The source close to the inquiry played down the significance of the interviews carried out in Portugal on Tuesday. Portuguese detectives in Faro were observed during the questioning by officers from the Met Police, which is conducting its own investigation. Madeleine disappeared aged three in the Algarve resort of Praia da Luz in 2007. The source told the BBC: "Questioning of the four suspects was concluded yesterday evening. Unfortunately the interviews have led to no new developments and we are back where we were seven years ago." The source added: "The 'arguido' [suspect] status was given to the suspects to protect them. It gives them legal rights including the right to remain silent and to have a lawyer present during interviews. Jeremy Cooke, BBC News in Praia da Luz It is clear that the latest developments in the Madeleine McCann case are the result of the detailed, painstaking work being done by British police officers working on Operation Grange. As their investigation continues, they formally request assistance from the Portuguese police. It is at the request of Scotland Yard officers that four potential new suspects - or arguidos - and 11 potential witnesses are being interviewed. Those interviews involve detectives from both countries; the Portuguese asking the questions, while the British monitor proceedings. It is not clear what potential link the British team believe may exist between the "suspects" and the disappearance of the three year-old. But clearly there are lines of inquiry they believe are worth following up. There are, however, clear tensions here. With one source close to the case saying that the investigation is going nowhere and "we are back where we were seven years ago". "They were declared arguido due to being identified as suspects in a letter of international request sent by the British to the Portuguese authorities." The Portuguese Attorney General's Office in Lisbon issued a brief statement about the questioning of the four suspects. It said that requests from the British authorities had been carried out but the content of these requests would remain confidential. Police have begun the process of interviewing 11 witnesses, which also relates to official requests from the Metropolitan Police. The source indicated that two tracker dogs from the UK could be used in searching a vehicle thought to belong to one of the witnesses. No time or location was given for this. One of the four "persons of interest" - or arguidos - questioned was Sergey Malinka. He has always denied any involvement. Mr Malinka, a Russian-born website designer with Portuguese nationality, was questioned as a witness in 2007 when Madeleine went missing. On Tuesday, Mr Malinka and another suspect left the central police station in Faro after they were interviewed. A third person, who is said to be suffering from severe schizophrenia, remained inside the police headquarters after the other two had left. All of those being questioned are Portuguese citizens. They have all been summoned to be interviewed; there have been no arrests. The status of arguidos in the Portuguese judicial system refers to individuals whom police may

Summary: Questioning of four suspects in the Madeleine McCann investigation has concluded without any new developments, a source has told the BBC.


In a statement, the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) said it was an "exceptionally busy" night. Crews stopped a bonfire spreading to an apartment block near Belfast's Sandy Row, but the heat cracked its windows. Bonfires are traditionally lit in loyalist areas on 11 July, marking the Twelfth of July commemorations. Between 18:00 BST on Tuesday and 01:00 BST on Wednesday, NIFRS dealt with a total of 213 emergency calls. During its busiest period, its regional control centre handled one 999 call every minute. Assistant chief fire officer Alan Walmsley told BBC Radio Ulster that the two most serious bonfire-related incidents were both in Belfast. They were at Wellwood Street, off Sandy Row, and at the Bloomfield Walk/Ravenscroft Avenue site in the east of the city. Mr Walmsley said glazing was badly damaged when the Sandy Row bonfire came "very close" to a ten-storey apartment block in Wellwood Street. A number of residents who were inside the Victoria Place flats at the time called the fire service amid fears about the heat of the bonfire. "All the glazing [on the apartment block] facing the bonfire has been damaged and cracked," said Mr Walmsley. "If our crews had not been on the scene working so hard, there is no doubt that fire would have spread into that building." Lucy Ryan was inside the apartment complex at the time. She told BBC News NI: "We were standing on the first floor, looking out onto the bonfire and saw it all collapse. "Obviously we felt the heat and we saw the fire was literally coming right over to the building, so we were like 'right, we have to get out'. "We just left down the stairwell and as we were leaving to get out, that's where we saw all the windows were cracked." Earlier this week, Belfast City Council withheld funding earmarked for a children's street party in Sandy Row, reportedly over concerns about the height of the bonfire. On Wednesday morning, part of Wellwood Street was closed due to safety concerns over the damaged building. The Trafficwatch Northern Ireland service said a lane closure "is likely to be in place in the street for a number of days between Great Victoria Street and Sandy Row". Overall, firefighters were deployed to a total of 133 incidents overnight, which was a rise of nearly 50% on the same period in 2016. Despite this, the fire service said it "maintained normal service delivery throughout the evening, attending a range of operational incidents including property fires, special service calls and other emergency incidents". Mr Walmsley said: "Our crews worked extremely hard last night in extremely punishing conditions and I would just like to place on record my thanks to them." He said two fire crews were attacked as they left the scene of a bonfires in Belfast and Larne, County Antrim. "After working so hard at Wellwood Street for a number of hours to protect properties, as our crews were leaving one of our appliances came under attack by local youths. "The same situation happened in

Summary: Firefighters responded to 40 bonfire-related incidents across Northern Ireland overnight, an increase of 21% on the Eleventh Night last year.


West Dunbartonshire Council planning chairman Lawrence O'Neill said a "presumption against" new shops meant they would probably be rejected. He accused betting shops "of feeding on the vulnerable". But an industry spokesman said it was heavily regulated and the number of shops had fallen in recent years. Traditionally, bookmakers have been able to open up at a premises previously occupied by businesses such as banks, on the grounds they provided a financial service. Councils are about to get new powers, previously approved through a legislative amendment by MSPs at Holyrood, which will allow them to consider future betting shop applications purely on their individual merits. Asked if he thought the betting shop industry was targeting less well-off areas, Mr O'Neill said places like Clydebank, which has 13 bookmaker shops, had a higher level of multiple deprivation. He told the BBC's Sunday Politics Scotland programme: "To say it would be feeding on the vulnerable, yeah - that's my opinion." On the issue of future betting shop applications in West Dunbartonshire - which has the highest number of betting shops per head of population in Scotland - Mr O'Neill said he was not opposed to them outright. He said: "Each and every one will be taken on its merits. "The likelihood is, given the policy we have in place currently and the legislation in terms of the amendment, the likelihood is that they wouldn't be granted within town centres." Bob's story Bob is a recovering gambling addict. What began with the odd bet on football and horseracing led to something more serious. "Gambling became my be-all and end-all, he said, adding: "It was the most important thing in my life." Speaking anonymously to BBC Scotland, he recalled: "I ran my own business at the time and I should have been there from eight in the morning. But I hadn't left work until six o'clock that morning. "I'd go home and sleep till 12 in the day and at 12 o'clock I'd go straight to the bookmakers again and I'd be there till closing or until I lost my money. "Then I'd go back to work and work through the night and the same routine constantly perpetuated itself." Bob sought help after being overcome with guilt and remorse at not having the money to by his mother a birthday present, and has not gambled for some time. Donald Morrison, from the Association of British Bookmakers in Scotland, said the organisation would work with government and councils to make sure the regulations were applied responsibly. He added: "Betting shops open in busy commercial areas that have high footfall and strong demand and, like any sector, where's demand, there's competition." Mr Morrison said that since the financial crash, bookmakers had moved into empty town centre locations, contributing business rates and creating jobs. He added: "Despite the perception that bookies have actually proliferated, the actual numbers of bookmakers in Scotland and across the UK has been in decline in recent years. "In the last two years or so we've lost 300 shops across the UK, including dozens in

Summary: The council with Scotland's highest concentration of betting shops is to use new powers to limit the number of new premises in town centres.


Peacock joined Rovers at the start of the season, but was unable to help them avoid relegation to the Championship. The 38-year-old came out of retirement in September, playing his fourth game of the season in Saturday's defeat. "I always want to be accountable for my actions in life and offered my resignation after the game," he said. "This was turned down which means I can continue my journey with this great club. "While relegation hurts, it allows the club to stop just trying to change the branches and begin a full root-and-branch overhaul of the rugby department, building rock solid foundations that will enable this club to rise again." Hull KR players had criticised the Million Pound Game format in the build-up, with their Super League contracts automatically becoming void as a result of their defeat. "To be in a dressing room with grown men, wives and children crying is not what sport is about," Peacock added. "To be part of a club with such loyal, passionate support is very humbling and the reaction after such a defeat will stay with me for life."

Summary: Hull KR have rejected head of rugby Jamie Peacock's offer to resign following the club's defeat by Salford in the Million Pound Game.


Sophie Tucker, 23, from Devon, admitted making up the allegation that he forced her into a sex act after the fiance saw his boss leaving her home. Police later found intimate photos and messages she had sent to the man. Tucker was ordered to attend a thinking skills course, by the judge at Exeter Crown Court. Judge Ian Lawrie called her "selfish and cowardly". The court heard she had invited the 50-year old to her home. The man spent almost seven hours in custody and had to submit to having samples taken by a nurse. The court was told his business suffered. Judge Lawrie told Tucker: "You must have known what you were doing was going to make life very difficult for [the victim]. "You showed selfishness and cowardice which are deeply unappealing." She said: "I am thoroughly sorry about what I did and if I could do something to help him I would. "It was a stupid thing to do. He has not done nothing. I wish I could undo it."

Summary: A woman who falsely accused her fiance's boss of a sex attack was given an 18-month suspended sentence for perverting the course of justice.


The car bonnet would be sticky so that if it hit a person, they would stick to the car. This would stop the them falling back onto the road after the collision, which could injure them even more. Google's idea is aimed at driverless cars but could be used on regular cars too. Don't worry, the sticky layer would be covered by a special coating, so flies wouldn't get stuck to the car too. It is just an idea at the moment but it could be something we see on our roads in the future!

Summary: Google's got a new idea to keep pedestrians safer on the roads - having sticky cars!


