Crawford Falconer will take up the post of chief trade negotiation adviser at the Department for International Trade. Leaving the single market would mean the UK would have to establish new bilateral trade agreements, but cannot formally do so until after Brexit. However, one economist suggested Mr Falconer would already be "building bridges" with the European Commission. The UK faces a huge challenge in resetting its trading relationship with the EU and other countries when Brexit takes effect. Trade pacts that have been negotiated by the EU with the rest of the world will no longer apply to the UK, while Britain will also need to define new trading relationships with the EU itself. Membership of the EU has meant the UK does not have a large bank of trade negotiators with recent experience. A New Zealander, Mr Falconer has more than 25 years trade experience. He has represented New Zealand at the World Trade Organization (WTO) and held various posts in foreign and trade affairs in his home country. Prof Alan Winters, from the University of Sussex's UK Trade Policy Observatory, said Mr Falconer's experience and contacts at the WTO would mean the groundwork for separating UK trade policy from Brussels would be made easier. "He knows quite a lot of the main players at the WTO and can build bridges at the European Council, which is good as there is work to be done right now," he said. "There is work he can do, such as discussions on whether the UK uses replicas or changes trade agreements that we have with nations by way of membership with the EU." One suggestion has been that initially trade agreements could be adopted by the UK in their current form - replicating them - at the point of Brexit, to be altered subsequently as new deals are agreed. International Trade Secretary Liam Fox said of the new appointee: "Crawford Falconer brings a wealth of international trade expertise to our international economic department, ensuring that as we leave the EU, the UK will be at the forefront of global free trade and driving the case for international openness." Mr Falconer will lead trade policy and negotiation teams at the DIT. His appointment was first announced in June.

Summary: The man in charge of negotiating the UK's trade deals once Brexit is finalised, starts his job this week.


There are concerns the report will not be released before the 2015 election. Some MPs have blamed hold-ups on a reluctance to release correspondence between Mr Blair and President Bush. But the ex-Labour prime minister said he was not blocking any documents and publication would allow him "restate" the case for the 2003 invasion. The inquiry, which is examining the UK's participation in the military action against Saddam Hussein and its aftermath, began in 2009 and its last public hearings took place in 2011. Although the inquiry team, led by Sir John Chilcot, has never set a target date or deadline for publication, it is generally accepted that the timetable for publication has slipped on several occasions. David Cameron has said he hopes the report will be released before the end of the year. Mr Blair, who appeared in person twice before the inquiry to justify his decision to take the UK to war, said he had an interest in the report being published as quickly as possible. "It is certainly not me who is holding it up," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. "The sooner it is published the better, from my perspective, as it allows me to make the arguments." In its last update, in November, the inquiry said making progress was dependent on the "satisfactory completion" of discussions about the disclosure of private material, including 25 notes from Mr Blair to President Bush and more than 130 records of conversations between either Mr Blair or Gordon Brown and the former US president. Asked about this, Mr Blair said the inquiry has had the documents in its possession "for a long period of time". "Obviously there are whole load of issues to do with confidentiality that have to be resolved - as far as I am concerned the government is resolving them." The former Labour leader was asked whether he believed the US government was responsible for the apparent hold-up. "I do not know what the reason for the delay is because I am not in charge of the inquiry and I am not in charge of the government. All I can tell you is it is not from me and I resent the suggestions that it is. "I have as much interest as anyone seeing the inquiry publish its findings and to be able to go out and, frankly, restate my case and defend my position." The final decision about the publication of UK documents will be taken by Cabinet Secretary Sir Jeremy Heyward. MPs have said they may call him to a Commons committee hearing to explain the state of affairs.

Summary: Tony Blair has said he wants the Iraq Inquiry report to be published as soon as possible and "resents" claims he is to blame for its slow progress.


Four fire engines and a water carrier were called to the incident at Hay on Wye on Friday at about 22:50 GMT. The barn contained about 1,000 hay and straw bales along with four farm vehicles. Mid and West Wales Fire Service said they expected to remain at the scene throughout Saturday morning.

Summary: Firefighters have spent the night tackling a large barn fire in Powys.


Along the tracks, another crowd is gathering - each person on his own, separated by a modest distance. They are among the 48% of Indians who do not have access to proper sanitation. Coming from a slum close-by, they squat among the few trees and bushes along the railway tracks and defecate in the open. To many, this is a daily morning ritual despite the hazards of contracting diseases such as diarrhoea and hepatitis. It can be even more hazardous for women since each time a woman uses the outdoors to relieve herself, she faces a danger of sexual assault. Recently two teenage girls from the state of Uttar Pradesh were gang-raped and found hanging from a tree after they left their village home to go to the toilet. Their house, like hundreds of millions of others in the country, did not have any facilities. A new World Health Organisation (WHO) report says more than half a billion people in India still "continue to defecate in gutters, behind bushes or in open water bodies, with no dignity or privacy". Access to sanitation is a challenge that India's politicians want to tackle - both the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) promised to put an end to open defecation in their 2014 general election manifestos. During his campaign, Narendra Modi, BJP's newly-elected prime minister, promised: "Toilets first, temples later". And former rural development minister Jairam Ramesh of the Congress party had stressed that "practicing good hygiene is as important as performing good puja" (act of worship in Hinduism). India's government offers cash incentives to subsidise construction of toilets. It has also initiated hygiene and sanitation awareness campaigns, such as the "No Toilet, No Bride" slogan launched in the state of Haryana in 2005, urging brides to reject a groom if he did not have a lavatory at home. The Gates Foundation too has offered grants to create latrines that are not connected to water, sewer or electricity and to improve the treatment of human waste. The exhibits at a recent "toilet fair" organised by the Foundation in Delhi included a lavatory with a photovoltaic roof-top that powers a reactor breaking down excrements into fertiliser, and another one which came equipped with an automatic sterilisation system and a generator turning the moisture into water. Apart from poverty and lack of lavatories, one of the reasons often cited to explain open defecation in India is the ingrained cultural norm making the practice socially accepted in some parts of the society. "Just building toilets is not going to solve the problem, because open defecation is a practice acquired from the time you learn how to walk. When you grow up in an environment where everyone does it, even if later in life you have access to proper sanitation, you will revert back to it," says Sue Coates, chief of Wash (water, sanitation and hygiene) at Unicef. India will be free of open defecation only when "every Indian household, every village, every part of Indian society will accept the need to use toilets and commit to

Summary: It's early morning and local commuters are queuing up for tickets at the Kirti Nagar railway station in the Indian capital, Delhi.


A grassroots initiative - entitled Team Personal Best - aims to attract people of all ages, abilities and levels of fitness to take part in athletics-themed activities run by clubs and community groups around the UK. Clubs can submit events at the Team Personal Best website. An event can be anything athletics-related: a family sports day or fun run, a sports club open day, coaching course or more, with suggestions listed on the submission page. It's a chance to bring this year's biggest global sporting event to your local area and foster community links in the process. More than 100 events have been registered and anyone wanting to get involved can use the event finder to discover what's going on in their area. Participants are encouraged to use social media to share their personal-best times - or any stories of achievement, no matter how big or small - with the hashtag #TeamPersonalBest. One of the clubs already signed up is So Let's Go Running Bexley, which has registered its summer running events for newcomers. Claire Osmon, who was a running novice before joining, says: "I came along as a complete beginner and Brian and Dawn [Bexley organisers Brian Page and Dawn Annett] have made me so welcome and put me at ease. "I'm incredibly unfit but they still praise and encourage me and totally make me feel like I'm part of the group. The whole group is amazing and feels like a big family." Team Personal Best is part of the London 2017 Inspiration Programme, which comprises 11 projects aimed at harnessing the impact of the championships to boost nationwide participation in the volunteering, community, disability, schools and international sectors. The IPC World Para Athletics Championships will be held at London Stadium from 14-23 July, followed by the IAAF World Athletics Championships at the same venue from 4-13 August. You can watch the action from the World Athletics Championships live on BBC TV and Red Button, with coverage of both events on radio and online.

Summary: As London prepares to host both the World Athletics and World Para Athletics Championships this summer, the organisers are encouraging the wider public to get active in support of the events.


The National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) registered "brief increases" in hate crime reports following attacks at Westminster, Manchester and London Bridge, but not after Finsbury Park. The incidents were reported to forces in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. NPCC hate crime lead, Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hamilton, said reports "quickly subsided within a few days". There have been four terror attacks in Britain in 2017 - at Westminster Bridge in London on 22 March, Manchester Arena on 22 May, London Bridge on 3 June and at Finsbury Park in London on 19 June. Police recorded 234 hate crime incidents two days after the Westminster attack, 273 reports two days after Manchester and 319 reports two days after London Bridge. Police said in 2016 there were on average 171 hate crimes per day - although this could be higher on weekends, where more hate crimes tended to be reported, or after specific events such as protest marches. In the week after each attack, hate crime reports increased by 12% after Westminster, 50% after Manchester and 34% after London Bridge. By contrast, hate crime reports were 7% lower in the week after the Finsbury Park attack, the NPCC said. Police said race or faith hate crime comprised the vast majority of reports. But the NPCC added that analysis of the data was "ongoing" and that year-on-year comparisons should be viewed with caution - last year, for example, hate crime reports increased after the EU referendum vote in June. ACC Hamilton said the figures were nevertheless a "real concern for the police service and wider society". He said: "We know that terrorist attacks and other national and global events have the potential to trigger short-term spikes in hate crime and so we have been carefully monitoring community tensions following recent horrific events. "As terrorists seek to divide us, it is more important than ever that we continue to stand united in the face of hostility and hatred."

Summary: Hate crime reports surged in the days immediately after three terror attacks in the UK this year, police data shows.


