After fighting the battle at a London employment tribunal, former driver and GMB union branch secretary Steve Garelick said he was "beside himself with joy". The ruling found drivers for the cab service should not be treated as self-employed and have the same working rights as other staff. And although the case focused on Uber, Mr Garelick believed it would not just be drivers who saw the benefits. "This is for anyone who works in this type of economy," said Mr Garelick. "You could be a cleaner that works through an app, but now you have the right to a quality of life. "It is so important to workers. I think what we have done here is ensure employment rights for the future. I couldn't be happier." Uber has more than 30,000 drivers across the UK who it described as "independent contractors" or self-employed. Bosses of the mobile app company, which lets customers order taxis over their smartphones, said their status did not entitle them to the benefits of employees and is to appeal against the decision of the tribunal. But the drivers said they were being treated unlawfully. The Central London Employment Tribunal ruled in the drivers favour, with the GMB union saying that outcome of the case could have "major" implications for other staff at the firm. One of the drivers who took the case up in court was James Farrar. Averaging just Â£5.03 an hour when working over the summer, the London driver said his finances were "really starting to bite" without the security of employed workers' rights. Speaking to the BBC's Victoria Derbyshire show before the ruling Mr Farrar said: "If you want to cover your costs and keep the family afloat, you have got to work a lot of hours with Uber. "You can turn on the app and work whenever you want. You can stop whenever you want and go home. The only problem is that if you are not working, you are not earning, and the earnings are so much lower than I expected. "It's well below minimum wage." Khaled Mohamed-Hadg, who drives for Uber in London, said he will be following Mr Farrar's suit and taking up his case with the GMB as well. "I am very happy with this decision," he said. "It is very important, because we are happy to play our part in helping the economy, but we want to be treated fairly and paid fairly. "If you drive so much because you earn so little, if its bad for your health. I know people who drive 12 or 15 hours a day to make the money and don't even make minimum wage, so this could make all the difference to them. This summer, two Uber drivers took the company to an employment tribunal with the help of the GMB Union. James Farrar and Yaseen Aslam argued that they were "employed" by Uber, which under employment law would entitle them to certain rights, including sick and holiday pay. But the company insists it was simply a technology platform that links supply

Summary: Campaigners have hailed a landmark ruling giving Uber drivers the right to the minimum wage, paid holiday and sick leave.


In February, clubs agreed "in principle" to use the system from next season and those plans were confirmed at an EGM on 6 April. Goalline technology has been used in the Premier League since 2013. It has also been utilised in previous Football League play-off finals. However, this season the technology will be available for both Championship semi-finals, as well as the final at Wembley on Monday, 29 May. "The introduction of goalline technology is a significant step forward for Championship clubs and reflects the importance of the outcome of every single game in the division," said EFL chief executive Shaun Harvey. "It has already proved successful elsewhere in our competitions and I'm confident it will have a similar positive impact week in, week out in the Championship, starting with this year's Championship play-off semi-finals."

Summary: Goalline technology will be used in this season's Championship play-offs before being introduced in all second-tier matches in 2017-18, the English Football League has said.


The 38-year-old played more than 100 games for the Black Caps in all formats and was a key figure as they reached the 2015 World Cup final. Bears sport director Ashley Giles said: "Grant has proven himself as a match-winner on the biggest stage. "He top-scored in the final and semi-final of the World Cup in 2015 and has a wealth of T20 experience." To join the county as a non-overseas player under the Kolpak ruling, South Africa-born Elliott has ended an international career in which he played five Tests, 83 one-day internationals and 16 Twenty20 internationals since making his debut against England in 2008. He joins fellow countrymen Colin de Grandhomme, who signed for the Bears earlier this month, and Jeetan Patel at Edgbaston.

Summary: Birmingham Bears have signed former New Zealand all-rounder Grant Elliott on a Kolpak deal for the T20 Blast.


His name is most closely associated with nationalist Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser in the 1960s. Mr Heikal was the editor of Egypt's state-owned newspaper, Al-Ahram, during that time, articulating the Nasserist ideology of "Arab socialism". He also served as information minister and briefly as foreign minister. Following Nasser's death in 1970, Mr Heikal was sidelined by his successor Anwar al-Sadat. And in 1981 he was jailed along with hundreds of government critics. He was released by Hosni Mubarak after Sadat's assassination by Islamist militants later that year, but was kept at arm's length by the president throughout his 29 years in office. But Mr Heikal remained for decades one of the most authoritative commentators on Egypt and the Arab world - as well as a historian of the tumultuous events of the Nasser area. Announcing Mr Heikal's death on Wednesday, Al-Ahram said he been ill for three weeks, and had suffered fluid on the lungs and kidney failure. President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi paid tribute to Mr Heikal, calling him a "journalistic icon", while the cabinet said he had "massively participated in enriching intellectual life with his books, articles, political and historical studies", Egypt's ON TV Live reported.

Summary: One of the most famous and influential journalists in the Arab world, the Egyptian Mohamed Hassanein Heikal, has died in Cairo at the age of 92.


Nat Sciver (77) and Danielle Hazell (45) helped England recover from 58-6 to post 240-9 on Thursday before rain forced the game into a reserve day. Laura Marsh took 4-21, including her 100th ODI wicket, and Hazell 3-21 as Sri Lanka were bowled out for 78. England secured qualification for the 2017 World Cup in the second ODI. "It was nice, in the face of a potential collapse, to turn it around and win," captain Heather Knight said. "We've had a really good year and I think the girls are really starting to take responsibility and grow into their roles." New Zealand guaranteed World Cup qualification with a seven-wicket defeat of Pakistan in Nelson on Thursday - joining Australia and England in next year's tournament, which will be held in England in June and July. The fourth and final automatic place is between West Indies and India - and will depend on how the International Cricket Council rules on an unplayed series. With every team expected to play each other over a two-year period, a scheduled series between Pakistan and India - due to take place before the end of October - did not happen, and looks unlikely to do so for political reasons. If the six available points from that series are shared, fourth-placed West Indies would finish above India as they have recorded the most wins of the pair. The Windies would also stay fourth if Pakistan, as the home side, are awarded the points because of the Indian board's perceived reluctance to play them. The fifth-placed side will join South Africa, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and six other teams in Sri Lanka early next year, to play a final qualifier for the last four places in the World Cup.

Summary: England completed a 4-0 women's one-day international series whitewash as they thrashed Sri Lanka by 162 runs in the final match in Colombo.


Captain Lee Wallace's struck to give the home side the lead just after the quarter-hour mark. And Martyn Waghorn doubled their advantage shortly before the break, turning in Barrie McKay's pass. Nicky Law added a third with a shot high into the net as Mark Warburton's side claimed their tenth win in all competitions. Having scored five goals in each of their last three matches, Rangers were keen to maintain their impressive goal haul but their second half performance failed to match the tempo displayed in the opening 45 minutes. The hosts were unchanged for the first time this season and in-form Waghorn quickly garnered their first scoring opportunity with barely five minutes gone as he pounced on a defensive error to test Darren Jamieson but the goalkeeper reacted well. Livingston, the only side in the Championship without a league win this season, responded with their first chance when a Myles Hippolyte free kick found the head of Declan Gallagher but his header picked out keeper Wes Foderingham. It was from a free-kick that Rangers took the lead after 16 minutes The pre-planned move broke down but the ball rebounded to Wallace who, from 30 yards, struck the ball cleanly with his left foot low in to the bottom corner for his fourth goal of the season - equalling his tally for last season. Livingston were without the suspended Ben Gordon and lost his replacement Craig Sives to injury inside 25 minutes, with Morgyn Neill replacing him. The bottom side did not dwell on their misfortune and only a flying save from Foderingham kept out Liam Buchanan's powerful shot. Rangers, fuelled by the guile of Nathan Oduwa and the lively front play of Waghorn, dealt Livingston a decisive blow five minutes from half-time. Oduwa was involved in the build-up, Waghorn holding up the ball and rejecting all passing options to work his way free and precisely angle a low shot beyond Jamieson. If a second half onslaught was expected it did not appear as Rangers failed to match their earlier intensity while Livingston never gave up but never seriously threatened the home goal. Kenny Miller, who appeared as a substitute in the first ever meeting of these sides in 2001, came off the bench and slid a pass into the path of fellow substitute Law who angled his shot high into the net for his first goal of the season. Match ends, Rangers 3, Livingston 0. Second Half ends, Rangers 3, Livingston 0. Attempt missed. Myles Hippolyte (Livingston) left footed shot from the left side of the box is just a bit too high. Kenny Miller (Rangers) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul. Foul by Kenny Miller (Rangers). Myles Hippolyte (Livingston) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Substitution, Livingston. Kieran Gibbons replaces Scott Pittman. Nicky Law (Rangers) wins a free kick on the right wing. Foul by Darren Cole (Livingston). Delay in match (Livingston). Attempt missed. Dean Shiels (Rangers) left footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the left. James Tavernier

Summary: Rangers made it six wins out of six in the Scottish Championship with a comfortable victory over Livingston.


Dr Helen Nicoll, 53, was pronounced dead at the house in Frog End, Great Wilbraham, Cambridgeshire on 5 June. Her husband Stephen Nicoll, 53, was arrested on suspicion of murder before being released with no further action. The opening of an inquest into her death heard the cause of her death was compression of the neck consistent with hanging. Opening and adjourning the inquest into Dr Nicoll's death, coroner David Morris said Mr Nicoll had discovered his wife hanging from a banister with what looked like a ski jacket belt around her neck. 'Devastating loss' He had cut her body down. Mr Morris said he was satisfied there was no third party involvement in her death. Further toxicology tests were ordered "with reference to alcohol" and a full inquest was scheduled for 20 August. Cambridgeshire Police were called to reports of a sudden death at the couple's home at about 06:30 BST. A post-mortem examination on Monday revealed Mrs Nicoll died from asphyxiation. Mr Nicoll has said his wife had "taken her own life" and spoke of his family's "devastating loss". The couple had three children and worked together in their clinic in Hurst Park, Cambridge while Mr Nicoll also practises in London's Harley Street.

