Shares of the state-owned firm and its units were up between 16% and 42%. The IPO was the biggest in the world this year and the largest since Alibaba's record $25bn deal in 2014. It also marks the Japanese government's largest asset sale in nearly three decades. The listing is part of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's plans to boost the flagging economy by encouraging consumers to invest in the stock market. About 10% of each company was sold to the public in the largest privatisation of a state-owned firm since Nippon Telegraph and Telephone in 1987. The government allocated 80% of the shares to domestic investors, with the remaining 20% sold to international institutional investors. Japan Post Holdings opened at 1,631 yen per share, 16.5% above the IPO price of 1,400 yen. The banking unit started at 1,680 yen, up almost 16% from its IPO price, while the insurance unit was 33% higher. That compares with a rise of over 2% for the benchmark Nikkei 225 index. Angus Nicholson, market analyst at trading firm IG, said the "blockbuster" IPO was helping drive the rally in Japanese markets as they returned from a holiday on Tuesday. "It is a significant moment as the privatisation of Japan Post had been a rallying cry during former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's reign in the early-2000s," he said. The government plans to raise a total of 4tn yen in additional asset sales in the coming years. It has said the funds will be used to help reconstruct areas hit by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami disaster.

Summary: Shares of Japan Post and its banking and insurance units surged on their stock market debut in Tokyo after the triple initial public offering (IPO) raised $12bn (£7.7bn).


PC Amar Tasaddiq Hussain, 29, is one of three men accused of conspiring to make a "false and malicious" 999 call to West Midlands Police. He denies two counts of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice. Adil Bashir, 26, and Muhammad Ali Sheikh, 31, have also denied the charges at Stafford Crown Court. More on this and other Birmingham stories Prosecutor Simon Davis said the bogus call about the kidnap plot on 8 December 2014, and another two calls made earlier on 27 September about an alleged sham marriage, were staged to target two members of a religious group; Faisal Sami and Irfan Ul-Haq, because of a "personal grudge". The court heard Mr Hussain wanted to be the head of security at the Dawat-e-Islami faith group where Mr Sami was the leader. This sparked the three defendants to plot a "course of conduct intended to undermine Ul-Haq and, in turn, a friend of his called Faisal Sami", said Mr Davis. The court heard from Irfan Ul-Haq from Pakistani via video link, who was arrested after counter-terrorism police raided a tyre business in Walsall as part of the investigation, and he was deported for immigration offences. Mr Ul-Haq claimed to have been friends with Mr Hussain for seven years and knew him as Amir. "Amir wanted to become head of security department. He wanted to be security head," he said, referring to the Dawat-e-Islami group. Mr Hussain, from Yardley, who is suspended from duty, was charged with Mr Bashir of Small Heath and Mr Sheikh from Bordesley Green. All three deny the charges. The trial continues.

Summary: A police officer tried to incriminate two men over a "personal grudge" by faking a so-called "IS kidnap" of an officer, a court has heard.


Now it faces a new challenge, as US based activist hedge fund ValueAct Capital, which owns just over 10% stake in the firm, has been pressing for a seat on Rolls-Royce's board. While ValueAct describes itself as driving "value-creating strategies", management at Rolls-Royce has previously called the investor an "opportunist". ValueAct, which is now Rolls-Royce's biggest shareholder, is also reported to want the British firm to focus on its main aero-engine business, which accounts for about half of profits, and to offload its unit which makes marine engines. The marine business makes engines and nuclear reactors for ships, submarines and the offshore oil and gas industry, while the aero business makes engines for passenger jets built by Boeing and Airbus. Based in San Francisco, ValueAct was founded in 2000 by Jeffrey Ubben, its chief executive and chief investment officer, "to manage the capital of its founders, along with the capital of a limited number of outside investors". Mr Ubben is an ex-mutual fund manager at Fidelity and has served as a director at more than 20 companies, including Sara Lee. ValueAct says it manages more than $19bn (Â£12.6bn) on behalf of some of the world's most respected institutional and individual investors. The fund usually makes about three to four new investments a year, and has a reported $3.3bn (Â£2.2bn) stake in Microsoft. It says it "concentrates on acquiring significant ownership stakes in companies it believes are fundamentally undervalued". ValueAct explains that "such companies may be temporarily mispriced for a variety of reasons, including perceived unfavourable industry conditions, poor business performance, changes in management or ownership, reorganizations, or other external factors. "These conditions can often result in fundamentally "good" businesses that are available at depressed valuations." Which is no doubt how ValueAct would say it sees Rolls-Royce. Last week ValueAct nearly doubled its holding to 10.01%, making it by far the largest investor in Rolls-Royce, and giving more impetus to its request to take a seat on the board and cut costs. On its website, the San Francisco-based fund says it "works constructively with management and the company's board to implement value-creating strategies". Some major Rolls investors are reported to be supportive of ValueAct, believing its presence could provide insight that it is lacking at present. As well as profit warnings seeing its share price fall by close to 40% in 2015, Rolls-Royce still has Serious Fraud Office investigations into bribery allegations in China, Indonesia and other parts of the world, hovering over it. Despite this the firm is obviously of interest to ValueAct, which at any given time has a portfolio of ten to 18 core company investments, as well as a small "farm team" of additional investments in development. But running such a diverse operation is not without potential pitfalls. On Monday, ValueAct said its fund had fallen by 8.3% during the third quarter, erasing its gains for the year. It had been hit by a drop in shares of a main portfolio company, Valeant Pharmaceuticals International.

Summary: UK engineering firm Rolls-Royce has faced a number of problems over the past two years, having found itself making five profit warnings as its stock price has taken a hammering.


Charles Henry Chester, 86, from Bedlington was killed when his Nissan Micra collided with a Vauxhall Astra near Hartford Bridge. Katherine Scott, 93, from the Morpeth area, and a passenger in the Astra, also died. Its driver remains in the Royal Victoria Infirmary with injuries which are not thought to be life threatening. Police have renewed a appeal for witnesses to the incident at 12:05 BST.

Summary: Northumbria Police has named two people who died in a crash in Northumberland on Wednesday.


Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron called Labour "careless" for spending European Union (EU) money on ineligible projects and the Conservatives "mean-spirited" to use flood relief money to repay the wrongly used funds. The government blamed Labour's "mismanagement" of the money. Labour has been approached for comment. Local government minister Andrew Percy, revealed in a written statement that £15m EU Solidarity Funding received in respect of the winter 2015-16 floods would be "offset" by the £14.5m repayment. The UK was "legally obliged" to make the repayment because there had been "ineligible spending under the Labour administration" of 2007 funding. The remaining £500,000 was "only eligible to reimburse" the government for financial support given to affected areas, he said. Westmorland and Lonsdale MP Mr Farron said the two parties had "combined to deprive flood-hit areas of much needed funds". "Labour's overspending has hurt the North and all those affected by last year's floods," he said. "But it is the Conservative's mean-spiritedness which means they have chosen to use this money to pay the fine, instead of passing this money on to flood-affected areas and paying the fine from Treasury coffers." In response, Mr Percy said the government had delivered £300m to help flood-hit communities. "Liberal Democrats are misleading the public by suggesting there's some EU magic money tree," he said.

Summary: About £15m of funding intended for UK communities hit by floods last winter will instead be used to cover a "fine" for misspending a previous grant.


Media playback is not supported on this device The 23-year-old Scot, who holds five outdoor and indoor British records, ran a personal best four minutes 19.12 seconds over the distance last year. Budd's mark, set in Switzerland in 1985, is 4:17.57. "It would be brilliant one month out from the World Championships," Muir told BBC Sport. "To have another British record, and in the London Stadium again, would be fantastic. Fingers crossed I will be able to do something." The world record - set by Russian Svetlana Masterkova in 1996 - stands at 4:12.56. At last year's Anniversary Games, Muir broke the British 1500m record that had stood since Dame Kelly Holmes' gold medal-winning run in the 2004 Olympic final in Athens. She expects her return to bring back happy memories. "The main thing was just how loud the crowd was," said Muir. "I am usually very focused on my race but I was just aware as I came into the final 200m of the crowd getting louder and louder. It was brilliant." With the Anniversary Games just four weeks before Muir plans to take on a 1500m and 5,000m double at the same venue in the World Championships, it will also be a chance to maximise home advantage. "It is really really helpful to know where the call-room, the warm-up areas, the kit drop-off and the toilets are," she added. "Knowing that set-up is one of athletes' biggest worries going into a major championship. "You want to have everything ready and not have to worry about anything else apart from doing the best you can on the track." Alongside leading Britain's next generation of elite athletes, Muir is also training to become a vet. Juggling studying and sport dates back beyond the London 2012 Games, when she organised a placement on a dairy farm so she would finish inspecting the morning milking round in time to watch the Olympic action at home in Kinross. This year she has already squeezed in experience with the Dogs Trust and various local practices around winning 1500m and 3,000m gold at the European Indoors. The rest of the season is dedicated solely to athletics. "After the disappointment of finishing seventh in Rio, we knew how important the indoor season was for me in the build-up to London," she added. "We wanted to do really well there. We ticked that box pretty well and now everything is building towards London." Media playback is not supported on this device

Summary: Laura Muir will attempt to break Zola Budd's 32-year-old British mile record at the London Anniversary Games on 9 July.


