The country's consumer watchdog has taken Apple to court for false advertising because the tablet computer does not work on Australia's 4G network. Apple's lawyers said they were willing to publish a clarification. However the company does not accept that it misled customers. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) said on Tuesday: "Apple's recent promotion of the new 'iPad with wi-fi + 4G' is misleading because it represents to Australian consumers that the product can, with a sim card, connect to a 4G mobile data network in Australia, when this is not the case." The watchdog then lodged a complaint at the Federal Court in Melbourne. At a preliminary hearing, Apple lawyer Paul Anastassiou said Apple had never claimed the device would work fully on the current 4G network operated by Telstra. Apple says the new iPad works on what is globally accepted to be a 4G network. The matter will go to a full trial on 2 May. The Apple iPad's third version went on sale earlier this month, with Australia the first country where it was available. Shoppers lined up by the hundreds at Apple stores on opening day and the company said it had been its strongest iPad launch to date. The ACCC said it was seeking an injunction on sales as well as a financial penalty against Apple, corrective advertising and refunds to consumers. On its website, Apple does state that 4G LTE is only supported on selected networks in the US and Canada.

Summary: US technology firm Apple has offered to refund Australian customers who felt misled about the 4G capabilities of the new iPad.


No international side has toured Bangladesh since 20 people were killed in a siege at a cafe in Dhaka in July. The England and Wales Cricket Board said in August that tour would go ahead following a security review. Jos Buttler will captain the one-day side, with the squads for the one-day and Test series to be named on Friday. The tour features three one-day internationals followed by two Test matches. Morgan has followed his own course, with the assurance ringing in his ears that nothing is going to happen, and I don't see how they can now sack him England director of cricket Andrew Strauss said: "While we understand and respect Eoin and Alex's decision, we are disappointed that they have made themselves unavailable for selection for the Bangladesh tour." He added that no further withdrawals are expected following "open and honest" discussions with all the players. England players Stuart Broad, Moeen Ali, Chris Jordan and Liam Dawson have all publicly said they will tour Bangladesh. Former England captain Michael Vaughan has described Morgan's decision as a "huge mistake", while Nasser Hussain, another ex-skipper of the national side, said Morgan "should be with his team". But team-mate Ben Stokes tweeted his support for both players. England fly out on 29 September, with the one-day series starting on 7 October and the Test series on 20 October. They follow that with a tour of India, which begins on 9 November and features five Tests, three ODIs and three Twenty20s. Morgan, 29, said this week that he would never go on a tour where security concerns may affect his game. "In 2010, we played an Indian Premier League game in Bangalore and a bomb went off in the ground," he said. "We left and went straight to the airport. "Another one was playing domestic cricket in Bangladesh during political elections and things were incredibly violent. Given that no-one has toured there since the terrorist attack adds a bigger decision to it." Bowlers Andrew Caddick and Robert Croft pulled out of England's 2001 tour of India because of safety concerns following the 9/11 attacks in New York. "I was adamant I didn't want to go and stuck to what I thought was right," Caddick told BBC Radio 5 live's Sportsweek programme before Morgan and Hales made their announcement on Sunday. "It's slightly different now. The security they implement in world cricket is quite high, whereas back in 2001 it wasn't. "Eoin Morgan has experienced risks to security in the past. Nobody else in the England team has. It's a personal decision and it should stay that way." Former spinner Graeme Swann, who was part of the England squad that returned to India after the Mumbai bombings in 2008, said he would not travel to Bangladesh if he was still playing. "We are a target," he said. "If I was in that situation, I wouldn't go." Ex-England skipper Vaughan told BBC Radio 5 live that Morgan should go on the tour. "I don't think the captain had any other option but to get on the

Summary: England one-day captain Eoin Morgan and opening batsman Alex Hales have opted out of October's tour of Bangladesh because of security concerns.


In a nod to Mr Trudeau's fondness for statement socks, he wore Canada-themed mountie and maple leaf print ones to welcome his first foreign visitor. Mr Trudeau opted for a more subtle striped pair on his first official engagement in the Republic of Ireland. The Canadian premier is in the country for a three-day visit. Away from talk of socks, trade issues are set to dominate the agenda, with the Canada-EU free trade deal expected to be a focal point of talks between the two leaders. Mr Trudeau arrived in Dublin with his wife, Sophie GrÃ©goire, and their youngest son, Hadrien, on Monday. He is in Europe for a key G20 summit in Hamburg, Germany later this week. Mr Trudeau is also due to meet Irish President Michael D Higgins at his official residence. The visit was arranged in May when Mr Varadkar's predecessor Enda Kenny met the Canadian leader in Montreal. On that occasion, Mr Trudeau wore special Star Wars themed socks, as it coincided with the widely-celebrated Star Wars Day on 4 May.

Summary: Irish Taoiseach (PM) Leo Varadkar has engaged in some "sock diplomacy" in his first meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in Dublin.


The Subsea Power Hub (SPH) is being tested by Aberdeen based EC-OG at Shapinsay Sound, Orkney. The company said the system is "performing in line with technical predictions". The unit will be left to operate autonomously over the summer months while it is checked using wireless data monitoring. EC-OG said the SPH is a ground-breaking hybrid drive system which uses a marine energy convertor to produce energy which is stored in a lithium-based unit. Engineering director Robert Cowman said: "Although the weather was not on our side, we were still able to successfully complete the installation and commence testing ahead of schedule. "The system is performing very well and I'm pleased at how quickly the results are correlating with the theoretical basis for the test. Having a vertical axis turbine, means that the SPH is operating effectively in these unpredictable, sporadic flow conditions. "Thanks go to the EC-OG team as well as those who have helped us at EMEC, Leask Marine, Castle View and Scottish Enterprise."

Summary: A new ocean current energy system has been successfully deployed, according to the company behind it.


The last quarter saw insolvencies rise year-on-year by 17.3% to 2,839, according to official figures. Paul Wheelhouse claimed there was "no question" austerity had led to "more people suffering the anxiety and distress of insolvency". The Scottish Conservatives called on the Scottish government to do more to help people deal with personal debt. Accountant in Bankruptcy (AiB), which administers the process of bankruptcy and records corporate insolvencies, said personal bankruptcies increased by 11.2% year-on-year to 1,289 in the three months to 30 June. Protected trust deeds rose 22.9% over the same period to 1,550. The number of debt payment programmes under the Debt Arrangement Scheme (DAS) - which allows debtors to pay their debts in full without facing insolvency - were also up by 16.8%, to 597. A total of Â£9.4m was repaid through DAS in the latest quarter, up from Â£9.3m repaid in the same period last year. Responding to the figures, Mr Wheelhouse said: "On the personal insolvency front, there is no question that continuing austerity has led to incomes being squeezed and more people suffering the anxiety and distress of insolvency as a result. "But it is nevertheless important we acknowledge that the longer term trend of people accessing statutory debt relief and debt management solutions is a declining oneâ€Ž and numbers of people falling into insolvency are around half of the levels reported at the turn of the decade." The Scottish Conservatives said the personal insolvency figures showed "just how much some are struggling". Finance spokesman Murdo Fraser said: "It's incredibly worrying to see such a sharp increase in the number of Scots going bankrupt. "Given the lacklustre growth in the Scottish economy over the last year, we are starting to see the consequences of it as more and more people are struggling in a sea of debt. "These individuals will be going through an incredibly tough time and it is incumbent upon the Scottish government to do all they can to support them. "One step the SNP could take immediately would be to boost long-term economic growth and job creation by reversing their tax hikes that have made Scotland the highest taxed part of the UK." The latest AiB figures also showed a sharp drop in the number of Scottish businesses becoming insolvent or entering receivership. In the last quarter, there were 200 corporate insolvencies - a drop of 24.5%. The figure included 118 compulsory liquidations and 82 creditor voluntary liquidations.

Summary: Scotland's business minister has blamed "continuing austerity" for a sharp rise in personal insolvencies.


The office of Premier Li Keqiang said that emissions "will peak by around 2030" and China would work hard to achieve the target even earlier. The statement echoes China's declaration last November following a US-China summit. China's pledge comes ahead of talks late this year in Paris to seek a new global deal on climate change. The statement, released following a meeting in Paris between Li and French President Francois Hollande, said China aimed to reduce its carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP by 60-65% by 2030, from 2005 levels. The carbon intensity target builds on a previous plan to cut carbon intensity by 40-45% by 2020. China also aimed to increase the share of non-fossil fuels in its primary energy consumption to about 20% by 2030, the statement added. Beijing previously set a goal of getting around 15% of its energy from clean sources by 2020. Analysis by the BBC's science editor, David Shukman This is a significant moment in international climate negotiations. For years China argued that it was too poor and underdeveloped to even consider accepting any obligations to curb its greenhouse gases. Now we're witnessing the world's largest emitter playing by the UN's rules and promising even deeper cuts that those suggested some months back. For diplomats and ministers hoping to see a meaningful deal at the climate summit in Paris at the end of the year, this will be a welcome step. The size of cuts, and the timescale, will of course be judged by many as too little and too late. But for anyone who endured the collapse of talks at the Copenhagen summit six years ago, China is playing a very different and far more constructive game. Will it actually make any difference to global warming? Scientists always say it does not matter to the atmosphere where the emissions come from and China's will continue to rise for the next 15 years or so, and on their already gargantuan scale. And today's announcement does not mean that Chinese use of fossil fuels is coming to an end any time soon. On the same day that China has announced this climate plan it also began construction of a massive pipeline that will bring it a lot of gas from Russia. All countries involved in UN climate talks must submit national plans for cutting emissions ahead of the key Paris talks. China joins several other countries, including the EU, US and Mexico, that have already committed their plans for tackling climate change, formally known by the UN as INDCs (intended nationally determined contribution). With China's announcement, the world's biggest polluters - China, the US and the EU - have now all detailed their climate plans ahead of the global climate conference. Commenting on the statement, Li Shuo, climate analyst for Greenpeace China, said for success in Paris, all players - including China and the EU - needed to up their game. "Today's pledge must be seen as only the starting point for much more ambitious actions. "It does not fully reflect the significant energy transition that

Summary: China - the world's largest emitter of greenhouse gases - has announced details of its climate action plan.


