"It's a mixture of craziness and political action," said Professor Jerzy Sarnecki from Stockholm University's Department of Criminology. "This is not a person without psychological problems. But he has been inspired by the discourse we have in this country now related to the question of refugees and foreigners." Sweden expects to receive 190,000 asylum applications this year, one of the highest rates per capita in Europe. Support for the far right has risen as Sweden's ability to house and integrate the new arrivals comes under strain. Amid the febrile debate, some polls suggest the Sweden Democrats party - which is critical of Islam and immigration and won 13% of the vote in the 2014 election - is now the country's biggest party. "Sweden as we know it will not survive the influx of refugees, that is what the party is saying," said Prof Sarnecki. "Anonymous people on the internet say much worse things. They say there is no other way but to kill these people and burn the barracks where they are staying. They will celebrate this guy as someone who has offered his life for the survival of his people." More than a dozen arson attacks this year have targeted refugee reception centres and homes. However the Trollhattan attack is the worst thing that could have happened for the Sweden Democrats, Prof Sarnecki said: "It has made them toxic." The attack has similarities to far right attacks that happened in the 1980s and 1990s, when Sweden was welcoming in refugees from the Bosnian and Iran-Iraq War, according to Professor Jonas Hinnfors, professor of political sciences at Gothenburg University. But he says the deeper trend is that Swedes have become far more open-minded towards immigration, and he doesn't foresee that changing. Up to 40% of people want fewer migrants today, down from 65% in the 1990s, he pointed out. "Public opinion has become drastically more open on issues of race, immigration and people from different cultures. On the other hand, the far right is mobilising - and certain groups may feel their resistance is hardening. Whether one side will have much of an impact on the other in future is hard to say," he said. Prof Sarnecki agrees that most Swedes are not against the society's rapid transformation from a homogeneous racial group into an ethnically mixed society. "But a substantial group is against it," he said. "And they are scared to death."

Summary: Clad in black, with a Darth Vader-like mask, a Nazi helmet and a sword, Anton Lundin Pettersson marched like a soldier through the school corridors, singling out those with dark skin to attack.


Entitled 100 Stories of Migration, some of the images are positive and celebratory. There's a picture of a smiling young mother and her child from Somalia on the beach at Brighton. Most images though are menacing and hostile, reflecting the UK and the Midlands' often contradictory response to migrants. Some show National Front marches in the 1970s and a landlady's window notice saying in stark terms: "No coloureds". "What we wanted to do was to challenge people," curator Sarah Plumb told me. "It's about asking them to question some of their negative stereotypes that are presented around migrants, often in the mainstream media." Screened on the staircase is the 1968 Birmingham speech of Enoch Powell. His anti-immigration "Rivers of Blood" warning to West Midlands Conservatives still casts a long political shadow. Prof Martin Halliwell, deputy pro-vice-chancellor at the University of Leicester, has been building links with university colleagues in Gujarat in west India. But UK political sensitivities over migrants is clouding attempts at deeper exchanges. "The government's tightening of visas for migrants from Eastern Europe has affected us dramatically and detrimentally, especially in South Asia," he said. "We are seeing a drying up of the flow of students, which is vital for the life of our universities." On Leicester's Hinckley Road, the Polish delis reflect the arrival of new migrants. In excess of 45,000 migrants have settled in the East Midlands since 2011 alone. That's the estimate in findings compiled for the BBC by researchers at Oxford University. According to new figures from the Office of National Statistics, net annual migration to the UK last year was under 300,000, with the largest group coming from Poland. The East Midlands parliamentary constituencies with the biggest migrants are Boston and Skegness in Lincolnshire, with 9,500, and Nottingham East with just over 8,000. It's the food processing industries and farms that have made the East Midlands a particularly popular destination of choice. Only London noticeably attracts more. "Migrant labour is hugely important to the East Midlands," said Simon Fisher, of the National Farmers' Union in Lincolnshire. "They offer us the labour flexibility for picking potatoes and vegetables. Without them, we wouldn't be producing the food we do." But that influx worries East Midlands council leaders. They commissioned their own research on the knock-on effects, in a report entitled The Impact of International Migration on the East Midlands. It revealed that up to 448,200 people in the East Midlands were foreign born. That's 10% of the region's population, compared with the UK average of 13.8%. "Our findings showed there was an economic benefit from migration," said councillor Paul Kenny, leader of Boston Borough Council and chairman of the migration board of East Midlands Councils. "But we also know from our experience that there are issues for our local communities." In its report, it presses for "People in the region have got concerns about migration and we need to make sure we address those needs," he added. "It's about working together in partnership. What we are saying to the future government is that we want the East

Summary: At the University of Leicester, there's been a remarkable exhibition of photographs charting the impact of immigration on Britain and the city itself.


Mrs Cox, 41, who was shot and stabbed in Birstall, West Yorkshire last year, was a fan of the theatre and particularly enjoyed Les Miserables. A youth theatre group led by West End professionals will put on its first show in Batley later. Kim Leadbeater, Mrs Cox's sister, said she would have been "very proud". The school edition adaptation, which is being performed entirely by people from the newly-formed Batley and Spen Youth Theatre Company, will feature costumes and props from the original West End production. Read more about this and other stories from across Yorkshire It is being led by director Nick Evans, who has guided productions such as Billy Elliot, the Musical and Mary Poppins as well as producer Donna Munday, who has worked on Hamlet, Funny Girl and Bend it Like Beckham. Mr Evans said the project was intended to show people in the community that the rest of the country cared about what had happened. "We wanted to say to people who had been in that town who had been in that community on that day, that they weren't alone, that actually there was a future." Ella Schofield, 17, who plays the role of Cosette, described the costumes, as "sick". "The most exciting thing about them, despite how gorgeous they are, is if you look in the labels you can see which actors have worn them." The musical, which runs until Saturday, is being performed in a pop-up theatre space donated by Oxfam, where Mrs Cox previously worked for eight years.

Summary: More than 100 youngsters will pay tribute to murdered MP Jo Cox by staging a performance of her favourite musical in her constituency.


One device was listed with a previous sale price of £2,378, but was "reduced" to £1.58. The computer firm briefly took its UK store offline on Saturday to resolve the error, and said it would not honour the sales that had been made. "We apologise sincerely to impacted customers for any inconvenience caused," the firm said in a statement. Over the weekend, a handful of people posted on social media that they had taken advantage of the mistake and ordered laptops. But according to consumer rights group Citizens Advice, retailers can often cancel online orders if they have made a "genuine and honest mistake on their part that you should have noticed". HP said buyers would be refunded. "We can confirm that due to a processing error, select products were wrongly priced on our UK website over the weekend," HP said. "This has now been corrected with related orders cancelled."

Summary: HP has apologised after an error on its website let shoppers buy expensive laptop computers for less than £2.


A team from Strathclyde University in Glasgow tested 22 different brands of compost and found that 14 contained a variety of Legionella species. It says a larger survey is needed to determine the extent of the issue. The study, "Legionella spp. in UK composts - a potential public health issue", is published by Clinical Microbiology and Infection. Dr Beattie, one of those who conducted the study, said: "Disease causing micro-organisms are widespread in the environment, and therefore it is not too surprising that species of Legionella that can cause human disease are present in compost. "Any environment where you have pathogenic bacteria could be a source of infection, and we already know that compost has been linked to human Legionella infection in countries such as Australia and New Zealand." Dr Beattie said European produced composts have traditionally been composed of peat, whereas those from Australia and New Zealand had more often used sawdust and bark. "It may be that the change in composition of composts in the UK, moving away from peat-based products, could be resulting in species such as Legionella longbeachae being present in compost and therefore more cases of infection could occur," she said. Dr Beattie wants a larger scale survey, covering a wider range of compost products, to be carried out to see if Legionella bacteria are as widespread in composts as her study suggests. She added: "It should be emphasised though, that although Legionella seem to be common in compost, human infection is very rare, especially if you consider the volume of compost sold and used. "But with any potential source of infection precautions should always be taken. "The occurrence of these bacteria in composts in Australia and New Zealand, and the cases of infection that have been traced to compost has resulted in hygiene warnings on compost packaging in these countries, and this is something manufacturers in the UK may wish to consider." The study was conducted by Dr Tara Beattie, fellow academic Dr Charles Knapp, Strathclyde PhD student Sandra Currie and Dr Diane Lindsay of the Scottish Haemophilus, Legionella, Meningococcus and Pneumococcus Reference Laboratory.

Summary: Legionella bacteria appears to be "common" in many compost brands sold in the UK, a study has found.


His father said he had been suffering from frontal lobe dementia, which had worsened in recent months. John Berry originally formed the Beastie Boys as a hardcore punk band with three friends in 1981 and came up with the name for the group. He played guitar on their first EP, Polly Wog Stew, but left before they achieved commercial success. Berry attended the Walden School in New York with fellow band member Mike Diamond, known as Mike D. The pair were later joined by Adam Yauch and Kate Schellenbach and released their debut EP in 1982. When Berry left the group, he was replaced by Adam Horovitz, known as Ad-Rock, and the band took a new direction as a rap group. Schellenback also left the group before the release of their 1986 album Licence To Ill, which debuted at number one in the US. The group became a huge commercial success, recording a total of eight studio albums over 25 years, which collectively sold more than 50 million copies worldwide. Four of them reached number one in the US, while their 1998 album Hello Nasty topped the album chart in the UK. Their best-known hits include (You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party!), Intergalactic, and Ch-Check It Out. Seven of their albums achieved platinum sales status and the band toured with Madonna in 1985. Beastie Boys remained a three-piece until Adam Yauch's death from cancer in 2012. In the same year, Beastie Boys were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Billboard declared them the biggest selling rap group since the magazine began recording data in 1991. Horovitz read a speech written by Yauch at the ceremony, which mentioned Berry as a formative member of the band's early years. Frontal lobe dementia is a form of dementia that occurs when the frontal lobes of the brain begin to shrink. It is an uncommon form of dementia and is thought to affect about 16,000 people in the UK. Frontal lobe dementia is distinct from Alzheimer's disease and comes on earlier in life, usually between the ages of 45 and 65. Symptoms include problems with behaviour, language and thinking. The frontal lobes of the brain are involved in behaviour regulation. The disease can alter a person's character - they may become impulsive and lose their inhibitions or become less outgoing and socially isolated. Source: Alzheimer's Society and NHS Choices Mike D later confirmed that he and Ad-Rock would not continue with Beastie Boys, out of respect for Yauch. After he left the band, Berry went on to play guitar in several other bands - including Even Worse, Big Fat Love, Highway Stars and Bourbon Deluxe.

