the bronze medal by Italy. Media playback is not supported on this device "I am really happy to come away with a medal, finally," Latham told the BBC. "I wasn't sure that Teklinski was going to hold on there. "I was in a decent position most of the time. I followed the Irish rider Felix English and I had a good lead out." Elsewhere Britain's sole rider in the men's keirin, Joe Truman, was outclassed in his semi-final, having tried to take the race out with two laps to go. And in the women's team pursuit, GB finished fifth in the heats and failed to make the bronze-medal ride. Olympic gold medallist Chris Boardman "Latham had a fantastic final charge. He timed his effort well there. "We hardly saw him in the race, he monitored things but that's why. He was waiting for that final sprint. And what a ride that was for him. "But with three laps to go, I would not have said that Teklinski would make it, but he found something from somewhere to just hang on there. "More than 2km out, he effectively started to sprint. It will take him some time to recover from that." Six-time Olympic gold medallist Sir Chris Hoy "I don't think that would be expected. It's the kind of event you can never be super-confident of winning or winning a medal in. "But if you ride sensibly, which he did, he positioned himself very well and didn't waste any energy in the first part of the race. "He marked the danger men and clearly had the legs for the sprint at the end. That's fantastic, a really great result for him and the team." Team pursuit Olympic gold medallist Elinor Barker came into the quartet of Emily Nelson, Manon Lloyd and Ellie Dickinson. The young squad were unable to compete for a medal but Barker remained positive about their progress. She told the BBC: "It's the first Worlds for all of these girls and it's made it a lot more exciting. "The level is so high already physically and technically. We have so much scope for improvement. It's such a good place to be in. "Four years until Tokyo and we've just come fifth at the Worlds." Double Olympic gold medallist Joanna Rowsell Shand said on BBC TV: "Coming into the competition, I don't think anyone expected them to medal. "Until Elinor Barker joined the team today, we had four brand new riders. With an average age of 19, they've all got bright futures ahead of them." Earlier in the day, Olympic bronze medallist Katy Marchant was eliminated from the women's sprint in the first round. The

Summary: Great Britain's Chris Latham won a bronze medal in the men's scratch race at the Track World Championships.


The 27-year-old had been set for a rematch with Nate Diaz, who beat him in their welterweight fight in March, at the Las Vegas event in July. After a dispute over promotional duties, UFC president Dana White said organisers were looking for a replacement for the Irishman. But McGregor said on Sunday: "Happy to announce that I am back on UFC 200." Writing on social media, he added: "Shout out to Dana White and Lorenzo Fertitta on getting this one done for the fans. Respect." But US media, including the Los Angeles Times, quoted White as saying: "We haven't talked to Conor or his manager since the press conference. I don't know why he would tweet that." And McGregor's manager John Kavanagh later added: "I'm 51% optimistic and 49% pessimistic, if you want to know my feelings on it." McGregor started speculation he was quitting last week when he tweeted: "I have decided to retire young. Thanks for the cheese." But in a statement two days later, he said: "I am not retired." White claimed McGregor was withdrawn from the card for refusing to fly to Las Vegas for a news conference and promotional photographs. In his statement, the fighter claimed he was being asked to do too much promotional work by the UFC and was not able to concentrate on his training.

Summary: Conor McGregor says he is back on the card for UFC 200, but event organisers claim no new talks have taken place.


A total of 1,400 tickets have sold out for the opening weekend at Bramall Hall in Stockport, Greater Manchester after renovation work began in 2014. Stained glass windows and ceilings have been restored, while the public will be able to visit the dining room and butler's pantry for the first time. Councillor Kate Butler, from Stockport Council, called it the "jewel in the crown" of the town's heritage. The manor dates back to the reign of William the Conqueror when he bestowed the lands upon one of his followers, Hamon de Masci, who became the first Baron of Dunham Massey. Since then the estate has been under the ownership of just three families: the Davenports, De Bromales and Nevills. In 1936, the timber-framed hall and its surrounding parkland was handed over to the local council. The transformation followed a £1.6m grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund and £400,000 in council funding.