16 January 2016 Last updated at 12:15 GMT The CCTV, recorded on 5 January, shows the HGV passing the van at speed near Ulceby, forcing the van driver to stop on the crossing. Inspector Graham Bridges said it was an example of "extremely dangerous driving" and the police are now trying to trace both drivers.

Summary: Footage of a lorry overtaking a van on a level crossing in Lincolnshire has been released by British Transport Police.


The pasty tax became synonymous with George Osborne's so-called Omnishambles Budget of 2012. The chancellor was forced to backtrack on several proposed tax rises - including charging 20% VAT on alterations to historic buildings and static caravans - in the weeks after his statement. But it was the plan to charge 20% VAT on hot savoury food which caused Mr Osborne the most indigestion. He had proposed that all food sold "above ambient temperature" - including pasties, pies and sausage rolls - should include VAT to close a tax loophole. It might have looked innocuous on paper but the idea caused an outcry among businesses up and down the country, who argued it would hit trade and jobs. The chancellor and Prime Minister David Cameron also faced claims they were out of touch with the pasty-munching masses. The measure was finally dropped in late May, about two months after it was first announced. Towards the end of his time as chancellor, George Osborne performed another screeching U-turn, this time over cuts to tax credits for low-income families in work. It was part of a £12bn cut to the welfare bill which the Conservatives had promised before the 2015 election but had given very little detail of before the poll. In an "emergency" June Budget after David Cameron's election victory, the chancellor announced that spending on tax credits had ballooned since 1997 and he planned to reduce the income threshold from £6,420 to £3,850 and restrict tax credits and Universal Credit to the first two children. Labour, who were in the throes of a leadership contest at the time, were somewhat slow to respond but soon the opposition galvanised themselves against the proposal, which was also criticised by Tory backbenchers and charities, who said it would cost many families £1,000 a week. The government suffered a damaging defeat in the House of the Lords, where peers backed Labour calls to delay the plans. Mr Osborne finally conceded defeat in November's Autumn Statement when he said the plans would simply not be implemented. Gordon Brown loved to wrongfoot the opposition by springing a surprise at the end of his Budget speeches - but it was his own side that was in uproar when he cut 2p from the basic rate of income tax in his 10th and final Budget in March 2007. He announced that the 10p starter rate would be scrapped at the same time - and initially refused to accept that there would be any losers from this measure. The then chancellor argued those earning less than £17,000 would not be disadvantaged because of a commensurate increase in working tax credits but Labour MPs were not impressed, accusing the chancellor of clobbering the poor to fund a middle-income tax cut. The change was not due to come into force until May 2008 and Mr Brown had plenty of time to find a way out. He was eventually forced to agree a £2.7bn compensation package for those set to lose out, by raising income tax allowances. By that point, of course, Mr Brown

Summary: Chancellor Philip Hammond may have set a record by scrapping a planned rise in National Insurance for the self-employed less than a week after announcing it - here are some other contenders for quickest political U-turn of recent times.


Dublin side Bohemians visit Brandywell Stadium on Friday night in the first home game since Dundalk supporters were attacked earlier this month. Fans, residents and club officials marched from Lecky Road to Brandywell. Club director Denis Bradley said it was a symbolic gesture to prevent further trouble and 500 people took part. "This is a battle we will win, this is a battle we have to win, maybe not immediately but we are very resolved," he said. Derry City's FAI Cup semi-final defeat by Dundalk FC was marred by trouble outside the ground. A teenager suffered head injuries and a Dundalk supporters' bus was vandalised. Police said they have been liaising closely with the local community and the club in preparation for Friday night's match. Ch Insp Alan Hutton said: "There will be an appropriate policing operation to ensure the safety of all supporters attending, as well as minimising any impact on local communities. "I would encourage all supporters to come and enjoy the game and respect the local community. "I would also like to acknowledge the excellent work carried out by the local community and Derry City football club in preparation for tonight's match." Derry City added that the trouble by a "group of youths" was not typical. "There is a group of youngsters, we don't know where they are from or who they are, who appear to be using these occasions to misbehave," Mr Bradley said. "Derry City are saying tonight: "Not in our name" and the local residents are joining us to say: "Not in our area" are you doing these things."

Summary: Derry City Football Club has held what it describes as "a public act of defiance" to show disapproval at attacks on visiting fans this season.


The Welsh secretary said Labour had let down west Wales and the valleys. Speaking at the Conservative Party conference in Birmingham, Mr Cairns said some areas, which had the most EU funds, voted more heavily to leave. A spokesman for First Minister Carwyn Jones insisted EU-funded programmes had made a "big difference" in Wales. Mr Cairns accused Mr Jones of trying to present Wales as "a victim of the EU referendum", following the majority vote across the UK for Brexit. "He seems to forget that Wales voted to leave the European Union too," he said. Mr Cairns argued Brexit represented an opportunity to do things better - and warned "carrying on in the same old way, spending according to the same old plans after two decades is not an option any longer". "After all, European structural funds are supposed to be a temporary fix, a stimulus for the most deprived parts of the UK. "In Wales in 1999 I remember the debate about Objective One money - it was described as a 'once-in-a-generation opportunity'. "But 16 years on, £4bn later, Labour's mismanagement of the funds has let those communities down. "So much was their frustration that those areas that had received most European aid were the very same areas that voted in the strongest numbers to leave the European Union. "If only they [Labour] had focused on the outcomes in the same way that they focused on the money that they were spending in those projects." Mr Cairns told the conference the new structure after Brexit "will give us the opportunity to follow UK priorities, investing in a way that is completely tailored to the Welsh and the UK economy". The Vale of Glamorgan MP singled out Mr Jones for criticism, but added: "Whether we like it or not, we must work from that instruction. "There are new and exciting opportunities for Wales with the UK being the global leader in free trade." Mr Cairns argued the new Department for International Trade will be "fundamental" to seek out new markets and increase inward investment for Wales. A spokesman for the first minister said there was an "astonishing paradox" in Mr Cairns's remarks. "First he celebrates the good employment figures in Wales, and then he trashes European funding," he said. "The truth is that European funded programmes, like Jobs Growth Wales, have made a big difference to Welsh businesses and job-seekers. "The reason Wales is out-stripping other parts of the UK doesn't have anything to do with the Tories in Westminster."

Summary: Alun Cairns has launched a fierce attack on the "mismanagement" of £4bn of EU grants by the Welsh Government intended to help the poorest areas.


Watch out for plenty of brinkmanship, particularly on a key amendment to the Criminal Finances Bill (see below). This will also make the whole timetable pretty fluid and prone to last minute alteration as new events are crowbarred in. A few of the MPs who are departing at this election may deliver their Commons swansongs - and the final PMQs could be a particularly bare-knuckle occasion. Meanwhile, up on the committee corridor, it's raining reports, as the various select committees rush out the results of their inquiries - up to 50 more reports should be out before dissolution. The subjects include: the Women and Equalities Committee on Building for Equality: Disability and the Built Environment; the Education Committee on Exiting the EU: challenges and opportunities for higher education; Scottish Affairs on Jobcentre Plus closures, and Public Accounts (which has quite a few offerings in the pipeline) on the HMRC Estate. The Commons meets at 2.30 pm for Communities and Local Government questions - with any urgent questions or ministerial statements likely to be slotted in at 3.30pm. The main event will be the rushing through of the Northern Ireland (Ministerial Appointments and Regional Rates) Bill, which is designed to keep the devolved system in place while the political parties on the Assembly negotiate to set up a new executive. The adjournment led by the Conservative Richard Drax in on primates as pets - it will raise the issues highlighted in a petition of more than 110,000 signatures calling for new welfare standards for primates. This had been gathered by visitors to Monkey World, a primate rescue centre in Mr Drax's constituency, which calls for a change the law so that those who want to keep primates have to meet exacting standards of welfare that equal those found in zoos and wildlife parks. In Westminster Hall (4.30pm) MPs debate e-petition 172405 on closed book examinations for GCSE English Literature. The exams require students to learn and memorise as many as 250 quotations from 15 poems, two plays and a novella. The petition argues that the exams should not test the student's memory, but how they interpret texts. The petition has attracted 109,285 signatures. The scheduled hearing of the Commons Liaison Committee, the super committee of select committee chairs with the prime minister, has been cancelled because of the election. They now aim to hold a hearing as soon as possible in the new parliament, but since the new set of chairs are unlikely to be in place before mid-July, that may not be before the summer recess. In the Lords, business opens (2.30pm) with tributes to Sir David Beamish who has stood down as the top official of the House, the Clerk of the Parliaments (the Clerk of the Commons is "under-clerk") to be led by the Leader of the House, Baroness Evans. And then peers move on to a series of orders and regulations, including the Trade Union (Deduction of Union Subscriptions from Wages in the Public Sector) Regulations 2017, the Immigration Act 2016 (Consequential Amendments) (Biometrics and Legal Aid) Regulations 2017,

Summary: It's the last rites of the 2015 Parliament - and in a frenzy of last minute deal-making, the legislation which can be completed will be rushed to the finishing line, while all manner of bills and other parliamentary business is dropped for lack of time.


Solomona scored 40 tries in the 2016 season, including a record total of 40 in Super League. Tigers chairman Steve Gill said in October that the 23-year-old Samoan was not for sale and would be returning to the club on 7 November. BBC Sport understands Solomona has held talks with rugby union side Sale. The Premiership club declined to comment on the story.

Summary: Castleford Tigers are to take legal action against winger Denny Solomona after he failed to return to the club for pre-season training.