Summary: John Berry, a founding member of rap group Beastie Boys has died at the age of 52.


It means that 1,500 jobs are at risk: 650 in higher education, 500 in further education and 400 civil servants. About 1,000 places may be lost in universities but 16,000 would go from further education colleges. The department is being asked to cut £82m or 10.8% from its annual spending. Employment and Learning Minster Stephen Farry said the level of cuts proposed was "unprecedented". Mr Farry said: "This document outlines the possible impact on a wide range of functions and services across the department and arms length bodies in response to the executive's draft budget. "The level of cuts being proposed for the department is unprecedented and this will have far reaching and deep implications across all of the department's provision. "The potential measures will impact on the universities, colleges and other sectoral training providers and will almost certainly result in a reduction in places offered to train and educate our young people." The news comes a day after a senior official in the Department of Education predicted at least 2,500 job losses in schools over the next financial year. The proposed cuts at the Department for Employment and Learning are contained in a draft savings plan that sets out the impact the 2015/16 budget will have on the department. To date, the department has decided upon reductions of less than half of the required £82m. BBC News NI education correspondent Maggie Taggart said: "Some 17,000 fewer places in colleges and universities would be extremely damaging to the prospects of young people. "71% of the department's budget goes on staff costs and more than 1,500 jobs are at risk." Mr Farry has also decided to take more than £2m out of the budget for smaller teacher training colleges - a 20% cut. "It is the money St Mary's and Stranmillis currently get because of their small scale," said our education correspondent. "He says the payment called the 'premia' does not contribute to front line training and if he did not remove it , he would have to make even steeper cuts." NUS-USI president Rebecca Hall said the ramifications for students could be catastrophic. "Government must make investing in our future a key priority. That means investing in students and in further and higher education," she said. "Government simply must overturn the proposed cut to DEL funding within the draft budget." A senior official in the Department of Education has predicted at least 2,500 job losses in schools over the next financial year because of cuts. Trevor Connolly described the situation as "extremely bleak and difficult". Mr Connolly said 1,000 teaching jobs and 1,500 non-teaching jobs could be lost and that that figure could rise. He said schools budgets could also be cut. The Department of Education has to make cuts of £198m to its budget. Mr Connolly made his remarks when he was giving evidence to the Education Committee at Stormont. The draft budget is out for public consultation until the end of the month. The assembly will debate the budget next month.

Summary: Some 17,000 education and training places could go as a result of severe cutbacks, the Department for Employment and Learning has revealed.


Maxime Colin deflected Romaine Sawyers' second-half shot past replacement keeper Ivan Lucic to win a game high on chances but low on quality finishing. Bees' top scorer Scott Hogan had three great chances to put his side ahead. Tammy Abraham could have given City the lead, but he hit the bar early in the second half before missing a one-on-one when it was easier to score. The win moves Brentford one place and one point above City into 14th position in the Championship. City were indebted to goalkeeper Frank Fielding who made two great saves as Hogan twice broke through in the first period, before the former England Under-21 international was forced off with a hip injury. Abraham also had two good chances before the break, but his best efforts came after the restart as the 13-goal Chelsea loanee opted for power and crashed a shot against the bar when a composed finish might have given the Robins the lead. Lucic denied Hogan's third one-on-one before Abraham had one of his own, but his chipped finish over Daniel Bentley was wide of the mark. Colin secured the win, although it is doubtful he knew much about it, as Sawyers' long range effort deflected off his legs to wrong-foot Lucic. Bristol City head coach Lee Johnson: "I'm very disappointed by the result but okay with the performance because on another night we would have scored three or four goals. "The game has hinged on us not taking our chances. Tammy Abraham played well and got into some good areas, but he just couldn't finish. "He is a young player and will come again. It's a time to put an arm around him, not take out a big stick. "I was much more concerned with how we played at Huddersfield on Saturday. Tonight it seemed as though one of us had run over a black cat." Brentford manager Dean Smith: "I think the ball went in off Maxime Colin's backside. Sometimes you need a bit of luck to record victories in the Championship and he will want the goal, even though it was a fantastic strike by Romaine. "It was a tough night for us. The game was end to end with chances for both sides. "A draw would have been a fair result, but we managed to get over the line. "Strangely, both team's main goalscorers couldn't finish on the night. Scott Hogan for us and Tammy Abraham for them had numerous chances, mainly due to mistakes, and couldn't capitalise." Match ends, Bristol City 0, Brentford 1. Second Half ends, Bristol City 0, Brentford 1. Attempt missed. Josh McEachran (Brentford) left footed shot from more than 40 yards on the left wing misses to the right. Assisted by Daniel Bentley following a fast break. Corner, Bristol City. Conceded by John Egan. Attempt blocked. Lee Tomlin (Bristol City) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Offside, Bristol City. Lee Tomlin tries a through ball, but Gustav Engvall is caught offside. Korey Smith (Bristol City) is shown the yellow card for a bad

Summary: Brentford won successive games for the second time in the Championship this season as they edged past Bristol City.


Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif dismissed them as "failed lies". He claimed they were published "just in time" for the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) conference, which took place earlier this week. On Wednesday, Israel's military said it had found the rockets on a ship it seized in the Red Sea off Sudan. The Klos-C, a Panamanian-flagged vessel, is currently being escorted to the southern Israeli port of Eilat, and is expected to arrive on Saturday. Its 17-member crew were apparently unaware of their cargo. The Klos-C was transporting dozens of M-302 rockets, which have a range of 150km to 200km (93-124 miles), Israeli military spokesman Brig-Gen Moti Almoz said. "The ship may be carrying other weapons as well, but we can only know this when it reaches Eilat." "There is clear and unequivocal information that this came from Iran." On Wednesday, the Israeli military said it had tracked the weapons for several months as they were flown from Damascus to Tehran and then taken to a port in southern Iran. From there, it added, they were loaded on to the KLOS-C, which sailed to Iraq, where containers of cement were added. The ship was eventually intercepted while on its way to Sudan. On Thursday, Mr Zarif rejected the allegations and questioned why they had surfaced just after the conference a pro-Israel US lobby group. "An Iranian ship carrying arms for Gaza," he wrote on Twitter. "Captured just in time for annual AIPAC anti-Iran campaign. Amazing Coincidence! Or same failed lies." A spokesman for Hamas, the militant Palestinian Islamist movement that governs Gaza, said they were a "silly joke". Israel has long accused Iran of arming groups such as Hamas. More than 60 rockets fired from the Gaza Strip have hit Israel since the start of last year, Israel says. Hamas denies that it has fired any rockets since a 2012 ceasefire agreement with Israel, with other Gaza-based groups claiming responsibility. However, Israel says it hold Hamas responsible for any attacks from Gaza and has repeatedly launched deadly air strikes. During a visit to California on Wednesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the discovery of the shipment had revealed "the true face of Iran" to world powers attempting to negotiate a comprehensive agreement on its controversial nuclear programme. "Iran has been exposed for what it is," he told reporters. "It smiles in the Geneva talks about its own nuclear ambitions, gives soothing words, and as they're doing that, they're shipping these deadly weapons to the world's worst terrorists." In a speech at the AIPAC conference on Tuesday, Mr Netanyahu had reiterated his unhappiness with the prospect of a long-term deal that would allow Iran to continue enriching uranium and engaging in other activities that might allow it to develop nuclear weapons. At a news conference in Jakarta on Thursday, Mr Zarif insisted that Iran's nuclear programme was solely for peaceful purposes. "I do not believe dismantling of this programme is helpful to the cause of non-proliferation because Iran has technology, Iran has the scientists, Iran has the capability," he said.

Summary: Iran has rejected Israeli allegations that it was behind a shipment of Syrian-made rockets intended for Palestinian militants in Gaza.


The additional Barnett formula money will come from increased UK government spending on areas such as education. Mr Hammond told the House of Commons that the additional funding demonstrated that "we are stronger together in this great United Kingdom". He also confirmed additional help for the North Sea oil and gas industry. The Treasury said the Scottish government would see its resource budget boosted by £260m over the next three years, and its capital budget by £90m over the period to 2021. It said the money would be in addition to the £800m of additional Barnett funds announced by the chancellor in last year's Autumn Statement. The Scottish government said the "limited increases" in Barnett consequentials meant the Scottish budget was still facing cuts of £2.9bn over the next decade. Its finance secretary, Derek Mackay, said: "The real elephant in the room in this budget was Brexit. There was no mention of the UK government's plans to protect and grow the UK economy as the prime minister gets ready to trigger Article 50. "This is simply not acceptable. Brexit is a real threat to people across Scotland in so many ways. The chancellor must tell us his plans." £350m Over four years to 2021 £260m Resource budget £90m Capital budget But Mr Hammond insisted his budget would "equip our economy and our people for the future - while dealing with the challenges we face as one nation". He added: "Benefitting from £350m of extra investment, the Scottish government can take further steps to strengthen Scotland's economy and make sure that Scottish people, of all background and no matter where they live, feel the benefits of economic growth." The Barnett formula is used to calculate public expenditure allocated to the devolved nations. The additional money will largely be the result of increased UK government spending in social care, health and education in England - but the Scottish government will be free to spend it however it wants. The chancellor also confirmed that a panel of experts would be set up to examine how to boost sales of late life oil and gas fields - so they can keep producing for longer. The SNP benches proved stubbornly immune to Phil the Funster. He announced that there would be £350m extra for the Scottish government to spend. There then followed a showbiz moment: the Tories cheered and the chancellor grinned broadly while repeatedly gesturing towards the SNP benches, inviting them to join in the general hilarity. The Nationalists, entirely understandably, declined to participate, sitting silent upon a peak in Darien or, rather, upon their benches in the Commons. Both at Westminster and Holyrood, the SNP subsequently noted that the cash available, while welcome, was spread over three years and failed to compensate wholly for what they said were more substantial reductions over the past ten years. There was precious little jollity, either, surrounding the issue of oil. The chancellor announced a review of North Sea taxation in an effort to bolster this late phase in the history of the black, black oil. Scottish ministers say

Summary: The Scottish government will receive a £350m funding boost as a result of measures announced in his budget, the chancellor has said.


