The people have spoken, and delivered a resounding "not sure". Unlike last time round, the policies, personalities and Parliamentary arithmetic do not allow for formation of a coalition government. Minority government could be the only answer. Since the end of the Second World War when his late Majesty King George VI asked Clem Attlee to form a government, there have been 18 general elections. Sixteen of these have produced a majority one party government. This tendency for a clear result has us rushing for the constitutional rule book when things are less than clear. In fact, despite Britain's unwritten constitution, the mechanics for forming a minority government are clear and a minority government is not without precedent, especially for voters in Scotland and Wales. Post-war Britain has seen three minority governments. After the inconclusive election of February 1974, Harold Wilson formed a minority Labour government. He had no intention, however, of making this a long term arrangement and in October of the same year, called a second election; where Labour secured a Commons majority of just three seats. The 'indecisive election' of February 1974 led to a minority Labour government under Harold Wilson and another general election in October. Watch: BBC News Timeliner - February 1974 Watch: BBC News Timeliner - October 1974 This tiny majority eventually led to Britain's second minority government. A by-election defeat and defections saw Labour lose its majority on the day Jim Callaghan took over as prime minister in April 1976. A short-lived deal with the Liberals came and went and in 1979, the government fell when Margaret Thatcher (supported by the SNP) tabled and won a "No Confidence" vote - ushering in 18 years of Conservative rule. This government, towards its end, would see Britain's third minority administration. In 1992 John Major secured a majority of 21 seats, but defections and by-election defeats saw the government enter minority status by November 1996. At Westminster, minority governments don't appear to have worked that well. Wilson tried it for eight months and went for a majority as soon as he could. The tail-end of the Callaghan and Major governments, cannot, even in the most generous of reviews, be regarded as halcyon days of good governance. However, the devolved assemblies in Scotland and Wales have both seen stable, full-term minority governments. Looking at Scotland, the SNP formed a minority government after the 2007 elections to the Scottish Parliament. Being in a minority, it wasn't able to get everything it wanted onto the Statute Book. Bills to enable a referendum on independence and to introduce a local income tax, were axed when it became clear that they had insufficient parliamentary support. Plans for a minimum price per unit of alcohol were also dropped. However, it went the full term, laws were enacted and all its budgets were passed with the support of the Scottish Conservatives. Alex Salmond went on to take majority control in 2011 and the party's continued electoral success could be the talk of this election. Nor are stable and effective minority governments unknown in Commonwealth countries that

Summary: It's Friday, 8 May, all the votes are counted and every constituency declared.


The submarine, one of the Russian navy's most advanced vessels, sank in the Barents Sea on 12 August, 2000 with the loss of all 118 people on board. An explosion of fuel from an old torpedo caused the disaster. Moscow's response to one of the greatest disasters in Russian naval history was widely criticised. Relatives and members of Russia's northern fleet are due to cast wreaths into the sea on Thursday in memory of the crew. Flags are being flown at half-mast at the headquarters of all Russia's naval fleets, and a ceremony and minute's silence was being held at Moscow's Central Army Museum. The initial response to the disaster in 2000 was shambolic, says the BBC's Richard Galpin. After radio contact was lost there was a still unexplained delay before a search and rescue mission was launched. Although the submarine was lying just 100m below the surface of the sea, attempts to locate it and reach it repeatedly failed. It was days before the authorities informed relatives that something was wrong and the then President, Vladimir Putin, initially remained on holiday. Russia eventually accepted international assistance, but when Norwegian divers opened the Kursk's hatch 10 days later they found the boat flooded and everyone dead. Many had died within seconds of the initial explosion, but others survived for several hours, a report found. Russian officials originally suggested the submarine may have collided with a foreign ship or with a stray mine. But it emerged that an explosion was caused by fuel that had leaked from a torpedo. This started a fire, which subsequently caused all ammunition on board to detonate. The boat was raised and the bodies recovered in 2001.

Summary: Ceremonies are being held in Russia and on board its naval vessels to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Kursk nuclear submarine disaster.


Waitrose said like-for-like sales rose 2.8% in the five weeks to 3 January, compared with last year. House of Fraser, which has 59 shops across the UK and Ireland, said like-for-like sales jumped 8% for the six weeks to 3 January, versus last year. Sales in the week before Christmas were the 165-year old firm's best ever. Both retailers' saw a sharp increase in online sales compared to last year, with Waitrose reporting a 26.3% rise in online grocery sales, and House of Fraser seeing a 31.2% jump. Waitrose, which has 334 shops, is owned by John Lewis, which reported strong festive trading figures on Monday. "As a business owned by the people who work here, we can take the long-term view and our Christmas results show the effectiveness of our strategy of investing in good value, in making our shops attractive destinations and in building our online business," said managing director Mark Price. House of Fraser's chief executive John King said he was "delighted" with the chain's Christmas trading period. The firm said it planned to continue to invest in its online offering this year, as well as refurbishing more stores. "Given this further investment, we believe that we are well placed to continue to grow in 2015," added Mr King. Last year, the privately held firm sold a majority stake in its business to Chinese conglomerate Sanpower, giving it an 89% share in the company.

Summary: Upmarket supermarket chain Waitrose and department store chain House of Fraser have both reported strong sales over the key Christmas trading period.


Fazakerley, who has played international cricket for Guernsey, has been part of the county's academy. "Will has had a really good season with the academy and the Second XI," chief executive Wasim Khan said. "He has impressed us greatly with the progress he has made and it is great he is signing his first professional contract with Leicestershire." Fazakerley's last international match was the annual clash between his home island of Guernsey and their Channel Island rivals Jersey, which they lost by 49 runs. "I've only been there for two months and I didn't think I'd made a big enough impression there, but obviously they seem pretty happy," Fazakerly told BBC Radio Guernsey. "I was planning to have another year in the academy, which is why I was so surprised when they offered me this deal, but obviously I won't complain. "This is just the start, I want to have a long and successful career in cricket. I want to play as much first-class cricket as possible."

Summary: Leicestershire have handed 17-year-old Will Fazakerley a 12-month first professional contract.


Media playback is not supported on this device As Test Match Special celebrates its 60th anniversary, BBC Radio 5 live Sport brings you Our TMS. People of all ages tell their stories of enjoying Test Match Special - from those who have listened for all 60 years to those who have only tuned in recently. We hear about the sailors who listened to Geoffrey Boycott's 100th first-class hundred while aboard the Ark Royal, the mother following the Ashes from a maternity ward, and the boy who would take his transistor radio and watch the Test outside a TV shop. Discover more about the captain of a sinking boat pumping out sea water as Devon Malcolm took nine wickets against South Africa, people listening at Lord's when John Arlott commentated on his final spell, and the listener who had the infamous 'leg over' incident played at her funeral. There will also be the odd recognisable voice or two paying their tribute to the programme. Our TMS will be on BBC Radio 5 live at 19:30 BST on Tuesday, 25 July. Media playback is not supported on this device

Summary: What is a programme without its listeners?


There were 1,500 earthquakes recorded in Edinburgh and the Lothians over the same period. The largest earthquake in the Lothians was in Rosewell on 9 October 1986 with a 2.8 magnitude on the Richter Scale. Among the other areas with the most geological activity were Clackmannanshire and Dumfries. A seismometer at the Royal Observatory in Edinburgh records earthquakes within a 30km (19 miles) radius. More recently there was a 2.2 magnitude earthquake recorded in Penicuik in Midlothian on 13 November 2014. There were two 2.3 magnitude earthquakes in Penicuik on 30 November and 9 December 2007. Davie Galloway, British Geological Survey seismologist, told the BBC Scotland news website, that an earthquake over 2 magnitude would feel like a lorry passing your house and it would make windows rattle. He said: "People think we don't get earthquakes because we are not on the edge of a plate but we do. "Although we sit on the middle of a plate on the earth's crust we still have earthquakes although not on the same magnitude as for example Japan. "We also get them in old mining areas. If the stress exceeds the strength of the rock then it can create an earthquake." The largest-known earthquake to ever hit the UK had a magnitude of 6.1 on 7 June 1931 in the North Sea. It was felt across most of Britain with damage reported from 71 different places. Ben Flanagan at Esri UK, said: "We wanted to examine where Scotland's earthquakes occurred to see if any patterns emerged and uncover the myth that the country doesn't get that many. "Modern mapping techniques enabled us to plot all 10,000 across the UK and reveal Scotland's areas of highest seismic activity."

Summary: There were more than 4,000 earthquakes recorded across Scotland over the past 50 years, including a 4.4 magnitude quake in Knoydart Peninsula in 1974.


Norwood, 24, insists Michael O'Neill's side, who are unbeaten in 10 matches after Monday's win over Slovenia, are continually underestimated. Northern Ireland will face Poland, Ukraine and Germany in Group C in France this summer. "We are not going there to make the numbers up," Norwood told BBC Sport. "The lads were saying that we have had not much recognition for what we did achieve. I think it's worked in our favour a little bit to be honest because people do underestimate us a bit and it's worked out for us. "I think we do surprise a few teams because of how good a team we are. But we've earned the right to take part in the tournament and we know what we are good at and that we can achieve good things." Norwood has established himself as a regular starter alongside captain Steven Davis in Northern Ireland's midfield. But he believes that he, along with Reading team-mates Paul McShane, Chris Gunter, and Hal Robson-Kanu, must maintain their club form to ensure a seat on the plane to France. Gunter and Robson-Kanu have respectively earned 66 and 30 caps for Wales, while McShane has played 31 times for the Republic of Ireland, both teams also Euro 2016 qualifiers. Reading have not won any of their last five matches and are only eight points above the Championship relegation zone. "If you are not doing well at your club and not playing then it gives the international managers a decision to make," Norwood added. "You do not want him to be making the decisions and then not make squad for the finals. It's important to get back in the team here [at Reading] as quickly as I can and play well until the end of the season. "We have got to start picking up points, we do not want to be getting drawn into the bottom of the table. We are only eight points off it and we know we are not safe yet."