Summary: A dentist who was found dead by her husband at their home died as a result of hanging, an inquest has heard.


A second soldier was moderately wounded in the incident, near Mount Arif, said army spokeswoman Avital Leibovich. Lt Col Leibovich said the militants had opened fire on the soldiers after crossing the border from Sinai. The troops were guarding a site where work is continuing on a new security barrier along the border with Egypt. The violence comes amid a crackdown by Egypt on Islamist militants operating in the Sinai Peninsula, launched after an attack last month left 16 Egyptian soldiers dead. In that incident, the militants subsequently crossed the border with Israel in an apparent attempt to carry out another attack. However, they were killed in Israeli air strikes. In June, militants fired an anti-tank missile at a vehicle convoy carrying construction workers helping to build the new border fence. One Israeli construction worker and two of the attackers were killed. Analysts say that the security situation in Sinai has deteriorated following the fall of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak last year, and that local Bedouin criminal gangs, radical Palestinian groups and possibly militant Islamists sympathetic to al-Qaeda have gained a foothold. By Kevin ConnollyBBC News, Jerusalem Israel's border with Egypt in the baking, hostile wilderness of the Sinai desert was among the most dangerous flashpoints in the Middle East until the two countries signed a peace treaty in 1979. They had been to war four times there in the previous 30 years. Under Anwar Sadat and then Hosni Mubarak, Egypt kept an iron grip on the region offering Israel such strategic certainty that the border between the two countries was not properly fenced. Since the fall of Mubarak concern is deepening in Israel that Egypt is less able, or less willing to maintain the same degree of control. There have been a series of incursions over the last year - in the most serious, militants killed 16 Egyptian soldiers before blasting their way through the border fence. Israel fears more - and is building a fence which will run the entire length of the frontier. This latest attack came at one of the last points where work is still to be completed. Lt Col Leibovich said the militants who crossed the border from the Sinai peninsula on Friday were heavily armed with rifles and equipped with bullet-proof vests and explosive belts. The attack happened about half-way down Israel's 240km (150-mile) southern border, at a point where work is under way to complete the new barrier. "[The militants] opened fire towards IDF troops that were guarding the workers in that area. Another force that was nearby... rushed to the area and targeted those three terrorists," Lt Col Leibovich told reporters. "A very big terror attack was thwarted by the quick response of these soldiers," she added. The dead Israeli soldier, named as 20-year-old Cpl Netanel Yahalomi, was reportedly shot in the head during the gun battle. Egyptian security sources said one of the militants died when his explosive belt was detonated, while the other two were shot dead by the Israeli soldiers. The nationalities of the assailants were not immediately clear. Defence

Summary: An Israeli soldier and three militants have been killed in a clash inside Israel near its southern border with Egypt, the Israeli military has said.


And the National Trust, which holds one of the world's biggest collections, has started cataloguing every scrap in its collection. Members have been meeting at the trust's Erddig Hall, Wrexham, where there is already an extensive collection with the oldest dated to the early 1700s. "We care for paper in all sorts of contexts," said Joanne Hodgson, assistant house steward at Erddig. "It's on walls, ceilings, inside boxes and cupboards, fragments that have been found behind water pipes and skirting boards, and even a miniature collection in our dolls' house. "We also have one of the oldest exactly dated wallpapers at Erddig date stamped 1714." The wallpaper working group is trying to decide how best to catalogue its wallpaper given most of its examples remain in situ. Erddig's grand rooms are lined with early examples of wallpaper from China, inventors of the fashion for wall lining 2,000 years ago and which was later taken on by the French. But it is below the stairs, in the servants' quarters, where there are equally impressive examples, even though these were considered "cheap" examples from the 19th and 20th Century.

Summary: Whether it is wood chip or William Morris, there are many forms of wallpaper.


Rivals were awestruck by the amount of mileage the team were able to manage with a brand new car. Mercedes were determined to turn so many laps that they had to start splitting each day between drivers Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg to avoid over-exerting them. "Amazing," said Williams technical chief Pat Symonds. Another senior figure put it into context: "800km is an entire grand prix weekend in one day." Not everyone was charitable, though. "It looks like they're gearing up to take that car to Le Mans," said one rival. "It's admirable, but it's taking the Mickey a bit. You don't need to do that many miles." Perhaps not. But, at this stage of the preparations, as Hamilton put it: 'Mileage - that's the key. To try and get as much mileage as we can." The world champion added: "It's incredible. And I've never seen anything like it. Just the strength of this car, it just keeps going and going and going. "To think we won the two world championships and going into a third year you would think it is so easy to lose focus, but everyone has done an even better job with delivering the whole package." The Mercedes did not produce any stand-out lap times, but then that was not in the programme. Others were left to do that. Nevertheless, Hamilton's team-mate Nico Rosberg made it clear they were not lacking for performance. "I'm paying attention, of course," said Rosberg, who described the car as "quick". "We have strategists and they're doing calculations already, so more or less we already know where we are, with a band of errors. "Would you like to know? Sorry, I'm not going to say!" Red Bull team principal Christian Horner called Mercedes "stand-out favourites" on the first day of the test. Nothing that happened over the next three days made it feel like that analysis needed to be revised. Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel left the test with the fastest time - a one minute 22.801 seconds lap set on the second day on the new ultra-soft tyre. Indeed, Ferrari were fastest on three of the four days. Vettel's time was two seconds quicker than Mercedes' best, set by Rosberg on the medium tyre, which Pirelli estimates to be in the region of 1.8-2.3 seconds slower than the ultra-soft around Barcelona. In isolation, that makes it appear as if Ferrari were pretty even with Mercedes, even if other teams were not as impressed by Vettel's time as you might expect at face value. Now, let's state before we get too far into this that it is notoriously difficult to draw firm conclusions from pre-season testing times, especially the headline fastest laps. That's because there are so many variables - fuel load, usage of the DRS overtaking aid, circuit conditions, engine mode, different tyres. The list is endless. But ex-Jordan, Jaguar and Stewart technical director Gary Anderson used to say that you could get a reasonable idea by looking at the fastest times set by each car and factoring in the tyre used and the

Summary: Formula 1 pre-season testing reached its halfway point in Barcelona on Thursday evening and one thing is abundantly clear - Mercedes are once again in formidable shape.


High levels of formaldehyde were discovered at Flash Ley Community Primary School and Nursery in Stafford after pupils fell ill last October. Students have been forced to attend lessons elsewhere. Staffordshire County Council said it could not provide a date for their return but it was doing all it could to reopen the site as soon as possible. Read more news for Staffordshire The authority said an investigation concluded work to floor ducts last summer led to high levels of the chemical. It said air quality in "some parts" of the school was "yet to reach safe levels" and work there would start "as soon as air testing revealed it was safe to do so". Cabinet member for learning and skills, Ben Adams, said he wanted to thank parents and staff "for their continued patience and support". "We want all of the pupils and staff to return to the school as soon as possible, but the safety of the whole school community will always remain our top priority," he added.

Summary: Repair work has not begun in parts of a school a year after it closed as the air quality is still not safe.


The money would ensure anyone waiting 12 months to either see a consultant or start treatment by March 2017 would be seen and treated by March 2018. Michelle O'Neill said she was confident the money would be agreed after the election on 2 March. She told BBC News NI she believes the plan is achievable. The minister published her strategy to tackle hospital waiting lists on Tuesday. The minister revealed that £1m is being invested in the private sector in order to start tackling waiting lists immediately, although this is not detailed in the action plan. While welcoming the announcement of the plan, the DUP's health spokesperson Paula Bradley said improvement on waiting lists was being hampered by the lack of a budget and election demands. "Progress was being made on waiting lists previously," she said. "At the start of 2016, figures for both outpatient and inpatient waiting times were coming down and we need to see a continuation of that kind of progress." Jo-Anne Dobson from the Ulster Unionist Party claimed the health minister was "engaging in a pre-election stunt." "Michelle O'Neill is right to say that when she took up office last May lengthy waiting times were a major problem," she said. "Yet under her watch those delays have only worsened." The SDLP's Nichola Mallon said patients who are waiting for procedures would want to know what the strategy means for them. "We need to know when people are going to be treated and have cast iron guarantees that the money is going to be there," she said. "Unfortunately we don't have those guarantees." Paula Bradshaw, the Alliance Party's spokesperson on health, said more detail and further scrutiny was required. "It is concerning the lack of a Budget means the allocation of funding which is needed to achieve what the plan sets out to do remains unclear," she said.

Summary: More than £31m is required to treat patients who have been waiting more than a year for some appointments, the health minister has said.


The move is in line with recommendations from a review of management and practices at the firm, which is facing a number of scandals. The review was sparked by a former employee's claims the company ignored her complaints about sexual harassment. Uber's board voted unanimously in favour of the recommendations on Sunday. Some of Mr Kalanick's responsibilities could be shifted to other executives. In the email to staff, Mr Kalanick said the decision to take leave, which also comes after the sudden death of his mother in a boating accident, is part of an effort to create "Uber 2.0". "For Uber 2.0 to succeed there is nothing more important than dedicating my time to building out the leadership team," Mr Kalanick wrote. "But if we are going to work on Uber 2.0, I also need to work on Travis 2.0 to become the leader that this company needs and that you deserve." Mr Kalanick's email did not say how long he would be away from the firm. Analysis: Dave Lee, BBC North America Technology Reporter When that blog post by ex-employee Susan Fowler dropped on a quiet Sunday afternoon, I doubt anybody at the company thought it would lead to this. I certainly didn't. That moment marked the beginning of the crisis at Silicon Valley's most talked about start-up. In the middle of it all, Travis Kalanick, a man who, rightly or wrongly, now symbolises what people feel is the very worst of tech "bro" culture. A man flush with money and an unrelenting ambition that slowed for no-one. Until now. Uber's problems were enough, most argued, for Mr Kalanick to make this decision. But coupled with the tragic death of his mother, the 40-year-old is quite understandably not in a position to give the company the attention it so desperately needs. Since I started reporting this story I've been told how this problem is not limited to Uber. It's across the tech industry far and wide. With that in mind, it will perhaps be encouraging to the rank-and-file at every tech firm that this fiasco began with one act: a woman brave enough to speak out. Uber, a ride hailing company based in San Francisco, has been rocked by a series of controversies in recent months, including an investigation of its business practices and a lawsuit from Google's parent company, Alphabet, over alleged theft of trade secrets related to driverless cars. It also encountered pushback when it changed its policies around collecting user data. Its corporate culture has been criticised for being aggressive, and this was inflamed earlier this year when Mr Kalanick was caught on video berating an Uber driver who voiced concerns about fares. He said in response to the video: "I must fundamentally change as a leader and grow up." Uber: Travis Kalanick's rollercoaster reign His leave follows the departure of other high-ranked executives. Uber last week also said it had fired more than 20 staff and taken actions against others following a separate review of more than 200 human resources complaints that included harassment and bullying. The

Summary: Uber boss Travis Kalanick plans to take time away from the company, and could return in a diminished role.