Justice Secretary Ken Clarke said the government would also consult on axing 54 County Courts. Some 300 magistrates' courts deal with minor crimes, crown court committal hearings and licensing applications. The Magistrates' Association says it is unsurprised by plans to close underused courts but warned ministers against eroding local justice. Mr Clarke also announced there will be a review in the autumn of the Â£2bn legal aid bill, saying that more had to be done to cut costs. Closing the courts will save the government at least Â£15m a year in running costs, plus an extra Â£22m in maintaining the buildings. The courts earmarked for closure make up 30% of the 540 in England and Wales. In a written ministerial statement to MPs, Mr Clarke said: "I will ensure that we keep courts in the most strategically important locations, communities continue to have access to courts within a reasonable travelling distance, that cases are heard in courts with suitable facilities and that there is an overall reduction in cost." Mr Clarke said that the number and location of all courts no longer reflected how populations had changed and how easy or difficult it was for people to reach them. Although the consultation is coming the day after the Budget, the government has been seeking to cut the costs of magistrates' courts for some time. Over the past decade an increasing proportion of minor offences have been dealt with out of court, such as through fixed penalty notice fines. Some courts only sit for half a day at a time, but require staff for longer hours. The courts also have indirect costs related to transporting lawyers, police officers and defendants to and from the buildings. "When public finances are under pressure, it is vital to eliminate waste and reduce costs," said Mr Clarke. "At the same time we should also take the opportunity to think afresh about how we can provide more modern court services. "We increasingly use the internet and e-mail to communicate and access services and we travel further to work, for leisure and to do our weekly shop. Providing access to justice does not necessarily mean providing a courthouse in every town or city." John Thornhill, chairman of the Magistrates' Association, said the service had experienced three years of cuts, meaning victims were waiting longer to see justice done. He said: "The magistracy still has a very significant contribution to make. The Association has already proposed innovative and cost effective procedures for delivering community justice. "We look forward to discussing such proposals with the government to develop a cohesive justice system in which crucial decisions on dealing with those who offend against fellow citizens." There are almost 29,000 magistrates in England and Wales, volunteers drawn from the local community and they deal with nine out of 10 cases that come before the courts. Most cases are heard by three magistrates who only receive expenses and allowances to cover loss of earnings. District judges also appear at magistrates' courts to deal with more complex cases that do not need to be

Summary: The Ministry of Justice is planning to close 103 magistrates' courts in England and Wales.


The incident in Portrush, County Antrim, happened in the early hours of Sunday, 26 June 2011. It was captured on CCTV, during which the man hit the woman a number of times with the bar. Another woman appeared to join in the assault. The Police Ombudsman's Office said the footage shows a police car containing two officers stopping in the middle of the road close to the assault. It said an officer got out of the car and approached the man. He dropped the bar and was then punched three times to the head by the officer before being arrested. Police referred the incident to the Police Ombudsman's Office for independent investigation after another officer became concerned at the level of force used by their colleague. During their investigation, Police Ombudsman investigators viewed the CCTV footage and obtained all relevant police documentation. The Police Ombudsman, Dr Michael Maguire, noted that the CCTV footage was inconclusive as to whether the man did strike out first, as claimed by the officer. However, he said the footage did clearly show that the man was "involved in previous fighting" and had committed a serious assault on a woman. He indicated that as the man did not provide a statement, there was no evidence to refute the officer's account. "Man A was subjecting a defenceless female to a serious assault," Dr Maguire said. She was in considerable danger and there is no doubt immediate action was required to prevent her sustaining further injuries or worse." He concluded that the force used by the officer was "proportionate in the circumstances" and made no disciplinary recommendations. A file was also submitted to the Public Prosecution Service, which directed that the officer should not be prosecuted in relation to the incident.

Summary: The Police Ombudsman has concluded a police officer was justified in punching a man who had subjected a "defenceless" woman to a beating with what appeared to be a metal bar.


Glenn Murray put the Eagles ahead when he headed in from close range after Bolasie's deflected cross. Bolasie added a second soon afterwards as he poked the ball past Costel Pantilimon after Murray's knockdown. A lofted finish from Bolasie made it 3-0 and he completed his treble from Murray's pass before Connor Wickham volleyed in a late consolation. The result, the second time in three home games that Sunderland have conceded four goals, increases the Black Cats' relegation fears. Media playback is not supported on this device They have been in the Premier League for eight successive seasons but are now 16th in the table, only three points above QPR and Burnley. Sunderland have only six games left to save themselves, but their last two matches of the season are away at Arsenal and then at current leaders Chelsea. Dick Advocaat, brought in after former manager Gus Poyet had been sacked following a 4-0 home defeat by Aston Villa, had stressed the importance of this match to his side. But he was let down by some woeful defending as the hosts capitulated and conceded four goals in a 14-minute spell early in the second half. After a quiet first half that was low on quality and goalscoring chances, but high on fierce challenges, the match sprung into life within three minutes of the restart. Murray headed in his sixth goal in six games to set Palace on their way to their eighth win in 12 Premier League games since Alan Pardew took over at the start of the January. But even he could not have expected what was to follow. The hosts fell apart and three minutes later Bolasie, with one goal in his previous 27 league matches this season, got to Murray's flick-on first to make it 2-0. Media playback is not supported on this device The third goal was a poor one to concede, although Bolasie showed great technique to lift the ball over advancing Sunderland goalkeeper Pantilimon. Sunderland, who had beaten Newcastle 1-0 in their last match, fell further behind as Murray again linked up with Bolasie and he scored at the second attempt after being initially denied by Pantilimon. Advocaat had named what looked an attacking line-up with Jermain Defoe, Steven Fletcher and Wickham named in a three-man forward-line, although it took the hosts 44 minutes to record a shot on target. In front of a near-empty home support, who left the ground en masse after Palace's fourth goal, Wickham did well to steer the ball into the net in the 90th minute after Patrick van Aanholt's pullback. But it could not take the shine off Palace's day as they boosted their hopes of finishing in the top half of the Premier League for the first time ever. However, for Sunderland it was another dark day at the Stadium of Light. Sunderland boss Dick Advocaat said: "We have to recover in 14 days with an away game against Stoke and we have to do better as this was not good enough. "After the Newcastle game we did not

Summary: Yannick Bolasie's 11-minute hat-trick helped Crystal Palace humiliate relegation-threatened Sunderland.


The government has announced contracts with Asian companies worth $4.5bn billion dollars. President Ali Bongo signed the agreements on the eve of the country's 50th anniversary of its independence from France. The projects will revamp infrastructure and create about 50,000 jobs. Gabon's oil output has been declining for years and the new deals are presented as the first steps towards diversification. The largest deal is the with OLAM, a Singapore-based company which plans to develop a huge palm oil plantation in the south east. The government wants to become the leading palm oil producer in Africa. In terms of infrastructure, the OLAM deal involves the construction of a refinery, and there are plans for a possible port. Another agreement was signed with the Indian company M3M, to build 5,000 low-cost housing units over the next two years. Ramky Infrastructure, another Indian construction company, will build 1,000 kilometres of tarred road over the next three years in a $1.5bn project that will be jointly financed by the Gabonese government. Gabon has already attracted a number of Asian investors, notably Malaysian and Chinese companies, but most of them were interested in the mining and timber sectors.

Summary: Gabon has signed deals to diversify its economy in an attempt to be less reliant on its dwindling oil reserves.


However, Wednesday's gain of 12.1% paled by comparison with its 66% plunge on Tuesday. At the other end of the scale, advertising giant WPP's shares sank 11% after it reported slowing sales. At the close, the FTSE 100 was just in positive territory, up 0.91 points or 0.01% at 7,382.65. On the currency markets, the pound was down 0.3% against the dollar at $1.2786 and down 0.63% against the euro at 1.031 euros.

Summary: Troubled doorstep lender Provident Financial has gone from being Tuesday's biggest stock market loser to Wednesday's biggest winner.