Summary: Reading's Oliver Norwood believes Northern Ireland will continue to fly under the radar at Euro 2016 - their first major tournament for 30 years.


Polish MEP Janusz Korwin-Mikke made the gesture in July as he spoke against the influx of migrants into the EU. In October, Italian MEP Gianluca Buonanno wore a Hitler moustache and gave the salute during a debate where the German chancellor was present. The pair have been fined $3,380 (Â£2,200) and are suspended for 10 days, but can still vote. The European Parliament Bureau decided on Monday to confirm the sanctions imposed by the parliament's president Martin Schulz earlier this month, a spokesman said. Mr Korwin-Mikke was protesting against the transportation of migrants across the EU. He said "This time it is 'ein Reich, ein Volk, ein Ticket'" and later made a speech referring to migrants as "human garbage". Mr Buonanno wore a T-shirt combining the images of Adolf Hitler and Angela Merkel during a debate on the Volkswagen emissions scandal, and a day later gave the Nazi salute with Mrs Merkel and French President Francois Hollande present. Both MEPs had been involved in this type of incident before, the European Parliament said. Mr Buonanno tweeted a photograph of himself in the European Parliament on Tuesday, saying: "They banned me but I went in anyway!" He was embroiled in more controversy earlier this month when he brandished a gun during a TV interview during a row over Italy's self-defence laws and announced he was setting up a fund to help residents in his town buy guns.

Summary: Two right-wing MEPs have been suspended from the European Parliament for making Nazi salutes during sessions.


American Chris Zablocki again finished second, while James Faudemer was the first Jersey runner home in a new personal best of 2:39.15. Nollaigh O'Neill, who led from early on, dominated the women's race. "I'm so happy, but the time was slow," said the 44-year-old Irish runner. "I was flying up until about mile 20 or 21 and my quads started to seize and tighten up, so I just had to pull back and run strong and smart." O'Neill made it over the line at the Weighbridge just outside the three hour mark (3:01.48) and more than 10 minutes clear of second-placed Ffion Davies. More than 400 runners took on the full 26-mile course, with hundreds more in the 3K fun run and relay events. While Troshkin stole the headlines in the men's race, Faudemer's run smashing quarter of an hour off his personal best was amongst the local highlights. "I'm just so happy," Faudemer told BBC Radio Jersey. "Long distance running is picking up in Jersey - I knew I had it in me with the sessions I've done in the build up. "The support was amazing throughout the whole course, friends and family, it was awesome and made a big difference." SportsHub Men, featuring Jersey's top triathlete Dan Halksworth, took the relay title while SportsHub Women were the first female team home. Peter Holmes won the 3K race, narrowly ahead of Jack Kennedy.

Summary: Russian Aleksey Troshkin won the Jersey Marathon for the third year in a row, with his time of two hours, 18 minutes and 28 seconds just outside his own course record.


The crash has closed the A76 Dumfries to Kilmarnock Road at Sanquhar in south west Scotland. A major clean-up operation is under way and police say the route is expected to be closed for most of the day. Lengthy diversions are in operation and motorists are being urged to avoid the area. The driver was not hurt. The glue container burst when the lorry jack-knifed on the road at 05:30, police said. The incident happened in the town centre and diversions are in place around the affected area in Sanquhar. Traffic is able to rejoin the A76 either side of the town but the re-routing has caused difficulties for large, industrial vehicles. A Dumfries and Galloway police spokesman said: "The glue container on the lorry has burst and glue spilling is affecting the road surface. "Road diversions are being put in place. However, motorists are asked to avoid the area if possible." A member of police control staff said the road closure is expected to be in place for several hours.

Summary: A road has been closed after a lorry carrying glue jack-knifed, spilling its load over the carriageway.


Media playback is not supported on this device Pennetta, the 26th seed, won 7-6 (7-4) 6-2 to become only the second Italian woman to win one of the tennis majors. She then said: "I make a big decision in my life - this is the way I like to say goodbye to tennis." The 33-year-old from Brindisi confirmed she plans to play the rest of the season before retiring. "One month ago I decided that this is the way I would say goodbye to tennis," added Pennetta, who collected a winner's cheque of $3.3m (£2.1m). "This is my last and I couldn't think of finishing in a better way." Vinci, ranked 43rd in the world, had stunned Serena Williams in the semi-finals, ending the world number one's bid for a calendar Grand Slam. The 32-year-old from Taranto, said: "I am really happy and really happy for Flavia. It's tough to play against a player who you have known for a long time. "I tried to play my best, but Flavia played unbelievable and I have to say congrats to her." Pennetta later cleared up any confusion arising from her surprise post-match announcement on court. "I will play until the end of this year but it was my last match here in New York," she explained. The new world number eight will play two tournaments in China, as well as the WTA Finals in Singapore if she qualifies, before calling it a day. "Sometimes it's getting hard for me to compete," said Pennetta, who joins 2010 French Open champion Francesca Schiavone as a female Italian Grand Slam winner. "You have to fight every week and if you don't in the way I did today, it's going to be bad. I don't feel like I have this power any more. "It was a really hard decision but I'm really happy I did it. I'm really happy and proud of myself." Vinci, asked what their appearance in the final together had proved, said: "I beat Serena - a miracle. Two Italians can reach the final - a second miracle. And one Italian player can win a Grand Slam." The absence of Williams from the final day had led to fears that the stadium might be half empty, but a full house of 23,771 did see history made, albeit Italian history. Prime Minister Matteo Renzi was courtside after flying in for the first final between two of his compatriots since the open era began in 1968. It was Pennetta who prevailed after making the running from the outset, breaking serve at the seventh attempt in a dramatic seventh game. Vinci was tentative, making little headway with her sliced backhand until a Pennetta error brought her level at 4-4. A tie-break was required and again it was Pennetta who held her game together better, clinching it with a serve after four errors from Vinci. Pennetta raced 4-0 clear in the second, a big enough lead to absorb a brief fightback from Vinci, and the darkening skies above loomed as the biggest threat to her hopes. The drizzle

Summary: Flavia Pennetta beat fellow Italian Roberta Vinci to win her first Grand Slam title at the US Open, and then announced her retirement.


The endorsement came after Mr Rajoy's Popular Party (PP) gained the backing of the Ciudadanos ("Citizens") party and tacit support from the Socialists. Socialist lawmakers are said to have been among the 68 abstentions. The country had faced the prospect of a third general election inside a year. But the Socialists forced out their leader, Pedro Sanchez, earlier this month after he rejected abstention. Mr Rajoy has led a caretaker administration since losing his overall majority in an election last December. A repeat election in June failed to end the impasse but strengthened his hand. The Socialists (commonly known by their Spanish abbreviation, the PSOE) came second on both occasions, their support eroded by radical leftist newcomers Podemos. For decades, the PSOE and PP took turns in governing the country on their own but last year the popular vote split four ways - the new centrist Ciudadanos party came fourth. Spain country profile The PSOE has 85 seats to the 137 won by the PP in June. Podemos's Ikea-style appeal to young voters Resisting change in a dying Spanish village Taking back Barcelona's apartments

Summary: Spain's parliament has voted to allow conservative leader Mariano Rajoy to lead a minority government after a 10-month political deadlock following inconclusive elections.


Media playback is not supported on this device The 31-year-old completed the 40km route in 44 minutes 42.99 seconds, 45 seconds quicker than defending champion Vasil Kiryienka of Belarus. Spain's Jonathan Castroviejo was third. It was Martin's second gold of the week in Doha, following victory in the men's team time trial in his last race for Etixx-Quick Step. Martin will be leaving the Belgium-based side to join Katusha from 2017. Switzerland's Fabian Cancellara, who is to retire this year and was not competing in Doha, won four titles between 2006 and 2010. "I want to be world champion every year, so I am so proud I can ride in a world champion suit from next year," said Martin. "I've missed it a lot. "The course was made for me. I just had fun on the road." Commonwealth time trial champion Alex Dowsett was the best of two Britons competing, finishing 12th in 46 minutes 54.07 seconds. Compatriot Steve Cummings was 25th. The women's elite road race takes place on Saturday, with Britain's Lizzie Deignan the defending champion. The men's elite road race is on Sunday, with Britain's Mark Cavendish among the favourites. 2010 Commonwealth time trial champion David Millar on BBC TV: "That was a phenomenal ride. Tony Martin at his very best. "The course was flat, there are no surprises, it's just who can hold that power for the longest time. It was the display of a world champion. Nobody could ever have come close to matching that. "Alex Dowsett will be disappointed in finishing 12th. I think he is capable of doing better. I'm not sure if it was the heat or the distance, because he's an hour record holder and we have seen him up there before. "But I think it's only a matter of time before we see him up there again." Find out how to get into cycling with our special guide.

Summary: Germany's Tony Martin won a joint record fourth men's individual time trial world title at the Road Cycling World Championships in Qatar.