The man in charge of this is Yaakov Asulin. Every day he, along with at least two other supervisors, makes sure that the chefs and restaurant staff keep to meticulous standards when it comes to keeping kosher. But he is not employed by the hotel. His boss instead is the Chief Rabbinate of Israel, the supreme religious body of Israel in charge of ruling over all religious matters including weddings and divorce. "His job is very hard because he has to maintain all the workers and he has to check that everything is in place and on time and by the strict rules of kashrut," says Lannon Polon, the manager of Ramat Rachel Hotel. "You can't mix cutlery, you can't mix certain products, of course we don't cook with milk and meat - most of the tourists, it's quite difficult for them. "Most people in the world don't care, they eat meat and milk together and cheeseburger and ice-cream with steaks. We're conservative here." The hotel pays the supervisors directly and it costs the hotel around 23,000 Israeli shekels ($6,100; Â£4,600) a month to employ them. While keeping kosher is a religious issue, it has also become a contentious economic and political concern in Israel, with some restaurateurs saying the religious authorities are exerting too much power over business. Rabbi Aaron Lebowitz founded the Alternative Kosher Supervision Project. They also have inspectors but say they offer better service at a fraction of the cost. "Over the years in Israel, the monopoly that the Chief Rabbinate has, has bred corruption at worst and even at best there's no competition," he says. "Because there's no competition, the quality of service, the quality of supervision and also the cost are not competitive and are not of high quality. "If you want to prevent fraud, you don't do it by concentrating the power in the hands of one government agency," he says. "If you want to prevent fraud, you do it by inspection and transparency and by allowing for competition in the field." But his certification is only in 23 restaurants. Is that success? "Change doesn't have to be top down, it can be bottom up," he says. "In other words, the community can simply take back its autonomy and the things that are personal, the things that are belief- and religion-based, and if that becomes a movement then already the parliament and court will have to begin to accommodate what it is that the populace really want." But the Chief Rabbinate is convinced they are the only body who should be in charge. "The Ministry of Health doesn't allow people who aren't qualified to give health services," argues Moshe Dagan, the Chief Executive of the Chief Rabbinate. "If somebody says 'I want to be an alternative to the Ministry of Health or the Ministry of Transport', how would the state see it? "You cannot privatise in fields given authority by the state. Otherwise, everybody might say 'I want to privatise institutions'." Which is why any alternative kosher supervision system faces an uphill battle. The High

Summary: In the kitchens of the Ramat Rachel Hotel in Jerusalem, every leaf is washed meticulously, every grain of rice inspected for bugs and every cut of meat checked to ensure it complies with kashrut - Jewish dietary rules.


Sheffield Wednesday's Chris Kirkland, 31, required treatment after being struck in the face during Friday's game against Leeds United at Hillsborough. Leeds fan Aaron Cawley, 21, from Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, pleaded guilty at Sheffield Magistrates' Court to assault and entering the field. He was given a 16-week jail sentence and a six-year football banning order. Leeds United said the club intended to ban him from its Elland Road stadium for life. Kirkland, who has played once for England, was shoved in the face and fell to the ground moments after conceding an equaliser in the 76th minute of the match at Hillsborough, which finished in a 1-1 draw. The court was told that Kirkland made a victim impact statement which said: "I feel shocked, upset and angry. "I think the man is a thug and should be caught and put in jail. Anyone who supports what he's done is just as bad." The court heard Cawley had been drinking heavily and had already breached two previous banning orders. Prosecutor Paul Macauley said Cawley told police he had drunk a number of cans of lager and three-quarters of a litre of vodka before arriving in Sheffield and then had a further seven to 10 pints of cider. Mr Macauley said he was "so drunk" he did not remember what happened, and only realised after seeing the footage. District Judge Redhouse heard that Cawley emailed the police to say sorry and also emailed Sky Sports, which broadcast the match, in the hope his apology would be passed on to the two clubs and Kirkland. A spokesman for Leeds United said: "We are pleased to see the matter dealt with by the courts so quickly. "The club will also ban the individual for life from Elland Road when this banning order expires. "While we are pleased to see justice brought so quickly, our one disappointment is that we feel the sentence could, and should, have been considerably longer." Writing on Twitter, Angela Smith, the Labour MP for Penistone and Stockbridge, also criticised the sentence. The MP, a Sheffield Wednesday fan, wrote: "16wks prison sentence for assaulting a goalkeeper & breaching a banning order? I am quite frankly astonished! #justicenotdone."

Summary: A man has been jailed for running on to the pitch and attacking a goalkeeper during a Championship football match.


Manx organisation Beach Buddies tackled the problem at Fleshwick Bay following concerns from the public. Coordinator Bill Dale said one of the coves near the beach was found to be "jammed with plastic". He added: "Amongst the find were a number of plastic bands which became infamous when a basking shark was photographed with one around its nose." About 30 people joined forces with the Beach Buddies volunteers on Saturday morning. "The area was in serious need of a clear-up," said Mr Dale. "It was the first trip to Fleshwick for a team of our volunteers this year and it was a really big job".

Summary: A stream "choked by plastic" on the southern coast of the Isle of Man has been cleaned up by charity volunteers.


The government last year pledged £1.4bn for child mental health by 2020, but a report says millions of pounds is being used to offset NHS cuts elsewhere. Specialist teams are also turning away up to a quarter of youngsters, it said. Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said the government was "determined to address" mental health problems. The previous coalition government promised in 2015 an extra £250m a year during this parliament to improve mental health services for children in England. However, Liberal Democrat MP Norman Lamb - who was a health minister at the time - has now overseen a report by an independent commission that says much of the money has failed to reach the areas where it is most needed. The report - by the Education Policy Institute Independent Commission on Children and Young People's Mental Health - says only £75m made it to the clinical commissioning groups who pay for services last year. The commission says young people are still struggling to access help - partly because of difficulties in recruiting staff, including mental health nurses and psychiatrists. According to the report, specialist services are turning away 23% of children and young people referred to them, often because there are "high thresholds" for accessing services. The authors warned that "something has to go drastically wrong before some services will intervene". The report challenged Theresa May to develop a "prime minister's challenge on children's mental health", similar to former PM David Cameron's "dementia challenge", which led to increases in investment and awareness. Mr Lamb, chairman of the commission, said: "The prime minister, in her very first speech, rightly highlighted the inadequacies of the country's mental health provision as a 'burning injustice'. "Today we call on the government to meet this commitment - and take urgent action to ensure children and young people with mental health problems receive the care they need." Bev Humphrey, chairwoman of the Mental Health Network - which represents mental health and learning disability service providers in England - said the government had failed "to come close to fulfilling its existing promises on mental health funding". "This situation means underfunded NHS and social services are struggling to help the growing number of children experiencing serious mental health problems. "With many services almost at breaking point the commission is right - it really is time to deliver." Mr Hunt said mental health services for children remained a priority and further plans to improve care would be announced "soon". "We are already investing £1.4bn to help make sure children get the right care and every area in the country has put together plans on how they will spend the money to transform children's mental health services. "We are also strengthening the links between schools and mental health services, and driving forward innovation to improve prevention and early support."

Summary: Money earmarked to boost mental health provision for children in England is failing to make it to front-line services, a new report suggests.


It comes after 17 schools in Edinburgh were closed earlier this year due to safety concerns. The BBC sent Freedom of Information requests to councils across the country asking what, if any, structural faults had been found at schools in their areas in the last five years. So what schools have been affected and when? In 2010, defects were discovered at St Ninian's in East Renfrewshire. Engineers found wall ties were not properly embedded because the joints in the walls were not aligned. Photographs obtained using Freedom of Information legislation showed metal ties dangling mid-air rather than linking the exterior and interior walls. East Renfrewshire Council paid more than £870,000 to carry out the necessary repairs. The local authority said it did not inform parents of the issue because "at no time was there a health and safety risk to pupils, staff or visitors". It said the matter was discussed "openly" at a full council meeting in May 2013. In January 2012, problems were identified at two schools in South Lanarkshire. In stormy weather, during the Christmas holidays, walls collapsed at both Trinity High School in Rutherglen and Duncanrig High School in East Kilbride. Repair work was overseen by Morgan Sindall, the company which runs the schools. It then looked at all 16 schools it has responsibility for in South Lanarkshire and found a small number of wall and header ties needed replaced at an additional eight schools: After the problems with schools in Edinburgh were identified earlier this year it emerged that a similar structural fault had been found at Lourdes Primary in Glasgow in November 2012. Engineers found header ties missing. The building firm involved, Miller Construction, was also involved in the Edinburgh school crisis. Lourdes Primary was temporarily closed with pupils moved to other schools. Glasgow City Council said the issue was handled quickly and effectively, with Miller Construction accepting all responsibility and covering the cost of the repair work. Structural surveys were subsequently carried out on all Glasgow schools built by Miller Construction and came back clear. In May this year, Balfron High School in Stirlingshire was partially closed after structural problems were identified. A wall at the school had been damaged during winter storms and after checks were carried out by engineers issues with walls in the stairwell, gym and atrium were discovered. Again, the problems centred on wall and header tie defects. Initial repair work was carried out before the holidays with further work due to be completed ahead of pupils returning after the summer break. The problems with schools in Edinburgh came to light earlier this year during inspections carried out following a wall collapse at Oxgangs Primary School. Other schools affected included: Repairs have now been completed at all the Edinburgh schools, with pupils due to return to their classrooms this week. The council has assured parents all the buildings affected by the closures are now safe. BBC Scotland Investigates: How Safe is My School? On BBC1 Scotland at 19:00 on Monday 22 August.

Summary: A BBC Scotland investigation has revealed that a total of 30 schools in Scotland have had to make repairs due to structural defects in the last five years.