Summary: A Tudor manor house has reopened following a £2.2m makeover.


We are aware that this interactive video may not work on some older browsers. You can find a non-interactive version of the content below. In this interactive video, Robert Opie - the founder of the Museum of Brands, Packaging and Advertising in London - outlines some of the main reasons why we change what we buy. The arrival of the domestic freezer, of washing powder, and of cheaper imports all affected the sort of items on sale and popular among UK consumers. The interactive elements to this video also explore how ownership and ranking of some of the biggest brands in the UK is changing. The video works best in full screen Click on the links below to read the extra information used in this video in a non-interactive format: What in the world does China own? Top tips on freezing food, BBC Good Food Annual survey ranking the top 20 consumer brands in the UK Museum of Brands, Packaging and Advertising

Summary: Advancing technology and manufacturing techniques are among the ingredients of our changing consumer tastes.


Britain remained firmly opposed to any move towards creating an EU army, Sir Michael Fallon said, as it would simply undermine Nato. And yet it wasn't on the agenda when EU defence ministers met in Slovakia and barely anyone is talking about the idea. There are no plans for legions of Eurotroops decked out in helmets emblazoned with yellow stars on a blue background. UK will oppose plan for 'EU army' Juncker proposes EU military HQ Brexit vote revives EU army dream It's difficult, indeed pointless, to oppose something that doesn't exist and isn't being suggested. But that's the problem with the argument over the EU's future military capabilities; for now it's a battle of semantics, a war of words. Instead the official agenda here in Bratislava spoke of "the EU Global Strategy and its synergies and sequencing with the Commission-led EDAP". But for Sir Michael Fallon there's already much to dislike. France and Germany presented proposals that would include joint development of military hardware such as helicopters and drones, expanding the EU's peace-keeping missions and, most contentiously of all, establishing a permanent joint European military HQ. "We will continue to oppose any kind of duplication like that, or any unnecessary bureaucracy that cuts across the primary mechanism for defending Europe, which is Nato," Mr Fallon told reporters. He was by no means alone in opposing such "bureaucratic duplication", he said. Germany insists that the idea has nothing to do with a European army. "It is not aimed against Nato," said Defence Minister Ursula Von der Leyen. "On the contrary, we need a strong Europe and whatever strengthens Europe in defence also strengthens Nato." And those words were underlined by Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, who told reporters at the meeting that there was "no contradiction between strong European defence and a strong Nato". The importance lay in avoiding duplication, he said. When he stepped out of the meeting, the UK defence secretary said that 12 countries had spoken and half were against the EU military headquarters, including Sweden, the Netherlands, Poland, Latvia and Lithuania. The BBC couldn't immediately verify that. EU foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini said after the informal summit that "in our three hours discussion on this topic with all the ministers, I never heard once the word 'veto', I never heard once the word 'blocking', and I never heard once the word 'army'," she said. Primarily Sir Michael said he remained sceptical about European willingness to stump up the cash for new defence projects when only a handful of European countries met their existing defence budget obligations to Nato. "The real issue is whether they're prepared to step up to the 2% (of GDP on defence spending) as we already have," Mr Fallon told reporters. "There are half a dozen of them in that room who don't spend 1%," he said, explaining why he was cool towards Europe's common defence ambitions. "Europe is full of Eurosceptics now. We are all Eurosceptics."

Summary: The UK defence secretary was adamant.