Chinese electronics firm Hangzhou Xiongmai issued the recall soon after its cameras were identified as aiding the massive web attacks. They made access to popular websites, such as Reddit, Twitter, Spotify and many other sites, intermittent. Security experts said easy-to-guess default passwords, used on Xiongmai webcams, aided the hijacking. The web attack enrolled thousands of devices that make up the internet of things - smart devices used to oversee homes and which can be controlled remotely. In a statement, Hangzhou Xiongmai said hackers were able to take over the cameras because users had not changed the devices' default passwords. Xiongmai rejected suggestions that its webcams made up the bulk of the devices used in the attacks. "Security issues are a problem facing all mankind," it said. "Since industry giants have experienced them, Xiongmai is not afraid to experience them once, too." It has also pledged to improve the way it uses passwords on its products and will send customers a software patch to harden devices against attack. The recall affects all the circuit boards and components made by Hangzhou Xiongmai that go into webcams. It is not clear how effective the recall will be in reducing the numbers of vulnerable devices hackers can call on to mount attacks. Yes, and it probably will. The smart devices making up the IoT are proving very popular with the malicious hackers who make their living by selling attack services or extorting cash by threatening firms with devastating attacks. Before the rise of the IoT it was tricky to set up a network of hijacked machines as most would be PCs that, generally, are more secure. Running such a network is hard and often machines had to be rented for a few hours just to carry out attacks. Now anyone can scan the net for vulnerable cameras, DVRs and other gadgets, take them over and start bombarding targets whenever they want. For the same reason you would care if your car was stolen and used by bank robbers as a getaway vehicle. And because if your webcam, printer or DVR is hijacked you have, in effect, allowed a stranger to enter your home. Hackers are likely to start using these gadgets to spy on you and scoop up valuable data. It's worth taking steps to shut out the intruders. Not easily. Many of the devices being targeted are hard to update and the passwords on some, according to one report, are hard-coded which means they cannot be changed. There is also the difficulty of identifying whether you are using a vulnerable product. A lot of IoT devices are built from components sourced from lots of different places. Finding out what software is running on them can be frustrating. Also, even if recalls and updates are massively successful there will still be plenty of unpatched devices available for malicious hackers to use. Some manufacturers of cheaper devices have refused to issue updates meaning there is a ready population of vulnerable gadgets available. Because security costs money and electronics firms want to make their IoT device as cheap

Summary: Home webcams that were hijacked to help knock popular websites offline last week are being recalled in the US.


Computers were rendered unusable and business ground to a halt during the hack at the Townsend Business Centre earlier this month. Locked screens displayed a sinister message demanding three 'bitcoins' in return for the safety of some files. But the centre's CEO, Maragret McMahon, said they had a "lucky escape". "We refused to pay the money, which we have been told would equal about Â£13,000 and reported the hack to the police," Ms McMahon said. Bitcoin is a crypto-currency - a system of digitally created and traded tokens to which value is assigned. Computers have to solve cryptographic problems in order to add blocks to the blockchain - a ledger that records every transaction that has ever occurred with Bitcoin. In return, those computers receive bitcoins in a process known as bitcoin "mining". Users have a "bitcoin address", to which bitcoins may be sent or from which they may be used. Addresses are stored online in wallets that function like bank accounts. Although most people refer to Bitcoin as a currency, it is worth noting that for regulatory reasons many countries - including the United States - have decided to define it as a commodity instead. "Thankfully we were able to recover almost all of the information lost and our servers were restored within three days. "The important thing to note is that we didn't have any specific vulnerabilities, but these criminals are incredibly intelligent. "They could have been round the corner in Belfast or they could have been in Taiwan - we just don't know." The business centre became aware of the hack on Wednesday 5th October and reported it to police who were able to advise what to do next. David Crozier, from Queen's University's Centre for Secure Information Technologies, said these kinds of attacks are "increasingly common". "Cyber criminals often demand to be paid in bitcoin as they believe it is an anonymous means by which they can be paid - but they are wrong," he said. "Lots of people wouldn't think twice about buying physical security for their building such as alarms and heavy gates - but they are leaving themselves exposed to criminals online by not having the correct protection. "We believe many of these crimes are going unreported and businesses are simply paying up - this is absolutely the wrong thing to do because the hackers will keep coming back for more. "Our advice is to act just as the Townsend centre did and make the PSNI aware." The PSNI have said that an investigation is underway after the ransomware demand. Det Chief Insp Dougie Grant, from the PSNI's Cyber Centre, said: "We have received a significant number of reports in relation to this type of cyber crime in recent months which is reflective of what is going on nationally and internationally and I would encourage anyone who is a victim to contact police as soon as possible."

Summary: The CEO of a Belfast business centre has issued a stark warning to other businesses after being "held to ransom" by cyber criminals.


The 40-year-old, capped 42 times by Finland, joined the Latics at the beginning of 2015-16 and has gone to play 32 games and keep 15 clean sheets. Wigan are currently second in the table and on an 18-match unbeaten run. "If my experience can help what we want to achieve then that is fantastic," said the veteran keeper. "I've really enjoyed my season here so far, the team is playing well, the club have been very good to me and it's been great to play for the manager [Gary Caldwell] with the way he does things." Latics manager Gary Caldwell added: "Jussi has been absolutely tremendous since breaking into the team. "I've said on several occasions when asked about him that there's nothing I can teach him about goalkeeping, or how to recover and train."

Summary: Wigan Athletic goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen has signed an extended deal at the League One club that will expire in the summer of 2017.


John Lowe, who killed Christine Lee and Lucy Lee in February, was given a minimum sentence of 25 years. The jury at his Guildford Crown Court trial was told Lowe wanted the women "put down". Surrey Police has apologised for returning Lowe's confiscated guns to him seven months before the shooting. Sentencing Lowe, Mr Justice Singh praised the "extraordinary courage" of Lucy Lee after she returned to face her killer after making a frantic 999 call. He said that, having heard the evidence, he had come to the "clear conclusion" the 82-year-old had intended to kill both of the women. "You shot Lucy Lee in the back of her head after she made the 999 call, then reloaded your gun and pursued her outside the cottage, with the intention of making sure that this time she died," he said. In a victim impact statement Stacy Banner, Lucy Lee's sister, said she was "haunted by what Lowe has done". She said Lucy was the "big sister who comforted and preceded me" and the murders had left her struggling to eat and sleep. Outside court, she said: "I'm relieved it's over. He's never getting out." Ms Banner has criticised police for returning guns to Lowe just months before he carried out the shootings. Surrey Police has admitted the decision "was flawed and did not meet national standards". Three Surrey Police employees are being investigated for gross misconduct by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) over the decision to return the weapons. Christine Lee's sister, Julia James, said she felt "despair, physically and emotionally" since the death of her two relatives. "I miss them more than I can say," she said. At the start of the hearing, prosecutor Mark Dennis QC said Lowe's advanced age should not "dramatically" reduce his sentence and the "starting point" for a double murder of this kind would be a minimum of 30 years in jail. Surrey's Police and Crime Commissioner Kevin Hurley said as the trial was now over the inquiry could focus on why Lowe was given back his guns. Factors which would be investigated included whether the decision had been made because of "human error by negligence, as a genuine mistake, or as a result of funding cuts to backroom staff", he said.

Summary: An 82-year-old man has been jailed for life for murdering his partner and her daughter who he shot at close range at his puppy farm in Surrey.


A combination of high tides and strong winds caused a storm surge which overtopped flood defences. Hundreds of properties were evacuated with residents moved to emergency shelters. The Environment Agency said the tide on Thursday that caused the damage had been the highest since 1953. More than 500 properties were evacuated in the village of Keadby, near Scunthorpe, after a hole opened up in the bank of the River Trent. The Environment Agency said about 50 buildings in the village flooded after high tides. Others were evacuated in nearby Burringham on Thursday. One Burringham resident said the village's main street was "like a river" when the water flooded over the riverbank. "It's a bit devastating really, the damage it's caused," he said. "I haven't seen anything like that before. "The banks were like paper, just floating away when it went." Up to 100 properties have been flooded in Reedness in the East Riding, with some residents taken to Goole leisure centre. Homes in Gunness, Amcotts and South Ferriby in North Lincolnshire have also been evacuated. In Hull, residents living on some streets in the city centre were also removed to safety. Some hotels and shops near the city's waterfront lost power and were flooded. Philip Woods, manager of the Ibis Hotel in Hull, said all of the ground floor area was under water. "The surge of the water came into the hotel came down the long corridor and came into the rooms," he said Road and rail links to Hull were also affected. Part of the A63 in the west of the city was closed on Friday morning after water from the Humber covered the carriageway. Rail services in Hull and parts of North Lincolnshire were suspended. Richard Hannigan, chief fire officer at Humberside Fire and Rescue Service, said firefighters had saved 181 people from flood water. "We've moved now from the rescue phase into the recovery phase," he said. "We're putting out our high-volume pumps to start pumping out the residual water that of course is trapped in by the sea defences." Firefighters have been pumping water away from Hessle foreshore next to the Humber Bridge. James Jackson who lives next to the bridge said he thought it would be at least six months until his flooded home was back to normal "There'll be no Christmas party or anything this year," he said. "It's just going to be trying to get a resemblance of life again."

Summary: People across northern Lincolnshire and East Yorkshire are cleaning up after extensive flooding along the Humber Estuary.


"After eight wonderful years on The X Factor it's time for me to move on," he said in a statement. "I'd like to thank ITV, Simon [Cowell], The X Factor family and particularly the viewers, all of whom have been a big part of my life for so long." The 41-year-old took over from Kate Thornton in 2007 as host of the popular talent show. The presenter and broadcaster currently presents a show on Radio 2 and recently completed a 24-hour dance challenge for Comic Relief. "I'd like to wish the team all the best for the future, especially whoever takes over from me," O'Leary continued. "You're about to be the conductor on the most brilliant, runaway train in showbiz. Good luck you'll love it!" The news of his departure may fuel speculation that O'Leary is a contender to replace Jeremy Clarkson on the BBC's Top Gear. Before Friday's announcement, William Hill had O'Leary as 6-1 to take over following the BBC's decision not to renew Clarkson's contract earlier this week. Before The X Factor, O'Leary hosted Big Brother's Little Brother, Channel 4's companion show to its long-running reality show. He has presented on BBC Radio 2 since 2004 and has hosted the National Television Awards since 2010. Bookmakers Ladbrokes have made singer Olly Murs, a former X Factor runner-up, favourite to take over the vacant presenting role. A spokesman for ITV said O'Leary had been "a fantastic host of The X Factor" and that the channel was "sorry to see him go". "We wish him all the very best for the future and hope that he'll be back on ITV screens soon."

Summary: Dermot O'Leary will no longer host ITV's The X Factor after eight years on the programme.


