The spacecraft is aiming to make a dump-down on the planet’s Meridiani Plain a week on Wednesday. US researchers have suggested sand particles could soon start lifting into the atmosphere - something they do on a regular, seasonal basis. But the European Space Agency says it is unconcerned. Indeed, some scientists are even excited at the prospect. “We always knew we could arrive in a dust storm and Schiaparelli was designed with that possibility in mind,” said Esa project scientist, Jorge Vago. “And from the point of view of getting data on the electrification of dusty atmospheres, it could be very nice,” he told BBC News. Schiaparelli is carrying to Mars the first ever instrument dedicated to this purpose. The US space agency put out a release last week that raised the idea of an imminent storm, noting it could eventually evolve into the type that envelops the whole globe. In truth, it is unlikely to get that big for many weeks - if at all. But, irrespective of timescales, European engineers insist they are prepared. A lot of dust in the Martian air would increase abrasion on Schiaparelli’s entry heatshield and on the big parachute it will use to slow the fall to Meridiani. All this has been tested in advance on Earth. Likewise with any associated strong winds - the plain is wide enough and flat enough to accommodate an off-centre landing. “The only thing it could affect is the images we take on descent,” explained flight director Michel Denis. “If it’s too dusty we might not be able to see the surface so well.” Schiaparelli is a 600kg demonstrator - a trial of procedures and technologies needed to land on the Red Planet. Europe’s only previous attempt to land on Mars was short-lived. Its 2003 Beagle-2 effort failed to deploy properly after touching down, subsequent satellite pictures revealed. Schiaparelli will hope to fare better, albeit with a planned surface operation of only a few days. The probe is part of Esa’s ExoMars programme to explore the Red Planet and search for signs of past or present life. The other parts of the project include Schiaparelli’s “mothership”, called the Trace Gas Orbiter. Once this satellite has dropped off the Italian-built entry module, it will remotely investigate Mars’ atmosphere and geology. The final part of ExoMars is a UK-assembled robot rover, to be delivered to the planet’s surface in 2021. Key elements of Schiaparelli will be replicated in the platform that places the six-wheeled vehicle on the ground. This includes all the algorithms for guidance, navigation and control (GNC), as well as the doppler radar which determines the distance to the ground. "With the GNC and the radar, we will be carrying over the ‘brains’ of the Schiaparelli, if you like,” explained Vincenzo Georgio from aerospace prime contractor Thales Alenia Space. Schiaparelli and Beagle-2 have little in common. For one thing they use very different technology to make the final approach. Beagle relied on bouncing airbags to cushion its moment of impact; Schiaparelli will use retro-rockets to bring it to a

Summary: The European Schiaparelli probe may have to contend with relatively dusty conditions when it arrives at Mars.


The 73-year-old is starting treatment immediately, meaning a number of the act's upcoming shows will be cancelled. A statement on Facebook said the illness had been caught "at an early stage", so the pair hoped to be "back out on the road" soon. Chas & Dave enjoyed the height of their fame in the 1970s and 80s with hits including Rabbit and Snooker Loopy. They also performed two FA Cup final songs with Tottenham Hotspur FC, including Ossie's Dream in 1981, which reached number five in the charts. "Chas recently underwent hospital tests which revealed cancer of the oesophagus," the Facebook statement read. "Luckily this has been spotted at an early stage and he'll be undergoing treatment immediately. "Apologies to ticket holders for the inconvenience. The venues themselves will advise regarding rescheduling/refunds." Performances at Potters Bar, Norwich and in Milton Keynes on February 17, 18 and 19 will need to be rescheduled, the statement said. Chas Hodges and Dave Peacock both grew up in north London and have been performing together since the 1970s. Before forming their act, Peacock had played in a number of bands, backing Jerry Lee Lewis and opening for the Beatles. Together they became famous in their own right, with a number of top 20 hits. They have also played Glastonbury and opened for Led Zeppelin at Knebworth in 1979. They took a brief hiatus in 2009 following the death of Peacock's wife of 36 years, Sue, from lung cancer.

Summary: Chas Hodges - lead singer of "rockney" duo Chas & Dave - has been diagnosed with cancer of the oesophagus.


Media playback is not supported on this device Louloudis, 23, missed the event in 2012 as he competed for Great Britain at the London Olympics, winning a bronze medal in the men's eight competition. Cambridge will again have the heavier crew, at 5.25 kilograms per man more. And for the first time in its 90-year history, the women crews compete on the same day and course as the men. Racing along the River Thames from Putney to Mortlake, Cambridge will have the heavier team in the women's Boat Race, 0.9 kg per rower more than Oxford. Oxford are the reigning men's champions after powering to their fifth triumph in seven years in 2014.

Summary: Constantine Louloudis will go for a fourth Boat Race win in five years for Oxford when they face rivals Cambridge in April live on BBC TV.


The Cornish Seal Sanctuary in Gweek usually rescues between 50 and 60 pups over a whole winter but it has already rescued 52. Staff also expect the influx to continue to the end of March, with Storm Henry preparing to sweep in. The stormy conditions are preventing staff from releasing seals back into the wild. Read more on this story as it develops throughout the day on our Local Live pages Sanctuary curator Tamara Cooper said many pups were underweight and had been injured by being dashed on rocks. "They have come in thick and fast over the stormy period and we are expecting more over the coming months," she said. "Some are only a few months old and they come ashore to rest. "They are very skinny and need feeding up. We have six ready to go so we are just waiting for a clear spell of weather." Storm Henry is predicted to bring treacherous conditions and high winds of up to 90mph to the north of Britain today. Storm Gertrude brought gusts of more than 100mph in places as well as heavy rain and snow. Wildlife experts said an "extraordinary" number of dead dolphins have also washed up on Cornwall's shores this month due to recent weather systems. Abby Crosby, Marine Conservation Officer at Cornwall Wildlife Trust, said: "We've had 19 different cetaceans, that's dolphins porpoises or whales, recorded when the last ten yearly average is 11. So we're looking at almost double the January average." "It's a really sad situation, however it's an invaluable opportunity for us to examine these carcasses further to try and work out how they died and find out more about the biology and ecology of these amazing creatures."

Summary: A seal sanctuary in Cornwall has seen a huge rise in the number of injured pups in the wake of Storm Gertrude.


A number of smoke bombs were thrown onto the field marring Forfar's abandoned Scottish Cup replay against Linlithgow Rose on Tuesday night. "I'm not entirely certain Scottish football can do anything to eradicate it," Donald told BBC Scotland. "These tiny missiles that are coming in are the size of a cigarette lighter." The fourth round replay was cut short due to floodlight failure at Station Park, with a "distraught" Donald stating he had not anticipated any trouble or pyrotechnics from supporters. "Had this been a higher profile game, we would probably have put measures in place," he said. "But because we'd already played once and it went off absolutely seamlessly, you do your risk assessment and we thought we had the adequate amount of cover. "We possibly could have handled it better and maybe we should have been more prepared, but I think when you sit down, do your analysis of the facts before the game, this is probably as low-risk a game as you could get. Media playback is not supported on this device The 42 SPFL member clubs met on Tuesday, with facial recognition technology mentioned as one potential method of identifying fans engaging in antisocial behaviour. "I'm open to suggestions from people - how would you control it?" added Donald. "If you've got 500-600 people in a contained environment and they're hell-bent on setting a flare off, you would need to have a steward for every three or four spectators to stop that, and that's never going to happen. "It's really regrettable and it's something that is happening more and more often. It's a wider problem that's becoming far too prevalent." Linlithgow Rose manager David McGlynn said the club would try to track down those responsible for throwing the smoke bombs, while club president Les Donaldson attempted to challenge the perpetrators at Station Park. "It's just shocking to think that a club who has tried so hard to go forward, to make facilities so good for every person who comes along to eventually be brought down by a bunch of hooligans who have no interest whatsoever in watching football, all they were there for was causing trouble," Donaldson told BBC Radio Scotland on Wednesday. "All I wanted to do was try to show solidarity with the stewards and the police and try to get these people to realise how they were letting a club down that has never been in any trouble before. "To be faced with this bunch of morons last night - they are not true Linlithgow supporters - we are just at a loss what to do."

Summary: Forfar Athletic chairman Alastair Donald has conceded he has no solution to the recent spate in flares and smoke bombs being thrown by supporters.


Fire crews were called to the Hootananny venue in Church Street at about 17:20 on Monday following reports of an explosion. The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) said firefighters quickly established that it was not a gas explosion. SFRS said the incident was linked to a fireplace in the pub and a flammable liquid. Miles Stubbs, SFRS Inverness watch manager, said a member of Hootananny's staff was taken to hospital. He told BBC Radio Scotland that no-one else was hurt and fire crews dealt with the incident quickly. Mr Stubbs said: "We turned out to Hootananny to reports of a possible explosion. "On attendance we committed crews very quickly and offensively and ruled out quite quickly that it wasn't a gas explosion. "There had been a small fire involved in a fireplace with some form of bioethanol fuel." Following the fire, the owners of the city centre venue said on Twitter: "We are closed for the rest of today due to an incident this evening."

Summary: One person has been taken to hospital after a fire at a bar in Inverness.