Ismail Morinaj was detained after giving an interview in which he admitted carrying a gun for protection. Last year's match had to be abandoned as Serbian fans invaded the pitch and attacked Albanian players. Security for the Serbia team is high in Albania before Thursday's match. Although the match will take place in Elbasan, an hour's drive to the south-east of Tirana, the Serbia team are staying at a hotel in the capital surrounded by police. As the team bus arrived in Tirana, stones were thrown and a window was cracked. Serbian media reported that Albanian officials had refused to receive a note of protest from Belgrade, insisting nothing had happened. Reports from Tirana spoke of roads inside the city being closed amid a major police operation. Albania are third in their Euro 2016 qualifying group, behind Portugal and Denmark, but far ahead of Serbia and still hoping to qualify for the knock-out stages of the competition. Police arrested the 33-year-old suspect and three other men, saying they had found a Zastava pistol and several cartridges, as well as 36 tickets for Thursday's match. Tensions had already been high before the Euro 2016 tie at the Partizan Stadium in Belgrade and ordinary Albanian fans were not allowed to attend the match. The two countries have had a long and bitter history of rivalry, and ethnic-Albanian-majority Kosovo's decision to declare independence from Serbia in 2008 brought relations to a new low. Ismail Morinaj admitted flying the drone from a church across the road from the stadium. As it hovered above the pitch, a large "greater Albania" flag could be seen, portraying nationalist claims to neighbouring states. Serbia defender Stefan Mitrovic snatched at the drone and fans poured on to the pitch, attacking Albania players. The ensuing brawl and the decision to abandon the game prompted football officials to deduct three points from Serbia, and they stand at the bottom of their group in Euro 2016. Only a few dozen Serb supporters will be allowed into the stadium for Thursday's match, which will have a heavy police presence. "This is an opportunity to show our values in supporting the national team and hosting the guest team," said Albanian Interior Minister Saimir Tahiri.

Summary: A man who flew a drone into a football stadium in Serbia during a Euro 2016 qualifier last October has been arrested ahead of the return leg in Albania.


A report by the Scottish Affairs Select Committee said details were needed on issues such as bank regulation, pension payments and the national currency. It also asked about Scotland's share of the national debt and whether Scots would need passports. The SNP dismissed the report as "shoddy" and as an "embarrassment to the authors". The committee's inquiry began in October last year, looking at the potential impact of independence following a ballot, which the Scottish government wants to hold in autumn 2014. The report, called the Referendum on Separation for Scotland: Unanswered Questions, has set out six areas where the Scottish Affairs Committee believe information is needed. They include issues such as Scotland's defences and the costs of independence. The committee called on Scottish Secretary Michael Moore to work with it to provide "a joint provision of factual and unbiased information to the people of Scotland". Committee chairman, Labour MP Ian Davidson, said: "The big question about such an unknown quantity as separation is the terms of the 'divorce settlement' - how resources, rights and responsibilities will be broken up. "The responses we've had clearly show that there is confusion and concern about this, but also that you only need to scratch the surface to reveal how many complex questions there are across banking, pensions, currency, national defences - but also many more personal things." He added: "The purpose of this inquiry is to set out from the start some of those questions and begin to explore their answers, with the aim of helping to make this process as clear and fair as possible. "You cannot ask a big question about separation - however you construct it - without first asking and answering all these questions about how it will affect every aspect of every life, in Scotland and the UK as a whole." SNP Westminster chief whip Stewart Hosie said the committee's inquiry had been overtaken by events and the report was "an embarrassment to its authors". He continued: "Firstly, it talks about 'separation for Scotland', when Scottish government policy is for independence, not separation. "But apart from its predictably pejorative approach to the issue of Scotland's constitutional future, this shoddy report from the anti-independence parties has been totally overtaken by events. "It raises questions which have been dealt with in detail by the Scottish government's white paper published way back in 2009. "The issues it raises include the currency of an independent Scotland, which is now widely accepted will be sterling, with even Scottish Secretary Michael Moore accepting that Scotland will keep the pound after independence." Shadow Scottish Secretary Margaret Curran said the committee was asking questions "the people of Scotland need answers to". She added: "This is an important analysis of the questions that need to be answered about separation, and I expect it to play a big part in the debate ahead." Scottish Tory constitution spokesman David McLetchie said the onus was now on the Scottish government to fully co-operate with the inquiry to ensure the Scottish people had "all the information they need" before the referendum was

Summary: A Westminster committee has called for clarity on the "unanswered questions" of Scottish independence.


The victim, in his 30s, was shot in Swancote Green, Bracknell after answering the door to two men at about 18:00 BST last Sunday. He was treated in hospital and later released. Police said 28-year-old Scott Kennedy of Sturdee Close, Frimley, Surrey, is accused of one count of attempted murder. A 63-year-old man, also from Frimley, Surrey, arrested in connection with the shooting has been bailed until 26 June. Mr Kennedy is due to appear before Reading Magistrates' Court.

Summary: A man has been charged with the attempted murder of a man who was shot in the chest at his Berkshire home.


The design, said to represent the relationship between the medieval monarchies of Europe and the castles they built, was unveiled on Friday. But critics including Plaid Cymru's North Wales AM Llyr Gruffydd said it symbolises the oppression of Welsh people. Monuments body Cadw said the plans were "about investing in Flint". Flint was one of the first castles to be built in Wales by Edward I - construction began in 1277. The winning design was selected by a panel following a nation-wide competition, and the architects said it demonstrated "the unstable nature of the crown". But Mr Gruffydd said a sculpture celebrating the conquest of Wales by Edward I was "inappropriate and insulting". "The 'ring of steel' is the description given to the chain of castles across Wales that were built to conquer and subjugate Wales," he said. "From a Welsh perspective, this is certainly not something to celebrate. It does not either reflect the many rich Welsh legends that could have been the source of a far more appropriate sculpture." A petition has also been launched calling the design "extremely disrespectful". By Monday it had attracted more than 2,000 signatures. People have also criticised the sculpture on social media. TJ Buck tweeted: "I think even a 'balloon made of lead' would have gone down better than this idea", while Carolyn Hitt posted: "Flint has rich history of female factory workers. Turn those into legends rather than remember Edward I's Iron Ring." But Andrew Barrattâ€

Summary: Plans to create an iron ring sculpture at Flint Castle have been described as "insulting to Wales".


Substitute Szmodics turned the ball home from close range six minutes from time after good work on the left by Ben Dickenson, moments after Macauley Bonne had seen a goal disallowed for offside following another Dickenson cross. Gerry McDonagh had earlier scored his first EFL goal to give the home side the lead after 20 minutes, thumping the ball in following George Maris' pass from the right. Cambridge also had a goal disallowed when Harrison Dunk fired in following Piero Mingoia's cross 11 minutes before half-time. Colchester's only real opportunity of the first period came in the opening moments when Dickenson could only nod Owen Garvan's cross wide at the far post. John McGreal's side were denied 17 minutes from the end as a superb save from Will Norris kept out George Elokobi, before McDonagh fired narrowly wide at the other end ahead of Szmodics' equaliser. Match report supplied by the Press Association. Match ends, Cambridge United 1, Colchester United 1. Second Half ends, Cambridge United 1, Colchester United 1. Foul by Scott Wharton (Cambridge United). Macauley Bonne (Colchester United) wins a free kick on the right wing. Attempt missed. Tom Lapslie (Colchester United) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses the top right corner. Leon Davies (Cambridge United) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul. Foul by Leon Davies (Cambridge United). Brennan Dickenson (Colchester United) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Foul by Liam O'Neil (Cambridge United). Drey Wright (Colchester United) wins a free kick in the attacking half. Substitution, Cambridge United. Medy Elito replaces George Maris. Goal! Cambridge United 1, Colchester United 1. Sammie Szmodics (Colchester United) header from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Brennan Dickenson with a cross. Attempt missed. George Maris (Cambridge United) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right. Substitution, Colchester United. Macauley Bonne replaces Chris Porter. Attempt missed. Scott Wharton (Cambridge United) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the left following a set piece situation. Piero Mingoia (Cambridge United) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Foul by Tom Lapslie (Colchester United). Attempt missed. Gerry McDonagh (Cambridge United) left footed shot from the left side of the box is close, but misses to the right. Corner, Cambridge United. Conceded by Matthew Briggs. Substitution, Colchester United. Sammie Szmodics replaces Sean Murray. Substitution, Cambridge United. Leon Davies replaces Greg Taylor. Attempt saved. Gerry McDonagh (Cambridge United) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Attempt saved. George Elokobi (Colchester United) left footed shot from the left side of the six yard box is saved in the bottom left corner. Corner, Colchester United. Conceded by Will Norris. Foul by James Dunne (Cambridge United). Tom Lapslie (Colchester United) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Greg Taylor (Cambridge United) wins a free kick in the attacking half. Foul by Rekeil Pyke (Colchester United). Attempt saved. Luke Berry (Cambridge United) right footed shot

Summary: Sammie Szmodics struck a late equaliser to earn Colchester a draw at Cambridge in League Two.


The International Cricket Council said the 29-year-old is "required to undergo testing within 14 days". Eranga, who has taken 53 wickets at an average of 37.47 in 18 Tests, can bowl until the results are known. He had match figures of 0-104 as England won by nine wickets to take a 2-0 lead in the three-Test series. The final match at Lord's starts on 9 June.

Summary: Sri Lanka seamer Shaminda Eranga was reported for a suspect bowling action in the second-Test defeat by England at Chester-le-Street.