American businessmen Jason Levien and Steve Kaplan lead a consortium that is in talks to buy a 60% stake. Swansea City Supporters' Trust will retain its full 21.1% holding, but former player Nurse, 78, is worried the club could lose its identity. "I'm concerned because it's going out of the hands of local people," he said. "I'm not going to say they're not going to advance the club, because we don't know what the future is going to hold. "But up until now the club has been run by Swansea people." Nurse was speaking after being given the freedom of the city in Swansea on Thursday. He played more than 250 games for the club and made 12 appearances for Wales. After retiring as a player Nurse invested in property in the city and emerged as a key character in saving the club from insolvency in 2002. He led the consortium that acquired the the Swans from then-owner Tony Petty. In addition to their financial problems Swansea were struggling in the bottom tier of the Football League, but have since climbed through the divisions and are in their fifth season in the Premier League. Nurse stood aside before the club's meteoric rise. Swansea's success means the value of shares is understood to have increased tenfold since the current board took charge in 2002, with the club now valued at about £100m. More than 70% of the shares are currently held by supporters and directors from south Wales. Swansea's directors have been impressed by Levien and Kaplan's plans, with chairman Huw Jenkins stating when news of the takeover first broke that additional investment would help the club "progress both on and off the field". Levien, the managing general partner of Major League Soccer side DC United, has been in Wales for discussions He and Kaplan, principal of Oaktree Capital investment fund and vice-chairman of NBA franchise Memphis Grizzlies, had initially been negotiating a deal which would have seen them acquire more than 75% of Swansea's shares. That would effectively have given the American consortium complete control, including the power to issue more shares. However, the modified acquisition of 60% will see the trust retain its 21.1% stake and ensure continuity at board level with the retention of Jenkins and vice chairman Leigh Dineen. They hope to complete a deal before the end of the Premier League season. *Martin Morgan resigned from his post as a director of OTH Ltd on 4 April 2016 **Brian Katzen and Jeffrey Crevoiserat own one more share than the Swansea City Supporters' Trust, giving them less than 0.1% more of a share.

Summary: Mel Nurse, who led the group that helped save Swansea City from bankruptcy in 2002, has concerns over plans for a US takeover of the club.


Brenda Mitchell, of Cycle Law Scotland, said safety issues had been highlighted since the tracks were installed. The issue was highlighted following the death of a 24-year-old cyclist who fell in front of a minibus after appearing to get her wheel stuck in a tram track. The council said it made "every effort" to raise awareness of the tracks. The female cyclist died in hospital on Wednesday after the accident on Princes Street. Police have appealed for any witnesses to the incident to come forward. Ms Mitchell, who is also a member of the Scottish Parliament's cross party cycling group, told the BBC's Good Morning Scotland programme that in her opinion City of Edinburgh Council had "ignored warnings over many years". She said: "The issue with tram tracks and their safety has been highlighted since the installation of the trams." She highlighted figures from Prof Chris Oliver, the head of the trauma unit at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary. In March, he produced statistics which suggested 191 cyclists were injured in incidents linked to the tram tracks. Ms Mitchell said the casualties included 64 fractures, of which 29 required surgery. Prof Oliver said: "It's a whole new range of fractures since the trams started running three years ago. "We've had a lot of people who have been out riding or commuting to work that have collided with tram tracks. "They have often been forced into the tram tracks by another vehicle that has pushed them into the direction of the tracks, so they haven't been able to cross them at 90 degrees. "They have sustained a variety of injuries and some of those have ended up on the operating table. We have now done 29 operations." Patrick McGuire, a partner at Thompsons Solicitors, represents 141 cyclists hurt after falling on tram tracks. He said: "Almost two years ago to the day I spoke out about the need for urgent action to be taken by the council to make the tram lines safer for cyclists because if it wasn't we would be facing a fatality. "No action was taken to make these safety improvements." He said other UK cities with tram systems did not have the same level of accidents as Edinburgh. However, a spokeswoman for City of Edinburgh Council said cycle safety was of "utmost importance". "We have gone to every effort to raise awareness of the impact of the tram on all road users," she said. "Since before the launch over three years ago we have carried out extensive awareness-raising activity both online and on-street, in partnership with other organisations, much of which has focused specifically on cyclists. "As part of this, markings were added to the road at Haymarket to direct cyclists along the safest possible routes. "Like many other European cities Edinburgh now incorporates both cyclists and trams and, as in these cities, cyclists are advised to take care when travelling near the tram tracks." Wednesday's fatal accident took place on a cycle route. However, the council added that the official national cycle route in the city centre takes cyclists along

Summary: Warnings about the safety risks which tram tracks in Edinburgh pose to cyclists have been ignored, according to lawyers.


French just edged into the top eight in the individual event for a place in Rio, with Samantha Murray 10th and Freyja Prentice 13th. Their combined scores helped them finish ahead of Italy and Germany. Olympic champion Laura Asadauskaite claimed the women's European gold. Asadauskaite, who started the run-shoot a combined 59 seconds behind eventual silver medallist Elodie Clouvel of France, had already secured her place in Rio by winning the World Cup final in June. It meant ninth-placed Alice Sotero of Italy was also rewarded with an Olympic berth in a race which saw Germany's Lena Schoneborn take bronze at the University of Bath. French was delighted by her career-best result which secured Britain their third Olympic place - following Joe Choong's seventh place in the men's event on Saturday and Murray's fifth at the 2015 World Championships. "It's amazing, I never thought I would be able to do it," French told BBC Sport. "I thought I was pretty average all day to be honest, but held it together in the run-shoot at the end and now I just have to stay strong next year." Murray - the silver medallist at London 2012 and 2014 World champion - was expected to challenge for her first European title. She ranked second after the swimming and fourth after the fencing stages, but dropped to ninth after the showjumping round and struggling with her shooting in the final event. "There was a lot of pressure," Murray admitted to BBC Sport. "I've had a difficult year with some injuries and some personal things going on so hopefully next season will be a fresh start. I'm looking forward to a clean slate." World junior champion and 2014 Youth Olympic silver medallist Francesca Summers finished 29th in her senior international debut.

Summary: British pentathletes claimed women's team gold as Kate French secured Olympic qualification on the final day of the European Championships in Bath.


The Australian impresario's death was confirmed on Facebook by Spencer Gibb, son of Bee Gees star Robin Gibb. A cause of death was not immediately available. Andrew Lloyd Webber was among those paying tribute, describing Stigwood as a "great showman" who "taught me much". Spencer Gibb called him "a creative genius with a very quick and dry wit" adding that "Robert was the driving force behind The Bee Gees career". Stigwood started out as an advertising agency copywriter in his native Australia before moving to the UK at the age of 21 There, he made his name representing English singer John Leyton, securing him a role on the TV show Harpers West One. The deal allowed Leyton to perform a song - Johnny Remember Me - which spent four weeks at number one in 1961. By 1966, after a period of bankruptcy, he became a booking agent for The Who, luring them onto his own Reaction Records label, where they recorded the hit single Substitute. He went on to manage Cream and Eric Clapton, before signing the Bee Gees in 1967 and steering them to international success with an intensive promotional campaign for the single New York Mining Disaster 1941. By the early 1970s, though, the Bee Gees had fallen out of favour, and Clapton was inactive due to drug addiction. Stigwood turned his attention to musicals, producing the movie version of Jesus Christ Superstar and The Who's rock opera Tommy. Having bought the management rights to Evita and Jesus Christ Superstar, Stigwood was instrumental in cracking down on unlicensed performances of the musicals in the US - including school productions - to ensure profits went into pockets of its creators. He also formed RSO Records (short for Robert Stigwood Organization), where he resuscitated the careers of his two biggest acts - sending Clapton to the top of the charts with I Shot The Sheriff, and rebranding the Bee Gees as falsetto-voiced disco lynchpins on Jive Talking. The Australian's midas touch continued in the late 1970s, when he produced Saturday Night Fever, making a global star of television actor John Travolta and selling 40 million copies of the Bee Gees-powered soundtrack. Stigwood followed it with the evergreen teen musical Grease, and was particularly proud of casting fellow Australian Olivia Newton John in the role of Sandy. But he faltered with the 1978 Beatles musical Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band - a fantastical but unfocused movie starring The Bee Gees, Peter Frampton and comedian Frankie Howerd. "If you like the Beatles and you like movies, do yourself a favour and stay away," wrote influential US film critic Jonathan Rosenbaum. Audiences took note, and the film flopped at the box office, although the soundtrack sold well. Stigwood went on to produce the similarly-disappointing sequels Grease 2 and Staying Alive - but found success later in life with the Madonna-starring musical Evita, which won the 1997 Golden Globe for best film. The movie's lyricist, Sir Tim Rice, paid tribute to Stigwood on Twitter, calling him "extraordinary, innovative [and] generous". "[He was] a vital part

Summary: Robert Stigwood, who managed Cream and the Bee Gees before producing the rock musicals Saturday Night Fever and Grease has died at the age of 81.


