An extra 260,000 passengers used the airport compared with the same month in 2014, mainly due to an increase in long-haul flights and larger aircraft. In June, Gatwick said it had the busiest year in its history, claiming it proved its case for a second runway. The Airports Commission has since backed a new Heathrow runway instead. Gatwick said demand for long-haul flights to New York, Los Angeles, Cape Verde, Trinidad and Costa Rica had contributed to the increased passenger numbers. It said it had now experienced two-and-a-half years of consecutive month-on-month growth. Gatwick's chief executive Stewart Wingate said the July figures showed his airport remained the best location for the new runway. "These results put us 10 years ahead of the forecasts used by the Airports Commission to predict future air traffic movements," he said. "Our growth in the last 12 months is actually more than the commission concluded could be added at Gatwick in the first year of a new runway. "This is further proof of the flaws in the Airports Commission analysis and shows its conclusions are fast unravelling." A spokesman for the commission said: "All forecasts in the Airports Commission final report were subject to extensive analysis and we are confident that they are fit for purpose."

Summary: Gatwick had its busiest July with 4.3 million passengers - a 6.4% increase on last year - the West Sussex airport has said.


Centre Joseph, 25, who has scored 16 tries in 58 appearances for Bath, has been capped 25 times by his country. The most recent of his nine England tries came on the tour to Australia, on which he played with Watson. Versatile back Watson, 22, has 12 tries from his 67 games for Bath and 24 caps for his country. The pair both joined from London Irish in 2013 and started in the 2015 Premiership final, where they lost to Saracens. However, last season the Blue, Black and Whites finished ninth and failed to qualify for the European Champions Cup. Bath first-team coach Toby Booth said: "I've known both Jonathan and Anthony for a long time now, and I'm really pleased they've committed the really important years of their careers to the club. "They are both exceptionally talented players who since gaining greater international experience are having much more of a positive effect on the group - both on and off the pitch."

Summary: England internationals Jonathan Joseph and Anthony Watson have signed new Bath contracts, keeping them at the Premiership side until at least 2019.


Blackman, 39, from Taunton, Somerset, has been told he will spend at least 10 years in prison. It comes after one of the UK's highest-ranking Royal Marines pledged his "full support" for Blackman, saying he had been "tainted" by the "impact of war". The Ministry of Defence said it respected the court's decision. By Jonathan BealeDefence correspondent, BBC News In the words of his commanding officer, Sgt Al Blackman, the man until recently known just as Marine A, had a proud career and promising future. That was until a momentary and fatal lapse of judgement that not only prematurely ended the life of the injured Afghan fighter he shot, but also altered his own forever. His commanding officer said that Blackman was not a bad man, but a "normal citizen" tainted by the impact of war. But while the Judge Advocate General said there were mitigating circumstances to this unusual case, Blackman had treated the injured Afghan with contempt and murdered him in cold blood. He said his reaction to the murder caught on tape was chilling. The sentence passed was always going to be controversial - this was a murder carried out by a man who was serving his country in a war with a ruthless enemy. But those who criticise must also reflect that the sentence was approved by a group of Blackman's peers - those in uniform who've also experienced combat. In the words of Judge Blackett, it's their reputation too that's been tarnished. While there will be sympathy, there's also anger. On Thursday, three judges at the High Court lifted an anonymity order allowing Blackman to be named. Lt Col Simon Chapman, in a letter read to the judge and board at the court martial in Bulford, Wiltshire, described how Blackman's promising career had been shattered in a "momentary" lapse of judgement. The Ministry of Defence, in a statement, said: "Throughout this case the Ministry of Defence has followed the independent legal process and a sentence has now been delivered. "We respect the authority and decision of the court and it would be inappropriate of us to comment on the sentence." The trial - during which Blackman was referred to as Marine A - was the first time a member of the British armed forces had faced a murder charge in relation to the conflict in Afghanistan, which began in 2001. Two other marines were cleared. The murder took place after a patrol base in Helmand came under attack from small-arms fire from two insurgents. One of them was seriously injured by gunfire from an Apache helicopter sent to provide air support, and the marines found him in a field. Officer's letter defends marine The incident was inadvertently filmed by one of the cleared marines - known as Marine B - on his helmet-mounted camera. That footage, taken on 15 September 2011, was shown to the court during the two-week trial. It showed Blackman shooting the Afghan prisoner with a 9mm pistol. Sentencing Blackman, Judge Advocate General Jeff Blackett told him he had disgraced the name of the

Summary: Royal Marine Sergeant Alexander Blackman has been sentenced to life by a court martial for murdering an insurgent in Afghanistan.


The 17-year-old was found in the graveyard of All Saints Church in Didcot, Oxfordshire, in December 2013. She had been killed by ex-boyfriend Ben Blakeley and hidden in his uncle's grave. He was jailed for life in 2014. The event, at the Wheatsheaf pub in Didcot, is raising money for a planned charity in her name. Jayden's mother, Samantha Shrewsbury, said: "A man killed a child who was pregnant and had her whole life in front of her. "I should have been babysitting last night while she went out and let her hair down, but that's never going to happen. "I've bought gifts that she'll never receive." She described the event, which started at 12:00 BST, as a "celebration" of Jayden's life. "It's also to thank the Didcot people for taking her into their hearts like they have," she added. Of the planned Jayden's Gift charity, Ms Shrewsbury said: "We want to raise awareness about domestic violence in general but also amongst teenagers." Eventually, she hopes to provide a safe house for teenage victims of domestic violence. "I know we can never stop it, but I hope we can make a little dent in her [Jayden's] name," she said. A bench in memory of Jayden was unveiled in the the churchyard where her body was found in August. In April, a memorial garden was opened on donated land near the church. Blakeley, 23, from Reading, was convicted of murder on 24 July 2014 at Oxford Crown Court and was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 20 years.

Summary: A memorial party for murdered teenager Jayden Parkinson is being held on what would have been her 19th birthday.


A needless foul from Dougie Imrie on Leigh Griffiths brought Celtic a penalty, and the striker stepped up to slot home his 33rd goal of the season. Dedryck Boyata was sent off for a last-man tackle on Accies' Carlton Morris five minutes before the break. Michael McGovern saved a second Griffiths spot-kick, and Brophy's powerful strike rescued Accies a point. They move above Motherwell into ninth in the Premiership table, two points above the relegation play-off place currently occupied by Kilmarnock. Celtic extend their cushion at the top of the table to seven points, but Aberdeen can take advantage of the champions' slip-up by closing the gap back to four points when they host St Johnstone on Saturday. Hamilton were a world away from January's humiliating 8-1 thrashing at the hands of the same opponents, and very nearly took the lead through Ali Crawford. Scott Brown lost out to Morris who put in Crawford though on goal, but he shot over the bar when he really should have scored. Accies had settled into the game after an dominant opening period from the visitors, but fell behind due to a moment of madness from Imrie. Griffiths was in possession but in an unthreatening position and only Imrie will know why he sent the Celtic striker crashing just inside the area. The striker took the penalty himself and fired the ball right down the middle. It was a crazy moment from Imrie, a point Mikey Devlin was presumably making as he squared up to his team-mate in the wake of incident. But suddenly the game was alight. Boyata was sent off for a tackle on Morris. He tried to play the Accies striker offside but mistimed his movement and the forward was in on goal. The lunging challenge ended a clear goalscoring opportunity just outside the box, but the Celtic bench - and their support in a crowd of 5,017 - clearly felt the tackle was legitimate and the defender had touched enough of the ball. Manager Ronny Delia immediately reshaped his 10 men, replacing the returning Kris Commons with Charlie Mulgrew. The flames continued to burn in the second half. Gary Mackay-Steven was through one-on-one with McGovern but could not finish, and Griffiths saw a clever effort fly just past the post. Then came another moment of controversy and another penalty. Ziggy Gordon was spotted wrestling with Mikael Lustig at a corner and referee Craig Thomson pointed to the spot. Again Griffiths stepped up, but this time McGovern produced a fine, diving save to keep the outcome in the balance. It was a costly miss because minutes later home boss Martin Canning introduced Brophy - criticised by some after celebrating his goal in the recent thumping at Parkhead - and the substitute had the desired effect. Celtic failed to deal with a corner and when the ball dropped in the box to Brophy he smashed a finish high into the net to ensure honours were even at the end of a pulsating match.

Summary: A goal from substitute Eamonn Brophy 17 minutes from the end earned Hamilton a point against 10-man Celtic.


The producers of 20% of the world's oil and gas say they share the ambition to limit warming to 2C. They promise to work to reduce the greenhouse gas intensity of the global energy mix. But green groups were dismissive, saying that "arsonists don't make good firefighters". The Oil and Gas Climate Initiative represents major producers including BP, Shell, Saudi Aramco and Total among others. In their declaration they call for an "effective climate change agreement" at Cop21 - the 21st UN conference on climate change, which takes place in Paris at the end of November, when 196 countries will attempt to reach a new deal. "Our shared ambition is for a 2C future," the 10 chief executive officers said in a statement which acknowledges that the existing trend of the world's net greenhouse gas emissions is not consistent with this aim. "It is a challenge for the whole of society. We are committed to playing our part. Over the coming years we will collectively strengthen our actions and investments to contribute to reducing the greenhouse gas intensity of the global energy mix." The companies say they will attempt to make their own production operations more efficient and say that over the past 10 years they have already reduced their emissions by 20%. They promise to promote natural gas as a better option than coal and invest in carbon capture and storage as well as renewable energy. "Sometimes in all these discussions you have the impression that all fossil fuels are the bad guys. But the bad guys are part of the solution," Total's CEO Patrick Pouyanne told a gas and electricity summit in Paris earlier this week. "Whatever people think, we still need fossil fuels. We need to make advocacy for gas. We need to explain to our policy makers that gas has to be encouraged," he told news agencies. However the group of 10 does not include major US oil companies such as Exxon and Chevron. Environmental campaigners were quick to pour scorn on the oil and gas producers' initiative, saying it would do little to aid the decarbonisation of the global economy. "The oil companies behind this announcement have spent years lobbying to undermine effective climate action, each and every one of them has a business plan that would lead to dangerous global temperature rises, yet suddenly they expect us all to see them as the solution, not the problem," said Charlie Kronick from Greenpeace. "The world should thank them for their offer of advice but politely turn it down. Arsonists don't make good firefighters." Climate negotiators reassemble in Bonn next week in an effort to advance a new global deal. They will have their first opportunity to respond to a slimmed down draft that is expected to be the basis of the Paris agreement. Follow Matt on Twitter @mattmcgrathbbc.