Throughout Northern Ireland's Troubles, hijackings by paramilitaries became an all too frequent occurrence for bus drivers and their passengers. Ulsterbus, which celebrated its 50th birthday this week, had 1,500 buses destroyed during the Troubles. However, the impact on drivers was even more severe - 12 lost their lives and many more were injured. Ulsterbus driver Raymond Bell was hijacked five times, with three of his buses completely destroyed. "Normally, what they did was to get someone to stand at a pedestrian crossing and as you went down the road they would have stepped onto the crossing to get you stopped," he told BBC NI's Good Morning Ulster. "Once you stopped, all of a sudden the doors would open and there would be masked men with either cudgels or a gun and they'd say 'we're hijacking your bus'." Mr Bell said drivers tried not to dwell on the threat because, if they did, they wouldn't have gone into work. However, he said the incidents did have an effect. "If you were hijacked and you weren't injured, you came back to the depot and you continued your night's work or your day's work after that," he said. "Or the company would have said 'we'll cover your duty for you, see you tomorrow if you're able to come in'. "Quite a lot of drivers suffered mental issues and also injuries and it stayed with them on the job and also many left the job because of issues like that." The managing director of Ulsterbus during some of the darkest days of the Troubles was former Luftwaffe World War Two conscript Werner Heubeck. He became famous for carrying bombs off hijacked buses. Frank Clegg, a former colleague of Mr Heubeck, worked as general manager for services for Ulsterbus. He said if the company didn't keep the buses running, they weren't serving the people of Northern Ireland. "Buses represented normality - having buses on the road was lifeblood for commerce, for getting people to and from work," Mr Clegg said. "So with all our colleagues - drivers, engineers - we kept the buses running and the service running. "We didn't know how many buses we were probably going to have the next morning, we didn't know how many drivers, because unfortunately they suffered assaults and hijacks, but we had to keep services running and that meant changing timetables overnight in certain instances. "It was a case of working together, it was a case of keeping things going. "It wasn't defiance against whatever, it really was that was what our job was."

Summary: "All of a sudden the doors would open and there would be masked men with either cudgels or a gun."


It appears to tell a simple story from an American high school, but also has a hidden meaning revealed at the end. The unexpected message has propelled the short film to more than two and a half million views on YouTube in just three days. Spoilers follow below - you may want to watch the video to the end first. It was created by the Sandy Hook Promise group, set up by family members of the victims of the Sandy Hook school shooting. On December 14, 2012, 20 children and six adults were killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School by 20-year-old Adam Lanza, who had killed his own mother earlier that morning. He was a former student of the school. "When you don't know what to look for or can't recognize what you are seeing, it can be easy to miss warning signs or dismiss them as unimportant," said Nicole Hockley from Sandy Hook Promise, whose son Dylan died in the shooting. "Everyone has the power to intervene and get help. These actions can save lives." In the aftermath of the 2012 shooting, Barack Obama called for action on gun control, despite the political difficulties. But three years later, he called gun control the greatest frustration of his presidency, as the US Congress repeatedly blocked moves to tighten restrictions. The gun control movement reached a peak in the summer when more than 200 Democratic politicians staged a sit-in at the House of Representatives to demand a vote on restricting firearm purchases, in the wake of the Pulse nightclub shooting in Florida. The Gun Violence Archive non-profit organisation maintains a "mass shooting tracker" of attacks where four or more people were shot in a single incident. It estimates that so far in 2016, 425 people have been killed in 362 mass shootings in the United States. It says there were 333 mass shootings last year, and 275 two years ago. The new President-elect Donald Trump, however, frequently expressed support for the second amendment - the right to bear arms - during his campaign, saying his rival Hilary Clinton wanted to abolish it. On one occasion, he caused a significant controversy when he suggested gun rights supporters could somehow stop Ms Clinton's campaign. In May, the National Rifle Association, a pro-gun lobby, endorsed Mr Trump for president.

Summary: A video telling the story of two schoolchildren forming a friendship - with a twist - has gone viral online.


"This was a pretty shameful day for Washington," Mr Obama said at the White House. "But this effort is not over." Fifty-four senators backed the plan, but that was six short of the 60-vote hurdle needed to clear the chamber. Gun rights groups hailed the defeat of the measure, arguing it would violate the right to bear arms. The proposal, put forward as an amendment to a broader gun bill, sought to widen the current checks to include online and unlicensed gun show dealers. President Barack Obama is campaigning for tighter gun laws after 26 people died in a school shooting in Connecticut in December. In remarks at the White House with a family that lost a son in the Newtown massacre by his side, Mr Obama vowed to continue efforts on tighter gun restrictions. "If this Congress refuses to listen to the American people... then the real impact is going to have to come from the voters," Mr Obama said, calling on those who supported the plan to let their senators know how disappointed they were. Mr Obama argued those who voted against the Manchin-Toomey plan had been led only by politics. "Most of these senators could not offer any good reason why we wouldn't want to make it harder for criminals and those with severe mental illnesses to buy a gun." Meanwhile, former Arizona congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, a vocal supporter of gun control after she was shot in the head in 2011 while meeting constituents in Tucson, in an attack that killed six people, accused lawmakers of "cowardice". "These senators made their decision based on political fear and on cold calculations about the money of special interests like the National Rifle Association, which in the last election cycle spent around $25 million on contributions, lobbying and outside spending," Ms Giffords wrote in the New York Times. The expanded system of background checks, which had been the centrepiece of the president's agenda, was blocked by most Senate Republicans and some Democrats. The New York Times accuses the Senate of failing Americans, saying for 45 of them the carnage of Sandy Hook Elementary School is a forgotten tragedy. Commentator Charles Krauthammer tells Fox News in video carried by National Review Online that the amendment would not have stopped Sandy Hook happening. The Washington Post says the Senate has "misfired badly". "An inglorious conclusion," is the view of the Huffington Post. Plans for a ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines have already been removed from the gun-control bill, amid lack of political support. Similar measures failed as amendments on Wednesday. A recent poll by CNN/ORC suggests that 86% of Americans support expanded background checks, but recent AP opinion surveys show support for generally stricter gun laws has dipped from a high of 58% in January to 48%. Patricia Maisch, a survivor of the 2011 Arizona shooting that killed six people and severely injured former Representative Gabby Giffords, shouted "Shame on you!" from the Senate gallery as the bill was blocked. The plan was considered as an amendment to a larger gun-violence bill

Summary: President Barack Obama has lashed out at senators who blocked a bipartisan plan to support expanded background checks on firearms.


Media playback is not supported on this device Bolt, who completed a sprint double in Beijing with Thursday's 200m win, added he would run at the 2016 Olympics. "I want to run but I think the sport is not as fun as it used to be - it's more taxing," the 29-year-old, who has won 10 world titles, told the BBC. "I can't enjoy it as much as I want to because I have to sacrifice more." He added: "It is 50-50." Media playback is not supported on this device Bolt could make his gold-medal tally to 11 this weekend when he competes for Jamaica in the 4x100m relay. Once again he is likely to face Justin Gatlin in the final, with the United States one of the favourites for gold. The Jamaicans were beaten by an American quartet at the IAAF World Relays in May. "In the World Relays, Justin Gatlin had a big game in their victory," added Bolt. "I guess he will be tired now. There will be no reason why we should not win the relay." Some media outlets have been accused of portraying Gatlin as the "villain" to Bolt's "hero" following two career doping bans. He came into the World Championships having set the best times over 100m and 200m this season. Bolt pipped Gatlin to the 100m title, before the American fell to a more emphatic defeat in the longer sprint on Thursday. Asked by BBC Radio 5 live if a double silver was a disappointment, Gatlin said: "Not at all. I'm out here competing. I'm aged 33. "I think a lot of people now see the hard work and effort I put into it. It's not a personal race, it's also for my country. "In the 100m, I beat myself. In the 200m, technically I ran to the best of my ability." When asked about the media's portrayal of him in the lead up to Beijing 2015, Gatlin said: "I go into shutdown mode. I don't worry about what the media has to say. "You guys do your job, sensationalise stories sometimes. My job is to compete and get to the line."

Summary: Jamaica's Usain Bolt says he is "50-50" to compete at the 2017 World Championships in London because athletics is less enjoyable for him.


Garff MHK Martyn Perkins said the public are "sick of dog mess dirtying the streets and popular walks". A two-week consultation will be launched by the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture to gauge public opinion. Currently, owners can be given a fixed penalty fine of Â£50 or taken to court if they don't clean up after their dog. The proposed system will see swabs taken from dogs' mouths and compared to samples taken from faeces. Mr Perkins said he had "already had lots of feedback from responsible owners who support the move", adding: "It is certainly a case of the minority ruining it for the majority." He said the issue needs to be dealt with partially because the island's "outstanding natural landscapes" have recently been recognised by UNESCO. "We are very proud of this status and we want to encourage people to take pride in their environment," he said. If it is supported, DNA testing could be included in a bill, currently going through Tynwald, which aims to amend the Dogs Act 1990. The bill would mean every dog on the island must be implanted with a microchip, which would see an end to the licensing and duty regime for dogs. Microchipping became a legal requirement in the UK in 2016.

Summary: DNA testing of dog poo has been backed by a Manx politician who wants it used to tackle fouling on the Isle of Man.


A report on 38 North, a website run by the US-Korea Institute at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, studied images taken between April and November. These appeared to show work in a new area of the Punggye-ri nuclear zone. But, the report said, there is no sign that any nuclear test is imminent, North Korea carried out three underground nuclear tests at Punggye-ri in 2006, 2009 and 2013. Its nuclear programme has been a source of great concern for the international community. The tunnel identified in the latest imagery is in a new area of the site, separate from three other tunnels that the North has excavated or used for tests in the past, the report said. "While there are no indications that a nuclear test is imminent, the new tunnel adds to North Korea's ability to conduct additional detonations over the coming years if it chooses to do so," it added. The commercially-available satellite imagery on which the researchers based their conclusions appear to show a new tunnel entrance, the site's fourth, as well as signs of construction work taking place as recently as October and November. The report says some analysts believe each entrance connects to a single tunnel but there is debate about the exact nature and structure of the underground testing facility. It is not the first indication of construction activity at the site. In October, South Korea's Yonhap news agency quoted a South Korean government source saying there were workers constructing a new tunnel at Punggye-ri. In September North Korea said that its reactor at the Yongbyon nuclear facility, the source of plutonium for North Korea's nuclear weapons, had resumed normal operations. Yongbyon's reactor was shut down in 2007 but Pyongyang vowed to restart it in 2013, following its third nuclear test and amid high regional tensions.

Summary: Recent satellite images indicate that North Korea is building a new tunnel at its nuclear test site, a respected US think tank has said.