The Marine Conservation Society said plastic was a major feature as 16% more litter was picked up than in 2015. It wants people to pay up to 10p extra when they buy a drink and they will get it back when they return the bottle. It also wants takeaway containers to be compostable but opponents said the plans would not work. "With a deposit return scheme, you pay a deposit on a bottle - equivalent to 5p or 10p - and you get it back when you return to a reverse vending machine in a shop," said Gill Bell, Wales conservation manager for the Marine Conservation Society (MCS). "It's up to you to return the bottle so you would get your deposit back." "A deposit return scheme [DRS] would work in Wales and we would like the Welsh Government to look at it." Ms Bell highlighted the success of the 5p levy on plastic carrier bags and said DRS has been successful in other countries such as Germany along with parts of United States and Australia. Scotland is examining whether to introduce DRS. However, Jane Bickerstaffe, director of the the Industry Council for Research on Packaging and the Environment is against the move. She said: "A deposit is a tax in effect. "You'd have to have a system in place in shops which costs money to run and repair, leaving unintended consequences for the consumer. "They are financially expensive ways to address just a small part of the problem." The Welsh Government has been asked to comment. Other measures MCS wants to see is takeaway containers to be compostable and people to choose more carefully what they are buying in shops when it comes to packaging. Ms Bell added: "It's about empowering people to do their little bit at home. They can reduce the amount of plastic and packaging they buy." But Ms Bickerstaffe has a different approach. "Sometimes the criticism is litter because a few people can't be bothered to put the packaging in a bin so it ends up in the street," she added. "Litter is a growing problem and one that all of us need to tackle. That's why INCPEN is supporting a new approach called Neat Streets. "It aims to make everyone proud of their environment so they don't litter anything - till receipts, cups, crisp bags, fishing nets, newspapers, gum, cigarette ends or anything else. "Unless a place is properly cleaned, it just gets dirty again because even one piece of litter makes people think it's OK to add more."

Summary: The amount of litter on Welsh beaches has risen prompting calls for a deposit scheme to be introduced on bottles, cans and cartons.


Police Sgt Nicholas Peacock told Mr Cipriani's trial he "appeared to be drunk" when he was brought into Hammersmith police station last June. He was breathalysed and found to be nearly twice the drink-drive limit in June last year, his trial heard. The 28-year-old's defence have argued the case should be thrown out. They told Westminster Magistrates' Court there was a "lack of evidence" against the Sale Sharks star, who denies drink-driving in Fulham, west London. Sgt Peacock told the court Mr Cipriani's eyes were glazed and "he smelt of intoxicating liquor, appeared to be drunk to me, and was upset and tearful." More on this story and other news from London The court previously heard claims police gave Mr Cipriani special treatment and delayed breathalysing him in a move the rugby player believed was "calculated to assist him". Mr Cipriani was breathalysed after crashing his Mercedes into a taxi and found to have 67 micrograms of alcohol per 100ml of breath - nearly twice the drink-drive limit in England and Wales of 35 micrograms. But Sgt Peacock said delays are common, particularly at shift changeover, as was the case when Mr Cipriani was brought in. He also said the sports star was kept outside in a part of the station precinct known as "the cage" in order to stop other detainees recognising him. "The concern is that if you have a well-known person and they are seen by other people, that information can potentially be leaked to the press," he said. Philip Lucas, defending, told the court there was not "sufficient" evidence the breathalyser test in the police station was working properly and called for the case to be dismissed. The move came after the prosecutor and district judge raised concerns that legal proceedings were being "filibustered" and the case "derailed" by "unnecessarily complicated" legal submissions made by Mr Lucas. The case was adjourned until Friday.

Summary: England rugby star Danny Cipriani was "tearful and upset" after he was arrested on suspicion of drink-driving, a court has heard.


The Reds had failed to score more than once in their previous 10 League Two games, but were dominant against Warren Feeney's side. County striker Scott Boden opened the scoring at the wrong end when his header beat Joe Day after 36 minutes. Shamir Fenelon then headed home eight minutes after the break, before Newport's Medy Elito was sent off with five minutes left for two yellow cards. "It was disappointing, I don't think we got going from the first whistle, we couldn't get into a rhythm and our passing was poor," Newport manager Feeney told BBC Radio Wales. "We have to put it to bed and move on to the next game, we are still in a fantastic position to avoid relegation and that is still my aim. "You have ups and downs in a season and this was a down, the worst performance since I have been the manager. No-one likes to get beaten."

Summary: Crawley completed a double over Newport County with a comfortable 2-0 victory.


The agreement between the Ceredigion library and Cardiff University means the public will be able to access resources from a new base in the Arts and Social Studies Library. Previously they were only available on site in Aberystwyth. There are also plans for joint exhibitions, lectures and events.

Summary: People will be able to access the National Library of Wales' digital collections from Cardiff under a new agreement.


The Reverend James Percival, 66, and Ruth Percival, 29 from Freckleton were arrested on suspicion of child neglect but will not face charges, police said. They were previously held on suspicion of murder and conspiracy to conceal the birth of a child but also face no further action for those offences. It followed reports of a woman giving birth to a stillborn baby in 2014. A post-mortem examination was carried out on the baby but the cause of death remains unascertained. A spokesperson for Blackburn Diocese said they "note the police decision not to charge the former vicar of Freckleton and his daughter". "The Diocese has provided pastoral support to the family and will continue to do so as and when required." Lancashire Police said: "They both answered bail today and, following consultation with the Crown Prosecution Service, have been told they will face no charges." Det Supt Sue Clarke, who led the investigation for the force's major investigation team, said it had been an "extremely complex and sensitive enquiry". "We have worked very closely with the Crown Prosecution Service from the very early stages... and we respect the decision they have made not to bring any charges," she said. Det Supt Clarke said police "recognise the impact that such investigations can have on all those concerned" but were "duty-bound to thoroughly investigate incidents" and stressed that those arrested "have been dealt with professionally and sensitively throughout". The wife of Mr Percival, of Holy Trinity Church, was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to conceal the birth of a child but was released with no further action.

Summary: A vicar and his daughter will face no further action following the death of a baby boy in Lancashire.


The Robins have lost 11 of their past 12 league games, winning just once in that time, and are 20th in the table - two points above the relegation zone. "It is a horrendous statistic," Johnson told BBC Radio Bristol. "I'm ashamed of that. It hurts. We have to keep fighting." Former Barnsley boss Johnson arrived at Ashton Gate in February 2016 and steered Bristol City clear of relegation last season. A promising start this term saw his side occupy fifth spot in October, but Saturday's loss at the City Ground saw them drop below Forest - who had not won since 2 December. "It was a frustrating watch for all of us," Johnson said. "We were good in the second half and had a couple of chances we needed to take. "The Championship was never going to be easy - we are in a rebuilding phase. "We spoke at the start of the season about history makers and it was supposed to be positive - not bad history. "We've got to make sure we make history in positive ways and we can still do that this year. We need to fight our way back up the table. I believe that we can."

Summary: Bristol City head coach Lee Johnson admitted he was "ashamed" to see his side set a new club record of eight straight league defeats with a 1-0 loss at fellow-strugglers Nottingham Forest.


She may continue to exercise some functions, but her role will be very limited. Sinn FÃ©in has seven days to re-nominate a new deputy first minister following Mr McGuinness' resignation. However, the party is adamant it will not replace him. From the evening of Monday 16 January, the baton passes to Northern Ireland Secretary James Brokenshire. The law says he shall call an election. The usual time period for an Assembly election campaign is six weeks. If Mr Brokenshire moved immediately, then voters in Northern Ireland would be going to the polls in seven weeks' time. However, a previous court case indicated that the Northern Ireland Secretary did not necessarily need to call an Assembly election immediately, but within a reasonable period of time. Mr Brokenshire could use this flexibility to allow for more negotiations. What he cannot do as the law stands is suspend the Stormont Assembly and Executive. That power was used by previous governments on a number of occasions, but it was removed from the statute book as part of the 2006 St Andrew's Agreement. It would require a fresh emergency law to be passed by Westminster for suspension to be used again in the future. During the 2015 crisis over welfare reform and IRA activity, the Northern Ireland Office was adamant that, in the event of a breakdown, it would not try to bring back suspension powers, but allow fresh elections to take place. Government sources indicate that thinking has not changed, even though a potentially polarising campaign might not make the restoration of devolution in spring any easier. Sinn FÃ©in say their rift with the DUP is far wider than the latest Renewable Heat Incentive scandal. But whilst the Stormont parties go into election mode, it seems unlikely there will be any progress on either recouping the potential RHI losses, or agreeing an independent investigation into the affair.

Summary: Once Martin McGuinness' resignation takes effect, under the joint protocols that govern Stormont's power sharing government, First Minister Arlene Foster also loses her office.


The University of East Anglia undergraduate had followed a link to the page from the "course materials" for a politics module. It has since removed the link, but said "legitimate academic study" was key to countering extremist causes. Police confirmed they spoke to the third-year, but took no further action. "Officers were satisfied this was not a deliberate act and words of advice were given," a spokesman added. The Clash of Fundamentalisms course, which "examines the clash between competing ideologies of neoliberalism and Islamism", is available to a maximum of 18 students in the autumn semester. UEA's student newspaper Concrete quoted a "shocked" student on the course, who said: "People need to be allowed to learn about this stuff in order to know they disagree with it." In September, a postgraduate student in counter-terrorism received an apology from Staffordshire University after concerns were raised when he was seen reading a book called Terrorism Studies.

Summary: A student has been questioned by police after accessing an "extremist" website found on his course's reading list, it has emerged.


The star joined forces with her cousin, Senator Charles Schumer, to unveil a set of proposals for more stringent background checks on gun buyers. "The time is now for American people to rally for these changes," she said. President Obama recently said the failure to pass gun safety laws was the greatest frustration of his presidency. His comments came on 23 July, just hours before a gunman opened fire on a movie theatre in Lafayette, Louisiana, killing two women and injuring nine other patrons, before taking his own life. John Houser, 59, legally purchased his semi-automatic 40-calibre handgun in Alabama in 2014, following a background check that failed to reveal he had a history of psychiatric problems and had been the subject of domestic violence complaints. Schumer, whose film was playing at the cinema, said the incident sickened her. "I've thought about these victims each day since the tragedy," she said at a news conference at the senator's office in New York. "People say, 'Well, you're never going to be able to stop crazy people from doing crazy things,' but they're wrong. There is a way to stop them," she added. Senator Schumer, a New York democrat, wants to improve background checks by creating financial incentives for states that submit information to a database the FBI uses to screen gun buyers. His bill would also create penalties for states that fail to submit records to the database. He stressed that the proposals were about strengthening the background check system, not putting new restrictions on buyers. He also urged Congress to provide full funding to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, which faces a proposed 4.4% cut of $159m (Â£101m). But with gun ownership a contentious issue in US politics, the senator acknowledged he would struggle to get his bill passed into law. "We're up against a powerful lobby, so having people like Amy - who people respect and listen to - is a great antidote," he said. "She reaches people that, frankly, I would never reach." Schumer, who is known for her raunchy, no-holds-barred sketch show on Comedy Central, said she expected backlash for speaking out about guns, but would not back down. "I'll handle it the way I've handled it the last 10 years," she said. "I've had death threats and a lot of hate directed toward me. But I want to be proud of the way I'm living and what I stand for." The star, who refused to use Houser's name, added: "Unless something is done and done soon, dangerous people will continue to get their hands on guns. "We know what can happen when they do. I was heartbroken when I heard about Columbine and Sandy Hook and Aurora and so many other names of places that are seared into our memories. And I was heartbroken again when I heard about Lafayette. "We'll never know why people choose to do these painful things, but sadly we always find out how. How the shooter got their gun. It's often something that shouldn't have happened in the first place.