Coatbridge College head John Doyle was given the money after his institution merged with two other colleges. Holyrood's public audit committee, which said the principal was paid "in excess of the guidelines", has passed its report to Police Scotland. Mr Doyle told MSPs in October he had done nothing wrong and that his reputation had been unfairly "trashed". In June, the Auditor General Caroline Gardner issued a highly-critical report of the severance deals paid out by Coatbridge College, which she said were overly-generous. She claimed Mr Doyle and chairman of the former college - John Gray - had colluded in order to "achieve a certain outcome" by withholding important information from the remuneration committee. The report by the Scottish Parliament's audit committee agreed with the auditor general. Mr Doyle, who earned £116,000 a year by the end of his service, was given: Six other college staff also benefited from the £850,000 pot of pay-off money. Police Scotland said that officers had had discussions with Audit Scotland and the "matter is under review". Following the report, the Scottish government said it would "carefully consider its [the report's] recommendations in the coming days". Committee convener Paul Martin said: "There is a compelling moral argument for John Doyle to repay the tens of thousands of pounds extra he received from the college. "The Scottish government provided more than £52m between 2011/12 and 2013/14 to support the college merger process and most of that money was used to fund voluntary severance schemes. "It was not provided however to allow already highly-paid public servants to feather their own nests at the expense of their colleagues and of their students' education." The report made key recommendations, including; A Scottish government spokeswoman said the way in which "decisions involving hundreds of thousands of pounds of public money were made at Coatbridge College were completely unacceptable". She added: "The events in question took place before April 2014 when colleges were reclassified by ONS and stronger financial controls came into effect." By Glenn Campbell, BBC Scotland political correspondent MSPs on Holyrood's public audit committee were unanimous. Their report into bumper pay-offs for Coatbridge college bosses finds that the principal, John Doyle, was responsible for "serious failings in the governance of severance arrangements". It says he colluded with the chairman, John Gray to secure "excessive" pay-offs for himself and six other senior managers by deliberately withholding information from those who signed off the deals. The committee is urging Mr Doyle to pay back much of his £304,000 golden goodbye. They say this request and their decision to copy their report to Police Scotland are without precedent. Mr Doyle has previously refused to pay back any money arguing that he has "done nothing wrong". Mr Gray has also denied collusion. The committee convenor, Paul Martin, says in these circumstances the charity regulator or the Scottish Funding Council should think creatively about how they could force a clawback. The difficulty with these demands is that what MSPs find morally questionable may prove to be contractually correct.

Summary: A former college principal should hand back some of his £304,000 severance pay, a committee of MSPs has concluded.


They said in advance of their trip that if necessary, they would take the search into their own hands. All debris thought to be from the plane has so far been found in east Africa. The plane disappeared on a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing in March 2014 with 239 people on board. It is thought that missing jet is most likely to have crashed into the southern Indian Ocean. Campaigner Grace Subathirai Nathan, whose mother was on the plane, is making the self-funded journey with six other MH370 relatives - three from Malaysia, two from China and one from France. "It has fallen into our hands to take on this search upon ourselves," she told reporters at Kuala Lumpur airport. "After repeated requests for mobilisation of a search along the east African coastline, nothing has been done to date." The families of those on board the flight say that the search for wreckage has not been systematic and that some possible findings appear to have been ignored. The search for MH370 has concentrated off Australia's west coast, but no debris has been found there. It is due to be suspended early next year unless it makes a significant new discovery. So far, at least six pieces have been found in east Africa that are considered certain or highly likely to have come from the missing Malaysia Airlines flight. The relatives say they will hand out brochures when in Madagascar that will provide advice to villagers on how to recognise aircraft debris. Their trip will last until 11 December, a statement posted on Facebook by the group Voice 370 said. Voice 370 said last month that it had "no other choice except to take it upon ourselves to do something to find answers and closure". Malaysia is in charge of co-ordinating the collection of any suspected debris, most of which has been sent to Australia for examination. The Malaysian authorities in September responded to criticism of delays in retrieving suspected debris, arguing that they were acting on possible discoveries and that everyone should "allow the experts to conduct the verification processes".

Summary: Relatives of those who died on board Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 are travelling to Madagascar to lobby for the search for debris from the missing aircraft to be expanded.


The operation was aimed at preventing attacks being planned by Pakistan-based militants, a senior army official said. He said "significant casualties have been caused to the terrorists and those who are trying to support them". Pakistan denies India carried out any strikes and says two of its soldiers were killed in cross-border shelling. "The notion of surgical strike linked to alleged terrorists' bases is an illusion being deliberately generated by India to create false effects," the Pakistani military said in a statement. Pakistan said its soldiers died in "unprovoked" firing along the Line of Control (LoC)dividing the disputed region. A territorial dispute between the two countries over Muslim-majority Kashmir has been running for decades, but tensions flared earlier this month after a militant attack on an Indian army base in Kashmir left 18 soldiers dead. India blamed the attack on Pakistan, which denied the claim. The operation is thought to have taken place in the early hours of Thursday. Later, Pakistan captured an Indian soldier in a village in the Goi sector on the Pakistani side of the LoC. "One soldier from 37 Rashtriya Rifles with weapons has inadvertently crossed over to the Pakistan side of the Line of Control," said a statement from an Indian army official in Delhi. India's military gave few details of the operation it says it carried out overnight. At a joint press briefing by the army and the foreign ministry, officials said the "motive of the operation was to hit out at terrorists who were planning to infiltrate into our territory". India's Director General of Military Operations, Lt Gen Ranbir Singh, also blamed Pakistan for "being unable to control terror activities in territories under its control". "Based on receiving specific and credible inputs that some terrorist teams had positioned themselves at launch pads along the Line of Control to carry out infiltration and conduct terrorist strikes inside Jammu and Kashmir and in various metros in other states, the Indian army conducted surgical strikes at several of these launch pads to pre-empt infiltration by terrorists," a statement said. It said the "surgical strikes" had caused "significant damage to terrorists". But the army did not say whether troops had entered Pakistan-administered Kashmir or had fired across the border. If Indian troops did cross the LoC it would be a serious escalation between the two nuclear-armed neighbours. However, the Press Trust of India quoted sources saying the operation took place between midnight and 04:30 local time on Thursday, that it was a combination of helicopter and ground forces, and seven militant "launch pads" had been targeted. Some unconfirmed Indian media reports said more than 30 militants had been killed in the operation. Pakistani army officials said the fighting started in the early hours of Thursday morning and continued for about six hours. Indian army's anger over Kashmir killings Narendra Modi's BJP government swept to power promising a tough line on Pakistan, so it has been been under tremendous pressure to retaliate after the 18 September attack on the army base in Uri in Indian-administered Kashmir. The raid was the

Summary: India's army says it has carried out "surgical strikes" against suspected militants along the de-facto border with Pakistan in Kashmir.


22 December 2015 Last updated at 09:56 GMT Photographer Ben Gadsby-Williams filmed them off the Norfolk coast at Morston Quay.

Summary: The Aurora Borealis - better known as the Northern Lights - was spotted across parts of England on Sunday night into Monday morning.


The academy said that nations were measuring their wealth by GDP (Gross Domestic Product), taking no account of the harm caused by business practises. It urged countries to act as stewards of God's creation. The statements are likely to influence the Pope's coming Encyclical on climate change. An Cambridge Economics professor, Partha Dasgupta, told the academy's climate conference in the Vatican: "GDP is a disgraceful index because it does not count depreciation of our assets - including damage to Mother Nature, the most fundamental asset we have." Cardinal Peter Turkson, who helped write the coming Encyclical - an official statement - said: "For humans to degrade the integrity of the Earth by constant changes in its climate; by stripping its natural forests; to contaminate Earth's water, land and air with poisonous substances - all of these are sins. "There is an all-embracing imperative to protect our garden, our hope. We must move away from our unthinking infatuation with GDP." The academy heard speech after speech urging the moral case for protecting the climate for future generations. Meanwhile, a small group funded by a US climate contrarian body in Chicago has been in Rome rallying against the Vatican's climate drive. One of the participants, Christopher Monckton, said the Pope "should listen to both sides of the scientific argument... not only people of one, narrow, poisonous political and scientific viewpoint". Inside the conference itself, the astronomer Lord Rees, former President of the UK's Royal Society, was putting just such a balanced view. He acknowledged uncertainties over climate science, especially over how water vapour and clouds would react to warming. He said some people were willing to bet on a low level of warming, mitigated later in the century by new technologies more affordable in a richer economy. But, he said, the risks of triggering an irreversible catastrophe lasting thousands of years was too great. "It would be shameful if our inheritance was a depleted and hazardous world," he said. The Church is hoping to make an impact in a year of key UN meetings on Sustainable Development Goals, development finance and climate. The Encyclical is expected to describe action to cut emissions as "a moral and religious imperative, highlighting the intrinsic connection between respect for the environment and respect for people - especially the poor, children, and future generations". The Pope is hoping to build agreement among all religions on the moral obligation to protect the environment. Bishop Marcelo Sanchez Sorondo, who heads the Academy, said the Encyclical would not be the highest level of proclamation from the Pope, which is reserved for issues of Faith. But he said it was important for all the world's 1.2 billion Catholics to take it seriously. If any Catholic wanted to ignore it they would need "very good reasons - based not on personal or political opinion, but on science". For some Catholics, this may prove an unwelcome Papal intervention into a highly politicised subject. But the aid agency Cafod said its poll with YouGov showed the vast majority (70%) of Catholics say their community will heed

Summary: The Vatican Science Academy has challenged politicians to end their "infatuation" with a form of economic growth that is ruining the Earth.


