Patients in England and Wales will be offered extra checks using a mobile device that records blood pressure over 24 hours, says the watchdog NICE. A quarter of patients may find visiting a GP stressful, leading to misdiagnosis and being given drugs they do not need. The move could save the NHS £10.5m a year, predictions suggest. High blood pressure (blood pressure of 140/90mmHg or more) affects about a quarter of all adults in the UK. It is a leading risk factor for heart disease or stroke and costs the NHS about £1bn a year in drugs alone. Currently, most patients found to have high blood pressure for the first time are given a formal diagnosis if their blood pressure is raised at two subsequent visits to the doctor. They may then be prescribed medication to lower their blood pressure. Research suggests, however, that about a quarter of patients actually have "white coat" hypertension - where blood pressure is raised temporarily due to stress. Now, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has advised doctors in England and Wales to move towards "ambulatory" monitoring of patients at home, using a device that automatically takes blood pressure readings every 30 minutes day and night. Around one in 10 GPs are already offering ambulatory monitoring, either directly or by referring patients to a hospital specialist. The new guidelines were issued at the same time as the publication of a research study in The Lancet. One of the authors of the paper, Professor Richard McManus of the University of Birmingham, said: "This research shows that ambulatory blood pressure monitoring at the time of diagnosis of high blood pressure would allow better targeting of treatment and is cost-saving. "Ambulatory monitoring is already available in some general practices and we have shown that its widespread use would be better for both patients and the clinicians looking after them. "Treatment with blood pressure lowering medication is usually lifelong and so it is worth getting the decision to start right in the first place." It is expected to take about a year to implement the advice at a net cost of about £2.5m. However, in the long-term the costs will be recouped, say experts, eventually saving about £10.5m a year. Cathy Ross, senior cardiac nurse at the British Heart Foundation, said the number of people with high blood pressure in the UK was "staggering". "Some 12 million people are diagnosed with the condition and it is estimated another 5.7 million people have it but are unaware. It's a major risk factor for heart disease and strokes so it's crucial we do all we can to get people diagnosed and properly treated as soon as possible. "This new guidance will refine the way we test and treat people for hypertension, particularly by helping to identify people suffering from 'white coat hypertension'. "It doesn't mean that current methods aren't working, only that they can be improved further. Anyone currently concerned about their blood pressure or treatment should speak to their GP or practice nurse." Professor Bryan Williams from the

Summary: Patients thought to have high blood pressure should have the diagnosis confirmed at home, according to new guidelines.


The 22-year-old is now being treated in hospital after the flight carrying him landed in Ohio on Tuesday. Mr Warmbier was sentenced to 15 years of hard labour for attempting to steal a propaganda sign from a hotel. He was given a sleeping pill after becoming ill after his trial last year and did not wake up, North Korea said. He is now being treated at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center. How harsh is prison in North Korea? "We want the world to know how we and our son have been brutalised and terrorised by the pariah regime," his parents, Fred and Cindy, said. Former US ambassador and New Mexico governor Bill Richardson, who has previously served as special envoy to North Korea and in 2016 attempted to negotiate the release of the student, said the Warmbiers had updated him on their son's condition. "In no uncertain terms, North Korea must explain the causes of his coma," Mr Richardson said. The BBC's Stephen Evans in Seoul says it remains to be seen if Mr Warmbier's illness is the direct result of brutality in prison. If it were, there might be pressure on President Trump to take action against Kim Jong-un's regime, he says. Otto Warmbier is an economics student from the University of Virginia, originally from Cincinnati, Ohio. He was in North Korea as a tourist with Young Pioneer Tours when he was arrested on 2 January 2016. He appeared emotional at a news conference a month later, in which he tearfully confessed to trying to take the sign as a "trophy" for a US church, adding: "The aim of my task was to harm the motivation and work ethic of the Korean people." Foreign detainees in North Korea have previously recanted confessions, saying they were made under pressure. After a short trial on 16 March, Mr Warmbier was given a 15-year prison sentence for crimes against the state. His parents told CNN in early May that they had had no contact with their son for more than a year. In a statement on Tuesday, Mr and Mrs Warmbier said: "Sadly, he is in a coma and we have been told he has been in that condition since March 2016. We learned of this only one week ago." They were quoted by the Washington Post as saying they had been told Otto had contracted botulism, a rare illness that causes paralysis, soon after his trial in March 2016. He was given a sleeping pill and had been in a coma ever since, the newspaper said. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson made no mention of Mr Warmbier's condition in a statement, saying only that he was on his way home to be reunited with his family and would not make any further comment, out of respect for the privacy of the family. There are reported to be three other US citizens in custody in North Korea. They are: The US has in the past accused North Korea of detaining its citizens to use them as pawns in negotiations over its nuclear weapons

Summary: The parents of Otto Warmbier, the US student who is in a coma after being freed this week by North Korea, say he was "brutalised" by a "pariah regime".