As well as outlawing driving while under the influence of illegal drugs, new legislation will include some prescription medicines. But prescribed doses do not exceed the limits for legal drugs, so most patients should still be safe to drive. Those who are unsure are advised to seek the advice of a pharmacist. The new law, to be introduced 2 March 2015 in England and Wales, aims to catch those who put the lives of others at risk while driving under the influence of drugs. It sets very low levels for eight well known illegal drugs, including cannabis and cocaine, but also includes eight prescription drugs, where the levels have been set much higher. Most of them, including Temazepan and Diazepam, are used for treating conditions such as anxiety. But the list also includes methadone, a heroin substitute and pain medication, and morphine, a powerful opiate also used for pain relief. Robert Goodwill MP, Road Safety Minister, says as long as they stay within prescribed levels, most people will still be able to get behind the wheel of a car. "If you are taking your medicine as directed and your driving is not impaired, then you are not breaking the law and there is no need to worry," he said. "We advise anyone who is unsure about the effects of their medication or how the new legislation may affect them, to seek the advice of their doctor or pharmacist. "There will also be a medical defence if a driver has been taking medication as directed and is found to be over the limit but not impaired. "Drivers who are taking prescribed medication at high doses [are advised] to carry evidence with them, such as prescriptions slips, when driving in order to minimise any inconvenience should they be asked to take a test by the police." Prof David Taylor, a spokesman for the Royal Pharmaceutical Society and a member of the Department for Transport advisory panel on drug-driving said "Don't stop taking your medicines, prescribed or otherwise, if you are worried about this new law. "Instead, talk to your doctor or pharmacist for information about how your medicines might affect your ability to drive. "They'll be happy to give you the advice you need to stay safe." Ed Morrow, campaigns officer for road safety charity Brake said the organisation strongly welcomed the new drug-diving law. "This much-needed progressive move by government will make it much easier for police to deal with illegal drug-drivers," he said. "We are confident that the necessary measures are in place to ensure drivers who take prescription medication are not unfairly penalised. "However, many prescription medications can have a negative effect on your ability to drive safely, and there is a worrying lack of awareness of this among the public."

Summary: People who have been prescribed powerful anxiety or pain relief drugs are being warned about a new drug-driving law.


He was a reserve player at Derby before his career was ended by injury. Guthrie became the Rams' trainer and then kit manager, working with more than a dozen managers including Brian Clough over the course of six decades. He was appointed an MBE in 2009 for services to football and has a stand named after him at the iPro Stadium. Despite falling ill four years ago, he was still a regular on match days and usually sat in his familiar seat in the home dugout until very recently. "It goes without saying everyone at Derby County is saddened to learn of the passing of Gordon," said Sam Rush, the club's president and chief executive. "Our thoughts and condolences are with Gordon's family and friends at this time." A minute's silence will be held in memory of Guthrie prior to Derby's EFL Cup third-round tie against Liverpool on Tuesday. Former striker Andy Garner, who began his career at Derby and more recently was part of their coaching staff, said Guthrie was like a father figure to youngsters at the club. "I found it quite daunting, being a young man and coming to Derby from a small village," Garner told BBC Radio Derby. "Although I was a big, strong lad, I needed somebody like Gordie. I was lonely at times and he definitely helped me. "It was a joy for me. I absolutely loved my two-year apprenticeship and Gordie was always there for us. The players and the staff all loved him being there."

Summary: Derby County's longest-serving staff member Gordon Guthrie MBE, who spent more than 60 years with the club, has died at the age of 86.


The 19-year-old, from Staffordshire, died on Wednesday after a four-year battle with the disease. Stephen's appeal in aid of the Teenage Cancer Trust on his Just Giving page has now raised £3.7m. There are now plans to make a film about his life, using footage shot over the past 12 months. Film-maker Grigorij Richters, 26, from Hamburg, Germany, met Stephen at the Champions League final at Wembley in May 2013 and they became friends. The visit to Wembley was on the "bucket list" of 46 ambitions Stephen wanted to achieve before he died, along with raising money for the Teenage Cancer Trust. The pair agreed to film the bucket list together and he now has hours of footage, which he wants to use to tell Stephen's story. Mr Richters said Stephen was "a young man who did the inconceivable, the unbelievable, at a young age". At his former school, Chase Terrace Technology College in Burntwood, people have queued to sign a book of condolence and leave flowers. Tributes have also been written in chalk on pavements in Birmingham. Suggestions on social media that there should be a permanent memorial in the city will go before the Broad Street Walk of Stars committee in the summer. Mike Olley, the manager of Broad Street in Birmingham, where the stars are located said: "We are always happy to take suggestions for the Walk of Stars. "Many people have nominated Stephen now and I am delighted to put this before the committee."

Summary: An appeal started by the cancer fundraiser Stephen Sutton has raised a further £400,000 - only a day after the teenager died.


No batsman from Bapchild Cricket Club was able to get off the mark against Christ Church University in Canterbury. "We couldn't believe it, all they needed to do was hit a wall to get one run," Christ Church player Mike Rose told the Crawley Observer. Somerset club Langport set the record for the lowest score when they were dismissed for zero in 1913. Wirral CC were bowled out for three in a Cheshire League Division Three fixture in 2014 - though they had 11 players and were 0-8 at one stage. And Kent village team Saltwood CC scored 216 before bowling Martin Walters out for zero in 8.2 overs during a match in 1964. In first-class cricket, the lowest score ever made is six - by "The B's" against England at the old Lord's ground in 1810 - while New Zealand's 26 against England in 1955 remains the lowest total scored in a Test match.

Summary: A cricket team was bowled out for 0 in just 20 balls in a county six-a-side indoor championships match.


There were 11,002 casualties in total, with a 37% increase in women affected and 14% for children. The Afghan government accused the Taliban of targeting civilians, especially women, to spread fear. The UN's human rights chief said such "brutal and unprincipled attacks" were forbidden under international law. "This is happening with almost complete impunity," Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein said in the report produced by the UN Assistance Mission for Afghanistan (Unama). "The perpetrators of the violations... must be held to account." Since the withdrawal of international troops from Afghanistan began after 2011 and the official end of Nato's combat mission in December 2014 , the number of civilian casualties has risen year on year. The report blamed ground fighting in and around populated areas, along with suicide bombings and other attacks in cities for the 3,545 deaths and 7,457 injuries it recorded. This is a 4% increase on last year's figures. Although there were 156 fewer civilian deaths compared to 2014, the number of injuries soared, pushing the overall casualty figure to the highest level since the UN started keeping records in 2009. "Unprecedented numbers of children were needlessly killed and injured last year," Unama's Danielle Bell said in a statement. The Afghan government said the UN's report did not accurately reflect how many civilians were killed in suicide attacks as it only covered "high-conflict areas" whereas its statistics covered the whole country. A brother of a man who had gone out to fetch water for his family in Kunduz city on 1 October told the UN: "He called my mobile and said, 'Hey brother… I was shot in my stomach… I don't know who shot me… my injuries are serious… I can see pieces of my own intestines on my motorcycle.' "After that, the line went dead... no-one could reach the site of the incident to take him back because of the fighting. His body remained in the streets for three days, until my relatives could recover it and bury him." The Taliban over-ran the northern Afghan city of Kunduz in September and left several weeks later after a counter-attack. Find out more about the Taliban conflict The number of causalities caused by militants fell, but still constituted 62% of the total, Unama said. The government blamed the drop on the fact that civilians in areas of consistent shelling, attacks and harassment by the Taliban had fled their homes. The UN report said anti-government elements were increasingly using tactics to deliberately cause civilian harm and there was an indiscriminate use of pressure-plate-triggered improvised explosive devices (IEDs). The number of casualties inflicted by pro-government forces, including Nato, which continues to provide some military support, rose by 42% compared to 2014. These were mainly attributable to the Afghan security forces during ground engagements and aerial operations. Unama said it continued to document human rights abuses carried out by pro-government armed groups in 2015 which included "deliberate killings, assaults, extortion, intimidation and theft".

Summary: The number of people killed and wounded in conflict in Afghanistan rose in 2015 to the highest level yet recorded, the UN mission in the country says.


Plaid is cooperating with Labour's minority government from opposition. Ms Wood said there was "ongoing discussion" about whether it was better to formally share power, with members genuinely torn over the "dilemma". But Plaid Cymru AM Neil McEvoy said that the agreed official position was against coalition and "reports to the contrary surprise me". The South Wales Central AM is due to speak at a fringe meeting at Plaid Cymru's conference on Saturday in opposition to joining Labour in the Welsh Government. But Ms Wood told BBC Wales that her party was "actively considering this all the time". "This question of how best Plaid Cymru can play a role that protects Wales' best interests," she said. "We have taken the view thus far that we can use this minority government situation to get as many of our manifesto commitments through and to influence other aspects like legislation, like the debate on Brexit. "But we have also taken the view that the government deserves opposition as well and scrutiny and we can't afford to leave it just to the parties of the right to do that." "That could change as time goes on, but as things stand at the moment the compact has served us well and the fact that we've managed to deliver Â£119m worth of our commitments in the budget shows that it's working quite well for us at the moment." The compact was the agreement Plaid made with Labour to allow Carwyn Jones to return as first minister, a week after he and Ms Wood were deadlocked in a vote to take the top job. The two parties have a "good working relationship", she said, but there remained big differences between them over Brexit. Ms Wood added: "I think people [in Plaid] are genuinely torn between the two views of whether or not they [Labour] are so bad at governing that we should be in there helping them, or they are doing such a bad job they need to be held to account with a strong opposition. This is the dilemma. "I think that's the conundrum for most members." Simon Thomas, who represented Plaid Cymru in the compact negotiations, stressed what he saw as the success of the arrangement, while accepting that some in his party were pushing for a place in government. The Mid and West Wales AM said: "Though there's always been, and always will be in Welsh politics, discussion about coalitions we have an actual relationship with the Welsh Government which I want to see work because I think it's delivered in the budget process. "I think we need to maintain that going forward as the most appropriate method for challenging the government and holding them to account whilst, of course, not being in coalition with them." Plaid will use its conference in Llangollen to demonstrate t secured concessions in this week's draft budget including more money for higher education and medical training. As a result, Plaid plans to abstain on voting on the budget, which will allow the Labour-led Welsh Government's spending plans to pass. However,

Summary: Plaid Cymru is "actively considering" whether to seek a coalition with Labour, leader Leanne Wood has said.