Media playback is not supported on this device Even fewer could have imagined just how the game would ebb and flow, and ultimately provide Aberdeen with their first chance in 17 years to win a cup they treated as their own in the eighties. In 1990, as Alex McLeish lifted the trophy just as Willie Miller had done four times in the preceding decade, it would have seemed inconceivable they would not do so again. But those are the bare facts. And four consecutive losing semi-finals ensured no-one took victory today for granted. And yet Aberdeen began the match with such a sense of authority and superiority that all doubt seemed to have been banished inside the opening 25 minutes. Their desire to press Hibernian paid off in the opening seconds - a swifter reward than Derek McInnes could have possibly dreamed of. But it was a tactic they continued to employ to great effect, snapping into tackles and denying the Hibernian backline and midfield any time or space to develop their game-plan. The ploy looked a masterstroke from McInnes, but then Neil Lennon changed the game with one of his own. The introduction of Grant Holt and a change of shape brought Hibs back from the dead - all of a sudden Hibs were able to play the ball forward and not find it coming instantly back on top of them. Again his goal was a quicker pay-off than Lennon could have hoped for, but his overall impact - in particular his pass for Dylan McGeouch's equaliser - was phenomenal. That equaliser came moments after another tactical switch - this time by Derek McInnes - whose decision to move to a back three appeared to play into Hibernian's hands. The Hibs comeback was a significant test of Aberdeen's resolve. Having been so comfortable for 30 minutes, they were rattled by Holt's goal and at 2-2 the clever money was on the resurgent men from Leith. But Aberdeen's determination to avoid a fifth successive Scottish Cup semi-final defeat kicked in and they clawed their way back into the game. McInnes's assertion that they were deserved winners is a generous one, but they stuck steadfastly to their task and though Jonny Hayes' winner had a huge slice of luck attached to it, Aberdeen now have the opportunity to make amends for a tame League Cup final showing earlier in the season. After the match, Lennon declined to accept the tag of gallant losers, insisting his team were simply losers. It's a harsh assessment but an indication of the standards the Hibs manager demands - and will continue to demand - from his side. Lennon has not amassed the medals he has won as a player and manager by accepting second-best, which is what his side were by some distance in the opening half-hour. But he can take solace - on reflection - in the manner his team dug in to give the country's second-best team quite a fright. He can now turn his attention fully to building for next season's return to the

Summary: Few observers predicted anything other than a closely-fought match between the Championship winners and the second-best team in the country.


The 32-year-old has won 31 Springboks caps at wing or full-back and has also played centre. He said: "When looking at the current squad, the average age and talent within the region, that is what got me interested. "I am keen to find my feet, settle in with boys as quickly as possible, and add value to the squad where I can." Kirchner will join three fellow South Africans at Rodney Parade - lock and captain Rynard Landman, scrum-half Sarel Pretorius and full-back Carl Meyer. He will leave Pro12 leaders Leinster after four seasons. Dragons have traditionally fared worse than their three Welsh rivals in the Pro12 and only Treviso and Zebre are below them with five games remaining for the Welsh team. They are also the subject of talks over a change of ownership that could see the Welsh Rugby Union take over. Kirchner believes Dragons "will definitely move in the right direction" in the future. He added: "New decisions and ventures aren't always easy to make, however the experience of moving to Leinster, my first move abroad, has helped and knowing a few of the other South Africans in the squad makes my decision easier." Dragons head coach Kingsley Jones said: "His experience both on and off the field will be invaluable for this young squad."

Summary: Newport Gwent Dragons have signed South Africa utility back Zane Kirchner from Pro12 rivals Leinster for 2017-18.


Sir Michael Wilshaw said it was critical to have a national system that identified, trained and nurtured teachers with leadership potential. He has given a paper to Education Secretary Nicky Morgan, setting out his thoughts on how to ensure schools have strong leaders for the future. He also said school leaders' pay should be publicised to attract top graduates. Giving evidence to the Commons Education Select Committee, Sir Michael said more must be done to bring on the talent of the future. "Have we got a national system to identify good people early in their careers?" he asked. "We need to make sure we have a national system which identifies good people with potential leadership capabilities and to identify them and move them into leadership positions as soon as possible. "It's urgent, it's absolutely urgent." Good teachers could take on senior positions within a few years, school leaders could earn more than Â£100,000 a year, and the leaders of multi-academy trusts could be "very wealthy individuals", Sir Michael told the committee. "We should publicise that if you're good and you want to make teaching your career, leadership your career, you can do very well financially," he told the MPs. Sir Michael also warned improvements to England's education system would be undermined if more action were not taken to tackle teacher shortages. He said more needed to be done to boost the status of teaching and attract more good candidates. Sir Michael's words come against a backdrop of warnings about teacher shortages, notably from head teacher unions and the National Audit Office. The government has said overall teacher numbers have risen and has blamed unions for "talking down" the profession. But Sir Michael said: "I think what we've got to do as a country is to make sure we get more people applying for teaching and training - and we're not doing that successfully. "All the great improvements that we've seen over the last few years could be undermined unless we tackle this very serious issue." The status of teaching was very high in some other parts of the world and it needed to be the same in this country, the Ofsted boss said. He said it was the job of everyone working in education to help to boost the image of the profession. "We have to make sure that teaching is seen as a really great job," he said. "We need to say how good the job is. "So much of what we hear is negative - the workload, it's a difficult job, badly behaved children et cetera. "We've got to start saying that this is one of the most noble jobs in the world, and we don't hear enough about that."

Summary: The need to recruit good future leaders for England's schools is urgent, the head of Ofsted has said.


Many clubs are facing a major financial crisis and have not paid salaries for several months. The footballers' union says the strike will go on until the players received what they are owed. The strike involves players of more than 200 Argentine clubs. The two matches postponed were Rosario Central v Godoy Cruz, in the city of Rosario, and San Lorenzo v Belgrano, in Buenos Aires. The crisis began after senior officials at the Football Association (AFA) were implicated in a corruption scandal involving television broadcasting rights. The season should have resumed a month ago after the summer recess. But the crisis led the AFA to delay the start until this Friday. To try to avoid the strike, the government of Mauricio Macri made a $22m (Â£18m) payment on Thursday to the Argentine Football Association. The money was owed as compensation for the cancellation of a contract with the government, which held the broadcasting rights until this year. But the players' union says the money is not enough. They said most club presidents had spent and borrowed more money than they should have. The death in 2014 of Julio Grondona, who was president of the Argentine Football Association for 35 years, triggered the crisis. He was also vice-president of Fifa, the world football's governing body. The United States authorities who investigated corruption at Fifa labelled Mr Grondona "the number one conspirator". But analysts in Argentina say he guaranteed the functionality of Argentine football. Many believe, however, that his absence will allow a perhaps tortuous but necessary clean-up of the game, says the BBC's Daniel Pardo in Buenos Aires.

Summary: The Argentine Football Association has postponed two top division matches that were due to take place on Friday following the collapse of negotiations to call off a players' strike.


Mohammad Javad Zarif told Tasnim news agency that he sent a tweet saying: "Happy Rosh Hashana". In a Twitter exchange that followed, he also distanced himself from the Holocaust denials of former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. It comes amid confusion over whether new President Hassan Rouhani also tweeted "Happy Rosh Hashana". A message came from a Twitter account thought to belong to Mr Rouhani earlier this week, but officials later said he did not have any such account. Iran has a Jewish community of up to about 30,000, according to some estimates, though much lower than the population which numbered about 80,000 prior to the 1979 Islamic revolution. The fact that Iranian leaders are congratulating Jews on the occasion of Rosh Hashana would not necessarily be controversial, say correspondents, but many in the international community are watching for signs that Mr Rouhani is seeking warmer ties with the West and Israel. Senior politicians are often the victims of Twitter hoaxes, whereby other web users set up fake accounts in their name. But in an interview given to Tasnim and published on Mr Zarif's Facebook page, the foreign minister confirmed he sent the "Happy Rosh Hashana" message because of Iran's Jewish community. By Rana RahimpourBBC Persian Service The timing of these messages on Twitter may signal a shift in Iran's diplomatic discourse. A few weeks ahead of President Rouhani's trip to New York and Iran's first meeting with the IAEA since his election, it seems the new leadership is trying to present a more pragmatic and approachable side to the Islamic Republic. Furthermore, this rare instance of Iran's foreign minister using Twitter to respond to the daughter of a senior politician in the US, a country with which Tehran has had no diplomatic relations for three decades, means Iran is attempting to distance itself from the radical views of the last president. In summary, Iran's new administration appears keen to create a more benign atmosphere for negotiations. He then had a response from Christine Pelosi, the daughter of Nancy Pelosi, Minority Leader of the US House of Representatives, who said: "Thanks. The new year would be even sweeter if you would end Iran's Holocaust denial, sir". He replied: "Iran never denied it. The man who was perceived to be denying it is now gone. Happy New Year." He was referring to Mr Ahmadinejad who, during his presidency, frequently claimed the Holocaust was a lie. "We have condemned the killing of Jews by Nazis as we condemn [the] killing and crackdown on Palestinians by Zionists," Mr Zarif told Tasnim. Mr Ahmadinejad's anti-Israel comments and Tehran's controversial nuclear programme helped contribute to Iran's increased isolation in recent years. Iran has been the target of four rounds of UN sanctions and numerous UN Security Council resolutions calling on it to cease enrichment work amid fears it aims to develop nuclear weapons. Iran has refused to obey, saying it intends to enrich only for power station fuel or other peaceful purposes. President Rouhani on Thursday announced that the foreign ministry would take over nuclear negotiations with the West

Summary: Iran's foreign minister has confirmed he sent a message on Twitter wishing Jews a happy new year.