Claire Darbyshire, 36, killed 67-year-old Brian at their home in Wykeham Green, Dagenham, east London, on 2 September last year. Afterwards, she claimed they had made a suicide pact as his illness had become "intolerable". But following an Old Bailey trial, a jury found Darbyshire guilty of murder. Sentencing her, Recorder of London Nicholas Hilliard QC said he accepted that she believed it was an act of mercy. He said the key to the case was that she failed to establish her father had agreed she would also kill herself in a suicide pact. He said: "I accept your evidence that your father did raise the question of ending his own life and he wanted to do that and wanted your help to do so." But he told her she had unlawfully killed her father behind "closed doors" and no defence to murder applied. Darbyshire, who was born male but has lived her life as a female, has already spent five months on remand in a men's prison awaiting trial. Widower Mr Darbyshire developed MS in 1995 and in 2014 the defendant took over as his sole carer. Prosecutor Jonathan Rees QC told jurors that Mr Darbyshire, a retired Ford stock controller, had not expressed any suicidal thoughts or complained about being in pain to nurses who visited him. Medical records revealed he had episodes of "bad temper and aggression", but had never tried to kill himself. Darbyshire complained to a friend about having to look after him and appeared to be stressed. After the killing she caught a train to the Dover area, having texted the district nurse to visit "asap". On 3 September, Darbyshire approached a National Trust worker on cliffs for help and ended up with support services in Canterbury. Five days later she mentioned the suicide pact for the first time. She said they had both taken an overdose on 1 September, which failed to work, before she suffocated her father. On the morning of 10 September - eight days after the killing - police discovered Mr Darbyshire's body in his bed with a suit, teddy bear and various handwritten notes nearby. Following her arrest, Darbyshire told police she had planned to hand herself in the next day and a signed account was found among her belongings. In mitigation, Paul Keleher QC told the court that by 2015, Darbyshire and her father were "living a life which most people would regard as intolerable". He also discussed a report about her time in custody, saying she had thought about self-harm when she first arrived in prison but "the kindness of strangers... brought her to the realisation that life was not desperate". He added: "The prison will continue to support in terms of her ongoing transformation." Det Insp Sarah McConnell from the Met Police's Homicide and Major Crime Command said: "The reclusive lifestyle that Brian and Claire Darbyshire had lived for a number of years means it is difficult to fully understand their precise situation." She said the unanimous verdict of murder "has been welcomed by the remaining family of

Summary: A carer found guilty of murdering her MS-suffering father has been sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of four years.


The girl, aged 15 at the time, was a "frequent runaway" and had met a man called David Ayrton on the day of the attack more than 10 years ago. The 34-year-old, now called Davina, denies raping the teenager in a garage in Portsmouth in the autumn of 2004. Portsmouth Crown Court was told the alleged incident happened while two others were asleep in the garage. The teenager, who cannot be identified, stayed there when hiding from her parents. She told the court although she had shouted and sworn at the defendant to stop the attack, her friend and her boyfriend had not woken up. She added that she had "only drunk a can and a half of Foster's" and had a clear recollection of the events. The friend who was with her in the garage at the time told the court the alleged victim was a "vulnerable" girl at the time. She said she was eventually woken up by the teenager who was "screaming and crying and asking for help". The person alleged to be Ms Ayrton was then "ejected" from the garage by the girl's boyfriend. The court heard the victim made a complaint to police in December 2004 but had not assisted officers because she was "anti-police" at the time. Chris Stopa, prosecuting, said Ms Ayrton has learning difficulties and told a worker at the care home in Fordingbridge where she lives about the incident in 2014. Police then contacted the alleged victim, leading to the prosecution. Ms Ayrton denies one charge of rape between October and November 2004. The trial continues.

Summary: A teenage girl was raped in a garage by a transgender woman when she was still living as a man, a court has heard.


Although it will focus on the battles faced by writers Jimmy Perry and David Croft, it will also be full of humour. "It's a bit of a journey for the two guys and there are lots of ups and downs," said producer, Brett Wilson. "It was very hard for the writers to convince the BBC to commission the series in the first place. "A comedy about members of the Home Guard during World War Two wasn't very appealing to them. "But there will also be a lot of humour and we have some great actors involved, including John Sessions who is playing Arthur Lowe." The drama is being shot entirely in Northern Ireland. "We are using Northern Ireland crew - all the heads of department ... costume, make up, production, even the accountants are from Northern Ireland," said Mr Wilson. Locations include Cultra Manor in County Down, Broadcasting House and the Ulster Reform Club in Belfast. "It's all going really well," he added. "I have never worked here before, so I wasn't sure. "But it's been fantastic and I would love to bring more productions to Northern Ireland." Dad's Army was first broadcast in the late 1960s. The original series ran for nine years and included 90 episodes. It followed the adventures of the Home Guard unit of fictional town, Walmington-on-Sea, during World War Two. The television series looks set to attract a new generation of fans with the release in October of a movie based on the series. At its peak, the Dad's Army series was watched by nearly 18m viewers.