Writing in the journal Science, they said this could lead to a gap of 10 years before the next epidemic. The Imperial College London team created a model using data from the current outbreak in Latin America. But a Zika expert said predicting anything with any degree of certainty was impossible. The scientists, from the Medical Research Council Centre for Outbreak Analysis and Modelling at Imperial, calculated that the epidemic, which began in Brazil in 2015, would burn itself out within three years. Because the virus is unable to infect the same person twice, as more and more people become infected, reaching a level called "herd immunity", infection levels fall and the epidemic dies out. Until there was a new generation who had not been exposed to Zika virus, there would be a long period with few new cases, the researchers said. They said this mirrored the pattern of other epidemics, such as chikungunia - a virus similar to Zika. Earlier this year, the World Health Organization declared the Zika virus a global public health emergency because of the risk to newborn children. Although Zika infection is largely mild, with most people having no symptoms, it is known to cause microcephaly - babies born with undersized heads. In severe cases, children can die and babies who survive can face intellectual disability and developmental delays. The Olympic Games are going ahead in Rio, Brazil, in August, despite recent concerns from leading scientists that holding the event is "unethical". The research paper said the current outbreak was not "containable" and targeting the Aedes aegypti mosquito carrying the virus would have limited impact. Prof Neil Ferguson, lead author of the research, said that any efforts to slow the spread of the virus could actually prolong the current epidemic. "Slowing transmission between people means the population will take longer to reach the level of herd immunity needed for transmission to stop. "It might also mean that the window between epidemics could actually get shorter." However, Prof Ferguson said there were still many unanswered questions about Zika which could affect predictions. The virus could become endemic in Latin America which would result in smaller, frequent outbreaks, for example, and he said no-one yet understood why Latin America was particularly affected. "One possibility is climate may have in some way aided spread of the virus, as spread coincided with an El Nino event," he said. "Genetic mutation of the virus might also have played a role, although early data currently give limited support for this hypothesis." He added that previous exposure to Dengue fever might heighten the Zika infection in a person, as recent studies had suggested. But Jonathan Ball, professor of molecular virology at the University of Nottingham, said although the paper was interesting, there were still a lot of gaps in the data. "In truth, there are so many really important scientific unknowns surrounding Zika that it is impossible to predict what will happen with any degree of certainty. "Key questions that remain unanswered include how many people have been infected, the duration that people are

Summary: The current Zika epidemic is likely to end within three years because there will be too few people left to infect, a team of scientists is predicting.


Thames Water said 26,000 properties in Reading and Wokingham were affected when a pump at Earley failed. The company said the fault occurred at about 06:30 BST and supplies and pressure were restored at 16:00. At least three schools - Hillside Primary, White Knights and Leighton Park School - closed as a result of the problems. Thames Water apologised for any inconvenience caused and said its engineers brought in water from other areas of Berkshire to supply customers in Reading. The company warned that water may be discoloured when it first came back. It said it was "harmless" but advised customers to keep taps running until it cleared, and to inform the firm if it continued. Free bottled water depots had been set up in the car parks of the University of Reading, Asda at Lower Earley and Showcase Cinema at Winnersh for those affected.

Summary: Thousands of people in Berkshire were left without water or low pressure following a pump failure.


The victim, aged 50, was stabbed 10 times in Barking and spent weeks in hospital recovering from his injuries. The suspect is described as aged between 20 and 30, wearing a dark hooded top with the hood up, light-coloured trousers and light trainers. No-one has been arrested in connection with the attack, said police. The Metropolitan police said they hoped issuing the footage of the incident may encourage anyone with information to come forward. The victim was attacked from behind while walking home from a social club on 28 October on Pelham Avenue at around 21:45 GMT. The suspect then ran off along Sterry Road towards Denham Way. The victim staggered a short distance before collapsing where he was discovered by his wife. Police were called and the first officers on the scene administered first aid before the London Ambulance Service arrived. The victim was taken to the Royal London Hospital in a critical condition where he spent two days in a coma. Det Con Roxanne Dawe, from Barking and Dagenham CID, said: "This was an incredibly violent attack on a married father-of-two who was just walking home after a night out as he did every Friday. "He had not had an argument or a dispute with anyone that night and we can find no motive at all for what happened. Nothing was stolen from him. "We hope the release of CCTV footage showing what happened will prompt someone to come forward with information." She added the victim "very nearly lost his life" and that the attack was being treated as attempted murder.

Summary: CCTV footage of a man being stabbed in what police have called a "frenzied and unprovoked" attack in east London has been released.


Seven crews from the New Forest and Dorset battled the blaze in Sopley, Christchurch at 17:41 GMT on Thursday. Fire officer Sandy Thompson said the firefighters did a "fantastic job in salvaging most of the contents of the house whilst fighting the fire from outside". The cause of the blaze is not yet known and an investigation is under way. Derek Slade, a resident of Sopley all his life, called the fire "absolutely terrible". He said: "We opened the front door and couldn't see across the road for smoke. It was absolutely chaotic. "I told them I'd get a florescent jacket and stand on the corner to direct the traffic because it was a gridlock. "Everybody chipped in and sorted it out. "It gets you choked because it was a lovely place. It's a shock." Mr Thompson praised neighbours who helped the firefighters. "Once furniture was removed from the house, several villagers joined in the salvage operation," he said. "It was a really good effort by all the local neighbours, and the furnishings were moved to a safe outbuilding. "During the fire the chimney stack had become unstable so it wasn't safe for our crews to fight the fire from inside." The cause of the fire is not thought to be suspicious.

Summary: Fire crews fought an "intense" blaze in Hampshire after the roof of a thatched cottage caught fire.


Fe fydd y gyfres newydd yn dechrau nos Sul, Mai 21 a cafodd Cymru Fyw sgwrs gyda'r actor am y profiad o weithio gydag un o gyfarwyddwyr ffilm a theledu mwya'r byd, ei fywyd yn LA ac Eisteddfod yr Urdd: "O'n i'n y car pan ffoniodd fy asiant. O'n i wedi cael y clyweliad saith mis yn gynharach ac o'n i'n meddwl bo fi heb gael y rhan. O'dd rhaid i fi dynnu'r car draw a sgrechen, roedd pawb o fy nghwmpas yn edrych yn syn, roedd yn ddydd cofiadwy iawn..." Dyna'r foment pan glywodd Owain Rhys Davies ei fod wedi cael rhan yn y gyfres deledu Twin Peaks, sy'n dychwelyd i'r sgrin nos Sul Mai 21, ar ôl 25 mlynedd ers diwedd y gyfres ddiwethaf. Y cyfarwyddwr David Lynch a'r cyd-awdur a chrëwr Mark Frost sy'n gyfrifol am ddod â'r gyfres yn ôl i'r sgrin fach. Mae'r plot mor gyfrinachol doedd yr actorion ddim yn cael gweld y sgript tan ddeuddydd cyn dechrau'r ffilmio. "Fe ges i'r alwad ddydd Llun, o'n i mewn am costume ddydd Mercher ac ar y set erbyn dydd Gwener. Clywes i bryd hynny fy mod wedi cael fy nghastio wythnos ar ôl y clyweliad gwreiddiol, ond achos o'n nhw moyn cadw popeth yn gyfrinachol doedden nhw ddim yn dweud dim byd tan yr wythnos o'n ni'n dechre ffilmio." Doedd Owain nac un o'r actorion eraill, ddim yn cael datgelu eu bod nhw'n rhan o'r cynhyrchiad hyd nes i restr y cast gael ei chyhoeddi. Mae'r plot, ac unrhyw beth arall yn ymwneud â'r gyfres, yn parhau'n gyfrinach tan nos Sul, ac Owain ei hun heb weld y penodau eto. "Fe fydd y cast a'r criw yn gwylio'r bennod gyntaf gyda'n gilydd cyn i bawb gael eu gweld yn fyd eang. Dwi'n gyffrous iawn, ac fel pawb arall byddai'n gwylio'r gyfres ar ymyl fy sedd i weld sut fydd hi'n datod achos dwi ddim yn gwybod sut mae'r storiau'n dod at ei gilydd. "Mae cymaint o gyfrinachedd o gwmpas y gyfres mae wedi achosi tipyn bach o frenzy yma yn LA. Mae cymaint o hysbysebion o gwmpas sy'n dweud dim byd am y gyfres, mae'n achosi pawb i drafod a chwestiynu popeth, gan gynnwys fi!" Felly sut brofiad oedd hi i Owain weithio mewn cynhyrchiad o'r fath gyda chyfarwyddwr fel David Lynch, a sut argraff a greodd arno? "Cwrddes i â David Lynch ar y set am y tro cyntaf. Ro'n i bach yn nerfus pan ddaeth e draw, ac am ryw reswm pan dwi'n nerfus dwi'n troi mewn i stand up comedian a dweud lot o jôcs! Daliodd e fy llaw a dweud "Shall we...?" Cawson ni chat bach am y cymeriad a wedyn wnaethon ni ddechre ffilmio." Yn ogystal â Twin Peaks, roedd Owain Rhys Davies, i'w weld - neu i'w glywed - yn chware rhan y Broga yn y ffilm Alice Through the Looking Glass, y flwyddyn ddiwethaf gydag actorion enwog fel Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Michael Sheen, Rhys Ifans a Matt Lucas. "Dros y flwyddyn diwethaf hefyd fi wedi ffilmio'r ffilm The

Summary: Fu bron i Owain Rhys Davies daro ei gar pan glywodd ei fod wedi cael rhan yn y gyfres deledu gwlt, swreal, 'Twin Peaks'.


The 39-year-old is Pakistan's leading run-scorer in Test cricket, having made 9,977 runs in 115 Tests since his international debut in 2000. He has an average of 53.06, with 34 centuries and a highest score of 313. "I will be retiring from international cricket after the West Indies series with my head held high," said Younus. "I think this is the right time as every sportsman has to take this decision in his career." He previously captained Pakistan in all three formats of the game and led them to their only World Twenty20 title in England in 2009. He also had a spell in county cricket with Yorkshire in 2007. Younus' announcement comes two days after Test skipper Misbah-ul-Haq, 42, announced that he will also retire from internationals after the Windies Test series. The veteran duo were also named among Wisden's five Cricketers of the Year last week.

Summary: Pakistan batsman Younus Khan has announced he will retire after their three-match Test series against West Indies, which starts on 22 April.