The official status of the much-loved animal has been changed from "endangered" to "vulnerable" because of a population rebound in China. The change was announced as part of an update to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. But the update also brought bad news. The eastern gorilla, the world's largest primate, is now endangered. Efforts by China, which claims the giant panda as its national animal, have brought its numbers back from the brink. The latest estimates show a population of 1,864 adults. How did China save the panda? Eastern gorillas threatened with extinction There are no exact figures for the numbers of cubs, but estimates bring the total number of giant pandas to 2,060. "Evidence from a series of range-wide national surveys indicate that the previous population decline has been arrested, and the population has started to increase," said the IUCN's updated report. "The improved status confirms that the Chinese government's efforts to conserve this species are effective," it added. But the rebound could be short-lived, the IUCN warned. Climate change is predicted to wipe out more than one-third of the panda's bamboo habitat in the next 80 years. "And thus panda population is projected to decline, reversing the gains made during the last two decades," the report said. It added: "To protect this iconic species, it is critical that the effective forest protection measures are continued and that emerging threats are addressed." John Robinson, a primatologist and chief conservation officer at the Wildlife Conservation Society, told the AFP news agency: "When push comes to shove, the Chinese have done a really good job with pandas. "So few species are actually downlisted, it really is a reflection of the success of conservation," he told the AFP news agency." A surge of illegal hunting has taken the eastern gorilla in the other direction, reducing its numbers to just 5,000 across the globe. Four out of six of the Earth's great apes are now critically endangered - the eastern gorilla, western gorilla, Bornean orangutan and Sumatran orangutan. "Today is a sad day because the IUCN Red List shows we are wiping out some of our closest relatives," Inger Andersen, IUCN director general, told reporters. The number of eastern gorillas has declined more than 70% in the past two decades. The IUCN Red List includes 82,954 species, both plants and animals. Almost one third, 23,928, are listed as being threatened with extinction.

Summary: The giant panda is no longer an endangered species, following decades of work by conservationists to save it.


It is unclear who stopped the landing but a source close to President Ashraf Ghani told the BBC the return had not been co-ordinated with the government. Gen Dostum left for Turkey in May amid claims he ordered his men to kidnap, beat and rape a political rival. He denies wrongdoing. His spokesman said he went for a medical check-up. Atta Mohammad Noor, the powerful governor of northern Balkh province, was waiting at Mazar-e Sharif airport to meet Gen Dostum on Monday night, the Pajhwok news agency reported. More than 1,000 people accompanied the governor to receive the former warlord at the airport, which is near his home province of Jowzjan. Witnesses said some Dostum supporters held posters with slogans such as "Welcome back our dear leader," Reuters news agency reported. But the plane was diverted to Ashgabat in Turkmenistan. Early reports suggested German forces were behind the move. However, Nato later denied this, saying such decisions were a matter for the Afghan authorities. A source close to President Ghani told the BBC's Afghan service that Gen Dostum's decision to return without consulting the authorities in Kabul had caused suspicion. "We wanted him to come to Kabul... because we wanted to have a clear understanding of what's going on," the source said. "There are no legal hurdles for him to return, the government has no issues, but he has to take the right route." Gen Dostum, Atta Mohammad and Mohammad Mohaqeq, another influential ethnic leader, recently formed an opposition group calling for major political reforms. They want to trim the powers of the president, whom they accuse of accumulating power. Gen Dostum's officials have denied he was on the plane that was turned away. But one of the men tasked with preparing for his return confirmed to the BBC that Gen Dostum had spoken with his men from Ankara on Monday morning. He had directed them to co-ordinate with Atta Mohammad and Mohammad Mohaqeq and to organise a major event to launch the new coalition. The vice-president is a former warlord with decades of experience in Afghanistan's turbulent political arena. He has been blamed for some of the worst atrocities in the country's long-running civil war, but joined its national unity government in 2014. The allegations against him come from Ahmad Eshchi, a former ally, who says he suffered days of severe beatings and sexual abuse at Gen Dostum's command. He said the vice-president and 10 other men assaulted him while he was forcibly kept at Gen Dostum's residence in November 2016. The ex-warlord denies the claims and has said that Mr Eshchi was detained by the country's intelligence service. In 2008 Gen Dostum went to Turkey amid similar allegations that his personal militia had abducted, beaten and sexually assaulted a political rival in Kabul, then fired on police who responded to the incident.

Summary: Afghan Vice-President Abdul Rashid Dostum tried to fly back from Turkey late on Monday but was denied permission to land, officials say.


Drivers who get too close to cyclists could end up in court on a charge of dangerous or careless driving. Those caught too near will be advised that bikes should be given as much room as cars. Evidence will also be captured via a bike-mounted camera. The scheme could be repeated across the country. Police officers believe many people are put off cycling on Edinburgh's streets because of the fear of other vehicles coming too close when they overtake. PC Dominic Doyle, of Police Scotland, said: "A lot of drivers see a person on a bicycle riding on the road in a cycle lane and don't consider that passing them closely puts all road users in danger. "It could constitute careless or even dangerous driving and you would fail your driving test for that. "Those drivers that we stop during this operation will be shown how closely they passed the unmarked officer by standing on our specially-designed mat. "You should allow at least as much room as you would when overtaking a car when passing a person on a bicycle, giving consideration to the maximum speed limit and time and distance available to you." A total of 398 cyclists have been injured in collisions in the capital over the past two years, including 62 seriously. One has died. Keith Irving, Cycling Scotland chief executive, said: "Operation Close Pass is a welcome new initiative by Police Scotland to improve road safety. "Education and enforcement are essential to making safer roads for everyone, whether we are cycling, driving or walking. "This initiative is one of the many we need to take to tackle the increase in serious injuries amongst people cycling." Ch Supt Andy Edmonston, head of road policing for Police Scotland, said: "We are constantly working to make Scotland's roads safer for everyone, and I am very pleased to see this innovative approach being piloted in Edinburgh where a large number of people cycle to commute and for pleasure."

Summary: An unmarked police cyclist is taking to Edinburgh's streets to highlight the space cars should give bikes on the road.


A 234-unit nursing home in Elkana, 30 houses in Beit Arye and 20 in Givat Zeev got the go-ahead on Tuesday. Retrospective permits were also issued for 179 existing homes in Ofarim. The US said it was "deeply concerned" and warned that settlement expansion posed a "very serious and growing threat" to peace with the Palestinians. About 570,000 Israelis live in more than 100 settlements built since Israel's 1967 occupation of the West Bank and East Jerusalem. The settlements are considered illegal under international law, though Israel disputes this. Peace Now reported that the latest planning decision by the Israeli military-run Civil Administration in the West Bank meant 2,623 housing units at settlements had been approved so far this year. The figure includes 756 illegally-built homes that have been retrospectively "legalised". A senior US official told the AFP news agency that settlement expansion - as well as continuing demolitions of Palestinian homes - "fundamentally undermines the prospects for a two-state solution and risks entrenching a one-state reality of perpetual occupation and conflict". "We are particularly troubled by the policy of retroactively approving illegal outposts and unauthorised settlement units," the official said. "These policies have effectively given the government's green light for the pervasive advancement of settlement activity in a new and potentially unlimited way." On Tuesday, Israel reacted angrily to similar criticism of its settlement activities by the UN special co-ordinator for the Middle East peace process, Nickolay Mladenov. "It is difficult to read in these actions a genuine intention to work towards a viable two-state solution. This appears to reinforce a policy, carried out over decades, that has enabled over half a million Israelis to settle in territory that was occupied militarily in 1967," he told the UN Security Council. A spokesman for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Mr Mladenov of distorting history. "Jews have been in Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria for thousands of years and their presence there is not an obstacle to peace," David Keyes said, using the biblical names for the West Bank. There have been numerous rounds of peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians since the early 1990s, with the last collapsing in acrimony in 2014.

Summary: Israel has approved the construction of 285 new homes at Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank, according to the settlement watchdog Peace Now.


Several provinces of Kalimantan often experience the direct wrath of the fires, with hundreds of hotspots detected. In Malaysia and Singapore, people are advised to stay indoors when the haze is bad, avoid exercise and wear N95 masks - high quality protection against particles in the air. But in Kalimantan "a lot of people do not even wear masks here because they are so used to the pollution," relief worker Jonathan How told the BBC. "They've been conditioned by the haze for decades and are subjected to serious health problems much worse than in Singapore." This week, Mr How took a team from Singapore to Kalimantan. Their mission: to raise awareness about the dangerous air pollution and distribute 25,000 of the N95 masks. He described seeing "smoky yellow skies" in the region, where PSI pollutant levels have neared 2,000. Any reading over 300 is considered hazardous. The team of five arrived in Kalimantan on Monday, where they spent three days visiting local schools and hospitals to distribute masks. "One lesson we learnt was that haze awareness is key. Though people may politely receive the N95 masks they are given, they will only use them if they truly understand the long-term health impacts of inhaling fine particulates from the haze," Mr How said. Singaporean photographer Edwin Koo, who also travelled with the team, documented their efforts. He shared with the BBC one experience of teaching a man how to put on a specialised N95 mask. "When we first arrived at the airport, we gave out masks to the porters too. One of them took the strap [that were supposed to be looped over the head] and wore it on his ears, like a surgical mask. It ended up blocking his eyes and he didn't realize it was wrongly worn. So I showed him how to put it on correctly. It was then I realised that the mission was not as simple as it seemed." Mr Koo also said: "Sometimes we have to cross the line of documentation. In this case, it meant that I had to put my camera down to help people put on masks and explain the hazards of exposing oneself to haze." Mr Koo has also been actively sharing images from the trip onto his Facebook page. His album titled, Haze Response Kalimantan 2015, features photographs of Kalimantan's burning peatlands and the daily life of the locals. Now back in Singapore, Jonathan How and the team are currently exploring new ideas on how to "better inform people about the negative health impact of the haze". They also want to continue to "encourage people to use the correct masks for their protection". "We want to meet as many like-minded individuals and organisations as possible, to explore collaboration on longer-term solutions to the haze," he said. "The regional pollution is a global responsibility, not just of the Indonesian government."