"No-one should expect that relations will suddenly deteriorate completely because of this decision," Binali Yildirim said. Turkey recalled its envoy to Germany in protest against the resolution passed by German MPs on Thursday. It promised to take "necessary steps". Armenians say up to 1.5 million of their people died in the atrocities committed by Ottoman Turks in 1915, during World War One. Turkey says the toll was much lower and rejects the term "genocide". More than 20 countries, including France and Russia, recognise the 1915 massacre as "genocide", as do most non-Turkish scholars of the period. Q&A: Armenian genocide dispute Armenian 'genocide' vote ignites press The Bundestag [German lower house] vote heightens German-Turkish tensions at a time when Turkey's help is needed to control migrant arrivals. The resolution - adopted overwhelmingly - uses the word "genocide" in the headline and text. It also says Germany, at the time an ally of the Ottomans, bears some guilt for doing nothing to stop the killings. The condemnation by Turkish politicians was widespread, including a joint statement by the ruling AK Party and two opposition parties which spoke of "indignation in the Turkish nation". However, Mr Yildirim stressed that "Germany and Turkey are two very important allies". An estimated three million people of Turkish origin live in Germany. The Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, said the resolution would seriously affect relations with Germany, and that the government would consider further measures in response to the vote. In a clear reference to Germany's Nazi past, Turkey's Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu tweeted: "The way to close the dark pages in your own history is not by besmirching the history of other countries with irresponsible and groundless parliamentary decisions." But German Chancellor Angela Merkel said: "There is a lot that binds Germany to Turkey and even if we have a difference of opinion on an individual matter, the breadth of our links, our friendship, our strategic ties, is great." Armenian tragedy still raw in Turkey

Summary: Turkey's prime minister has condemned as a "historic error" Germany's vote to recognise the 1915 massacre of Armenians as genocide, but said it will not wreck the two countries' ties.


Ulster Unionist leader Mike Nesbitt made the request following the revelation by the Detail website. It found a report, compiled last May, listed more than 20 ways Brexit could damage Northern Ireland's economy. It was compiled by officials in the Office of First Minister and Deputy First Minister. It was not released under Freedom of Information until after the EU referendum was held a year later. The Speaker, Robin Newton, undertook to examine the matter, but he said another assertion by Mr Nesbitt - that not releasing the report was a breach of the ministerial code - was not a matter for him. Alliance Leader David Ford confirmed that neither he or his colleague Stephen Farry were consulted over the executive report on the impact of Brexit when they were ministers in the former Executive. Mr Ford said that if the paper had been made public "perhaps it would have changed some minds in the lead-up to the EU referendum". Speaking on the BBC's Good Morning Ulster, Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness said that agreement was required between the two parties at Stormont Castle before a document of this nature could be published. He said that Sinn FÃ©in had publicly identified the many challenges listed in the Stormont paper. Mr McGuinness claimed the revelation of the paper was a "non story" as the arguments had been made and the Remain camp had won the day within Northern Ireland, even though the UK-wide decision was in favour of Brexit. In Northern Ireland, the majority of voters (56%) voted for the UK to stay in the EU in last week's referendum. But overall, the UK voted to give up its EU membership by 52% to 48%.

Summary: The Stormont speaker has been asked to examine Hansard to see if the assembly was misled by ministers over the absence of Brexit contingency planning.


Media playback is not supported on this device Last Saturday the club were forced to cancel the opening meeting at their new £8m home because of the track state. Manchester's Lord Mayor opened the venue on Saturday but the sell-out 5,000 crowd went home disappointed. The Aces lost to Poole Pirates in the play-off final last season. "The contractors who built the track and built the stadium have had to do some remedial work on the track because of the problems we had," chief executive David Gordon told BBC Radio Manchester. "Those works we anticipated would have been completed for the Good Friday meeting but unfortunately the track is still unsatisfactory. "We didn't build the track, the contractor built the track. It appears that the problem was in the sub base of the track, not in the shale of the track. "Speedway tracks are a very, very specialised surface and when they start to break up it makes it very dangerous for the riders."

Summary: Belle Vue Aces have postponed their opening Elite League fixture of the season against Wolverhampton because of continuing track concerns at the National Speedway Stadium.


One of the victims, as well as sources quoted in a UN report, all accuse Lt Col Kibibi Mutware of links to New Year's Day rapes in the town of Fizi. There have been numerous cases of mass rape in DR Congo's conflict but this is believed to be the largest single incident allegedly involving the army. Lt Col Kibibi has denied the charges. He said that the soldiers who raided the town had disobeyed orders. From an everyday fight between two men over a woman, violence escalated into a brutal punitive expedition by a group of government troops against the population of Fizi. "A soldier was killed here right beside the hospital," explains Dr Faise Chacha, the head of Fizi hospital. "That started the panic and all our patients fled. We came back at 0500 the next morning and we started taking in people who had been stabbed and others - women - who had been raped." Dr Chacha and the medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres have treated 51 rape victims so far, but they expect more as women who fled the attacks slowly return home. As in previous cases of rape in DR Congo, many victims are expected to keep their plight secret to avoid being abandoned by their husbands and families. Two of them agreed to talk anonymously after medics told the BBC they had been raped. "I was raped in front of my four children," one of them told the BBC. "I'm ashamed, very ashamed. If I meet two or three people who are having a discussion, I assume they are talking about me, even though it is not the case." The other woman was able to identify her attackers. "It was 1900 [in the evening] and those who raped me were members of the military," she said in a low voice, her body wrapped in a colourful cloth. "There were four of them - Kibibi and his bodyguards. They stole all our belongings and our money." This woman was not the only one accusing Lt Col Kibibi, current commander of the 43rd sector in the army's Amani Leo (Peace Today) operation against rebel groups which still roam eastern DR Congo eight years after the country's war officially ended. Several people who live near the hospital said they saw him ordering his troops to attack the population to avenge their dead comrade. An internal report by investigators sent to Fizi by the UN peacekeeping mission Monusco and seen by the BBC also quotes local leaders and police sources who accuse Lt Col Kibibi of directing the atrocity. Monusco sent patrols from the day after the violence from its Baraka base, just over one hour's drive away, and has maintained a 24-hour presence in Fizi since 5 January, which has encouraged the population to come back. Lt Col Kibibi is a strong man with a small moustache and a boonie hat. When I met him, he was sitting behind a table on which only two mobile phones and one walkie-talkie were visible. Speaking in the thatched hut from which

Summary: An army commander in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo has been accused of leading the recent mass rape of at least 50 women.


Permission is being sought for three single turbines over 200m (655ft) high at Graythorp Industrial Estate, Brenda Road West Industrial Estate and Tofts Road West. The Department of Energy and Climate Change said it believed these would be the highest in England and Wales. Hartlepool Borough Council has recorded about 40 objections to the plans. More than 300 consultation responses have been received from individuals, councils and other organisations. The scheme developer is Hartlepool renewable energy company Seneca Global Energy Ltd. Ward Hadaway solicitor Mark Whitehead, who is acting for the company, said single, taller turbines could generate the same volume of energy as three or four typical turbines used in other schemes. "The increase in wind speeds at height allow the volume of renewable energy generation from each turbine to be maximised, whilst having the benefit of reducing the number of turbines used," he said. "This is intended to deliver high levels of renewable power whilst minimising the visual impact on the surrounding area." Of those replying to the consultation to date, just over one in 10 object on grounds such as reduction of property value, obstruction of view and effect on wildlife. Further discussions are taking place about the location of turbines planned for Tofts Road West and Graythorp Industrial Estate. The Ramblers Association and Network Rail pointed out their current proposed site left them within "topple distance" of the nearby railway line and buildings. The application for three turbines with a maximum tip height - measured from the ground to the top of a turbine blade pointing upwards - of 206m (677ft) is due to be considered next year. By comparison, turbines at Northumberland wind farms such as Lynemouth and Middlemoor are about 120-125m (about 400ft) high.

Summary: Plans for what could be the highest wind turbines in England and Wales have been submitted in Hartlepool, Teesside.


Media playback is not supported on this device The victory means the Irish will face France in Sunday's final at the World League 2 tournament. Wales will also make the final qualifiers in Johannesburg if they beat Scotland in the third place play-off. Gareth Furlong put Wales ahead before Shane O'Donoghue, Ben Walker and Neal Glassey netted for the Irish. Ireland, 10th in the world rankings, were strong favourites to account for the 34th-ranked Welsh but the visitors produced a strong challenge. Furlong's early goal from a penalty corner left Wales ahead after the opening quarter but O'Donoghue and Walker struck in quick succession in the second quarter to give the hosts a half-time lead. Wales had a couple of chances in the third quarter - including a missed penalty corner - before Glassey sealed Ireland's win by netting early in the final quarter. France earned a 2-0 win over the Scots in Saturday's second semi-final.

Summary: Ireland's men guaranteed themselves a spot at the final World Cup qualifying tournament in the summer by beating Wales 3-1 at Stormont on Saturday.


Mobile phone footage taken by a visitor to Marwell Zoo in Winchester showed the moment one of the Sulawesi macaques ran into a food shop. Visitors took to social media to say they were locked inside shops while keepers tried to locate the pair at about 12:40 BST. The monkeys were returned to their home within 30 minutes and no one was hurt. Kevin O'Donnell posted on Twitter calling it a "great escape" and recorded one of the monkeys running around the zoo. One visitor posted: "Monkeys have escaped at Marwell Zoo currently hiding out with the giraffes". Another said Marwell staff acted "quickly and professionally". A spokesperson for the zoo said guests and staff were asked to remain indoors while keepers dealt with the situation, which took about 30 minutes. "We are grateful for the way in which our guests cooperated and thank them for their understanding," the spokesperson said. "Our thanks to our animal management team who responded swiftly and carried out a model response. "The two macaques have rejoined the rest of the family and all five will remain in the indoor part of their enclosure until a full investigation has been carried out. "Our vet team has carried out checks and we are happy to report that the animals came to no harm. The zoo remains open as usual."