Summary: The leaders of 10 of the world's biggest oil companies have offered their qualified support for a new global treaty on climate change.


Fed up with the way British Airways was handling the issue of his father's lost luggage, businessman Hasan Syed decided to complain about it. But rather than just put out a normal tweet, he paid to have one promoted. Using promoted tweets in this way could represent a new trend, experts believe. The promoted tweet bought by Mr Syed reads: "Don't fly @BritishAirways. Their customer service is horrendous." Promoted tweets are generally bought by advertisers who want to reach a wider audience. The paid-for tweet is given high prominence in the Twitter feed of the relevant company but otherwise acts as a normal message and can be retweeted by others. Mr Syed purchased his paid-for tweet via Twitter's self-service ad platform for an undisclosed sum. He targeted New York and UK markets with the tweet. The decision to highlight BA's customer service came following a trip his parents made from Chicago to Paris at the weekend, during which his father lost his luggage. Six hours after the tweet went live, and was picked up by news website Mashable, it had been read by thousands of Twitter users, retweeted and commented on. But it took another four hours for British Airways to pick up on it: "Sorry for the delay in responding, our twitter feed is open 09:00-17:00 GMT. Please DM [direct message] your baggage ref and we'll look into this." The idea that the ad platform of large corporations can be hijacked by members of the public is an interesting trend, thinks Shashank Nigam, chief executive of aviation consultancy SimpliFlying. "The implications are tremendous for the future of airline customer service, especially on social media," he said in his blog. "These tools are easy to use and brand detractors have the same access to them as corporations. I'd guess that this cost less than a thousand dollars to buy and Mr Syed targeted it smartly," Mr Nigam told the BBC. "Airlines are going to have to start having 24/7 customer services and maybe they need to train up call centre reps to respond to messages on Facebook and Twitter." In this particular case, the tweet appears to have been successful. "We would like to apologise to the customer for the inconvenience caused. We have been in contact with the customer and the bag is due to be delivered today," British Airways told the BBC.

Summary: In a modern spin on the tale of David and Goliath, a disgruntled customer has found a new way to use social media to take on a big corporation.


The Liverpool singer, whose 1987 single Wonderful Life was a top 10 hit around the world, suffered head injuries in the crash in Ireland on 10 January, and was placed in an induced coma. He died on Tuesday surrounded by his family in hospital, his publicist said. His wife Camilla said she was "deeply grateful" to staff who cared for him. The father-of-three, who was in intensive care at Cork University Hospital, "died peacefully" with his family at his side "who were singing him on his way", a statement said. "Colin received the best possible care from the expert and highly professional staff there and we are deeply grateful for everything they did," his wife and three sons said in a statement. Fellow Liverpool musician Pete Wylie of 80s band The Mighty Wah! paid tribute to his friend on Twitter, saying the news was "just so very sad". "I want to send all the love I can muster to Colin's parents, brother & partner + to all who loved him, and who he loved too," he wrote. "I could still sing the very first song Colin recorded with me in the WAH! studio. I remember it that clearly. And that voice!" Born in Liverpool in 1962, Vearncombe had his first top 10 hit with the single Sweetest Smile in June 1987 when he was 25 years old. His second hit song Wonderful Life, which he had previously released but only got to number 72 in the charts, made the top 10 in the UK, Switzerland, Germany, France, Austria, the Netherlands and Italy. However, despite having found fame, Vearncombe later said "the pop star life" was not as he had imagined it. "I was frustrated by how few of the people in the music world I respected. Maybe I just didn't go to the right clubs. I've never been a great schmoozer or networker and the idea of setting out to meet a certain type of people is anathema to me," he said. "It was two years of disappointment - I didn't have any wild sex, I'm not a druggie, so I was just digging a hole for myself." Wonderful Life has since been used in numerous advertisements and films, and has been covered by artists including Tina Cousins and Katie Melua. The album of the same name sold more than 1.5 million copies and peaked at number three. Although he is best known for Wonderful Life and another 1980s single Sweetest Smile, Vearncombe released 15 albums under his own name. Last year, he returned to his original stage name for a crowd-funded album, Blind Faith, which received positive reviews. He has also published poetry and staged exhibitions of his paintings in south-west Ireland, where he lived in later life. Hundreds of fans wrote messages of support on the musician's Facebook page following the crash. His publicist said there would be a private funeral, as well as a memorial service for him in Liverpool "as we know there are many, many people who will want to celebrate Colin's life and work".

Summary: Singer-songwriter Colin Vearncombe, who performed under the name Black, has died at the age of 53, two weeks after being injured in a car crash.


Meanwhile, 10,713 miles away the Australian population is growing at Sandy Park, home of Exeter Chiefs. Prop Greg Holmes and back-row Dave Dennis have committed to joining the club for next season, while winger Lachie Turner made the move last month. The Chiefs could have as many as eight Aussies in the squad next season - so why are so many players from down under being lured to the Devon club? "The weather" was the reason former international Turner jokingly gave to BBC Sport last month as his reason for making the move. But the former Toulon, Queensland Reds and New South Wales Waratahs back's main reason became clear shortly afterwards - and it has nothing to do with long romantic walks on Dartmoor. "For me the decision was easy after five minutes of speaking to Rob Baxter. "He gives his philosophies and the way he runs the club and the important things that he puts a lot of emphasis behind," said Turner. "It's about working hard, but also enjoying yourself. I don't think you can be successful in anything unless you enjoy what you're doing, and that's something they really strive for here." The Chiefs head coach has been in charge since the summer of 2009, guiding them to an unlikely win over Bristol in the inaugural Championship play-off final in 2010 and then gradually building a side that this season seems nailed-on for a first-ever place in the play-offs and have also made the last eight of the Champions Cup. Baxter's first Exeter side was packed with good Championship players who had a point to prove, but as the seasons have worn on, more and more experience has been brought to the club. England's Geoff Parling became the first British and Irish Lion to don an Exeter jersey, while other international players such as Tom James, Ceri Sweeney and Sireli Naqelevuki have all raised standards. "The culture here is based on honesty and trustworthiness," said another Aussie, Julian Salvi, after he joined the club last summer. A former Wallaby youth player he became the latest in a line of high-class back-row forwards to leave the traditional powerhouse of Leicester for the Chiefs - following Parling and Thomas Waldrom, who has had a new lease of life at the back of the Exeter scrum and was the league's top try-scorer last season. "You look from where they've come five or six years ago, from a Championship team they've made it to the Premiership," Salvi added. "Now they've gone from that side to being a real top-six quality contender and that's one of the things that attracted me to the place, the fact that it is a team on the rise and wanting to be there or thereabouts in the top four and pushing for championships." In 2012, Exeter made arguably the biggest signing in their history when Australia lock Dean Mumm left the Waratahs for Sandy Park. Three years later he left, having led the club to the first silverware in their 143-year history as they won the 2013 LV= Cup.

Summary: The village of Exeter lies 89 miles south-west of Sydney and according to the most recent census had 831 inhabitants.


The Al-Qadi family saw their side go behind to Jamie Devitt's penalty when Tom Parkes was penalised for handball. But Rory Gaffney equalised with a 12-yard volley after away goalkeeper Barry Roche's unconvincing attempts to deal with a Danny Leadbitter cross. And substitute Billy Bodin's close-range header earned victory late on. Rovers go sixth, five points adrift of the top three, while Morecambe are in 17th place, 11 points clear of the relegation zone.

Summary: Bristol Rovers celebrated their first match under their new Jordanian owners with a victory over Morecambe that takes them up to fifth in League Two.


They say the man, named as Richard White, 62, attacked an airport security worker with wasp spray before striking another on the arm with a large knife. Police said he was "unresponsive" after being shot in the leg, chest and face but was taken to a local hospital. Several bystanders were said to have been treated for minor injuries. Jefferson Parish Sheriff Newell Normand told reporters it was unclear whether White was at the airport as a traveller. "We're still piecing together witness interviews," he said. He said White, a taxi driver, had "little or no criminal history". He was alive and in surgery, Sheriff Normand added. Those making their way to and from flights in the busy terminal reported chaotic scenes as the incident unfolded. Jeremy Didier, who had just arrived on a flight from Florida, said he saw a man "jumping over people" in the queue at the boarding pass checkpoint. Two gunshots rang out and "everyone hit the floor," he told The Times-Picayune, a New Orleans newspaper. Farah Stockman, a journalist for the Boston Globe who was in the airport at the time, tweeted: "Just witnessed [the] craziest thing." "People had heard gunshots. Everyone was hiding behind chairs and in doorways. Make our way to exit. Body was lying in a pool of blood." Authorities said the area where the attack took place would be closed off until Saturday but confirmed that rest of the airport remained open.

Summary: US security staff shot a knife-wielding man three times at New Orleans international airport after he tried to storm a checkpoint, officials say.