Mr Comey will have to explain to a House committee why he recommended the likely Democratic presidential nominee should not be prosecuted. Over 100 classified messages were found on her email servers, the FBI said. On Wednesday, US Attorney General Loretta Lynch confirmed that no charges would be brought. Mrs Lynch was accused by Republican Donald Trump, who is likely to do battle with Mrs Clinton for the White House, of being bribed by the former first lady. He said she agreed to let Mrs Clinton off the hook in return for the promise that she would keep her job if the Democrat won the election and became president. The news that the attorney general met former President Bill Clinton, Mrs Clinton's husband, last week on the tarmac of an airport in Arizona prompted accusations by Republicans of a stitch-up. On Tuesday, the FBI said Mrs Clinton and her staff were "extremely careless" in handling classified materials but there was no evidence of intentional wrongdoing. Mr Comey's statement contradicted Mrs Clinton who previously said she had not knowingly sent or received classified material from her private email account. He will testify on Thursday before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, led by Republican Jason Chaffetz. "The FBI's recommendation is surprising and confusing," Mr Chaffetz said. "The fact pattern presented by Director Comey makes clear Secretary Clinton violated the law," he said. "Individuals who intentionally skirt the law must be held accountable." A statement from Mrs Clinton's campaign team called it "yet another taxpayer-funded sham of an inquiry to try to hurt Hillary Clinton politically". It has been a common theme in the presidential campaigns of Mr Trump on the right and Bernie Sanders on the left that establishment insiders live under their own set of rules. While average Americans are left to their fate, big bankers get bailouts, big businesses get handouts, and the elite are insulated from the consequences of their actions. For those with this outlook, the failure to indict Hillary Clinton - or even hold her accountable in a non-criminal manner - is yet another example of the benefits that come along with high positions of power. While Comey insisted that there was little precedent for a prosecution given that Mrs Clinton did not intentionally mishandle classified information or do so in a "grossly negligent" way, such explanations may not fly with the swath of voters currently alienated from the political process. Did the FBI just sink Clinton? The email scandal has become a key political talking point, with Republicans saying Mrs Clinton thinks she is above the law. Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump called the decision "very unfair" and said it was proof that the system was rigged. Mrs Clinton said she had set up the email address for reasons of convenience, because it had been easier to do everything from one device than to have several phones or tablets. She later apologised for using the private email system, calling it "a mistake". House Speaker Paul Ryan said it appears that Mrs Clinton was given preferential

Summary: House Republicans have called FBI Director James Comey to testify about Hillary Clinton's use of private email as secretary of state.


The temperature in Inverness this morning was about 16C - t-shirts, shorts and ice cream-fizzing-in-a-coke float weather - but the couple on the High Street were bundled up in raincoats. The ever present hazard of vox popping in the Highland capital is that nine out of 10 times you will stop a tourist. The visitors, mainly from Europe, come here in their thousands at almost every time of the year, spilling merrily out of coaches that park below the hilltop Inverness Castle. Hundreds of tourists in Inverness on Friday were not only treated to fine summer weather, but the sight of a large pipe band in the High Street. The husband and wife I had stopped were French and gamely entertained my attempt to ask them about the referendum, helped by a few gestures towards the campaign signs tied to nearby lampposts. Two years ago, during the Scottish independence referendum, the High Street was very quickly festooned with Yes signs. This time the campaign notices were slow to appear and, at first, with a notable absence of those backing Remain. BBC Scotland took to the streets of towns and cities across the country to find out what people feel about the decision to leave the EU. As the final results show, however, that the city and wider Highlands and Islands favoured staying in the EU - 56% of those who voted in the Highlands were for Remain, while the figure was 55% in the Western Isles. In 1975, when voters last gave their verdict on European membership, the Western Isles returned a decisive "no". After the isles' latest poll result, islander and Remain campaigner, Lewis MacAskill, told BBC Alba: "It is very significant, especially when you consider the Western Isles was the area back in 1975 that most heavily voted against the then EEC. "It is a sign of how things have changed and how far we have come along." Felix Quero, a Leave campaigner on the islands, conceded the result for him locally was disappointing. But he added: "In the bigger picture it is not such a bad thing. I feel we have rattled the cages of the establishment." Back in Inverness, SNP MP Drew Hendry came into the BBC Scotland studios with a message for the many European migrant workers who live in the city and the wider area. Almost every community in the Highlands has a family or families from Poland, Estonia, Latvia or Hungary. There also Danes, Spanish and Germans. Mr Hendry said: "I think people will be shocked about the result and worried. "But the vote in the Highlands, and across Scotland, show that Scotland sees its place firmly in the EU. "We are saying very clearly to those EU citizens who live here in the Highlands, who live across Scotland, who are our friends and neighbours, that we will do absolutely everything in our power to make sure we are protecting them and their ability to live and work here." Meanwhile, Inverness Chamber of Commerce chief executive Stewart Nicol said the implications of the result for

Summary: Their jackets were a giveaway.


Pakistan accused India of unprovoked firing in which four civilians died and five others were injured. India said one woman was killed and three other civilians wounded in firing by Pakistani soldiers. Pakistan's army also said it shot down an Indian spy drone in Kashmir. Pakistan summoned the Indian ambassador on Thursday to hear a "strong protest over airspace violation", the AFP news agency quoting a statement issued by the Pakistani foreign ministry said. The incidents come days after Mr Modi accepted an invitation from Mr Sharif to attend a regional summit in Islamabad next year, signalling a new thaw in a strained relationship. This will be Mr Modi's first visit to Pakistan after he took power last year. India and Pakistan have often accused each other of unprovoked firing along the disputed border. A ceasefire agreed in 2003 remains in place, but the neighbours often accuse each other of violating it. Pakistan's military said four civilians, including a 18-year-old girl, had died and five others were wounded when Indian troops fired across the de facto border in Sialkot region on Wednesday morning. Across the border, Indian border guards said one woman had been killed and three other civilians injured when Pakistani soldiers fired shells which exploded near a border village in Pargwal area on Wednesday. "It was a blatant, unprovoked cease-fire violation by Pakistan," D Parekh of India's Border Security Force told the Associated Press news agency. Meanwhile, India's army and air force have denied that any of their drones had been shot down or crashed in Pakistan, reports said. "An Indian spy drone was shot down by Pakistani troops which intruded into Pakistan along [the de facto border that divides the region] near Bhimber today. The spy drone is used for aerial photography," a statement from the Pakistani military said on Wednesday. But a spokesperson of the Indian army denied the report. "Some reports of a drone crash in PoK [Pakistan-controlled Kashmir] are being referred to. No drone or UAV [unmanned aerial vehicle] crash of the Indian Army has taken place," the spokesperson told the Press Trust of India news agency. An air force spokesperson also denied that any of their drones had been brought down. Kashmir, claimed by both countries in its entirety, has been a flashpoint for more than 60 years.

Summary: At least five civilians were killed as India and Pakistan exchanged fire in the disputed Kashmir region, days after a meeting between leaders of the two countries in Russia.


Led by Durham Wildlife Trust, the scheme will see a preservation plan drawn up for the River Skerne. It will include initiatives to protect natural habitats as well as industrial and agricultural sites. If successful, organisers say a further £2.6m from the Heritage Lottery Fund will be unlocked as well as £500,000 from other sources. The project, called the Bright Water Landscape partnership, covers 200sq km (77sq miles) and focuses on the River Skerne from Hurworth Burn reservoir in East Durham to South Park in Darlington.

Summary: A project to conserve a North East river catchment area has been awarded £223,000 of Lottery funding.


The Manchester United forward, 30, scored seven goals in their Euro 2016 qualifying campaign, but has not played since a knee injury in February. The top two scorers in this season's Premier League are both England strikers, Harry Kane and Jamie Vardy. "Over the past two years my form for England has been really good. I've scored a lot of goals," Rooney said. "I'll keep trying to, first and foremost, help the team be successful and if I can score the goals to help achieve that then that'll be great. "I've still got a few years left, I feel," he told the PFA's 4 The Player magazine. "I'm always just thinking about what comes next and making sure I'm at my best for the summer. "I feel I'm a lot more patient now in my play. When I was younger I could be impatient and I'd end up in positions I didn't really need to be in."

Summary: England captain and record goalscorer Wayne Rooney is confident he has "a few years left" at international level.


McInnes elected to stay with the Dons despite holding talks with the club relegated from the Premier League. His decision has "delighted" Brown, who is still an Aberdeen director. "It would have to be an exceptional club before Derek would be tempted to go down south and have another interview," he told BBC Scotland. "Sunderland was a unique situation, the Scottish connection may have been the reason that Derek went down. "I genuinely believe that he's better than Sunderland and that he can get a fine job in the Premier League in England in the fullness of time." McInnes, 45, replaced Brown as Aberdeen boss in 2013, winning the League Cup final the following year, the Dons' first silverware in 19 years. In 2015, he and assistant Tony Docherty signed new contracts until 2019, and the club says the duo will now stay until at least that summer. "Everyone I have spoken to are delighted that Derek and Tony are staying and the impact will be considerable," former Scotland manager Brown added. "It looked to be a surprise, but I think that Derek would look to weigh up all the circumstances. "I'm sure he sees, and he has stated, that there is unfinished work at Aberdeen. "The big attraction to remain at Aberdeen would be the fact that he is almost guaranteed European football every year. "And I guess it will be a while before Sunderland approach European football." Aberdeen have finished second to Celtic in the Scottish Premiership for the past three years and were also runners-up to Brendan Rodgers' side in the Scottish Cup and League Cup last season.

Summary: Craig Brown believes Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes is "better than Sunderland" and it would take "an exceptional club" to tempt him away.