Summary: Every year, a haze spreads across South East Asia - at the heart is Indonesia's Central Kalimantan, where raging forest fires cause the hazardous air pollution.


Gary Watson was the frontman of The Lapelles who recently performed at T in the Park and the Belladrum festival. A post on the band's Facebook page said Mr Watson died "as a result of injuries sustained in a tragic accident" on Saturday night. Police said the death was not suspicious. Emergency services were called to the River Clyde near Glasgow Bridge at about 22:00 on Saturday. Mr Watson was rescued from the water and taken to Glasgow Royal Infirmary but later died. The Lapelles statement read: "It's with shock, heavy hearts and sadness that we have to let you know the news that Gary sadly passed away this morning as a result of injuries sustained in a tragic accident last night. "Today was his 22nd birthday. We are lost for words and struggling to process such a tragedy. "Gary was a creative force, a man who without his vision this band wouldn't exist. We have lost a friend, a brother, a hero. At the moment it doesn't seem real. "We send our deepest condolences to Gary's family and would appreciate your respect in allowing them & us some peace whilst we grieve. Forever in our hearts, with peace you go. X." The band were due to head off on a UK tour in October. Tributes were paid to Mr Watson on social media by fans and fellow bands. Franz Ferdinand posted on Twitter: "We're so sad to hear of the tragic passing of @TheLapelles Gary Watson, a lovely, talented man. Thoughts are with his family, friends & band."

Summary: Tributes have been paid to a musician who died after falling into the River Clyde in Glasgow the day before his 22nd birthday.


The Georgian burial ground is said to be the best preserved of its kind in the UK. The custodians of the cemetery hope the Grade 2 site will be expanded for community and educational projects. Penzance town council and other donors also contributed towards the restoration of the site. The cemetery was established in around the 1740s according to the town council, and contains about 50 headstones with Jewish and English inscriptions said to be of "an exceptional quality". Keith Pearce, who looks after the Penzance cemetery on behalf of the Board of Deputies of British Jews said it was "a unique historic site." "It's part of Penzance's exotic past. In the 18th Century, Penzance, Falmouth and Truro were very cosmopolitan ports. "The Jews who arrived here would have arrived alongside French people, Spanish people and people from the West Indies - and they were welcomed because they were helping an expanding economy to survive."

Summary: A "unique" Jewish cemetery in Penzance has been restored thanks to a £25,000 lottery grant.


Xi Jinping will be the first Chinese president to attend the annual meeting of world and business leaders in the Swiss Alps in its 47-year history. Mr Xi will speak in defence of free trade in his speech at the conference's opening ceremony on Tuesday. Theresa May, the UK prime minister, is expected to meet with the Chinese leader in Davos on Tuesday. She will travel to the Swiss ski resort after delivering a speech giving more detail about her Brexit plans in London earlier that day. And on Friday, Philip Hammond, the UK chancellor, will further outline his vision of the UK's economic relationship with the European Union after Brexit. Meanwhile, Mr Trump, who has spoken out against international trade deals, takes office on Friday. Davos: Are the global elite in retreat? Vaswani: Why is Xi Jinping going to Davos? Davos coverage in full Although the president-elect will not go to Davos, one of his top advisers - hedge fund boss Anthony Scaramucci - will speak about the new US leader's plans on Tuesday. Mr Trump, whose "America first" pledge helped him win the White House, has also threatened to hike tariffs on goods imported from China. Mr Xi is taking China's biggest delegation to the elite gathering in Davos, and his appearance is seen as an attempt to present the country as a world leader. His entourage includes some of China's most successful business people, such as Jack Ma, the founder of e-commerce giant Alibaba, and property magnate Wang Jianlin, who runs the conglomerate Dalian Wanda. China's vice foreign minister Li Baodong has said Mr Xi will detail the country's views on how to "steer economic globalisation towards greater inclusiveness". Despite the apparent hostility between the US and China, Mr Xi has spoken of a smooth communication channel with Mr Trump's team, and reports suggest the Chinese president would be willing to meet members of the US president-elect's team whilst in Davos. Mr Xi's attendance has been welcomed by WEF founder Klaus Schwab, who said he expects him to "show how China will assume in global affairs a responsive and responsible leadership role". Responsive and responsible leadership is the theme for this year's gathering, which comes after a year of dramatic events including the UK's Brexit vote and the election of Donald Trump. Mr Schwab has called on attendees to help "overcome the present mood of divisiveness and negativism". "The world is fundamentally transforming technologically, economically, socially and politically. "There are no simple, ready-made solutions. What we urgently need are pragmatic and future-oriented actions, even in the form of small steps, to provide positive narratives," he said ahead of the conference. The World Economic Forum's global risks report, published ahead of the meeting, said "rising income and wealth disparity" and "increasing polarisation of societies" were two of the biggest risks expected to impact the world over the next decade. The report, which is based on the views of 750 experts, found climate change and the potential for extreme weather events, cyber dependency leaving firms and governments more vulnerable to cyber-attacks

Summary: China, Donald Trump and Brexit are set to dominate this year's World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting in Davos.


At least 114 people died and some 700 were injured in last week's blast. Residents are demanding compensation and firms have seen their assets damaged and production disrupted. Thousands had to evacuate their homes after toxic chemicals were detected in the air following the blasts at the world's tenth-busiest port. Based on official Chinese media reports, bank Credit Suisse estimates the losses could amount to $1-1.5bn (Â£640-957m). Ratings agency Fitch though warned the bill could be much higher. "Claims from the blasts are likely to undermine the financial performance of some regional players and those property and casualty insurers with high risk accumulation in the affected areas," Fitch said. Local Chinese insurers are expected to bear the brunt of the costs. Investigations into the cause of the blast are still ongoing and the damage is still being assessed. Aside from the actual damage, a number of factories near the blast site have halted operations leading to losses that could also be compensated by insurers. Japanese car maker Toyota said more than half its China production capacity would be affected at least through Wednesday. The company said it had suspended all three production lines at its plant near Tianjin, which can produce 530,000 vehicles a year. The car maker also said it could divert shipments to the ports of Shanghai and Dalian in response to the severe logistical problems resulting from the Tianjin damage. Thousands of imported Volkswagen, Toyota, Hyundai and Renault cars, parked near the blast site were damaged in the explosion. Operations of electronics company Panasonic, logistics firm Singamas Container Holdings and of US maker of agricultural machinery Deere & Co. have also been disrupted. More on the deadly Tianjin blast: China explosions: Doubts raised over chemical licences Potent chemical mix behind blasts What we know about explosions The questions being asked by Chinese citizens 'Hero' firefighters hailed 'Like the end of the world': Residents' stories

Summary: Insurance claims after the deadly Tianjin blast could far exceed official estimates, Fitch ratings agency has warned.


Mr Yildirim, who is currently transport minister, is seen as a leading aide to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Outgoing Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu had apparently objected to Mr Erdogan's plan to beef up his own power. The president was known to be seeking a more "closely aligned" prime minister. And, in a speech on Thursday, Mr Yildirim made clear he would work "in total harmony" with the president and all other levels of the AKP. Mr Yildirim, 60, will be confirmed as the new leader of the AKP at an extraordinary party congress on Sunday. The party leader automatically takes on the role of prime minister. Although Mr Erdogan's son-in-law, Energy Minister Berat Albayrak, had been mentioned as a possible candidate, his name did not feature among the top three men in a survey of MPs and party members. President Erdogan is hoping to move Turkey from a parliamentary to a presidential system, with greater executive powers. The choice of Binali Yildirim as frontrunner for the AKP's leadership has surprised few in Turkey, as he has been an Erdogan favourite for years. He has remained loyal in the most troubling times, and that loyalty appears to have paid off. He has served as transport minister for many years, and did not hesitate to resign from his post to run for the mayoral elections in the western city of Izmir, a secular stronghold, at Mr Erdogan's request. His name had come up as a possible candidate for the party leadership at last year's AKP congress. And that forced Mr Davutoglu to concede some of his powers within the party. One AKP MP had to apologise after suggesting that the next prime minister would be a "low-profile" name. However, many in Turkey believe he will pose little threat to Mr Erdogan. Among the reforms planned by the AKP is a proposal going before parliament on Friday to lift the immunity of MPs who are under investigation. The measure is seen as targeting the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) as well as the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP). The HDP fears its 59 MPs could face prosecution and expulsion from parliament on charges of backing Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) militants. The large number of pro-Kurdish MPs in parliament has also hindered Mr Erdogan's aim of pushing through increased presidential powers. A ceasefire between Turkey and the PKK ended weeks after elections in June 2015 and the renewed conflict has claimed hundreds of lives on both sides, particularly in Turkey's south-east. Mr Erdogan has called for pro-Kurdish MPs to face terrorism charges and Friday's vote could be a first step towards making that happen. If the government secures the support of 367 of parliament's 550 MPs, it will go through directly. If 330 MPs back the measure, then it could be put to a popular vote. A referendum is seen as more likely because 348 MPs supported the plan in a preliminary vote earlier this week.