Dean Saunders, 25, from Basildon, was taken to HMP Chelmsford in December after injuring relatives who tried to stop him stabbing himself. They claim the decision not to detain him under the Mental Health Act and to withdraw continuous observation in prison contributed to his death. The Ministry of Justice said the welfare of inmates was a top priority. Mr Saunders' mother Donna said the way the prison service handled her son's case was "absolutely appalling". His father, Mark, said his son "should never have gone to the prison in the first place". Mr Saunders was arrested in December on suspicion of attempted murder after his father and brother were stabbed when they tried to stop him cutting his throat. When he was taken to a police station, he again told a doctor he was going to kill himself. But two psychiatrists he saw later were not made aware of his previous suicide attempt. They were unable to make a referral for detention under the provisions of the Mental Health Act as Mr Saunders stated he was too tired to participate in an assessment. This finding was disclosed in a report by The South Essex Partnership University NHS Trust (SEPT) which revealed he was suffering from severe paranoia when he told his girlfriend people were trying to harm him. An initial assessment by SEPT staff decided he posed a risk of harming himself or others. Mr Saunders' parents said when he was taken to Chelmsford Prison they made repeated attempts to alert staff to their son's intention to kill himself. Mrs Saunders said she pleaded with staff to keep him on constant watch instead of switching to half-hourly observations. Her son electrocuted himself in his cell on 4 January and his death is now subject to a report by the Prison and Probation Ombudsman. According to the most recent Independent Monitoring Board report, there has been a 25% reduction in staffing at HMP Chelmsford. Steve Gillen, General Secretary of the Prison Officer's Association, said: "It would appear Mr Saunders did have mental illness upon his arrival. "We as a trade union have been on record as saying not enough is being done to divert mentally people from custody." He added: "In 2010 at Chelmsford there were 142 self-harm incidents. By the end of 2015, there were 686 self-harm incidents. "There's a direct contributory factor in all of this which is the budget cuts and reductions in staffing levels which leads to the tragic loss in life in prisons." Ministry of Justice data shows since 2011 there have been 12 suicides at the category B local prison - the joint third highest number in England and Wales. A spokesman said: "Every day our healthcare staff provide support to thousands of prisoners at risk of self-harm or suicide, frequently saving lives through timely intervention. "But as the Prime Minister said earlier this year, we must improve the way mental health problems are dealt with in the criminal justice system. "That is why we are investing Â£1.3bn to transform the prison estate, while also training

Summary: The family of a mentally ill father who killed himself in prison have described his treatment there as "despicable".


"This battle is ours... and I promise you victory," he said in a TV address. Syrian rebels in the besieged town of Qusair say they are under heavy bombardment from Hezbollah combatants. The town is close to the Lebanese border, a conduit for both the government and rebels to get weapons. In the speech from an undisclosed location, Mr Hasrallah said if Sunni Islamists took over in Syria, they would pose a threat to the entire Lebanese population - Shia and Sunni Muslims, as well as Christians. He said his movement could never be aligned with Syrian rebels who, in his view, were supported by the United States and Israel. Hezbollah plunges deep into Syria conflict Dozens of Hezbollah militants are said to have been killed fighting alongside Syrian troops in Qusair since 19 May, when government forces launched an offensive to recapture the rebel-held town. Last week, US Secretary of State John Kerry said thousands of Hezbollah fighters were contributing significantly to the violence in Syria. He added that Iran was actively supporting Hezbollah's involvement - a claim denied by Tehran. Iran and Hezbollah are predominantly Shia, while Mr Assad's Alawite sect is an offshoot of Shia Islam. The week-long fighting in Qusair intensified early on Saturday, when activists reported heavy bombardments, including two ground-to-ground missiles and an air strike as well as artillery and rocket fire. Syrian state media said the army had launched a three-pronged offensive in the north, centre and south of Qusair, and was making big advances after "killing large numbers" of fighters. Qusair is important for the Syrian government because it links the capital, Damascus, with the Alawite heartland on the Mediterranean coast. However, official media made no mention of the part played by Hezbollah. The Lebanese group is also known to have lost a number of fighters in Qusair, prompting Lebanese President Michel Suleiman to warn the Shia militia against getting "bogged down in the sands of discord". The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based activist group that monitors the conflict, said at least 22 people including 18 rebels had been killed in the latest fighting in Qusair. Dozens had been wounded, it added.

Summary: The leader of the Lebanese Shia militant Hezbollah movement, Hassan Nasrallah, has promised his supporters they will prevail in Syria, where they are backing President Bashar al-Assad.


"Had I been president, Captain Khan would be alive today. We wouldn't have been in this horrible, horrible mistake, the war in Iraq," he said. The soldier's father, Khizr Khan, said it was a "cruel" remark. He is campaigning for Hillary Clinton, who is making her first appearance with First Lady Michelle Obama. The two shared a stage at Winston-Salem in North Carolina. Introducing Mrs Obama, the former first lady said her voice was needed in this election "more than ever". Mrs Clinton referred to Mr Trump's ongoing feud with the Khans and accused him of "rubbing salt into the wounds of a grieving family". Mr Khan's son Humayun was killed by a car bomb in 2004 in Iraq at the age of 27. Their grief became part of the presidential campaign in July when Khizr Khan made an emotional speech at the Democratic Convention attacking Mr Trump for anti-Muslim rhetoric, as his wife stood next to him. The Republican candidate's reaction, in which he implied the mother was not allowed to speak up, attracted strong condemnation from within his own party. Speaking to ABC News in an interview aired on Thursday, Mr Trump repeated his insistence that their son would be alive, but added he believed the soldier was a "great hero". In response, Mr Khan said: "This is the most cruel thing you can say to grieving parents, that if I was there this would not have happened." In other campaign developments: Former Illinois Representative Joe Walsh tweeted: "On November 8th, I'm voting for Trump. On November 9th, if Trump loses, I'm grabbing my musket. You in?" He later said he was speaking metaphorically about "acts of civil disobedience". Mrs Clinton's campaign is dealing with more questions arising from hacked emails published by Wikileaks. The Trump campaign has seized on the latest dump to suggest the line between Bill Clinton's personal income and the donations for the Clinton Foundation has been blurred. Doug Band, a top aide to Mr Clinton, said in an email that he had solicited donations to the foundation and also generated personal income for him through gifts and paid speeches. Who will win? Play our game to make your call

Summary: Republican Donald Trump has been criticised by the family of a dead US soldier after saying as president he would have kept him alive.


The former owner of BHS, said it was "wholly untrue" that he had tried to pressurise the regulator. He also attacked statements made by MP Frank Field, calling them "untrue, totally inaccurate and unhelpful". Sir Philip said: "I would like to apologise sincerely to all the BHS people involved in this sorry affair." He was responding to press articles suggesting he had been putting pressure on the Pensions Regulator by saying he would help plug the BHS pensions gap if it dropped an investigation into the retail chain's collapse. He also reacted angrily to statements in the House of Commons on Wednesday by Mr Field, chairman of the Work and Pensions Committee, that Sir Philip was unwilling to reach a pension fund settlement. "I stated at the [Work and Pensions Select Committee] hearing that it was my intention to try to find a solution, which is a voluntary one, and that is still my aim," he said. "Contrary to all the coverage I have been working on this issue on a daily basis." He said that he and his executives, had been co-operating with the Pensions Regulator for some 17 to 18 months. "Since before the company was sold in March 2015, it was always our intention to find a plan for the BHS pensioners that was better than the Pension Protection Fund and that remains the case today," he said. The retail tycoon sold BHS for a £1 just over a year before it went bust in April with a pension deficit of £571m.

Summary: Sir Philip Green has hit back at suggestions that he is attempting to "blackmail" the Pensions Regulator over plugging the £571m BHS pension deficit.


It has been reported that the Pirates of the Caribbean actor will also have a brief cameo in the first film, a spin-off from the Harry Potter Franchise. It is not yet known what role Depp will play in the fantasy series, which will revolve around a fictional author mentioned in the Harry Potter stories. The first Fantastic Beasts film opens in the UK and US on 18 November. Depp is known for playing Captain Jack Sparrow in the Pirates of the Caribbean series, which will continue next year with a fifth instalment. The 53-year-old was seen earlier this year reprising his role as The Mad Hatter in Alice Through the Looking Glass, a sequel to 2010's Alice in Wonderland. Last month Harry Potter creator JK Rowling revealed she had planned scripts for a total of five Fantastic Beasts films. Meanwhile, it has been revealed that Holliday Grainger has joined the cast of a TV series based on Rowling's Robert Galbraith crime novels. The British actress will play Robin, the assistant to private detective Cormoran Strike, in the BBC One adaptation, which is set to begin shooting this month. Rowling, who has written three novels under her Robert Galbraith pseudonym, said she "couldn't be more delighted" about Grainger's casting. Grainger, who appeared earlier this year in Coast Guard drama The Finest Hours, said her character's "strength and intelligence" would be "a joy to explore". War and Peace actor Tom Burke will play Strike in the seven hour-long dramas to be drawn from Rowling's Career of Evil, The Silkworm and The Cuckoo's Calling books. Follow us on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, on Instagram at bbcnewsents, or if you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news@bbc.co.uk.

Summary: Johnny Depp is set to have a role in the second Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them film, due out in 2018.


Some 853,000 16- to 24-year-olds were NEET at the end of 2015, down 110,000 on the same quarter of 2014. But the figures also show the numbers were 5,000 higher than in the summer. City and Guilds managing director Kirstie Donnelly said it was "worrying" to see the figures "creep up after months of more positive news". The Office of National Statistics figures date back to October to December 2001 when 833,000 young people were classified as NEET, some 12.9% of the total age-group. At the end of last year that proportion had fallen to 11.8%. NEET numbers reached from highs of over a million, or more than 16% of the age-group, in 2011, but have fallen consistently since. In England, the government raised the education participation age to 17 in September 2013 and to 18 in September 2015. So young people in England are now expected to stay in full-time education, in an apprenticeship, or in employment with training until they are 18. The UK-wide NEET figures first dropped below the million mark, to 987,000, or 13.5% of the age group in the first quarter of 2014. England-only figures show there were 690,000 NEETs at the end of last year, almost 100,000 fewer than in the last quarter of 2014. This figure is the lowest since 2000 when comparable records began and the number stood at 629,000, says the government. Skills Minister Nick Boles said the figures showed the government was delivering on its commitment to ensure all young people were either earning or learning. "There is no room for complacency, though, and through our plans to deliver three million new apprenticeships by 2020 and our qualification reforms, we are determined to build on these excellent results," said Mr Boles. But campaigners say the figures are still too high "More than one in every 10 teenagers is currently locked out of a path to the future," said Ms Donnelly. And Jenny North, policy and strategy director of Impetus PEF, which funds projects to help the most disadvantaged young people, called for more government action. "We need to see a clear focus from government on how they will help disadvantaged young people succeed in education, and progress into sustained employment so they can fulfil their potential," said Ms North.