Hurricane Harvey has produced high winds and extensive flooding forcing thousands of people from their homes. The closures are expected to cause a temporary spike in US gas prices. Analysts expect the economic impact of the storm to hit $40bn (Â£31bn; 33bn euros), with direct losses of $20bn. The storm's path through southeast Texas and the Gulf of Mexico has hit the heart of the US energy industry, an area home to almost half of US refining capacity and a fifth of its oil production. Houston, where water has overwhelmed the streets, is also the base of one of America's largest ports. US gas prices rose around 10% ahead of the storm, said Joseph Brusuelas, chief economist at RSM US. He expects prices to jump by another 20-30% over the next two weeks in the Texas region, with less significant increases elsewhere, he said. Food prices could also be affected, as shipments of wheat and soybeans are delayed, he added. Globally the impact is likely to be smaller, since the US is not a major source of energy exports and supplies remain historically high. Assuming the current weather forecast holds, Mr Brusuelas said he expects US prices to subside, as operations restart over the next two weeks. Over the longer term, the havoc wreaked by the storm on businesses and households is likely to reduce energy demand in the US, analysts from Goldman Sachs predicted. Houston is the fourth largest city in the US, and produces more than $500bn in economic activity annually. US economic growth could slow by about a tenth of a percentage point in the quarter as a result of the storm, said Mr Brusuelas. The economy should rebound in the following six months, as spending increases on reconstruction and other efforts. So far, oil and gas companies are focused on the immediate emergency and the safety of their personnel, without reports of major damages, said Bruce Jefferis, chief executive of Aon Energy, who is based in Houston. About 18% of oil and natural gas production in the Gulf has stopped, according to the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement. About 11% of all US refining capacity has also shut down, with others operating at reduced rates according to the most recent update from the US Department of Energy. Goldman Sachs put the figure higher at almost 17%. While big oil and gas companies are well-prepared for such abnormal weather, Mr Jefferis said the effect on families - many of whom are likely to be uninsured - and smaller businesses is likely to be far more significant. "Truly this is an unprecedented storm for the Texas area," he said. Hurricane Ike is estimated to have caused more than $12bn in insured damage when it hit Texas in 2008, with overall damages as high as $29bn. Mark Hanna, spokesman for the Insurance Council of Texas, said it's clear that damages caused by Harvey are more significant, but he cautioned that numbers for damages that are surfacing now - as rain continues to fall - are premature. "Nobody can put a

Summary: Many refineries have shut and almost a fifth of oil and gas production in the Gulf of Mexico has been suspended amid the largest storm to hit in the US in more than a decade.


This is the first time that a US head of state will be given this honour by India and reflects, more than anything else, the degree of comfort that Delhi has in its relations with Washington. India, traditionally, has invited its Republic Day guests who will not attract controversy at home and come from countries with whom it has close strategic relations. Thus the heads of neither Pakistan nor China have been invited on the first count. While no Latin American leaders have ever come for the second reason. It says something about how difficult Indo-US relations have been that it has taken over seven decades for Delhi to invite the US president to participate in a ceremony marking its emergence as a full-fledged constitutional democracy. While there is much focus on what diplomats call the "deliverables" - substantive agreements and deals - that will emerge from the meeting, the likelihood is that the symbolism will be much greater than the substance on this visit. Mr Obama and Mr Modi held a fruitful summit in September last year and the present invitation was extended seemingly on the spur of the moment by Mr Modi when the two met on sidelines of the East Asia Summit in Myanmar (Burma) last November. This has meant, officials on both sides admit, relatively little time to put together a substantial agenda. A better measure of the Republic Day summit's agenda will be the areas the bilateral talks will focus on - defence, energy and counter-terrorism. These are all in the sensitive zone of most governments and the depth of the discussion in each of these underlines how close the two countries have become. In defence, the spearhead of the relationship is less the business of selling and buying arms than attempts by India and the US to jointly develop and produce a new generation of weaponry. This idea has been kicked around for several years between the two countries, struggling to overcome political and bureaucratic resistance within both capitals. The expectation is that at least one, if not more, such deals will be signed later this month. A few dozen possible technologies and weapon systems have been offered by the US. India is particularly interested in drones, carrier technology and so on that enhance its ability to project its air and naval power. In energy, the two governments are looking at contending interests - improving the supply of fossil fuels and inhibiting climate change. Mr Modi and Mr Obama are relatively unusual among world leaders in their personal belief that global warming is an issue of overriding importance. The US has thus been a strong supporter - though with some commercial opportunities in mind - of the Indian government's ambitious plans for renewable energy, especially solar. The September Indo-US summit was shot through with green energy. Mr Obama would like Mr Modi to give binding commitments on India's carbon emissions, even ones as broad as the ones China agreed to recently. But India has a troubled fossil fuel dependent power generation sector. It is looking increasingly

Summary: The most significant aspect of the US President, Barack Obama's upcoming summit with the Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, is that Mr Obama will be the chief guest at India's Republic Day celebrations.


The scheme will see the town hall converted to house "nationally significant" collections. Kirkcudbright Common Good Fund agreed to support the project with a total of £130,000. The money will allow the creation of a second floor gallery to host a hoard of Viking treasure found in the region.

Summary: An additional slice of funding has been agreed in order to allow £3.1m plans for a major art gallery in Kirkcudbright to proceed.


The show's winner will get Â£30,000 towards 'musical education' and a VIP trip to Disney Land Paris. It's the first time that a junior equivalent of The Voice has come to the UK, although there have already been 30 versions of the show in other countries including Australia and France. The show opened with will.i.am promising us laughter and tears - so did it deliver? Here are five things we learned... This was made clear right from the start, as the very first act, 13-year-old Jessica belted out 'Somebody to Love' by Queen. By her last note, all three judges had turned around, and will.i.am joked that the police might be on their way "because you just killed it". Meanwhile, 12-year-old Courtney might have seemed quiet and shy while she waited to perform, but she transformed into a rock star when the music started, wowing the judges with moves she'd learned from Youtube. We probably could have guessed this, but just in case you were in any doubt the show opened with a 'story time' sequence including childhood photos and videos of Pixie, Danny, and will.i.am, and honestly they looked pretty cute! They chatted about childhood memories off-stage, and were clearly imagining how they would have felt appearing on a show like this back then. Did it look this scary in the adult version? The silence when the singers walk out onto the stage is deafening - you can hear the contestants and the judges breathing nervously, and even rustling in the audience adds to the tension. You can practically hear their heart-beats! The stage somehow looks bigger as well - you suddenly realise what a massive space it is for one person to fill. The relief when the music starts makes it all worth the build up! We're quite glad about this to be honest - all the contestants were really good, so there wasn't really any reason for the judges to find their inner Simon Cowell. Even when none of the judges turned around, they had loads of lovely things to say in feedback. In fact, contestants seemed equally worried about upsetting the judges when they had to pick a mentor. Will.i.am didn't take it well when Leah, the youngest contestant, picked Pixie Lott as her coach instead of him. Danny was the most buzzer-happy, and got a couple of acts without challenge, but it didn't take long for the judges to start competing to win their favourite acts. Will.i.am *really* loved the show's first rapping entrant. He was so into the performance that he jumped up onto the stage to join him mid-performance! Attention-seeking? maybe... but Little T seemed happy about it, and he picked Will to coach him. And Will wasn't the only one to perform - Danny burst into song to prove he could sing in Italian to Italian-born contestant Riccardo. All three judges were desperate to win Riccardo over after his beautiful rendition of 'Hallelujah' and even resorted to listing their favourite Italian things. Ultimately, Pixie won the act. Was it because she has (sort of)

Summary: The Voice Kids kicked off on Saturday night with singers aged 7-14 facing blind auditions in front of judges Danny Jones, Pixie Lott, and will.i.am.


Their lab-based work suggests there is a biological step that can restore normality and stop cells replicating out of control. When the US researchers added molecules called microRNAs, it put the brakes on cancer, Nature Cell Biology reports. Although the early tests in a dish look promising, it is unclear whether it will help treat people with cancer. The Mayo Clinic researchers are hopeful that the new mechanism they have found could apply to all types of cancer. It brings together two strands of science - cell adhesion and microRNA (miRNA) biology - that, until now, had not been linked. Scientists had thought adhesion molecules were simply the glue that holds cells together. But then others found they might have signalling roles. The Mayo Clinic work shows adhesion molecules connect cells and signal via miRNAs to control cell growth. If this becomes deregulated it can drive cancer. But replenishing cells with miRNAs can remedy this. Lead researcher Dr Panos Anastasiadis said: "By administering the affected miRNAs in cancer cells to restore their normal levels, we should be able to re-establish the brakes and restore normal cell function. "Initial experiments in some aggressive types of cancer are indeed very promising." Henry Scowcroft, Cancer Research UK's senior science information manager, said: "This important study solves a long-standing biological mystery, but we mustn't get ahead of ourselves. "There's a long way to go before we know whether these findings, in cells grown in a laboratory, will help treat people with cancer. But it's a significant step forward in understanding how certain cells in our body know when to grow, and when to stop. Understanding these key concepts is crucial to help continue the encouraging progress against cancer we've seen in recent years."

Summary: Scientists believe they may have found a way to turn cancerous cells back into healthy tissue.


The GMB union said women care workers, cleaners and janitors had been subject to pay discrimination in comparison with their male counterparts. The union said improved offers had now been made which put members in line for "significant equal pay awards". The council described the offer as a "positive step" in ending the dispute. North Lanarkshire Council Leader Jim Logue said: "I have made it clear since becoming council leader that we will settle equal pay claims where these are justified. "I am pleased to say this agreement in principle, which is subject to further discussion, with the GMB union, is a positive step towards that aim. "This is a major milestone which I hope will mark a departure from the confrontations of the past. We have negotiated in a sensible and constructive manner with the GMB and its legal advisers to reach agreement." Councillor Logue said the council had paid about Â£100m in equal pay claims in recent years and wanted to resolve the issue. GMB Scotland organiser Hazel Nolan said fresh negotiations began after "a recent change in leadership at the council". "Improved settlement offers subsequently followed, meaning GMB Scotland members can now look forward to significant equal pay awards," she said. "The new council leadership immediately recognised the need to resolve this inequality and their willingness to work with GMB Scotland in negotiating a proper settlement means our members are at last getting justice. "Our 'Equal Pay Now' campaign was organised after our members, including home care workers, cleaners and janitors, were forced into a protracted dispute with North Lanarkshire Council's previous leadership over pay discrimination in comparison with their male counterparts."

Summary: An agreement in principle has been reached to end a long-running equal pay dispute between North Lanarkshire Council and about 200 female staff.