Summary: A zoo was put on lockdown after two adult monkeys escaped from their enclosure in Hampshire.


Brian O'Hagan, 22, whose address was given as Maghaberry prison, abused members of the hospital's A&E department as they tried to treat him for head injuries. The incident happened hours after O'Hagan was caught stealing a bottle of alcohol from a supermarket. The judge said that his behaviour in the hospital was appalling. A prosecution solicitor said his behaviour upset other patients in the hospital. The judge warned that neither he nor other judges would tolerate what he called the loutish behaviour by people in the hospital.

Summary: A man who verbally abused staff at Altnagelvin Hospital in Londonderry has been jailed for 10 months.


Media playback is not supported on this device Charles Piutau, Stuart McCloskey and Kyle McCall scored tries in Ulster's first-half purple patch, with Kristian Dacey replying for Cardiff Blues. Chris Henry and Louis Ludik added second-half scores while man of the match Ruan Pienaar converted all five. Willis Halaholo and Alex Cuthbert crossed for home consolation tries. Wales captain Sam Warburton was a late withdrawal from the Blues side with a sickness bug, despite recovering from the shoulder injury which kept him out of Wales' win over South Africa. Shingler's early long-distance penalty was the only score of a cagey opening quarter, before Ulster took control with three converted tries in 13 minutes. A snipe from Pienaar set up the attacking position for All-Black Piutau to bag an overlap try after 24 minutes, with opposite number Blaine Scully in the sin-bin for killing the ball at a ruck. Four minutes later giant centre McCloskey cut through on a clever angle from 20 metres out to stroll through some weak Blues defence. Scully's return did not prevent Ulster turning the screw as prop McCall bundled over from close range following Pienaar's charge-down of Lloyd Williams' attempted clearance, Pienaar again converting. The Blues finally roused themselves for hooker Dacey to be driven over with the final move of the first half, making it 21-8 at the break. Media playback is not supported on this device Clinical Ulster The visitors were twice reduced to 14 when Iain Henderson and Luke Marshall were yellow-carded, but a punchless Blues attack could not take advantage. Even with Marshall off, a clinical Ulster bagged the bonus point as Chris Henry crossed, following a break-away led by Pete Browne and Tommy Bowe. Crowd favourite, former Wales fly-half Nicky Robinson, returned to Blues colours in the final quarter and converted a jinking effort by Halaholo with ten minutes left, before putting Cuthbert over and goaling again. But replacement Ludik eased any Ulster nerves by scrambling over from a charge-down to leave the Blues pointless. Cardiff Blues: Blaine Scully; Alex Cuthbert, Rey Lee-Lo, Willis Halaholo, Tom James; Steve Shingler, Lloyd Williams; Gethin Jenkins (capt), Kristian Dacey, Taufa'ao Filise, George Earle, James Down, Josh Turnbull, Ellis Jenkins, Josh Navidi. Replacements: Matthew Rees, Rhys Gill, Scott Andrews, Shane Lewis-Hughes, Macauley Cook, Tomos Williams, Nicky Robinson, Matthew Morgan Ulster: Charles Piutau, Tommy Bowe, Luke Marshall, Stuart McCloskey, Craig Gilroy, Brett Herron, Ruan Pienaar; Kyle McCall, Rob Herring (capt), Wiehahn Herbst, Pete Browne, Franco van der Merwe, Iain Henderson, Chris Henry, Sean Reidy. Replacements: John Andrew, Andrew Warwick, Rodney Ah You, Kieran Treadwell, Clive Ross, Paul Marshall, Louis Ludik, Darren Cave. Referee: Andrew Brace (SRU) Assistants: Sean Gallagher (IRFU), Aled Evans (WRU) TMO: Charles Samson (SRU)

Summary: Ulster ended a run of three PRO12 defeats with an emphatic bonus-point win away to Cardiff Blues.


Lord Davies, Britain's former trade minister, said women now accounted for 20.7% of board members in the FTSE 100 firms, up from 12.5% in 2011. He wants women to occupy a quarter of all board positions by 2015. The report also said there was a "growing recognition" of the benefits of equality to business. The social and economic benefits of having more women on boards were also increasingly appreciated, Lord Davies' review found. He said: "The rate of change that we have seen at the heart of our biggest companies over the last three years has been impressive. "The voluntary approach is working and companies have got the message that better balanced boards bring real business benefits. "We are finally seeing a culture change taking place at the heart of British business." But he said the "eyes of the world" were on Britain, and the UK needed to prove it could promote equality on a voluntary basis, not by regulation. Businesses are coming round to having women on boards, Newton Investment Management chief executive Helena Morrissey told the BBC. "Mysteriously, the chairmen often say that the men behave better when the women are around," she said. "Really the arguments are that you need diversity of thought, diversity of perspective," she added. "This has moved away from being politically correct, this is a move to being regarded as good business sense." Lord Davies published a review in 2011 called 'Women on Boards'. He said "real progress" had been made in the intervening years, with "more women than ever before" in top positions. Business Secretary Vince Cable said the figures showed businesses were getting the right mix of talent "around their boardroom table". He said: "98 of the FTSE 100 boards are now made up of at least one woman and we need fewer than 50 new women appointments to FTSE 100 boards to reach our target of 25% of women on all FTSE 100 boards in the next year. "This is a huge improvement from where we started just three years ago." Mr Cable called for a "renewed, concentrated effort" by company chairs and chief executives to "change the make up" of their "top table". He added: "More needs to be done to improve the number of women in executive positions. "These will be the CEOs of tomorrow and businesses still aren't tapping into the vast talent pool available to them." Shadow minister for women and equalities Gloria De Piero said the UK was making "decent progress" but it was a "bit early to be celebrating" as women represented 50% of the population. She said a lack of diversity led to poorer company performance and that Labour would consider introducing quotas if progress was not made. Ms De Piero added: "But there's also a role for government to play in setting the right example to business. "With just five women out of 33 in the cabinet, and women only making up 20% of government ministers, David Cameron and Nick Clegg have shut women's voices out of their own top table." Maria Miller, minister

Summary: The boardrooms of top UK companies have undergone a "culture change", with a growing number of women in decision-making roles, a report has said.


The Richard Burnett collection of instruments from the 17th to 19th Century went under the hammer on Wednesday. The auction in Newbury saw strong bidding with some items more than doubling their estimated guide price. The instruments were bought by collectors in the UK, China, USA and Germany. Proceeds from the auction, which topped £835,462, will go to the Finchcocks Charity, which works to keep historical instruments in playing condition. Dr Graham Wells, specialist at Dreweatts and Bloomsbury Auctions, said: "This has stood out as one of the most exciting auctions that I have worked on." The collection was put up for sale after Finchcocks Museum in Goudhurst, Kent - owned by Mr Burnett - closed in December following his retirement.

Summary: A collection of 70 historic keyboards belonging to a concert pianist has sold for more than £835,000 at auction.


Sweepers start to clear away debris, and drills buzz in the shells of gutted shops. But the scene of the deadliest ever attack carried out by so-called Islamic State (IS) anywhere in the world is still a makeshift shrine. On 3 July, 292 Iraqis lost their lives here. This week, the haunting strains of a cello wafted through the cavernous black hulks where two popular centres once drew in Iraqis for shopping and socialising. "If terrorists are trying to turn every element of life into a battlefield, I will turn it into a field of beauty and civilisation," declares Karim Wasifi, composer and conductor with Iraq's National Symphony Orchestra. He has played his cello at other major bomb sites in Baghdad as an affirmation of Iraqis' determination to fight back. Hardly a day goes by without an attack somewhere in a city laced with security checkpoints and armed guards. But the explosion in Baghdad's Karrada neighbourhood was no ordinary bomb. From its design to its destination, this attack underlines that IS has found a new way to inflict harm and cause terror. "Daesh used, for the first time, a new tactic which helped it to move undetected through checkpoints," a Western security source in Baghdad tells me, using the name for IS more commonly used in the region. "We've never seen it before, and it's very worrying." Precise details of the attack, which is under Iraqi investigation, are still being pieced together. The tactic known as a VBIED - vehicle-borne improvised explosive device - is now widely used in suicide bombings. But this one is said to differ in the way the explosives were placed in the van, and how the chemicals were put together. "It's really difficult to make," an explosives expert who has knowledge of the investigation explained, saying the device may have been developed in the Iraqi city of Falluja when it was under IS control. "Daesh has given a lot of thought to how to move through checkpoints." The bomb-makers are believed to have taken a formula "available on the internet", and then adjusted the quantities to reduce its risk of detection, and increase its impact. Several Iraqi experts also described the mix of chemicals as "unique". "We are used to big fires but the chemicals in this bomb were used for the first time in Iraq," says Brigadier General Kadhim Bashir Saleh of the Civil Defense Force. "It was unique, strange, and terrible." Another Iraqi security expert, Hisham al-Hashimi, told me he believes a similar mix of explosives may have been used, only once, in an attack by al-Qaeda in 2004. But he describes this new tactic deployed by IS as "very serious and dangerous". The van exploded on the narrow street just after midnight shortly before Eid Festival when shops were packed with families, football fans were glued to big screens, and the billiard hall was doing brisk business. Several say the heat created by the first blast was "as hot as the surface of the sun". The explosion left no gaping crater, and its impact

Summary: On a Baghdad street once throbbing with life, there is a soft recitation of prayers, a silent lighting of candles, and quiet sobbing at the edges of charred ruins.