They were allegedly subject to sexual abuse and forced to beg on the streets. The owner, Rosa del Carmen Verduzco, and eight employees at the House of the Big Family have been arrested. Correspondents say it is one of Mexico's worst incidents of alleged child abuse at a children's institution in many years. The government said the building was home to 278 boys, 174 girls and six infants under the age of three. Also rescued were 138 adults aged up to 40, the government said. Reports say the residents were forced to live in terrible conditions. "I'm in utter dismay because we weren't expecting the conditions we found at the group home," Michoacan Governor Salvador Jara said. The House of the Big Family has been operating for 40 years and was known locally as Mama Rosa's Home. The authorities began to investigate the home after parents complained that they were denied access to their children. One woman, who grew up at the home herself, gave birth to two children who were registered in the name of Ms Verduzco. When the mother left the home, aged 31, she was not allowed to take her children with her, investigators said. Mr Jara said the raid came after an official complaint was filed by the parents of five children who said they were being held at the home against their will. He said the complaint was filed more than a year ago, but did not specify why the authorities had not acted sooner. Local media had reported on allegations made against the home as far back as 2010. By Will Grant, BBC Mundo, Mexico City Mexicans are waking up to the news with a sense of shock and disbelief - mainly at the sheer scale of the alleged abuse at Casa Mama Rosa. The list of accusations is long and serious: almost 500 children held against their will and sent into the streets to beg, their parents prevented fromt them, sexual and psychological abuse at what is a well-known and often praised children's home. As such, this certainly stands out from other stories of abuse in Mexican institutions and has sparked some uncomfortable questions. How long were the authorities aware of the accusations before they acted? Were corrupt officials involved in keeping those accusations silent? Meanwhile Rosa Verduzco herself is under arrest and facing a range of charges including sexual abuse and mistreatment of children. But over the 40 years she has been running the home, she has gained some influential and high-profile supporters, among them the renowned Mexican writer Enrique Krauze, who took to Twitter to defend her record. An article in newspaper El Universal said six families had alleged that Ms Verduzco refused to hand over their children to them. One mother told Universal reporters that she had taken her son to the home after a social worker had recommended it as a place for her child to get treatment for hyperactivity. The mother, Martha Ines Lopez Ramirez, said she was only allowed to see her son once every four months and only

Summary: Mexican police have rescued more than 450 children they believe were abused at a children's home in Zamora in the western state of Michoacan.


In a rain-reduced game of 46 overs per side, a 93-ball unbeaten 101 from Adam Hose and Jim Allenby's 90 off 110 balls helped Somerset post 294-6. Chasing a revised target of 297, the hosts slipped to 62-4 with Craig Overton (2-39) amongst the wickets. Jack Taylor's explosive 68 stemmed the flow of wickets, but Gloucestershire fell short and were all out for 215. Gloucestershire have won only two of their six matches and their hopes of qualifying for the knockout stages are hanging by a thread. Somerset's total owed much to the fourth-wicket partnership of 123 between Hose and Allenby. The home side never got going in reply and lost Phil Mustard to the first ball of the second over. Taylor's 50-ball knock gave Gloucestershire some momentum and contained three sixes and eight fours, but once he fell to Jamie Overton (3-53), the innings fell away. Max Waller finished with 3-37 as Somerset moved onto 10 points from their six matches.

Summary: One-Day Cup South Group leaders Somerset beat Gloucestershire by 81 runs to secure a fifth win in six.


Twenty-five international artists were sent debris from the Mackintosh library, which was gutted by fire in May 2014. The work they created will be sold at auction to raise money for the Mackintosh Campus Appeal. It is hoped £32m can be raised. Other artists taking part include Grayson Perry, Cornelia Parker, Jenny Saville, David Shrigley and Douglas Gordon as well as The Chapman Brothers and Sir Peter Blake, with seven Turner prize winners among them. Each artist was sent a piece of material specifically chosen for them with a note telling them what it was, where it was from and explaining the concept of the auction. Perry, who has made an urn featuring the words "Art is dead. Long live Art", said: "It's a tragedy. It's the most famous art school building in Britain. "It's also the masterpiece of Mackintosh. It's a double tragedy. "I was very excited when I received the box of charcoal. I had an idea almost immediately and the idea of making an urn was an obvious thing to do. "The idea of memorialising or celebrating the difficulty - honouring the wound. It's something I'm trying to do. Move on and make the most of it. "I really like the idea of using the charcoal from the fire. I thought it was very clever. It's also fresh - it's not something that has come up before. "We've all been asked to do T-shirts, knickers and mugs - endless charity rounds. I get about two a week." The project, titled Ash To Art, was created by communications agency J. Walter Thompson London in collaboration with The Glasgow School of Art Development Trust. The work will be on display at Christie's in London's King Street from 3-7 March and will be auctioned during the Post-War and Contemporary Art Day Sale on 8 March. Each of the pieces, covering a range of practices including sculpture, photography, drawing and painting, has been created using remains from the fire, from charred timbers and debris to books and furniture. They include Kapoor's wood fragments in a red perspex box and Gordon's burnt wood cast in bronze. Students had been preparing for their degree shows when flames engulfed the Grade A-listed Charles Rennie Mackintosh building. The blaze caused significant damage to the west wing, including the loss of the celebrated library. An investigation by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service concluded it was caused by flammable gases from a canister of expanding foam. The report said the gases ignited as they came into contact with the hot surface of a projector. So far, the Mackintosh Campus Appeal has raised £18.5m. Prof Tom Inns, director of the Glasgow School of Art, said: "It has been a pleasure to work with the creative team at J. Walter Thompson London over the last two years on this imaginative initiative that will help in our efforts to raise the £32m required to make our vision a reality."

Summary: Leading artists including Sir Antony Gormley, Anish Kapoor and Simon Starling have used material from the fire-damaged Glasgow School of Art to create new work and raise funds.


BTP said it had "unintentionally caused concern" by suggesting a new operating model, which meant all officers would investigate sexual offences. It said it would now carry out an "urgent review" of its plans. The number of sex crimes reported on London transport rose by over a third last year. The Sexual Offence Unit was originally set up to tackle crimes on the London transport network. In response to the news, the group End Violence Against Women (EVAW), said: "Good on British Transport Police for listening and having a re-think". EVAW had previously said losing the unit would "dilute the expertise" required to tackle sex crime. Figures released recently showed that between April and December 2015, police received 1,603 reports, compared with 1,117 complaints in the same period the year before. An internal risk assessment by Transport for London (TfL) has also suggested that the introduction of the Night Tube will lead to a rise in sexual offences on the Underground. In Japan, Russia, Brazil, India and Germany, seats and carriages are reserved for women on public transport to protect them from sexual harassment. Last August, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn sparked debate when he said he would consider introducing segregated carriages in Britain to stem the rise in assaults on public transport.

Summary: A specialist policing unit which investigates sexual offences on the Tube will not be disbanded the British Transport Police (BTP) has confirmed.


DUP MP Sammy Wilson decided not to contest a leadership race when Peter Robinson stood down before Christmas. "Obviously the Assembly does not have a great image and that is partly due to its own behaviour and partly due to the way the media has treated even some of its successes," Mr Wilson told the BBC. "So I think the first thing that she should do between now and the election is to get a lot of positives for the assembly." He said that the new first minister must work hard to show how devolution can change people's lives. "There are positive things being done on a day to day basis and those have to be emphasised," Mr Wilson said. Mrs Foster has taken over as first minister from Robinson, who held the post for nearly six years. The Fermanagh MLA previously held the executive posts of finance and enterprise ministers. She became party leader after members met in a east Belfast hotel last month. She said she was "humbled" to be following in the footsteps of Mr Robinson and his predecessor Ian Paisley. Political commentator Fionnuala O'Connor said the new first minister could change perceptions. "Her first biggest hurdle will be reaching out whilst sounding perfectly in command of her own unionism and reaching out to nationalism," she told the BBC. Ms O'Connor also believes that party discipline will be important and should be about "managing the party in a positive way rather than a negative way". In the months ahead the new first minster will want to implement the Fresh Start Agreement which was negotiated before Christmas. Education will also be a priority and not surprisingly the former enterprise minister wants to see more inward investment and prioritise job creation. Aside from the wider economic issues, May's assembly elections loom large and Alex Kane, a former communications director with the UUP, who is now a political journalist, says the forthcoming poll is crucial. He says Mrs Foster needs a very good election and "does not want to spend May 6th touring studios explaining why the DUP has lost six or seven seats". "She has to prove herself: "If she does that on May the 6th she can do what she likes," he added. To some Mrs Foster is more than a politician and they see her as someone who can inspire other women to enter public life. Jane Morrice, who was a Women's Coalition MLA and deputy assembly speaker hopes the new first minister will promote women. "I think that is something Arlene Foster should definitely concentrate on. There are women in her party and elsewhere who she should encourage and she should do that," she said. All leaders are judged by results and Arlene Foster will be no different. Her political honeymoon will be brief and time is short. She does not need to be reminded that polling day is just four months away.

Summary: Arlene Foster, who became Northern Ireland first minister on Monday, faces a "fairly daunting task" according to the man who considered challenging her for the job of party leader.


Media playback is not supported on this device Defending champion Selby edged past Ding Junhui to set up a repeat of the 2007 showpiece against Higgins, who comfortably beat Barry Hawkins. Scotland's Higgins last reached the final in 2011, when he beat Judd Trump. "You'd favour Mark, because he has been more involved in the massive matches in recent years. I've not," said Higgins. The final - the 41st to be held at the Crucible Theatre - starts at 14:00 BST on Sunday and will conclude on Monday. Higgins features for the sixth time, and victory would take him second in the all-time list of ranking title wins on 29 - seven behind compatriot Stephen Hendry. The 41-year-old, who has won three non-ranking events this season and beat Selby 18-13 a decade ago, added: "Mark will not go below a certain level, so I need to play better. "I know what I need to do in the last, massive game to end the season. "I am trying to stay focused and give it my all against the number one player in the world. Winning it would be my biggest achievement, without a doubt." Media playback is not supported on this device Englishman Selby is attempting to become only the fourth player - after Hendry, Steve Davis and Ronnie O'Sullivan - to win consecutive world titles in the modern era. He overcame a stern test against China's Ding, who he beat to claim his second crown in Sheffield 12 months ago. The Leicester player has been in supreme form this season, winning four ranking titles and reaching the Shanghai Masters final. Selby said: "It will be a fantastic occasion. I played in my first final 10 years ago against the same opponent and here we are on the 40th anniversary. "John is a great player, one of the greats of the game. He has had a fantastic season and is in the final again. It will be another tough match for me. "If he wins another world title, he will be equal with Ronnie O'Sullivan on five victories so he is trying to created history himself." Former world champion John Parrott on BBC TV: If there is one player whose game matches up to Mark Selby, who can match him in the safety and tactical departments, it is the man in the final with him - John Higgins. The Scot is a consummate match player, we have all been there and played him and know what problems he causes his opponents. Higgins will be up for the fight. Media playback is not supported on this device

Summary: Four-time winner John Higgins says opponent Mark Selby is the "big favourite" for the World Championship final, which starts on Sunday.