Second-placed Chelsea closed the gap back to 10 points with a 4-0 thrashing of Birmingham City Ladies. City dominated a scoreless first half against Reading but had to wait until Beattie's second-half header to lead. Houghton's classy late free-kick found the bottom corner to make it 2-0. The victory was well deserved but the visitors restricted City's opportunities in the first period, with Jane Ross going closest when her shot hit the bar. However, Beattie eased any fears of dropping points when she converted Toni Duggan's free-kick soon after the restart, and fellow centre-back Houghton wrapped up victory with two minutes remaining. City have three league matches left, including one against Chelsea. Even if they lose to the London side, City need only two wins to be certain of clinching the league title. Manchester City defender Jennifer Beattie: "I know the feeling of having won the league and I want that to happen with this club. It's a brilliant club and we want titles, and we want silverware. Hopefully experience will help. "The best thing is that we're still not happy; we still think we can get better. "We've scored twice from set pieces but we want to be scoring from open play too. We've got the quality there but it's just about making it happen in the final third." Reading defender Molly Bartrip: "It's difficult to be sat back in your own half, but you come away to teams like Manchester City and you expect that. "We knew what we had to do to stop them getting through us. We executed it really well, it was just two silly set pieces. "I think if you look at both games between the two teams, we have matched them both times. It's little mistakes that are costing us the game." Match ends, Manchester City Women 2, Reading Ladies 0. Second Half ends, Manchester City Women 2, Reading Ladies 0. Foul by Georgia Stanway (Manchester City Women). Remi Allen (Reading Ladies) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Substitution, Manchester City Women. Georgia Stanway replaces Jill Scott. Goal! Manchester City Women 2, Reading Ladies 0. Stephanie Houghton (Manchester City Women) from a free kick with a right footed shot to the bottom left corner. Jane Ross (Manchester City Women) wins a free kick in the attacking half. Foul by Kirsty McGee (Reading Ladies). Corner, Manchester City Women. Conceded by Rebecca Jane. Foul by Keira Walsh (Manchester City Women). Emma Follis (Reading Ladies) wins a free kick in the attacking half. Attempt blocked. Toni Duggan (Manchester City Women) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Foul by Keira Walsh (Manchester City Women). Lauren Bruton (Reading Ladies) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Attempt missed. Nikita Parris (Manchester City Women) right footed shot from the centre of the box is just a bit too high following a fast break. Foul by Demi Stokes (Manchester City Women). Remi Allen (Reading Ladies) wins a free kick on the right wing. Foul by Demi Stokes (Manchester City Women). Rachel Rowe (Reading Ladies) wins a

Summary: Jennnifer Beattie and Steph Houghton scored as Manchester City briefly stretched their lead at the top of the Women's Super League to 13 points with a patient victory over winless Reading.


Flight testing suffered a tragic setback last October when Virgin's Enterprise spaceship broke up in flight over California's Mojave desert, killing one of its test pilots. Newsnight has spoken to several Virgin customers or "future astronauts", two of them on camera. One, Norwich-based Richard Burr, says he was originally told he would fly in 2007 or 2008, but is sympathetic to the company and has no intention of asking for a refund. Another, Texas stockbroker BJ Bjorklund, told Newsnight that doubts about Virgin's ability to succeed in getting its customers into space caused him to decide he was "just going to back out of this programme". Mr Bjorklund, one of the company's first 100 "founder astronauts" got his money back late last year. After the October accident, Virgin Galactic chief executive George Whitesides said the company would be flight testing its replacement spacecraft by April 2015. This hope has not materialised either and even plans to resume flying trials before the end of the year now appear to be in doubt. Asked when the company might get someone into space, Mr Whitesides told Newsnight: "I am hesitant to give a specific date because I want to give our flight test team the time that they need to do it right." The company insists that safety is its paramount concern. Many test flights will be necessary before paying customers fly. As to when that commercial service might actually be ready, one former Virgin Galactic employee told Newsnight: "I can't say whether it will be two years or whether it will be fiveâ€¦ They have a huge, huge, way to go." A customer who did not want to go on camera, and has not yet asked for a refund, told Newsnight: "Like most customers we're really not very confident" that the spaceship will fly as advertised. But he said he wouldn't ask for a refund "until there's absolutely no hope". A report by the US National Transportation Safety Board on the causes of Virgin Galactic's accident is expected imminently. There has been speculation about whether the crash resulted from pilot error or a fault in the craft's braking or "feathering" system. Asked whether Virgin Galactic has made changes to its new craft in anticipation of the NTSB findings, Mr Whitesides said its design was "basically the same" as the crashed Enterprise. Mr Whitesides told Newsnight that the precise amount invested in the ambitious plan was confidential but amounted to "hundreds of millions". Doug Messier, editor of the Parabolic Arc space blog, has told Newsnight that $600m (Â£392m) of Virgin money has so far been spent. A further sum of up to $380m has been made available by UAE investment fund Aabar. Mr Messier says: "This programme's claimed four lives already and it's had four powered flights and they haven't gotten anywhere near space in 10 years." In addition to the test pilot lost last October, three engineers were killed in an accident on the ground in 2007.

Summary: Virgin Galactic's planned commercial space service may still be years away from taking flight, and its chief executive admits, "we've got work to do, that's for sure", in a Newsnight report on the project.


Rescuers earlier ended efforts to find the body of Jeffrey Bush, 36, whose bedroom was engulfed by the 6m (20ft) hole on as he slept on Thursday night. Sinkholes are common in parts of Florida, although most are quite small. Experts are trying to ascertain how far the underground cavity reaches and whether more homes are at risk. All homes near to the house in Seffner - a suburb of 8,000 people 25km (15 miles) east of central Tampa - have been evacuated. Officials have created a 100ft-wide safety zone fearing the top of the sinkhole is growing. The house covers most of the hole, and a local official said crews would try to move the building forward to enable surviving family members to retrieve their belongings from it. "We don't know, in fact, whether it will collapse or whether it will hold up,'' said Hillsborough County Administrator Mike Merrill. On Sunday, the demolition crews left standing only a few walls of the house. They were proceeding as carefully as possible to salvage at least some of the home's contents for five survivors. A Bible, family photos and a woman's purse were among the items saved. The demolition is expected to be completed on Monday and experts would then examine the hole. Just before the crews started their work, 35-year-old Jeremy Bush, who had tried to save his brother, was seen praying outside the house. Five people escaped unharmed, after hearing a loud crash and Jeffrey Bush screaming as the earth crumbled below the house. Jeremy Bush said he jumped into the chasm to dig his brother out but failed. He was later rescued by police. Rescuers then used listening devices and cameras at the scene, but found no signs of life. "There's no way of possible survival," said fire rescue spokeswoman Jessica Damico on Saturday. Mr Bush told reporters that someone had visited the four-bedroom house some weeks ago to check for sinkholes and other issues but found nothing wrong. "And a couple of months later, my brother dies. In a sinkhole," he said. Florida state law requires home insurers to provide coverage against sinkholes. Experts say much of Florida sits on a system of limestone caverns which are subject to water erosion, causing them to collapse.

Summary: Demolition crews have partially razed the home of a man presumed dead after he was swallowed up by a sinkhole in Florida.


Dr Reg Bunting, who died in 2013, was the chief medical officer at Avon and Somerset Police between 1990 and 1997. A probe was launched after a number of complaints by retired police officers. Deputy Chief Constable Gareth Morgan said had Dr Bunting been alive there was enough "evidence to interview him under caution as a criminal suspect". The matter was initially referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC), which recommended an investigation. The IPCC is carrying out its own inquiry into the claims. Concerns were raised in April 2015 about the way medical examinations between 1987 and 2004, were carried out. Avon and Somerset Police commissioned an independent investigation, carried out by recently retired Det Supt Tim Keelan, of Merseyside Police, and 835 people were interviewed, with 212 providing statements. A force spokesman said of 112 cases examined, 44 contained elements where the medical examination "fell below a common or acceptable standard for the time". He added a further 10 cases fell "woefully or grossly below common and acceptable standards of the time". Mr Morgan apologised "unreservedly" for those affected and said those who came forward with concerns "absolutely did the right thing". "Anyone requiring a police medical examination held on police premises by a police doctor should have had an expectation of being safe," he said. The report also identified concerns over examinations carried out by other physicians. Five doctors have been identified, one of whom has also since died. Avon and Somerset Police said none have been charged with any criminal offence but the force has notified the General Medical Council about the allegations against those concerned.

Summary: A former police surgeon conducted "woefully or grossly" unacceptable medical examinations, an independent investigation found.


The front of the note will continue to feature Scottish novelist and poet Sir Walter Scott alongside The Mound in Edinburgh. The Glenfinnan Viaduct will remain on the reverse of the design. However, it will now feature a steam locomotive hauling a heritage tourist train. The locomotive is a Stanier "Black 5", which was designed for London, Midland and Scottish Railway and often seen on the West Highland line. The new note, which was designed by banknote manufacturer De La Rue, is slightly smaller than the existing paper version in circulation. It includes security features incorporated in the bank's new polymer £5 note, which entered circulation in October. They include an anti-counterfeit "window effect", built into the windows of the image of The Mound, and metallic ink which changes colour as the note is moved. There is also a new "tactile emboss", created by a series of raised dots, which is designed to aid the visually impaired. All existing paper Bank of Scotland £10 notes will be gradually withdrawn following the issue of the new note. However, they will continue to be accepted at shops, banks and cash payment machines. Mike Moran, director at Bank of Scotland, said: "Bank of Scotland has been issuing bank notes for more than 320 years, evolving our designs to pay homage to our heritage. "The new note retains our much loved design of Sir Walter Scott with the famous Glenfinnan Viaduct pictured on the back and we've evolved the design by introducing the popular heritage tourist train crossing the bridge. "With polymer notes being cleaner, more secure, and more durable than paper notes, I'm sure our new £10 note will prove popular across Scotland."

Summary: Bank of Scotland has unveiled the design of its new £10 polymer note, which is due to enter circulation in the autumn.


1 June 2017 Last updated at 12:50 BST Although kids aren't able to vote, the decisions made in the election will have a big impact on the lives of all children across the country. But with so many different political parties competing with each other, we're giving you the lowdown on the main ones. Find out all you need to know about the United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) in Newsround's 60-second guide.