The 40-year-old sank five birdies, including two in the final three holes. That put him behind only American duo Shawn Stefani and Tom Hoge, and Korean Seung-yul Noh. Miguel Angel Carballo, Brian Gay, Colt Knost, Dustin Johnson and Steve Stricker matched Donaldson, with Retief Goosen among those a further shot back. This is the final PGA Tour event before the US Open - the second major of the year - takes place at Oakmont next week. We've launched a new BBC Sport newsletter ahead of the Euros and Olympics, bringing all the best stories, features and video right to your inbox. You can sign up here.

Summary: Welshman Jamie Donaldson shot a four-under-par 66 to sit one behind the leaders after the first round of the St Jude Classic at TPC Southwind.


The chef from York, North Yorkshire, went missing on 18 March 2009 at the age of 35. It was recently revealed that four men held as part of the police investigation would not face charges. Speaking to BBC Look North, Joan Lawrence said: "I have no instinct whatsoever that she isn't alive". Her comments come on a legal milestone which states a person may be legally declared dead after being missing for seven years. The previously arrested men, who are all in their 50s and from the York area, were held last year as part of a review of the initial investigation into the case. North Yorkshire Police said up to 20 detectives and police staff had worked full-time on the review for more than two years at a cost of nearly Â£800,000. Officers believed the investigation had been compromised by the "reluctance of some, and refusal of others, to co-operate" with the force. Mrs Lawrence said she was constantly surrounded by "reminders" of her daughter, whatever she was doing. She said: "Sometimes I feel like I'm banging my head against a brick wall, but I get through every day. "There's somebody out there who knows something, but I have no instinct whatsoever that she isn't alive, I've had no cut-off feeling at all. "In my opinion she's being held somewhere against her will and I want people to imagine if it was their child, how would they feel?" Claudia Lawrence disappearance timeline About 100 police officers were dedicated to the investigation at its height, but the figure has since dropped. Martin Dales, a friend and spokesman for Miss Lawrence's father Peter, said: "It seems that we're all back to square one. "It's really quite depressing especially as someone is clearly withholding the information needed." A North Yorkshire Police spokesman said: "The investigation team will continue to thoroughly assess any new leads and information. "We remind those who we suspect are withholding key information about Claudia that we will not give up our quest to find the truth."

Summary: Seven years on from the disappearance of Claudia Lawrence, her mother has said she thinks she is alive and "being held somewhere against her will".


Kanye West was supposed to have an album ready for his (divisive) headline performance at Glastonbury - but the record, at first titled So Help Me God, then renamed SWISH, has failed to materialise. Fans even petitioned the White House to get it released - but hope is on the horizon. Ten days ago, the star tweeted "I'm finishing my album" He wasn't the only one dragging his sequinned heels. R&B star Frank Ocean's follow-up to the groundbreaking Channel Orange was scheduled for July, then disappeared - prompting a foul-mouthed outburst from Adele. And Rihanna held a lavish launch party for her eighth album, ANTI, in November - but has subsequently failed to produce any new music. In fact, the Bajan star is still auditioning new material, songwriter Sia told BBC Radio 2 a fortnight ago. "The other night she came over and listened to half of 25 songs I played her because she's still looking for songs for her new album," said the songwriter, who previously wrote Rihanna's number one single, Diamonds. "It was a business meeting for sure. She took four [songs], but I don't know if they'll end up [on the album]." Rihanna kicks off a world tour, ostensibly in support of ANTI, in February - but don't assume we'll get new material before the opening night. "Every album needs to be an 11 out of 10 these days because the reviews are instant," one music industry executive told BBC News. Agenda-setting releases from Kendrick Lamar, Adele and Dr Dre sent pop stars scrambling into the studio to improve their records this year - so don't expect Rihanna, Kanye or Frank to release anything until they're sure they'll make a similar impact. Less timid is David Bowie, whose 25th album â˜… (Blackstar) was directly influenced by Kendrick Lamar's expansive take on jazz, hip-hop and funk on the 11 times Grammy-nominated To Pimp A Butterfly. Assembling a crack team of nimble-fingered jazz maestros, the aim was "in many, many ways, to avoid rock and roll," producer Tony Visconti told Rolling Stone magazine. It comes out on 8 January- Bowie's 69th birthday. Travelling in the other direction is Elton John, whose Wonderful Crazy Night is a return to the rollicking rock sound of his 1970s heyday, inspired by his domestic bliss. "I wanted to do something joyous because I was so happy with my children and my husband," the star told the BBC. Also lining up new releases are Gorillaz, whose new album will be "really fast," with "a lot of energy," says Damon Albarn; and Katy Perry, who promises a new direction on her fourth album. "I can't keep topping myself because I'll just combust at some point," she told the Associated Press. Primal Scream, who headline the 6 Music Festival in February, have teased six seconds of their 11th album Chaosmosis, on YouTube; while R&B band TLC are working on a fan-funded new album - their first since 2002's 3D. Will it include another Waterfalls or No Scrubs? Who cares, when contributing to the recording costs can earn you

Summary: The past year was when the planet's biggest pop stars went missing in action.


The police force, which lost a High Court case in 2012, has already paid back £1.2m to the football club. The figures emerged after the court examined the latest stage of the dispute, for charges over three seasons between 2009 and 2012. The force said it would now work with the club to agree what money, "if anything", remains outstanding. Two years ago, the High Court ruled the force overcharged for "special police services" between 2009 and 2012. Leeds United had argued policing streets and car parks near its Elland Road ground was the force's responsibility and the club should not have to pay. The High Court ruled in the club's favour and West Yorkshire Police lost a subsequent appeal against the decision. The judge, Sir David Eady, said one area of dispute remaining related to how charges should be made for the 2012-13 and 2013-14 seasons. Revealing details of developments in the case in a written analysis, following a further hearing in June, the judge said both parties had failed to agree a formula to calculate the appropriate rebate. Sir David said the force had "repaid the rebate it thought due" and "claims now that no more is owed". Assistant Chief Constable Mark Milsom said: "West Yorkshire Police has already repaid the club £1,238,816 following the original judgment. "The ruling today makes clear that the force and the club should now work together to agree what, if anything, remains outstanding. "We welcome the opportunity to now meet with the club."

Summary: Leeds United claims West Yorkshire Police still owes the club £800,000 for overcharging policing at home games.


The data for January from NHS England showed 88.7% of patients were dealt with in four hours. The target is 95%. That is the worst monthly performance since the target came in in 2004. NHS England blamed rising demand - overall attendances were up by more than 10% compared with the same time last year. There was also a sharp rise in emergency admissions and calls to NHS 111. Richard Barker, from NHS England, said: "Against this backdrop it's not surprising hospitals saw a dip in their performance and it is credit to all those working in emergency care that we are still admitting, treating and discharging almost nine in 10 patients within four hours "Winter pressures have come late this year with a sustained cold period and an increase in seasonal infections." During January the BBC reported how hospitals were being forced into taking extreme measures to cope. Some cancelled routine operations en-masse, while there were reports of GPs being advised not to cut back on hospital referrals and emergency treatment areas being set up outside A&E units. The monthly performance publication also showed the NHS was struggling in other areas:

Summary: A&E delays in England have reached record levels, official figures show.


Arvind Kejriwal blamed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the "raid", calling him a "coward and a psychopath". "When Modi couldn't handle me politically, he resorts to this cowardice," he added. Officials from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) have denied the allegations. "It is not a raid on Arvind Kejriwal's office, it was a raid on Rajender Kumar, principal secretary to the CM [chief minister]," CBI spokesperson Devpreet Singh told BBC Hindi. However, Mr Kejriwal has accused the CBI of "lying". India's Finance Minister Arun Jaitley told the upper house of parliament that the "raid has nothing to do with Mr Kejriwal". Parliamentary Affairs Minister Venkaiah Naidu added that it had become a "fashion" for Mr Kejriwal to blame the prime minister. Mr Kejriwal's local government has been locked in a tussle for power with the federal government since he was elected to power in February. Unlike in much of India, Delhi's Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-run local government does not have absolute administrative powers over the state. Control of the state's police force, land, and law and order rests with the BJP-controlled federal government. The AAP has consistently campaigned for greater autonomy for the state, and its tenure has been peppered with confrontations. Party members have tweeted, calling it the "darkest day in democracy".

Summary: The chief minister of India's capital, Delhi, has alleged that his office has been raided by the country's federal investigation agency.


Media playback is not supported on this device The Frenchman, 35, opted to extend his contract with the Royals in February until June 2018, having joined from Bournemouth in January 2016. "It's a decision I took with my family, who I've been away from now for 13 years," he told BBC Radio Berkshire. "We just think it's a good time for me to get back home and start a new life. I'm building a house in France." Kermorgant, who also played for Leicester and Charlton, has scored 10 goals for Reading so far this season as they bid to secure a Championship play-off place. He will hope to play a key role when Jaap Stam's side face fellow promotion contenders Leeds at home on Saturday. "I think it will be a big game," Kermorgant said. "There's every chance we could meet again in May if we both stay in our current positions. "It will be a good test for us to see where we can be. We want to finish as high as we can and we've been third in the league for a long time. "If we can beat Leeds, that will take us to fourth and maybe we can push for more."

Summary: Reading striker Yann Kermorgant has confirmed he will retire at the end of the 2017-18 season.


Mr Beshira, 21, was pronounced dead on Kilburn High Road in north-west London at 17:20 GMT on Thursday after being shot in the abdomen. A 22-year-old man was arrested on Saturday on suspicion of murder and remains in custody. Metropolitan Police said they believe Mr Beshira was shot on Palmerston Road and staggered 200 yards. Officers are searching for a man described as slim and white who was wearing jeans and a dark top with his hood up and the lower half of his face covered. Members of the public were already attending to Mr Beshira, who had collapsed outside a cafe, when the emergency services arrived. Witnesses described the area as "mayhem" after the shooting with reports of fights breaking out in a crowd. Det Ch Insp Andy Partridge said the gunman was "loitering in and around Palmerston Road and the Webheath Estate prior to the attack". He said: "We know the area was extremely busy at the time of the shooting. "I am convinced that other members of the public have either seen the incident itself, or have seen the suspect arrive at the scene or flee after the shooting."