The Games were first held in Hamilton, Canada in 1930, when 11 countries sent a total of 400 athletes to take part. In Glasgow 2014 there will be more than 4,500 athletes from 71 nations competing in 17 sports over 11 days. Scotland has previously hosted the event twice, in 1970 and 1986, both in Edinburgh. This will be the first time Glasgow is the host city. Comments: Will you be watching the Commonwealth Games? Sporting superstars such as Usain Bolt, Mo Farah and Tom Daley are all competing in what is being billed as the biggest and best Commonwealth Games yet. The Commonwealth is a collection of countries that are linked in some way to Great Britain, all apart from one - Mozambique. Many years ago Britain used to control lots of countries as part of something called the British Empire. Over the years the Empire has disappeared as countries have taken charge of themselves, and has reformed and changed to become the Commonwealth. All 53 members have signed up to a set of values including democracy, gender equality and international peace and security. During the opening ceremony the Games will be officially opened by the Queen, who is the head of the Commonwealth. Africa Botswana, Cameroon, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, The Gambia, Uganda, Zambia Americas Belize, Bermuda, Canada, Falkland Islands, Guyana, St. Helena Asia Bangladesh, Brunei Darussalam, India, Malaysia, Maldives, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka Caribbean Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Jamaica, Montserrat, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & The Grenadines, Trinidad & Tobago, Turks & Caicos Islands Europe Cyprus, England, Gibraltar, Guernsey, Isle of Man, Jersey, Malta, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales Oceania Australia, Cook Islands, Kiribati, Nauru, New Zealand, Niue, Norfolk Island, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu List taken from Glasgow 2014 official website

Summary: The Commonwealth Games take place every four years, with the 2014 event being held in Glasgow, Scotland.


Antrim cut an eight-point deficit to three at one stage but a late goal by Sean Quigley ensured Pete McGrath's Erne men would progress. Home forward Tomas Corrigan landed nine points but boss Pete McGrath will be concerned about the second-half wobble. Fermanagh had led 0-9 to 0-2 at half-time before Antrim hit back with five scores without reply. Media playback is not supported on this device The Erne men now progress to play Donegal in the last eight of the provincial championship. Antrim left their challenge much too late and ultimately paid for a shockingly slack start. The Saffrons, who won promotion to Division Three earlier in the year, were six points down when they registered their first score through a Brian Neeson free. The gap was eight late in the first half and it looked like Fermanagh were going to stroll into the quarter-finals. But from 0-11 to 0-3 down, Antrim rallied with five unanswered points by Mark Sweeney, John Carron, Tomas McCann, Ryan Murray and Sean Burke. During that spell, Neeson had a goal chance but shot into the side-netting from a tight angle. The momentum was with Antrim but they conceded a cheap free to give Corrigan the chance to give the hosts a four-point lead before Quigley netted the only goal. Top scorer Tomas Corrigan: "The first half was the most pleasing thing. We targeted a big first 10 minutes and wanted to keep going after that. "That is what we did but we are disappointed with our second half performance. We have a lot to work on." Fermanagh manager Pete McGrath: "For long periods in the second half we were sleepwalking. "It was a nervous time for us. We let Antrim back into it and that is a concern. "The result was satisfactory but the performance overall you have to say we did OK but can do better." Media playback is not supported on this device Antrim joint manager Gearoid Adams: "We did not turn up in the first half. There were 14 scoring chances each which is hard to believe. "In the second half we got it back to three but Fermanagh kicked on in the end and the goal put a gloss on it for them. "We came down here to win and we are disappointed that we didn't." Victorious Fermanagh now face Donegal in the last eight of the Ulster Championship while Antrim go into the All-Ireland qualifiers. Fermanagh: C Snow; M Jones, C Cullen, M O'Brien; D McCusker (sub D Kelly 66), J McMahon, B Mulrone; E Donnelly, A Breen; P McCusker (sub P Cadden), R Jones, R Lyons; R Corrigan (sub D Teague 56), S Quigley, T Corrigan. Antrim: C Kerr; K O'Boyle, R Johnston, N Delargy; P McBride, M Johnston, J Laverty (sub McAleese 47); M Sweeney, C Murray (sub S McVeigh HT); M Fitzpatrick (sub R Murray 56), K Niblock, J Carron; B Neeson (sub S Burke 59), T McCann, M McCann. Attendance: 9124

Summary: Fermanagh saw off a mini-revival from Antrim to book an Ulster Championship quarter-final meeting with Donegal.


Conciliation service Acas confirmed talks had ended for the day and would continue on Friday. The RMT told its members to return to work on Wednesday evening as Southern had "agreed to meet.. without the caveat of any preconditions". Southern said it had arranged some trains on previously closed routes. Reinstated trains included extra services to Eastbourne, where a four-day air show is being held. The train operator had warned it was too late to replace the strike timetable on Thursday but said it had arranged additional trains on previously closed routes, including Horsham to Dorking, Eastbourne to Ashford International and Littlehampton to Portsmouth & Southsea. An amended timetable will be in place on Friday, Southern posted on its website. Nearly 1,000 services across the Southern network were cancelled on each strike day this week. The disagreement centres on proposals by Southern operator Govia Thameslink (GTR) to turn conductors into "on-board supervisors", with drivers taking over responsibility for opening and closing carriage doors. In a letter to RMT general secretary Mick Cash on Monday, GTR warned "change is happening". It said: "Our plans to implement the new role will commence on 21 August... the window for you to reach agreement with us is closing." Southern has said it wants the RMT to agree to a list of "exceptional circumstances" when a train could be dispatched from stations with only one member of staff on board. The union argues guards help prevent passengers becoming trapped in train doors. But the Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB) said there could be potential safety benefits from "the removal of any possible miscommunication, which could exist between driver and guard". The RSSB said it had analysed safety data and found "no increased risk of harm to passengers" where drivers operate powered doors and follow correct procedures. In June Mr Cash said the RSSB was funded by the train companies and it was "ludicrous" to regard it as independent. He said previous RSSB studies questioned the safety of driver-only trains. Seafront businesses in Sussex have blamed the long-running Southern train dispute for a downturn in tourist trade. Brighton Pier estimated visitor numbers were down 10% to 30% on last year. Its managing director Anne Martin told the BBC she believed visitors were reluctant to travel on trains they could not rely on. Adam Chinnery of the Seafront Business Association in Brighton warned that traders could not afford to miss income in the summer holiday season. Mr Chinnery, who runs a watersports shop, said: "Cafes, galleries and the traders are losing out and many of the deckchairs are empty. "We've only got the summertime. They chose this time to make an impact and it's a bit selfish."

Summary: Southern has added 89 trains to Thursday's timetable after the RMT union suspended a five-day conductors' strike and agreed to new negotiations.


Researchers found residues of potassium bromate and potassium iodate in 84% of the samples collected from Delhi. The chemicals are banned in many countries, but India continues to allow their use in bakeries. The All India Bread Manufacturers' Association said the chemicals were "considered safe". Health Minister JP Nadda has urged people not to panic and to wait for his ministry's report on the issue. "I have told my officials to report to me on an urgent basis. There is no need to panic. Very soon we will come out with the [inquiry] report," he said. Delhi-based environmental think-tank Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) said in its report that it had collected 38 bread and bakery samples from retail stores, bakeries and fast-food shops in Delhi for its study. "More than 84% of samples tested were found to contain potassium bromate and/or iodate," it said. The CSE has urged the government to ban the use of these chemicals in bakery products. "Considering that it [potassium bromate] can cause cancer, is banned in most parts of the world, and has healthy alternatives, there is no reason why this chemical should be allowed, specifically when residues are found to be present in the end-product." The CSE said potassium iodate should also be banned because "it can potentially affect the functioning of thyroid". The bread manufacturers' association said it was yet to see the CSE report, but added that the two additives were safe and "widely used in advanced countries like the US". "Food Safety and Standards Authority of India's regulations permit the use of potassium bromate and/or potassium iodate at 50 ppm max for bread and at 20 ppm max for bakery purpose," the association said in a statement.

Summary: India's health ministry has ordered an inquiry after a study found cancer-causing chemicals in many bread and other bakery products.


Simon Hall, 36, was found hanged at Wayland Prison, Norfolk, in 2014. Hall, jailed for killing Joan Albert, 79, claimed his innocence until 2013 when he said he was "seriously violent" and there had been "sexual aspects" to the murder, the inquest heard. His widow Stephanie said she had believed in Hall's innocence. Read live updates on this story Dr William Long, a senior forensic psychologist with the prison service, told Norfolk Coroner's Court that after he made his confession, Hall "had changed from resisting his conviction to a man that admitted he was seriously violent". Meetings at Hollesley Bay Open Prison, where Hall was held before being transferred to Wayland after he took an overdose of his anti-smoking medication on 8 September 2013, he spoke openly about his issues and was under constant supervision. He was considered to be at high risk of suicide and self-harm. Jurors have heard that Hall was also a user of Spice, a substance smoked by some inmates that was recently made illegal under new legislation. Mrs Hall, who had campaigned for Hall to be cleared before his confession, said he was not "receiving the adequate help and support he needed". She told the inquest: "The year after we married I publicly campaigned to clear his name, believing him to be a gross miscarriage of justice victim." Mrs Hall told the jury when she first met Hall, he did nothing to suggest he had murdered Mrs Albert. She said she kept in touch with her husband after he confessed to the murder. She said when he was in Hollesley Bay Prison, near Woodbridge, they spoke "all the time". By the time he moved to Wayland Prison, near Watton however, contact was "minimal". However, she said she had her final phone conversation with her husband, the night before he died. "The telephone conversation ended with him telling me he loved me and I told him the same back. He certainly didn't seem suicidal," she said. Mrs Albert, 79, was murdered at her home in Capel St Mary, near Ipswich, Suffolk, in December 2001. The inquest continues.

Summary: A killer who spent a decade protesting his innocence before confessing his guilt, was a "highly disturbed individual", his widow told an inquest.