Summary: Comedian Amy Schumer has called for tougher gun control laws in the US, after two women were shot dead at a screening of her movie, Trainwreck.


Mark Yeates twice threatened for Blackpool before the break, with his second effort tipped onto the bar. A fine run from Stephen Darby set Reid up to fire low into the bottom corner. Blackpool's Will Aimson saw red in injury time for a second caution after a clash with James Henson. Defeat sees Blackpool slip to within one spot of the relegation places, with the Seasiders only above Shrewsbury in 21st on goal difference.

Summary: Kyel Reid scored the only goal of the game as Bradford City moved to within a point of the play-off spots with victory over relegation-threatened Blackpool at Bloomfield Road.


"Originally I was going to get the floor plan tattooed on my side, but that seemed a bit ridiculous," he told the BBC before his opening night show. Instead, he chose a lion, representing the England football team's logo. "It's going to hurt," the singer said. The star already has dozens of tattoos, from a ketchup bottle to a teddy bear, each marking career high points. On Friday, the 24-year-old became the first artist to headline Wembley unaccompanied, taking to the stage with just his guitar. "I don't know any different," he said. "I've never done anything but this at my live shows. I'm in control. Everything is in my hands." The star's hat-trick of shows coincides with his second album, X, returning to number one for a fourth time. The record, which has sold more than two million copies in the UK, has not left the top 10 since its release last June. He spoke to the BBC's entertainment correspondent Colin Paterson at Wembley Stadium about his achievements. One man, one guitar, three nights at Wembley Stadium. That's a bold statement. It's a good statement, yeah. I feel like the press, the media, the music industry - and some people in general - thought that the first album was a flash in the pan, so this is a statement to say that I'm going to be here for a while... So sorry. Whose idea was it? It was my idea. I felt like I'd done every venue on the ladder in England and this is the biggest. Was it always an ambition to play here? No! This was never an ambition because, as a singer song-writer, my ambition was the Shepherd's Bush Empire, which is like 1,500 people. I would never have had the balls to believe I could play a place like this. So what does it feel like to be standing on the stage where Queen played Live Aid? For me to be on such a small list of massive artists is very humbling and strange, you know? There's probably about six artists or bands right now that can sell this is out. To be part of that is pretty nuts. You've got AC/DC, Foo Fighters, Coldplay, One Direction, Eminem, Muse, Take That. It's under 10. How different will it be from a normal gig? It's going to be pretty similar to a festival set. I feel like it's going to be very crowd-involved and epic. I'll try to have intimate moments, but I kind of just want to have the euphoric, anthemic feel. Are you nervous? The size of the venue doesn't make me feel nervous. What makes me nervous is that stuff like this [indicates his guitar pedals] can mess up. The whole gig relies on this. The microphone can switch off, a guitar string can break. But I'm confident enough that if everything goes right, the gig will be great. What's your Plan B if there is a technical fault? Things mess up from time to time, and you just improvise. I have songs I can

Summary: Ed Sheeran says he will commemorate his trio of sold-out shows at Wembley Stadium by having his chest tattooed.


Mitzi Steady, four, Robert Parker, 59, Philip Allen, 52, and Stephen Vaughan, 34, died in the crash in February 2015. Bristol Crown Court was told the truck was too big to legally travel down Lansdown Lane in Bath. Driver Phillip Potter, 20, of Dauntsey, denies causing the deaths by dangerous and careless driving. His boss Matthew Gordon, 30, of Dauntsey, who was driving another truck in front of Mr Potter, also denies 14 offences while the truck company's mechanic Peter Wood, 55, of Brinkworth, denies four charges. Prosecutor, Adam Vaitilingam QC told the court Lansdown Lane, which has a 6ft (1.8m) width restriction for HGVs, was known locally as a "rat run". He said: "These two lorries were both a lot wider that 6ft - they were about 8.5ft (2.6m) wide - and they were not using Lansdown Lane for access - they were using it as a short cut. "They were ignoring the prohibitions. These lorries were not allowed to be and should never have been on Lansdown Lane." The jury heard tachograph records show the drivers had not taken mandatory breaks in the hours before the collision and both lorries were speeding as they approached Lansdown Lane. Mr Vaitilingam said the ABS warning light, which indicates problems with the braking system, was on in Mr Potter's lorry meaning it should not have been driven. Mr Potter and Mr Gordon were driving two trucks carrying 32-tonne loads from a Wiltshire quarry on 9 February last year when the crash happened. The court previously heard the brakes of Mr Potter's truck failed and the vehicle hit several pedestrians including Mitzi and a car containing Mr Allen and Mr Vaughan, both from Swansea, and Mr Parker, from Cwmbran, south Wales. Mr Potter is also charged with causing serious injuries to Karla Brennan and Margaret Rogers - Mitzi's grandmother - by dangerous driving. He denies a total of 10 charges against him. The trial continues.

Summary: A 32-tonne tipper truck was too wide to be driven on the steep road where it crashed and killed four people, a court has heard.


Brownlee, 28, won Olympic gold at London and Rio, and has not ruled out bidding for a third win at Tokyo 2020. "I'm going to pursue things away from Olympic triathlon; it's important I have a different focus," Brownlee said. "I've been to three Olympics and I can't say I won't definitely be at a fourth." Ironman triathlons consist of a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile cycle and a full marathon - almost four times further than an Olympic triathlon. "All triathletes have the ambition to do the almost mystical Ironman World Championships in Hawaii," added Brownlee, who beat his brother Jonny into second place at the Rio Games. "It's very unlikely that I could do it in the next two years, but I could build up my endurance then maybe go back to it after Tokyo as a 32-year-old." Brownlee has also revealed his mixed feelings over the attention that followed his decision to help his brother over the finish line at September's season-ending World Series event in Mexico. Leading with 700m left, Jonny, 26, began to weave over the road in hot and humid conditions in Cozumel. Third-placed Alistair caught his brother, propping him up for the final couple of hundred metres before pushing him over the line in second place. "Both Jonny and I were really quite uncomfortable with the attention that came out of that day, especially while Jonny was in intensive care and the jury were deliberating on whether we should be disqualified," he said. "The scale of the after-effect was incredible and, to be honest, completely baffling. We were both embarrassed at first and wanted to turn down all the attention, but we realised it gave us a platform to talk about triathlon and encourage people to get active. "The whole Mexico thing brought us to the attention of a lot of people who probably didn't know what triathlon was. So I think now that we can look back on it with the benefit of hindsight, it was probably a good thing - although I'd still have preferred Jonny to have won the race."

Summary: Double Olympic triathlon champion Alistair Brownlee is to take two years out from the sport to train for the World Ironman Championships in Hawaii.


Suleiman Al-Sadi, from Bristol, said members of staff at a store in the city whistled and laughed at him while he was shopping for a sofa last Tuesday. He said he was "shocked and horrified" when they made jokes about his "camp" appearance. DFS said an investigation was under way and several staff had been suspended. Mr Al-Sadi said "five sales guys" looked at him and started laughing when he walked into the shop at Cribbs Causeway. He said one of them joked they "should probably take him to look around the beds". "I was shocked, confused, horrified. A couple of them started whistling. I felt like I'd stepped back into the 1970s. "They were trying to taunt me. It was making fun and jokes of my appearance. They didn't take me seriously." Mr Al-Sadi complained to DFS. The company said it was "disappointed" to hear of the allegations and was "taking it extremely seriously". A spokesman said: "We have apologised to the customer for any unintentional distress caused and remain in regular dialogue with him as we look into the issue further. "Following the complaint, a formal investigation is under way and several employees have been suspended pending completion of the investigation. "Should anyone be found to have breached our standards, further disciplinary action will be taken."

Summary: A number of employees at a DFS furniture store have been suspended over allegations they made fun at the appearance of a customer.


Gatlin beat Jamaica's Asafa Powell - who ran 9.94secs - with fellow American Tyson Gay third in 9.98secs. Former Olympic champion Gatlin, 34, who led from the blocks, heads the Diamond League 100m standings after also winning in Shanghai earlier this month. Femi Ogunode, fastest man in the world this year, was fifth in 10.02secs. Great Britain's Laura Weightman came sixth in the women's 1500m. Weightman, 24, clocked a time of four minutes 03.04 seconds in a race won by Kenya's Faith Kipyegon in 3:56.41. Britain's Tiffany Porter, 28, finished seventh in the women's 100m hurdles behind winner Kendra Harrison. American Harrison finished in 12.24secs, a new American record and the second fastest time in the history of the event. In the women's high jump at the event in Eugene, Britain's Isobel Pooley, 23, finished eighth after clearing 1.88 metres.

Summary: Justin Gatlin ran his fastest time of the year to win the 100m at the Prefontaine Classic Diamond League meeting in Oregon in 9.88 seconds.