Summary: The number of young people not in education, employment or training (NEET) is at its lowest for the time of year since 2001, UK-wide figures show.


The Scots head to Italy aiming for a first championship victory since they won in Rome, 21-20, in February 2014. "The belief is still there amongst the squad," said Bennett, 23. "We all know we can go on and win the next three games. There is no reason why we can't. It is just about taking that first step." After Saturday's match in Rome, Scotland host France on Sunday, 13 March before completing their campaign away to Ireland on the final day of the championship, 19 March. They have only ever won three matches in a single Six Nations campaign once, back in 2006, and have not beaten France in their last 10 meetings since that year. Scotland have won five of their last six meetings with Italy, including home and away victories in warm-up Tests before last year's World Cup, but have lost on five of their eight Six Nations visits to Rome. Head coach Vern Cotter is set to make several changes after the 27-23 defeat by Wales when he confirms his match-day squad on Thursday. Glasgow flanker Ryan Wilson could return after being omitted from the initial Six Nations squad, while Harlequins wing Tim Visser and Glasgow centre Peter Horne are also in contention after recovering from injury problems. Full-back Stuart Hogg (back) and wing Tommy Seymour (ankle) are set to be passed fit after suffering knocks in Cardiff, while Duncan Taylor could retain the number 12 jersey ahead of fit-again Matt Scott after a strong outing against Wales. "He [Taylor] was very easy to play alongside," added Bennett, still searching for his first Six Nations victory after seven attempts. "He is very vocal so he makes my job a lot easier when you know exactly what he is doing. "I also think the fact he is very relaxed as a person helps, so he is quite a calming influence to be around." Media playback is not supported on this device

Summary: Centre Mark Bennett is confident Scotland can end their nine-game Six Nations losing run and win their final three games of this year's tournament.


The 22-year-old has made 13 appearances for Everton this season. Everton manager Ronald Koeman last week said the player would be allowed to leave to "get game time". The Spaniard joined Everton on loan from Barcelona for the 2013-14 season, making the transfer permanent in 2015 for £4.3m. Milan originally announced the move via their official Twitter account on Friday, but it was quickly deleted. This site is optimised for modern web browsers, and does not fully support your browser

Summary: Everton winger Gerard Deulofeu has joined Italian side AC Milan on loan until the end of the season.


A BBC investigation has uncovered the two men staging "Botox parties" in homes and beauty salons for people desperate to banish wrinkles. While they were once registered nurses, both have been ordered to stop practising - making it illegal for them to prescribe medicine. The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) is investigating the BBC's findings. The appeal of Botox parties is that procedures costing upwards of Â£400 can be half the price - with the organiser often given a free treatment. Updates on this and more stories from Herefordshire & Worcestershire But clients of one man, Jonathan Henk, who calls himself "Jonny Botox", have claimed they were left in severe pain. Mr Henk, 50, describes himself as a nurse of 26 years, but was struck off by the NMC in 2012 for having sex with a mental health patient without her consent. He is now prescribing Botox to people for Â£200 a time - something that should only be done by registered practitioners. An undercover reporter filmed him at a Botox party at a house in Wolverhampton, where he injected three women. Mr Henk offered to give our reporter as much Botox as required. Wearing gloves and taking the syringe from a flask, he prepared to inject her before she told him she had changed her mind. Diane Roberts, 52, was a patient of Mr Henk's - but she says she was left with severe headaches after being injected with a substance that did not alter her appearance. "It felt like someone had put an axe in the middle of my head. It was horrible," she said. "I'm concerned as to what was being injected because I thought that Botox had an instant effect." Botulinum toxin is a prescription-only medicine meaning it is regulated by legislation. It can only be prescribed by a doctor, dentist or nurse in a specific patient's name - and can only be used for that patient. Once a prescription has been written, the Botox is purchased and dispensed from a pharmacy. It is not illegal for an untrained person to inject Botox - but the Royal College of Surgeons said laws should be tightened to ensure only those with proper training administer it. Health Education England has published two reports with guidelines on the qualifications individuals should have - but no new laws have yet been passed. James Kearsey advertises his services via Facebook on the page Estetica Cosmetics, and also describes himself as a nurse. But in November 2015 he was suspended by the NMC after hiding a conviction for assault from his bosses at Russells Hall Hospital, Dudley. Mr Kearsey agreed to a consultation at his home in Stourbridge, where he told our reporter he was a nurse consultant - "the same level as a doctor" - and that he makes thousands of pounds training others. He sterilised her forehead and prepared to inject her before she told him she felt sick and left. When later approached by our reporter as he attended a clinic in Blackpool, Mr Kearsey said "no comment" and ran away.

Summary: Two disgraced nurses are making thousands of pounds a week illegally prescribing Botox to patients.


The Ramsdens Discount Department Store on Cleethorpe Road was opened in 1946. The company said there would be some redundancies, but added it hoped "to be able to offer alternative employment to some employees". Last year planning permission was granted by North East Lincolnshire Council to redevelop the site into a new retail park. The store is expected to close over the summer. In a statement, the firm's directors said the store had "continued to decline in what has become a very tough and competitive local market". It added its nearby Home Interiors store would continue to trade.

Summary: Up to 47 jobs are at risk after a Grimsby shop confirmed it is to close after nearly 70 years of trading.


Bill Walker was found guilty of attacking three former wives and a step-daughter between 1967 and 1995. The 71-year-old, from Alloa, had denied 23 charges of assault and one breach of the peace, but was found guilty of all charges at Edinburgh Sheriff Court. Sheriff Kathrine Mackie said the former independent MSP for Dunfermline was in "extreme denial". She said he had shown a pattern of abusive behaviour in intimate relationships over a 28-year period. She said Walker had shown no acknowledgement of his "unacceptable behaviour", and that she was unable to detect any remorse. Sheriff Mackie said: "I formed the impression that in the few incidents where you acknowledged the use of physical force, you believed you were entitled to or justified in its use, and certainly have made no apology for it. "Your denial appears to me to be absolute. There is no acknowledgement of any unacceptable behaviour, there is no indication of any motivation to change. "The conclusion that there's a significant scope to work with you to address your entrenched attitudes, value and beliefs surrounding domestic abuse is flawed." The sheriff said it was clear from their evidence that Walker's former wives believed his behaviour remained "vivid and distressing". She said: "Having regard to the gravity of these offences as a result of the cumulative effect of them, your extreme denial and complete absence of any remorse, and the assessment of risk, I have come to the conclusion that a custodial sentence is the only appropriate disposal. "In my opinion, the repeated abuse and violent behaviour towards your three former wives and stepdaughter over a period of 28 years outweighs other factors." Speaking outside court, Walker's solicitor Russel McPhate said his client would appeal against his conviction. He said: "Mr Walker is disappointed at the outcome. He is still maintaining his innocence and an appeal has been marked." Walker resigned as an MSP earlier this month, blaming a "media onslaught". More than half of Scotland's 129 MSPs had backed a motion calling for him to stand down. Walker was found guilty of assault at addresses in Edinburgh, Stirling, Midlothian and Alloa, and one charge of breaching the peace. Sheriff Mackie, who heard the case without a jury, found Walker guilty of assaulting his first wife Maureen Traquair on three separate occasions in the 1960s and 1980s. On one occasion, Walker punched her in the face in the run-up to their wedding day in January 1967, giving her a black eye. Walker was further found to have assaulted his second wife Anne Gruber 15 times at various addresses in Edinburgh and Midlothian between 1978 and 1984. He was also convicted of committing a breach of the peace by brandishing an air rifle at her house. The former politician was convicted of four assaults on his third wife Diana Walker, three of which involved slapping or punching her on the face. The attacks happened between June 1988 and January 1995. Walker was also found guilty of assaulting Mrs Gruber's daughter Anne Louise Paterson by repeatedly striking her on the head

Summary: A former MSP has been jailed for 12 months after being convicted of a series of domestic abuse offences.


Ryan Beal, 20, Brandon Brown, 20, Alexandra Binns, 18, and Terrie Kirby, 16, were killed when the quad bike they were riding was hit by a Nissan 350Z. The Nissan was taking part in a race on the A6201 Hemsworth bypass at the time. Five people deny encouraging dangerous driving while two have admitted causing death by dangerous driving. More stories from across Yorkshire Prosecutor Kama Melly QC said the Nissan was one of a number of vehicles taking part in a high-speed race when the crash happened on 27 September 2015. She told a jury at Leeds Crown Court two groups of people had travelled from Wakefield and Barnsley to use the stretch of road for racing as spectators watched from the sides of the road and a railway bridge. Analysis of the Nissan's sat-nav showed it was doing 140mph at the time of the impact with the quad bike and had reached 144mph on previous runs along the single carriageway road, the court was told. A passenger who witnessed the racing cars said in a statement read to the court by Miss Melly "that the scene was something like out of the film The Fast And The Furious". The four people killed were out celebrating Miss Kirby's birthday. The court heard a police investigation found the quad bike had no rear lights and Miss Melly said that other road users were "very concerned" with "the manner in which it was being driven earlier that night". The prosecutor also said: "We are not saying that these defendants specifically encouraged that particular piece of driving that caused the deaths of the four on the quad bike. "It is the Crown's case that the defendants' presence encouraged the dangerous driving that occurred over the course of the evening." "They went knowing what they would see and participate in and went knowing that a group of supporters and enthusiasts being present would encourage the dangerous driving that did occur." George Tomlinson, 25, of Hall Croft, Netherton, Wakefield; Nathan Jackson, 21, of Higham Common, Barnsley; Stephen Hebden, 23, of Dodworth Road, Barnsley; Lee Fisher, 29, of Pond Street, Barnsley and Bradley Lockwood, 22, of Rotherham Road, Barnsley, all deny one count of encouraging and assisting in the commission of a dangerous driving offence. The jury was told that the driver of the Nissan, Daniel Raynor, and his front seat passenger, Matthew Todd, have admitted charges of causing death by dangerous driving. The trial continues.