Joshua, 27, will reportedly earn £2m for the second defence of the belt. A proposed match against Wladimir Klitschko, pencilled in for next April, could earn the Briton as much as £15m. "Fighters can lose their way after tasting a bit of success but it's not about money, it's about class," said Joshua, who is undefeated in 17 fights. "It's about morals, how you conduct yourself. Glitz and glamour doesn't come into it. I don't live in luxury, I'm still at home with my mum." Joshua often shares a gym in Sheffield with Great Britain's amateurs, with whom he shares trainer Rob McCracken. And Joshua, who came through the same system before winning a gold medal at the 2012 Olympics, says training with young, ambitious boxers keeps him grounded. "These amateurs who train day in, day out and live the life are better than half the pros who are taking the glory," said Joshua, who stays in the same accommodation in Sheffield as when he was in the GB squad. "It's good to be around that, they don't give me a chance to slack." Joshua expects to make Molina his 18th victim inside the distance, but is not complacent before the fight at the Manchester Arena. "People like Molina are unpredictable," he said. "They seem nice but when they come in the ring they come with bad intentions. "There is a lot of expectation on me, but it's also my expectation to win, win, win. We're singing from the same hymn sheet. "At the moment it's going well, but there will be bumps along the way. I'd be silly not to think that, so I have to plan for things going wrong." Molina, 34, lost his first fight as a pro in 2007 but has been beaten only twice in 27 bouts since. In 2012 he was knocked out in the first round by Chris Arreola, before lasting nine rounds with WBC champion Deontay Wilder. In his most recent fight, in April, Molina caused an upset by beating Tomasz Adamek in Poland. And the Texan believes he will shock British fans with a knockout victory, just as his mentor Oliver McCall did to Lennox Lewis in London in 1994. "I have a lot of respect for Anthony Joshua, he's bringing a lot of excitement to the heavyweight division," said Molina. "But we've yet to see him in a lot of situations. There's more to heavyweight boxing than just beating down the guy in front of you. "There are other avenues. We're going to try to put him in some spots and surprise him. "He thinks it's going to be an easy night, the whole world thinks it's going to be an easy night, so my most powerful weapon is the element of surprise." Starts 17:30 GMT - times subject to late changes 4x3 mins welterweight contest CONOR BENN (10st 7lbs 3oz) v STEVE BACKHOUSE (10st 3lbs 9oz) Followed by 8x3 mins heavyweight contest LUIZ ORTIZ (17st 3lbs 3oz) v DAVID ALLEN (18st 6lbs 9oz) Followed by 12x3 mins British light-heavyweight championship HOSEA

Summary: Anthony Joshua is adamant fame and fortune will not spoil him as he prepares to defend his IBF heavyweight title against Eric Molina on Saturday.


Pritchard, a former England Under-21 international, has made two senior appearances for Spurs. He has scored a total of 20 goals in 100 matches on loan at Peterborough, Swindon, Brentford and West Brom. The 23-year-old would become Championship club Norwich's third summer signing, after keeper Michael McGovern and winger Sergi Canos. Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page.

Summary: Norwich City are in talks to sign Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Alex Pritchard, reports BBC Radio Norfolk.


Edmund, 22, won 6-3 3-6 6-2 in a rain-delayed match to set up a last-eight tie against top-seeded Milos Raonic. The Canadian beat Croatia's Borna Coric 6-3 7-6 (7-2) in Florida. At the Rio Open, Britain's Jamie Murray and doubles partner Bruno Soares beat Marcus Daniell and Marcelo Demonliner 6-4 6-2 to reach the semi-finals. They will face Argentines Andres Molteni and Diego Schwartzman next. Meanwhile, British number four Aljaz Bedene lost 7-5 7-5 in the second round of the Open 13 in Marseille to Frenchman Lucas Pouille.

Summary: British number three Kyle Edmund progressed to the Delray Beach Open quarter-finals with victory over Taiwan's Lu Yen-hsun on Thursday.


German Kerber, 29, claimed Grand Slam titles at Melbourne and the US Open last year, but lost 6-2 6-3. American Vandeweghe, 25, faces a last-eight meeting with Spain's French Open champion Garbine Muguruza, who beat Romanian Sorana Cirstea 6-2 6-3. Venus Williams also progressed, beating Germany's Mona Barthel. The 36-year-old seven-time Grand Slam champion - the oldest player in the women's singles - won 6-3 7-5 and will take on Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, who beat fellow Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-3 6-3. Vandeweghe's victory was her first against a world number one and takes her to a Grand Slam quarter-final for the second time in her career, after reaching the last eight at Wimbledon in 2015. It meant the top seed from the women's and men's draws both left the competition on day seven, after Andy Murray's shock defeat by Germany's world number 50 Mischa Zverev. Vandeweghe had Kerber on the defensive for much of their 68-minute contest, closing out the first set with ease after breaking in the sixth game. And even though Kerber was able to break immediately in the second set, Vandeweghe won four successive games from 3-2 down for the biggest win of her career. "It was really special," she said. "Beating the world number one on any stage and any place is great. I'll take this one. "I wasn't feeling confident - I guess I faked it. I was nervous, but I had a game plan to execute and I knew that as along as I kept picking my spots, I had a chance." It is 19 years since Venus Williams reached her first Australian Open quarter-final, and 14 years since her one and only final, when she lost to her sister Serena. In recent years she has had to cope with the autoimmune disorder Sjogren's syndrome - but has managed to reach at least the last 16 at six of the last seven Grand Slams. Barthel, ranked 118th in the world, had played Williams twice before but missed four months of tennis last year because of chronic fatigue illness. "I know what it's like to be down on your luck, but she knows how to play tennis and she's experienced," Williams said. "We'd played a couple of tough matches before so today I expected to have some competition." Williams, who took one hour and 36 minutes to beat Barthel, has yet to drop a set at this year's Open. "I've been blessed enough to do something that I love and I think this was my calling because I grew so tall that I can cover the court and hit it hard," she added.

Summary: Top seed and defending champion Angelique Kerber suffered a fourth-round exit from the Australian Open to world number 35 Coco Vandeweghe.


Ms Suu Kyi will start the four-day visit next Wednesday, her National League for Democracy (NLD) party said. An NLD spokesman said she would meet China's president, Xi Jinping, and premier, Li Keqiang. Relations between the countries have cooled in recent years, partly because of violence near their mutual border. Myanmar has been fighting rebels in its eastern Kokang region, which borders China's Yunnan province. At least five people in Yunnan died in March when an aircraft from Myanmar, also known as Burma, dropped a bomb on a sugar cane field. China sent patrols to the border in response. While Myanmar's military junta was under Western sanctions, and Ms Suu Kyi was under house arrest, China remained a loyal ally. But since reforms were introduced in 2011, the government of President Thein Sein has allied itself closely with the United States, although China continues to help develop major infrastructure projects in Myanmar. As head of the NLD, Ms Suu Kyi is expected to play a key role in Myanmar's presidential elections this November, although she is unlikely to be able to stand for president. She is fighting to overturn a clause in the constitution that currently blocks her from standing as a candidate. Inviting Ms Suu Kyi is an acknowledgement by the Chinese that, after the Burmese general election later this year, she's likely to be a political force they can no longer ignore. The trip will also pose a moral dilemma for the Burmese opposition leader. Just like Ms Suu Kyi two decades ago, Chinese writer Liu Xiabo has been detained for his pro-democracy activities - and then, like her, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Will Ms Suu Kyi say anything while in China about her fellow Nobel laureate? Or will she choose to remain silent to avoid embarrassing her hosts?

Summary: Aung San Suu Kyi, Myanmar's opposition leader, will visit China for the first time next week at a time of tension between the two countries.


The weapons were intended for Syrian Kurdish fighters. Small arms, ammunition and other weaponry were dropped in 28 bundles on Monday by the US to help those defending the town of Kobane from IS. A US spokesman said 26 of the dropped equipment ended up in the right hands. The Pentagon says one bundle of weapons was taken by IS fighters while a second stray bundle was destroyed in an air strike. So how did it happen? And could the same mistake be made again? Dr David Betz from the Department of War Studies at King's College London is an expert in strategy, insurgency and counter-insurgency. Newsbeat put these questions to him. Air dropping supplies to forces on the ground is never a first choice. It's costly relative to other means, and though it is a well-established and a long-practised technique, it is also relatively inaccurate, for obvious reasons. It's done when there is no other alternative, most often as in this case, because the supported force is effectively beleaguered. It would seem that Turkey is not permitting supplies to the Kurds fighting in Syria to cross its border. If it were it would be much simpler, more efficient, and effective to do it that way. Often. That is why it's a last resort. Military history is full of instances of surrounded forces being supplied from the air. Think of the Germans at Stalingrad surrounded by the Russians in the winter of 1942-43, the British paras at Arnhem in the Netherlands surrounded by German forces in 1944, American marines at Khe Sanh surrounded by North Vietnamese forces in 1968. Or in a slightly different way the Allied supply of the French Resistance throughout the war. Sometimes it works - often it doesn't. As noted above, it is a well established skill and no doubt armed forces have gotten a lot more accurate over time but there are inherent limitations of accuracy when dropping things on pallets dangling from parachutes into an active combat zone where forces are intermixed in close proximity. Undoubtedly they are deriving propagandic value from it, as the article suggests, but that is not to say they are making it up. I would say all of the above, of course. Weather, enemy action, pilot or navigational error, equipment failure... War is inherently chancy and it makes the simplest things difficult. I wouldn't necessarily characterise the drop as not going as planned. The planners would have known quite well that there was a strong possibility of some items going astray. In fact, they'd know to a good deal of precision what the per cent would be. It goes back to the previous point of having no better option. If the only way of getting however many tonnes of military supplies to the Kurdish forces was to drop them in a way that IS got its hands on a fraction of them it might still be judged worthwhile to do so. Follow @BBCNewsbeat on Twitter and Radio1Newsbeat on YouTube

Summary: An Islamic State video which shows militants with US weapons is being investigated by defence experts at the Pentagon, the US defence headquarters.


The 23-year-old clocked his sixth sub-10 second time of the season as he came home in 9.99, ahead of Asafa Powell. Gatlin was fourth in 10.14, behind Femi Ogunode (10.13) and ahead of De Grasse, who was fifth in 10.21. Jamaica's Olympic champion Elaine Thompson beat the Netherlands' Dafne Schippers in the 200m. The pair were separated by only a tenth of a second in last year's Olympic final, and Thompson triumphed in Doha by 0.26 seconds in a time of 22.19. Britain's Robbie Grabarz, who took silver in the European Indoors in March, claimed second place in the high jump, clearing 2.31m in his first outdoor event of the season. Olympic champion Caster Semenya claimed a commanding victory in the 800m, coming home in a world-leading time of one minute 56.61 seconds. Burundi's Francine Niyonsaba, who won silver behind the South African in Rio, was the only other woman to better that time in the whole of 2016. Ethiopia's Genzebe Dibaba - who broke a 22-year-old 1500m world record in 2015 and won silver over the distance in Rio - was fifth in her first 800m outing. Olympic champion Thomas Rohler threw 93.90m to win the javelin competition by more than four metres. The German's throw moves him to second in the all-time list, with only Czech great Jan Zelezny having thrown further. Desiree Henry was well short of the 22.69 she clocked earlier this year in California as the 21-year-old finished seventh in the 200m. Holly Bradshaw, who missed the indoor season with injury, finished fourth in the pole vault with a best of 4.55m. Cindy Ofili finished down in seventh as American world record-holder Kendra Harrison won the 100m hurdles in 12.59, while Andrew Butchart came eighth in the 3,000m and Chris Baker finished seventh in the high jump.