Summary: There's a general election coming up on 8 June, when adults will vote to decide who will run the UK.


M&S ended 4.4% higher after like-for-like general merchandising sales rose 0.7% in the three months to March 30. Bottling company Coca Cola HBC topped the risers, closing up 4.6%. The benchmark FTSE 100 closed up almost 24 points, or 0.35%, at 6,833.46. M&S saw overall sales rise by 1.9% over the quarter, with like-for-like food sales also up 0.7%. Online sales jumped nearly 14%, returning M&S.com to growth. The biggest blue-chip faller was BHP Biliton, shedding 2.6%, while fellow miners Antofagasta and Anglo American also slipped 2.1% and 1.9% respectively. Outside the main index, drug company BTG finished up 4.8% after raising its annual revenue forecast, while Telecom Plus was the top riser on the FTSE 250, adding 4.9%. Electrocomponents shed almost 3.6%, leaving it as the biggest faller on the 250. On the currency markets, the pound was down slightly against the dollar at $1.4844, while against the euro, it was down almost 1% at â‚¬1.3655.

Summary: (Close): Marks & Spencer was among the biggest risers on the FTSE 100 on the last day of trading before the Easter break after the retailer announced a rise in non-food sales for the first time in almost four years.


Almost 800 people were diagnosed with flu-like symptoms by GPs in the two weeks over Christmas and there have been 195 hospital cases this winter. This included 25 people in intensive care, while there were 10 outbreaks at hospital wards and care homes. Pregnant women and those with long-term health conditions are most at risk. Public Heath Wales (PHW) said the flu strain currently circulating could be particularly serious for older people, but the number of young adults and teenagers visiting GPs with symptoms had also increased. Dr Richard Roberts, head of the Vaccine Preventable Disease Programme at PHW, said: "We expect the flu virus to circulate at increased levels in Wales for six to eight weeks, with lower levels even longer, so it is important to ensure that remaining eligible people are vaccinated as quickly as possible to help protect them for the rest of this season." The jab is available from GPs and some pharmacies and is free for those most at risk, including children. Health and social care workers should also have the vaccination and get can get it through their employers. Flu is a respiratory illness caused by a virus that affects the lungs and airways and can spread very easily. Symptoms, which usually last about a week, usually develop very fast and include a high temperature and often include a headache, aching muscles, extreme tiredness and a cough. Most people with flu symptoms do not need to see a doctor, and PHW advised people to drink plenty of fluids and take ibuprofen or paracetamol to relieve symptoms.

Summary: Vulnerable people have been urged to have the flu jab as the number of people admitted to hospital with the virus in Wales continues to rise.


The body of Wendy Mann, 26, was found on her kitchen floor in West Bromwich in August 2015. Leroy Sterling, 63, of Guns Lane, denies murder and the earlier attempted murder of her lover, Trevor Tyndale, Wolverhampton Crown Court heard. Pathologists found multiple fractures in her neck, a pattern "commonly found in people strangled," the jury heard. Mark Haywood QC, prosecuting, told the court Ms Mann's brother became worried when he could not contact her. He went with his wife to his sister's first floor flat on Chapel Street where they found her body. More on this and other stories from Birmingham and the Black Country The prosecution alleges Mr Sterling attempted to murder Mr Tyndale on 11 July 2015 after learning of his ex-partner's relationship. The two men went drinking at Mr Sterling's flat where the prosecution claims the defendant attacked Mr Tyndale, 52, with a blow to the back of the head. Mr Sterling continued the attack, "forcing a knife into his neck, trying to choke him", the jury heard. The prosecution told the court Mr Tyndale managed to escape Mr Sterling's flat and later went to hospital where he had an emergency operation for his injuries. Mr Tyndale did not inform police about who attacked him fearing his affair would become known to his own wife, Mr Haywood claimed. The trial continues.

Summary: A mother-of-three was strangled by her ex-partner after she began a new relationship, a court has heard.


Users were angry that clicking the cross to dismiss the box meant that they had agreed to the upgrade. Based on "customer feedback", Microsoft said that it had added another notification that provided customers with "an additional opportunity for cancelling the upgrade". The pop-up design had been described as a "nasty trick". Microsoft told the BBC it had modified the pop-up two weeks ago as a result of criticism: "We've added another notification that confirms the time of the scheduled upgrade and provides the customer an additional opportunity for cancelling or rescheduling the upgrade. "If the customer wishes to continue with their upgrade at the designated time, they can click 'OK' or close the notifications with no further action needed." Senior editor at PC World magazine Brad Chacos, who describes himself as a fan of the Windows 10 operating system, had previously described the use of the cross to mean people had agreed to the upgrade as "a nasty trick". He said: "I don't think that adding more pestering pop-ups improves the situation. At the very least they should add a large, obvious 'No, I don't want this' button." Mr Chacos has been a vocal critic of what he described as the "heavy-handed tactics that Microsoft's been using to force people into the upgrade". Previously, users had to press the cross to cancel the suggested upgrade, he pointed out, so the latest move is counter-intuitive - "akin to swapping out the brake and the accelerator in your car". Users have been sharing with the BBC their own experience of unwanted upgrades, suggesting that the process is difficult to cancel once it has begun. Havard Hughes' experience was typical of many. "Windows 10 update ran on my PC despite all my efforts to stop it, including dismissing the update several times and frantically trying to abort the installation as it started when I was halfway through writing an important e-mail. "My attempt to roll it back to Windows 7 resulted in the blue screen of death and a dead PC. I now have to reinstall my home computer from scratch because of this so-called 'free' upgrade. "As someone who paid for my software and was perfectly happy with my fully functional Windows 7 machine, this has been an absolute disaster."

Summary: Microsoft has u-turned over changes it made to a pop-up encouraging users to upgrade to Windows 10.


Hours before Wednesday's decision, local publications were already announcing her dismissal from office based on the speeches of senators made throughout the trial. Many politicians had openly declared that they would oust her. Print editions of mainstream newspapers appeared with similar front covers on the day of the Senate vote. "Poll shows Dilma's departure", anticipated daily O Estado de Sao Paulo. "The Senate reaches majority to impeach Dilma; Temer prepares to be sworn in", read the headline of Folha de Sao Paulo. When the result was confirmed, news outlets largely focused on the score of 61 to 20 votes. Two-thirds of the house, or 54 senators, were needed to remove her. "Dilma Rousseff loses her presidential mandate," highlighted the website of daily Correio Braziliense. There was surprise, noted by local media, when the head of the Supreme Federal Court, Ricardo Lewandowski, who presided over the trial, agreed to a request made by the defence and split the vote in two. After deciding for removal, senators unexpectedly voted for the maintenance of Rousseff's political rights. "Dilma can still stand in elections and hold public office," reported the online edition of newspaper O Globo. The result provoked the ire of opposition senators who said they were ready "to appeal to the Supreme Court", according to a text published by website UOL. Some of Rousseff's supporters, such as Senator Lindbergh Farias, reacted from the Senate floor. "Angry political right is unable to revoke Dilma's rights, only the mandate. This is more proof that there was no crime. It is a coup," tweeted Farias. (@LindbergFarias) The "coup" argument was once again brought up during Ms Rousseff's first appearance after the vote. Speaking to the press, she called the senate's decision "the second time she faces a coup d'etat in her lifetime" and said that senators "tore up the constitution". Promising to "fight back", Ms Rousseff compared the impeachment process to an "indirect election", reported website G1. She has previously accused the former Speaker of the lower house, Eduardo Cunha, of "conspiring" against her alongside now President Michel Temer. Local media emphasised Mr Temer's "quick" swearing-in ceremony at the Senate. Less than three hours after the vote, his interim title was gone and he became Brazil's new official president. Mr Temer is travelling to China later on Wednesday to attend a G20 meeting in China, The trip puts the country in a curious situation. Brazil removed a president and would welcome two others on the same day, O Globo noted. That's because the Speaker of the lower house, Congressman Rodrigo Maia, automatically becomes the acting commander-in-chief when Michel Temer is abroad. As reported by news magazine Veja, the country "no longer" has a vice-president. BBC Monitoring reports and analyses news from TV, radio, web and print media around the world. You can follow BBC Monitoring on Twitter and Facebook.

Summary: The removal of President Dilma Rousseff, at the end of nine-month impeachment process, has come as no surprise to Brazil's media.


Jake Vallely, 24 - who had described himself as "the hardest man in Brecon" - beat 20-year-old Private Matthew Boyd to death in May. Pte Boyd's mother Michelle Rogers said her son's death had caused "unbearable pain". At Cardiff Crown Court on Thursday, Mr Justice Lewis said the killing was a "savage and senseless attack". Vallely was found guilty of murder on 1 December following a two-week trial. After a night of drinking, the former boxer had pursued Pte Boyd through the Powys town before carrying out what Mr Justice Lewis described as a "sustained attack on a young man lying defenceless in the road". Pte Boyd, who is originally from Carrickfergus, County Antrim, had been in the town for training exercises at the infantry battle school. Sentencing Vallely, Mr Justice Lewis told him Pte Boyd was "entirely innocent and did not provoke you in any way. You chased him down and attacked him for no other reason than you wanted trouble". The judge said: "You hit him time and time again until he was unconscious. This was a sustained, savage and senseless attack. "You dragged his motionless body into the street and left him there to die. You showed no remorse then and you have shown no remorse since." Members of Pte Boyd's family were not in court today for the sentencing. They have returned to Gibraltar where they live, but victim impact statements were read out during the sentencing. His mother Michelle Rogers said: "His life was taken in the blink of an eye. My son will not knock at my door again. There are times I text or call his mobile. I cry every night before I sleep, if I sleep. How can I explain the pain in my heart? "It is unbearable, he has taken my son's life and destroyed our family." His stepfather Jeremy Rogers said: "I don't want the pain to go away because if the pain goes away, so will Matthew."

Summary: A Brecon man who murdered a soldier in the town has been sentenced to life with a minimum of 16 years in prison.