It was a "good opportunity" and "a chance to work together," a top Western Sahara official told the BBC. Morocco controls two-thirds of Western Sahara and sees it as part of its historic territory. However some, including the UN, see Western Sahara as Africa's last colony. Africa Live: More on this and other stories Find out more about Western Sahara A referendum was promised in 1991 but never carried out due to wrangling over who was eligible to vote. Thousands of Sahrawi refugees still live in refugee camps in Algeria - some have been there for 40 years. It is not clear what happens next but Western Sahara is hopeful that a committee set up by the AU will address the issues that both sides have raised. Some AU delegates said that it would be easier to resolve the issue with Morocco inside the AU. Sidi Mohammed, a Western Sahara official, told the BBC that Morocco's return to the AU means that it would now be expected to put "in practice decisions taken by the AU with regard to a referendum in Western Sahara". Mr Mohammed dismissed the suggestion that Morocco would now seek to get the AU to change its position, saying that the no country could unilaterally change the AU fundamental agreement, saying it opposed colonisation. In his speech at the AU summit, King Mohammed VI of Morocco said the readmission was not meant to divide the continental body. No. Algeria has always been a big supporter of Western Sahara's Polisario Front and it had wanted Morocco to accept independence of the territory as a condition for readmission. Zimbabwe and South Africa were also supportive of this stance but they were outnumbered by those who wanted Morocco back in the fold. There is no specific provision in the AU charter that bars any country from joining it. Morocco simply applied and the request was accepted by more than two-thirds of the 53 members. Morocco has been involved in intense lobbying and applied in July last year to rejoin the continental body. King Mohammed toured various African countries seeking support for the bid. No. While culturally the country's identity aligns with Arab states, its economic interests increasingly lie in Africa. This is a strategic move to continue exploring its interests in mining, construction, medical, insurance and banking sectors on the continent. Moroccan troops went into Western Sahara after Spain withdrew in 1975. Kitesurfing in a danger zone Inside world's most remote film festival Profile: African Union

Summary: Western Sahara has welcomed Morocco's readmission to the African Union, 32 years after members refused to withdraw support for the territory's independence.


The 35-year-old's Mercedes was stopped by police after it almost hit a lorry in north London on 20 December. Carlisle admitted failing to provide a sample to police and driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence. He was also ordered to carry out 150 hours' unpaid work at Highbury Corner Magistrates' Court. District judge Susan Williams also ordered him to pay Â£145 in costs and charges. She said that, although Carlisle had made a "positive contribution" to others through football, she had to sentence him for the risk his "erratic" driving had created. "If you are not in control of your vehicle in a road in central London you represent a danger to people," she said. At a hearing in March, the court heard Carlisle's Mercedes had been spotted "swerving" and "almost mounting the pavement" in Pentonville Road. After his arrest, the court heard, he refused to give a breath sample and demanded to speak to his solicitor. Lisa Judge, defending, said he allowed the matter to "escalate out of all control" and "unfortunately" believed he had the right to see a lawyer, instead of being breathalysed. Carlisle has revealed he attempted to take his own life two days afterwards, when he was hit by a lorry on the A64 near York. Miss Judge described the arrest as having happened while he was "in an extremely dark place in terms of his own life". Carlisle is now so sorry about what happened that the court-ordered medical report on him "utterly oozes remorse", Miss Judge said. The court was told Carlisle had been involved in "excess drinking offences" in 1999 and 2011. He played for teams including Burnley, Queens Park Rangers, Leeds United and Northampton Town and was also the chairman of the Professional Footballers' Association.

Summary: Former Premier League footballer Clarke Carlisle has been banned from driving for three years after he admitted drinking and driving.