Summary: South Africa's Akani Simbine continued his impressive start to 2017 by beating Justin Gatlin and Andre de Grasse in the 100m at the Doha Diamond League.


More than two million spectators watched the three-day Tour de Yorkshire, won by Thomas Voeckler. Christian Prudhomme said: "The Tour de Yorkshire is on the podium for being one of the best bike races in the world and for me the best public for cycling in the world." Frenchman Voeckler said the crowd "makes me want to come back next year". The Direct Energie rider added: "When you see all the crowds on the road, I am sure that in 20 to 30 years there will still be a Tour de Yorkshire so I am really happy that my name is on the winner's list." An estimated 2.5m people watched the opening two stages of the Tour de France when they were held in Yorkshire in 2014. Voeckler clinched overall victory in the Tour de Yorkshire on Sunday by beating Team Sky's Nicolas Roche in a sprint finish to win the third and final stage over 123 miles from Middlesbrough to Scarborough. The race is in its second year and Prudhomme said: "There have been huge crowds, huge enthusiastic crowds who respect the riders. "The people of Yorkshire have passion and pride. I love what the Tour de Yorkshire has done for children who are watching this on the route and at the start and finish lines. "These are memories that those children will never forget. The passion is growing and growing."

Summary: Yorkshire is "fast becoming the heartland of cycling", according to the director of the Tour de France.


The Mail calls Spider-Man: Homecoming "the blockbuster of the summer", while The Guardian calls it a "light, snappy and frequently hilarious crowdpleaser". According to Screen Daily reviewer Tim Grierson, British actor Tom Holland - a former star of the Billy Elliot musical who turned 21 this month - "makes for a believably underage Peter Parker". The Hollywood Reporter, though, says "a charming new lead only goes so far". Jon Watts' film, writes critic John DeFore, is "often frustrating" and "represents a creative mis-step" for the Marvel Studios. Largely set in New York, Spider-Man: Homecoming follows on from Holland's introduction to the "MCU" - Marvel Cinematic Universe - in Captain America: Civil War. That 2016 film saw Spider-Man - a teenage crime-fighter who can spin webs and swing between tall buildings - participate in a battle between Captain America, Iron Man and other superheroes. The new film sees Spider-Man's alter ego Peter Parker juggling his high school responsibilities with his secret life as a masked vigilante. It is not long before he encounters Adrian Toomes, a villainous arms dealer who has his own alter-ego in the form of wing-sporting marauder Vulture. Previous versions of the Spider-Man franchise featured Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield in the title role. According to Digital Spy, "Spider-Man: Homecoming's biggest achievement is that it makes you forget it's the third different Spider-Man - and second reboot - in less than 20 years." "There's a spontaneous charge to the film, a euphoric innocence, that makes it a much-needed antidote to stale franchise formula," raves Rolling Stone's Peter Travers. Variety's Owen Gleiberman, meanwhile, praises the "sinister, gnashing personality" Keaton brings to his role while wishing he had been "given more to do". "Homecoming is easily the best Spider-Man film since Sam Raimi's operatic Spider-Man 2," concludes Empire's Nick De Semlyen, one of several critics to give the movie four stars out of five. Spider-Man: Homecoming opens in the UK and Ireland on 5 July. Superhero movies are like garishly costumed buses at the moment. If you happen to miss one, there's always another one just around the corner. That's partly down to the way character rights have been divvied up between the studios, who all want a piece of the comic book pie. Spider-Man is a case in point. He was created in 1962 by Marvel, now a subsidiary of Disney. But he's effectively owned by Sony, who have made five Spider-Man films since 2002. The success of the Avengers films, though, has inspired Sony to loan him back to Marvel, allowing him to share the screen with the likes of Captain America and Iron Man. It's a strategy that reaps dividends in Spider-Man: Homecoming, which features Robert Downey Jr's Iron Man in a supporting role and humorous cameos from Chris Evans' Captain America. Yet the film also works satisfyingly as a stand-alone superhero teen movie, mostly thanks to the immensely likeable Tom Holland. The young British actor - not to be confused with Rev's Tom Hollander - has a pleasing boyishness and excellent comic timing in a film that is

Summary: Reviews are in for the new Spider-Man film, and they're mostly positive.


The sustainable development white paper was launched at a school in Blaenavon, Torfaen, dubbed a good example for helping the wider community. However, the Conservatives said urgent action was needed amid growing environmental concerns. And Welsh language campaigners feared their cause could fall lower down the priorities of public bodies. Delegates from organisations including local councils were told that Blaenavon Heritage Primary School was chosen as the location for the launch as it provided a wide range of courses and services across the area for residents with a number of public bodies working together. "Our approach is very much rooted in Welsh values, with a focus on fairness, pride in our communities and our heritage," said John Griffiths, environment and sustainable development minister. "The proposals set out in this White Paper are about focusing on the social, economic and environmental well being for Welsh people and Welsh communities over the long term." The Sustainable Development Bill includes: For the Conservatives, shadow environment minister Russell George said: "While this consultation and its influence on future policy is extremely important, we have long called for Labour ministers to get a grip on sustainable development. "With greenhouse gases on the rise, mobility policy failing, health inequalities getting wider and wildlife habitats in decline, it's more important than ever that we see urgent improvements." Meanwhile, the Welsh Language Society (Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg) has concerns. Sustainable communities spokesperson Toni Schiavone said: "The government's language strategy is completely clear that Welsh needs to be mainstreamed in all its departments, especially where the work affects the future of Welsh speaking communities. "However, under this Bill, there is a risk that public bodies will downgrade the Welsh language as a policy consideration. "The government intends to make sustainable development public bodies' central organising principle. "In that context, it's essential that the welfare of the Welsh language is part of the definition of sustainable development." The consultation runs until March with a number of public events from January.

Summary: The Welsh government wants to introduce a new law to protect the "well-being" of community life.


Prison officer Adrian Ismay died days after car bombing in Belfast in March. DUP MP Gavin Robinson alleged in the Commons that a police email said checks were resulting in "too many complaints" from the suspect's solicitor. The Police Service of Northern Ireland said they "rigorously enforce all bail conditions set down by the courts". "If a person is required to wear an electronic tag as part of their bail conditions, there is no reason for police to duplicate this monitoring unless otherwise requested or directed by the investigating officer or senior police officer or the court," a PSNI statement said. The bail checks refer to Christopher Alphonsos Robinson who has been charged with the murder of Mr Ismay, who trained prison officers at Maghaberry Prison. Dissident republicans claimed responsibility for the attack. The accused, from Aspen Park in Dunmurry, west Belfast, was granted bail under strict conditions in May. The conditions including electronic tagging and an exclusion order for an area of east Belfast. Speaking during a Westminster debate, the DUP MP said: "I received information at the weekend that PSNI chiefs sent an email to their officers not to conduct bail checks because it was generating far too many complaints from his solicitor and offending his sensitivities." In response, a PSNI statement said: "Police will continue to rigorously, but impartially, enforce all bail conditions set by the courts and we will not hesitate to arrest those who breach their bail conditions." The House of Commons debate focused on Libyan-sponsored terrorism. The MP said Mr Ismay "was blown up by a bomb planted by the new IRA containing Semtex, which is presumed - since there have been no recent purchases - that it is of the same origin and extraction, sourced from the Czech Republic, through Libya to the IRA and disseminated through their splinter organisations."

Summary: Police officers have been asked to stop conducting bail checks on a man accused of murdering a prison officer, the MP for East Belfast has claimed.


The Commons privileges committee said Colin Myler and Tom Crone had misled the Culture, Media and Sport Committee by "answering questions falsely". It recommended that the Commons should "formally admonish" the pair. Both men have rejected the findings and denied giving misleading evidence. It is believed to be the first time in decades that anyone has been found in contempt of Parliament and a senior MP has said legal action against the pair should be considered. Mr Myler and Mr Crone had appeared before the culture committee in 2009 and 2011, to answer questions about the extent of phone hacking at the newspaper. The paper had initially claimed that the illegal practice was limited to a single reporter and a private investigator with whom he worked. But evidence emerged that hacking was more widespread and the paper was forced to close in 2011 because of the scandal. The privileges committee found that Mr Myler misled the culture committee by denying that he was aware of phone hacking or other wrongdoing by staff, apart from royal correspondent Clive Goodman who had been jailed in 2007 for hacking-related offences. It said Mr Crone misled the committee on the same issue and also with regard to the "significance of confidentiality" in a settlement reached between the paper and Professional Footballers' Association boss Gordon Taylor. Mr Myler, the former editor, said the findings were "profoundly disappointing". "Had the appropriate standard of proof been properly applied, the privileges committee could not have reached a finding of contempt against me, given that the report identifies evidence which plainly contradicts their conclusions," he said. Former legal manager Mr Crone said he did not accept the findings made against him and stood by his evidence on both issues for which he was criticised. "In particular, I accepted clearly and unequivocally at the outset of my evidence... that the problem of phone hacking... went beyond" just Clive Goodman, he said. "That is a matter of record which is beyond challenge." The privileges committee did not uphold similar allegations of misleading MPs against Les Hinton, the former executive chairman of News International, which owned the NotW. It also found that the parent firm did not commit contempt as a company. Mr Hinton said: "After more than four years, the committee of privileges has thrown out the charges that I was guilty of contempt of Parliament and a cover-up of phone hacking. "Its findings are too little and too late, coming so long after I was vilified by MPs." Acting chairman of the culture committee Damian Collins told the BBC the case "poses the question now about what action Parliament should take". "I think we should look now at what sanctions should be applied to people who are guilty of contempt of Parliament and deliberately misleading Parliament. Should there be a sentence, should there be a court process following the work of the privileges committee?" he said. "It is the first time in decades that people have been found guilty of contempt of Parliament and misleading Parliament. The house has to look at

Summary: The former editor and legal manager of defunct newspaper the News of the World (NotW) have been found in contempt of Parliament over evidence they gave to MPs about phone hacking.