Summary: Detectives have identified a man who was shot and killed on a busy street as Yasir Beshira.


Datawind was among four finalists in a competition organised by UK Trade and Investment. The firm hopes the Ubislate, which sells for Â£22 ($35), will make digital connectivity more affordable. The three other finalists in the Smart UK Project were Blippar, P2i and QRpedia. Seventy-nine UK-based companies entered the competition in December. A key factor in selecting the finalists was that they demonstrated the potential to become global businesses. The winner of the competition was announced at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. As well as the prestige of winning, Datawind will get free design consultancy and free software. Russell Buckley, one of the Smart UK Project judges, said: "We were very impressed by the quality of all the finalists. "It was a tough decision but we are very pleased that Datawind has won. "There is a global potential and the will to transform lives and society, all using the resources of a British company." Suneet Singh Tuli, chief executive of Datawind, said the result was a "great validation of our vision".

Summary: The makers of a 7in (17.8cm) Android tablet have been named "UK's Most Innovative Mobile Company".


Jim Murphy was responding to former Tory chairman Lord Baker's view that there could be a deal between the two rival parties after May's election. However, the Labour MP has not ruled out some kind of deal with the SNP. Mr Murphy told BBC political editor Brian Taylor that it was "disrespectful" to discuss political deals before the general election. On the suggestion of his party entering into a Conservative arrangement in the event of a hung parliament, Mr Murphy was very clear. He said: "We don't need lessons from Tory dinosaurs about how to run Scotland, what a ludicrous idea." Mr Murphy added that the differences between the Labour Party and the Conservative Party were bigger than "I have seen for a number of years". Writing in The Independent, Lord Baker of Dorking said a Labour minority government reliant on the SNP would be a "nightmare" situation at Westminster. He added that such an arrangement could "stretch the constitution of our country to breaking point". However, the SNP said it was trusted more than Labour to keep the Tories out. Asked if a deal with the nationalists was possible, Mr Murphy said he did not want to get into a "post-match analysis on an event that has not yet taken place". He told Brian Taylor during a half-hour webcast: "As I say, if the SNP want to vote for our policies in the House of Commons, it's up to them - some time they have done that in recent times, quite often they have sided with the Tories against Labour." Mr Murphy said he had no desire to focus on the "politics of pessimism" because he wanted his party to win government. The debate over coalition deals has arisen because polling suggests neither Labour nor the Conservatives would gain an overall majority in this year's election. If that is the case a coalition deal with smaller parties could be possible or a so-called "confidence and supply" arrangement could be agreed whereby the smaller party supports the larger party in key votes. During the webchat Mr Murphy was also asked about tuition fees, the Scottish independence referendum and his decision to fight his East Renfrewshire seat in May.

Summary: The leader of the Scottish Labour Party has called the idea of a Conservative-Labour coalition "ludicrous".


The 81-year-old driver of a Fiesta suffered multiple injuries in the crash on the A4064 between Llangeinor and Brynmenyn on Saturday at 15:05 BST. He is being treated at Cardiff's University Hospital of Wales. His 75-year-old passenger also needed hospital treatment for head injuries. The Vauxhall Astra driver was taken to Princess of Wales Hospital, Bridgend. He has been arrested on suspicion of causing serious injury by dangerous driving. Police are appealing for witnesses.

Summary: A 24-year-old driver has been arrested after a crash which left two other men hurt, one seriously, in Bridgend.


Irish News editor Noel Doran said they had "got it wrong" over flag protests. Loyalist protests followed Belfast City Council's vote last December to limit the flying of the union flag from city hall. Some of the demonstrations resulted in violence. On Saturday, Mr Doran told the conference in Lurgan, County Armagh, what had been opposed had been a "democratic decision" of Belfast City Council. Mr Doran told about 140 delegates that nationalists and unionists often viewed each other with "mutual incomprehension" even though they had a lot in common. He said loyalists could learn from organisations like the Gaelic Athletic Association, when it came to issues like community pride and reaching out. Progressive Unionist Party councillor John Kyle said loyalists had to do "more than" protest; he said they also had to come up with ways out of problems that arose. He said the party would not give "cover or excuse" to criminality. Party leader Billy Hutchinson was asked about a recent shooting attack in east Belfast in which a 24-year-old woman suffered injuries to her lower abdomen, hips and knees. Police have said they are treating the attack at Lord Street Mews as attempted murder. There has been speculation that the UVF were behind the shooting. Mr Hutchinson said he condemned it. "I'm not the leader of the UVF, I'm the leader of the PUP, but I will answer it, it was despicable," he said. "I said that at the time, irrespective of who was responsible, there's no place for those people in society and they should be removed." During the conference, delegates also passed a motion supporting equal marriage in Northern Ireland. The motion was: "This party joins with remainder of UK in enshrining into law equality for all in marriage.' Meanwhile, party chairman Brian Lacey said he did not recognise the party as it was sometimes portrayed by the media, adding that if it were like that he would not be a member. He said he was proud to be a party member adding that membership had tripled in the past year.

Summary: A representative of the nationalist community in Northern Ireland has addressed the Progressive Unionist Party's annual conference for the first time.


The coalition government planned to reduce fees for litigators in two stages, with an 8.75% cut in 2014 and an 8.75% cut this year. Legal aid minister Shailesh Vara said the latest cut will come into force in England and Wales on 1 July. He said concerns had been "very carefully" listened to. Inquiries had reassured the government that "legal aid reforms so far have not had any substantial negative impact on the sustainability of the service," he went on. The decision to scrap cuts to advocacy fees for barristers will be offset by alternative savings in the criminal justice sector, Mr Vara said. The minister also said plans to bring in new contracts for duty solicitors will go ahead. In March, lawyers lost a court appeal against the plans to cut the number of duty solicitor contracts at magistrates' courts and police stations in England and Wales from 1,600 to 527. Andrew Caplen, president of the Law Society which represents solicitors, said he was "deeply concerned". "The administration of justice is a fundamental duty of government and access to justice is an essential part of that responsibility," he said. "Criminal legal aid solicitors are critical for ensuring that anyone accused of wrongdoing has a fair trial and yet few young lawyers see a future in this work, which is of extreme concern." The Bar Council, which represents barristers in England and Wales, welcomed the decision to protect advocacy fees. But it added it had "grave concerns" about solicitors' fee cuts and the dual contracting scheme, which are "likely seriously to damage access to justice". Criminal Bar Association chairman Tony Cross said he regretted the decisions to "impose further fee cuts on hard-pressed litigators" and to press ahead with the new duty provider contracts. Mr Vara said: "The changes we are pressing ahead with today are designed to ensure that we have a system of criminal legal aid that delivers value for money to taxpayers, that provides high quality legal advice to those that need it most, and that puts the profession on a sustainable footing for the long term." He said there would be a review of the cuts to fees and the new contracts in July 2016.

Summary: The government is to press ahead with a cut in fees for solicitors in criminal legal aid cases, but has shelved similar plans for barristers.


The rider, troupe owner Ken Fox, was taken to Derriford Hospital, Plymouth after falling from the top of the cylindrical track. An eyewitness told BBC News: "There was an air of panic with people screaming and running out of the tent." Mr Fox, from Cambridge, was treated for bumps, bruises and scratches. Emergency services remain on the scene at the showground in Wadebridge speaking to witnesses. On Facebook, Ken Fox Wall of Death said in response to concerns for the rider: "Ken Fox is safe and well just a bit bashed about." Devon and Cornwall Police say nobody else was injured in the accident. The wall of death is a motorcycle show in which stuntmen ride at speed around a vertical track performing tricks and stunts on 1920 Indian Scout bikes. The Ken Fox Wall of Death troupe has been featured in music video and on television, including the BBC One idents showing stunt riders going round in a circle. The eyewitness said the rider fell from the top of the wall on to his head but he could not see why he fell. People outside said they heard a huge bang and that they felt the earth shake.

Summary: A motorcycle stuntman was airlifted to hospital after an accident during a "wall of death" performance at the Royal Cornwall Show.


If a glut of recent studies are to be believed, its days are definitely numbered. Various reports suggest it is haemorrhaging users, that teenagers find it boring - one survey even comparing it to an infectious disease. Such surveys, usually accompanied by a picture of boss Mark Zuckerberg looking sad, are picked up widely by the press and equally vigorously pulled apart by Facebook. So when researchers at Princeton used Google search data to predict Facebook would lose 80% of its users within three years, the social network hit back. Its in-house data scientists used the same methodology to predict the university would have no students by 2021 and the world would run out of air by 2060. "As data scientists we wanted to give a fun reminder that not all research is created equal - and some methods of analysis lead to pretty crazy conclusions," they said. The Princeton report's comparison of Facebook to an infectious disease missed the mark, thinks Nate Elliott, analyst with Forrester Research. "One of Facebook's greatest strengths is its practice of regularly adding new features and functionality to its site; this both ensures it infects new users and also makes sure existing users don't become immune to its charms," he said in his blog. He also pointed out net measurement firm Comscore's data that showed that 89% of US 18- to 24-year-olds used Facebook in November 2013. "Facebook claims far more young users than any other social network - indeed, probably more than any other media property on Earth," he added. Some surveys are harder for Facebook to shake off, though. Digital agency iStrategylabs used Facebook's own social advertising data to extrapolate that three million US teenagers had left Facebook in the past three years. It was echoed by earlier research conducted by the Pew Internet Centre research, which reported that teenagers were put off Facebook because of their parents. The fact that notoriously capricious teenagers don't want to hang out in the same digital space with their parents will hardly come as a surprise to anyone who knows any. Parents can be embarrassing on Facebook - they post pictures of their offspring that they find hilarious but their children don't, they add ill-advised comments to their children's status updates and they often fail to understand the basic etiquettes of online discourse. It has led, concluded Pew, to teenagers maintaining lower profiles on Facebook while spending the majority of their time on services such as WhatsApp or Snapchat. But while the report noted a 25% drop in the number of younger users, it indicated that there was an 80% surge in users with an age of 55 and above. So is it a case that as Facebook gets older, so does its core audience? "The demographic has shifted and it is a positive thing when it come to ad revenues. These older users have more spending power than young teens," said Ovum analyst Eden Zoller. But she added Facebook could not afford to be complacent about its younger members because if they could be persuaded to

Summary: The candles on Facebook's 10th birthday cake will barely have been blown out before someone somewhere starts speculating on whether it will ever make 11.