The game is England's first competitive match since their tame World Cup exit. Hodgson said: "We have to play well and do well here. If the result costs us we have to make sure we learn from losing the battle and win the war. "Winning this game does not make a great team in 2016. Neither does losing it make us a poor team in 2016." Monday's game marks the start of England's qualifying for the tournament in France, which will see 24 teams compete at a European Championships for the first time. Media playback is not supported on this device After playing Switzerland, Hodgson's side will play a further nine Group E games over the course of the next 13 months as they look to secure their place at the finals. The top two in each group will qualify for the tournament automatically, along with the best third-placed side. The eight other third-place sides will then contest play-offs. England's last competitive game was the goalless draw in a dead rubber against Costa Rica in Brazil in June, which saw them go out at the group stage after defeats to Italy and Uruguay. Hodgson, who was appointed England manager in 2012 and led them to the quarter-finals of the European Championships that year, admits the pain of the World Cup still lingers. However, he claims arguably the most testing fixture in England's Euro 2016 group does not mean a completely fresh start as he looks to build towards the European Championship finals in two years' time. "We are not in an embryonic stage," he added. "We are carrying on, despite the massive blow of the World Cup. It's not a totally new team. "Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Ross Barkley and Raheem Sterling were working with us before and so they're not new, but it's an early stage. We have to make sure after these next two years that we are very, very strong." The game against the Swiss follows on from England's unconvincing 1-0 friendly win against Norway at Wembley last Wednesday, after which Hodgson was visibly angered when confronted with the statistic that his side only had two shots on target, including Wayne Rooney's winner from the penalty spot in the second half. Asked whether he was now seeing the nasty side of being England manager after post-World Cup criticism, Hodgson said: "There is no nasty side. I love this job. It's a magnificent job. To have the chance to coach your country is the pinnacle of any coaching career. "Am I aware that after the World Cup and the enormous disappointment that followed there may have been a slight swing in popularity? I'd have been surprised had there not been. "I will have to live with external ideas and thoughts and accept them. I'm sure we will never really be able to explain to people how badly we felt on the plane home. "It's all very well being asked how you feel - you put words to it - but the feelings we had in the dressing room after the Uruguay game

Summary: Manager Roy Hodgson insists England's immediate future will not be shaped by their opening Euro 2016 qualifier against Switzerland in Basel on Monday.


Khieu Samphan, the former head of state, and Nuon Chea, Pol Pot's deputy, are already on trial for war crimes and crimes against humanity. The second trial includes a charge of genocide related to killings of Vietnamese and Cham Muslim minorities. The cases are being tried separately to accelerate proceedings, because the defendants are elderly. A verdict in the first case, meanwhile, is expected on 7 August. Prosecutors are seeking life sentences for the two former leaders. The Khmer Rouge ruled Cambodia for four years, from 1975 to 1979. Up to two million people are thought to have died of starvation, overwork or by execution under the brutal Maoist regime. Leader Pol Pot died in 1997 and only one senior official - former prison chief Duch - has been convicted and jailed for crimes committed by the regime. Two other leaders were to be tried, but Ieng Sary - the former foreign minister - died last year and his wife, former social affairs minister Ieng Thirith, was ruled unfit to stand trial. The first trial has largely focused on crimes committed as the urban population was forcibly moved into rural labour camps. The second trial will address the roles of Nuon Chea, 88, and Khieu Samphan, 83, in the killings of tens - possibly hundreds - of thousands of people from Cambodia's ethnic minority groups. The issue of forced marriages and rape will also be covered by proceedings. The opening hearing takes place today, with the trial expected to continue possibly until 2016.

Summary: The last two surviving leaders of Cambodia's Khmer Rouge regime are to begin their second trial in Phnom Penh.


A bomb exploded after being thrown at Coalisland police station on 26 March 1997. The 37-year-old man has been charged with causing an explosion. He is due to appear at Dungannon Magistrates' Court on Wednesday.

Summary: A man has been charged over a bomb attack on a County Tyrone police station 18 years ago.


Saunders has left Wrexham after three years to succeed Sean O'Driscoll at Doncaster Rovers. Morrell will be in charge for Saturday's Blue Square Bet Premier game at Grimsby. "I spoke to the directors on arriving at Colliers Park this morning and they have asked if I would take on the first team affairs," said Morrell. Doncaster-born Morrell is in his second spell at the Racecourse after being re-signed by Saunders in June 2010. The 35-year-old had originally joined the north Wales club from non-league side Newcastle Blue Star in 1998. Morrell left the Racecourse to join Coventry City on a free transfer in 2003 before spells with Blackpool and Bury. "I'm only too happy to help out," Morrell told Wrexham's official website. "It's come a little bit earlier than I was planning but you can't turn down such an opportunity, they don't arise too often "I feel I still have plenty to offer as a player and this will also allow me to see what life is like on the other side of the fence." Morrell will be assisted by coaches Brian Carey and Michael Oakes for Saturday's trip to Grimsby Town. Morrell scored a record seven goals for Wrexham in a FAW Premier Cup tie against Merthyr Tydfil Saunders succeeded Brian Little as Dragons boss in October 2008 but Morrell said the job at Doncaster was one which the former Wales striker could not refuse. "Personally I can only wish him well at Doncaster and thank him for all the help he has given me," said Morrell. "But it's fantastic for him to get such an opportunity and it also reflects well on our club. "