Richie, the elder at 27 and taller at 6ft 9in, with 63 caps and a 2013 Lions Test on his CV, has been a mainstay for Scotland since his debut in 2010. But the recent progress of 6ft 6in Jonny, 23 next week, has seen him earn most plaudits as a potential 2017 Lion. "Jonny has gone from strength to strength," Richie Gray acknowledged. "What I said a couple of years ago was about the need to do it consistently, but he's been able to do it week in week out and that's the most impressive thing. "I've seen him come on as a leader. He's grown and matured and makes me very proud. "How has his emergence as a leader changed our relationship? Not too much. We still have our discussions about things and what we can get better at. "We're not really competitive. I think he wins most weeks anyway. It's not much of a competition. "With brothers I suppose you always want to win the battle but we're not too much like that. We try and help each other out as much as possible. "I see him more as an inspiration. It's great to see and certainly keeps me going. It gives me a standard I have to aim for. I'm just trying to keep up." Jonny Gray, a vice-captain to stand-in skipper John Barclay, is the leading tackler in this year's Six Nations, with 52 from 54 attempts. He is also in the top 10 for carries, with 36 in the three rounds to date. Richie, meanwhile, has made more tackles than anyone else without missing one (41) so far. They are both likely to make plenty more on Saturday if Scotland are to achieve a first win at Twickenham for 34 years and secure a first Triple Crown since 1990. But even if victory eludes them, the elder Gray believes a bright future lies ahead for the class of 2017. "It's a great position to be in," said the Toulouse lock. "Obviously it's a huge challenge going down there and a match with a huge amount of importance. We're looking forward to it. "We've constantly been progressing with the group of players and the staff. We have been getting better and better. "Glasgow and Edinburgh have both been doing well in Europe and, with us having three home games this year, hopefully that all adds together to form a good championship. "But there certainly is a lot more to come. It's a young group and we have got more things to show."

Summary: Scotland lock Richie Gray says younger brother Jonny is an "inspiration" rather than a sibling rival in their burgeoning second-row partnership.


The 13 Premier League clubs in the fourth round made 98 changes to their line-ups, an average of 7.5 per team. Championship sides facing lower-league opposition also rotated players, with Leeds making 10 changes, while Brighton and Newcastle made nine. "Clubs care about money while fans care about trophies. That's very unfortunate," Shearer told BBC Sport. "It's just crazy, I don't understand it. I'm all for bringing kids into the team but not seven or eight of them. Six rounds from the third round to the final, it's not asking a lot is it?" The rotation of players in the cup competition proved a talking point as Liverpool made nine changes and were beaten at Anfield by Wolverhampton Wanderers. On Sunday, Premier League sides Hull and Watford both rotated their squads and were knocked out by Championship Fulham and League One Millwall respectively, while an unfamiliar-looking Leeds were eliminated by non-league Sutton. However, seven top-flight sides who made five or more changes to their starting line-ups did make it through to the last 16. On Twitter, Match of the Day presenter Gary Lineker said Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp showed a "lack of knowledge of the depth in English football and respect". Match of the Day pundit Phil Neville believes the changes are "making the FA Cup better", adding: "It's been fantastic to see the upsets so far. Jurgen Klopp has to find out about those kids. He has a massive academy. If you don't play them, you don't know." Premier League sides have made an average 2.06 changes to their side from one league fixture to the next this season, a much lower figure than the average of 7.5 made over the FA Cup fourth-round weekend. But 14 clubs from the top tier are scheduled to play again in the league on Tuesday, with the remaining six in action 24 hours later. Southampton boss Claude Puel - who made 10 changes in defeat at Arsenal - said he would "do the same again". Watford's Walter Mazzarri - who made seven changes for the loss at Millwall - said he was "sorry" and referenced a focus on Tuesday's Premier League trip to Arsenal, adding: "I want a team that in the next 16 games fights for every ball." But former Arsenal striker Ian Wright said he could not understand Mazzarri's move, with Watford 14th in the league. "I don't know what else they are playing for," said Wright. After defeat at non-league Sutton United, Leeds United boss Garry Monk admitted his rotation "backfired" as he kept an eye on getting the "balance right" for Wednesday's Championship fixture at Blackburn. There are now just seven Premier League teams guaranteed a fifth-round spot, while Leicester will contest a replay with Derby. At this stage in 2015-16 and 2014-15, 10 were left in the competition. Managers often like to use the line that "we take each game as it comes". But as the season enters February, with key fixtures, a busy Easter period and league run-ins on the horizon, it seems many of them are looking

Summary: Clubs making wholesale changes are "cheating fans" out of an FA Cup run, according to BBC pundit Alan Shearer.


The former Home Office minister said Labour must not be "afraid" of the argument and had a moral responsibility to talk about immigration reform. He also said UKIP voters were "darkly pessimistic" about their lives, whereas progressive politics was optimistic. David Cameron and Ed Miliband clashed on the issue this week - with both attacking the other party's record. Official figures published in August showed UK net migration - the difference between those entering and leaving - increased by more than 38% to 243,000 in 2013-14. EU citizens accounted for two-thirds of the growth. The Labour leader has promised to bring in an immigration bill creating "clear, credible and concrete changes" within months, if Labour wins next year's general election. Mr Byrne - Labour's universities spokesman who was immigration minister in the last Labour government - told Total Politics magazine the party "can win an argument on this, but we have got to have the courage to put it at the top of our list of things we talk about". "And we have got be honest about the realities," he said. And he cautioned politicians against ignoring voters' concerns: "If people then sense that politicians are trying to duck the issue or avoid it or not confront it they are just not prepared to have that - and frankly, why should they?" He expressed confidence that voters backed his proposal to exempt students from migration targets: "People know that students are good for Britain, not bad for Britain, they know that they are critical for our future influence in the world." The Birmingham Hodge Hill MP said Mr Miliband had to offer a positive vision to voters who had been attracted to the UK Independence Party: "The curious thing about UKIP voters is that they have one big thing in common: they are darkly pessimistic about themselves and their lives and if you want people to vote for progressive politics, you need people that are optimistic." Meanwhile his colleague, shadow transport Sscretary Mary Creagh told The House magazine Labour "needs to acknowledge the strain on schools, public services and the fact that people want to feel that people have put into a society before they start taking something out". "We are the Labour Party, we do like talking about the NHS and we are right to talk about the NHS. But perhaps there are some colleagues who feel nervous talking about immigration. I certainly don't." Mr Cameron's Conservative Party is facing a difficult by-election in Rochester and Strood, Kent, called after one of its MPs, Mark Reckless, defected to UKIP, which campaigns for the UK's exit from the European Union. The prime minister has said action is needed to curb EU immigration and has pledged to have "one last go" at negotiating a better deal for the UK in Europe. There have been reports that the coalition could seek an "emergency brake" to stop EU migration after it reached a certain level or to limit the number of National Insurance numbers issued to new arrivals from the EU. But German Chancellor Angela

Summary: Labour must have the "courage" to make talking about immigration policy a priority, Liam Byrne has said.


A multi-faith prayer and release of doves is due to take place at 09:15 BST. Organisers are encouraging attendees to wear or accessorise in "green for Grenfell" in a display of "reverence and respect amidst the revelry". A "ring of care" will be formed around the tower by police. More than 80 people are believed to have died when fire engulfed the Grenfell Tower block of flats on 14 June. The carnival route passes near the tower. Pepe Francis, chairman of the carnival trust, said: "We support the suggestions of the local community and wider carnival community to start this year's carnival earlier. "This will be the first opportunity for visitors to carnival to pay their respects for those affected by Grenfell." Hundreds of hand-drawn tributes, flowers and candles will be protected by fencing, while the public have been asked not to take selfies at the site. A reflection zone will be placed near the burnt high-rise, where performers will lower the volume of their music. MP Emma Dent Coad, who likened the carnival to a wake, will give a speech ahead of the dove release. At 15:00 on both days, hundreds of thousands of revellers along the route are expected to pause and observe a minute's silence to mark the tragedy. A spokesman for Grenfell United, a residents and survivors group, said: "We hope people will follow these requests from us and our friends and family in the wider community. "They will enable people to pay their respects; be conscious of our vulnerability; and show solidarity for our ongoing demands for housing and full justice, in the creative spirit of carnival." Steel barriers, concrete blocks and a ban on vehicles will be in place to protect revellers from the threat of terrorism. Scotland Yard said there was no specific intelligence but security plans had been "thoroughly reviewed" after the Barcelona attack. Is the fun being sucked out of Notting Hill Carnival? Rewind: More than 50 years of fun at Carnival

Summary: Notting Hill Carnival will open with a special ceremony as a "small act of remembrance" following the Grenfell fire tragedy.