Summary: A documentary-drama about the making of the Dad's Army television series will begin filming in Northern Ireland this month.


Bydd y cynllun yn cefnogi bron i 15,000 o siopau, bwytai, tafarnau a chaffis meddai Llywodraeth Cymru. Y bwriad yw cynnwys busnesau sydd wedi gweld cynnydd yn eu cyfraddau busnes o ganlyniad i'r ailbrisiad gan Asiantaeth Annibynnol y Swyddfa Brisio, fydd yn dod i rym ar 1 Ebrill. Cyfraddau busnes ydy'r dreth mae cwmnïau yn ei dalu am eu hadeiladau, ac mae yna bryderon y bydd y cynnydd o achos ailbrisio yn gwneud bywyd yn anodd i rai - gyda rhai busnesau yn credu y byddan nhw'n mynd i'r wal. Bydd cwmnïau sy'n gymwys i gael yr arian yn derbyn hyd at £1,500 tuag at eu cyfraddau - a bydd angen iddyn nhw gysylltu gyda'u cynghorau lleol i weld os ydy'r cymorth ar gael iddyn nhw. Wrth gyhoeddi'r manylion, dywedodd yr Athro Drakeford: "Mae rhai manwerthwyr ledled Cymru yn pryderu am y cynnydd yn eu hardrethi o ganlyniad i'r ailbrisiad gan Asiantaeth y Swyddfa Brisio. "Rydym felly'n darparu swm pellach o £10m i helpu busnesau yn y cymunedau hynny y cafwyd effaith andwyol arnynt. "Mae'r cynllun newydd hwn yn ychwanegol at y cynllun rhyddhad trosiannol gwerth £10m, a fydd ar gael hefyd o 1 Ebrill, a'r toriad o £100m mewn trethi ar gyfer busnesau bach yng Nghymru a ddarperir gan ryddhad ardrethi busnes bach. "Mae gwaith eisoes ar y gweill i ddatblygu cynllun rhyddhad ardrethi parhaol ar gyfer busnesau bach newydd ar gyfer 2018. Rydym yn gwrando ar yr adborth yr ydym wedi'i gael er mwyn i ni wneud y cynllun mor deg, rhesymol a thryloyw â phosib." Mae'r gronfa yn rhan o'r fargen rhwng Llafur a Phlaid Cymru a chafodd ei chyhoeddi cyn y Nadolig. Dywedodd llefarydd Plaid Cymru ar yr economi, Adam Price fod ei blaid yn falch o allu "cynnig y £10m ychwanegol yma i gefnogi busnesau sydd wedi eu heffeithio gan yr ailbrisio diweddar mewn cyfraddau busnes, fel rhan o'r cytundeb diweddar ar y gyllideb rhwng Plaid Cymru a Llywodraeth Cymru". "Ond rhaid i Lywodraeth Llafur Cymru anrhydeddu'r addewid a wnaeth yn ystod etholiad y Cynulliad Cenedlaethol a delifro cynllun rhyddhad cyfraddau busnes tecach yng Nghymru sy'n gorfod cynnwys asesiadau ailbrisio mwy cyson," meddai. Wrth ymateb i'r cyhoeddiad, dywedodd y Ceidwadwyr Cymreig fod cwestiynau'n parhau dros bwy fydd yn gymwys i dderbyn yr arian. Dywedodd Nick Ramsay AC: "Tra rydym yn croesawu'r arian ychwanegol mae cwestiynau'n parhau dros bwy sy'n gymwys i'w dderbyn a'r hyn sy'n cael ei ddiffinio fel 'Stryd Fawr', ac mae'n bell o fod yn eglur fod yr arian yma'n cael ei dargedu tuag at fusnesau sydd wedi eu heffeithio gan yr ailbrisiad diweddar. "Rhaid i'r cynlluniau hyn fod mewn lle ymhen wythnosau, sy'n rhoi pwysau sylweddol ar awdurdodau lleol. "Dyma pam fod ymateb poenus o ara' deg Llafur i'r ailbrisio wedi bod mor siomedig, gan ychwanegu at y poen meddwl sy'n cael ei deimlo gan y rhai sydd wedi eu heffeithio fwyaf." Ychwanegodd fod angen trafodaeth sylfaenol am y math o gynllun sydd ei angen yn y dyfodol.