So how necessary is all the expensive tuition, if you want to help your child into a career treading the boards? Tallulah Treadaway is living many girls' dreams. Aged just 12 she has spent the last year leaving her sister and two brothers at home in Sussex, to take the train to London to perform in the hit musical Matilda. There's no question that it's a fulfilling experience for her. "It's an achievement," she says. "After the performance you walk out of the theatre and you hear people say 'those kids were amazing' and you feel great." Her run in Matilda has just come to an end and she is now in rehearsals for another West End production. But although she has been dancing since she was five, Tallulah is relatively untutored, at least compared to many of the other children she meets at auditions. She has noticed some of them turn up already knowing all the words and all the steps. Increasingly, parents of a new star-struck generation are forking out for a whole battery of lessons in the hope that it will help fulfil their child's dream of a show business career. But it's not a path to embark on lightly. Whereas you might happily pay £20 for a chemistry set for an aspiring scientist in the family, the parents of a promising performer can spend thousands on what is a notoriously fickle career choice. Costs vary around the country but one-to-one tuition in the south-east of England starts at £20 an hour. Group classes range from £5 - £10. The costs of uniform, costumes and exams can mount up too. And the more classes that are on offer from jazz to musical theatre, street dance to singing, the more your child will want to do. "I want to keep my daughter's dreams alive," says Naomi Phitidis, mother of one enthusiastic young performer. Her daughter Juno attends singing, drama and several dance classes, although some are scheduled fortnightly to limit time and cost pressures. "But I also want her to have some sort of security in her life," says her mother. She does sometimes wonder whether she's putting all her eggs in one basket, but firmly believes the skills and confidence that Juno is acquiring will help her whatever she does later in life. Vanessa Karl's daughter, Zoe, hopes to become a professional dancer. But she knows she's unlikely to win a place at a dance college without reaching a demanding technical standard. So Vanessa spends around £100 a week on classes for 30 weeks of the year. "If someone has a passion it's good to let them follow that passion, if you can afford it," she says. She thinks you need an absolute minimum of four years training to get into a post-16 dance school, and more is better. "If you're serious you need to be doing at least three ballet classes a week. And I think most dancers would want to do at least that." If Tallulah, Juno and Zoe do pursue careers on the stage they will

Summary: If you're the parent of a budding Darcey Bussell or Benedict Cumberbatch you'll know how quickly the bills start flooding in from drama teachers, singing coaches and dance schools.


Large house parties could also be vulnerable to sneak-in thefts over the festival period. The warnings are in a safety message from police in the Highlands and Islands. Police Scotland said criminals targeted homes at this time of year to try and steal presents and money. Insp Ewan Henderson said posts and other messages on social media sites before and during parties could alert thieves. He said: "Christmas nights out are planned in advance, so just taking a few minutes to think about the security of your home will mean everyone's Christmas can be fun-filled. "Posting photos on social media of nights out are an everyday occurrence. "What we are asking is that you think about it before you post the messages. Are you inviting someone to break in to your home by advertising it is un-occupied? Could the messages be posted the next day?" Peter Kirwan, of Neighbourhood Watch Scotland, added: "We're encouraging people to ask a neighbour to keep an eye on their house when they go away. "Small things like moving curtains and taking in mail can help make a place look occupied and reduce the risk of a house breaking."

Summary: Christmas party selfies and other social media posts about festive nights out could alert thieves to unoccupied homes, police have warned.


The DUP says up to 90% of the PSNI legacy investigation branch's caseload is focused on killings by the Army. The PM, secretary of state and other unionist and Conservative politicians also say there is an imbalance. But PSNI figures show investigations into killings by the Army account for about 30% of its legacy workload. The police legacy branch will re-investigate 1,118 deaths not previously reviewed or completed by the now defunct Historical Enquiries Team (HET). Of those killings, 530 were carried out by republicans, 271 by loyalists and 354 by the security forces. It is not known who was responsible for the other 33 killings. Team A consists of 12 detectives They are working on On The Runs (OTR) enquiry and are seeking to confirm the "wanted" status of 228 republicans, not all of whom received OTR letters. The number of incidents the individuals are linked to may run to several thousand. The team is examining whether there is evidence that would provide grounds for them to be prosecuted. Team B consists of 19 detectives Its caseload includes investigations into the killings of Jean McConville and former IRA member Eamon Collins, both attributed to republicans. The team is also investigating the activities of the Military Reaction Force (MRF). Team C consists of 13 detectives They are investigating the killings of 13 civilians by members of the Parachute Regiment on Bloody Sunday, and the murders of 10 Protestant men by the IRA at Kingsmills in 1976. Team D consists of 11 detectives It is investigating seven killings by republicans. The officer who leads the PSNI legacy branch, Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hamilton, said he did not believe the police were disproportionately focusing on any one group. "I do understand that there is a public perception that there is a disproportionate focus on military cases but they form part of what we are doing," he said. "I have a full team who are doing reviews against a list of cases, at the minute, none of those are military. "I've a full team working on the On The Runs review and that doesn't relate to the military at all. "I do appreciate that in the public domain, the big profile cases that we've been working on have been in the area of military-related killings. "We're carrying out our duties according to the law and according to what we've been asked to do and required to do." The HET previously completed reviews of 1,625 cases, which related to 2,051 deaths. The majority of the cases, 1,038, were attributed to republican paramilitaries, mostly the Provisional IRA. Of the others, 536 cases were attributed to loyalists, 32 to the army, and it's not known who was responsible for the remaining 9. There are no plans to re-investigate cases described as completed by the HET at this stage unless new evidence is uncovered.

Summary: Figures obtained by the BBC challenge claims that investigations into Troubles killings are unduly focused on those committed by the Army.


Rescue officials said Minor Vidal, 35, was found with head injuries away from the site of Tuesday's crash. Mr Vidal told his rescuers he escaped after being trapped in the wreckage and survived by drinking his own urine and water from a lagoon. Eight people were killed in the crash near Trinidad, in north-east Bolivia. The Aerocon Airlines flight was travelling from Santa Cruz to Trinidad when air traffic controllers lost track of it. All nine passengers and crew were originally reported to have been killed in the crash. The head of the rescue mission, Captain David Bustos, said they began searching further away from the wreckage when they found only eight bodies at the crash site. "From several kilometres (miles) away, we saw a man on the river bank signalling to us. When we got closer, he knelt down and thanked God," Capt Bustos said. "He said he'd been trapped in the plane for more than 15 hours and that when he finally escaped he began to walk and survived by drinking his own urine and water from a lagoon," Reuters quoted Capt Bustos as saying.

Summary: A Bolivian man who was the sole survivor of a plane crash has been found alive in the Amazon jungle three days after the plane went down.


NFU Scotland has urged a Scottish parliamentary committee to hold an extraordinary session on the issue. The union said it did not believe payouts under the new basic payment scheme would be delivered in the normal December window. The Scottish government said it continued "to work flat out" towards starting payments by the end of 2015. The basic payment scheme is the main EU subsidy available to farmers in Scotland, and is allocated by the Scottish government following Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) reforms. NFU Scotland said that "despite Scottish government statements to the contrary", it did not believe there was "any likelihood" of payments being delivered in December. It now wants Rural Affairs Secretary Richard Lochhead to make a public statement on when farmers will receive their payments and what their value will be. The union has also written to the Rural Affairs, Climate Change and Environment Committee, asking it to hold an extraordinary session to establish the anticipated timeline for payments. NFU Scotland president Allan Bowie, said: "Whilst the cabinet secretary has sought to allay fears that the payment schedule will slip, Scottish government's message has shifted from payments being delivered in 'early December' to 'late December', and we are now convinced that these payments will not be made until 2016. "We also note with interest that... the Rural Payments Agency gave an unambiguous statement... that it will commence paying the new basic payment scheme in full to farmers in England in December, with the majority receiving payment by the end of that month and the vast majority of payments completed by the end of January. "Scottish farmers and crofters - and all those who provide goods and services to our sectors - would benefit hugely from a similar clear statement on payment timetables for Scotland to allow them to plan their businesses accordingly." Meanwhile, Mr Lochhead announced that farmers and other land managers would begin to receive their share of Â£6.7m of rural development payments from next week. He said the Scottish government's Rural Payment and Inspectorate Division had begun processing more than 5,000 Land Managers Option payments covering 2014. The scheme supports agri-environment and animal health and welfare measures. The vast majority of LMO payments are expected to be paid within two weeks. Mr Lochhead said: "Today's announcement demonstrates how the Scottish government is delivering for Scotland's farmers as we deal with gargantuan challenge of implementing the biggest CAP reform in a generation. "We continue to work flat out to be able to begin making basic payments by the end of the year."

Summary: Pressure is mounting on the Scottish government to confirm when EU support payments will be delivered to farmers.


The high jumper won bronze in 2008 but that result is now in doubt after 454 samples from those Games were retested. "It's the most complete shock," said Chicherova, who went on to win gold at the 2012 Games in London. "I can't explain how it could have happened. I was always sure what supplements and medicines I was using." Earlier this month, the International Olympic Committee said up to 31 athletes from around the world could be banned from the Rio Olympics as a result of the retests, which were conducted using the latest scientific methods. The Russian Olympic Committee subsequently revealed that 14 of those 31 athletes were Russian. A Russian TV report then claimed those 14 athletes included 10 medallists, among them 33-year-old Chicherova, who is planning to defend her Olympic title at the Rio Games, which begin on 5 August. Sports minister Vitaly Mutko admitted the news did not "look good" but said the results were "not an objective picture" of Russia's doping situation. Media playback is not supported on this device Russia's athletes are already banned from international competition following allegations of state-organised doping. But in an interview with BBC sports editor Dan Roan, Mutko said he expected the ban to be lifted for Rio because it would be "useless" for the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) to continue punishing them. He also held the IAAF partly responsible for Russia's predicament, claiming it helped cover up the positive tests. "The priority for them [IAAF] must be the development of track and field worldwide and you cannot achieve that with punishment," he said. "It damages hugely the reputation and image of track and field. It would decrease the popularity of the sport in Russia. Kids would not want to do it."

Summary: Olympic medallist Anna Chicherova has vowed to clear her name after learning she is one of 14 Russian athletes to have failed a doping retest.