Summary: Wrexham have put striker Andy Morrell in temporary charge following the departure of Dean Saunders.


28 December 2015 Last updated at 20:11 GMT The woman's husband was rescued from the blaze and is being treated in hospital. Clodagh Rice has been to the scene.

Summary: An elderly woman has died in a house fire in Enniskillen.


But one nation, Russia, was missing. For the first time in Eurovision history, the host nation barred another country's singer. That is because in 2015, in violation of Ukrainian border rules, Russia's Julia Samoilova performed in Crimea, the Ukrainian peninsula annexed by Russia a year earlier. Samoilova suffers from a neural muscular disorder and has used a wheelchair since childhood. "When the rumours began I might not go, I was so sad," she told the BBC in Moscow. "I thought, how come? This was my dream. When the final decision was taken I didn't believe it. But unfortunately, this is the reality." "I think it's a stupid reaction," Russian MP Vitaly Milonov tells me. "They're even afraid of such a small girl to enter Kiev." Even before Ukraine's ban, Mr Milonov had called for a Russian boycott of Eurovision: "Eurovision became a disgusting socialist nightmare for all these left-wing parties with all their bearded women, or men, with these anti-Christian positions. "I am sure that most conservatives in the world will never attend this festival. Because this is a festival of Sodom and Gomorrah." It is supposed to be a festival of peace and friendship but there is not much sign of either in relations between Kiev and Moscow. In eastern Ukraine, 10,000 people have been killed in three years of war: a war in which Russia is directly involved through its military support for separatist rebels. Crimea remains a source of tension and Eurovision is the latest battleground. "Since 2014, we've had a law in Ukraine that punishes people who illegally cross our border when they visit Crimea," says Ukrainian MP Olha Chervakova. "Did Russia know this? Of course. Did Russia know that Julia Samoilova would fall foul of this law? Of course. In other words, entering her in the contest was a conscious provocation to create a huge political scandal." The ban created a huge headache for Eurovision organisers, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU). Eurovision's Executive Supervisor Jon Ola Sand said in March that Ukraine's decision went "against both the spirit of the contest and the notion of inclusivity that lies at the heart of its values". In an unprecedented move, the EBU offered Russia the chance to take part by satellite from Moscow. Russia declined: after the dramas of last year's Eurovision, Moscow was in no mood to compromise. Ukraine's 2016 winning entry, 1944, sung by Jamala, was about Joseph Stalin's deportation of Crimea's Tatar population. Russia had argued that Jamala's song broke contest rules for being of a political nature. When it won, Moscow cried foul and said there was politics at play. Now Russia seems determined to make not only Ukraine look bad, but the entire Eurovision Song Contest. When strangers are coming, they come to your house, they kill you and say 'we're not guilty' Recently, two Russian pranksters - posing as Ukraine's prime minister and his assistant - released online a telephone conversation they had recorded with a woman they claimed was EBU Director General Ingrid Deltenre. If this is the voice of the EBU's

Summary: Performers from 42 countries strode down a long red carpet near Ukraine's parliament this week, as a curtain-raiser to this year's Eurovision Song Contest.