The Oscar winner is in Edinburgh to speak at the Scottish Business Awards at the EICC. DiCaprio visited Home, a restaurant in Queensferry Street which gives its profits to the homeless. Hundreds of fans were waiting for his arrival. Many had queued in the rain for hours. Last year George Clooney visited Social Bite in Rose Street. Clooney's visit was arranged by entrepreneurs Tom Hunter and Josh Littlejohn, the co-founder of Home and Social Bite, ventures that help the homeless community by allowing customers to pay for food and drink for the vulnerable. Home provides training and employment programmes for members of the Social Bite Academy, a four-year paid course for homeless people. DiCaprio made no comment to the waiting media as he shook hands with Mr Littlejohn and went inside the building. Elise Lovell, 45, was the winner of a competition to have lunch with Hollywood star. She said she had bought eight tickets and felt like she had won the Lottery. Ms Lovell said Di Caprio was "absolutely charming". She said they talked about his films and his work with director Martin Scorsese, his environmental work and the election of Donald Trump as US president. Ms Lovell said: "He said it was definitely a shock." Fan Carol Honeyman left her house in Larbert at 05:00 to see DiCaprio. She carried a large canvas of a scene from The Departed, which the movie star signed. She said: "I don't really know why I do these things but it was so worth it. "I got this canvas signed before by Ray Winstone, and now it's complete with Leo's. "I've actually met him before when I went down to the Baftas in London but it's just nicer to say I've seen him closer to home. He's a star." Sonny Murray, 37, who works at Social Bite, met DiCaprio at Home. He said: "I caught him checking himself out in the mirror." Maria Luisa, 65, from Edinburgh, said she was probably the oldest fan there. She said DiCaprio shook her hand, adding: "He didn't spend long enough with crowd." Home is a not-for-profit venture opened in September, with a menu of French and Scottish cuisine. Diners are encouraged to "pay forward" meals for the homeless, who can attend a special service for those sleeping rough every Monday between 15:00 and 17:00. Leonardo DiCaprio won his first Oscar earlier this year for survival epic, The Revenant. The star of Titanic and the Wolf of Wall Street had been nominated six times.

Summary: Hollywood actor Leonardo DiCaprio has signed autographs outside an Edinburgh restaurant in what is thought to be his first visit to Scotland.


"His condition is considered stable" and "it is too early to make any predictions about his future health," Lola Karimova-Tillyaeva wrote on her Instagram account. Ms Karimova-Tillyaeva pleaded for people to "refrain from speculations". Mr Karimov, 78, has been leader of the former Soviet republic since before independence in 1991. In an unusual move on Sunday, the Uzbek government admitted he was receiving treatment but did not give details. The BBC's Abdujalil Abdurasulov says that the announcement caught many by surprise in authoritarian Uzbekistan, a country where any information about the president's health is treated like a state secret. President Karimov is known to have had health issues, but the government has never previously issued a statement about his health. It has become a tradition in Uzbekistan for the president to dance during major holiday festivities. By doing so Mr Karimov sends a message to the nation that he is fit and healthy. Everyone was expecting the president to attend Independence Day celebrations - perhaps the government's confirmation that he is in hospital was a necessary move to prepare the public for his non-appearance. Tashkent-based human rights campaigner Surat Ikramov says that most people are too afraid to talk openly about Mr Karimov's hospitalisation in one of the most repressive countries in the world. "Any vocalisation that Mr Karimov's power is not absolute is seen as a threat to the entire system," says Human Rights Watch spokesman Steve Swerdlow. "Even if he survives this illness or whatever it is, this is an acknowledgement of [Mr] Karimov's mortality, and of the fact that the system is about to change." Uzbekistan opens up on president's health Profile: Islam Karimov The Kremlin said on Monday that it deeply regretted Mr Karimov's illness. It refused to comment on whether there was concern in Moscow that it could enflame uncertainty in Central Asia's most populous country, which borders Afghanistan. "The Kremlin wishes a quick recovery to the president of Uzbekistan," spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. "We would like to receive only positive news about the president's health." Mr Karimov was last seen on state TV on 17 August, meeting the South Korean interior minister. Independence Day celebrations - which the president would always attend - are to be held on 1 September. In her message, Ms Karimova-Tillyaeva, who serves as Uzbekistan's ambassador to Unesco in Paris, asked people "to show respect to our family's right to privacy". There have been a number of occasions when the president was rumoured to have a stroke or a heart attack. The last time it happened was just before the 2015 presidential election, when Mr Karimov was not seen in public for several weeks - fuelling rumours about his poor health.

Summary: Uzbek President Islam Karimov is in intensive care after suffering a brain haemorrhage, his daughter says.


The device, which was left on the vehicle just off Main Street, led to a security alert in the village on Saturday afternoon. It has been taken away for forensic examination. Nearby shops and 15 homes were evacuated while police and Army officers dealt with the incident. Sinn FÃ©in's Declan Kearney said it had caused disruption and damage to trade. The South Antrim MLA criticised those responsible for leaving the bomb, saying their actions were "indefensible". "Saturday is one of the busiest days in Crumlin," he said. "Many businesses and shoppers were affected as a result of the disruption caused. "Those responsible must be condemned in the strongest possible terms. "There is no room for these type of attacks in our society and they must end immediately."

Summary: A viable pipe bomb which was left on top of a car in the County Antrim village of Crumin has been made safe by the Army.


Former finance minister Sammy Wilson had accused Mr Durkan of signalling that Northern Ireland "is not open for business". Mr Durkan said each application was judged on its own merits. He said there was a "lack of objective information about the cumulative environmental impact" of work at the site in County Fermanagh. Tamboran Resources wanted to drill a 750m deep hole at a quarry at Belcoo, using permitted development rights. Mr Durkan said drilling could have a significant impact on the environment. The company issued a statement saying it was "deeply concerned" by the minister's decision. Former environment and finance minister Sammy Wilson criticised Mr Durkan's decision. "In taking the stance that he has, he's going to deny Northern Ireland the potential to have hundreds of millions of pounds worth of investment in our own indigenous fuel," Mr Wilson said. "He is going to deny Northern Ireland the opportunity for hundreds, if not thousands, of jobs directly in the exploration of shale gas and thousands of jobs in the downstream industries that would result from that, like fertilisers, pharmaceuticals etc." He said Mr Durkan's decision was also inconsistent. By John CampbellBBC News NI Economics & Business Editor Tamboran had intended to drill using "permitted development rights", which meant the firm would not have needed to apply for planning permission. The minister could only veto this if he assessed that work was likely to have "a significant environmental impact". And that is exactly the position he has arrived at. Tamboran will now have to make a full planning application with an accompanying environmental statement, a process that will, conservatively, take months to complete. But it does not mean the borehole will not eventually be drilled. Alternatively, Tamboran may want to try to get a judicial review of the decision, arguing that the minister has not interpreted the planning regulations correctly. "A number of boreholes going down to 3,000 feet have already been allowed in Northern Ireland without this full planning permission being required," he said. "I think the firm would have a very good case for going for a judicial review." In response, Mr Durkan said: "In this particular instance, the site chosen by Tamboran for their proposed exploratory drilling is the site of a quarry where unauthorised work has been carried out in the past. "I'm adopting a precautionary approach and am taking into account the lack of objective information about the cumulative environmental impact of that work and work that might take place in the future. "If the company is as committed to here as Sammy is suggesting, then they'll be prepared to undertake the work required and to provide me with a full environmental statement." On Monday night, anti-fracking protesters held an ecumenical service at the gates of the quarry to celebrate the minister's decision. Donal O'Cofaigh from Belcoo Frack Free said the decision could delay the project considerably. "It's a great relief, the minister has made the right decision," he told the BBC. "This is the first time that we are going to have the opportunity to be consulted

Summary: Environment Minister Mark H Durkan has defended his decision to block an exploratory borehole for shale gas.


Scientists from Stirling University looked at the effects a group of beavers had on a wetland in Tayside originally drained for farming. The 12-year study found plant richness rose by 46% and the number of different plants recorded more than doubled. The study is the first to measure the environmental benefits of the beavers' activity over time. Between 2003 and 2015, the beavers constructed 195 metres of dams, 500 metres of canals and an acre of ponds at the site on a private estate in Blairgowrie, Perthshire. Scientists said the surrounding vegetation "increased in complexity" by 71%. Prof Nigel Willby from the university said wetlands were "tremendously important environments" for biodiversity, but were disappearing at an "alarming rate". He said: "Beavers are renowned for their engineering skills, like dam building, and are now being considered as tools for restoring wetlands. "They have been reintroduced widely, including in Scotland, partly for this purpose and our findings demonstrate the surprisingly large benefits they can bring to biodiversity." The study was partly-funded by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) and published in the international journal Science of the Total Environment. Following trial reintroductions, Eurasian beavers were readmitted to Scotland last year, 400 years after being hunted to extinction in the UK. Co-author Dr Alan Law said: "We know lots about the benefits of beavers in natural settings, but until now we did not know the full extent of what they can achieve in present-day landscapes where restoration is most needed. "Seeing what beavers can do for our wetlands and countryside highlights the diverse landscape we have been missing for the last 400 years."

Summary: A new study has highlighted beavers "exceptional" ability to rebuild diverse wetlands.