Media playback is not supported on this device Schalk went down in the box under no contact from Celtic's Erik Sviatchenko, with Liam Boyce converting the spot-kick to earn County a point. Hearts' Jamie Walker was banned for a similar incident on the opening day of the season against Celtic. And Tierney said: "It should be the same rule for every player." Tierney was the player penalised in that match at Tynecastle in August, which Celtic won 2-1. The champions paid a two-point penalty for Schalk's antics on Sunday, and Tierney could barely believe referee Don Robertson awarded a spot-kick as he thinks the incident was even worse than the one involving Walker. "I knew straight away it was a dive," said Tierney, who scored Celtic's opening goal on Sunday. "It was the same kind of thing with Jamie Walker when we played Hearts in the first game of the season. But this incident was more obvious. "It's not a nice part of the game, you can expect contact, but you're not going to go down if there's no contact. It's as simple as that. "If it's striker's prerogative to do that then everyone would be falling about. Whenever you get close to people in games you need to stay on your feet, but if someone gets too close then fair enough. "I couldn't believe it when the referee gave the penalty, everyone was so surprised. The linesman had a great view and was standing straight in line with it, but obviously not." In the immediate aftermath of the incident, Celtic skipper Scott Brown was red carded for a late challenge on Boyce. With Celtic likely to appeal against the red card, Brown will be available for Sunday's Scottish Cup semi-final against Rangers. Boyce said: "I sort of knew that someone was coming, and I was waiting until the last second to try and get out of the way to buy a free-kick and take the pressure off. Media playback is not supported on this device "Once I flicked it though I just felt like I'd been hit by a bus, and I looked down and my sock was ripped and my leg is really swollen now. "I had been hit on the hand and got it sliced a wee bit and there were a few comments then, and just before that I had made a challenge from behind on him. "These things build up in a game and I think he might have been a wee bit frustrated with the way things went and it has just happened."

Summary: Celtic defender Kieran Tierney reckons Ross County's Alex Schalk should be hit with a two-match ban for diving in Sunday's 2-2 draw in Dingwall.


British Transport Police (BTP) said there were 150 fewer incidents recorded in 2014/15, but sex attacks rose by 16% from 19 to 22. Overall, 1,172 crimes were reported - down on 1,322 the previous year. BTP said crime in Wales remained low, but there was still much for the force to do. Supt Andy Morgan, sub divisional commander for Wales, said sex crime figures in the region were the lowest of any of BTP's eight areas. He said although it was concerning so many people were affected by this type of crime, the force had expected to see a rise after launching its Report It To Stop It campaign, which encourages victims to come forward. The force said there were 42 fewer theft offences last year and instances where cables were stolen were down from 102 last year to 53 this year. As a result, the number of travel minutes lost to the offence is down by 87% nationally since 2008/09. Violent offences also decreased in Wales, at a time when there was an 8% rise across Britain. The force said it had put more officers on night trains to deter problem behaviour and it was enhancing its CCTV coverage by trialling the use of body-worn cameras. The report said there were 16 deaths on the tracks in Wales last year and BTP had introduced a hotline for staff to alert emergency services when staff are concerned about a person planning to harm themselves.

Summary: Crime on the railways fell by 11% in Wales last year, while the number of sexual offences reported rose, new figures show.


The two suicide attacks took place at about midday local time (07:30 GMT) on Wednesday, targeting a police station and intelligence agency offices. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid claimed responsibility for the attacks. It is the latest in a string of attacks to challenge the Afghan authorities after the resurgent militant group started its spring offensive early. Condemning the bombings, President Ashraf Ghani said: "After the killing of [prominent commander] Mullah Salam and the Taliban's defeat on many other fronts, the terrorists are launching such attacks to raise the moral of their fighters." Salam was killed in a US air strike on Sunday. The first of Wednesday's attacks began when a suicide car bomber detonated his explosives outside a police station - which is next door to a military training facility - in the west of the city. This was followed by a five-hour gun battle between officers and another attacker. Most of the fatalities reportedly occurred in this attack. Soon afterwards a suicide bomber blew himself up outside Afghanistan's intelligence agency, in eastern Kabul. Officials originally said just three people had died in the attack, but revised the number up later in the day. The attacks came a day after the Taliban killed 12 policemen in an "insider attack" in the southern Afghan province of Helmand.

Summary: Almost simultaneous attacks in Kabul have left at least 16 people dead and 44 injured, the health ministry says.


"Fake cocaine death drug was sold on our streets" is the headline on the front page of the Ballymena Times. The story says that a letter circulated to health professionals across Northern Ireland states that the substance - U47,700 - is available in the Ballymena area. It says the powder has been linked to two deaths in Northern Ireland during November and December 2016, and to three further three cases in December where the user was found unconscious. The letter says some of those who have used it have been sold it as cocaine, while others may have believed it was heroin. The paper also reports that an Ahoghill man who assaulted security staff and police with a walking stick in Ballymena Courthouse is one of the first people in the area to be served with a Violent Offences Prevention Order (VOPO). The Ulster Gazette has the story of the Armagh musician who's been "hand-picked by pop sensation" Ed Sheeran to play on his new album. Brian Finnegan, a flautist and tin whistle player, said he first came to Sheeran's attention after guesting on an album by County Antrim band Beoga. He said Sheeran "invited the band over to his place to get a feel for each other's music. It was a very organic process, hanging out and jamming." Brian plays on four songs on Sheeran's new album Divide. Elsewhere in the paper, the grand-niece of a teenaged soldier killed in the Battle of the Somme tells of her pride that his experiences have been immortalised in a comic book created by three Northern Ireland museums. Helen McComb discovered her great-uncle Tommy Chambers' diary after it had lain undiscovered in an attic for decades. The events of his time as a soldier now feature in the educational comic book For Valour. The problem of vandalism is to the fore in the Coleraine Times. Translink has issued a "perpetrators will be prosecuted" warning due to the activities of a group of teenagers at the town's railways station. Last month the decision was taken to close the station at 19:00 GMT due to their activities. "They are now coming in earlier than 19:00," Translink's David Simpson tells the paper, adding that there can be as many as 40 youths involved and that they age in range from 12 to 20. "What they are doing when they get chased out of Coleraine is going to Ballymoney to try and vandalise it." Meanwhile, the paper says that a spate of vandalism at nearby Portstewart's Diversity Park is "hurting the most vulnerable". Much of the park's apparatus is adapted for children with disabilities. In the latest incident an attempt was made to set fire to one piece of equipment. The Irish Coastguard helicopter crash tragedy in which four crew members are assumed to have lost their lives features in the Down Recorder. Members of the Mourne Mountain Rescue Team, who worked closely with the helicopter crew on rescues and training exercises, say they are devastated by what happened. "We had a very close and strong working relationship

Summary: Lethal substances, pop sensations, sledgehammer-wielding vandals and online scams feature in Northern Ireland's local papers this week.


Robson-Kanu has not featured for the Championship side since suffering a thigh injury in the 1-1 draw with Cardiff on 19 March. The 26-year-old featured in eight of Wales' qualifiers but injury ruled him out of the past four international friendlies. "I'll be fit for the summer," he told BBC Wales Sport. "I'm getting on well. No-one likes being injured, but it is just a little strain, so I am just managing it now and getting it right, and it will be right come the summer. "I am definitely on the mend and looking forward to getting back fit." Robson-Kanu, who is out of contract at the end of the season, expects to feature for Reading before the campaign finishes. "I will hopefully play a few games and get my fitness up ahead of the camp and as we get ready for the summer," he said. Wales have qualified their first major tournament since the 1958 World Cup in Sweden and will face Slovakia, England and Russia at the European Championship. Robson-Kanu believes the success of Chris Coleman's team has helped to challenge the notion Wales is a rugby nation. "Things have changed, there is this perception that Wales is a rugby nation and of course rugby is a massive part of this nation," he said. "But if you look at the support Swansea and Cardiff get, especially when Cardiff were in the top league, it was fantastic. "Now we are doing so well at international level, you can really feel the buzz and the attendances reflect that. "We know how much it means to the fans, it is that special feeling isn't it? And that is what it is all about." Robson-Kanu hopes to add to his tally of two international goals in France, and believes Wales can challenge in the tournament. "What we've achieved getting there, great, but we want to do better than that," he said. "We have players in the group who are programmed week in and week out to do better than that. "It will be an exciting summer, but we want to be successful."

Summary: Reading forward Hal Robson-Kanu says he will be fit for Wales' Euro 2016 campaign in France this summer.


Members of the drivers union Aslef are due to walk out for three days in the dispute over driver-only trains. Southern's parent company Govia Thameslink (GTR) has asked the Court of Appeal to overturn last week's High Court refusal to ban the strike action. A decision will be given at the end of the hearing, due to last all day. Lord Justice Elias, sitting with Lord Justice Lewison and Lord Justice Lloyd Jones, have been asked to overturn the refusal to grant an injunction blocking the "unprecedented" action. GTR has already been hit by a series of strikes by the RMT union in a long-running dispute over the role of conductors. Drivers are due to strike on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, with a week-long walkout planned from 9 to 14 January. Southern said given the timing of the Court of Appeal's decision, it would be too late to get trains and drivers in the correct position for Tuesday, and any services it could run would be "extremely limited". Angie Doll, passenger services director, said: "We hope for the sake of our passengers our application to the Court of Appeal is successful. "Even if we are able to stop the strikes through the court, services will still be very heavily impacted tomorrow. "We will work through the night to try and provide as many services as possible, but we are still advising passengers not to travel as we will not be able to offer a robust service they can rely on. "We are sorry but the industrial action by Aslef leaves us no viable alternative, but be assured we will do all we can overnight," she said. The RMT union, which has been staging strikes since April, is also planning further stoppages either side of Christmas. 00:01: Tuesday 13 December to 23:59 Wednesday 14 December (Aslef) 00:01 Friday 16 December to 23:59: Friday 16 December (Aslef) 00:01 Monday 19 December to 23:59 Tuesday 20 December (RMT) 00:01 Saturday 31 December to 23:59 Monday 2 January (RMT) 00:01 Monday 9 January to 23:59: Saturday 14 January (Aslef)

Summary: Strike-hit rail operator Southern has warned passengers not to travel on Tuesday, irrespective of the outcome of a last-ditch bid to halt a walkout.