South Thanet's MP Craig Mackinlay held his seat while facing a charge over election expenses in the 2015 poll. Mr Mackinlay has insisted he has done nothing wrong. However, the party suffered a shock in Canterbury where Sir Julian Brazier lost his seat after 30 years to Labour's Rosie Duffield. Latest general election updates from across the South East Full coverage of general election 2017 Full England results breakdown Find the result where you live In Ashford, Damian Green MP held the seat and the Tory member also grew his share of the vote. Tracey Crouch held Chatham & Aylesford, and Gareth Johnson held Dartford for the Conservatives. The leader of Medway council's Labour group, and Labour candidate in Chatham and Aylesford Councillor Vince Maple said: "Here in Medway, across all our three constituencies, we've seen big increases in our vote. "We've seen people very disappointed with Theresa May who have voted Conservative for perhaps 30 years, and they maybe haven't voted for us, but they certainly haven't voted for the Conservative Party." Dover was listed as a Labour target, but Charlie Elphicke held it with an increased majority of 6,437. Both Labour and the Conservatives increased their shares of the vote by just over 9%. Mr Elphicke said; "It's brilliant we have increased our majority [in Dover]. I'm looking forward to getting more investment and to make our corner of Kent even more successful." Folkestone & Hythe, a safe Conservative seat, was held by Damian Collins, who has also increased his majority. Rehman Chishti also held Gillingham & Rainham for the Conservatives. Paul Clarke, the former Labour MP for the constituency said: "There's clearly something to build on and we could be having another general election in much less than the five-year period." In Gravesham, Conservative Adam Holloway held the seat, Helen Whately held Faversham & Mid Kent, and Tory Helen Grant retained control of Maidstone & the Weald. North Thanet was held by Roger Gale with an increased majority. He said the election had been fought under "very trying circumstances". "I think it's a tribute to the British people and to democracy, that irrespective of party politics we have gone on to hold a free and fair election in the teeth of those who have tried to stop us doing so." Mr Gale said. Defence Secretary Michael Fallon held Sevenoaks for the Tories with 32,633 votes, a 63.7% share, and Kelly Tolhurst kept Rochester & Strood. Gordon Henderson also held Sittingbourne & Sheppey for the Tories. Tom Tugendhat held Tonbridge & Malling for the Conservatives with 36,218 votes, a 63.6% share of the total. Mr Clark has held Tunbridge Wells, a Tory seat since its creation in 1974. The Tunbridge Wells member was appointed Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy last year. Canterbury has been the story of the night in Kent. It's a seat that has been Conservative Sir Julian Brazier's since 1987, with the party holding it for the past 100 years, but it seems a surge in young voters may have tipped it to

Summary: The Conservatives have held nearly all constituencies in Kent, where sitting MPs including cabinet member Greg Clark have kept their seats.


Mr Ghani said IS was "not an Afghan phenomenon" and its atrocities had "alienated the people".

Summary: Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has promised to "bury" the so-called Islamic State (IS) militant group, whose local offshoot has clashed with government forces and Taliban fighters, in an exclusive interview.


The zero-fuel aircraft arrived in Dayton at 21:56 local time (01:56 GMT) having flown from Tulsa, Oklahoma. The 1,113km journey took pilot Andre Borschberg about 16 hours to complete, a relatively short hop for the plane. Solar Impulse is aiming to get to New York in the next couple of weeks before it crosses the Atlantic - the last big leg in its global endeavour. To complete the circumnavigation, the aeroplane needs to get to Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates where the journey started in March last year. As well as setting new aviation milestones, the stated purpose of the project is to demonstrate the capability of clean technologies. The plane gets all its energy from the sun, captured by 17,000 photovoltaic cells on its top surfaces. These power the craft's propellers during the day but also charge batteries that the vehicle's motors can then call on during the night. The craft is wider than a 747 jumbo jet but weighs just 2.3 tonnes. Low flight speed means mission legs can take several days and nights of continuous flight. The pilot is permitted only catnaps of up to 20 minutes, and the cockpit is little bigger than a public telephone box. LEG 1: 9 March. Abu Dhabi (UAE) to Muscat (Oman) - 772km; 13 Hours 1 Minute LEG 2: 10 March. Muscat (Oman) to Ahmedabad (India) - 1,593km; 15 Hours 20 Minutes LEG 3: 18 March. Ahmedabad (India) to Varanasi (India) - 1,170km; 13 Hours 15 Minutes LEG 4: 18 March. Varanasi (India) to Mandalay (Myanmar) - 1,536km; 13 Hours 29 Minutes LEG 5: 29 March. Mandalay (Myanmar) to Chongqing (China) - 1,636km; 20 Hours 29 Minutes LEG 6: 21 April. Chongqing (China) to Nanjing (China) - 1,384km; 17 Hours 22 Minutes LEG 7: 30 May. Nanjing (China) to Nagoya (Japan) - 2,942km; 1 Day 20 Hours 9 Minutes LEG 8: 28 June. Nagoya (Japan) to Kalaeloa, Hawaii (US) - 8,924km; 4 Days 21 Hours 52 Minutes LEG 9: 21 April. Kalaeloa, Hawaii (US) to Mountain View, California (US) - 4,523km; 2 Days 17 Hours 29 Minutes LEG 10: 2 May. Mountain View, California (US) to Phoenix, Arizona (US) - 1,199km; 15 Hours 52 Minutes LEG 11: 12 May. Phoenix, Arizona (US) to Tulsa, Oklahoma (US) - 1,570 km; 18 Hours 10 Minutes LEG 12: 21 May. Tulsa, Oklahoma (US) to Dayton, Ohio (US) - 1,113 km; 16 Hours 34 Minutes

Summary: Solar Impulse has landed in the US state of Ohio following the 12th stage of its circumnavigation of the globe.


The £21m road, which will link the west and east of the town, was supposed to be finished by March. However, last winter's heavy rain meant contractors could not start building a bridge over the River Tone and the Bridgwater and Taunton Canal. Richard Needs, from Somerset County Council, said it had also encountered other challenges during the project. He said work to lift an existing bridge over Station Road had to be delayed as workers had found the ground conditions softer than expected. "It's not a question of moving the bridge, it's working out what are the best foundations for the new bridge to be," Mr Needs said. "As with all construction projects there are very difficult times and there are happy times... it changes from day-to-day but overall we're making good progress and we're getting there eventually." The one-mile-long (1.6km) road is designed to divert traffic around the north of the town and will run from Priory Bridge Road, over the river and canal, alongside the railway to Staplegrove Road. It is hoped the new road will divert traffic away from the town centre and Priorswood Road and help with the regeneration of the Firepool area.

Summary: The completion date for a new road in Taunton has been delayed.


It is thought to be related to possible cases of personation, where people pretend to be someone else and cast a vote, then the real person turns up. The 10 suspect votes were cast at a variety of different polling stations across the city. Glasgow City Council said police had been called earlier on Thursday. Each ballot paper has an individual number attached to it, so officials will now have to sort through the ballots and attempt to find these 10 papers. They will then be removed, and kept separately from the more than 486,000 ballot papers being counted in Glasgow. Colin Edgar, head of communication at Glasgow City Council, said the search for the ten ballot papers "will not delay the count". Police Scotland said any crime committed would be appropriately investigated. A spokesman added: "Police Scotland takes the safety and security of the independence referendum extremely seriously and is working with partner agencies including local authorities to ensure the integrity of the ballot."

Summary: Officials at the referendum count in Glasgow have said they are investigating 10 cases of suspected electoral fraud at polling stations.


The move was agreed at a regional summit in Chad, whose president described CAR as a "wound in the heart of central Africa". "Armed bands loot, hold to ransom and racketeer the population," he said. The former rebels had asked both their neighbours and former colonial power France to increase their forces. The current 500-strong multinational peacekeeping force Fomac was "insufficient to do the job", Mr Deby said earlier, reports the AFP news agency. He said the reinforcements would help restructure the security forces. South Africa, which lost at least 13 troops during the rebel takeover, has said it is pulling its forces out of CAR. South Africa's President Jacob Zuma attended the summit, along with central African leaders and a delegation from the CAR's new leaders. The summit of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) accepted former rebel head Michel Djotodia as the country's leader but that he should not be called president, Reuters news agency reports. "Mr Djotodia will not be called president of the republic, but head of state of the transition," it quotes President Deby as saying. Mr Djotodia was declared interim president last week and says he will hold elections within 18 months. Earlier, the UN children's agency warned that increasing numbers of children are being wounded in the conflict. Unicef's emergency co-ordinator in Bangui, Robert McCarthy, told the BBC's Focus on Africa programme that all armed groups should ensure that children were protected. "We're calling for: Number one, the protection of children by all parties - by everyone with a gun, everyone in command of soldiers, we have to protect the children, equally women, vulnerable populations. "Equally, we need security to resume the most basic of life-saving interventions for the aid providers in the city and especially in the countryside." The Seleka rebels, an alliance of armed groups, seized power after a peace deal negotiated with ousted President Francois Bozize collapsed. Mr Djotodia is a former civil servant who fell out with Mr Bozize and went into exile, before returning under the peace deal in January as defence minister. He resigned in March before seizing power. Correspondents say he does not have widespread international support and has fallen out with some of his former allies. CAR has an unstable history and is extremely poor, though it has large deposits of minerals including gold and diamonds.

Summary: The Central African Republic's neighbours have agreed to send an extra 2,000 troops to help restore security following last month's rebel takeover.


Ricci Gallagher, 46, died in hospital a week after being injured at the farmhouse in Little Burstead, Essex. It is owned by Richard Glanville, the ex-chief financial officer of a fashion firm that owned Oasis and Warehouse. Mr Glanville and another man have been questioned on suspicion of attempted murder. Both have been bailed. The victim's wife, Linda, said they had been excited about building their new home in the village, which they had moved into a week before. "Ricci was a very kind, considerate person with a great zest for life and was liked by all who met him," she said. "He was easy-going and good fun. "Ricci and I had a very happy marriage and were excited about the new phase in our lives with the move to Little Burstead." Mr Gallagher had reported a fire at his home about half a mile away in Blind Lane, minutes before police were called to the farmhouse on Sudburys Farm Road on 30 July. Police said they were linking the incidents and were investigating why Mr Gallagher had been at the farmhouse. It is understood one line of inquiry is Mr Glanville may have found Mr Gallagher inside the house. "The tragic events that have unfolded from the day of the fire at our home... have left me and my family devastated," said Mrs Gallagher. "I would ask for anyone who can help the police to do so... and finally ask that we now be left to come to terms with this terrible tragedy and grieve in private." Officers are particularly keen to trace the drivers of a lorry and a Vauxhall car seen between 09:00 and 09:30 BST on 30 July.