BBC Sport takes a look at the most interesting facts and figures from the weekend. ...his team don't lose. In January, we told you Liverpool midfielder-turned-left-back James Milner had equalled the record for most games scored in without his team losing. Well now he's out on his own. The Yorkshireman netted his seventh penalty of the season as Liverpool drew 1-1 against his old club Manchester City on Sunday to extend his unbeaten streak of goalscoring appearances to 47 games. The run stretches back to the start of his career at Leeds in 2002-03, followed by moves to Newcastle, Aston Villa, City and Liverpool. Leicester have won all four games since Craig Shakespeare took charge as manager following the sacking of Claudio Ranieri, and much of it owes to the improvement of key players Riyad Mahrez and Jamie Vardy. PFA Player of the Year Mahrez has contributed two goals and one assist under the new boss, having provided just five goals and three assists in his 32 previous games in all competitions. The average number of chances created by the Algerian is also up from 1.62 to 1.86, while he is attempting more dribbles per game (7.43) than under the Italian (6.19). England striker Vardy, who scored 24 league goals last season, has played the same number of games as his team-mate but has performed even better under Shakespeare. Vardy has scored three times and provided two assists in his past four games. Under Ranieri this season, he scored four times in 32 games and had not contributed any assists. The chances created by the former non-league striker are up from 0.92 to 1.56 per game, the number of touches in the opposition penalty area have increased from 3.88 to 7.02 and dribbles attempted have gone from 1.79 to 3.12. Those Atletico Madrid defenders will be quaking in their boots come the Champions League quarter-finals. Skipper Wes Morgan played every single minute last season as the Foxes claimed a sensational Premier League title triumph. Although this league campaign has not quite gone to plan, the Jamaican defender has remained a mainstay in the side... until Saturday. Morgan's 87-game top-flight run ended after a back injury kept him out of the win over West Ham. Impressive, you may think, but it is nowhere near the record for an outfield player. That accolade goes to recently retired midfielder Frank Lampard, who appeared in 164 games in a row for Chelsea from October 2001 to December 2005. Not bad, but former goalkeeper Brad Friedel takes the crown for most games played in a row in the Premier League. The American began his run for Blackburn in 2004, going on to play an astonishing 310 consecutive games for Rovers and Aston Villa, before his run ended at Tottenham in 2012. Now that will take some beating. If you have more of the ball, the opposition have less chance of scoring. Incorrect. Arsenal's tumultuous season hit a new low on Saturday when they were beaten 3-1 by West Brom at The Hawthorns, despite holding 76.86% possession in

Summary: One Premier League defender celebrates an unusual goalscoring record, Riyad Mahrez and Jamie Vardy's vital statistics show a sharp upturn under Craig Shakespeare and could Romelu Lukaku be the new Gary Lineker?


Without a national uniform to wear because he was competing under the Olympic flag following Kuwait's suspension from the Rio Games, he decided to don an Arsenal shirt. Whether he knows the football club's nickname is the Gunners is doubtful. Nevertheless, the top helped him win Olympic bronze in the men's skeet. Asked why he had worn it, he replied: "I don't know, I just bought it." Some didn't waste any time cracking a few jokes at Arsenal's expense. Christopher Flux suggested on Facebook that they could do with a sharp-shooter of their own, while Ash Dolan tweeted his surprise that Al-Rashidi finished third and not fourth, which has often been the side's fate in recent times. The Gunners were second to champions Leicester City in May but have finished fourth on six occasions in the last 11 seasons.

Summary: It seemed like the ideal solution but the significance was perhaps lost on Abdullah al-Rashidi.


In a procedure described as a milestone in neonatal care, a six-day-old baby girl's kidneys and liver cells were given to two separate recipients after her heart stopped beating. Experts argue there is potential for more life-saving donations, but say current UK guidelines are prohibitive. An official review is expected by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health this year. Writing in the journal Archives of Diseases in Childhood, doctors describe the case of the baby girl who was born in extremely poor health. Tests suggest she had been starved of oxygen before birth and despite resuscitation had profound brain damage. Doctors at Imperial College NHS Trust in London say in an act of "extraordinary generosity" her parents agreed that her organs could be donated once her heart stopped beating. Her kidneys were given to a patient with renal failure. And in a separate operation her liver cells were transfused to someone with a failing liver. Medics said the surgery was incredibly difficult and intricate. The kidneys at this stage of life are around 5cm long. Doctors hope the donated organs will completely transform the lives of the recipients. They have not disclosed any further information about the patients who were given her organs. But they say the neonatal organs could be donated to young babies, children or even adults. Prof James Neuberger of NHS Blood and Transplant, said: "We are pleased the first transplant of organs from a newborn in the UK was a success and we praise the brave decision of the family to donate their baby's organs. "The sad reality is for everybody to get the lifesaving transplant they are desperately in need of, more families who are facing the tragic loss of their young child will need to agree to donation." Dr Gaurav Atreja, who was involved in the transplant, told the BBC: "This turned out to be a positive thing for the family. "They could see something positive out of a negative experience. "We hope that neonatal units across the UK will actively start thinking about this noble cause." Official waiting lists suggest some 15 infants under the age of two currently need organs across the UK. But experts say the number may be higher - many do not make it on to the list because of the scarcity of options. A handful of donations have taken place involving infants who were nearly a year old. But NHS Blood and Transplant says for young babies requiring transplants, the size of the donor organ is often critical to success, meaning organs from older donors will not always work. Despite newborn organ donations being performed in the US, Germany and Australia, doctors say guidance about the diagnosis of newborn death in the UK may hamper life-saving operations. Unlike some other countries, clinicians in the UK are not allowed to declare brain death in a baby under two months of age. The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health is to review this and report back in March. NHS Blood and Transplant says it welcomes any clarification that will

Summary: Doctors have performed the first organ transplants from a newborn in the UK.


Barney, a former sailing athlete and coach, worked for the England and Wales Cricket Board before joining GB Hockey as head of talent development in 2013. He takes over from Danny Kerry, who had been both performance director and interim women's head coach since 2014. Kerry, who guided Britain's women to Olympic gold in August, said in April he would focus on coaching full-time. "Our sport is in an amazing place," Barney said. "After the women's team's success in Rio, we are now presented with a great opportunity."

Summary: Ed Barney has been named Great Britain hockey's new performance director - overseeing the men's and women's teams.


Habibur Chowdhury, paid Mohammed Manik just over half the minimum wage to work a 72-hour week. Chowdhury's Ashiana restaurant was raided in June 2015 following a tip-off about illegal immigrants working there. He later told police he had nothing to do with the restaurant and claimed not to know who Mr Manik was. His defence agent described 60-year-old Chowdhury as "wilfully blind" when it came to checking the Bangladeshi national's papers. Mr Manik told Home Office investigators he "felt exploited" by Chowdhury. Depute fiscal Eilidh Robertson previously told Dundee Sheriff Court that Mr Manik had applied for asylum but had been refused. She said: "He couldn't support himself and was living in Glasgow. "He explained his predicament to a friend who put him in touch with the accused who offered him a job in Dundee." The court was told Mr Manik was paid cash to work six days a week for 12 hours a day. Miss Robertson said: "He was paid £300 a week regardless of how much he worked." Chowdhury, of Dundee, admitted employing someone who had not been granted leave to enter or remain in the UK. Sheriff Alastair Brown imposed a restriction of liberty order confining Chowdhury to his home address from 19:00 to 07:00 every day for six months. Sheriff Brown said: "It seems reasonably clear that the UK government and a significant proportion of the UK public is exercised about immigration. "The laws are there to protect the vulnerable. "The picture I get from your record, this offence and your attitude to the social workers preparing reports in this case is of a man who regards regulatory rules with an arrogant attitude that they don't apply to him unless he so chooses."

Summary: A Dundee restaurateur who paid a failed asylum seeker £4 an hour to run his kitchen has been placed on a six-month curfew.


Dave Tarpey was a constant threat to the visitors early on, narrowly missing the target a few times as he looked to add to his seven goals from the first four games. But it was Harry Pritchard who instead got the breakthrough the hosts deserved, curling home delightfully from 25 yards out after 26 minutes. Luke Coulson equalised for Ebbsfleet after 50 minutes to score his third goal in five games and it was enough to keep his side's long unbeaten run going. Match report supplied by the Press Association. Match ends, Maidenhead United 1, Ebbsfleet United 1. Second Half ends, Maidenhead United 1, Ebbsfleet United 1. Substitution, Maidenhead United. Adrian Clifton replaces Sean Marks. Substitution, Ebbsfleet United. Danny Mills replaces Myles Weston. Substitution, Maidenhead United. Dean Inman replaces Jake Goodman. Substitution, Ebbsfleet United. Andy Drury replaces Jack Payne. Substitution, Maidenhead United. Jake Hyde replaces Dave Tarpey. Substitution, Ebbsfleet United. Darren McQueen replaces Aaron McLean. Jack Payne (Ebbsfleet United) is shown the yellow card. Goal! Maidenhead United 1, Ebbsfleet United 1. Luke Coulson (Ebbsfleet United). Second Half begins Maidenhead United 1, Ebbsfleet United 0. First Half ends, Maidenhead United 1, Ebbsfleet United 0. Goal! Maidenhead United 1, Ebbsfleet United 0. Harry Pritchard (Maidenhead United). First Half begins. Lineups are announced and players are warming up.

Summary: Ebbsfleet salvaged a late draw at Maidenhead to extend their unbeaten run to 31 league games.


British producer Ronson got his first number one with Uptown Funk on 14 December, and the single has now claimed the final top spot of 2014. It was released five weeks early after it was performed by Fleur East on The X Factor, later topping the iTunes chart. Haenow had topped the Christmas chart with OneRepublic's Something I Need. Uptown Funk had dropped one place to make way for the former van driver's track over Christmas. Fellow Briton Ed Sheeran, who scores a 12th week at the top of the album charts, held on to number three in the singles chart, with Thinking Out Loud. American singer Taylor Swift moved up three places to fourth with Blank Space, while former X Factor star Olly Murs dropped one to fifth with Up, his collaboration with Demi Lovato. The only new entry went to Alesso featuring Tove Lo with Heroes (We Could Be). Sheeran's album logged sales of 211,000, his second biggest one-week sales tally since the LP's release back in June. The top five was completed by Sam Smith, Murs, George Ezra and Take That, who all held their positions.

Summary: Mark Ronson's collaboration with Bruno Mars has reclaimed the number one spot in the singles chart, pushing X Factor winner Ben Haenow down to number two.