Matthew Daley, 34, of Worthing, is being held on suspicion of murdering Don Lock, 79, and police have until midnight to charge or release him. Mr Lock died from stab wounds after a suspected road-rage confrontation near Findon, which Sussex Police described as an "unprovoked attack". On Saturday a knife was recovered and sent for tests. His family gave an emotional news conference on the same day to pay tribute to the man they described as "gentle, kind and loving". Mr Lock's son, Andrew, said the family had been "incredibly overwhelmed" by messages of support and they were "deeply grateful" to the people who had tried to treat Mr Lock at the side of the road. The great-grandfather had recently celebrated his 55th wedding anniversary with his wife Maureen and had also been given the all-clear from cancer. He was attacked after getting out of his car following a crash with another vehicle on the A24 on Thursday evening. Paramedics were called but he died at the scene. On Saturday Det Ch Insp Paul Rymarz said Mr Lock was the victim of a "violent, unprovoked attack that he had no chance to defend himself against". He described the investigation as a "fast moving operation" and renewed his appeal for anyone with further information to contact the police.

Summary: Detectives are continuing to question a man about a fatal stabbing after a car crash in West Sussex.


Brendon Mason died in hospital as a result of head injuries after being found in Abbey Park, Leicester, on Tuesday morning. Joshua Hack, 21, of St Helen's Drive, Leicester; and Keith Lowe, also 21, of Rockingham Close, Leicester, appeared before magistrates in Leicester. A woman, 18 and a man, 20, arrested on Friday have been released on bail. A 27-year-old man arrested on Tuesday was also released on bail pending further inquiries.

Summary: Two men have been charged with the murder of a man found injured near a boating lake.


Sussex could have taken third place had they won at Hampshire, but rain forced their match to be abandoned. Somerset's fixture at Middlesex was also called off, meaning Somerset finish second in the South Group. Essex finished top of the group after beating Kent by 57 runs on the Duckworth-Lewis method at Canterbury. They are joined by North Group winners Worcestershire in going straight through to the semi-finals. Somerset will host Nottinghamshire in the quarter-final on 13 June with the winner to face Essex at Chelmsford three days later. Yorkshire play Surrey at Headingley in the other quarter-final, also on 13 June. The winner travels to Worcestershire on 17 June. At Canterbury on Wednesday, Varun Chopra scored 83 from 98 deliveries, while England Test opener Alastair Cook made 54 as the visitors reached 307-6 from their 50 overs. Kent lost three early wickets before rain caused play to be stopped after 11 overs had been bowled, with the hosts on 50-3 - well short of their adjusted target. Surrey captain Gareth Batty told BBC Radio London: "It was 100% the right decision [to call the game off], the water's coming over your shoes out there. "There's nothing you can do, you just move on to the next game."

Summary: Surrey qualified for the One-Day Cup knockout stages despite rain causing their game at Gloucestershire to be called off without a ball being bowled.


Senior ministers are "absolutely furious" about his resignation and departure from government. Some ministers believe the claims in his letter are "just not true because he is well aware that the welfare changes have always clearly been about saving money as well as improving the systems". It's suggested that his central motivation is the EU referendum, and, for others who are supporting him, a strategy to kill off George Osborne's hope of taking over from David Cameron. IDS's team is adamant that his exit is entirely about the handling of PIPs (Personal Independence Payments) and nothing to do with the EU. Whatever the truth, it is very dangerous for a political party to be so publicly divided, and, on a very simple level, for its members to be so angry with each other.

Summary: It's not just Iain Duncan Smith who's angry.


The president scrapped sanctions implemented 11 years ago against former President Charles Taylor. Taylor is now in a maximum-security prison for a series of war crimes. President Obama said that Taylor's imprisonment meant that sanctions were no longer necessary. He said that he and his allies now had a "diminished ability" to "undermine Liberia's progress". National Security Council spokesman Ned Price said that the US wanted to congratulate the people of Liberia "for their determination, ingenuity and commitment to peace and democracy" that has made the lifting of sanctions possible. Taylor and his inner circle fuelled a brutal 1991-2002 civil war in Liberia that killed tens of thousands of people. He was arrested in 2006 and charged by a UN-backed court with 11 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity for acts committed by rebels in Sierra Leone who he aided and abetted. The Special Court for Sierra Leone trial was held at The Hague in case it sparked renewed unrest in West Africa. Taylor was sentenced to 50 years in jail for what judges described as "some of the most heinous crimes in human history". The former Liberian leader is now being held in a maximum-security British prison. Liberia has been led by Nobel Prize winner Ellen Johnson Sirleaf since 2006. She has worked closely with the West in tackling Ebola.

Summary: The US has lifted economic sanctions against Liberia as President Barack Obama praised the country's commitment to democracy since the end of the 2003 civil war, the White House has said.


Dylann Roof was convicted last month of 33 federal charges, including hate crimes, after opening fire on a Bible study group in 2015. He remained unrepentant and had told the jury: "I felt like I had to do it and I still feel like I had to do it." The jurors deliberated for nearly three hours before reaching their verdict. The massacre shocked the nation and reignited a debate about race relations and the flying of the Confederate flag. Roof told police he wanted to start a race war and he was photographed holding the battle flag, which to many is a symbol of hate. The tragedy led to the flag being removed from the South Carolina statehouse, where it had flown for 50 years. Earlier on Tuesday, Roof addressed the jury, saying: "I don't know what good it would do anyway" if they spared his life. The judge will issue a formal sentence on Wednesday morning. After the sentence was announced, the 22-year-old killer stood and requested to be appointed new lawyers and to file for a retrial. US District Judge Richard Gergel replied that he was "strongly disinclined" and instructed Roof to think about it overnight. Nearly two dozen friends and relatives of those gunned down at the Emmanuel AME Church in Charleston testified during the sentencing phase about how Roof's crimes have affected their lives. But none of them had appealed to the jury to return a death sentence.

Summary: A white supremacist has been sentenced to death for the racially motivated killings of nine black people at a South Carolina church.


But did you ever stop to think what this means? What are terms and conditions, and why do you have to agree to them? Read on to find out more. Terms and conditions are rules you have to agree to before you can use certain products or services, like social media. Last year, Newsround found out that many of you have signed up to have social media accounts. The companies that run these networks - for example, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat or WhatsApp - all have their own terms and conditions that you have to agree to before you can have an account with them. For example, they might say that you have to be a certain age to have an account, or that the company is allowed to use any pictures you post however they like. You might hear of terms and conditions being referred to as Ts and Cs. You aren't allowed to use these sites without agreeing to the terms and conditions. So many people - including adults - don't read them because they just want to get on and use the site or app. They don't think that there's any point wasting time to go through them, which means they don't know what they've agreed to. Also, the list of rules can be extremely long and complicated - and written in technical language - which can make them difficult to understand. This means that many people may not know what they've actually agreed to. It is important to make sure you understand what you are agreeing to so that you know exactly what you've signed up for. You don't want to get a nasty shock later because you didn't fully understand something that you'd agreed to a while ago. Jenny Afia, a lawyer who knows all about terms and conditions, says that to make sure you don't get caught out: "Get help from parents or teachers to understand what the terms and conditions mean." "It's important to be aware of what you're signing up to."

Summary: When you sign up to have a social media account, you may have to tick a box saying that you agree to the terms and conditions.


A new reporting procedure, changes to the way users block others and new ways of dealing with reported tweets are among the changes outlined by the social network. Twitter told Newsbeat the changes would give users "more control over their experience". The changes come after several high profile cases of abuse. Twitter's head of public policy in Europe, Sinead McSweeney said: "We've always said that users' safety is a priority. It's a job that we never regard as done." The social network said the changes will take effect gradually "in the coming weeks". A more "mobile-friendly" process will be introduced, with users asked for less information when they first report abuse. Twitter claims the process will make it "simpler" to flag tweets and accounts for review. Users will also be able to report abuse which is not directly targeted at them. "It's more intuitive, it's conversational and it gives people an opportunity to flag content which they regard as abusive, but may not be directed at them," said Ms McSweeney. There will be a new page giving details of accounts a user has blocked. "If you block somebody, they will no longer be able to see your profile," Ms McSweeney explained. She added the network itself would continue to suspend users temporarily or permanently where necessary. Twitter said it has implemented several "behind the scenes" changes to the way it handles reports from users. There will be "more staff and more resources" and "better tools and systems" for dealing with abusive content. Ms McSweeney suggested users could expect a quicker response to certain types of reports. "We are constantly working to reduce the times in which it takes us to get to reports." Follow @BBCNewsbeat on Twitter and Radio1Newsbeat on YouTube

Summary: Twitter is making changes aimed at allowing users to report abuse or offensive content more easily.


A 36-year-old man has been charged with causing a dangerous article to be on a road. Another man, 46, has been charged with riotous behaviour. Both are due to appear before Belfast Magistrates Court 28 July. A crossbow was among items seized after the PSNI dispersed what they described as "a large crowd of men". A police spokesperson said: "Reports suggested some of the males were masked and may have been armed with weapons such as hammers. "Officers attended and dispersed the crowd seizing a number of items including a crossbow." Pictures from the Castlemara estate show a burning bonfire and police officers removing tyres and pallets from the road. At least one fire appliance was in attendance. The DUP MLA for the area, Gordon Lyons, said: "People in Carrickfergus are very disappointed at the disturbances that look place last night. "It's not what we want to see in 2016."