Summary: The ruling AK Party in Turkey has picked Binali Yildirim as candidate for leader, a fortnight after a reported dispute with the president prompted the prime minister to quit.


The fire started in a bin in a nearby underpass, according to a spokesperson for the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS). They said the fire broke through into a tunnel and set fire to the dental building, run by Queen's University. The building sustained smoke damage and some damage to its pipework, but there are no reports of injuries. The blaze was reported about 20:20 BST on Thursday. The NIFRS sent at least four fire engines to the scene, along with a team who specialise in dealing with hazardous materials. The fire has been extinguished but a cordon was put in place for public safety.

Summary: A fire has damaged a dental building close to the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast.


Denis McAinsh, of Glasgow, will stand trial alongside Alexander Chaplin, 51; Barry Jeffrey, 32; and Michael Chaplin, 50, all of Dundee; and James McGing, 50, also of Glasgow. All deny charges of supplying cannabis over a period of more than a year. A warrant was issued for a sixth man - Dean Holmes, 46, of Dundee - after he failed to appear in court. All six men face an allegation that they were concerned in the supply of cannabis between August 2013 and September 2014 at addresses in Dundee, Berwick railway station, the M90 near Glenfarg in Perthshire, and other locations unknown. Alexander Chaplin and Dean Holmes face a further charge of producing cannabis at addresses in Dundee, while Barry Jeffrey is also accused of dealing cocaine in the city. Sheriff Lorna Drummond QC continued the case to a further pre-trial hearing next week.

Summary: A 75-year-old is one of six men set to stand trial in Dundee accused of dealing drugs in Scotland and England.


An assessment of how much each Scottish firm will pay in non-domestic rates is under way, to take effect from April. Tory leader Ruth Davidson has written to Nicola Sturgeon calling for an "urgent review" of the process. The first minister has said all businesses will have the chance to appeal the final valuations. And she said that 100,000 small firms would be lifted out of having to pay rates altogether via the small business bonus scheme, claiming Scotland has "the most competitive business rates regime in the whole UK". The revaluation of how much firms have to pay is being carried out by independent assessors, funded by local councils. The Scottish Assessors Association has published provisional values, with the finalised figures to be sent out in March before they take effect in the new financial year. The last revaluation in Scotland was carried out in 2010. The Conservatives said they had been "inundated with letters from businesses across Scotland who are facing huge increases in their rates", claiming some faced having to pay four times more than they did previously. The Scottish Tourism Alliance has also requested a meeting with Ms Sturgeon to discuss what they called "crippling" rates increases, while the Scottish Chambers of Commerce have also raised concerns. Ms Davidson said: "These shops, hotels and restaurants are vital to our economy, providing much needed jobs in many areas of the country, and we cannot afford to see them simply go out of business. "That's why I've called on Nicola Sturgeon to listen to the voices of these businesses and the Scottish Tourism Alliance and launch an urgent review into these rate increases. "The amounts that are being asked for are clearly unsustainable and if immediate action is not taken then we risk seeing a huge amount of damage done to our economy." A review group led by former RBS chairman Ken Barclay has been set up to "enhance and reform" the business rates system in Scotland, although it will not report back until after the new rates have come into force. Ms Davidson and Ms Sturgeon have clashed over the matter in the Holyrood chamber in recent weeks, with the first minister noting that "competitive business taxes are important". She said: "The final valuations will be issued later this year and all businesses will have the opportunity to appeal if they think that their valuation is wrong. "We have the most competitive business rates regime in the whole UK, with 100,000 small businesses having been lifted out of business rates altogether. "We have a tourism sector that, thanks to the good work of those in it, is booming, and the employment level is rising much faster than it is in the rest of the UK. We are also the best-performing part of the UK outside south-east England for inward investment. "Those are the success stories of the Scottish economy, and we will continue to invest in the success of our economy. We will also protect our public services and those on low incomes."

Summary: The Scottish Conservatives have called for an "immediate review" of the business rates revaluation after firms raised concerns about tax increases.


The taxi-app firm said the sackings related to sexual harassment, bullying and issues about poor company culture. Uber has been under fire over its treatment of women staff since a former employee wrote a scathing blog post about her experience. It led to two investigations and the uncovering of 215 complaints about harassment and other allegations. Uber has struggled with a series of controversies in recent months, including a backlash over aggressive corporate tactics and a lawsuit from Google-owner Alphabet over allegedly stolen technology for self-driving cars. Several high-placed executives resigned amid the turbulence, including a former head of engineering, who had failed to disclose harassment complaints at his former employer. Chief executive Travis Kalanick's filmed argument with an Uber driver over falling rates also fuelled criticism, leading him to say that he needed "leadership help". Susan Fowler, who wrote the critical blog post about Uber, said the company had ignored her complaints of sexual harassment. Widely shared, the blog prompted Mr Kalanick to launch the investigations. Does Silicon Valley have a sexism problem? Uber's mess reaches beyond sexism - and Silicon Valley Law firm Perkins Coie reviewed 215 claims, which included sexual harassment and discrimination as well as other complaints, an Uber spokeswoman said. The firm recommended no action in 100 of them; 57 remain under review, while others have received warnings or are in training, she said. Some of those fired held senior positions, she said. Discrimination, 54; Sexual harassment, 47; Unprofessional behaviour, 45; Bullying, 33; Other harassment, 19; Retaliation, 13; Physical security 3; Wrongful dismissal 1. Staff fired, 20; Staff put in training, 31; Final warnings, 7; Claims still under review, 57. Uber has also appointed Eric Holder, who served as attorney general under former US president Barack Obama, to investigate the company's broader culture. The findings of that report have been turned over to the board and recommendations are expected to be made public next week. Some changes are already in place. Uber announced the hiring of two women to high profile positions this week. Frances Frei, a Harvard Business School professor, will serve as a senior vice president for leadership and strategy, working with the head of human resources Liane Hornsey. Ms Hornsey is herself relatively new, starting at the company in January. Bozoma Saint John, a former marketing executive at Apple, is also joining Uber as chief brand officer. Uber employs more than 12,000 people globally. About 36% of the workforce is female, according to a diversity report the firm published earlier this year. Women hold about 15% of the technology positions. It goes without saying that this issue doesn't go away with these firings. Uber has major questions still to answer - some of them will hopefully be addressed when more details of the report are made public. Most troubling is why Uber's own internal HR measures weren't thorough or fair enough to see that the actions of 20 employees warranted dismissal. Instead it took a brave former employee - and then an expensive, lengthy investigation - to get to that point. So as well

Summary: Uber has fired more than 20 people, and is taking other actions against staff, after a harassment investigation.


Shaw was a team-mate of Croft's in Glamorgan's County Championship winning side of 1997. The 44-year-old will support the seconds and first team as well as the academy squad. "As far as I'm concerned this will always be my club," Shaw said. "There's some good young players coming through, so to build on this and help their development towards the first team is great news." Shaw was previously appointed head coach at the county in 2007 but was subsequently replaced by Matthew Maynard. Former captain Croft, 45, was elevated to the top role after the December departure of Toby Radford. Shaw, who had already been working with Glamorgan's academy youngsters, joins Steve Watkin, David Harrison and Richard Almond in Croft's coaching team.

Summary: Former Glamorgan wicketkeeper Adrian Shaw has joined the Welsh county's coaching team under new head coach Robert Croft.


But this wasn't any ordinary political programme. To investigate what the women of Scotland want from the independence debate - never mind the outcome - we decided to have an all-female cast of contributors. This wasn't to alienate the good men of Scotland but to ensure we crammed the programme with as many disparate female voices as possible. The spark for "What Women Want" was a poll by the influential Scottish Social Attitudes Survey that highlighted a sustained gender gap in voting intentions. Who? Voters in Scotland will go to the polls to vote on their country's future. What? They will be asked the yes/no question: "Should Scotland be an independent country?" When? The vote takes place on Thursday, 18 September, 2014. For as long as the organisation has asked a question about independence - about 15 years - women have been less keen on voting Yes by a consistent six or seven percent margin. Combine that with the disproportionate number of women who say they are undecided, and you have a societal grouping that could prove pivotal for September's outcome. We wanted to get to the root of why so many women felt unable to make a decision and why, among those who'd professed an opinion, so many felt independence wasn't the road to travel. It's easy for people like me who've been interviewing politicians on the referendum debate since Adam was a boy to assume every word of it is fed into Scotland's homes to be analysed and debated, but that's clearly nonsense. Normal people have other priorities, and it could be argued that because so many women have families or are carers, our lives tend to be more fragmented. It's not that we work any harder, let's just say we often have more plates spinning than men. On the search for women from all walks of life a night at the bingo proved an eye-opener and a humiliation. You would imagine that hearing a number and marking a card is fairly straightforward. It's not. Trailing three numbers behind the caller was a bit disconcerting; having the elderly lady next to me take over my card while marking three of her own, was downright embarrassing. When I wasn't interrupting their games the women at the bingo were keen to tell me how they felt they weren't being served by the Yes and No campaign. Time and time again I heard a plea for transparency in the debate and a hope that the politicians would stop shouting at each other and provide some facts. Whether or not there are facts to be had in this most crucial of decisions is debatable in itself, but as far as the women we spoke to are concerned, at least some straight talking wouldn't go amiss. The programme also decided to tackle head on the hypothesis that women are more risk averse and therefore prone to sticking with the status quo, i.e. the UK. Try telling the ladies of Edinburgh's Auld Reekie Roller Girls, who meet on a Friday night and knock lumps out of

Summary: When I started making a documentary about women and the independence referendum little did I know that Maw Broon, a night at the bingo, paramedics at the roller derby, cleaning out my gutters and learning of Nicola Sturgeon's unfamiliarity with her kitchen would all play a part.