The Association of School and College Leaders says England's schools have had to make more than £1bn savings this year, rising to £3bn by 2020. The government says school funding is at a record £40bn, with rises ahead. Education Secretary Justine Greening will hear heads' cash grievances at Friday's ASCL conference in Birmingham. She is due to address the union, which has published a survey of its members on the issue. It suggests schools are finding it difficult to make savings without cutting provision and that things are predicted to get worse over the next two years. Cost pressures are rising as greater pay, pension and national insurance costs are having to be covered from school budgets. ASCL complains a new funding formula for schools has reduced the basic level of school funding going forwards by too much. The meeting comes two days after requests for more money to spend on daily school costs were ignored by the chancellor in the Budget. Philip Hammond however did pledge £500m for school buildings, mainly new free schools - some of which could be grammar schools. One respondent said his school was moving to a "bare bones education", in which "the components that make education special and enjoyable are being eroded away". Some 95% of the 1,054 heads, deputies and senior teachers responding to the survey said they had cut back on support services - including equipment and materials, as well as mental health and special needs support. More than eight out of 10 said class sizes had increased - a claim strongly refuted by the Department for Education. And more than two-thirds said they had cut back on activities like clubs and trips. Just under three-quarters of respondents with GCSE-level classes said they had cut courses and just over three-quarters of heads with A-level students said they had also reduced subjects. Foreign modern languages, music, arts and drama were among subjects removed at A-level. Another said: "Through no fault of their own, students will have restricted subject choices, in larger class sizes with less pastoral support, whilst still being expected to perform at the highest of standards - nonsense!" One head said his school may have to axe its sixth form provision for next year and another said his school was starting to "creak" with all staff working to full capacity. Interim general secretary, Malcolm Trobe, said: "School leaders will do their utmost to protect provision, as they always do, but they cannot provide everything that is asked of them without the resources they need. "Unless the government invests more in the education system, there will be a significant impact on the lives and life chances of young people." A spokesman for the DfE said: "As this week's Budget demonstrates, the government is determined to ensure every child has access to a good school place and is given the opportunity to fulfil their potential. "The government has protected the core schools budget in real terms since 2010, with school funding at its highest level on record at more than £40bn in 2016-17 - and

Summary: Head teachers say they are axing GCSE and A-level subjects, increasing class sizes and cutting support services as they struggle with school funding.


Could they be trusted to get the public finances "back in order". It was an age-old attack narrative used by the Conservatives over the decades - to great success. Labour breaks the national bank, eventually, it was claimed. And the Conservatives are voted in to sweep up the mess. It was a policy that became known by a single word - austerity. In the Budget of 2010, Mr Osborne, the Chancellor, announced £81bn of cuts over four years, some of the sharpest reversals in public financing seen for decades. "It is a hard road, but it leads to a better future," he said. The argument held, just, in 2015. Ed Miliband relentlessly attacked the Conservatives on the issue of "cuts". And was rejected at the ballot box. Yesterday, a change, and economically as well as politically, a pretty fundamental one. Yes, Labour didn't win the election. But Jeremy Corbyn - on a vision of higher spending, higher taxes and higher levels of investment - came closer than almost everyone, apart from maybe Jeremy Corbyn, believed possible. So close that Theresa May will need the support of the Democratic Unionist Party to maintain her government. What next for the "sound money" pledge contained in the Conservative manifesto, the idea that cuts would continue for the sake of the health of public finances? Well, like a number of pledges made by Mrs May, let's say it might well be flexible. One Tory close to Number 10 told me that the message would need to change or Mrs May would not be able to convince non-Conservative voters to back her. "It's time for the austerity policies to shift," he said. Nick Macpherson, the former permanent secretary at the Treasury, tweeted the election result "guarantees a higher deficit". In short, many economists believe the government will be obliged to borrow more as political uncertainty weighs on growth, leading to less wealth creation and therefore the need for higher borrowing. Mrs May and her chancellor were already saying before the election - most clearly in private - that the age of constant cuts was harder to sell to the public. But rather than make an increase in spending the focus of their "offer" to the voter - as Labour tried to do - they allowed the whiff of tax rises to hang over their campaign. The triple tax lock of 2015 (no increases in income tax, national insurance contributions or VAT) was dumped in favour of a single lock on VAT and a vaguer pledge to lower taxes generally. Mrs May also abandoned the pensions triple lock, which guaranteed a rise in the annual pension of at least 2.5% a year. And said nothing about curtailing the public sector pay freeze or reversing any of the in-work benefit reductions announced in previous Budgets. Cuts to public services would continue, Mrs May suggested. Cuts so deep that the Institute for Fiscal Studies wondered whether they were actually deliverable. The "tough" party was still on show, and with poll leads storming above 20%, it seemed like a tactic that

Summary: Before the 2010 election, David Cameron and George Osborne believed they would be tested on one issue.


Media playback is not supported on this device Seven-time Grand Slam champion John McEnroe sums up the Championships at the All England Club rather well. Pristine surfaces, the all-white dress code, strawberries and, most importantly, the world's best tennis players all striving for one of sport's most prestigious prizes. And it is all about to start again. Here are the key things you need to know. The gates open at Wimbledon on Monday, but the fun started a week ago. Qualifying began on Monday, 26 June as lower-ranked players not automatically in the draw competed for the 16 remaining men's places and 12 women's spots. Britain's Alex Ward, ranked world number 855, took one of them, but the likes of Marcus Willis, Liam Broady and Katy Dunne did not make it. The seedings, given to the top 32 players in each singles draw, were announced on Wednesday. Things really started getting moving on Friday, when the draw was made. Play begins on the outside courts at 11:30 BST on Monday, before Britain's Andy Murray, the reigning men's champion, has the honour of opening on Centre Court at 13:00 BST. Murray, Wimbledon champion in 2013 and 2016, has struggled with a hip injury in the lead-up to his title defence. The world number one was forced him to pull out of two warm-up matches at the Hurlingham Club, but practised at the All England Club on Friday and Saturday. And, putting aside his injury concerns, the Scot has been well short of his blistering form 12 months ago. Media playback is not supported on this device The Scot's start to the grass-court season has not been ideal - he lost his only match on the surface so far this year. Murray, 30, won the Queen's title before both Wimbledon triumphs, but this month he suffered a surprise first-round defeat by Australian world number 90 Jordan Thompson at the Aegon Championships. "There is no guarantee that I won't do well at Wimbledon, but it certainly would have helped to have had more matches," said Murray before his injury troubles. Seven-time champion Roger Federer, fresh from winning his fourth title of the year at the Halle Open, is still seen by many as the man to beat. The 35-year-old Swiss won the Australian Open in January - a record 18th Grand Slam title. Another success at Wimbledon will put him clear of the men's record of seven singles titles he shares with Pete Sampras, and move him to within one of Martina Navratilova's all-time record of nine. Federer's long-time rival Rafael Nadal is also among the Wimbledon favourites after winning his 10th French Open crown at Roland Garros. Nadal, 31, has overcome his own injury problems to climb back up to second in the world rankings. Novak Djokovic held all four Grand Slam titles going into last year's Championships. Now he holds none. The 30-year-old Serb, who rediscovered some form by winning the Eastbourne title, has dropped to fourth in the world rankings after a troubled year in which he has split with his coaching

Summary: "There's a certain beauty and majesty to Wimbledon - the elegance, the way the grass looks on TV."


Prof Gerry Holtham said plans for an advisory group of business leaders and experts were "probably not sufficient". He claimed it would be a "big ask" for First Minister Carwyn Jones to add Brexit to his list of responsibilities. The economist said a dedicated Brexit ministry would have the staff and resources to undertake the job. Prof Holtham, who previously led an inquiry into Welsh Government funding, said the advisory group was a good idea to help with "very complicated" negotiations, claiming both the Welsh and UK governments were "short on experience and expertise". But the Cardiff Metropolitan University professor said the panel would not be enough. "Brexit will influence a lot of different ministries within the Welsh Government," he told BBC Wales, naming agriculture and industry as key areas. "All of these will have to work together and make their input," he said. "The Welsh Government hasn't been great in the past at that kind of cross-departmental co-ordination. "It may help to have somebody who is responsible for pulling it together and conducting the negotiations." New Prime Minister Theresa May has appointed David Davis as secretary of state responsible for Brexit in the UK government, with former Welsh Secretary David Jones as a junior minister working with him. Mr Holtham said the first minister may want to lead the Brexit response from Wales himself, but asked: "Does he have the staff back-up to actually carry that out? "If there were a department doing that, there would be civil servants seconded to it and it would have the resources to undertake the job, as well as having a minister responsible for seeing that all the information was brought together and co-ordinated in the right way. "It's a big ask for the first minister to do that as well as all the other things that he has to do." In July, Mr Jones told the BBC's Sunday Politics Wales: "There can't be a minister for Brexit. "I have a limited number of ministers I can appoint - I can't appoint somebody just to do that. "The reality is we can do this anyway... not just me but the cabinet and other parties as well." Reacting to Mr Holtham's comments, a Welsh Government spokesman said: "The first minister is chairing a cabinet sub-committee focused exclusively on Brexit issues, bringing together the departments directly linked to EU business. "In addition the cabinet secretary for finance and local government will chair an EU advisory group drawing together expertise and sectorial interests from across Wales. "Throughout this process the Welsh Government will be fighting vigorously for Wales' interests."

Summary: Wales needs a dedicated minister for Brexit to co-ordinate its response to leaving the EU, a former Welsh Government advisor has said.


The 30-year-old has joined the Cards following a short spell at Eastleigh, who signed him in January after he was released by Portsmouth. Poke made three appearances for Woking while on loan from Southampton - where he started his career - during the 2006-07 season. He has also had spells at Brighton and Torquay United and has been on loan at Oldham, Northampton and Bristol Rovers. Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page.

Summary: National League club Woking have signed goalkeeper Michael Poke.