Summary: Mae'r Ysgrifennydd Cyllid, Mark Drakeford wedi cyhoeddi manylion cynllun gwerth £10m sydd wedi ei anelu at gynnig cymorth ariannol ar gyfer busnesau'r stryd fawr o fis Ebrill ymlaen.


Aberconwy's Guto Bebb said some constituents have been given contradictory information on whether they can receive it or not. The Welsh government and BT are delivering the scheme, Superfast Cymru. A spokesman said it was a "challenging and ambitious project" and so far 560,000 properties have accessed superfast broadband because of it. It provides access to fibre broadband for the majority of premises not covered by any commercial roll-out of superfast broadband. Conservative party member Mr Bebb said: "Superfast Cymru is publicly funded and my experience would indicate that the programme is out of control, and there's a lack of clarity in what it will deliver and how it will deliver." The Superfast Cymru spokesman said in a project of its size, issues can arise that affect delivery dates. He added that while this can be "frustrating", more than 80% of properties in Wales can access fibre broadband if they want.

Summary: Confusion is undermining a project to get superfast broadband to more people in Wales, according to an MP.


The agreement, which came after seven rounds of talks, is a significant step towards ending decades of conflict. Negotiators from the armed rebel groups still have to consult with their leaders before giving final approval. Rebels from the newest and most active conflict in Kokang did not attend the talks. The United Nations said the move was a "historic and significant achievement" and provided a basis for "genuine and lasting peace in the country". Myanmar has been engaged in armed conflict with various ethnic rebel groups seeking greater autonomy since independence from the British in 1948. While many have come into the political fold for peace deals, sporadic outbreaks of violence have continued. All but two of the ethnic armed groups at the talks already have bilateral ceasefires in place. "The people need peace, they desire peace and they expect peace," Thein Sein was reported by AFP as saying to negotiators on Tuesday. He added that a full agreement could be signed in months. "After that is signed, the road is open for political dialogue. This action will ensure the peace-builders a place in Myanmar's history," he said. The BBC's Jonah Fisher says one representative from the armed groups told him on Monday that the government had compromised significantly at the last moment to make a deal possible. Our correspondent says the idea is to bring all the rebels into a process that will lead on to talks on greater devolution of power and resources - something that the Burmese government has always fiercely resisted. At talks in Yangon the final four points of contention were resolved. There will be a halt to recruitment by the armed groups, their territory and status were confirmed, as was the nature and composition of the political dialogue that will follow. The negotiators are now taking the text back to their groups for approval. There will then be a meeting which may lead to a signing. Meanwhile there is still heavy fighting in the Kokang region and there are still regular clashes in other areas. The government declared a state of emergency in February as tens of thousands of refugees have been forced to flee their homes, some of them crossing the border into China. Naing Han Tha, who led the ethnic group negotiators for the ceasefire agreement, told AFP news agency that they planned to discuss the Kokang conflict in future dialogues.

Summary: Myanmar's President Thein Sein has witnessed the signing of a draft ceasefire agreement between the government and 16 rebel groups.


Dr Antinori has been placed under house arrest and banned from practising pending a police investigation. The complaint, rejected by the doctor's lawyers, was made by a 24-year-old Spanish woman. Dr Antinori shot to fame in the 1990s when he helped a woman give birth at 63, a first at the time. The 70-year-old was arrested at Rome's Fiumicino airport and is now under house arrest in the Italian capital. According to Italian investigators, the Spanish woman, who was temporarily working at Dr Antinori's Matris clinic in Milan, had her mobile phone taken and was forcibly immobilised and anaesthetised before her eggs were harvested. Lawyers for Dr Antinori, nicknamed the "grandmothers' obstetrician", said the doctor was an innocent victim of extortion. Prosecutors believe his may not be an isolated case, according to the Italian media. Donata Lenzi, an Italian MP, said: "The arrest of Severino Antinori is extremely serious because it indicates the existence of a market in eggs that will not stop at anything." Dr Antinori became famous worldwide in 1994 when he gave fertility treatment to Rossana Della Corte, an Italian who at the time became the oldest woman to give birth. He also helped Patricia Rashbrook, who became the UK's oldest mother in 2006. In 2003, the controversial doctor said Italian authorities were persecuting him over his human cloning projects. This followed his announcement that one of his patients would give birth to a cloned baby.

Summary: Well-known Italian fertility doctor Severino Antinori has been arrested after a woman said he had forcibly removed eggs from her at his clinic.