Media playback is not supported on this device Perry, in his first Triple Crown final at the age of 42, led 4-1 but missed a straightforward red for a 5-1 lead. O'Sullivan won seven frames in a row to move 8-4 ahead before Perry, helped by breaks of 117 and 92, fought back. But O'Sullivan, 41, sealed victory to defend his title and move ahead of Stephen Hendry's six Masters wins. Victory means O'Sullivan claimed the newly named Paul Hunter trophy - in honour of the three-time champion who died of cancer aged 27 in 2006 - as well as the £200,000 winners' prize money. It also ensured the world number 13 ended a run of three defeats in finals this season and defended the title he won last year by thrashing Barry Hawkins 10-1. "Joe played a brilliant tournament, a really good match and he should've beaten me. I got lucky - I stole it," said O'Sullivan. "Joe will come again and he is a tough competitor. I'm just relieved to have got over the line. The fans have been unbelievable and I really enjoyed this week." On winning seven Masters title, O'Sullivan added: "It is great to get some records, I still have the World Championship one to get. "When I was younger I was just happy to win one, so to win seven, someone up there is looking after me." 'The Rocket' had to deal with a virus in his first-round final-frame victory over Liang Wenbo and needed to repair a broken cue tip in the semi-final against Marco Fu, which he said was the "best match he has ever won". In the final, O'Sullivan seemed unsettled by noise coming from a backstage table early on, but pulled himself together to level the match 4-4 at the interval. He claimed a 32-minute ninth frame to move into the lead for the first time, and then knocked in breaks of 85 and 68 to take control. At 8-6 and with Perry fighting back, O'Sullivan made his first century of the match - a break of 112 - and 859th of his career. The Englishman then held his nerve to win a 20-minute tactical frame and claim his 17th Triple Crown title. Along with seven Masters - the first of which he won in 1995 - he has also claimed five World and five UK Championship crowns, and is now just one behind Hendry's record of 18. Media playback is not supported on this device Perry has only won one ranking title - the 2015 Players Championship - but seemed to take to the occasion well, with breaks of 72, 74 and 115 giving him a surprise lead. But rattling the final red in the jaws of the pocket when presented with the opportunity to go 5-1 up seemed to dent his confidence. Fair play to Ronnie, even when he is not at his best he is still amazing Although he rallied by clawing back three frames late on, O'Sullivan's substantial advantage was too great to overturn. "I've proved a lot,

Summary: Ronnie O'Sullivan won a record seventh Masters title by coming from behind to beat Joe Perry 10-7 in the final at London's Alexandra Palace.


The rare plants around Dinas Bran, a medieval castle and iron age hillfort above Llangollen and the Dee Valley, have been awarded national recognition. Natural Resources Wales says important species of birds and butterflies "rely on the grassland and other habitats". It is also home to upright chickweed, shepherd's cress and greater broomrap. "The grasslands found here are scarce in lowland Britain," said Richard May, conservation officer for NRW. "And Dinas Bran has the second largest area in Wales of one type of acid grassland." The remains of Dinas Bran castle and hillfort date back to the occupation of the princes of Powys Fadog in the mid 13th century and they have been protected since 1957. "Dinas Bran is hugely popular with walkers, attracting thousands of people a year to visit the iron age hillfort and medieval castle set in a spectacular landscape," added Mr May. "By working in partnership with landowners, we look forward to helping to manage the site's special features so that we and future generations can continue to enjoy Dinas Bran's rich natural and historical heritage."

Summary: A "scarce" grassland around the ancient ruins of a Denbighshire castle has been protected as a site of special scientific interest.


Deborah Fenlon's Menos 4 trial will investigate how routine CBT could help patients regain a sense of control over difficult side effects. Hot flushes and night sweats are experienced by about 70% of women undergoing treatment. The trial has been funded by a Â£300,000 Breast Cancer Now grant. Royal Glamorgan Hospital is one of six participating in the three-year project, led by Swansea University's Prof Fenlon. Hormone replacement therapy, normally offered to women experiencing hot flushes as part of the menopause, cannot be used by women with breast cancer as it can increase the risk of their disease returning. The scientists said although CBT was known to be effective, it was not routinely offered on the NHS for women with breast cancer and can only be given to groups by trained clinical psychologists. During the study, half the women will receive group CBT from a specially-trained breast cancer nurse in six weekly sessions lasting 90 minutes. The other half will receive whatever support they would normally receive. A 52-year-old teacher, taking part in the trial, said: "I had never expected hot flushes to be quite so awful. "Some nights I just do not sleep as the hot sweats keep me awake and then I have to work the next day as though everything's ok and it's not." Prof Fenlon said: "Hot flushes and night sweats can have a major impact on women's lives; affecting their work, social life and disrupting their sleep. "There are very few effective measures to help support women with this problem, particularly after breast cancer and proven interventions are not widely available. "With this study we hope to show how an effective intervention can be offered more widely."

Summary: A Swansea scientist is trialling how cognitive behavioural therapy could reduce the impact of hot flushes for breast cancer patients.


Soldiers had also killed a man who featured in Boko Haram's propaganda videos pretending to be the group's leader Abubakar Shekau, it added. Last year, the military said that Shekau may have been killed, without providing any proof. Boko Haram has suffered heavy losses in recent weeks in battles in its stronghold of north-eastern Nigeria. The military said that 135 Boko Haram members surrendered with their weapons in Biu, Borno state, on Tuesday - and that 133 others surrendered elsewhere in north-eastern Nigeria. The BBC's Will Ross in Lagos says that the claims are impossible to verify. However, if they are true, it could be a major turning point for the army's campaign against Boko Haram militants, our correspondent adds. General Chris Olukolade of the Nigerian military said that a man named Mohammed Bashir was among those killed in the latest offensive against Boko Haram last week. Bashir "had been acting or posing in videos as the deceased Abubakar Shekau, the eccentric character known as leader of the group", he said. Gen Olukolade did not give further details. In a statement in August 2013, the military said intelligence reports indicated that Shekau "may have died" in a shoot-out with government forces at a Boko Haram camp in the vast Sambisa Forest, along Nigeria's border with Cameroon, about two months earlier. But Nigerian journalist Ahmad Salkida, who has good contacts in Boko Haram, says on on his Twitter account that he has it "on authority that Shekau is well and alive". He said he met Shekau during a failed attempt to negotiate the release of 200 schoolgirls who were abducted by Boko Haram in April. Who are Boko Haram? Who are Boko Haram? Profile: Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau Since the abduction, which caused international outrage, a man purporting to be Shekau has appeared in videos, taunting the military and declaring the establishment of a caliphate in areas controlled by Boko Haram. Speaking at the United Nations Security Council meeting, Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan urged the council to find more ways to combat the militant threat. "Evidence has shown that Boko Haram is sourced largely from outside our country," he said. "Only by united action and firm resolve can we check this urgent threat to humanity and also build the enduring structures that will resist their re-emergence." "Boko Haram" means "Western education is forbidden" in Arabic, and the group frequently attacks schools and colleges, which it sees as a symbol of Western culture. The New York-based Human Rights Watch says more than 2,000 civilians have been killed in the region this year.

Summary: More than 260 Islamist militants have surrendered in north-eastern Nigeria, the military has said.


The stage is a 27 metre (88ft) platform fitted to the rock face over Abereiddy's Blue Lagoon with 5,000 people expected to line the cliffs to see divers leap, twist and somersault, with concentration their only form of protection. This is the third time the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series has come to Wales, and along with Ironman Wales, puts Pembrokeshire firmly on the world map. Abereiddy is the sixth stop of the series, and eyes were on the reigning champion Gary Hunt, who was representing Great Britain along with Blake Aldridge and wildcard Mat Cowen. But the Czeck Republic's Michal Suprati Navratil took first place, with Hunt second and the United States' Andy Jones third. The competition took place on Saturday but Sunday's events had to be cancelled due to the weather. Hunt, 32, is originally from Southampton but has lived in Paris, for the past six years. He is a former Commonwealth diver and won bronze in the 10 metre (33ft) synchronisation event at the 2006 games. He also enjoyed success at the Great Britain National Diving championships. But he was not always a diver. As a child he was a competitive club swimmer, but became bored of just going up and down the lanes. At age nine, his attention turned to the excitement of the diving pool. "I had a go and instantly fell in love," he told BBC Wales. After finding it difficult to qualify for World Championships and Olympic diving events, Hunt took the opportunity to join a diving show in Italy. It was here he met Australian diver Steve Black, who saw Hunt's potential and put his name forward for high diving competitions. "The door opened a whole new world for me," said Hunt. Since his first high diving competition in 2007, Hunt has gone on to win five Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series. He is the only athlete who has competed in all 50 world series stops - and has won half of them. But what does it actually feel like to stand on the 27 metre platform and look down? "We're all terrified when we stand on the platform. It comes with the job," said Hunt. "But you build up confidence every time you do it." Asked what makes the perfect dive, Hunt said: "To get a 10, you need a strong jump, you need to be the right distance away from the platform, everything in the dive needs to be neat and tidy, your feet need to be together and the finish needs to be perfect, with no splash." "It's always a jump into the unknown," he added. "And we all know a small mistake can lead to a trip to the hospital." This is something Hunt's fellow British diver Blake Aldridge knows all too well. At the last round in Italy he had a bad landing and ended up biting his tongue. "I had to have both sides stitched up," said Aldridge, who spoke to BBC Wales shortly after diving from the walls of Chepstow Castle in Monmouthshire. "I had

Summary: What used to be an old slate quarry in Pembrokeshire has once again been transformed into a coliseum for the world's most fearless divers.


Daniel James' late penalty gave Wales a first win in the competition after an opening draw against hosts France. Page's side face Ivory Coast in their final Group B game on Monday. "It's always a good sign when you win games of football and you haven't been at your best," said former Wales defender Page. "We probably played better against France and didn't win. "If someone would have said before the tournament that we'd be two games in and with four points going into the third game I'd snap their hand off. "It's our first time in this tournament and we've been up against excellent opposition against France and a different challenge against Bahrain." Wales are second after their win over Bahrain with next opponents Ivory Coast top of Group B after they beat France.

Summary: Intermediate teams manager Rob Page says Wales Under-20s were under par despite a 1-0 win over Bahrain in the Toulon Tournament.