That's the aim of a unique clinical trial in Sweden that aims to intervene in the lives of potential abusers. And it's a trial that raises ethical and legal questions about whether societies can come up with therapies for the most dangerous offenders before they have broken the law. The trial at the Karolinska Institute, one of the world's leading medical universities, will recruit up to 60 potential sex offenders before they have broken the law. The team, led by Dr Christoffer Rahm, will then investigate whether they can use a medicine to reduce the risk of the individual committing child abuse. "Up until now most of the attention has been on how to deal with perpetrators [once detected] by the police or by the authorities, but by this stage children have already been harmed," says Dr Rahm. "I want to shift focus and explore methods of preventing child sex abuse from happening in the first place." Drug treatments for sex offenders, popularly known as chemical castration, aren't new. There are a string of countries where men can have medication imposed upon them to crush their sex drive. But nobody knows whether such treatments can be used to prevent abuse in the first place. And that's where Dr Rahm's programme, which is seeking crowdfunding support, seeks to come in. Over the course of two years, the 60 volunteers will be split into two groups. One will receive a drug that is known to rapidly and dramatically reduce levels of testosterone. The other will receive a placebo. Neither the researcher team nor the volunteers will know who is getting the medicine. This convoluted approach is the gold standard for clinical trials because nobody knows who is taking what until the end, meaning no-one can game the results and conclusions can't be prejudiced by assumptions. So, in theory, the researchers could come closer to establishing which types of offenders genuinely benefit in the long-term from having chemical castration-style drugs as part of therapy. So how exactly are they recruiting these volunteers and how will they measure success? Here in the UK, seven prisons give anti-libidinal drugs to paedophiles as part of a wider package designed to address offending. But forensic psychiatrist Professor Donald Grubin of the University of Newcastle Upon Tyne, a government consultant, says anyone on the cusp of offending is in a different situation altogether. "The problem has been getting psychiatrists on board to treat [potential offenders]," he says. "If you go to a GP, they will struggle to find someone to refer you on to." One British organisation that offers therapeutic help to "non-offending" paedophiles has recently received the backing of Paul Jones whose five-year-old daughter April was murdered by a man who had previously downloaded abuse images. In Sweden, things are different. The Karolinksa Institute operates a national helpline for potential offenders called Preventell. It will introduce volunteers to the clinical trial. Once inside the trial, the treatment group will receive a drug called Degarelix which, says Dr Rahm, leaves 97% of men who receive it with no detectable testosterone

Summary: Can you stop a paedophile before they've abused a child?


Antonio Horta-Osorio told shareholders that the bank is "just days away" from returning to full private ownership. A sale of the final 0.25% stake would be a "major milestone", he added. The government said recently that the value of its share sales had surpassed £20.3bn, although this did not account for inflation. Mr Horta-Osorio described 2016 as a "significant year" for Lloyds during which the government substantially reduced its shareholding in the lender. He said: "We take great pride in the fact that the government has already received more than its original investment of £20.3bn. "With further proceeds to come as the sale is completed, this will ensure that the UK taxpayers get back at least £500m more than was originally put in." In 2008, Lloyds rescued HBOS but then had to seek a bailout from the government which gave the state a 43% stake on the bank. The Lloyds boss said: "Looking at the group now, it is perhaps easy to lose sight of the fact that just six years ago this was a bank in crisis. "Six years on we have turned the business around and we are now a strong, safe and UK-focused bank." However, the bank still has to deal with the aftermath of a £245m money laundering scandal that was uncovered at its Reading office which led to the jailing of two former employees. Lloyds has set aside £100m to compensate some 64 victims of the fraud which include Deal or No Deal host Noel Edmonds. Mr Edmonds is seeking £50m from the fund to compensate him for the "deep distress and public humiliation" he suffered because of the scandal. Lloyds chairman told shareholders at the meeting that he was "determined" to ensure the victims in that case were "fairly, swiftly and appropriately compensated" within "weeks rather than months". He said: "We remain committed to learning from our mistakes and following through our strategy to be the best bank for customers, shareholders and UK." Lloyds's progress is in marked contrast to Royal Bank of Scotland, which was also bailed out in 2008 at a cost of £45bn. Chancellor Philip Hammond recently admitted that it is likely the government will sell its shares in RBS at a loss and it will only begin to divest once legacy issues at the bank are resolved.

Summary: The taxpayer will make a profit of about £500m on the £20.3bn bailout of Lloyds Bank Group during the financial crisis, its chief executive said.


Michael O'Neill's men had already reached the knockout stage as one of the best third-placed teams, but needed the Republic of Ireland's 1-0 win over Italy to confirm it would be they and not Turkey playing Wales next. "Northern Ireland are more physical than Turkey," said Coleman. "They get the ball forward quicker - that's where their strength is." Coleman added: "They are superbly organised and defensively so difficult to break down. They are excellent from set-plays." Wales sealed top spot in Group B with a stunning 3-0 win over Russia, following an opening victory over Slovakia and narrow defeat to England, while Northern Ireland lost 1-0 to both Germany and Poland in Group C but progressed thanks to a 2-0 win over Ukraine. Coleman says his players ended their alcohol ban with a barbecue party for family and friends after their superb performance in the group stage. "It was great as we had not had a beer since we had been in camp," said Coleman. "Some of the senior players came to me in the dressing room as we had one can of beer each in the dressing room. "They came to be and said 'can we have one beer back at the hotel? Then we will call it a night as we are playing on Saturday'. I didn't have to say 'don't be stupid' or anything. They took care of that. "Then it was a great atmosphere at the hotel, all the kids were there. We all needed it. "The chefs did the food. I don't trust any of us. I have done a few barbecues myself in my garden, but I am not sure I could give the type of burgers I dish up to our lads." Midfielder Joe Ledley fears he may have run out of celebratory dances following the routines that went viral on social media after qualification was secured in Bosnia-Herzegovina last October, and again in Toulouse on Monday. Ledley's routine following the win over Russia has been viewed more than 175,00 times on BBC Sport Wales' Facebook page. "I had them in the locker," said Ledley. "Obviously my mates back home know the dance moves and what I'm capable of doing. "I just needed the occasion and Russia was that. I just wanted to enjoy it. But I'm not sure what I've got left!" Pick the XI that you think can take Wales far at Euro 2016 - and then share it with your friends using our team selector.

Summary: Manager Chris Coleman says Wales will be prepared for Northern Ireland's physical approach when they meet in the last 16 of Euro 2016 on Saturday.


A suicide bomber detonated his explosives inside the cafe in the west of the city, police said. No group has said it carried out the attack. The violence comes ahead of Iraq's provincial elections on 20 April, the first in the country since 2010. Emergency workers were still trying to pull out victims trapped in the rubble when part of the building collapsed, police told the Reuters news agency. On Monday, a series of co-ordinated car bomb attacks took place across the country, claiming at least 31 lives and injuring more than 200 people. Tensions are high between Iraq's Sunni and Shia, amid claims by the Sunni Muslim communities that they are being marginalised by Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's Shia-led government. Sunni Islamist militants linked to al-Qaeda have attempted to destabilise the government by stepping up attacks, mainly on Shia but also Sunni targets this year. Although violence has decreased in Iraq since the peak of the insurgency in 2006 and 2007, bombings are still common.

Summary: At least 27 people, including two children, have been killed and dozens more injured in a bomb attack on a cafe in the Iraqi capital Baghdad, officials have said.


Media playback is not supported on this device Warner, 26, was suspended until the first Ashes Test on 10 July and fined £7,000 (AU $11,500) after the incident early on Sunday morning. "I struck Joe Root in the face and I'm here to apologise to Joe and own up to it," Warner told a media conference. A kid from the back blocks with a strong personality, Warner is outgoing, likes talking to people and always has an opinion. He is popular with his team-mates and respected in the dressing room. He has that lively and nocturnal side to his personality. But he is 26 now, and off the field he needs to change. "I'm extremely remorseful. I have let my team-mates, Cricket Australia, the fans, myself and my family down." Warner will now miss the remainder of his country's Champions Trophy campaign and the tour matches against Somerset and Worcestershire, although he is eligible for the first Test at Trent Bridge. He added: "I have accepted the punishment that has been handed down and I'm accountable for my actions. "Since then I have exchanged text messages with Joe. He accepted my apology which I am thoroughly grateful for." Warner, who has played in 19 Test matches for his country, was dropped for Australia's Champions Trophy game against New Zealand on Wednesday as a punishment. He could have been sent home from the tour after pleading guilty to a charge of "unbecoming behaviour". Australia captain Michael Clarke admitted Warner's behaviour was unacceptable. Media playback is not supported on this device "Although the punishment for David is quite harsh that's the reality when you play for the Australian cricket team," said Clarke. "This is not an IPL team, this is not state cricket, it's not county cricket. When you play for Australia there are standards you have to uphold. His actions have not met the standard required of an Australian cricketer." Warner's suspension means he will miss valuable match-practice as he aims to end a poor run of form. He has made seven single-figure scores in his last nine innings while playing for Delhi Daredevils in the Indian Premier League and one-day internationals for Australia. This incident is not the first time Warner has been in trouble with Cricket Australia, and last month he was fined £3,700 for a foul-mouthed Twitter exchange with two Australian journalists. Warner admitted he needed to improve his behaviour and said: "I've got to be a bit smarter with what I do on and off the field. Hopefully I will still have a part to play in the Ashes."

Summary: Australia batsman David Warner has apologised for punching England's Joe Root in the face in a Birmingham bar.


Emergency services were called to the scene, in the Inverclyde town's Union Street, at about 20:30 on Sunday. Firefighters used hydraulic cutting equipment to free some of the injured. Four men and one woman were then treated by paramedics at the scene. It is understood two men sustained head injuries and another man was treated for a leg injury. One of the men was taken to Inverclyde Royal Hospital.

Summary: Five people have been injured after a car and taxi collided in Greenock.