Stamp duty would raise less money per head in Wales than the rest of the UK, the Wales Governance Centre claims. The Cardiff University experts fear the UK Treasury could cut the block grant based on revenue predictions inflated by the London property market. They have called for the figures to be adjusted to set Wales "a more realistic and achievable target". Control of property and landfill taxes passes to Wales in April 2018, with the prospect of power over income tax rates to follow. Until now, the Welsh Assembly and Welsh Government have largely been funded by a block grant from the UK Treasury. Negotiations are due to begin in the autumn over how much the grant will be cut as Wales raises more of its own income. On the subject of stamp duty, a Wales Governance Centre report said there was a "very significant difference" between revenues per head in Wales and the UK as a whole. It claimed it could result in a "large negative impact" on the Welsh budget - about £50m a year - if the higher UK figure was taken as the benchmark for income. Report author Ed Poole said changes to grant funding "exposes the Welsh Government to the deep-rooted differences in UK housing market conditions". He added: "In many ways, the property market of London and south east England is detached to that of the rest of the UK and is heavily influenced by international factors totally outside the control of the Welsh Government. "And that distinct nature of London's property market has further amplified since the UK's vote to leave the European Union. "Excluding revenues from London and south east England from the adjustment calculations would still provide an incentive for the Welsh Government to grow the Welsh tax base, but with a more realistic and achievable target."

Summary: Wales could suffer a budget shortfall if devolved taxes do not make up for grant cuts, academics have warned.


They say 40% of coral has died at the Dongsha Atoll in the South China Sea. Nothing as severe has happened on Dongsha for at least 40 years, according to experts. Anne Cohen of Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts, US, said the high water temperatures of 2015/16 were devastating for reef systems globally, including Dongsha. Coral bleaching - where corals turn white and may die - was the worst on record for Australia's iconic Great Barrier Reef in 2016. The barrier reef has absorbed a lot of the attention, but other reefs around the world were also severely affected, said Dr Cohen. "The 2015/2016 El Nino was devastating for reef systems in other parts of the world as well, including Dongsha Atoll and reefs in the central Pacific, where some of the most pristine coral reefs are located and of course, the US Pacific Remote Marine National Monument," she said. "We observed devastating bleaching in that area as well." Only last week, scientists published observations of three major die-offs of coral at the Great Barrier Reef in 2016, 2002 and 1998. They concluded that the only way to preserve the world's coral reefs is to take drastic action to reduce global warming. The study of the Dongsha Atoll, reported in the journal, Scientific Reports, echoes this finding. "Based on what we observed on Dongsha, a 2 degree cap on ocean warming may not be enough to save coral reefs," Dr Cohen told BBC News. "This is because coral reefs are shallow water ecosystems and a tweak in the local weather can turn that 2 degrees Celsius into a 6 degrees Celsius warming." The Dongsha Atoll, located in the South China Sea, near south-eastern China and the Philippines, is rich in marine life and is regarded as one of the world's most important coral reefs. The researchers said on its own, a 2 degrees Celsius rise in temperatures was unlikely to cause widespread damage to coral reefs in the region. But, a high-pressure system caused temperatures to spike to 6 degrees, leading to the death of 40% of coral over the course of six weeks. They argue that predictions of the future of coral reefs may be "overly optimistic" for some reefs in shallow water. Bleaching happens when high water temperatures cause corals to expel the algae they depend upon. The Australian government confirmed in March that widespread coral bleaching is happening on the Great Barrier Reef for the fourth time in history. Follow Helen on Twitter.

Summary: Scientists are warning of another "devastating" loss of coral due to a spike in sea temperatures.