Previously, councillors deferred a decision to grant permission to build a supermarket that would have paid for the stadium, which supporters claimed had put the plans in jeopardy. A partnership is now revising the proposals to see if the stadium can be built using money from smaller shops. The plans are expected to be discussed by Cornwall Council members in May. Truro and Penwith College, the Cornish Pirates rugby club, Inox Group and Henry Boot Developments are behind the revised plans for the multi-use stadium at West Langarth. Julian Painter, director at Henry Boot Developments, said: "A supermarket would have provided funds sooner and generated more value. "That is no longer an option but we are not giving up." The supermarket plans were deferred earlier in March, but two other major retail developments in Truro were approved, which supporters claimed effectively marked the end of that proposal. Mr Painter said the new proposal would split the original supermarket unit into smaller stores - including one retail store and non-food units. He said the partnership was trying to "squeeze enough value from the development" to deliver about £8m of funding, with a further £2m coming from Truro and Penwith College, which will provide the £10m needed for the 6,000-capacity stadium.

Summary: Revised proposals for a stadium in Cornwall are expected to be submitted to the council.


The 24-year-old wildcard from Stockport, ranked 164, overcame the world number 94 2-6 7-6 (9-7) 6-0 to reach the second round. But British number three Johanna Konta lost 6-4 3-6 6-4 to China's Peng Shuai. James Ward, Dan Cox, Dan Evans and Kyle Edmund were also beaten in the men's singles first round. Broady will face either 16th seed Caroline Wozniacki or Israel's Shahar Peer - Wozniacki led 6-3 2-0 when play was suspended for the day - in the second round. Having lost her Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) funding as a 17-year-old in 2007 for "unprofessional behaviour" on a night out, Broady has had to pay her own way on the circuit since. "I don't think they (the LTA) will try and take credit for it, I'll laugh in someone's face if they try and say it was them," said Broady. "It's definitely made me hungrier. If I don't win, I don't have any money." A year ago Broady was exploring alternative career possibilities, but she has guaranteed herself prize money of at least £43,000 with victory over Babos. "When I was looking at other things to do, it was specifically because I couldn't fund my tennis," she recalled. "It was hindering my tennis and I wasn't getting the best out of it. "This time last year I was lucky enough to get a wildcard into Wimbledon qualifying. The week before that, I was researching how to become an au pair, and going to go live in another country. "I was going for Paris and looking at doing first aid courses, language courses, to become an au pair, because I couldn't afford to play tennis. But I won a qualifying round and that got me through for a while, then I had some wins in the doubles and that helped me pay for the singles." Broady believes the fact she does not get LTA funding has made her hungrier for success. "If I don't win, I don't have any money. I have to fight harder on court," she added. "The difference a year can make is amazing. I think I'll be fine for a year or so now. It's very satisfying knowing that it's me that has achieved this." Ward made 30 unforced errors, failed to convert any of his three break points and won just five games as he lost 6-2 6-2 6-1 to 17th seed Mikhail Youzhny, while Cox was beaten 6-2 7-6 (7-3) 6-7 (6-8) 6-3 by Frenchman Jeremy Chardy. Evans was a 6-1 7-5 3-6 7-6 (7-5) loser at the hands of Russian Andrey Kuznetsov; while Edmund, last year's junior semi-finalist, found Austria's Andreas Haider-Maurer too strong and lost 6-3 7-6 (7-4) 6-2. "It went OK," said Edmund. "I got off to a good start, but struggled a bit at the end of the first set. I'm glad I got my game back to take it to a tie-break. I thought I was unlucky to lose the second. He played a good third set. I have lots of experience to take, so it's not all bad." Konta

Summary: British number four Naomi Broady won her first match at a Grand Slam as she came from a set down to beat Hungary's Timea Babos at Wimbledon.


And now an eight-year-old Swansea schoolboy is to quiz him about how it felt via Twitter. Rhys Maguire-Stokes was among 25 pupils from Blaenymaes primary at a live link-up with the International Space Station on Tuesday. It was one of 10 UK schools - and the only one from Wales - at the event in Liverpool. While there was not time for Rhys to ask his question live, it has been tweeted to the astronaut to answer. Class teacher Amy Smith said Rhys was chosen to be the school representative to ask Maj Tim as he floated 264 miles above Earth: "How did it feel to walk in space?" "It's a shame there wasn't time for him to ask his question live but we've tweeted Major Peake and will wait for his answer," she said. "The kids have had a fabulous day and as soon as they saw Major Peake on the screen, their faces just lit up." Mrs Smith entered the school into a competition run by the Times Education Supplement's website to be one of those gathering at the World Museum, as part of the "Cosmic Classroom" event. The feed was then relayed to other schools around the country; in all 10,000 children were taking part. As well as answering pupils' questions, Maj Peake also demonstrated a number of scientific activities in space, which the children could copy in their classrooms. "He was absolutely brilliant and did lots of tricks for them, showing how he floated and doing tricks with water to make it go into bubbles," said Mrs Smith, who took pupils from years 4 and 5. "The children were very excited and have been since the moment they were told they were going. "I think it's fantastic for him to take time out of his mission in space to talk to the children and he has really inspired them. A few of them are now saying they want to go into space too and be able to float." The children have been studying space as a topic since Christmas and will be holding a class assembly and creating a class book to mark their time with Maj Tim. The European Space Agency astronaut launched to the orbiting platform on 15 December and is due to stay aboard until June. The International Space Station is currently above the south Atlantic He described his first walk in space as "exhilarating".