He takes over from Caroline Wyatt, who is stepping down after being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Bashir, who last worked for the BBC in 2004, is also known for TV interviews with suspects in the murder of Stephen Lawrence. He said he "cannot wait to get started" in the role. As correspondent, he will cover events and provide analysis on issues affecting different faiths both in the UK and around the world. BBC head of newsgathering Jonathan Munro said: "Martin's track record in enterprising journalism is well known and respected in the industry and amongst our audiences. "As a student of theology, Martin will bring immense knowledge of the brief to his new role, and an enthusiasm to cover the broadest range of faith-based stories." Bashir said: "I am delighted to be rejoining the BBC at this time and in this subject area. The opportunity to cover the broad spectrum of religious affairs is challenging and compelling and I cannot wait to get started." He first worked as a BBC news correspondent from 1987 to 1992, and then joined Panorama. He was there until 1999 and also presented BBC Radio 4's Sunday programme until 2004. He worked for Tonight on ITV before moving to the US in 2004 to host ABC's Nightline programme. In 2010, he joined NBC News as an MSNBC anchor and a correspondent on NBC's Dateline programme. He resigned from MSNBC in 2013 after making controversial remarks about former US vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin. It was during her 1995 interview with Bashir that Diana, Princess of Wales, admitted to having had an affair and also spoke of Prince Charles's relationship with the then Camilla Parker-Bowles. "There were three of us in this marriage, so it was a bit crowded," she told Bashir on Panorama, in a programme watched by millions globally. In 1999, he interviewed five men suspected of involvement in the murder of Stephen Lawrence. In 2003 he also interviewed Michael Jackson for his controversial documentary, Living with Michael Jackson, which led to the pop star being charged with molesting one of the boys featured in the programme. Jackson was later acquitted after being found not guilty of all charges, at the end of his four-month-long child abuse trial. Follow us on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, on Instagram, or if you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news@bbc.co.uk.

Summary: Journalist Martin Bashir, famous for his interviews with Princess Diana and Michael Jackson, is rejoining the BBC as its religious affairs correspondent.


The images were selected from more than 400 slides made by photographer Joan Wilcock, who died in 1994. The project called Travelling The Archive is a collaborative effort. It involves Skye-based Atlas Arts, artist Nicky Bird, Kyleakin Local History Society and the Portree-based Highland Archive which is operated by High Life Highland. A selection of the images will be installed and projected indoors and out of doors in Kyleakin on 19 March. To promote the new arts projects, photographer Colin Hattersley set up shots of some of today's islanders with prints of Ms Wilcock's portraits.

Summary: Photographs showing life in Kyleakin in Skye between the late 1950s and early 1970s feature in a new arts project.


The attempted raid took place at the Rite Stop shop in Powell Street, Abertillery, at 20:25 GMT on Tuesday, Gwent Police said. They allegedly entered the shop and tried to get behind the counter before they were challenged by staff, escaping empty-handed.

Summary: Two men are being hunted after trying to rob a Blaenau Gwent shop with a chair leg.


It comes three weeks after NatWest closed its premises in the town. Local Conservative MP Edward Leigh said he was disappointed with the news, but warned residents they needed to support local banks and shops, or lose them. A spokesman for HSBC said it had not taken the decision lightly, and understood it was unsettling for the local community. He said: "Unfortunately, with an increase in the use of online and telephone banking over the past few years the use of the Market Rasen branch has fallen significantly, and we've taken the difficult decision to close it. "We are working with customers who use the branch to help them understand their options." In June, HSBC announced plans to shed 8,000 jobs in the UK to reduce costs. In 2012, Market Rasen was one of 12 towns to share Â£1.2m from the government as part of the Portas Pilot project, which aimed to rejuvenate UK High Streets. In the year that followed the town saw an increase in empty stores. Money from the scheme was used to revamp the market place and erect free parking signs on the outskirts of the town to attract passing trade. But, Lincolnshire County Council ordered the signs be taken down as they did not comply with national requirements. Mr Leigh said although the pilot scheme was a "valiant effort", market towns were struggling to compete for business. "At the end of the day, you can't keep the market place if people can't make a go of their businesses," he said.

Summary: HSBC has announced it is to close its branch in Market Rasen in December due to falling numbers of people using it.


Angus Laughland, who did not know the girl, exchanged text messages with her after getting hold of her number by chance through a third party. Perth Sheriff Court heard that Laughland's messages to the girl became sexually explicit. The 62-year-old was jailed for 220 days after admitting the offence. The court was told that one of the first texts received by the girl read: "I'm not a person as such, just call me cyber buddy." Shortly after Laughland started sending the messages, he guessed the girl was around "13 or 14" and she confirmed that she was. The court was told the messages became sexually explicit, with one making reference to the girl's private parts. On 11 October Laughland sent a message saying he taught guitar and that he wanted to meet the girl to give her a guitar as a gift. The meeting took place the following day. When the girl got home, her mother asked her about the guitar and they discussed the issue with the girl's grandmother. The teenager's family then contacted the police, Laughland admitted sending explicit texts to a 13-year-old girl between 16 September and 12 October 2014. Solicitor Paul Ralph, defending, said: "It started as a grave error of judgement. "It developed so far beyond that, that it's very difficult for us to really describe how he got himself into that situation." Sheriff Fiona Tait said: "We ought not to lose sight of what this offence was. "He described sexual intercourse in detail and also met the child. The difficulty he faces is the gravity of the offence. "He met the child and gave her the guitar. That shows precisely how vulnerable she was."

Summary: A Blairgowrie music teacher who groomed a 13-year-old girl and met her after promising to give her a guitar has been jailed.


Loss aversion, he said, is when people feel the pain of losing something more than they feel the pleasure of gaining something else, which can leave some wary of taking risks. That could be why the threat of losing the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), known as Obamacare, has led to more support for the healthcare law than ever before. Can Obamacare be repealed? Why is Obamacare so controversial? President Donald Trump has urged Congress to repeal and replace Obamacare, while Republican lawmakers have suggested they could do so before the end of the month. But the congressional plan to remove Obamacare has been hobbled by the Republicans' inability to present a clear replacement scheme, leaving some Americans unnerved as the healthcare law's expiry date looms. "People are looking at what they're losing and it's not clear what they'll be gaining," says Thomas D'Aunno, director of the health policy and management at New York University's Robert F Wagner Graduate School of Public Service. An uncertain future about the country's healthcare is "playing into people's stronger attachment to the ACA", he says. That sentiment is felt by Americans like Cathy DeLoach, who changed her mind on the ACA after her son was diagnosed with testicular cancer and her family spent $29,000 (Â£23,000) on treatment costs in 15 days. "I stayed with him in the hospital and I had a lot of time to think about how grateful I was for the Affordable Care Act," she told the BBC. Mrs DeLoach, who did not vote for Mr Obama in 2008 and 2012, said she was not a fan of the law when it was first passed, but now worries for her son's future. "This really is something that could be so awful for so many people, and so many poor people, and it's wrong." A recent Health Tracking Poll from the Kaiser Family Foundation found the highest level of favourability for the ACA in more than 60 tracking polls since 2010, when President Barack Obama signed it into law. The poll found that 48% of Americans approved of the ACA while 42% said it was unfavourable. At its lowest favourability in November 2013, just 33% approved of it. Ashley Kirzinger, a senior survey analyst at Kaiser, said that while it is not a majority of Americans who share this view, the shift underscores American concerns amid a heated debate about its replacement in Washington. A handful of other polls echoed these findings. "To a certain extent much of the debate over the years has been a referendum on the Obama administration," says Michael Sparer, chair of the department of health policy and management at Columbia University. "Opposition to the law very effectively painted it as an expensive bureaucratic interference in the American healthcare system," he said. "But the debate is shifting a little bit from pure rhetoric to what would actually happen if the law was gone." There has been growing hesitation among some Republicans about outright replacing the law, with some suggesting a modification plan as the right way forward. Former

Summary: Nobel-winning psychologist Daniel Kahneman famously pioneered the idea that people tend to fear loss twice as much as they prefer gains.


From the moment it premiered at last year's Cannes Film Festival, Bande de Filles, or Girlhood, was a homegrown hit. The film - "a work of cinematic art" according to The Guardian - made more than Â£1m (1,346 euros) at the French box office, was nominated for four prestigious Cesar awards and secured an international film release. Girlhood is the story of a black teenager, Marieme, who lives in the vast banlieues, or suburbs, of Paris. With a dead-end future in front of her, she forms a relationship with a group of other young girls. None of its leads, including Parisienne Karidja Toure who plays Marieme, had ever acted before - a consequence, says director Celine Sciamma, of her not being able to find enough professional black actresses for the roles. "We were looking for four months," she recalls, "with a casting director and two assistants. We basically went everywhere. "We went to agencies, but there were very few black girls. And then we went in to theatre classes and high schools, but we met most of our cast randomly on the street. "We had to invent a group, with its alchemy and energy. But we also needed girls with wit, who were able to improvise, because some of the scenes required it. "All the girls are non-professionals, whereas all the boys had already been on screen. That says something about the representation of black women in cinema." Toure, 21, was asked to audition as she sat outside a restaurant in Paris's 14th arrondissement. "At first I thought the casting process was a little strange," she admits. "But there aren't many black actresses in Paris, so they had to do it that way. You know, black teenagers in Paris, boys and girls, don't watch French movies. "When you watch French films, you don't see many black characters. So we boycott them, and watch American movies instead. "During the casting there were around 300 girls, who all have dreams about being actresses. But I guess we don't really believe we can do it, because we don't see many others doing it." Like Richard Linklater's Oscar-winning Boyhood, Girlhood is a coming-of-age movie. The circumstances, though, are vastly different. Sciamma grew up in the Paris suburbs herself and says she was writing "from the things I know - that there are people who have such energy, but they are not given a vision of who they should be." Told by her teacher to stop studying and get a job, Marieme plays truant with her new group of friends and becomes a gang fighter. Soon, footage of her beating up other girls is filmed and put on to social media. "It's very true to life," says Toure. "If you know the suburbs, you know you have the same gangs, the same fights - every French teenager can relate to it. "Even when I read the script, there were similarities to my life. I've been followed in stores by shop security guards who are told to do it just because I am black. "My own teacher told

Summary: The director and lead actress of a film about female teenagers that has been an award-winning hit across the Channel say they hope it will pave the way for more French films about young black women.