Summary: Four people died when their quad bike was hit by a car at 140mph as vehicles raced in scenes likened to the film The Fast And The Furious, a jury has heard.


Two quickfire Omar Bogle goals just before half-time gave Grimsby control. Forest Green fought back after the break and Keanu Marsh-Brown's superb goal reduced their deficit after Jon Parkin had missed from six yards. But Grimsby - playing in the play-offs for a fourth consecutive year - struck a late third through Nathan Arnold. Paul Hurst's side, who lost to Bristol Rovers on penalties in last year's final, had seen Arnold's long-range strike tipped onto the post shortly before taking the lead at Wembley. Bogle then glanced in Jon Nolan's free-kick via Rovers' Darren Carter's back to open the scoring, before volleying in from six yards on the rebound to double Grimsby's lead just one minute later. Forest Green introduced substitute Parkin at half-time and the 34-year-old former Preston striker's presence changed the game. Parkin could only hit the side netting from Forest Green's best chance, inside the six-yard box, before Marsh-Brown's sweet, dipping strike gave them hope. But Forest Green, who had finished nine points above Grimsby in the league table, could not find an equaliser despite a spirited fightback. Rovers, who sacked manager Ady Pennock one week before the start of their semi-final against Dover to "boost their chances in the play-offs", had set a fifth-tier record of nine consecutive wins to start the season, before being beaten to the league title by Cheltenham Town. Having finished in their highest-ever league position in second, they were led at Wembley by caretaker boss Scott Bartlett, while next season's manager, Mark Cooper, offered guidance from the dugout. But the Nailsworth club - who had hoped to make their home town the smallest settlement to ever host a Football League club - saw their promotion hopes dashed in the play-offs for the second year running. Arnold, who had a low shot saved with 15 minutes to play, completed the win in stoppage time, tucking in on the rebound to end Forest Green's hopes of a late twist. The promoted Mariners return to Wembley on 22 May for the FA Trophy final against FC Halifax. Media playback is not supported on this device Grimsby boss Paul Hurst told BBC Radio Humberside: "I'm quite relaxed. I feel quite calm. It's a fantastic achievement. "Those players, rightly so, will go down in the club's history. "It's far from job done yet - we want to make sure that we're a Football League club for a long time to come and, if possible, see if we can move the club even further forward." Forest Green Rovers striker Jon Parkin told BBC Radio Gloucestershire: "It was just a mad five minutes in the first half that put us on the back foot. "In the second half, we've come out and had a real go. (We had) a couple of chances, should have scored and it's a totally different game. "But that's the difference - they took their chances, we didn't."

Summary: Grimsby Town returned to the Football League after a six-year absence with victory over Forest Green Rovers in the National League promotion final.


Charlie Alliston, of Trothy Road, Bermondsey, was 18 when he allegedly hit Kim Briggs as she crossed Old Street, east London, in February 2016. The Old Bailey heard a witness saw the cyclist fly "through the air". Mr Alliston, now 20, denies manslaughter and causing bodily harm by wanton or furious driving. In court, prosecutor Duncan Penny QC read a statement from eyewitness David Callan who said he was walking in Old Street at about 12:15 BST when he heard a male voice calling. "It made me look up immediately, just in time to see a collision between a cyclist and a pedestrian," he said. Mr Callan said the crash caused the cyclist to fly "through the air" while the pedestrian "fell at the point of impact". "The cyclist clattered to the ground further down the road but quickly sprang to their feet and shouted something at the pedestrian... who lay on the ground," the court was told. Mark Wyeth QC, defending, suggested his client had the right of way as the lights on the stretch of Old Street were green. He added that Mrs Briggs could have avoided danger by using a pedestrian crossing less than 10 metres away. Jurors heard the 44-year-old HR consultant suffered "non-survivable brain injuries" and died in hospital a week later. They were previously told Mr Alliston was using a bike which which had no front brake so was not legal to use on the road. The court has been told crash investigators had concluded Mr Alliston would have been able to stop and avoid the impact if the bike had been fitted with two brakes. The trial continues.

Summary: A cyclist accused of killing a woman by ploughing into her in a London street began shouting at her as she lay injured, a court has heard.


Tuesday's 3-2 victory at Plymouth Argyle ended an eight-game winless run and means the O's are only in the drop zone on goal difference. "I've got to keep the boys grounded but I've let them be happy because they deserve it," he told BBC Radio London. "I won't get carried away if we win as we're still second from bottom." Webb, 33, is the youngest manager in the English Football League and became Orient's fourth boss of the season on 29 January. The former Southend and Hull striker has been forced to rely on young players, with 10 of the squad at Home Park being products of the east London club's academy. After ending a six-game losing streak in his third game in charge against Yeovil on Saturday, late goals from Gavin Massey and Sandro Semedo gave Orient their first victory since beating Crawley on Boxing Day. "I'm new to management but I have confidence in my own ability and I know how to set up a team," Webb added. "I know what the young players can bring; heart, passion and all the things the supporters want to see. "It's been a long time since we've been happy after a game but we have a long way to go. There is no point in everyone saying we are playing well and have team spirit if it is only for four games." However, the win at Plymouth has been marred by Argyle reporting O's skipper Liam Kelly to the Football Association for an alleged shove on a ball boy. Meanwhile, defender Nicky Hunt picked up his 10th caution of the season and will miss Saturday's visit of fellow strugglers Notts County, who are managed by former O's player-manager Kevin Nolan.

Summary: Leyton Orient boss Danny Webb wants his squad to remain focused in their League Two relegation battle after recording their first win of 2017.


The surprising discovery suggests that the birds are preparing their offspring for warm conditions after they hatch. Scientists collected eggs and incubated them in controlled conditions, playing recordings of the incubation song. Compared to a control group, hatchlings that received these calls grew more slowly and coped better in the heat. Writing in the journal Science, the researchers say this is the sort of adaptation that could help animals acclimatise to rising global temperatures. "It doesn't mean that they will still be able to breed at extreme temperatures - this was within the range they currently experience," said the paper's lead author Mylene Mariette, from Deakin University in Geelong. "But what's encouraging is that it's a strategy that the birds use to adjust the growth of their offspring to temperature, that we didn't know about." It is also the first time that singing to unborn chicks has been shown to yield such long-term results. Previous studies have mostly concentrated on egg-bound embryos learning particular calls from their parents. "We knew it could have some short-term effects on cognition and learning, but our study is the first to show that is has an effect on their growth and their development - and that those effects last until adulthood," Dr Mariette told BBC News. "It means that the acoustic environment before birth has more impact than we thought." She first noticed the rhythmic, high-pitched calls while making field recordings during her PhD. "I was looking at how the parents talk to each other to coordinate parental care. That's when I noticed that sometimes when a parent was by itself in the nest, incubating the egg, it produced a quite different call. "I wondered - hmm, are they talking to their eggs?" When she started to study this squeaky serenade in detail, combing through Dr Mariette found that the birds were specifically singing it in the few days before eggs hatched - and only when the day's ambient temperature rose above about 26C. "It's not that they do it spontaneously whenever it's hot; they do it when it's hot and when the embryos could potentially hear them," she said. To figure out the specific effect of the calls, Dr Mariette and her colleague Katherine Buchanan used zebra finches living in the university's outdoor aviaries. They collected eggs and, for the final five days of their incubation, played them either a recording of the birds' special egg-song, or a typical parent-to-parent call instead. As soon as they hatched, the 175 chicks were returned to various nests and the team observed the youngsters' development in detail. To begin with, the two groups were indistinguishable; the song hadn't changed the chicks' hatching weight. Within a few days, however, that changed. "We found that, depending on whether or not they had heard the 'hot call' from their parents, they reacted differently to heat," Dr Mariette explained. "They adjusted their growth to temperature differently, and also solicited food from their parents differently." Specifically, the "heat song" seemed to make the chicks develop slower - and remain lighter - if their

Summary: When the weather is hot, zebra finches in Australia sing to their eggs - and these "incubation calls" change the chicks' development, a study has found.


Emergency services were called to the fire in Insch just after midnight when a local resident noticed smoke emerging from a property in High Street. The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said the blaze had breached the roof of the building. Residents in nearby flats were evacuated to a community centre but there were no casualties. Six fire engines from nearby towns, including a height appliance from Aberdeen, were sent to tackle the fire. Crews, including four firefighters wearing breathing apparatus, used water jets to douse the flames. The fire service said the blaze was finally extinguished at 02:23 but they remained on the scene for several hours. They added that an investigation will be carried out in due course.

Summary: Residents were evacuated from their homes in an Aberdeenshire town after a blaze broke out in a nearby bank.


Jayden Stockley, Adam Rooney and Wes Burns all scored in the last 20 minutes. "You see the goal threats we have and we've got Miles Storey to add to that," McInnes told BBC Scotland. "Tonight I thought we were so industrious, tenacious, and played the game how it needed to be played." Stockley's header broke the deadlock, and was his first goal for the club since signing in the summer. Burns had sealed a loan switch from English Championship side Bristol City hours before the game, and the Welshman scored just a minute after coming off the bench. "It was always my intention to get another striker on next to Rooney for the second period of the game," said McInnes. "Jayden's goal is magnificent. Rooney is typical Rooney." McInnes also hailed his defence as they kept a clean sheet for the first time in Europe this season. "Defensively they deserves a lot of plaudits," he said. "They've taken a kicking recently with mistakes and lack of concentration. "It was important we didn't chase the game willy nilly. We drew 0-0 here with Groningen and Shkendija and that was enough or us. "The goal we conceded to Fola Esch, that was the goal that nearly put us out of the tournament. Although the performance was poor over there, that was the goal that gave the opposition the hope and incentive. "It's very important to keep clean sheets at home in Europe, and I think we're capable of scoring over there which makes it more difficult for them. They have to play with that concern while they try and chase the game." He added: "We're confident going on the road. Last week was not like us. In Europe we've picked up some good results, we've always been quite compact and disciplined and been able to counter. "We did nothing last week apart from give the opposition hope that they could win. But tonight there was some good performances and it was a good night's work for us."