Summary: Major Tim Peake made history when he became the first British person to walk in space.


The Pakistani, widely regarded as the greatest player of all time, went five and a half years without losing between 1981 and 1986. Rod Gilmour, co-author of 'Jahangir Khan: 555', said: "We believe that it could be significantly lower." However, ex-world number one Jahangir, 52, reckons the tally "could be more". He added: "The 555 figure should only be my tournament matches. I played invitational, exhibition and challenge matches. "It could be between 600 to 700 matches if you include the others. Because I wasn't losing those either." Jahangir won the World Open six times and the British Open Championship 10 times in succession between 1982 and 1991. Gilmour and Alan Thatcher have researched record books, annuals, magazines and newspaper reports in writing their book. "I grew up reading reports of Jahangir Khan and even then he seemed a mythical, magical figure to me," said Gilmour. "There were no statisticians at the time chronicling his matches and not once has the figure been highlighted in press reports of the time." Jahangir, whose winning run was ended by Ross Norman in the 1986 World Championship, retired in 1993. The authors do not dispute the timeframe, but Thatcher said they "wanted to solve for accuracy's sake" the final tally. He added: "The real figure? It's hard to say. "But it could be lower than 500, which would mean that Dutch wheelchair tennis great Esther Vergeer could lay claim to the record." Vergeer, who won her fourth consecutive Paralympic singles gold in London in 2012, went unbeaten for 10 years, winning 470 matches before retiring in 2013.

Summary: Squash legend Jahangir Khan's winning run of 555 matches - a record in any sport - has been questioned in a new book.


The 34-year-old South Africa international was sent off in the first half of Saturday's victory over Gloucester for a punch on Nick Wood. Brits pleaded guilty to the charge at a Rugby Football Union disciplinary hearing on Tuesday. He will miss matches against Sale, Northampton and London Irish and will be available to play again on 15 March.

Summary: Saracens hooker Schalk Brits has been banned for three weeks after admitting a charge of striking an opponent.


Millie the cat has been left with a suspected broken jaw from the attack, which the RSPCA described as "sickening". The video shows two men walking towards Millie in Derby, then one kicks her and she flies several feet in the air. It happened outside the Guinness Trust flats in Sidney Street at about 16:25 GMT on Thursday. RSPCA inspector Sarah Burrows said: "It is an unprovoked attack which has sadly left Millie with a suspected broken jaw. "Inflicting such a horrific attack on a defenceless cat is sickening and it's important we track down the people responsible." The charity asked anyone with information to contact them. They warned that anyone found guilty of causing unnecessary suffering to an animal could face up to six months in prison and a fine of up to Â£20,000.

Summary: The RSPCA is trying to find a man who was caught on CCTV kicking a cat "very hard" into the air.


Students from Kent School in Maryland launched The Oyster with a time capsule onboard off the New Jersey coast on 13 June and tracked it across the ocean. Robert Morgan from Tenby found the boat in Swanlake bay, near Manorbier, while collecting rubbish from the beach. Kent School said they were "thrilled" the boat had reached Wales. The outside of the vessel contained a message in English and Spanish asking whoever found it to deliver it to the local "middle school" - or pupils aged 12-14 - who they said would find a list of email addresses and other items inside, and asking them to contact the school. In a message to BBC Wales, the school said: "We are thrilled that The Osprey made landfall in Pembrokshire. It was launched on June 13. "We look forward to interacting with students who may have a chance to view the contents of our time capsule." Mr Morgan said he had been unable to remove the vessel from the beach himself as it was very heavy and he did not have transport, but he reported it on social media and it has now been taken to Greenhill Secondary School in Tenby. Matthew Davies, deputy head, told BBC News: "We had a message yesterday which came through from a member of staff who also works for the local lifeboat. "He went to pick [the vessel] up and has brought it into school." The boat featured in a Year 8 assembly first thing in the morning and is now waiting to be opened. "Our excitement was at fever pitch. We're going to wait for our head teacher to make contact with the school in the US and then hopefully do a live weblink with them and open it up." Mr Davies added he hoped the boat's arrival would see the start of a link with Kent School. Asked about the possible contents of the capsule, he said: "I'd have to leave that to the children. If we were sending them one out we'd maybe send one which was representative of our community and our school. But I'd guess maybe an American flag and a state flag."