Summary: Two men have been charged following disturbances in Carrickfergus, County Antrim, on Friday night.


2 February 2016 Last updated at 15:09 GMT School kids have been submitting their questions for the British astronaut. Hundreds have travelled to the World Museum in Liverpool to see the live stream, and others are watching from classrooms around the country. Tim is expected to be live at 2.30 to answer their questions.

Summary: Tim Peake is preparing to talk to hundreds of school pupils in a live webcast from the International Space Station.


Discussions are set to focus on Syria and Iran, particularly the nuclear deal bitterly opposed by Mr Netanyahu. Mr Cameron said the UK "remains staunch" in its "defence of Israel's right to exist and to defend itself". Pro-Palestinian campaigners have denounced Mr Netanyahu's visit. There were angry confrontations outside Downing Street on Wednesday between protesters demanding Mr Netanyahu's arrest for what they say amount to war crimes in Gaza and pro-Israel activists. Although a petition calling for the Israeli PM's arrest secured enough signatures to be considered for a debate in Parliament, the bid was rejected earlier this week because "visiting heads of foreign governments... have immunity from legal process, and cannot be arrested or detained", the UK government said in a statement. Arriving in Downing Street, Mr Netanyahu said: "The Middle East is disintegrating under the twin forces of militant Islam - militant Sunnis led by Isis [Islamic State] and militant Shiites led by Iran. "I believe that we can co-operate in practical ways to roll back the tide of militant Islam both in the Middle East and in Africa." The Israeli premier also said he was "ready to resume direct negotiations with the Palestinians with no conditions whatsoever to entering negotiations... immediately". Talks between Israel and the Palestinians broke down in April 2014. Mr Cameron praised the "close relationship between Britain and Israel" and the "growing economic and commercial ties" between the countries. He said he wanted to talk about the "enormous important global threats" in particular so-called Islamic State.

Summary: Action is needed to stop the Middle East "disintegrating" under the threat of militant Islamists, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu said at the start of talks in London with David Cameron.


Surfing began somewhere in the distant past of Polynesian culture and by the mid eighteenth century, Captain James Cook sailed to Hawaii and saw locals climbing onto wooden boards and speeding along the waves. Eventually, a craze for wave riding spread and now it's thought at least 36 million people worldwide identify themselves as surfers. They all, however, face an inescapable truth: perfect, surfable waves don't always show up where and when they're wanted. "Most of our good surfing waves around the world are adjacent to big expanses of ocean," says Dr Mark Davidson of Plymouth University, an oceanographer with a special interest in waves and surfing. The best surfing waves start life in stormy seas far from shore. Winds whip the surface into peaks which race away from the storm centre and over time transform into swell that rolls along under its own steam. Like fine wines, the best waves take time to mature. These water-borne pulses of energy continue their long journey towards land, sorting themselves out as they go, becoming less choppy and more refined - and bigger. That's why world-class surf rolls to shore in spots like Hawaii, Bali and Portugal. Elsewhere, where there isn't a wide ocean delivering well-matured swell, people are attempting to improve the waves. The aim of artificial surfing reefs is to enhance smaller waves into a surfable break. "There's no magic here, you don't create waves," says Dr Davidson. "The idea is that you can focus waves, a bit like light travelling through a lens," he says. A reef - natural or otherwise - acts as a magnet for swell, concentrating the waves' energy and making a bigger, more powerful break. That's the theory, anyway. One of the newest artificial surfing reefs was installed on England's south coast, at Boscombe close to Bournemouth. Here in the English Channel, where long-distance swell is distinctly lacking, waves are driven by local winds which produce choppier, smaller surf. In a bid to improve the quality and consistency of Boscombe's waves, Bournemouth Borough Council paid Â£3.2 million to install an artificial surf reef. The football pitch-sized reef consists of sand-filled geotextile bags that were designed to raise the seabed and magnify existing waves. But when the reef opened in 2009, it was a crashing disappointment for local surfers. "It didn't produce the right shape of wave," says Mark Davidson. He was brought in to assess the reef's performance, which he did by surfing it with a GPS unit fitted inside his wetsuit. "That allowed me very accurately to evaluate my ride length, the peel angle of the waves and how fast the wave was breaking," he says. Dr Davidson concluded that the reef was no good for surfing. It kicked up steep, dumpy waves that collapsed over his head rather than breaking gradually, peeling from one side to the other. Boscombe's surf reef is not the first to fall short. According to Davidson, of the 12 artificial surf reefs built worldwide, none have worked. "As yet we still don't have a successful example in generating a quality

Summary: For centuries, people have been lured in by the thundering power of surf.


The Argentina midfielder was sent off in the 84th minute after he reacted angrily to a James McClean challenge. Watford said his punishment was excessive and that he had been wrongly dismissed, but the latter was rejected by the Football Association. Pereyra will now only miss Saturday's game against Everton.

Summary: Watford's Roberto Pereyra has had his suspension reduced from three matches to one following his sending off in Saturday's 3-1 defeat by West Brom.


Kezia Dugdale was speaking after Unite boss Len McCluskey said he "can't see" Labour winning on 8 June. Mr McCluskey later distanced himself from the remarks, insisting that he was "now full of optimism" about the party's chances. Referring to Mr McCluskey's original comments, Ms Dugdale said: "I think he is wrong. I hope he's wrong." In an interview with Politico, Mr McCluskey suggested that winning 200 seats - nearly 30 fewer than in 2015 - would be a "successful" result for Mr Corbyn, and it would be "extraordinary" if the party won the election. But asked about his comment on Wednesday morning, he said: "I am now full of optimism. If I was having that interview now I would not be making those comments." Mr McCluskey said he was "now convinced that the polls will change" and that "Labour is in with a real chance", describing the party's campaign as "brilliant". Asked on the Good Morning Scotland programme about the union leader's original remarks, Ms Dugdale said success for the party would mean "winning". She said she wanted the "Tories out of office and a Labour government in its place", but would not put a figure on how many seats she was hopeful of winning in Scotland, where the party returned only one MP in 2015. "I want to make progress in Scotland, I want to win more seats, I want to reduce the majority of SNP MPs in many other seats," she said. "The reality is that in the vast majority of seats across Scotland's central belt it is the Labour Party that stands a very strong second to the SNP." Mr Corbyn said in March that he would be "absolutely fine" with Scotland having a second independence referendum if the Scottish Parliament asked for one. His comment was condemned at the time by senior party figures in Scotland - with justice spokeswoman, Jackie Baillie, describing Mr Corbyn as "misguided and irresponsible" while MP Ian Murray said the leader was "destroying the party". And Labour's general election manifesto, which was unveiled by Mr Corbyn on Tuesday, says the party will "work tirelessly" to oppose a referendum. Ms Dugdale insisted the party was not sending out mixed messages on the issue, saying it was "very clear" that everyone in the Labour movement opposed independence and a second referendum on the basis that it would lead to "turbo-charged austerity" and "Â£15bn of cuts". She said people across Scotland were tired of politics in Scotland being dominated by the constitution. But she added: "It is a huge issue - people are angry that they might be forced to answer that question again. "So what I am saying clearly is that with Labour you get a clear promise of opposition to independence and an independence referendum. "But you also get a lot more than that - this is where the Tories and Ruth Davidson fall short. We have got a transformative plan to transform this country, so you can oppose independence but also vote for investment in our public services." Good Morning Scotland interviewed

Summary: The leader of Scottish Labour has insisted that she thinks the party can win next month's general election.


But make no mistake - these are crucial, perhaps even momentous, times for South African politics. A status quo that has survived for 20 years of democracy is finally beginning to crack. There is a chance this could be a good thing for South Africa - that a clumsy consensus that served the country well in the years after apartheid is no longer fit for purpose, and that a more nuanced, contested form of democracy may now take over. But the governing African National Congress (ANC) does not see it like that, warning loudly that "fascists" and "racists" are threatening the survival of the institutions that have kept this country stable since 1994. Much now depends on the way the ANC - after two decades of unchallenged power - deals with a more robust opposition in parliament, the erosion of a key political alliance with the trade union movement, and the dawning possibility that it may soon lose power in two of South Africa's nine provinces - and one day at a national level too. Thursday's fighting in parliament can be traced directly to two immediate factors - one is the recent influx of MPs from the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party. They are unapologetically rowdy and populist, and have energised - not always in a constructive way - an institution that many South Africans, numbed by the ANC's overwhelming majority, had apparently stopped caring about. The second factor is called Nkandla - the scandal about the lavish tax-payer-funded renovations to President Jacob Zuma's private home that will not disappear. Although many senior ANC figures have privately expressed deep unease about the issue, the party has publically rallied around the president in strident fashion. The last straw - well, one of many - came in the shape of an ad-hoc parliamentary committee that exonerated Mr Zuma of any personal wrongdoing, after opposition members had left it in frustration. The ANC then used its majority to adopt the committee's report on Thursday. South Africa's opposition is usually divided in parliament - and outside - to the advantage of the ANC. But Nkandla has seen political rivals united against the governing party with unusual vigour and co-ordination. It could be a sign of things to come - an opposition coalition one day strong enough to challenge the ANC's majority. All of which helps explain why the current chaos in South Africa's trade union movement is also giving the ANC real cause for concern. The Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) has been in a strategic tri-partite alliance with the ANC and Communist Party - an arrangement that helped keep stability and achieve some progress in the labour market for decades. But a combination of factors - including falling membership, political rivalries, and incidents like the Marikana mine killings of 2012 - have led to a deep split, with the biggest trade union, the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa), now expelled from Cosatu. A more competitive, vibrant trade union movement - decoupled from its leaders' increasingly cosy pact with government -

Summary: From the outside it might seem like relatively minor stuff - scuffles and anger in South Africa's parliament, and defections and splits within a trades union federation.