Summary: Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes hailed the attacking threat of his side as they beat Ventspils 3-0 in the Europa League second qualifying round.


The 27-year-old Scot pulled out of a planned performance at the O2 Arena in London on Thursday, as well as Friday's gig at the Motorpoint Arena in Cardiff. Nutini - whose third album Caustic Love topped the charts earlier this year - postponed two concerts in Glasgow this week on medical advice. Fans with tickets should keep them and look out for the rescheduled dates. A statement announcing the latest postponements said: "Regrettably Paolo Nutini is suffering with severe tonsillitis and is not well enough to perform." It also offered an apology for the "inconvenience and disappointment" caused.

Summary: Chart-topping singer Paolo Nutini has postponed a two more UK arena shows due to "severe tonsillitis".


Russia's military said it had released 63 captured Ukrainian soldiers in exchange for the paratroopers. Pro-Russian rebels have made gains against Ukrainian troops in recent days in Donetsk and Luhansk in the east. The conflict in the east erupted in April following Russia's annexation of Ukraine's southern Crimea peninsula. Some 2,600 people have died in fighting so far. Major-General Alexei Ragozin, the deputy commander of Russia's paratroop forces, told the RIA news agency that negotiations had been "very difficult". "The talks were not easy, but common sense prevailed and everything turned out well" he said. However, he criticised the length of the soldiers' detention. "I find it unacceptable that the Ukrainian side kept our soldiers for so many days" he said. "Our lads are upset about everything that happened. They will all receive the necessary psychological and other kinds of help" he added. Ukraine released video interviews with the captured Russian soldiers last week. It says the soldiers were captured 20km from the border with Russia. Russia claimed that the soldiers had crossed in Ukraine "by accident" after inadvertently crossing an unmarked section of the border. Russia has repeatedly denied Ukrainian and Western accusations that it is supporting the rebels. The 63 Ukrainian soldiers released were said to have entered Russia to escape the upsurge in fighting last week.

Summary: Ten Russian paratroopers captured inside Ukraine a week ago have returned home following a troop exchange, Russian media report.


Sam Matthews stunned the home crowd early on from long range, but Aswad Thomas replied quickly for Dover. The irrepressible Miller then went out on his own at the top of the scoring charts, notching a quick-fire hat-trick. The second was a real highlight as he wormed his way inside from the corner flag before beating Joe Taylor. Jack Parkinson made it five before half-time from close range. The break helped Braintree steady matters, and Dover's rampant form subsided. But Miller grabbed his 14th of the season from a free-kick to cap his perfect day. Reports supplied by the Press Association. Match ends, Dover Athletic 6, Braintree Town 1. Second Half ends, Dover Athletic 6, Braintree Town 1. Substitution, Dover Athletic. Ira Jackson Jr replaces Ricky Modeste. Substitution, Braintree Town. Joe Maybanks replaces Sam Matthews. Substitution, Dover Athletic. Mitchell Pinnock replaces Ricky Miller. Substitution, Dover Athletic. Ayo Obileye replaces Tyrone Sterling. Jon Ashton (Braintree Town) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul. Substitution, Braintree Town. Jack Midson replaces Harry Lee. Sam Matthews (Braintree Town) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul. Substitution, Braintree Town. Jon Ashton replaces Barney Williams. Goal! Dover Athletic 6, Braintree Town 1. Ricky Miller (Dover Athletic). Second Half begins Dover Athletic 5, Braintree Town 1. First Half ends, Dover Athletic 5, Braintree Town 1. Goal! Dover Athletic 5, Braintree Town 1. Jack Parkinson (Dover Athletic). Goal! Dover Athletic 4, Braintree Town 1. Ricky Miller (Dover Athletic). Goal! Dover Athletic 3, Braintree Town 1. Ricky Miller (Dover Athletic). Goal! Dover Athletic 2, Braintree Town 1. Ricky Miller (Dover Athletic). Goal! Dover Athletic 1, Braintree Town 1. Aswad Thomas (Dover Athletic). Goal! Dover Athletic 0, Braintree Town 1. Sam Matthews (Braintree Town). First Half begins. Lineups are announced and players are warming up.

Summary: Ricky Miller scored four times in Dover's 6-1 win over struggling Braintree at the Crabble Athletic Ground.


An image of a Kyrgyz passport purportedly belonging to the suspect circulated on social media. But Kyrgyz authorities said they had questioned the man and that he had played no part in the attack. Turkish media have run images of a suspect, saying they were given out by the police. But the police have given no official details of the search for the suspect. The passport image circulated on social media shows a similar-looking man to the suspect, but the head of the Kyrgyz security services told the BBC that the passport holder was not involved. Rakhat Sulaimanov said the man had been questioned by both their agents and Turkish security and that he had nothing to do with the attack. The Kyrgyz authorities say they were not contacted by their Turkish counterparts about the possible connection. Tairbek Sarpashev from the Kyrgyz state registration service, said they only started to investigate the man in question after seeing the media reports. Turkish media have said the man police are investigating is from Central Asia and had rented a flat in the central city of Konya with a woman believed to be his wife and two children, who have been detained. As more details emerge about the Istanbul nightclub gunman, it looks increasingly likely that - unlike most of the attacks in France and Germany last summer - the murderer had at least some rudimentary military training. Like the IS gunmen who attacked Paris in November 2015 and the jihadists who attacked Mumbai in 2008, he arrived on the scene with several full magazines for his assault rifle, each containing 30 rounds. Reports from the scene say he fired more than 100 rounds, shooting at the wounded and setting off explosive devices as a distraction as he reloaded. After nearly six years of civil war in Syria, and a still-active insurgency in Iraq, governments in both Europe and the Middle East are deeply concerned that fanatical jihadists who have spent time in those arenas will try to import their lethal skills into other countries. Some reports suggest police have gathered details of the man from calls he made on the mobile phone of the taxi driver who took him to the nightclub. However, nothing has been officially confirmed as Turkish authorities have given no details. The only official statements came from Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus, who said on Monday that authorities had fingerprints and a basic description of the suspect. Twelve people were arrested on Monday and another two foreigners were detained at Istanbul's Ataturk airport on Tuesday. Late on Tuesday, Turkey's parliament extended a state of emergency imposed following a failed military coup in July. It will now be in force until at least mid-April. Mr Kurtulmus said the extension was necessary as followers of the US-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen - whom the government blames for instigating the coup - were still active in public institutions. He added: "Regardless of which terrorist organisation they are (...) and regardless of their motivation, we are determined to fight all terrorist organisations in 2017

Summary: Kyrgyzstan has ruled out a suspect named in media reports in connection with the new year attack on an Istanbul nightclub that killed 39 people.


On Monday, thermometers reached 32.5C (90.5F) in north-west London - hotter than Rome, Ibiza or Miami. But on Tuesday, while much of the country continued to bake, a weather front cutting across the British Isles meant temperatures in Newcastle struggled to get above 16C. The Met Office has issued a level three amber heatwave warning until Thursday. The warning, which is one step down from a national emergency, covers the whole of Britain and means "there is a 90% probability of heatwave conditions". Public Health England (PHE) repeated its advice on how to "beat the heat", urging people to practise common sense by staying cool, drinking plenty of water and avoiding sunburn. It also urged people to look out for others who may be in high-risk groups such as people with underlying heart and lung conditions, older people, babies and young children. Dr Angie Bone, Head of PHE's Extreme Events team, said: "Some people in these groups may not be able to take steps to keep themselves cooler - so if you're able, ask your friends, family and neighbours if they need any support." The RSPCA urged pet owners to walk their dogs in the morning or evening when it was less likely they could burn their paws and to keep fish tanks out of direct sunlight. BBC weather presenter Chris Fawkes said: "Wednesday is probably going to be the hottest day of the heatwave with temperatures of up to 34C. If we do see highs of 34C - that would be the hottest June day we would have seen for 40 years." The heatwave, however, is due to come to an abrupt end after thunderstorms, predicted on Wednesday night and into Thursday, bring fresher air in from the Atlantic.

Summary: A weather warning has been issued as temperatures are predicted to reach 34C (93F) in parts of England on Wednesday.


The 24-year-old had looked set for a move to Burnley, with the two sides in contact about a deal. But a Forest statement said: "The 24-year-old has declared his intention to stay following a conversation with (chairman) Fawaz Al Hasawi. "The club welcome Lansbury's decision and will now move forward with him in their plans." Lansbury, who had loan spells with Scunthorpe, Watford, Norwich and West Ham when an Arsenal player, is currently the Reds captain. Al Hasawi tweeted a picture of himself and the player, saying: "Henri is staying with us."

Summary: Nottingham Forest have confirmed that midfielder Henri Lansbury will stay with the Championship club.