5 May 2016 Last updated at 08:32 BST The cops even threw in some Scottish country dancing to add their own twist. The Scottish force has now challenged police in London and Toronto, Canada, to get their groove on too. The viral craze sees people recording themselves dancing to My Boo by Ghost Town DJs, posting the video on social media and then challenging others to join in.

Summary: Police officers in Scotland's capital city, Edinburgh, have taken on the Running Man Challenge.


The North's official news agency said on Tuesday the plan involved firing medium-to-long-range rockets at Guam, where US strategic bombers are based. US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, flying into Guam, said there was no imminent threat from North Korea. He also defended President Donald Trump, who on Tuesday threatened Pyongyang with "fire and fury". Mr Tillerson said that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un did not understand diplomatic language, and a strong message was needed that he would understand. "I think the president just wanted to be clear to the North Korean regime that the US... will defend itself and its allies," he said. On Wednesday, Mr Trump tweeted that the US nuclear arsenal was "more powerful than ever before", but added he was hopeful "we will never have to use this power". The recent exchanges mark a sharp rise in rhetoric between Washington and Pyongyang, but China has urged calm. A foreign ministry statement quoted by Reuters called on all sides to avoid words or actions which might escalate the situation and to make greater efforts to resolve the issue via talks. The UN recently approved further economic sanctions on North Korea, which Pyongyang said were a "violent violation of our sovereignty", warning the US would "pay a price". On Wednesday, the official KCNA news agency said North Korea was "carefully examining the operational plan for making an enveloping fire at the areas around Guam" using its domestically made medium-to-long-range Hwasong-12 missiles. The news agency reported a military statement issued on Tuesday, which probably came in response to US military drills in Guam. However, there has been no indication that any attack on Guam by North Korea is imminent. In a message to the public, the governor of Guam Eddie Baza Calvo said there was currently "no threat" to the island and the Marianas archipelago, but that Guam was "prepared for any eventuality". North Korea's statement is the latest stage in a heating up of rhetoric and tension. Pyongyang, which has tested nuclear devices five times, launched two intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) in July, claiming it now had the ability to hit mainland US. On Tuesday, media reports in the US claimed the North had achieved its goal of making a nuclear warhead small enough to fit inside its missiles. While not confirmed, this was seen as one of the last obstacles to North Korea being a fully nuclear-armed state. A report in the Washington Post, citing US intelligence officials, suggested North Korea was developing nuclear weapons capable of hitting the US at a much faster rate than expected. A Japanese government defence white paper also said the weapons programme had "advanced considerably" and that North Korea possibly now had nuclear weapons. North Korea's missile programme explained In response, President Trump warned North Korea to stop threatening the US, saying they would be "met with fire and fury like the world has never seen". However, veteran US Senator John McCain was sceptical about Mr Trump's statement, saying he was "not sure that President Trump is ready to act". On the streets

Summary: North Korea has said it is considering carrying out missile strikes on the US Pacific territory of Guam.


Met Office statistics showed the Shetland area had 192.9 hours of sunshine from 1-29 July, while Cornwall had 153.5 hours. Shetland lies about 700 miles (1,130 km) to the north east of Cornwall. It was a wet month for the UK as a whole, with 22% more than the average rainfall for July. Properties were damaged and people had to be rescued after heavy rain and storms hit the Cornish village of Coverack. Climate scientist Mike Kendon said while it hadn't been a remarkable weather month, there were some "significant events". "It is uncommon for Shetland to experience more sunshine hours than Cornwall at this time of year," he said. "There is also a notable gradient between a cooler, sunnier and slightly drier than average north-west and a wetter, dull and warmer than average south-east." One of the wettest places in July was Hampshire - which received 118% more than its average rainfall for the month. Northern Ireland was the wettest region of the UK, with 39% more rain the average. Get news from the BBC in your inbox, each weekday morning

Summary: The Shetland Islands had more sunshine than Cornwall in July - only the eighth time this has happened since records began in 1929.


Following early efforts from Shaquile Coulthirst and Leonardo Da Silva Lopes, Grant McCann's side deservedly took the lead after 21 minutes with Ryan Tafazolli rising highest to nod in Paul Taylor's free-kick. Lopes could have doubled Posh's lead just before half-time but his effort from just inside the penalty area was easily saved by Dillon Phillips. The Addicks came out on the front foot after the break and went close through Josh Magennis, but the forward's effort ricocheted back off the inside of the far post. To frustrate the hosts further, Jordan Botaka then saw a deflected effort loop up onto the crossbar with Luke McGee beaten in the 55th minute as Charlton searched for an equaliser. Peterborough doubled their advantage in the 66th minute courtesy of a superb Gwion Edwards solo effort to seal an impressive away victory. Report supplied by the Press Association Match ends, Charlton Athletic 0, Peterborough United 2. Second Half ends, Charlton Athletic 0, Peterborough United 2. Attempt blocked. Chris Forrester (Peterborough United) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Adam Chicksen (Charlton Athletic) is shown the yellow card. Chris Forrester (Peterborough United) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul. Adam Chicksen (Charlton Athletic) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Foul by Ricardo Santos (Peterborough United). Substitution, Peterborough United. Ricardo Santos replaces Paul Taylor. Substitution, Peterborough United. Bradden Inman replaces Gwion Edwards. Attempt blocked. Joe Aribo (Charlton Athletic) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Corner, Charlton Athletic. Conceded by Ryan Tafazolli. Substitution, Charlton Athletic. Brandon Hanlan replaces Morgan Fox. Attempt missed. Adam Chicksen (Charlton Athletic) left footed shot from the left side of the box misses to the right. Attempt missed. Morgan Fox (Charlton Athletic) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Corner, Charlton Athletic. Conceded by Michael Smith. Attempt blocked. Ezri Konsa Ngoyo (Charlton Athletic) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Attempt blocked. Jorge Teixeira (Charlton Athletic) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Ademola Lookman (Charlton Athletic) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Foul by Chris Forrester (Peterborough United). Attempt missed. Chris Forrester (Peterborough United) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the right. Foul by Patrick Bauer (Charlton Athletic). Tom Nichols (Peterborough United) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Ezri Konsa Ngoyo (Charlton Athletic) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Foul by Paul Taylor (Peterborough United). Adam Chicksen (Charlton Athletic) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Foul by Leonardo Da Silva Lopes (Peterborough United). Ezri Konsa Ngoyo (Charlton Athletic) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Foul by Gwion Edwards (Peterborough United). Attempt blocked. Leonardo Da Silva Lopes (Peterborough United) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Substitution, Charlton Athletic. Joe Aribo replaces Fredrik Ulvestad. Substitution, Charlton Athletic. Adam Chicksen replaces Jordan Botaka. Attempt missed. Josh Magennis (Charlton Athletic) header from the centre of the box is high and wide to the right. Attempt saved. George Moncur (Peterborough

Summary: Karl Robinson is still awaiting his first victory as Charlton boss after seeing his new side beaten at home by play-off chasing Peterborough.


The Serbia striker headed in Georginio Wijnaldum's cross with seven minutes to go of boss Rafael Benitez's home debut. Jermain Defoe had volleyed the visitors ahead just before the break. The draw leaves both in the bottom three, with 18th-placed Sunderland a point and a place ahead of Newcastle but two points from safety. It is a result that ends a four-game losing streak for Newcastle, during which Steve McClaren was sacked as manager and replaced by former Liverpool and Chelsea boss Benitez. Sunderland have drawn their last three matches. Media playback is not supported on this device While not the victory they so badly needed, the draw does mean Newcastle have ended a six-match losing streak against their fierce rivals, dating back to April 2013. This was the least they needed after Norwich's victory at West Brom on Saturday had opened some daylight between the 17th-placed Canaries and the bottom three. And despite the huge challenge still ahead, the manner in which they clawed their way to a point will give Benitez some hope that he can fashion an escape act over the next two months. For much of the game a somewhat ragged and ill-disciplined Newcastle were second-best to a Sunderland side who have been instilled with a renewed efficiency and spirit by manager Sam Allardyce. After falling behind, the home side offered plenty of effort but precious little quality in the second half, with an Ayoze Perez volley at the back post, which was cleared off the line by Yann M'Vila, the closest they came to a goal. But Mitrovic's late intervention - the sixth he has scored since joining the club last summer for £15m - gives them confidence before six April fixtures that will go a long way to deciding their fate. Next up; Norwich at Carrow Road on 2 April. Sunderland were seven minutes from moving out of the relegation zone so to find themselves in the bottom three heading into the international break is an undoubted blow. This is a game they should have won. They played more as a unit throughout and fashioned the better chances. Defoe's goal - coming after Rob Elliot had saved a shot from Fabio Borini and Chancel Mbemba had failed to properly head clear - was his eighth in his past 11 appearances, but he could have scored more. Before his opener he fired over from inside the box and poked a first-time shot from Borini's cross inches past the near post. And had Elliott not produced a wonderful one-handed save to deny Patrick van Aanholt's angled 12-yard drive, it would have been 2-0 just before the hour mark. Ultimately, though, it was their defensive frailty that cost them as a DeAndre Yedlin foul throw set up the move from which Mitrovic scored the 39th goal the Black Cats have conceded away from home this campaign and extended their run of games without a clean sheet to 17. Newcastle boss Rafa Benitez: "The positive thing for me is we have eight games to play and the reaction today from

Summary: Aleksandar Mitrovic rescued a point for Newcastle against relegation rivals Sunderland as a fiercely contested Tyne-Wear derby ended in a draw.