Summary: The widow of a man who died after being found injured at an ex-fashion executive's home has said they had been "excited" about their move to the area.


Nofa Mihlo Rafo arrived in Canada this year as a refugee with four of her six children. She was separated from her husband and two eldest sons after their town was captured by the so-called Islamic State in 2014. She learned this week that one missing son is still alive after a relative alerted her to a photo posted online. Ms Mihlo Rafo learned last Sunday that 12-year-old Emad Mishko Tamo was alive and had been rescued. She "was jumping, crying at the same time, just happiness", said Hadji Hesso, with the Yazidi Association of Manitoba. His group, in partnership with the Kurdish Initiative for Refugees, Winnipeg Friends of Israel and the Liberation of Christian and Yazidi Children of Iraq (CYCI), has launched a campaign to reunite the boy with his family. On Thursday, Canada's federal immigration department said it is aware of the boy's case and noted that the government has committed to bringing up to 1,200 vulnerable Yazidi women and children and other survivors of IS to Canada. "All Yazidi cases are being expedited," said a department spokeswoman in an email. Steven Maman, the founder of CYCI, says that all 338 Canadian members of parliament were sent information about the boy. "Everyone has received an email from us with Emad's story, his mother's identification cards, everything," Mr Maman said. "It's a moral obligation for us human beings to help her." There is also a special programme that allows refugees to apply to bring in dependent children within a year of arrival. Iraqi troops who found the boy posted his image online in hope of finding his family, said Mr Hesso. The boy's uncle saw the photo, contacted Emad's mother, and met the boy at the hospital where he was being treated for shrapnel and gunshot wounds. Mr Hesso says the boy is recovering and now with his uncle in a camp in Iraq. Ms Mihlo Rafo and her children are all members of the persecuted religious Yazidi minority. They were rounded up by IS jihadists in their town of Sinjar in northern Iraq and held captive for two years. She eventually managed to escape to a refugee camp with four of her children.

Summary: Canada says it is aware of the case of a Yazidi boy recently rescued by Iraqi forces whose mother is in Winnipeg.


Charlie Hodgson converted Samuela Vunisa's try and added two penalties to give Sarries a 13-3 lead at half-time, with Tom Catterick replying. Hodgson then kicked two penalties after the break either side of Nick Tompkins' score from close range. Fly-half Hodgson added a breakaway try late on before Billy Vunipola's score in added time sealed a bonus point. Saracens remained the only unbeaten team in Europe this season and recorded their 13th consecutive victory over Newcastle Falcons in all competitions. With new England head coach Eddie Jones in the crowd at Kingston Park, the north London side had to wait to be sure of victory as a kicking battle in the first half made for a scrappy game. Newcastle, still without a league win this season, put pressure on Saracens' defence in the second half, but despite going through the phases they could not trouble the visitors' line. It was from a Falcons attack that former England international Hodgson, who will retire at the end of this season, got the third try of the afternoon on 78 minutes after intercepting a loose pass and racing clear. With the home side attempting to get on the scoreboard themselves in added time, a turnover and breakaway from Ben Ransom eventually allowed Vunipola to add Saracens' fourth score of the afternoon in the fourth minute of added time. Newcastle director or rugby Dean Richards: "I've not spoken to Eddie Jones, but I would have thought a lot of our guys should be in with a shout for England in the future, especially our hooker George McGuigan. "It was 13-3 at half-time after we gifted them a try and, when it was 23-3, we started to push, made mistakes and conceded those two late tries. "We started to chase the game and that fell right into their hands. "They have a huge kicking game and they are very accurate in what they do. It enables them to sit back and wait and in the end their accuracy was far greater than ours." Saracens director of rugby Mark McCall: "It wasn't the most attractive of games. "Newcastle came with a kicking plan and I was pleased with the patience and energy we showed. "We stayed with it until the end and proved it's very important to be able to bring impact players like Billy [Vunipola] off the bench." Newcastle: Tait; Agulla, Powell, Socino, Watson; Catterick, Young; Vickers, McGuigan, Welsh, Robinson, Green, Wilson, Welch (capt), Latu. Replacements: Lawson, Rogers, Vea, Botha, Hogg, Takulua, Willis, Harris. Saracens: Goode; Ellery, Tompkins, Taylor, Wyles; Hodgson, Spencer; Barrington, George (capt), Figallo, Itoje, Kruis, Wray, Fraser, Vunisa. Replacements: Saunders, Vunipola, Du Plessis, Rhodes, Vunipola, De Kock, Streather, Ransom. Referee: Andrew Small. Attendance: 5,200. For the latest rugby union news follow @bbcrugbyunion on Twitter.

Summary: Saracens returned to the top of the Premiership table after securing a late bonus point in their win at Newcastle.


Bribes of between $1,000 - $5,000 (£800; £4,000) have been paid, Gen Nur Farah Jimale said. The BBC has also learned that some candidates have been offering bribes of up to $1.3m (£1m) to secure votes. Indirect elections have been taking place since October as the country remains too unsafe for a national vote. Much of the country is still under the control of Islamist militant group al-Shabab, which is affiliated to al-Qaeda. Gen Nur told the BBC Somali Service that some seats should be re-run because money had been used to "out-manoeuvre" other candidates, in some cases, meaning all but one candidate had withdrawn. Cases of government resources being used in the election have also been documented, he said. The elections are being funded by the United Nations which also supports the government based in the capital, Mogadishu. Somalia has not had a functional national government since the ousting of its former leader Mohamed Siad Barre in 1991.

Summary: Massive cases of corruption and voter intimidation have marred the ongoing parliamentary elections in Somalia, the auditor general has told the BBC.


Cardiff Civic Society has asked Planning Minster Carl Sargeant to "call in" a planning application for part of the Cardiff Central Square development. Cardiff councillors are due to vote on the plans on Wednesday. The Welsh government said it had yet to make a decision. Cardiff planners have recommended the plans go ahead, saying concerns have been addressed. BBC Wales plans to take the tenancy of the planned new media centre building in Central Square - where the current bus station is situated - from developers Rightacres Property Ltd. Rightacres is also applying to demolish the nearby ageing Marland House office and retail building, build basement car parks and landscape the square. A council report to the committee said the application seeks to "demonstrate that the development does not compromise the delivery of a new bus station on the Marland House/ NCP car park site, and that the environmental impact of relocating the bus station is acceptable". However, the application does not include any plans for the permanent replacement of the bus station. In its letter to ministers, the civic society said the application failed to address the need for a transport hub close to the railway station and asked for the decision to be taken out of the hands of councillors. It claims the development will "destroy the central bus station with no replacement provided for at least two and a half years". Paul McCarthy, chief executive of Rightacres Property, said although the current application did not include the transport plan, details of a new hub would be revealed in the near future. A Cardiff council spokesperson said: "Any mention of the bus station in the current planning documentation for the demolition of Marland House and the BBC headquarters is incidental and lacks significant detail, as it isn't part of this application." Network Rail has also raised concerns about the loss of current taxi parking and passenger pick-up and drop-off points, as a civic square could be built between the planned development and Cardiff Central rail station. In a statement to planners, it said: "This proposed development will remove a key rail customer facility on the northern side of the rail station and will necessitate its relocation away from the station's main entrance."

Summary: Permission for a new BBC Wales headquarters in Cardiff city centre should not be granted until plans for a new bus station are in place, a conservation group says.


The Assembly Rooms, which opened in 1977, was badly damaged in a huge blaze that broke out in its roof car park last March. The city council said rebuilding would be too expensive and the venue would be sold to a private company and could be knocked down and the site redeveloped. As well as live music, the Assembly Rooms also hosted British Open snooker. Perhaps its most famous musical moment was in 1983, when Morrissey was hit in the eye with a flower during a Smiths gig and fans invaded the stage at the end. The venue also hosted performances from acts such as The Clash, Paul Weller and Manic Street Preachers and was home to the city's pantomime each year. City council Labour leader Ranjit Banwait said he hoped the venue would be replaced with "some kind of cultural offer". The opposition Conservative group said the local authority had dithered over the plans. Councillor Robin Wood said the venue could have been kept "alive" in the interim until a bidder was found. He said: "For over a year now we have been wondering what on earth is going to happen. Now we are told the wrecking ball is going to go at it. "I think it would be much better to refurbish it and reopen it and look at other alternatives. What we will end up with is a pile of rubble and nothing." Dave Parry, of the Derby Civic Society, said the venue was too big for the market place and never really achieved what it set out to do. "We would like to see something that would be representative of the city," he said. "I'm not sure that it is the right place for a cultural thing, but we also don't want to see a supermarket or block of flats there."

Summary: The curtain is set to fall on a music venue in Derby where a host of famous acts have thrilled fans for decades.


At present some hospitals charge for wi-fi and others have no access at all. The move is a recommendation from a government-commissioned report on improving the use of online technology in the health service. The government has set no deadline for the plans but expects the NHS to be "digital and paperless" by 2020. Money for the service is being provided from a Â£1bn technology fund. Mr Hunt said: "Everyone using the NHS expects it to be a world leader in digital healthcare and free wi-fi is an essential part of making that a reality. "It will give patients and staff the ability to access the services they need as well as freeing up clinical time and reducing overall costs." In some hospitals paper charts have already been replaced by mobile clinical systems and tablets, allowing for data to be shared around the building. The Department of Health said greater use of e-prescribing could reduce medication errors by 50%. It also believes the plans will encourage the use of technologies that could help alert doctors and nurses to medical problems and reduce paperwork and errors. Patients could also wear monitors to alert medical staff to issues, such as diabetics who have experienced "largely avoidable" hypoglycemic episodes while in hospital. The Department of Health was unable to say what proportion of NHS facilities already provide free wi-fi.

Summary: Free wi-fi is to be provided in all NHS buildings in a bid to improve services and reduce costs, Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said.