Summary: An unmanned boat sent by a school in the USA has washed up on the Pembrokeshire coast three months after it set sail.


Sunderland forward Duncan Watmore was on the fishing boat in Barbados when it was hit, and broken in two, by a catamaran. He managed to haul three elderly passengers out of the water from the boat just before it sank. His father, Ian Watmore, said the catamaran had "just ploughed straight into the boat and ripped it in half". "They saw it and just assumed it was going to go round them and, when they realised it was coming straight at them, they started yelling and screaming but nothing changed," he said. "These catamarans are quite powerful and the blade just ripped the thing in half." Watmore had been in Barbados in February, recovering from an operation on a cruciate knee ligament injury, when the crash happened. One of the guests on the boat had just had a hip replacement, one could not swim and the other was over 80, his father said. After the crash, his son "clambered up on to the catamaran" and lifted them, and the skipper, out of the water just as their fishing boat sank, he said. The 23-year-old footballer used his T-shirt as a tourniquet for the woman's leg, which was "bleeding heavily". It was only afterwards that "shock started to set in", Mr Watmore Snr said. "All the guests were coming up to him and telling him what a hero he was and I think the whole thing was just very disorientating for him," he said. The rescue had been a good test of the strength of his knee, though "not one you'd plan", he added. It is not known how the catamaran came to hit the fishing boat but it is believed its skipper was taken away by police.

Summary: A Premier League footballer saved three holidaymakers after a boat crash, it has emerged.


In his first Commons speech since returning as an MP, Mr Johnson said he believed David Cameron would be successful in his EU negotiations. But the London mayor said the UK had to be willing to "strike out" and forge "an alternative future" if the desired result could not be secured. The government has promised to hold an in/out referendum on the EU by 2017. Mr Johnson's comments come after European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker suggested David Cameron wanted to use the EU vote to "dock" the UK permanently into the 28-nation bloc. Mr Juncker told a German newspaper the question of a British exit from the EU "does not arise", as this was not what the UK was seeking. BBC deputy political editor James Landale said it showed what pressure the prime minister will come under over Europe, from both Brussels and his own backbenchers. Mr Cameron spent the last week of May on a whirlwind tour of Europe to lobby leaders over his proposed EU reforms, which include tougher rules to prevent migrants claiming benefits. Addressing the House of Commons, Mr Johnson, the new MP for Uxbridge and Ruislip, congratulated Mr Cameron on his "schmoozathon" around Europe. He said the all-Conservative government had "a clear mandate" to deliver change in the EU. "And we can - we can win that argument by being relentlessly positive and by making it clear that what we are advocating is not simply in the interests of Britain, but in the interest of the entire European Union," Mr Johnson said. But Mr Johnson added: "If you are going to go into a difficult international negotiation of this kind, then you have got to be prepared to walk away if you don't get the result that you want. "If we don't get the deal that is either in the interests of this country or of Europe, then we should be prepared to strike out and forge an alternative future that could be just as glorious and just as prosperous with a free trading arrangement." Meanwhile, at a foreign affairs conference in London at Chatham House, Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said that ahead of the referendum the government would be "selling hard" the advantages of staying in the EU, if a good package of reforms had been secured. "The prime minister's made no secret of the fact that what he wants to do in Europe is negotiate a reform of the European Union and then settle this question once and for all that Britain is an active leading member of the EU of a reformed EU, going forward," he said. The government has introduced legislation paving the way for a vote on the EU by the end of 2017 at the very latest, although there is speculation it could take place as early as next autumn. The eligibility rules for the poll will be broadly the same as for a general election, meaning citizens from most EU countries living in the UK will not get a vote. Irish citizens in the UK qualify, as do residents from

Summary: The UK must be prepared to walk away from the EU if sufficient reform is not achieved, Boris Johnson has said.


Belle Gibson gained fame in Australia after she claimed to have beaten cancer using natural remedies rather than medical intervention. She launched a successful app and cookbook, but later admitted the diagnosis was made up. Consumer Affairs Victoria is aiming to prosecute Ms Gibson for allegedly breaking Australian consumer law. The regulator said it had conducted an in-depth investigation of Ms Gibson's activities and had applied to Australia's Federal Court for leave to pursue legal action. Ms Gibson's claims to have cured her cancer with Ayurvedic medicine, oxygen therapy and a gluten and refined sugar-free diet propelled her to prominence. She capitalised on her fame with a successful app and a cookbook, both called The Whole Pantry, and promised to deliver a share of the profits to several charities. But the money allegedly never reached the charities and cracks began to appear in Ms Gibson's story. She later admitted to the Australian Women's Weekly magazine that none of her claims was true. Attempting to justify her behaviour, she told the magazine: "If I don't have an answer, then I will sort of theorise it myself and come up with one. I think that's an easy thing to often revert to if you don't know what the answer is." Ms Gibson's publisher, Penguin Australia, has already agreed to pay A$30,000 ($22,200; Â£15,300) to the Victorian Consumer Law Fund as a penalty for releasing The Whole Pantry, which was not fact checked.