Summary: Our selection of some of the best news photographs taken around the world during the past 24 hours.


Steven Dishman, 60, went on the run on 28 May 1985 while serving seven years for burglary and theft of property. He was sentenced in December 1984, and would have been eligible for parole in December 1987. Dishman was taken into custody by law enforcement officials and the Arkansas State Police. The inmate escaped from the Cummins Unit in Lincoln County, where convicted murderer Ledell Lee was executed in April. Solomon Graves, Public Information Officer for the Arkansas Department of Corrections (ADC), said Dishman will have to serve what is left of his sentence. Further charges may follow in connection with his escape. According to the ADC website, four prisoners are still at large in Arkansas. Of those, the longest standing escapee is Veal Lee, a thief who went on the run on 15 July 1984.

Summary: An Arkansas prisoner who escaped more than 30 years ago has been recaptured in the city of Springdale, a prisons spokesman said.


The news that captain Jean de Villiers, who subsequently announced his retirement from the game, had been invalided out of the World Cup having broken his jaw in their powerhouse victory over Samoa on Saturday came as no surprise to anybody who saw the state the centre was in when he left the field. Nobody from the Scottish camp will admit it, but they must have quietly revelled in what they saw at Villa Park. The attrition was incessant, as everybody knew it would be. The Samoans didn't just hit hard, they hit often and, on occasion, hit dangerously. There is a strong element of the kamikaze about Samoa in the collision. Their unique delights await the Scots, whose coach Vern Cotter could have been excused if he basked in the brutality of the battle while counting the Springbok casualties as they happened. The wince-inducing moments didn't begin and end with De Villiers. In restoring some of the dignity lost in their defeat by Japan, the Springboks shipped some serious physical punishment. When asked later how long his casualty list was, coach Heyneke Meyer turned the question back on the questioner. "How long have you got?" he asked. "How long does this press conference last?" In the countdown to the Scotland game on Saturday, Meyer has a potential crisis in his midfield. De Villiers is out and his midfield partner, Damian de Allende, is a doubt with an ankle injury. De Allende was forced off early in the second half against the Samoans and was replaced by the young rapier Jesse Kriel, who, in turn, went off after getting a bang in the face and was replaced by De Villiers, the captain forced to retake the field despite the pain he must have been in. It's too early for the medics to make a definitive call on De Allende and Kriel but already Jan Serfontein, the Bulls centre, is on his way to Newcastle to meet up with the Springboks. There is speculation now of an emergency Springbok midfield for the Scotland game - Handre Pollard, a 10, could be put in at 12 instead of De Villiers and either JP Pietersen, a try-scoring wing against Samoa, or Bryan Habana, his world-class opposite wing, could be selected at 13. All of this is a concern for the South Africans, but underlying it is the enormous relief that came with Saturday's performance. They might be bruised, but the clear message from Birmingham is that the Boks are back. To listen to Meyer and the totemic Victor Matfield in the aftermath was to know what kind of week the Springboks endured after the loss to Japan. This was heart-on-the-sleeve stuff in the news conference, not to mention on the pitch. It was painfully honest and emotional at times. At one point Meyer thanked the Lord for blessing his players and staff with the strength to get through the turbulence. What was deeply impressive about the Boks in dismissing the Samoans was their controlled fury. Clearly they were an angry team. Clearly they were under

Summary: For South Africa, salvation came at a cost.


The Department of the Environment (DoE) said it had been five years since the first recorded death due to the virus in Northern Ireland. The Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) said there appeared to be "little natural resistance to the virus within the local population". It said sick squirrels tend to die within 10 days to two weeks. NIEA Wildlife Inspector Declan Looney said red squirrels in Tollymore Forest had "recovered well" following the outbreak of the virus five years ago, but this was a "further blow". "Sick red squirrels will appear lethargic, approachable, with painful sores on their faces and paws," he said. "Unfortunately there appears little natural resistance to the virus within the local population and sick animals tend to die within 10 days to two weeks. "If you have squirrels entering your garden to feed at bird feeders, please either remove these or clean them daily to reduce the spread of the virus." The DoE said the disease "does not affect people or their domestic pets". A spokesperson from the Forest Service said it was "not unusual" for the virus "to re-emerge some years after the initial outbreak". "The fact that the red squirrel population recovered in the intervening years gives us great encouragement that working in partnership with the NIEA and the Tollymore Red Squirrel Group on the implementation of control measures will once again produce a successful outcome," they added.

Summary: There has been a squirrel pox virus outbreak among red squirrels at Tollymore Forest Park in County Down.


Second seed Murray has yet to drop a set at this year's tournament and the 2013 champion is the highest-seeded player remaining in the men's draw. But the 29-year-old described Frenchman Tsonga as "one of the best grass-court players in the world". "If he plays well, I'm not on my game, I can lose that match," said Murray. Murray, competing in his ninth consecutive Wimbledon quarter-final, has beaten Tsonga in 12 of their 14 encounters - twice at Wimbledon. The Scot beat the 12th seed in the quarter-finals in 2010 and the semi-finals two years later, both in four sets. "Both matches were hard," said the two-time Grand Slam champion. "A few of the sets came down to just a couple of points. I'm aware I'll have to be playing at my highest level to win. "I think if I play the level I'm playing at just now, I give myself a chance in most matches. "But the trick is to keep that up, to maintain that level for the whole two weeks. I've done a good job of it so far. I do feel like when I've needed to in the tournament, I have played some good tennis." Murray has been impressive in this tournament - BBC pundit John McEnroe says the Briton is "playing better than anyone" - and for the first time in his career he is the highest seed remaining at a Grand Slam. Great Britain Davis Cup captain Leon Smith says Murray is "playing his best tennis of his life", citing his improved second serve, net play, control from the baseline and mental focus. But the Briton, who has lost only 34 games in four matches and served up one double fault, has refused to talk about his chances of winning a second Wimbledon title. "When I was younger it was much more difficult to stop myself getting carried away with how I was playing or who I was playing," Murray said in his BBC Sport column. "When I hadn't won a Grand Slam it was like, 'This is my chance. I might do it.' And then, if it didn't happen, I was gutted. Nowadays, I know how difficult these events are to win and I take nothing for granted any more." Like Murray, third seed and seven-time champion Roger Federer has not had to go beyond three sets at this tournament. The Swiss former world number one eased into his 14th Wimbledon quarter-final with victory over American Steve Johnson to equal Martina Navratilova's record of 306 Grand Slam singles victories. More records could be broken on Wednesday if the 17-time Grand Slam champion beats Marin Cilic on Centre Court. Victory over Cilic would ensure Federer equals Jimmy Connors' record of 11 Wimbledon semi-final appearances and draws level with Connors on a record 84 wins at Wimbledon. Federer, aged 34 and 336 days, would also become the oldest man in the open era to reach the Wimbledon semi-finals since Ken Rosewall (39 years and 246 days) finished runner-up in 1974. But Federer is still bruised by his

Summary: Britain's Andy Murray says he needs to remain focused as he prepares to take on Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the men's quarter-finals at Wimbledon.


It started happening when Apple's operating system, iOS 8.3 came out. By tapping and holding on a chosen emoji, iPhone users of iOS 8.3 or above are now given the choice between five different skin tones and new flags. Apple users who are still using iOS 8.2 and below are not able to see the new emojis. Instead they are replaced with a picture of an alien face inside a black square, next to the original emoji. Apple wouldn't give us a comment on this, but on their website it says: "If you get a message with unexpected characters instead of emoji, try updating your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch or Mac." If you're viewing the new iOS emojis on devices other than Apple they can appear as lots of other things, like blank spaces, boxes, equal signs, question marks, or even line breaks.

Summary: Have you noticed any of these little guys creeping into your texts and social media, when you know they weren't intended to be there.


Bernadette Marjoram will take over the role held by Pete Leonard, who was responsible for communities, housing and infrastructure. His duties included overseeing Hazlehead Crematorium. Baby and adult ashes were mixed together at the crematorium and given back to relatives of the adult. The parents of infants were told there were no ashes. BBC Scotland revealed in 2013 that no ashes had been offered to the families of infants cremated in Aberdeen over a five-year period. It followed similar revelations about Mortonhall crematorium in Edinburgh, which had been secretly burying baby ashes for decades. A report into the scandal by Dame Elish Angiolini described the practices as "abhorrent". It is understood an internal report, shown to councillors in August but then taken back by officials, was heavily critical of Mr Leonard's department in handling the scandal. Mr Leonard did not attend the council meeting which discussed his department's conduct. He has not been back at work since, and is on sick leave. The council confirmed that Bernadette Marjoram had now been appointed to the role of interim director for communities, housing and infrastructure.

Summary: An interim director has been put in place at an Aberdeen City Council department criticised over the baby ashes scandal earlier this year.