An Ontario judge dismissed mischief charges against Anita Krajnc, ending a legal battle that captured the global attention of animal rights activists. Judge David Harris said he was not convinced that Ms Krajnc obstructed the use of property when she gave water to pigs headed to slaughter. Ms Krajnc said it confirms "compassion is not a crime". Mischief to property is a criminal offence in Canada related to the wilful destruction or damage of property. Justice Harris wrote in his decision that he is satisfied that Ms Krajnc "did not obstruct, interrupt or interfere with the lawful use, enjoyment or operation of any property" when in July 2015, she gave water to a few animals being carried in a tractor trailer filled with 190 pigs going to a slaughterhouse outside Toronto. Ms Krajnc, who co-founded an organisation called Toronto Pig Save in 2011, regularly gathered with other activists on a traffic island at an intersection near a large slaughterhouse to pet the animals and give them water. But this time, the truck driver confronted Ms Krajnc and police were called. A video of the tense encounter was posted online by the activists. During her trial, supporters crammed into the courtroom, many sitting on the floor. Members of the media sat in the prisoner's box. Despite her win on Thursday, Ms Krajnc told the BBC she has "mixed feelings" about the decision. "We were hoping for recognition in the legal system that pigs and other animals are simply not property - that they are sentient beings, that they have basic rights," she said. In his decision, Justice Harris noted that under Canadian law, pigs are property. "Ms Krajnc and like-minded individuals may believe otherwise and they are fully entitled to that belief. That does not however make it so," he wrote. Ms Krajnc's case and her efforts to "hold vigil" for animals headed to slaughter have caught on with animal rights activists around the world. A number of similar "Save" campaigns have cropped up globally, including dozens in the UK. The movement promotes veganism, animal rights activism, and "bearing witness" to the suffering of animals. Jenny Canham helped create the Essex Pig save chapter and told the BBC she was "really relieved" by Thursday's court decision. She said her group will continue to advocate for animal welfare and to spread the movement in the UK. Ms Krajnc said she will continue to organise "vigils" near slaughterhouses.

Summary: A Canadian activist who faced time behind bars for giving water to pigs has been found not guilty.


Now, we've had our first glimpse of where they all lived while the series was being filmed. This year's mansion is in the posh north London suburb of Highgate. When people living nearby noticed the new neighbours they of course got onto Twitter to share the gossip. @Theodoreshand wrote: "cant believe we live down the road from the apprentice house!!! #highgate." @ShafLdn said: "So the apprentice candidates are staying in Highgate. Love a bit of local area on TV! #BBCApprentice." And @maisiemoola_ tweeted: "Why are they playing the Sims music on The Apprentice. And also, Hello Highgate! #hometown." Contestants arrived at the house after being split into two teams while Sarah Dales (above) bagsied a bed straight away. The all-female Team Decadence came up with their name in the garden, although Lord Sugar has since asked them to change it. Company director Chiles Cartwright was the first candidate to be fired from this year's series after Lord Sugar blamed him for the failure of the all-male Team Summit. While the Apprentice candidates lived in Highgate, this year's X Factor contestants are based a half an hour's drive away in Hertfordshire's Hadley Wood. The contestants, who've gone down from 31 to 29 after Blonde Electra were voted off the show, have access to an outdoor swimming pool and landscaped gardens. It has eight bedrooms (cosy), six bathrooms, a gym, a sauna and walk-in dressing rooms. It's on the market for £2.5 million. Last year the X Factor contestants were housed in London's Winchmore Hill in a house which is now worth around £7 million. In 2012 the finalists broke with tradition and stayed at a hotel in central London. Previous houses were in locations including Hertford Heath (2011), Borehamwood (2010) and Golders Green (2009). The 2013 Apprentice mansion was situated on Lincoln's Inn Field in Holborn, London. It's worth between £11-12 million or £58,000 a month in rent. Property website Zoopla says it was a newly refurbished Grade II listed building last year with five or six bedrooms, a new kitchen, double height floor to ceiling windows with an internal courtyard and superb views over the square. 2012's Apprentice house was in London's Bayswater area. The house has eight beds, six baths, three receptions and is valued at around £11 million. Or you could rent it for £36,000 a month. Whichever's easiest really. 2011's Apprentice house was billed as being located in Richmond but was in fact in nearby East Sheen. At the moment it's worth around £7 million. According to reports it was the home of a well-known Welsh singer at the time. Houses before that were located in Chiswick (2005), Hampstead (2006), Notting Hill (2007), Battersea (2008), Ladbroke Grove (2009) and Bloomsbury (2010). Follow @BBCNewsbeat on Twitter and Radio1Newsbeat on YouTube

Summary: The Apprentice house has already lost one member and the original 20 candidates are down to 19.


The latest issue was when the team were denied lunch at a hotel on Tuesday due to an unpaid bill. Later that day Cameroon lost 2-1 in a friendly to Guinea after which he said he was considering his future. "I'm happy with the reaction because they realised what happened," he said. Media playback is not supported on this device "If they want an inquiry, it means they know there were mistakes and maybe in future those mistakes won't happen again." The 64-year-old Belgian conceded that his reaction may have been a 'little bit too heavy' but that there was a good reason for his approach. "I hope that things will change after my comments - this is the most important thing," said Broos, who won the Africa Cup of Nations last month in spite of having worked on the continent for just a year. "Sometimes you have to make the problem bigger than it is so that everyone is awake and says 'what happened there?'" "Now all the country knows what happened and this is a good thing because everyone realised that this is something that has to not happen again in the future." "In a few months, there is the Confederations Cup and we are playing against the best teams in the world (Germany, Chile, Australia) so everyone has to be awake again." His words have already had a reaction with Fecafoot opening an inquiry into the matter on Tuesday, while also stating that the circumstances which prompted Broos' public complaints were 'unacceptable.' We have to work like we worked during the Nations Cup when there was no problem. Everything was well-organised so they showed that they can do it. After the match in Brussels, the Cameroon coach said he was 'seriously considering' his future as he also outlined various logistical failures since he took charge in early 2016. He highlighted that team doctors had sometimes footed the costs for medical equipment themselves while also relating how the team had once had to travel without equipment or kit because it was too expensive to fly. "It's unacceptable that when players are going to eat something, the hotel tells us that we cannot eat because the bill has not been paid," he said. "Three to four hours after the hotel (took their action), the bill was paid so it's not a matter of money - it's a matter of organisation and responsibility." In the run-up to this year's unexpected African title, the fifth in Cameroon's history, at least seven internationals refused call-ups for the tournament. "I think when Joel Matip hears this again, he will not be so happy to come again to the national team," Broos lamented. "Also this is not good for players who will maybe (be called up) in the future. If they hear this, this is reason I think to say: 'I'm not going to play with that team because there are always problems.'" "We have to work like we worked during the Nations Cup when there was no problem. Everything was well-organised so they showed that

Summary: Coach Hugo Broos has told BBC Sport he welcomes an inquiry by the Cameroon Football Federation (Fecafoot) into the administrative problems suffered by the African champions.


In a post on Twitter, the woman said she was "perplexed" by the request and posted several images of naked female statues from the museum's exhibitions. She went on to say she had a lovely day at the V&A "exploring depictions of breasts through the ages". Its director Tristram Hunt said women may breastfeed "wherever they like". Tweeting under the name @vaguechera, the woman said: "Flashed a nanosecond of nipple while breastfeeding and was asked to cover up in the V&A courtyard. I am perplexed." Her tweet has been liked more than 6,700 times and received more than 3,900 retweets, with many people offering messages of support. The mother pointed out the irony of the request at a museum which displays many statues of naked women. Posting a photo of a statue showing a man holding up a naked woman, she captioned it: "'I will throw you out of this museum with your naked breasts!' 'But I'm made of marble!' 'Oh sorry you're fine then.'" The woman told the BBC she was "stunned into silence" by the request from a female member of staff. She said it was the first negative experience she has had in three-and-a-half years of breastfeeding. "I had been attempting to be discreet and to feed under a cardigan, but with a distracted one-year-old it can be challenging. "The staff member was friendly and polite, but obviously asking me to cover up was still intrusive, unpleasant and embarrassing for me, as well as obviously ludicrous." The mum said she felt it was important to highlight the incident because "the shame and embarrassment caused by that kind of interjection when you are trying to feed could be crushing for a woman who was less Teflon than me". She added: "It could really badly affect someone's attempt to breastfeed if they were struggling with their confidence." Mr Hunt, a former Labour MP and shadow minister, apologised on twitter, saying: "Very sorry. Our policy is clear. Women may breastfeed wherever they like, wherever they feel comfortable & should not be disturbed." The museum also tweeted an apology and said it was investigating the incident, adding: "Women are welcome to breastfeed in the museum & we have quiet spaces for those who prefer privacy." The museum said its staff received regular customer service training and they will be reminded of their breastfeeding policy. The woman said she appreciated the apology and that the support she received on Twitter and the museum's response "show that attitudes are on the most part positive". She added: "That said, clearly not everyone is aware of the legal protection that women are afforded when feeding in a public space. "Policies are important, but they only work if staff are supported to understand and carry them out."

Summary: The Victoria and Albert Museum has apologised after a mum said she was asked to "cover up" while breastfeeding on a visit to the London attraction.


Its announcement came at the same time as a team of investigators for the World Anti-Doping Agency recommended Russia be banned from athletics. Last week, French prosecutors accused the sport's governing body's ex-president of being involved. He is alleged to have taken bribes to cover up doping cases. Interpol's announcement follows Monday's publication of a report by an independent commission established by Wada investigating a number of individuals, including former officials of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), the agency said in a statement. "The world police body is now working with member countries potentially linked to the inquiry, including Singapore, to seek assistance in co-ordinating a global investigative network and support the criminal investigation on the basis of the intelligence gathered by the [Wada] independent commission." According to French investigative news agency Mediapart, the people who conducted doping inquiries for Wada believe a company registered in Singapore was used to channel certain funds that were part of the corruption operation. As part of the inquiry, French police last week raided premises belonging to individuals and companies, Interpol said. The Wada report was commissioned to "determine the accuracy" of allegations made in a German TV documentary about Russian athletics last December. "The IC [independent commission] has withheld most of the contents of the chapter on the IAAF in order to not compromise the continuing efforts in respect of information provided to Interpol," the Wada report says. "The IC is in possession of information which has been passed on to Interpol for the purposes of an integrated investigative activity, Operation Augeas. Therefore, most of the IC's recommendations in respect of the IAAF are being withheld until such time as the full chapter is released." French prosecutors are already investigating former IAAF President Lamine Diack, who was put under criminal investigation last week on suspicion of corruption and money laundering. He is alleged to have received more than â‚¬1m (Â£700,000; $1.1m) in bribes in 2011 to cover up positive doping tests by Russian athletes, Reuters quoted the office of France's financial prosecutor as saying. The 82-year-old Senegalese stepped down in August after 16 years as IAAF president when Briton Sebastian Coe was elected as his replacement. December 2014: German documentary alleges Russian doping scandal February 2015: Diack says athletics faces 'crisis' August 2015: Coe says IAAF will react robustly August 2015: Wada 'alarmed' by fresh allegations

Summary: International police body Interpol has said it will coordinate a French-led global investigation into doping allegations in athletics.