As Republican National Committee head Reince Priebus has pointed out, the rules are the rules, and they aren't a secret. But Mr Trump is right that there are forces coalescing to stop him. And as of Sunday night - with the announcement that presidential candidates John Kasich and Ted Cruz are co-ordinating their efforts in upcoming state primaries - those forces aren't so silent anymore. Neither Mr Cruz nor Mr Kasich can win the 1,237 delegates necessary to secure the Republican nomination for themselves. Their only hope is to deny Donald Trump that opportunity as well. And now, at last, their campaigns are publicly acknowledging that they need each other's help to do so. As the two campaigns explained in dual press releases, Mr Cruz will focus on Indiana on 3 May, while Mr Kasich will be given free rein to challenge Mr Trump head-on in the Oregon and New Mexico contests over the following weeks. This announcement comes just days before Mr Cruz and Mr Kasich are likely to receive a thorough drubbing in a handful of states in the mid-Atlantic, including delegate-rich Pennsylvania. By Wednesday morning Mr Trump could have put considerably more distance between himself and his two opponents. So this accord may be an early effort to push the focus past the next round of voting and on to more friendly contests. Indiana, one of the last big prizes of the primary season, is shaping up to be a pivotal battleground. A recent poll shows Mr Trump with a comfortable lead in a three-way race that narrows considerably if Mr Kasich is taken out of the equation. Given the rules in Indiana - 30 delegates to the candidate who wins a statewide plurality and three delegates to the top finisher in each of the state's nine congressional districts - every bit of help Mr Cruz can get to edge past Mr Trump will be invaluable. Independent groups backing the #NeverTrump efforts are pouring resources into the state in the hopes that a massive advertising blitz will dent the New York mogul's image. It worked for them in Wisconsin two weeks ago, although those efforts also benefited from a state Republican Party unified in opposing Mr Trump and a conservative media that had been relentlessly bashing him for months. The atmosphere in Indiana is much more muddled. Republican Governor Mike Pence is not endorsing any candidate, and the local talk radio hosts aren't as virulently anti-Trump. This unite-to-defeat-Trump strategy has been kicked around for months, of course. When Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker ended his presidential bid last September, he urged his opponents to follow his lead and "clear the field" for a candidate with a "positive, conservative message" - ie not Mr Trump. The Wisconsin Cassandra was universally ignored. In early March, former Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney called for exactly such an accord between non-Trump candidates, with each focusing on states where they could win and voters acting accordingly. Shortly before his Florida primary flameout, Senator Marco Rubio's campaign announced it was ceding Ohio to Mr Kasich, perhaps

Summary: For the past few weeks Donald Trump has been railing against what he calls a "rigged" and "crooked" Republican nomination process and silent efforts to deny him the party's presidential bid.


The conservationists have described it as a major milestone, there are thought to be about 70,000 coins in the hoard. By the end of the day on Friday the team had removed 55,014 coins, 63 more than the previous largest Roman Cunetio hoard found in Wiltshire. The team are clearing the coins in view of the public in a special laboratory at La Hougue Bie Museum in Grouville. The Jersey Heritage team has spent two years removing the coins one by one from the hoard discovered by two metal detector enthusiasts in 2012. The value of the hoard will not be known until next year when the States will have to decide whether to pay to keep it in the island.

Summary: The team removing coins from the Jersey Celtic hoard have gathered more than in any other British hoard to date.


"We will absolutely want him to have the death penalty," Nikki Haley told NBC television. Suspect Dylann Roof, 21, is due to make his first court appearance on Friday. He was arrested on Thursday more than 200 miles away in North Carolina and flown back to South Carolina. Police are treating the killings at the Emanuel AME Church on Wednesday evening as a hate crime. Prayer vigils have been held in churches in Charleston and across the US for the six women and three men who died. At the vigil for victim Sharonda Singleton, her teenage children told the BBC they had forgiven her killer and wanted to focus on moving on in a positive way. "We already forgive him for what he's done," said her son, Chris. "And there's nothing but love from our side of the family. Love is stronger than hate." Churches in Charleston were full to overflowing on Thursday evening as prayer services were held. Some services were held outdoors. Hundreds gathered outside the Emanuel AME Church to pay tribute. Governor Haley told NBC's Today show that South Carolina had been "hurt" by the deaths of nine innocent people. She said she wanted the suspect tried on state charges in South Carolina rather than federal charges. Mr Roof is due to appear in court via video link for a bail hearing on Friday. He is being held at a detention centre in the Charleston area, the county sheriff's office said. He was detained on Thursday after police acting on a tip-off stopped his car in Shelby, North Carolina. Police had earlier released CCTV images of the suspect and the dark saloon car he had driven away in. Mr Roof's social media presence suggests he was interested in white supremacy. His Facebook profile page shows a picture of him wearing a jacket with flag-patches from apartheid-era South Africa and Rhodesia - the name of Zimbabwe during the era of white minority rule. He also had a Confederate flag plate on his car. Dalton Tyler, who said he was a friend of Mr Roof, told ABC News the suspect had spoken in support of racial segregation and had said "he wanted to start a civil war". It emerged on Thursday that the gunman had sat in a Bible study group at the church for nearly an hour before launching his attack. In pictures: Americans share images of racial imbalance after Charleston "The suspect entered the group and was accepted by them, as they believed that he wanted to join them in this Bible study," Charleston County Coroner Rae Wilson said. She said he then became "very aggressive and violent". Eight people died at the scene and one person died later in hospital. There were three survivors. The victims were named as Pastor Clementa Pinckney, 41; Cynthia Hurd, 54; Tywanza Sanders, 26; Ms Singleton, 45; Myra Thompson, 59; Ethel Lance, 70; Susie Jackson, 87; the Rev Daniel Simmons Sr, 74; and DePayne Doctor. Cynthia Taylor, a niece of Ms Jackson, said she had spoken to a survivor, Felecia Sanders, who said

Summary: The man suspected of shooting dead nine people at an African-American church in Charleston should face the death penalty if convicted, South Carolina's governor has said.


"I tried to run away but my mother said she would kill herself if I did not marry him." "I was not mature physically or emotionally so it was not easy for me to go and sleep with my husband." She had never met her bridegroom, 18-year-old Gedefaw Mengistu, before their wedding day. "I knew she was too young. I was in grade five but my father died and I was forced to stop school, get married and keep the family going," Mr Gedefaw told the BBC. The couple live in Ethiopia's Amhara Region - an impoverished rural farming area where half of all girls are married before they turn 15. "It's quite shattering to have met people who were married off," Archbishop Desmond Tutu told the BBC on a visit to the area. "In one case the husband was eight and the supposed wife was seven. I mean you want to say it's abominable," he said. The South African Nobel Peace Prize winner may have recently announced his retirement from public life but he is out fighting injustice again as one of the Elders - the group of eminent global leaders brought together by South Africa's former President Nelson Mandela. "I wasn't aware of the extent of the problem - and it is just fantastic that things are taking a turn for the better and incredibly so," he said. The archbishop was referring to the impact of government-led programmes in several dozen villages in the region which focus on delaying marriage. In this area, the lure of a bride price causes many families to push for early weddings. But there is another reason. "Fear of abduction is also a factor," said Alemseged Weldegerima from the Ethiopian government's Bureau of Women, Children and Youth Affairs. "We will try to stop abduction, not by using the police, but by increasing the awareness of the people." Beside a small eucalyptus plantation Archbishop Tutu was sharing a low wooden bench with two Elders who have broken the mould; the first woman to be president of Ireland, Mary Robinson, and the former prime minister of Norway, and ex-head of the World Health Organization, Gro Brundtland. They listened to young unmarried girls with big dreams, as well as women who had no chance of getting an education after being married off at a young age. Abay Asnakew is 12 and she has her life all mapped out. "When I finish my high school I will join university; I'll complete my BA degree and get a job and help my family. Then if my partner has a degree too then I will marry him," she says. "So what job do you want to do?" I asked. "Prime minister," she replied without hesitation. Look out Meles Zenawi! Abay has joined a girls' club known as Berhane Hewan - Amharic for "Light for Eve". She has learnt about issues which have prepared her to resist early marriage; personal health, HIV/Aids, and the medical complications associated with giving birth at a young age, like fistula. Female circumcision is also discussed and

Summary: "I wanted to get an education but my parents were determined to marry me off," says Himanot Yehewala, an Ethiopian girl who was married five years ago at the age of 13.


Phandu Skelemani made the apology after Kenya's government accused him of being contemptuous towards Uhuru Kenyatta. The International Criminal Court has charged Mr Kenyatta with crimes against humanity. He denies the charges and won the 4 March poll with an outright majority. He got 50.07% of the vote compared to his rival Raila Odinga's 43.31%. Mr Odinga has refused to accept defeat, saying the election was marred by fraud and is expected to file a petition challenging the result at Kenya's Supreme Court on Friday. Analysts say the ICC case bolstered Mr Kenyatta's electoral chances, as voters saw it as interference in Kenya's domestic affairs. He is due to stand trial in July, with the charges stemming from allegations that he helped orchestrate violence that erupted after the 2007 election. Earlier this week, his lawyer, Steven Kay, called on the ICC to drop the case, saying the evidence against him was "utterly flawed". Mr Kay made the call after ICC chief prosecutor Fatou Bensouda dropped charges against Mr Kenyatta's co-accused, Francis Muthaura, because a key witness had "recanted" his evidence and other witnesses were too scared to testify. Mr Skelemani said he was retracting comments he made to Botswana's privately owned Mmegi newspaper following Mr Kenyatta's election victory. "I apologise to the Kenyan people for my earlier statement and wish to maintain that Kenya and Botswana have always worked together and nothing will change that," he said, in a statement published in the Kenyan media. "Mr Uhuru Kenyatta is more than welcome to visit Botswana. Botswana is cognisant of a section of the law that says one is innocent until proven guilty." Earlier this week, Mr Skelemani was quoted by Mmegi as saying that Mr Kenyatta would not be allowed to "set foot" in Botswana if he refused to cooperate with the ICC. "If he refuses to go [to The Hague], then we have a problem. That means that they do not know the rule of law," he is quoted as saying. "You can't establish a court and refuse to go when it calls you." In his response, Kenyan government spokesman Muthui Kariuki told the Nairobi-based Daily Nation newspaper that Kenya knew its international obligations but would not be bullied. "The government finds the statement contemptuous," he is quoted as saying. "Mr Kenyatta has been accused, but he is not guilty until proven otherwise. In fact, he has always attended ICC sessions without failure and is on record he would continue to do so," Mr Kariuki said. Botswana has also warned Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir, who has been charged by the ICC with genocide, that he will be arrested if he visits Botswana. He has denied the charge, but refuses to stand trial because Sudan does not recognise the ICC, saying it is a tool of Western powers.