Long before Donald Trump had his eye on the White House, his attention was firmly on the small community of Menie in Aberdeenshire. The American businessman wanted to build the greatest golf course on earth. However, some people who lived in the area became vehemently opposed, and the saga of the Trump International Golf Links began. "I saw that the residents of Menie were getting a lot of bad press at a time when Donald Trump was being celebrated for arriving in the area," reflected Alicia Bruce, a photographer who spent six years capturing the changing landscape of Menie and its people as the course was built on rare sand dunes. Alicia was speaking from the Luvians Ice Cream parlour and cafÃ© in St Andrews, a novel choice to host her photography project. Festival organisers are keen to bring the exhibits out of the gallery and into the community. It was indeed a sense of community that first drew Alicia to the project. She grew up in Aberdeen, and played on the beaches in Menie in her childhood. As Donald Trump told the assembled media of his intentions to transform the area into a haven for golf fans around the world, Alicia wanted to discover the story of the locals who lived there. She has never photographed the businessman, focussing instead on the residents and the changes to the environment. The pictures of the Menie locals are based on portrait paintings they chose themselves. She said: "I started off by going to visit Michael Forbes and instead of finding the angry peasant, pig, village idiot that Donald Trump called him, I found this hospitable, lovely guy surrounded by friends and family." Mr Forbes became the face of the community who stood up to the billionaire property developer. He was one of the main contributors in Anthony Baxter's award winning documentary You've Been Trumped. Alicia's image of Mr Forbes, which is also on display in the Scottish National Portrait Gallery in Edinburgh, is one of the key pictures of her collection. During one of her visits to Menie however, she became the subject of some unwanted attention. "I was threatened by Donald Trump's security," she adds. "It was quite frightening. I was there to visit [Menie Resident] Susan Munro as a friend that day and I had my camera with me. "I just wanted to take a picture of where the clubhouse was going to be. I was on her land. "Out of nowhere, this security guard comes along and starts threatening me and says he is going to 'smash my camera'. He was really angry." In relation to that incident, which happened in June 2012, Grampian Police issued a formal police warning to the individual over threatening and abusive behaviour. When asked about the allegations of bullying that have been made against the Trump organisation in relation to the Menie golf course development, Sarah Malone - the Executive Vice President of Trump International Golf Links - stated they are "categorically untrue". Ms Malone also pointed out the golf course's success since it

Summary: The story of the American Presidential hopeful and the Aberdeenshire locals who stood up to him is now being told in St Andrews, the home of golf, at the town's inaugural photography festival.


Holden, 36, will work alongside fellow coaches Neil Cutler and John Ward. He was first given a coaching role at Walsall by then boss Dean Smith before leaving in November 2014 to become first-team coach at Oldham. After a spell as caretaker manager last season, Holden left the club in January when manager David Dunn was sacked. "It's been an interesting time since I was last here," said Holden. "I went to Oldham as first-team coach and quickly became interim manager and then I was assistant manager up to when I left. "It was a fantastic experience for a young coach like myself and I'm coming back much more experienced. But to say I'm happy to be back here would be an understatement. It's simply about coming in and trying to add whatever I can to help us get over the line." Whitney said: "As soon as this position became available, I earmarked Dean as someone who could possibly help me out. The most important thing for me, whether they're a player or a staff member, is that they fit in with the group - and this is a great appointment for us." After three straight wins since Whitney took over in the wake of Sean O'Driscoll's sacking, Walsall currently lie third in League One, level on points with second-placed Wigan Athletic, going into the Easter weekend, when the Saddlers are inactive because of international calls. Saturday's scheduled trip to fourth-placed Gillingham was postponed (until Tuesday, 12 April) as a result of Romaine Sawyers (St Kitts & Nevis), Neil Etheridge (Philippines) and Jason Demetriou (Cyprus) all being called up. Demetriou was due to be back to allow the home game with Shrewsbury Town to go ahead on Easter Monday. But the subsequent call-up for striker Tom Bradshaw by Wales meant that the Shrewsbury game was called off too. It is the second time this season that Bradshaw's meeting with his old club has been postponed as a result of him receiving an international call. The derby game with Shrewsbury is now set for Tuesday, 26 April.

Summary: League One promotion hopefuls Walsall have brought back their former defender Dean Holden to join the club's coaching team under interim boss Jon Whitney.


Mourners stopped in ones and twos by the building on the Rue Nicolas-Appert, where a plaque was unveiled on Tuesday. Seventeen people died in January last year when gunmen targeted the magazine and a Jewish supermarket. No official events are planned for Thursday, although President Francois Hollande is due to address the police. Marine Le Pen, the leader of France's far-right opposition party Front National, is also expected to speak at some point during the day. Charlie Hebdo lives on but 'in darkness' Paris attacks January 2015: Who were the victims? Three days of terror - how events unfolded How the world was changed by the slogan 'Je Suis Charlie' As well as the memorial at the magazine's former office, a second plaque was installed where a police officer was shot, and a third at the Jewish supermarket. On Saturday, a fourth plaque will be unveiled in the southern suburb of Montrouge, where one of the gunmen shot a policewoman. The commemorations will culminate in a public event on Sunday in the Place de la Republique, where Parisians gathered in the wake of the attacks. A 35ft (10m) oak "remembrance tree" will be planted in the square and veteran French musician Johnny Hallyday will perform Un Dimanche de Janvier (One January Sunday), a song recalling the vast march in Paris that followed the attacks. Amid the commemorations, Charlie Hebdo has once again courted controversy with the cover of its special anniversary edition. It depicts God, bloodied and carrying a gun under the headline "One year on: The assassin still at large".

Summary: Parisians have laid flowers and lit candles at the former office of Charlie Hebdo ahead of the anniversary on Thursday of the attack on the magazine.


The world number 324, who represented Australia until 2013, swept through the first set against the Argentine. Find out how to get into tennis in our special guide. The 27-year-old Briton then wasted four match points in the second set tie-break as Bagnis hit back to level. But Klein retained his composure and overturned a 5-2 deficit in the final set to win the match in the tie-break. Klein will play Portugal's Joao Sousa in the second round.

Summary: Briton Brydan Klein reached the second round of the Auckland Open with a 6-1 6-7 (6-8) 7-6 (7-3) win over Facundo Bagnis - ranked 269 places above him.


He is wounded and dying, writing a moving final letter to his loved ones. But he is not fighting and he is not in a war. Piaras is, in fact, only 11 years old, and he is portraying the last hours of Michael Joseph O'Rahilly, killed while taking part in the 1916 Easter Rising. The drama "The Death of The O'Rahilly" is just one of the ways Holy Cross Boys Primary School in Ardoyne in north Belfast is marking the centenary. The school has devised a special 1916-2016 education programme, placing the rising at the centre of their curriculum. They have been teaching special lessons in geography, music, art and English. But it was O'Rahilly's story, and letter, which captivated Piaras. "It is a myth that he wrote it in his own blood," he said. "But by the time the letter was delivered, he was already dead." The school's short drama now has a chance of being performed on the stage of the Abbey Theatre in Dublin. They have been shortlisted as one of only six schools across Ireland in a competition run by the famous theatre. Meanwhile, in another classroom, P4 to P7 boys who are members of the school council are updating the 1916 proclamation. Their 'Proclamation for a New Generation' takes the form of Padraig Pearse's famous document, but updates it for the 21st century. It contains hopes for "a good job and good health care" and a commitment that "Ireland will be litter free". "It does not matter what gender you are, what colour your skin is, what religion you believe in," it reads. "All children of the nation will be cherished equally. "Our Irish traditions, language and sport will be passed on to our children and grandchildren." The proclamation will be revealed to the whole school at a special assembly in mid-March. Elsewhere, pupils have been learning the names and locations of Ireland's 32 counties in geography, while others have been composing a song on the theme of 1916. But is there a danger the focus on the rising could lead to indoctrination rather than education? It is concern answered by the school's vice-principal Chris Donnelly, who said they take a rounded approach to history. "What we're about is teaching across the length and breadth of historical issues," he said. "In this school we teach the world wars, and the boys in primary four go to the Northern Ireland war museum every year. "The principal has taken boys to meet Queen Elizabeth when she came here. "The Easter Rising was a significant event in Irish history and therefore it does need to be talked about and taught. "The boys will be aware from the community and what they see around them that it's the 100th anniversary. "We're using that theme in a forward looking sense with the proclamation for a new generation."

Summary: Piaras Millar sits before me, bloodied and bruised, in the green uniform of a soldier.


It said the step was "inflammatory and inappropriate". Railways Minister Ghulam Ahmad Bilour made the offer after a wave of protests against the film across Pakistan and the wider Muslim world. Dozens have died in clashes between police and protesters in Pakistan and countries such as Tunisia and Sudan. Sunday saw a fresh round of protests over the film in Pakistan, Nigeria, Greece and Turkey. Most passed off peacefully, but in the Greek capital Athens, riot police and demonstrators clashed. Six people were arrested. A state department official told the BBC: "The president and secretary of state have both said the video at the core of this is offensive, disgusting, and reprehensible - but that is no justification for violence, and it is important for responsible leaders to stand up and speak out against violence. "Therefore we find Mr Bilour's announcement is inflammatory and inappropriate. We note that the prime minister's office has dissociated itself from his comments." The exact origins of Innocence of Muslims, the low-budget film that has prompted the unrest, are unclear. The alleged producer of the trailer of the film, Nakoula Basseley Nakoula, is in hiding. Anti-US sentiment grew after a trailer for the film dubbed into Arabic was released on YouTube earlier this month. US citizens have been urged not to travel to Pakistan, and the US embassy has paid for adverts on Pakistani TV showing President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton condemning the film. Although US targets have borne the brunt of protests against the film, anti-Western sentiment has been stoked further by caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad published this week in the satirical French magazine, Charlie Hebdo. France shut embassies and other missions in about 20 countries across the Muslim world on Friday. An 18-year-old man who threatened the magazine's editors on Facebook has been charged with terrorism-related activity following his arrest in the southern French city of Toulon, a judicial source told AFP news agency on Sunday.

Summary: The US state department has condemned a Pakistani minister's offer of $100,000 (Â£61,600) for the death of the American maker of an anti-Islam film.