It was feared England would travel to India under a new captain in Alastair Cook, get beaten and suffer badly from the experience. Media playback is not supported on this device Those fears were not unfounded. England had previously endured a tough year, with the humbling defeat by Pakistan in the UAE followed by the surrender of top spot in the world rankings at home to South Africa. In many ways, though, both of those experiences have made England stronger. The South Africa defeat came amid the backdrop of the Kevin Pietersen saga - with the batsman dropped and then reinstated over texts sent to the opposition camp - but, I have been told by one of the players, that episode has well and truly been put to bed. Spirit in the camp is now genuinely high - that is not just toeing the party line. And the lessons from the UAE, when England struggled to deal with quality spin on Asian wickets, look finally to have been learnt. What makes England's achievement in India all the more impressive is the manner in which these wins have been earned. "The mood must be very buoyant in the England dressing room. They have worked harder than India more than anything. The biggest gulf was probably the seamers, Finn and Anderson, and when your fast bowlers are on top it doesn't half make life easier." They have lost three tosses in alien conditions but, after the hammering in Ahmedabad, have inflicted two crushing defeats on India, who rarely lose at home. Before this series, India had played 59 home Test matches this century, losing only nine. Now they have lost two in a row. That speaks volumes for how they have been outplayed by a brilliant England side. Of course, I also have to point out that as good as England have been, India have been awful - especially their batting. But after Ahmedabad, a few basic things were rammed home to the England team. Deep down, they knew they had a better bowling attack than India, but that was never going to do them any good unless they had runs to play with. The tourists worked out what they had to do - bat long, sell your wicket dearly. The results are plain to see. Cook is in stellar form. Pietersen is transformed. Nick Compton looks at home at the top of the order and Ian Bell batted well on the last day in Kolkata. Perhaps batting coach Graham Gooch deserves some of the credit. He is tireless in his work with the players, especially those who want to improve. Often during the third Test he has been in the nets throwing balls at 7.30 in the morning. 1984-85: India 1-2 England (5 Tests) 1992-93: India 3-0 England (3 Tests) 2001-02: India 1-0 England (3 Tests) 2005-06: India 1-1 England (3 Tests) 2008-09: India 1-0 England (2 Tests) It's also the tiny, minute details where England have gained the advantage. One lunch time, I looked out of the commentary box to see three

Summary: The turnaround completed by England to beat India so convincingly in Mumbai and Kolkata after the big defeat in Ahmedabad is truly remarkable.


Mr Hunter, 64, was knocked down and killed on a road in the Arab state at the weekend. The father-of-two was working as a media consultant for Northern Ireland Co-operation Overseas (NI-CO). The organisation sends local experts to advise state bodies abroad.

Summary: A man has been arrested by police in Bahrain in connection with the death of former BBC journalist and News Letter editor Austin Hunter.


All the main political parties are urging a Yes vote, while the Catholic Church and many social conservatives want a No. The fictional Mrs Brown, Ireland's mammy-in-chief, has made a video calling for a Yes vote in the referendum. In it, Brendan O'Carroll's character tells the audience that when she "was a young girl there was a big hoo-ha about mixed marriages, Catholics marrying Protestants and black people marrying white people. "But, you know what, they still went and got married and the world didn't end. And we all grew up a little bit." Keith Mills doesn't agree with the video's core message. He is a gay man opposed to same-sex marriage. "I've had a relationship with a woman and had that progressed I would be a father and have children," he said. "I've had relationships with men in the last few years since I came out and it's a totally different dynamic to the relationship. "We're being asked to say they are the same and they are not. We should provide equality for same-sex couples through civil partnerships, but preserve marriage for a mother, a father and their children. Back home after a day campaigning for a Yes vote, Denise Charlton and her civil partner Paula Fagan catch up. A lesbian couple with two young boys they want to marry and say "I do" to each other. Denise said it's all about equality and invokes the civil rights struggle of African Americans. "Rosa Parks was allowed on the back of the bus. She could travel from A to B on the same bus. "But there was an outcry about it because it was lesser and people recognised that," she said. "I think Irish people increasingly are recognising that it is discriminatory not to allow people to have access to this wonderful institution. And giving an alternative institution with less rights is not equality." Paula agreed and said a Yes vote would make it easier for young gay people to come out and be accepted and make families like theirs more complete to their young sons. "They love us and they think our family is great. "Our nine-year-old has said to us 'Everybody is voting Yes' because everyone in his class has told him their parents are voting Yes," she said. "I think it would be devastating for them if there was a No vote because they love their family." No campaigners have also taken to social media to get their message across. One of their videos says: "If we vote Yes on 22 May we will be forced to pretend that two fathers or two mothers are just the same as a father and a mother. "This is why marriage equality is really inequality for children." All of the main political parties disagree with that and are urging a Yes vote. But Senator RÃ³nÃ¡n Mullen is one of the few parliamentarians to say he's a No and he believes that he's part of a silent majority - shades of shy Tories. "It may be that there are many Irish people who

Summary: On Friday, voters in the Republic of Ireland could make history by introducing same-sex marriage by the ballot box rather than by a parliamentary vote or a judge's decision.


Jones worked as a chalet maid and in a cardboard factory to fund her sporting career, and on Sunday became Britain's first Olympic medallist on snow. The 33-year-old from Bristol finished third behind American Jamie Anderson and Finland's Enni Rukajarvi in Sochi. "Walking out on the podium was a fantastic experience," said Jones. "I never thought I'd be in this position when I was a chalet maid. I was cooking breakfasts and cleaning toilets and just snowboarding every day and having fun. "At the beginning it was just about snowboarding and enjoying your sport. It's still sinking in, the history part. Hopefully I'll be in a few pub quizzes now." Jones is a three-time winner at the prestigious X-Games and was the oldest competitor in the Olympic slopestyle final by six years. She produced her best run of the week on her last attempt, and her score of 87.25 put her in first place with 10 competitors remaining, only for Anderson and Rukajarvi to overhaul her. Jones almost quit the sport in 2012, and was out of action for nearly a month after suffering a concussion in mid-December following a crash in training in Austria. "It's been a rollercoaster two years with challenges and injuries, battling through that and being where I am today is a very good feeling," she added. British competitors have been set a target of at least three medals in Sochi by UK Sport, which would be the best since 1936, and Jones is hopeful her team-mates have been inspired. "I really hope getting the bronze medal has pumped a few people up," she said. "I definitely know that the freestyle skier girls I spoke to were very pleased to see me on the podium, they were all smiles and screams, which was really nice. "In the next few days, I'll be able to go and support those guys in what is the equivalent - slopestyle for the skiers. That'll be really exciting. I hope for those guys it's game on now." Beyond Sochi, Jones has no plans to retire but will take a holiday to indulge in one of her other favourites pastimes - surfing. "I guess I'm just going to let myself enjoy this moment for a little bit and I'll keep snowboarding," said Jones. "I definitely have a few more years left in me. In between that, I'd love to go surfing for a bit and have a small time out of it." To see a gallery of photographs from Sunday's action go to the BBC Sport Facebook page

Summary: British slopestyle bronze medallist Jenny Jones said she never thought about winning an Olympic medal when she began snowboarding.


Two vehicles collided on the A32 Gosport Road shortly after 08:00 GMT, Hampshire Constabulary said. The biker was treated by paramedics at the scene but later died from his injuries. Motorists are urged to avoid the area as the road, which has been closed near Wych Lane, will remain shut for several hours.

Summary: A motorcyclist has died after being involved in a crash with a lorry in Fareham, Hampshire.


Imtiaz Ul Haq, 58, suffered serious knife wounds to his throat during the attack at the Costcutter convenience store in Queensferry on 8 December At Mold Crown Court on Monday, Matthew Liam Whelan, 29, from Mancot, denied attempted murder but admitted both wounding with intent and robbery. Leslie Peter Baines, 47, of Connah's Quay, denies the robbery charge. A trial date has been set for 22 May, however the prosecution has been asked to consider if it wishes to proceed with an attempted murder charge against Whelan or accept his guilty plea to the other offence. Both men were remanded in custody ahead of a pre-trial hearing in April.

Summary: A man accused of trying to kill a Flintshire shopkeeper in a robbery has admitted a wounding charge.


The Leyton Orient defender, who used to play for Liverpool, was held in Brompton Road, Knightsbridge, on Tuesday, the BBC understands. The Met Police said a 33-year-old man and a 31-year-old woman were arrested and taken to a west London police station. They have been bailed until late April. In a statement, Leyton Orient Football Club said: "The club are aware of the incident reported earlier today involving Andrea Dossena." It added it would not comment further whilst it was being dealt with by the authorities. Dossena scored against Manchester United and Real Madrid while he was at Liverpool. After joining Liverpool for £7m in July 2008, Dossena scored in the Reds' 4-0 win against Real Madrid in the Champions League in March 2009 and then again in the club's 4-1 away victory at Old Trafford against Manchester United. The Italian, who won 10 caps, joined Napoli in January 2010 before a spell at Sunderland in 2013-14. He joined League One Leyton Orient in November last year.

Summary: Ex-Premier League footballer Andrea Dossena has been arrested on suspicion of shoplifting at London department store Harrods, the BBC has learned.


Hampshire-based Onecom was the subject of 1,050 complaints, the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) said. The firm, based in Whiteley, is run by Aaron Brown. He was recently acquitted of the manslaughter of his friend who died in a powerboat crash in 2015. ICO said Onecom could not provide evidence to explain the source of the data used to send the 1,050 messages. It said the firm was also unable to prove it had consent to send the messages. ICO said Onecom confirmed it had sent 3.3 million text messages between 1 October 2015 and 31 March 2016. Steve Eckersley, ICO head of enforcement, said: "Spam texts are a real nuisance to millions of people across the country and this firm's failure to follow the rules drove over 1,000 people to complain." Anyone bothered by a spam text is urged to report it, either via the ICO's website or by forwarding the text to 7726. In March, Onecom chief executive Mr Brown was cleared of the manslaughter by gross negligence of Ryan McKinlay who died when a jet-powered boat, driven by Mr Brown, crashed into a cruiser off the Isle of Wight.

Summary: A telecoms firm has been fined Â£100,000 for sending millions of spam texts about mobile phone upgrades.


West Sussex Fire and Rescue said crews were called to a "ferocious fire" in the kitchen of the property in Harwood Road, Littlehampton, at 12:10 BST. Police said a woman inside the house died, while two other adults were taken to hospital suffering from the effects of smoke inhalation. The cause of the fire is currently being treated as unexplained. Anyone who saw what happened at the time the fire broke out or who may have any other information is asked to contact Sussex Police.

Summary: A woman has died and two other people have been injured following a fire at a terraced house in West Sussex.