The screens of the Galaxy S8 and bigger S8+ are also larger despite the devices being about the same size as last year's S7 and S7 Edge. This time, both models feature displays that curve round the phones' sides. The launch follows Samsung's botched release of the Note 7, which was recalled twice after fires. The South Korean firm blamed the problem on battery faults and said it had since put in additional safety measures, including X-ray scans of batteries. The company has also become mired in a corruption scandal in its home country. "The Galaxy S8 is arguably the most important launch of the last 10 years for Samsung and every aspect will be under the microscope following the Note 7 recall," commented Ben Wood from the CCS tech consultancy. "The S8 is a unquestionably a strong product but Samsung must now deliver a faultless launch to move on from its earlier difficulties. If this happens it will emerge in an even stronger position." The new devices will be released on 21 April. The S8 is priced at £690 and the S8+ at £780 - a jump on last year's entry prices of £569 for the S7 and £639 for the S7 Edge. Samsung was the bestselling handset manufacturer for 2016 as a whole, according to market research firm IDC. However, Apple overtook it in the final three months. Source: IDC The displays of the S8 and S8+, measuring 5.8in (14.7cm) and 6.2in (15.7cm) respectively, mean a more stretched aspect ratio than before, pushing the screens closer to the top and bottom of the handsets. As a consequence, Samsung's logo no longer features on the front, and the physical home button is replaced with an on-screen icon - in a similar manner to rival Android phones from Huawei and LG. A pressure sensor and vibration module have, however, been built into the space behind the new virtual button to provide feedback. Samsung suggests the displays' 18.5:9 ratio makes them better suited to running two apps side by side. For example, there is now space to watch a video, use a chat app and still have room for a full touch-keyboard. The screens are the same resolution as before but are now brighter, supporting high dynamic range (HDR) playback of videos for extra clarity. The S8's body is a little narrower than that of the S7, while the S8+'s is a bit wider than the S7 Edge but lighter - Samsung says both new devices can still be used one-handed. The phones also introduce Bixby - a virtual assistant based on technology acquired from some of the original developers' of Apple's Siri. The helper is activated by a dedicated side-button and allows 10 built-in apps - including a photo gallery, messages and weather - to be controlled by voice. It is "context-aware", meaning users can ask follow-up questions and assume it is aware of what is currently displayed. Samsung said it expected owners to mix together voice commands and physical controls - for example asking to see all the photos taken today,

Summary: Samsung's latest flagship phones have ditched the physical home button found in their predecessors and introduced a new virtual assistant.


The stimulus package will include an extra 6tn Korean won ($4.94bn; Â£3.42bn) in public spending. It will also include an extension of existing tax cuts on cars. Overall, the package will see an additional 21tn won of spending in the first quarter, the Yonhap news agency said. South Korea, Asia's fourth largest economy, has been hit by slowing global growth, falling oil prices, and softer demand out of China, one of its most important trading partners. The latest stimulus measures, which will also see cheaper loans made available to some local companies, are designed to help boost exports and domestic demand. Disappointing trade numbers released on Monday showed exports contracted 18.5% in January from a year earlier. It marked the 13th month in a row the nation's exports had fallen and was the worst result for exports since mid 2009. South Korea's annual inflation rate also cooled to its lowest in four months in January. Official numbers released in January showed the economy expanded in 2015 at its slowest pace in three years - growing 2.6% from a year earlier. The central bank has now revised down its forecast for growth in 2016 from 3.2% to 3.0%. Further still, South Korea is facing high levels of youth unemployment. "The government will mobilise all available means and resources in order to boost domestic consumption and exports in the first quarter to March and to help create new jobs," Yonhap quoted the ministry as saying. South Korea's economy was in part held back last year by the effects of the deadly Mers virus which affected tourism and domestic spending in the first half of the year.

Summary: South Korea's government has unveiled new stimulus measures following a raft of disappointing economic data for the export-dependent nation.


Arjen Robben opened the scoring for the champions when he drilled home after good work on the wing from Franck Ribery. David Alaba made it 2-0 in first-half injury time when he curled a free-kick in. Max Kruse pulled one back when he shook off Alaba before finishing, but the 15th-placed hosts could not equalise. Bayern remain three points above RB Leipzig, who beat Hoffenheim 2-1. Match ends, SV Werder Bremen 1, FC Bayern München 2. Second Half ends, SV Werder Bremen 1, FC Bayern München 2. Attempt missed. Thomas Delaney (SV Werder Bremen) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right. Kingsley Coman (FC Bayern München) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul. Foul by Kingsley Coman (FC Bayern München). Florian Kainz (SV Werder Bremen) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Kingsley Coman (FC Bayern München) wins a free kick on the right wing. Foul by Zlatko Junuzovic (SV Werder Bremen). Attempt saved. Joshua Kimmich (FC Bayern München) right footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Renato Sanches. Corner, FC Bayern München. Conceded by Fin Bartels. Maximilian Eggestein (SV Werder Bremen) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul. Kingsley Coman (FC Bayern München) wins a free kick in the attacking half. Foul by Maximilian Eggestein (SV Werder Bremen). Foul by Douglas Costa (FC Bayern München). Fin Bartels (SV Werder Bremen) wins a free kick on the right wing. Offside, SV Werder Bremen. Felix Wiedwald tries a through ball, but Lamine Sané is caught offside. Foul by Kingsley Coman (FC Bayern München). Florian Kainz (SV Werder Bremen) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Attempt missed. Douglas Costa (FC Bayern München) left footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Xabi Alonso following a fast break. Foul by Kingsley Coman (FC Bayern München). Niklas Moisander (SV Werder Bremen) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Substitution, SV Werder Bremen. Florian Kainz replaces Santiago García. Attempt missed. Serge Gnabry (SV Werder Bremen) right footed shot from a difficult angle and long range on the right misses to the left. Assisted by Fin Bartels. Foul by Renato Sanches (FC Bayern München). Zlatko Junuzovic (SV Werder Bremen) wins a free kick on the right wing. Substitution, FC Bayern München. Douglas Costa replaces Franck Ribéry. Foul by Xabi Alonso (FC Bayern München). Santiago García (SV Werder Bremen) wins a free kick in the attacking half. Offside, SV Werder Bremen. Niklas Moisander tries a through ball, but Serge Gnabry is caught offside. Zlatko Junuzovic (SV Werder Bremen) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul. Kingsley Coman (FC Bayern München) wins a free kick on the right wing. Foul by Zlatko Junuzovic (SV Werder Bremen). Santiago García (SV Werder Bremen) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul. Joshua Kimmich (FC Bayern München) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Foul by Santiago García (SV Werder Bremen). Attempt blocked. Joshua Kimmich (FC

Summary: Bayern Munich remain three points clear at the top of the Bundesliga after beating Werder Bremen.


Mr Flynn reportedly discussed sanctions with a Russian official in the weeks before Mr Trump took office. He denied talking about this issue but later said he could not be certain. Any discussion of sanctions could have violated laws against private citizens engaging in foreign policy. Stephen Miller, President Donald Trump's top policy adviser, declined to say when asked in a number of interviews whether Mr Trump backed Mr Flynn. Mr Miller said it was not his place to comment on the "sensitive matter" concerning Mr Flynn, who was an early supporter of Mr Trump but whose position in the administration is thought to be under scrutiny. Mr Flynn spoke with Russia's ambassador, Sergei Kislyak, by phone in December. Both Mr Flynn and US Vice-President Mike Pence denied that the two men discussed US sanctions imposed over Russia's actions in Ukraine and alleged hacking of the US Democratic Party. But nine current and former officials later told the Washington Post that the issue had been discussed. A spokesman subsequently told reporters that Mr Flynn "couldn't be certain" he had not discussed the sanctions. Mr Trump, who spent the weekend at his club in Florida, Mar-a-Lago, has not commented on the controversy. Mr Flynn is understood to have also been at Mar-a-Lago over the weekend. Mr Trump is said to be troubled by the situation and uncertain as to whether he will ask Mr Flynn to step down, the AP reported, citing administration officials. Several other White House officials, as well as Mr Miller, declined over the weekend to comment on the situation.

Summary: A top White House official declined in several interviews over the weekend to defend national security adviser Michael Flynn, amid controversy over his alleged contacts with Russia.


During the first half of 2015, it received the most - 759 - from German citizens with the second-highest number of 559 coming from the UK. These requests are made under the EU "Right to be Forgotten" ruling. It also revealed the number of content removal requests from governments, with the highest - 165 - coming from China. Requests for content removal from other governments were relatively infrequent - the US made 11, with Germany making five, the UK and Russia two each and Austria one - bringing the total to just 186 for the six-month period covered. Microsoft received 3,546 requests for the removal of content from individuals and complied with half of them. The majority of requests are for the removal of links to search results on Bing, although the firm also received requests for the removal of content from other Microsoft services, including OneDrive, Bing Ads and MSN. Such requests were made possible by a controversial ruling from the European Court of Justice in May 2014. This allowed European residents to ask search engines to remove results for queries that included their name if the results were inadequate, inaccurate or no longer relevant. "This new report illustrates how Microsoft strives to comply with local and intellectual property laws while adhering to our commitment to transparency and free expression," the firm said in a blog post. At the time, search engines worried that the ruling would mean they would be inundated with requests while internet rights campaigners raised concerns that the ruling amounted to censorship. All of the major search engines now produce regular transparency reports, partly in reaction to the revelations about government snooping from ex-NSA contractor Edward Snowden. The vast majority of requests for data come from law enforcement agencies and Microsoft also revealed the numbers of these. It received a total of 35,228 for customer information in the first half of 2015, which is a slight increase compared to the number of requests for the second half of 2014. The US made the most requests - 254 - while the UK was second with 183. The vast majority - 67% - of all government requests resulted in the disclosure of subscriber or transactional data with 12% of requests rejected. In 16% of cases no data was found. Just 3% of law enforcement requests resulted in the disclosure of user content - and all of that was done in response to a court order or warrant, Microsoft revealed.