Total catches of cod, haddock and plaice have been increased, the Scottish government said. Catches of saithe, whiting and herring will be decreased in line with long-term management plans. Talks between the EU and Norway agreed the total allowable catch for cod would be 29,189 tonnes, 5% up on 2014. The increase will give UK fishermen an additional 542 tonnes and Scottish fishermen around 343 tonnes. A 6% increase in the haddock catch to 40,711 tonnes gives the UK an additional 3,468 tonnes and Scottish fishermen more than 2,500 extra tonnes. Scottish Fisheries Secretary Richard Lochhead said: "I am pleased there has been an increase in the quota of these key stocks for next year which is in line with the recent scientific advice that the stocks are in good shape. "It is welcome the agreement has been reached quickly this year compared to the protracted talks last year and will provide certainty for the industry about opportunities in 2015 and avoids any delays to the commencement of fishing in the new year. "There is much to be done to prepare for the discard ban which starts to come into force for white fish from 2016. This outcome will help these stocks continue to rebuild next year while also helping to minimise discards, and should provide a sound launchpad for establishing the following year's quota under the ban. "We now look ahead to the crucial December EU fisheries council when we will be highlighting again that our vessels need to retain the number of days they can go to sea as any cut would simply be counterproductive." UK Fisheries Minister George Eustice said the agreements were an "excellent result for the UK". He said: "It sees UK fishermen getting a 5% increase in their quota for cod - the second successive rise in annual cod quota in two years. The increase is an encouraging sign that we are achieving our goals; a thriving fishing industry with sustainable fish stocks. "The deal also saw a 7% rise in North Sea haddock and 15% rise in plaice quotas. This is great news for our fisheries ahead of vital quota negotiations next month where I will be representing UK fishermen."

Summary: Early agreement has been reached on North Sea fishing quotas for next year, with an increase in key stocks for Scottish fishermen.


The location is central but insalubrious - squashed between fast-food shops at the scruffy end of Nemanjina Street, within sight of the city's main railway station. The hubbub around the door and signs in the window handwritten in Arabic script indicate that arrivals from the Middle East are still coming to Serbia's capital. Inside, there is organised chaos. On the ground floor, young men lounge awkwardly in hard-backed chairs, waiting for their turn on the computers lined up on one side of the room. Those in front of the machines don headsets and hold ebullient Skype conversations. Upstairs, the atmosphere is completely different. Bewildered-looking families gather in a stuffy "safe space" operated by Save The Children. Parents usher their children over to a pile of toys, while a small boy cries inconsolably. The distinctive aroma of the refugee trail - damp, unwashed clothes - begins to fill the room. "They are Yazidi people from Iraq," says Marjan, a translator struggling to find a common language with the new arrivals. There are more than two dozen people in this extended family group. They did not follow the classic route to Serbia via Greece and Macedonia, but came over the country's eastern border with Bulgaria. In the centre's strip-lighted, windowless meeting room, the overflowing ashtrays and half-drunk mugs of Turkish coffee suggest that it has been a stressful morning. The centre's manager, Vladimir Sjekloca, breaks off to explain the situation. "There are always people in Belgrade," he says. "Around 400-500 a day." Vladimir says the increasing restrictions imposed by countries along the Balkan route - and finally its official closure (although hundreds of people have found a way through the border fence to cross from Greece into Macedonia) - have not stopped people seeking a way to western Europe. They have just changed the means. "Coming in through Bulgaria - it's an old smuggling route and it'll be used more often. The Afghans tell us, 'It's cheaper to come that way [than the sea crossing from Turkey to Greece] and anyway we can't swim.'" Before its closure, countries along the route had been co-ordinating transport so that people would be taken from Macedonia to Slovenia's border with Austria on officially provided trains and buses. It was a reasonably smooth process which greatly reduced the possibility of refugees falling into the hands of people smugglers. But now people who are desperate or determined to reach western Europe are once again dealing with unscrupulous elements. "The journey through Bulgaria is full of ill-treatment," says Vladimir. "People suffer at the hands of the mafia and people smugglers - and they don't get protection from the system. In fact, they can get ill-treated by the Bulgarian police or put in jail. They have set dogs on refugees - we've seen people with dog bites who've been severely beaten by the mafia or the police." Some of the people at the Asylum Information Centre have learned the hard way that people smugglers and even the authorities may not have their best interests at heart. Ali Hashem Zade, a 27-year-old

Summary: The Balkan route may officially be closed, but the Asylum Information Centre in Belgrade is very much open - and doing a roaring trade.