Summary: Botswana's foreign minister has apologised for saying that Kenya's newly elected president would be banned from the southern African nation if he refuses to co-operate with the ICC.


Rangers confirmed that Jardine had lost an 18-month battle against cancer on Thursday evening. He was part of their European Cup Winners' Cup-winning team of 1972 and played 38 times for his country. He was respected not only by Rangers fans but also the wider football community Ibrox manager Ally McCoist said everyone at Rangers was devastated at the loss of "a legend" and "a great man". And the club said their thoughts were with his wife Shona, children Steven and Nicola, his grandchildren and friends. Hearts also extended their condolences to his family, with the Tynecastle club adding they were deeply saddened at the death of a club legend. Media playback is not supported on this device Edinburgh-born Jardine began his career with Rangers in 1965 and went on to make over 600 appearances for the Ibrox side. As well as playing in the club's European triumph in 1972, the full-back won three top-flight titles, five Scottish Cups and five Scottish League Cups with Rangers. A move to Hearts followed in 1982 and, along with former Rangers team-mate Alex MacDonald, he was joint-manager at Tynecastle between 1986 and 1988. Under their command, the Edinburgh club lost out on the Scottish title on the final day of the 1985-86 season, Celtic taking advantage of Hearts' defeat at Dundee to pip them to the crown. Jardine's on-field contribution that term was such, though, that he was named Scotland's player of the year for the second time at the age of 37. The honour came 11 years after he first won the award. After his playing career ended, he returned to work for Rangers in various roles. In November 2012, it was confirmed Jardine was being treated for cancer. "He was respected not only by Rangers fans but also the wider football community and he is a huge loss to the game," McCoist said on Rangers' website. "I had the privilege of watching Sandy playing for Rangers when I was a young boy, I had enjoyed the pleasure of working with him closely since I returned to the club in 2007 and he was a truly remarkable human being. "His achievements both on and off the pitch are second to none and I was honoured to regard him as a friend. "He gave everything for this great club and worked tirelessly in a number of roles because he wanted to ensure the traditions, history and standards at Rangers were maintained. "He recently told me he was proud to be a Ranger and wanted to be remembered forever as a Ranger. Well Sandy, you will go down in history as one of the greatest of all time and we will miss you terribly." During his time at Ibrox, Jardine was a team-mate of Sir Alex Ferguson. The former Manchester United manager and his wife, Cathy, added their own tribute. "From Cathy and I, this is some of the worst news we have heard," he said. "Sandy was a noble and courageous man. "The respect he is held in at Rangers is immense. He was one

Summary: Former Rangers, Hearts and Scotland defender Sandy Jardine has died at the age of 65.


Emergency services were called to the line near Stanford-le-Hope, Essex, at about 21:30 GMT on Monday. A tow truck had to be called to remove the car, which was stuck on the track. No one was trapped or badly hurt. The 18-year-old driver was arrested at the scene on suspicion of theft of a motor vehicle, driving without insurance and careless driving. Train operator c2c apologised for delays to passengers. It said services were disrupted for about three hours while the car was removed and Network Rail engineers examined the track and repaired the fence.

Summary: A motorist crashed through a fence and onto a train track, causing several hours of delays for passengers.


The first group stages of the women's tournament take place on Wednesday - so-called day -2 - with Sweden facing South Africa, while the men's group stages start on Thursday, when Iraq play Denmark (both 17:00 BST). Here's all you need to know. It's simply for scheduling reasons, as it was at London 2012. With 16 men's and 12 women's teams, there are 58 matches to get through. There is football being played on 12 days of the tournament, with six rest days. Men's groups Women's groups Barcelona forward Neymar will captain a Brazil squad aiming to win its first Olympic gold medal. The hosts also have Lazio midfielder Felipe Anderson in their squad along with Neymar's Barca team-mate Rafinha and Paris Saint-Germain defender Marquinhos. Meanwhile, Tottenham forward Son Heung-min will represent South Korea and Chelsea's John Mikel Obi brings experience for Nigeria. Five-time women's world player of the year Marta competes in her fourth Olympics for Brazil, while her 38-year-old team-mate Formiga is going to her sixth Games and is looking to continue her streak of appearing at every women's Olympic football tournament. The reigning world and Olympic champions USA have seven gold medal winners in their line-up. Among them is goalkeeper Hope Solo, who could win a record fourth Olympic title at Rio, and current world player of the year Carli Lloyd. Team GB fielded men's and women's teams at London 2012, with both sides knocked out at the quarter-final stage. The English Football Association had hoped to have both teams in Rio, but they failed to gain support from the other home nations and Fifa was not willing to accept a Great Britain team without players from every one of the home nations. Qualification is also based on tournament results and while England's women would have earned their place by finishing third at last year's World Cup, the men's failure to get past the group stage of the European Under-21 Championships would have denied them. Team GB qualification is based on England's results because the English FA is the national governing body on the BOA. "I'm really disappointed that these next set of players won't have that opportunity in Rio," said former England striker Kelly Smith, who was part of Team GB's 18-strong squad at London. "It's a great experience and you get to play against the best teams and players from across the world. It's disheartening they couldn't get a side together. The Americans view this as the ultimate." Even though it was not included in the Olympic programme until 1996, the women's competition is often seen as more prestigious than the men's, which is age-restricted (only three men in each squad can be over 23). For many Brazilians, the men's football tournament will be the most important part of the Games - especially on home soil, where they are looking to win their first ever gold medal in the sport. Hosts Brazil are the firm favourites to take the men's title after the disappointment of losing in the final at London 2012. Defending champions Mexico could prove

Summary: Rio 2016 officially gets under way with the opening ceremony on Friday - but did you know football kicks off the action two days earlier?


The body of Alice, 14, was found in the River Brent in west London on 30 September after she went missing a month earlier. The corpse of Latvian builder Zalkalns was found less than two miles away in Boston Manor Park, on 4 October. The Met Police has told the Crown Prosecution Service it thinks Zalkalns was responsible for Alice's murder. At a briefing, the force released the evidence it had compiled against him, including CCTV and items recovered. Alice's disappearance sparked what the Met said was its largest inquiry since the 7/7 bombings in 2005. A statement from her family said they had "serious unanswered questions" about "what the authorities knew or should have known" about Zalkalns "when he came to the UK". "Alice believed in the free movement of people and so do we," the statement added. "For her sake we are determined to ask these questions responsibly and sensitively." At the briefing, Det Ch Insp Andy Chalmers said: "Boy, do I wish we'd found her earlier." Zalkalns, who was working as a labourer on a building site in Isleworth, had been convicted of murdering his wife in Latvia in 1998. Police said they believe there was a "sexual motive" to Alice's murder although there is no evidence of that. The CPS said its case would have been based on circumstantial evidence, not forensic or eyewitness evidence. Tim Thompson, CPS prosecutor said: "Of all the people the various strands of evidence might have implicated they in fact point towards Arnis Zalkalns: a person who has previously killed and concealed the body of a young woman. "It is not for the CPS to say whether or not Arnis Zalkalns killed Alice Gross - that would have been for a jury to decide." They added a single DNA sample from Alice's skin "strongly supports" a match to Zalkalns. Officers have said no-one else was involved in Zalkalns' death. He was found hanged. Post mortem tests suggested the cause of of Alice's death was "compressive asphyxia". Following the police briefing, Alice's family said: "Although we now have certain information about how Alice died, we are still left with some serious unanswered questions about what the authorities knew or should have known about the man who is believed to have killed our daughter when he came to the UK." The inquest into Alice's death was due to resume on Thursday but has been postponed. Other key points that have emerged from police at a press briefing: Scotland Yard also spoke about Zalkalns' criminal history. Following his conviction for murdering his wife in Latvia, he was released from prison in 2005 and arrived legally in the UK in 2007, police said. In 2009, he was arrested over an alleged indecent assault on 14-year-old girl near to the Grand Union Canal in Boston Manor. Police said the allegation was "thoroughly investigated" but the complainant decided not to press charges. No checks were made to see if Zalkalns had any overseas convictions because it was not Met policy to do so, the force said. However, detectives said

Summary: Charges would have been brought against Alice Gross murder suspect Arnis Zalkalns if he had lived, police say.


Fury, 27, is the second Briton to win the award, after he shocked Ukrainian Wladimir Klitschko to claim the IBF, WBA and WBO titles in November. "I can't believe I've just won Ring magazine fighter of the year," Fury said. "I'm so flattered." The magazine said Fury's defeat of Klitschko "turned boxing's traditional glamour division upside down". Following his title win in Dusseldorf, Fury caused controversy over derogatory remarks he made about women, and for criticising homosexuality and abortion. Almost 140,000 people signed a petition calling for Fury to be removed from the BBC Sports Personality of the Year shortlist. Fury remained on the list and, during the show in December, apologised if any of his comments "hurt anybody". He finished fourth in the vote for the award, which was won by tennis player Andy Murray. American former WBC, WBA and IBF title-holder Mike Tyson said about Fury: "He is the best heavyweight champion of the world since myself. He is the man, I don't care what anybody says. "I know this is going to sound ignorant, he can say what he wants to say. You know who is going to look up to him? The people who never thought they had a chance in their life." Former world welterweight and light-welterweight champion Ricky Hatton, in 2005, is the only other Briton to win the Ring award.

Summary: The Ring magazine has named world heavyweight champion Tyson Fury as its 2015 fighter of the year.