Bicycles were wheeled down Whitehall to the Treasury by campaigners calling for increased government spending to protect cyclists and pedestrians. Five people - three cyclists and two pedestrians - died on London's streets in the past week. The Department for Transport said it was committed to reducing the number of deaths and casualties among cyclists. Nine cyclists died in London in 2016. Protesters have also been calling for a reduction in London's air pollution. In front of the Treasury, campaigners laid down their bikes and dropped on to the wet pavement for a minute's silence. Co-founder of campaign group Stop Killing Cyclists Donnachadh McCarthy said: "We have had enough of the breadcrumbs - we need real spending. "We have had two tiny superhighways built, but they have been a huge success. "They are the germs of a revolution which should spread all across London." The campaigners want the chancellor to increase ring-fenced infrastructure expenditure on cycling and walking to 10% of the transport budget. Many attending the demonstration also wore gas masks in protest at the worsening air pollution. One sign read: "We are all canaries in London's toxic air." Ben Wales, 32, died after colliding with a tipper truck in North Woolwich Road, Silvertown, east London, on Thursday afternoon. Anita Szucs, 30, died after an apparent hit-and-run on Bounces Road, Enfield, on Monday while architect Karla Roman, 32, was killed in a crash with a coach on Whitechapel High Street, Tower Hamlets, on the same day. A Department for Transport spokesman said: "Britain has some of the safest roads in the world but we are committed to reducing the number of cyclists killed and seriously injured." They said that on top of a THINK! campaign to improve cycle safety they were spending "Â£300m on cycling funding in this Parliament" and more than Â£7bn improving road surfaces.

Summary: Hundreds of cyclists have staged a "die-in" protest in central London to raise concerns about road safety.


The deceased was the driver of a white coloured van that was involved in a collision on the Tullyvar Road shortly before 20.30 BST on Saturday. The road was closed for a time but has now reopened. Police are appealing for anyone who witnessed the collision to contact police.

Summary: A man in his 40's has died following a road traffic collision in Aughnacloy, County Tyrone.


In a statement on Twitter, the band said it was "with great regret, due to illness, we cannot perform at Customs House Belfast". Organisers said they were working to re-schedule the concert. Many concert goers said they were disappointed with the last-minute cancellation. Stephen Nelson said the stage was set-up for the band when the news was announced to the audience. "They had set up everything, all the gear, their background was up, their roadies were on stage. "Then 10 minutes before an announcement came on the PA that the gig was cancelled. "People were like, 'are you serious?' Then the announcement was repeated and there was some booing." Kathryn McKeown said the crowd were "disappointed" when the announcement was made. "It was lashing rain on and off, everyone was drenched. Blossoms (the support band) were saying, 'are you excited for Kasabian?' before they finished. She added: "About 10 minutes before the band were due on stage there was an announcement to say that due to last-minute illness the band would be unable to perform, tickets would be valid for a re-scheduled show. "At first, I think everyone thought it was a joke. After about the third announcement it started to sink in and everyone started booing, some people were even chucking pints and plastic cups at the stage." In a statement, organisers said: "Due to a last-minute illness we regret that the band have had to cancel tonight's show. "We are working at this minute on scheduling a new date for Belfast. We will communicate with all ticket buyers via Ticketmaster and on the Custom House Square social media. "Tickets will remain valid for the new date. We apologise for any inconvenience caused." The band were due to play as part of a series of concerts at Custom House Square.

Summary: Rock band Kasabian have cancelled a concert in Belfast minutes before they were due to take to the stage on Tuesday night.


Owen Jenkins' body was found in the River Trent near Beeston Marina and Beeston Weir following a major search on 10 July. On 23 July, hundreds of bikers took part in a ride to the weir as part of a tribute to the schoolboy. The funeral service took place at Bramcote Crematorium on Saturday. Hundreds of people lined the streets as the funeral procession passed. A crowd applauded Owen's coffin as it approached in a horse-drawn hearse, then cheered "hip hip hooray" three times. His mother Nicola Jenkins, who urged mourners to wear purple and red tops, her son's favourite colours, said the service was a chance to celebrate his life. Writing about Owen on her Facebook page, she said: "You will always be remembered for your heroic actions, you gave your life to save others. "We will always have you in our hearts forever." Owen's cousin, Paige Staniforth, said after the service: "He would have been so embarrassed that loads of people are here for him but he deserves it, he really does. "He deserves the world and more. It's just heartbreaking that he's gone." A major search operation was launched following reports a boy had gone into the River Trent off Riverside Road at about 18:00 on 10 July. The rescue operation included seven fire engines, 28 police officers and three boats, but about four hours later Owen's body was found. It later emerged that he had fallen in the river while saving a girl who got into difficulty. A Facebook post by the boy's rugby team, Nottingham Casuals RFC, said Owen was loved by his teammates and everyone he came into contact with. Ian Brierly, head teacher at Chilwell School where Owen was a student, described him as an "enthusiastic and gregarious young man". Anna Soubry, Conservative MP for Broxtowe, who said Owen had "lost his life in the Trent trying to help others", has called for government action to co-ordinate safety measures around open water.

Summary: Hundreds of people have paid their respects at the funeral of a 12-year-old "hero" who died while trying to rescue a girl from a weir.


Stan Hollis was awarded the medal for his actions during the storming of the Normandy beaches on 6 June 1944. A campaign to have a permanent memorial to him created in his home town saw a bar dedicated to him in February. Middlesbrough Council has now granted planning permission for a bronze statue near the cenotaph on Linthorpe Road. The statue, which will be almost 7ft (2.2m) high and cost about ??150,000, is to be funded by donations to The Stanley E. Hollis VC Memorial Fund. Brian Bage, the fund's chairman, said it was "good news" as it had "taken us two years to get this far". He said the fund needed a final ??30,000 to complete the bronze figure. Hollis was a 31-year-old sergeant major with the Green Howards when he took part in the assault on Gold Beach. As his company moved inland, he captured several gun positions and rescued two colleagues, taking more than two dozen prisoners in the process. As a result, he was the only one of almost 62,000 British troops to be awarded the Victoria Cross on the day of the World War Two landings. Three months after D-Day, Sgt Maj Hollis was wounded in the leg and returned to England, where he was decorated by King George VI at Buckingham Palace. He died in February 1972 and is buried in Acklam Cemetery in Middlesbrough.

Summary: A statue honouring the only man to win the Victoria Cross on D-Day will be built in Middlesbrough after receiving council approval.


The event consists of three strokeplay rounds and two cuts, before the top 24 play off in six-hole matchplay duels. "It will be a mindset thing where you've got to realise that the strokeplay is just a qualifier to get into Sunday," said Oosthuizen. "It's a bit like when I played the qualifying school." Oosthuizen is effectively the defending champion having won the event's predecessor - the Perth International - at the same Lake Karrinyup Country Club venue last season. Find out how to get into golf with our special guide. The 34-year-old South African believes that the format will create a climatic final day's action as the final 24 take each other on in a knockout matchplay tournament. "You'll see probably a few more riskier shots which you wouldn't see in stroke play. It should be a very exciting Sunday," added Oosthuizen. The top eight go straight into the last 16, while the remaining 16 will be drawn together in head-to-head matches to decide the other eight spots. From there it is straight knockout until there is a winner. According to the World Super 6 website, any knockout matches 'not decided after six holes of matchplay will be decided by playing the new shootout hole'. The 'shootout hole' will be 90m long and see 'a new tee placed adjacent to the 18th fairway and utilising the 18th green'. Media playback is not supported on this device The new-look tournament is part of a drive to reverse the decline in the number of people playing the sport. In England, there were 860,900 adults playing in 2009-10 compared to 740,000 in 2014-15 according to Sport England. The British Golf Industry Association is attempting to make courses more family friendly.

Summary: Former Open champion Louis Oosthuizen says he will need a different mindset for the inaugural World Super 6 event that begins in Perth on Thursday.


The 40-year-old has succeeded compatriot Jose Riga, who helped the Addicks avoid relegation from the Championship. Peeters was most recently in charge of Belgian outfit Waasland-Beveren and has also managed Cercle Brugge and Gent. The former striker, who was capped 13 times by Belgium, also had a two-year spell as a player at Millwall between 2003 and 2005. Peeters will work alongside Charlton first-team coach Damien Matthew. Former Charlton assistant manager Alex Dyer will not be part of the new setup and has left the club after after three-and-a-half years at The Valley. Riga, 56, took over as Charlton manager in March following Chris Powell's sacking and had hoped to remain in charge after seven wins from 16 games. But Charlton owner Roland Duchatelet, who also owns Standard Liege, decided against that in favour of Peeters.

Summary: Charlton have appointed former Belgium international Bob Peeters as manager.


Media playback is not supported on this device The Real Madrid star left the pitch with a thigh problem following a clash with goalkeeper Kiko Casilla. "It was a minor scare, a knock, but in a few days I will be well," said Ronaldo, who has 51 goals this season. Real Madrid face Atletico Madrid in Milan this weekend in a repeat of the 2014 final, which Real won 4-1. Portugal forward Ronaldo, 31, has been plagued by a thigh injury that forced him to miss three games in April. He came off at half-time during Real's final La Liga game of the season.

Summary: Cristiano Ronaldo says he will be fit to play in Saturday's Champions League final against Atletico Madrid after limping out of training on Tuesday.