Summary: Microsoft has revealed for the first time how many requests it has had from members of the public wanting online content about them to be removed.


Irishman David Agnew, of Carby Heights in Keady, County Armagh, was arrested at his home on Friday. Police officers entered his house with a warrant and asked him if there was anything they needed to know about. The court heard he indicated there was but when questioned further, he replied "you'll have to find it". A police officer told Newry Magistrates' Court that, during the subsequent search, officers found between €190,000 (£160,000) and €200,000 (£170,000) in a footstool in the living room, and between £40,000 and £50,000 sterling wrapped in bundles of £1,000 in a bedroom. In the roof space, they discovered 2.5kg of white powder, which tested positive as cocaine. Police also found a handgun in the roof space, a magazine loaded with five or six bullets and a silencer. A second silencer was found elsewhere in the house along with a plastic container containing a substance that also tested positive for cocaine. A police officer told the court that during three interviews over the weekend, Mr Agnew had made no comment. Mr Agnew spoke only to confirm his name and address and date of birth. He did not apply for bail and was remanded in custody to appear again via video link next month.

Summary: A 39-year-old man has appeared in court charged with having cocaine, a handgun and bundles of cash which the police believe were the proceeds of crime.


The Binos parted company with McLaren on Saturday after a 4-0 home defeat to Elgin City. That loss left them second bottom of Scottish League Two. "No one could have worked harder than Stuart and I wish him every success in the future," said chairman Stuart Brown on the official website. Former Stirling player McLaren was appointed boss in November 2014 following a spell managing Australian side Brisbane Strikers. However, he could not save them from relegation, and they finished seventh last season.

Summary: Stirling Albion have have appointed Martyn Corrigan as caretaker manager as they search for a replacement for Stuart McLaren.


Parliament President Martin Schulz urged Saudi King Salman "to free him, so he can accept the prize". Mr Badawi was sentenced to 10 years in jail and 1,000 lashes in Saudi Arabia for "insulting Islam". Earlier this month he also won the Pen Pinter Prize for championing free speech. The Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought has been awarded by the European Parliament since 1988 to individuals or organisations for their contribution to the fight for human rights and democracy. It is named after the Soviet scientist and dissident Andrei Sakharov. Mr Badawi, author of the website Free Saudi Liberals, was convicted of insulting Islam in 2012 and fined Â£175,000. He received the first 50 lashes of his sentence in January, but subsequent floggings have been postponed. In June, Saudi Arabia's Supreme Court upheld the verdict despite a foreign outcry. "This man, who is an extremely good man, an exemplary man, has had imposed on him one of the most gruesome penalties," Mr Schulz told a packed European Parliament assembly in Strasbourg, France. "I call on the Saudi king to immediately free him. Relations depend on human rights being respected by our partners... they are not only not being respected but are being trodden underfoot." Guy Verhofstadt, leader of the European Parliament's Liberal bloc, said: "The European Parliament has sent today a strong political and humanitarian message to Saudi Arabian authorities." Mr Badawi's wife Ensaf Haidar, now living Canada with their children, said the award was a "message of hope and courage". "I thank the European Parliament," she told AFP news agency. Mr Badawi was one of three nominees for this year's prize along with assassinated Russian opposition leader Boris Nemtsov and the Venezuelan opposition movement Mesa de la Unidad Democratica. Previous winners include Nelson Mandela, Myanmar activist Aung San Suu Kyi and Pakistani education campaigner Malala Yousafzai.

Summary: Saudi blogger Raif Badawi, whose flogging sentence caused an outcry, has been awarded the European Parliament's Sakharov human rights prize.


Media playback is not supported on this device Her team face the Netherlands in Friday's final looking to follow Sean Kerly's side, the champions in Seoul. "You saw what happened to hockey in the country after that - it really picked up," said Richardson-Walsh, part of a team who won bronze at London 2012. "It picked up after London too, and hopefully the same will happen again." Britain's women are chasing their first gold, 28 years after the men beat West Germany 3-1 to win their second and most recent Olympic title, with two goals from Imran Sherwani and one from Kerly. "I remember my parents getting up to watch the 1988 final, but I was only eight - I was a little too young," Richardson-Walsh said. Friday's final, which starts at 21:00 BST, will be the 36-year-old's final game after playing 374 times for Great Britain and England. She will also be playing alongside partner Helen - the pair married in 2013. "It will be really special to be in a final with her," said the captain. "We have been through ups and downs - some of the best and worst times over the last few years. "For Helen to come back from back surgery twice, to get over that and play again and reach an Olympic final, it's great." Subscribe to the BBC Sport newsletter to get our pick of news, features and video sent to your inbox.

Summary: Great Britain's women can reinvigorate hockey at home if they emulate the 1988 men's side by winning Olympic gold, captain Kate Richardson-Walsh believes.


Having survived a tight lbw appeal early on, the former England captain went on to reach three figures off 202 balls with 16 fours. The Essex opener shared a 134-run second-wicket stand with Tom Westley but fell for 110 as he pulled a short ball from Dean Elgar to James Hildreth. But, Westley's unbeaten 86 ensured the visitors chased down 255 in 84.1 overs. In his first competitive match since stepping down as skipper of the national side, Cook rarely looked troubled while at the crease. Resuming overnight unbeaten on four, Cook signalled his intent by hitting two boundaries from the first over of the day before Craig Overton was convinced the England batsman had been trapped lbw only for umpire Graham Lloyd to remain unmoved. Despite 30 wickets falling in the first two days, the hosts' bowlers struggled and Nick Browne shared an 82-run opening partnership with the England opener before being caught behind off Jamie Overton for 35. Cook batted on unfazed, as new Somerset captain Tom Abell ran out of options, and left the visitors requiring just 39 runs to win when he was dismissed. A rejuvenated Westley, who made just 10 in the first innings, saw Essex home as he drove seamer Lewis Gregory to the boundary.

Summary: Alastair Cook's masterful century guided Essex to an eight-wicket victory over Somerset at Taunton.


Enda Kenny was making a speech on the implications of Brexit on Wednesday. He said the move posed a serious threat to the Republic's economic prosperity. He also said the negotiations would be the most significant that Ireland had faced as an independent state. Mr Kenny also warned that if no executive was formed after the election on 2 March, Northern Ireland would struggle to have its concerns heard. While the UK as a whole voted to leave the EU, Northern Ireland voted to remain by a majority of 56% to 44%. The border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland has been the subject of much discussion following the referendum, as it is set to become the UK's only land border with the EU. "With the dissolution of the assembly, there is a very real danger that the absence of political leadership in Northern Ireland will lead to a retreat to partisan debate and an even greater marginalization of Northern Ireland's concerns," Mr Kenny said. "The Brexit process will not wait for another round of lengthy talks in Stormont. "When Article 50 is triggered, the world will move on, and it will move on quickly. "Of course I will do my best to put forward the interests of the north in the Brexit negotiations." Mr Kenny said he would defend the Good Friday Agreement, oppose a hard border, argue for free movement on this island of Ireland, seek EU funding for cross-border projects and protect the rights of EU citizens in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland during negotiations.

Summary: It is a matter of vital national interest that there is no return to a hard border on the island of Ireland when the UK leaves the European Union, the taoiseach (Irish prime minister) has said.


Japan's nuclear plants had been switched off after the meltdown at the Fukushima plant in March 2011 caused by a tsunami following an earthquake. More than 100,000 people were evacuated from the surrounding area. This switch-back-on will be the first of many. But, after one of the most shocking incidents in nuclear power's history, four experts talk to the BBC World Service Inquiry programme about whether we can continue to live with the technology. Tatsujiro Suzuki was vice-chairman of the Japanese government's Atomic Energy Commission at the time of the Fukushima disaster. He is now director of the research centre for nuclear weapons abolition at Nagasaki University. "I thought [Fukushima] would be the end of the nuclear industry in Japan: it was very shocking. "I personally felt very responsible for the event and I felt very sorry for the Fukushima people. It was not just a technical issue. This kind of accident has a serious social, ethical, political impact on their lives. "We expected that there would be no such serious accident in Japan. In our culture if you speak of the devil he will show up. So you better not speak the bad thing. There's no Japanese translation of the word 'risk', so there's no 'risk analysis' or 'risk assessment': we call it 'safety analysis', 'safety assessment'. "In the public mind there was no clear connection between the peaceful use of nuclear energy and nuclear weapons. Most people in Japan are against nuclear weapons, but the majority of the public were not against nuclear power. "As you saw pictures of the explosion and people evacuating from their homes and becoming concerned about radiation, people started to think this could have the same impact as nuclear weapons. Finally, people started to realise radiation is radiation. "It is a huge, huge loss of public trust. It's going to take a long long time to recover it." Miranda Shreuers is director of the Environmental Policy Research Centre at the Free University in Berlin. She was asked to join the commission to determine Germany's nuclear policy after the Fukushima disaster. "Germany had always looked at Japan as a peer, a country of similar technological capacity, so the question was really, could something like that happen in Germany? "After Fukushima, Germany reached something that you don't find in many other countries that have nuclear energy: a cross-party consensus that nuclear is not the future. That lies with other areas, with energy efficiency, with smart cities, with new technologies. "We're going to phase out nuclear energy and, at the same time, phase out of other fossil fuels: so a double phase-out, that really is historic. "Germany has a history of division, so there was always concern that there could someday be new conflict, and concern about the connection between conventional nuclear and military purposes of nuclear. "That contributed in the 1970s to the development of an environment peace movement and anti-nuclear movement that came together in a much stronger way than it did in most other places. "The best thing that Germany can do is to present

Summary: As Japan restarts its nuclear power industry four years after the Fukushima disaster, have we learned to make peace with the technology?