A number of systems are now on sale in the UK, and they promise big savings. One being launched this month claims it can save you as much as £400 a year on your energy bill. Certainly the internet giant Google seems to have recognised the potential for the technology, having just snapped up the US manufacturer Nest for about £2bn. But how real are the savings, and who could benefit? All these systems work by maximising the time your heating is switched off. And switching it on only when you need it. So think of the last time you went out for the evening and left your heating on. Or got home late from work. Or maybe you did not need the hot water, having showered at the swimming pool. But many of these devices are far more sophisticated than simply switching your heating off and on remotely. Using GPS technology, phones now know exactly where you are, and using that knowledge, systems can anticipate when you are likely to get home. So when Will Moore begins his journey home from London to Kent, his boiler in effect tracks his progress, and makes sure the house is up to temperature only at the moment he walks through the door. It will even take account of the local weather forecast, and adjust itself according to expected temperatures. He paid £250 to have the system installed two months ago, but he has already noticed the savings. "It's saving us, I think, about 20% to 30%," he told the BBC. "Based on that it should pay for itself within about three years." Tado, the German manufacturer, claims savings of up to 27% on annual bills. If you are prepared to pay a little more, the potential savings can be even bigger. First, think of the times of day that rooms are heated unnecessarily in your home. Is the heat blasting out in your sitting room at six in the morning, when no-one will actually sit in there until six in the evening? Is your bedroom cosy and warm at 19:00, just when you are in the kitchen having dinner? For around £850 for a three-bedroom house, you can install a system that will allow you to heat each room individually. Using your smartphone, or a central control panel, you can work out temperature profiles for every room in the house, and of course adjust them from anywhere in the world, providing there is an internet signal. Honeywell, which makes the hardware in Scotland, claims you can save up to £400 a year on your energy bill by "zoning" your home in this way. And it says the system should pay for itself in two or three years. So how realistic are the savings claims being made? The answer will depend on the size of your house, your lifestyle, and the energy-saving measures you have already taken. Those with large houses can certainly save more. Stephen Passmore, from the independent charity the Energy Saving Trust, is enthusiastic about the whole concept, but warns that those

Summary: Have you ever thought about using a smartphone to control your central heating?


Police said the crash happened at 07:10 on the B7066 Whitburn Link Road, near Polkemmet Country Park. Several roads have been closed. They are due to open at 12:30. The 58-year-old man who died was a driver in the stationary car. The occupants of the van suffered minor injuries. Police are appealing for witnesses.

Summary: A man has died after a van crashed into a stationary car in West Lothian.


Speaking from Canada, his wife Ensaf Haidar told the BBC she feared his punishment would start again on Friday. Badawi was arrested in 2012 for "insulting Islam through electronic channels". Saudi authorities sent his case for review amidst global protests, after the first round of lashes in January. For four years Badawi ran the Liberal Saudi Network, which encouraged online debate on religious and political issues. Ms Haidar said she had held high hopes that her husband was about to be released, but he remained less optimistic. When they last spoke three days ago he told her not to expect him home in the near future. She called on the countries and rights groups that had campaigned for her husband's release to mobilise once more. Badawi received his first 50 lashes in January, but subsequent floggings have been postponed. A shaky video taken on a mobile phone showed Badawi being lashed by a member of the security forces. The footage prompted international protests which were repeated every Friday, the scheduled day for the beatings. In March, the kingdom expressed "surprise and dismay" at international criticism over the punishment. At the time, the foreign ministry issued a statement saying it rejected interference in its internal affairs. It is not clear why Badawi has not yet endured a second round though a medical report found he was not fit for the punishment. Saudi Arabia enforces a strict version of Islamic law and does not tolerate political dissent. It has some of the highest social media usage rates in the region, and has cracked down on domestic online criticism.

Summary: Saudi Arabia's Supreme Court has upheld the sentence of 1,000 lashes and 10 years of imprisonment on blogger Raif Badawi, despite a foreign outcry.


A tractor pulled up outside the building, in Morledge, at 07:10 GMT and deposited the dirt, police said. A note left inside the abandoned vehicle said the action was a "personal protest against the severely flawed judicial system". The 49-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of criminal damage and later released on bail. Updates on this story and more from Derbyshire The note left in the tractor read: "What a shame to have to resort to this, today is a personal protest against the severely flawed judicial system that has consistently failed to listen to simple truth and reason. "Sorry for any inconvenience caused (to the general public)." BBC Radio Derby reporter Nigel Cash said: "The pile immediately behind the trailer is probably a couple of feet high and couple of feet wide. "It looks as if whoever has dumped it there may have deliberately spread it out." Police removed the tractor and spreader after a few hours. They said the man was bailed while their investigation continues and they "consult with the Crown Prosecution Service". Anyone who witnessed the incident or has any information has been asked to contact the force.

Summary: A man has been arrested and bailed after muck was spread across the steps of Derby Crown Court.


Its youth wing was responsible for attacking and killing opposition supporters, the rights group said. The CNDD-FDD party has not has yet commented on the allegation. Burundi is recovering from a brutal civil war that ended with President Pierre Nkurunziza's election in 2005. Speculation is rife that he intends to run for a third term in the June 2015 election, despite opposition claims that this would be in violation of the constitution which imposes a two-term limit. The CNDD-FDD's youth wing, Imbonerakure, has "strong links to the security services and are responsible for perpetrating human rights abuses with impunity", Amnesty said in a report. At least one opposition member was shot and killed by two soldiers on the orders of a local official and an Imbonerakure member, Amnesty said. "Another opposition member had his teeth knocked out during a beating," the report said.

Summary: Burundi's ruling party is waging a "relentless campaign of intimidation" against its critics ahead of presidential elections next year, Amnesty International says.


The Kemp's Ridley turtle was found in Aberystwyth's North Beach suffering with hypothermia and septicaemia. Although the female juvenile seemed to recover for a few days, her condition deteriorated and she died on 25 December. Bristol Aquarium described the turtle as "incredibly unwell", and in "bad shape" despite medical help. The post on the aquarium's website added: "We hope that the valuable experience of the past 12 days and knowledge gained from working with this turtle will enable us and others to help future stranded sea turtles." Kemp's Ridleys live in the Gulf of Mexico, but the juveniles spend their time in the Atlantic, travelling about 6,000 miles on ocean currents until they mature. In 1985, their population fell to a few hundred nesting females. Since then numbers have risen, with about 10,000 nests laid at Rancho Nuevo, Mexico, annually. The aquarium has advised that any sea turtles found washed up on the beach should not be put back in the water, but for people to contact British Divers Marine Life Rescue.

Summary: A rare sea turtle found washed up on a Welsh beach has died despite medical treatment at Bristol Aquarium.


The Social Market Foundation has examined test results of cohorts born in 1970 and 2000 and found regional differences have become much greater. Pupils' results are highest in London and lowest in Yorkshire and Humber. "Where you live has become much more important," said think tank director Emran Mian. The comparisons between the generations, based on school tests in primary school and exams such as O-levels and GCSEs, indicate that geography has become a much more significant factor in how high pupils are likely to achieve. For pupils born in 1970, the study says that location was much less of an influence, with a much a stronger link to factors such as social background. Family background and income remain important, but the study says "the geographic area a child comes from has become a more powerful predictive factor". The rise of London schools has been a key part of this, with some of the poorest areas of the country achieving relatively high results. In the mid-1980s, areas such as the south-east and east of England had better results than London, but the most recent results show London outstripping the rest of the country. This prompted Ofsted chief Sir Michael Wilshaw to warn of a "North-South divide" in schools. There were also concerns about coastal towns becoming pockets of underachievement. How different parts of the country compared in GCSE results for 2014: The study from the Social Market Foundation suggests the achievement gap between the richest and the poorest pupils remains "persistently large". And the gender gap has grown wider, with girls even more likely to achieve higher results. There has been a substantial shift in the achievement of ethnic minority pupils. For those born in 1970, who took O-levels in 1985-86, black and Asian pupils' results were considerably below average and behind their white counterparts. The GCSE results for 2013-14 show a much more complex picture. The black and Asian categories, broken down in more precise ethnic groups, indicated Indian pupils' results were above average, while Pakistani pupils were below average. Black African pupils were above average and black Caribbean were below. White pupils were below average, with the weakest results from poor, white boys. But Dr Alice Sullivan, director of the 1970 British Cohort Study, Centre for Longitudinal Studies, at the UCL Institute of Education, said that the numbers of ethnic minority pupils born in 1970 were too small to make such comparisons. The Social Market Foundation is setting up a commission on inequalities in educational achievement, which will be chaired by Nick Clegg, the former leader of the Liberal Democrats. "While parental income remains very important, this new research shows that where you live has become a much more important factor in determining educational achievement," said Mr Mian, director of the Social Market Foundation. "Our new research also shows that the story around ethnic origin and education has become much more complex." Professor Stephen Gorard, from Durham University's school of education, said it was wrong to attribute the differences in achievement to "the impact of location rather than pupil background".

Summary: Where children grow up in England is more likely to determine success or failure at school than in previous generations, a study suggests.


The 24-year-old Welshman, who competes in the F42 category, managed 16.14m with his penultimate throw against his able-bodied rivals, finishing fifth. It beat his previous best of 15.93m set at last year's championships. Davies is aiming to compete in the shot at the Rio Paralympics after his discus event was removed from the competition. The Bridgend man, who has limited functionality of his right leg with missing bones and no muscle or ligament growth, took gold in the discus at London 2012 and bronze in the shot and is the current European and world champion in both events.

Summary: Paralympic champion Aled Davies improved his own shot put world record at the British Indoor Championships in Sheffield.