Read our team guides to find out who has hit the fastest World Cup fifty, which team has taken all 10 opposition wickets in each of their first seven games, and who former England captain Michael Vaughan sees as the key players. New Zealand squad: Brendon McCullum (captain), Corey Anderson, Trent Boult, Grant Elliott, Martin Guptill, Tom Latham, Mitchell McClenaghan, Nathan McCullum, Kyle Mills, *Matt Henry, Luke Ronchi (wk), Tim Southee, Ross Taylor, Daniel Vettori, Kane Williamson. *Matt Henry replaced the injured Adam Milne on 23 March. Coach: Mike Hesson South Africa squad: Kyle Abbott, Hashim Amla, Farhaan Behardien, Quinton de Kock (wk), AB de Villiers (capt & wk), JP Duminy, Faf du Plessis, David Miller, Morne Morkel, Wayne Parnell, Aaron Phangiso, Vernon Philander, Rilee Rossouw, Dale Steyn, Imran Tahir. Coach: Russell Domingo Australia squad: George Bailey, Michael Clarke (capt), Patrick Cummins, Xavier Doherty, James Faulkner, Aaron Finch, Brad Haddin (wk), Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Johnson, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, David Warner, Shane Watson. Coach: Darren Lehmann India squad: Ravichandran Ashwin, Stuart Binny, Shikhar Dhawan, MS Dhoni (capt & wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Virat Kohli, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Akshar Patel, Ajinkya Rahane, Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu, Mohammed Shami, Mohit Sharma, Rohit Sharma, Umesh Yadav. Coach: Duncan Fletcher All statistics correct as of 22 March 2015.

Summary: Fourteen teams started the 11th World Cup in Australia and New Zealand - only four now remain to contest the semi-finals.


The incident occurred in the second half, as Barnsley won 3-1 to seal promotion back to the Championship. "An altercation between a small number of fans occurred," New Scotland Yard said. "No arrests have been made at this stage and enquiries continue." The Football Association and Millwall have both condemned those involved. The London club said in a statement on their website: "Millwall Football Club deplores the actions of a small minority of its fans during the second half of Sunday's League One play-off final. "Such behaviour is unacceptable and anyone found guilty of disorder will face life bans from the football club." An FA statement said: "The FA condemns the disorder caused by a small number of fans. We will work closely with the clubs, the Football League and the Met Police to identify those involved and take appropriate action. "We would like to take this opportunity to praise the actions of our stewards and the police, who responded responsibly under provocation." The Police's statement added: "The Metropolitan Police Service will conduct a review and will liaise with the Football Association and the two clubs involved to identify those responsible and where necessary take the appropriate action."

Summary: Police are to conduct a review after Millwall fans were involved in crowd trouble during the League One play-off final with Barnsley at Wembley.


Rupert Murdoch's 21st Century Fox already owns 39% and he first tried to buy the remainder five years ago before abandoning the attempt in the wake of the phone-hacking scandal. Martin Gilbert, the chairman of the independent directors (which excludes James Murdoch, who is unable to vote because of his role as chief executive of Fox), recommended the deal today saying it delivered good value for shareholders. Not all of them agree with Gilbert. One shareholder told the BBC, "this is a patsy deal. Many of the directors are not really independent and as a group they should be ashamed of themselves" The BBC understands that James Murdoch, Rupert Murdoch's son and chief executive of 21st Century Fox, met with directors in early December and told them "we are either a buyer or seller of our stake. The status quo is not an option". James Murdoch offered a 30% premium to the existing price on the condition the directors recommended it. After further meetings, that premium was raised to 40%. Even with that premium, the sale price is roughly what the company was worth six months ago and many shareholders will feel short-changed. The directors felt that if Fox had pursued a hostile bid, it could have bought shares in the open market at the prevailing price to take its 39% stake to more than 50%. After making an offer for the remaining shares, Sky shareholders may have ended up with a lower premium of around 20-25%. Fox will require 75% of the independent shareholders to approve the deal. It may also be referred to regulators to check whether it breaks national interest tests on the plurality of media. The Secretary of State for Culture Media and Sport, Karen Bradley has 10 days to decide whether to take that option. Given the outcry over the last bid, it seems likely she will do that but the media landscape has changed a great deal since the last takeover attempt. The last bid came from NewsCorp, which owns the Wall Street Journal, The Times and The Sun. This bid is from Fox which owns television and film businesses. The emergence of new players in media like Netflix and Amazon mean that this deal would mean less concentration of power in the sector.

Summary: Sky's independent directors have recommended a takeover offer from 21st Century Fox valuing the company at Â£18.5bn.


The Main Stand would be expanded to three tiers, while work on the Anfield Road Stand is also proposed. In October 2012, the club said they would redevelop the ground rather than build a new one on nearby Stanley Park. Liverpool managing director Ian Ayre said: "Good progress has been made so far and we are proud to be able to unveil our plans." Part of the proposed redevelopment would result in the memorial to the 96 Liverpool fans who died in the Hillsborough disaster of 1989 moved into the rebuilt Main Stand. If the proposals to expand both stands go ahead, the ground's capacity would increase to 58,800. Local residents raised concerns about any expansion in 2012 because it would involve the demolition of some houses near the ground. The club said that discussions with local property owners were "progressing well" and all parties are close to agreement but added details were still to be finalised. Following a consultation process, the club expects to present its finalised plans and submit a planning application to the city council this summer. If successful, they expect construction to begin early next year with work completed by the start of the 2016-17 season. See the future plans for Anfield.

Summary: Liverpool have revealed plans to increase Anfield's capacity from 45,500 to almost 59,000.


The former West Indies seamer was injured while playing football during the warm-up in a County Championship match against Yorkshire in April. Edwards, 34, is on crutches following an operation. "His injury is pretty bad and I think that it would be best to get him right for next season," Hampshire coach Dale Benkenstein told BBC Radio Solent. Fellow ex-Windies pace bowler Tino Best has joined the county on a short-term deal in Edwards' absence. Benkenstein admitted the chance of seeing the Barbados duo, both signed as non-overseas players under the Kolpak ruling, sharing the new ball for Hampshire would have to wait. "You never know, maybe next year," he added. "Fidel is very fit and some people heal quicker than others. "But, as a fast bowler and with the force he puts through his body, an injury like that might be asking a bit too much from him."

Summary: Hampshire fast bowler Fidel Edwards is set to miss the rest of the season after surgery on a broken ankle.


20 January 2016 Last updated at 12:03 GMT It had been stuck on the side of the mountain in Snowdonia, Wales, for days and couldn't move from its dangerous position on the ledge. A rescue team from the RSPCA had to lower themselves down the mountain using ropes to reach the sheep, who was then lowered down with them, to the bottom of the cliff. They said that the sheep wasn't injured but was very hungry after its cliff-side adventure. Pictures and video courtesy of RSPCA Cymru.

Summary: A sheep trapped on a ledge on the side of a cliff has been rescued.


In the Islamic centre, blood smeared the floor and walls and bullet holes could still be seen in the aftermath of the carnage. Worshippers said they wanted to show the world the scene of the crime. Alleged gunman Alexandre Bissonette, 27, has been charged with six counts of murder and five of attempted murder. Mosque vice-president Mohamed Labidi, in an emotional news conference, said they were opening the mosque to show the consequences of hate and Islamophobia. He said they had been "attacked in the heart of their community". Mr Labadi also described the courage of one of the victims, Azzedine Soufiane, 57, who died trying to protect other worshippers as the gunman entered the mosque on Sunday during evening prayers. "When he saw the attacker recharge his gun, he ran quickly to immobilise him," said Mr Labadi. "But the attacker was quicker and shot him directly and he fell down here, he fell down here as a hero." He pointed to a patch of blood on the floor. "Without his intervention, we would have more martyrs." Mr Soufiane ran a halal butcher shop in the suburb of Sainte-Foy, down the street from the Quebec Islamic Cultural Centre, and has been described as an important member of the local Muslim community. The six worshippers who died were immigrants who had moved to Quebec to seek a better life. The other victims were Khaled Belkacemi, 60, Abdelkrim Hassane, 41, Mamadou Tanou Barry, 42, Ibrahima Barry, 39, and Aboubaker Thabti, 44. The funerals for three, Mr Hassane, Mr Thabti and Mr Belkacemi, will be held in Montreal on Thursday and their bodies will be repatriated to their countries of origin. In the wake of the deadly shooting, Quebecers and their political leaders rallied around the province's Muslim community, with thousands attending vigils to commemorate those killed and injured.

Summary: The Quebec City mosque that was the scene of a deadly shooting on Sunday has opened its doors for the first the since the attack.


It is not known who shot Ansar Beit al-Maqdis commander Shadi el-Menei. But several other members of the al-Qaeda-inspired group, which is suspected of a string of recent attacks, were also reportedly killed. The deaths of more than 200 Egyptian soldiers and officials have been blamed on Ansar Beit al-Maqdis since President Mohammed Morsi was ousted in July 2013. Profile: Ansar Beit al-Maqdis There are conflicting reports as to who was responsible for the killing of the militants. Unnamed officials were quoted by AFP news agency as saying security forces opened fire on the men as they were about to carry out an attack on a gas pipeline in central Sinai. A different account came from officials who told the Associated Press that Shadi el-Menei and at least three associates were killed by 15 attackers in revenge for the killings of tribesmen by Ansar Beit al-Maqdis. Islamist groups in the Sinai have stepped up their attacks against Egypt's army and police forces in the past year. The Egyptian army launched a major operation against militants in the Sinai but attacks have continued. However, the security operation has come at a cost to authorities. A police officer died of his wounds on Friday after being shot the previous day by militants near the border with the Gaza Strip. Last week, two army officers and five militants were said to have died in a gunfight during a raid on a warehouse linked to Islamist militants north of Cairo. Officials said the militants in that attack were from Ansar Beit al-Maqdis. The US state department designated the group a "foreign terrorist organisation" earlier this year.

Summary: Egyptian security officials say a key leader of a militant group has been shot dead in the Sinai peninsula.


Gloucestershire reached 253-6 with four balls to spare after Cockbain shared a stand of 172 with Benny Howell (81). Lukas Carey was Glamorgan's best bowler with four for 38. Glamorgan made 252-9 thanks to openers Jacques Rudolph (60) and David Lloyd (49). But Glamorgan lost seamer Ruaidhri Smith to a leg injury suffered while bowling only his second over. Both teams now play their opening first-class friendlies against student opposition, starting on Tuesday 28 March. Glamorgan host Cardiff MCCU while Gloucestershire face Durham MCCU in Bristol.

Summary: Gloucestershire beat Glamorgan by four wickets in their pre-season friendly thanks to Ian Cockbain's 125 not out.