Speaking in Parliament, Mr Javid said he was "wary of setting a precedent". Tata is looking to sell its loss-making UK business but the pension deficit is said to be hampering the process. However pension experts warned earlier that the changes could take ministers down a "dangerous path". Mr Javid has launched a consultation to consider the financial situation of Tata's UK pension scheme. He said the government was considering the proposals at the request of the trustees of the pension scheme and that any changes would need the approval of the regulator. He stressed that several options were being considered. "No decision has been made. We are wary of setting a precedent," he said. "This is very much about this scheme and this scheme only, in very unique circumstances." How steel workers' pensions could be hit One option under discussion is to base the scheme's annual increase on the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) inflation measure, which is usually below the Retail Prices Index (RPI) measure currently used. This is the path favoured by the British Steel Pensions Scheme as they say it would leave most of the pension holders either better off or no worse off, compared with entering the Pension Protection Fund (PPF), which is the likely alternative. The PPF is a pensions lifeboat, funded by companies, designed to protect pensioners if their scheme were to go under. However, steel workers would be worse off under it. The company and the steel trade unions also welcomed the consultation, with the union saying that entering the PPF would be an "unmitigated disaster". "We need to ensure that there are cast iron safeguards in place so this unique situation does not result in employers dodging their pensions responsibilities," the union added in a statement. In total the British Steel pension scheme has 130,000 members. The scheme has a deficit of Â£485m. Earlier, former Lib Dem pensions minister Steve Webb said: "The government is going down a very dangerous path. "Everyone has huge sympathy for steel workers and for efforts to protect jobs, but rushed changes to pension rules risk driving a coach and horses through the pension security of hundreds of thousands of workers well beyond the steel industry." Meanwhile the pensions expert Tom McPhail from Hargreaves Lansdown said: "The potential deal on British Steel could rip a hole in one of the most fundamental principles of pension provision. It is well-established that pension benefits, once granted cannot be taken away."

Summary: Proposals to change Tata's pension scheme would be unique to the company and would not be applied more broadly, Business Secretary Sajid Javid has said.


A club statement said Dortmund were "full of sadness" after one fan passed away and another had to be resuscitated following two separate incidents. Fellow fans watched the rest of Dortmund's 2-0 win in virtual silence after news of the death spread through the stands. The club said the second supporter was in a stable condition in hospital. The club statement read: "During the game there were two tragic incidents in the stadium in which two spectators had to be resuscitated. "Unfortunately one person did not make it and has died. We are full of sadness and the families are in our thoughts. "We have received the news from the hospital that the condition of the second person is apparently stable." Thousands of fans sang You'll Never Walk Alone during the match and following the final whistle as a mark of respect. Dortmund manager Thomas Tuchel: "My personal sympathies, just as those of the entire team and the backroom staff, go to the families and loved ones of the affected persons. It was a terrible situation. "We all know that there are more important things in this life than football. It was very difficult to stand on the edge of the pitch or on the pitch, not knowing what was going on but still having to fulfil our obligation of putting in the best-possible performance." Mainz boss Martin Schimdt: "Naturally our thoughts are with the relatives after such tragic events, and we wish to offer our deepest condolences. "I found it inspiring how 80,000 fans fell quiet as a mark of respect in just a few minutes. Such solidarity is impressive, everyone in the stadium came together as a unit. That is, sadly, not always the case."

Summary: A fan has died after falling ill during Borussia Dortmund's Bundesliga game against Mainz on Sunday.


The party said pupils from well-off backgrounds were seven times more likely to get three Higher A grades than those from poorer homes. Tory leader Ruth Davidson revealed the statistics as she challenged Nicola Sturgeon on the issue at Holyrood. Ms Sturgeon said there had been some progress in closing the gap. She said 40% of pupils from the 20% most deprived areas getting at least one higher, up from 23% in 2007. And the first minister said 300 primary schools across the country were already benefiting from support through a Â£100m attainment fund. But she acknowledged: "I am not standing here, I never have stood here and said that there's not more work to do. "But we are seeing in many respects evidence of the attainment gap narrowing." The Conservatives said the figures released to them under freedom of information legislation showed that, of S5 pupils who sat Higher exams last year, 21.13% of the most privileged achieved three As, up from 20.31% in 2013. But in the poorest fifth, just 2.99% got three As, compared to 2.90% the year before. The Conservatives said that meant the attainment gap increased by almost 1% between 2013 and 2014, despite SNP pledges to close it. The statistics showed that in four council areas - Argyll and Bute, Dumfries and Galloway, East Lothian and Midlothian - not a single pupil from the most-deprived areas attained three As in their Highers. Ms Davidson also cited a report by the Commission for School Reform which earlier this week questioned the Scottish government's ability to close the gap. The commission, chaired by educationalist Keir Bloomer, said that while few would disagree with ministers' desire to tackle the issue, their policy priorities were "exceptionally ambitious" and the timescale "may well be unrealistic". Ms Davidson said: "We knew that the SNP government was not closing the attainment gap but now from these figures we know that that gap between the richest and poorest students is actually getting wider. "The first minister has said that she wants to be judged on her record. In education, her record is one of failure and the experts say that her plans won't fix it. "How bad do things have to get before we see the action we need?" Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie criticised the government's plans for standardised testing. He said: "The first minister told me she was against league tables but she has told journalists that she is not going to stop them putting primary schools into league tables. "If she doesn't want them, why is she going ahead and taking all the steps to make them happen?" Ms Sturgeon responded: "I stand by what I said. I have no interest in crude league tables that offer no meaning to parents, nor do I have any interest in a system that would encourage teaching to the test. "But I do think it is incumbent on me as first minister to make sure that children's progress is being assessed in a way that better informs the judgements teachers make about their performance."

Summary: The attainment gap between pupils from the wealthiest and least well off backgrounds has widened, according to the Scottish Conservatives.


Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis said Mr Peres "was the greatest living example of an unshakable belief in the pursuit of peace against all odds". Former British PM Tony Blair also paid tribute describing the Nobel Peace prize winner as "a political giant". Mr Peres died aged 93 on Tuesday, two weeks after suffering a stroke. He was one of the last of a generation of Israeli politicians present at the new nation's birth in 1948, serving twice as the country's prime minister and once as president. He also won the Nobel Peace prize in 1994 for his role negotiating peace accords with the Palestinians a year earlier. Rabbi Mirvis said Mr Peres "gave hope to millions of people" that a peace deal would be achievable. He added: "Tragically, thus far, we have not succeeded. But from Shimon Peres we learned that we must never let go of that audacious commitment to peace, even when all around us are ready to do so." He went on: "For those of us whom he inspired during his remarkable lifetime, we say: No matter what the future holds, your legacy lives on in the Jewish people who will never rest until we achieve our eternal dream of peace among the peoples of the world." Mr Blair paid tribute to Mr Peres on twitter, writing: "Shimon Peres was a political giant, a statesman who will rank as one of the foremost of this era or any era, and someone I loved deeply".

Summary: The chief rabbi of the UK and Commonwealth has paid tribute to former Israeli PM Shimon Peres, describing him as a "true giant amongst men".


BBC Radio Norfolk host Nick Conrad made the comment during a phone-in about the future of the former Sheffield United and Norwich City footballer. Rape campaigners have condemned the remarks. Conrad has apologised. A BBC spokesman said some of the 29-year-old presenter's comments were "very ill-judged". During his programme on Monday, Conrad said: "I think women need to be more aware of a man's sexual desire, that when you're in that position that you are about to engage in sexual activity, there's a huge amount of energy in the male body, there's a huge amount of will and intent, and it's very difficult for many men to say no when they are whipped up into a bit of a storm. "It's the old adage about if you yank a dog's tail then don't be surprised when it bites you." He went on to suggest feminists who had "hijacked" or "jumped on" the argument "neglect that very important part of the argument". "In their fury against men and masculinity they actually forget to stop and say if you tease, if you jump into bed naked with a man, if you give him all the signals and then he acts upon them, then you are partially responsible," he said. "If you don't wish to give out the wrong signals it's best probably to keep your knickers on and not get into bed with him." Conrad added he needed to be "careful" about what he said because he did not "want this to be explosive". "The onus has to be on the men.... if a woman says no and they persist then that's absolutely abhorrent," he said. The BBC said Conrad had spoken to the charity End Violence Against Women Coalition during the programme and there had been no formal complaints. "As part of a wide-ranging discussion.... he made it clear that rape is an abhorrent act," a spokesman said. "BBC management has told Nick that some of his comments were very ill-judged and he has apologised for any offence that may have been caused." Katie Russell, from Rape Crisis, said the "ignorant comments" showed there were "still a number of pervasive and harmful myths around sexual violence". "The idea that men's sexual desires render them incapable of taking responsibility for their actions, or of respecting another person's right to choose what happens to their body, is unfounded, outdated and offensive to men," she said. "The idea that women should take responsibility for men's sexuality is equally insulting to both men and women." Jessica Asato, Labour's prospective parliamentary candidate for Norwich North, called for Mr Conrad to apologise on air. Posting on her Twitter account, she called his comments "demeaning and crass towards women". Wales international striker Evans was jailed in April 2012 for raping a 19-year-old woman in a hotel room the previous year and released last month. The question of whether he should be allowed to play professional football again for Sheffield United, his employer at the time he was convicted, or any other club has been hotly debated since his release.

Summary: A BBC radio presenter has apologised after saying women should "keep their knickers on", during a live debate about convicted rapist Ched Evans.


It said it does not intend to demolish any houses to make room for the multi-million-pounds stadium. Senior official Stephen McGeehan said the GAA is willing to consider a capacity below 38,000, the number of seats in the original redesign plan. A new community consultation about the proposal was announced on Tuesday. "The GAA has no intention, and never had, of knocking people's houses down, of purchasing or demolishing anyone's homes," said Mr McGeehan, who is the Casement Park project manager. Planning permission for the stadium's redevelopment was overturned in 2014 and since then the GAA has been working on a new planning application. The GAA said it wants to hear feedback from people in west Belfast and further afield about the proposed new stadium and has organised a number of consultation initiatives. The GAA has laid out a proposed timetable for the stadium: The GAA said the redesigned stadium will take into account the fears over the emergency exiting arrangements in the original design.

Summary: The Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) has said it hopes to start building a new Casement Park stadium next year and play matches at the ground by 2019.