UK government figures showed Scotland generated 4,590 gigawatt hours (GWh) of renewable energy in the first three months of 2012. This was an increase of 1,435 GWh on the first quarter of 2011. Scotland is aiming to generate the equivalent of 100% of its electricity needs from renewables by 2020. The UK Department of Energy and Climate Change also issued revised statistics for 2011 which showed that renewable electricity generation in Scotland was 13,735 GWh in 2011, an increase of 44.3% from 2010 and up 97.3% from 2006. The Scottish government said that, assuming gross consumption in 2011 was similar to 2010, about 35% of Scotland's electricity needs came from renewables in 2011, beating its interim target of 31%. Scottish Energy Minister Fergus Ewing said the figures showed the country was making good progress towards the 2020 target. He added: "The increase of 45.5% in renewable output in quarter one 2012 compared to quarter one 2011 is particularly encouraging when you consider that 2011 saw the highest output from renewable energy to date. "Scotland has astounding renewable energy potential, and the Scottish government is committed to ensuring every community in Scotland benefits from the opportunities of renewable energy. "Scotland is a genuine world leader in green energy and our targets reflect the scale of our natural resources, the strength of our energy capabilities and the value we place on creating new, sustainable industries." Jenny Hogan, director of policy at Scottish Renewables, said the figures demonstrated that renewable energy was becoming an "ever important of our energy mix". She added: "Each time you boil a kettle in your home, more and more of that electricity will have been generated from a renewable source such as a wind farm. "Not only does the renewables industry now employ more than 11,000 people in Scotland, it's helping to reduce our carbon emissions, tackle climate change and insulate us from volatility in the gas market which has been responsible for the major hikes in energy bills over the last few years." WWF Scotland's head of policy Dr Dan Barlow added: "To ensure Scotland remains on track to a fully renewable future we need to see continued and rapid deployment of all forms of renewables alongside investment in energy efficiency. "Such a path will help create jobs, reduce pollution and protect households from volatile fossil fuel prices." Labour Shadow Energy Minister Tom Greatrex said: "Any increase in renewable generation is welcome. The investment needed to make Scotland's renewables potential a reality is supported by consumers across the whole of Britain, not just in Scotland."

Summary: Scotland's renewable energy output increased by 45% in the first quarter of this year, compared with the same period last year.


The charity said job security fears and benefit cuts pushed the number of people seeking help from its volunteers to more than 160,000 last year. Text messages were up by 22% in 2013 with a 7% increase in emails answered. Executive director for Wales Sarah Stone said the charity wanted to keep promoting the benefits of talking. The call came as the Samaritans published its Impact Report for 2013/14, detailing the outreach work of the charity's nine branches in Wales. Nearly 700 volunteers in Wales were involved a range of activities to tackle suicide, including: "Against a backdrop of difficult economic times and where a disproportionate number of those who take their lives are struggling with social and economic deprivation, we need to convince people that talking about what's troubling them is valuable and potentially life-saving," said Ms Stone. "It is something we all need to do and encourage other people to do." She added: "The demand for our service is increasing. We took a call every three minutes last year in Wales. "It is important that we keep working to raise awareness of our service and the benefits of talking." While most help was given via phone, letter or face-to-face support, the Samaritans said contact via newer methods such as text and email was growing. "We also need to keep evolving and finding new ways to reach out to people, continuing to be accessible to all who desperately need our service," said Ms Stone. The Samaritans said the number of calls for help across the UK and Ireland also reached a five year high in 2013 of 5.23m. Launching the report, Health Minister Mark Drakeford said: "I am grateful to Samaritans for its continued work in support of suicide prevention. "It is a key partner and plays a vital role in delivering Talk to Me, the national action plan to reduce suicide and self-harm in Wales. "We want people to feel able to support their friends, family members and colleagues who, for a variety of reasons, may be at risk of suicide. "Ultimately, we as individuals, colleagues or friends, all have a responsibility to listen to and support those close to us."

Summary: Money worries are blamed as a key cause of suicidal feelings as the Samaritans in Wales report their highest number of calls for five years.


That itself followed a 3-0 win for England the summer before, part of a run that has seen them win four consecutive Ashes series at home for the first time since the 19th century. To think Home and Away used to be so popular. Ashes cricket, supposedly the fiercest contest the sport can offer, is in danger of becoming dangerously predictable. Playing at home? You'll probably win. Playing away? Good luck. In the 14 years since Australia last won in England, only one of the eight Ashes series has been won by the touring side. It is a significant twist in the longest running rivalry in international cricket. In the 14 years and seven series before that, more than half were won by the away team. The long-term numbers back up that dramatic trend. Prior to 2002, according to Test Match Special statistician Andrew Samson, 117 Ashes Tests were won by the home team, 98 by the away team. That's a win/loss ratio, in games that saw a result, of 1.19. Since 2002, 25 Ashes Tests have been won by the hosts and seven by the visitors. That's a win/loss ratio of 3.57. A little of that reflects the decreasing number of draws as Test cricket has speeded up. Before 2002, draws accounted for 29% of Ashes contests; since then, only 18%. Much more it reflects more serious concerns: the inability of players, particularly batsmen, to adapt their game to the different conditions overseas; the lack of time and opportunity today's short tours give them to even try; the increasing temptation to win an advantage before a ball has even been bowled by producing pitches designed to favour your own skills rather than an even contest. "For me it is quite simple," says Graeme Swann, part of the only Ashes team in those 14 years to win an away series. "In England the wickets are getting slower so the batsmen are not being exposed to fast bouncy wickets. When they go to Australia it is a culture shock. They can't deal with these guys with raw pace on fast, bouncy wickets. "Then, when you come to England and the ball still swings, even the visiting batsmen that play county cricket don't face the highly skilled swing bowling they do in Tests. Batsmen don't like the ball moving laterally through the air. It is bad enough when it is jagging about off the pitch. "The Aussies come here and nick everything. We go there and get bumped out. That is it in a nutshell." Modern tours, designed to maximise revenue rather than ease players in, are shorter than ever before. Test series rattle past with back-to-back matches rather than pausing for other contests to allow players to refine and practise technique. This summer, Australia began with just two three-day matches, both against weakened Kent and Essex sides. Once the Tests began, a mere fortnight after their arrival, they then had only one more three-day match before the series was decided at Trent Bridge. In that tour match against Derbyshire only five players who

Summary: One of the wonders of England's 3-1 Ashes triumph this summer is that it emerged from such carnage: that ghastly 5-0 Pomnishambles in the preceding series 18 months ago, the second whitewash Australia had inflicted in three Ashes series down under.


The Scottish government wants at least 95% of patients seen within that time. A total of 25,066 people presented at A&E, with 454 spending more than eight hours to be seen, admitted then transferred or discharged. Separate statistics showed a slight drop in the number of people delayed in hospital longer than necessary. Delayed discharge, or so-called bed blocking, occurs when care packages are not ready or available within the community. In November 2016, a total of 1,509 people were patients clinically ready to leave hospital but could not. That figure was down from 1,576 the previous month. The A&E performance statistics for the first week of January showed 87.9% of patients were seen and subsequently admitted, transferred or discharged within four hours. The figure for the same week last year was 88%. The worst performing hospital was Hairmyres in Lanarkshire where 74.6% of patients were seen within the target. At Scotland's largest hospital , the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow, the figure was 74.8% - its worst since the hospital opened in April 2015. Responding to the latest figures, Health Secretary Shona Robison said: "The figures published today show in the first week of January, our A&E departments performed at the same level as last year - despite seeing an increase in demand. "While there are undoubtedly seasonal pressures on our frontline healthcare services at the moment, the latest available data shows Scotland's hospitals are performing 10 percentage points better than England's and 15 percentage points better than Wales." She added: "It is also encouraging to see a reduction in the number of bed days lost to delayed discharge in November. "What these figures show is a 5.1% reduction in bed days associated with delayed discharge in 2016 compared with 2015, while the same period in England experienced a 23% increase." The Scottish Conservatives said the A&E statistics showed hospitals across the country were "struggling to cope with current demand". The party's health spokesman Donald Cameron said: "The SNP has been in sole charge for almost a decade, and has no-one else to blame for the state of the NHS in Scotland. "Simply pointing fingers at health systems elsewhere will not cut it. "Ministers have to explain why there's no improvement in this performance, and what they intend to do about it." Scottish Labour's health spokesman, Anas Sarwar, said the 434 patients a day who "waited longer than the SNP promised won't be satisfied by the SNP pointing to England". He added: "It is painfully clear our NHS staff are struggling to cope with demand, but the SNP slashing budgets will just pile on the pressure. "Shona Robison admits delayed discharge is the biggest issue facing our health service, and the major reason pressure is piled on A&E departments. "Yet two years on from promising to abolish it, we still see 1,500 delayed patients in a month and as a result A&E patients waiting too long for treatment." Alison Johnstone, health spokeswoman for the Scottish Greens, said it was "a worry" that NHS management and government ministers did not appear

Summary: Just under 88% of patients attending accident and emergency departments in Scotland in the first week of 2017 were seen within four hours.


M2 Subsea - headquartered in Westhill - will tackle explosive devices lying at the bottom of the Baltic Sea since World War 2. Two remotely-operated vehicles (ROVs) will work from the Go Electra support vessel. The contract was awarded by Next Geosolutions. M2 Subsea chief executive officer Mike Arnold said: "This contract award from Next Geosolutions is great for the business and a significant scope of work for us to win. "It highlights both our capabilities to negotiate what is a very challenging subsea environment. "Safety is a key factor on every project and in particular where it involves surveying the seabed to identify undiscovered explosive devices for removal."

Summary: An Aberdeenshire subsea business has won a contract worth more than £1m to remove explosives from around the world's longest pipeline.


Media playback is unsupported on your device 4 March 2015 Last updated at 07:38 GMT The 22 humans who live on Aoshima, off Ehime prefecture, are greatly outnumbered by a population over of 120 cats. Originally brought in to deal with mice infesting fishing boats, the cats now eat scraps, crops or food given to them by tourists or local people. The big increase in visitors to the island has worried the elderly residents living there because it might disrupt their quiet lives.

Summary: Tourists from around Japan have been flocking to a tiny fishing community, to see what has been nicknamed Cat Island.


Family and friends of a young couple had hired the boat for an engagement party and were sailing north of Cairo hit was hit, according to eyewitnesses. An Interior Ministry statement said 15 bodies had been found and six people were still missing. The captain of the cargo boat has been arrested. Five people were rescued, but at least two children died. It is not clear if the couple thought to be celebrating their engagement were among the dead, said AFP news agency. Traffic had been heavy along the Nile, where many Egyptians had been celebrating the end of the holy month of Ramadan.

Summary: At least 15 people have been killed in a crash between a cargo vessel and a passenger boat on Egypt's River Nile.