Summary: An Australian blogger and author who faked terminal brain cancer faces legal action over her deception.


Wednesday had a penalty appeal turned down when Richard Keogh appeared to handle Adam Reach's shot on the line. Christie then met a Tom Ince corner to nod Derby ahead from close range. Liam Palmer went closest to a leveller, with a deflected shot off the post, before Alex Pearce prodded home Derby's second from eight yards. Steve McClaren's Rams moved up three places to 18th in the Championship table with their second win in four games since the former England manager returned as Derby boss. Kieran Lee was first to test Derby goalkeeper Scott Carson, and Fernando Forestieri was also kept out before the penalty shout on nine minutes. Christie, among Derby's most industrious players along with Ince and Jamie Hanson, netted the opener and ensured the home side led at half-time in a match for just the second time in all competitions this season. Palmer and Forestieri threatened for the Owls before Pearce pounced on a deflected shot from Jacob Butterfield to make it 2-0, with Wednesday - beaten for the first time in three matches - suffering further as Steven Fletcher was forced off following a head knock just 16 minutes after coming off the bench. REACTION: Derby boss Steve McClaren speaks to BBC Radio Derby Derby manager Steve McClaren: "Keogh made a great save without his gloves on and we rode our luck in that. "Game's are turned on that one way or another and it turned our way and what you have to do in those instances is take advantage and that's what we did. "It's a huge win, we said put a marker down at five o'clock and they've done that. There were aspects of the performance that improved immensely and we created chances as well." Sheffield Wednesday head coach Carlos Carvalhal on Adam Reach's penalty appeal: "In my opinion, it's the worst decision in the Championship so far. I have seen nothing like it this season. "I have nothing against the ref, nothing against the person but the decision was very, very poor and it had a big impact on the game. "People talk a lot about how we need technology but why do we need a camera or a video when we have three referees on the pitch, one of them must see it. They have communication and can say it's a clear penalty." Match ends, Derby County 2, Sheffield Wednesday 0. Second Half ends, Derby County 2, Sheffield Wednesday 0. Offside, Derby County. Matej Vydra tries a through ball, but Jacob Butterfield is caught offside. Foul by Tom Lees (Sheffield Wednesday). Matej Vydra (Derby County) wins a free kick on the right wing. Substitution, Derby County. Max Lowe replaces Johnny Russell. Attempt missed. Bradley Johnson (Derby County) left footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Ikechi Anya. Sam Hutchinson (Sheffield Wednesday) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Foul by Matej Vydra (Derby County). Atdhe Nuhiu (Sheffield Wednesday) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul. Foul by Atdhe Nuhiu (Sheffield Wednesday). Johnny

Summary: Cyrus Christie scored his first goal of the season to help Derby beat Sheffield Wednesday and extend their unbeaten run against the Owls to 17 matches.


Eleven of Scotland's 14 territorial health boards were hit by the "ransomware" attack linked to other IT attacks around the world. The hack has encrypted information on NHS computers, denying access unless a payment is made. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said work to fix the systems affected had entered a "recovery phase" She called the attack "hugely concerning" but said there was no evidence as yet to suggest outdated computer systems were responsible for the breach. Scotland's Health Secretary Shona Robison said there was a "level of confidence" that systems would be back up and running by Monday and that no breach of patient confidentiality had been detected. The health boards which have been affected are: The Scottish Ambulance Service has also been affected, along with NHS National Services Scotland. The incidents are thought to be part of a wider attack affecting organisations in about 100 countries around the world. IT problems have also caused disruption in about 30 health authorities in England, while the NHS in Wales and Northern Ireland are so far unaffected. The Scottish government said most incidents had been confined to desktop computers in GP surgeries, dental practices and other primary care centres. A spokesman said the only acute hospital sites so far affected had been in NHS Lanarkshire. BBC Scotland understands that computer systems at Hairmyres Hospital in East Kilbride were compromised. Ms Robison told the BBC's Good Morning Scotland programme that IT specialists had been working non-stop to get GP systems back up and running. She said: "People are working very, very hard and have worked through the night. The update I've got this morning is that we're very much into recovery phase now, with a lot of work going on to get systems back up running. "The GP systems, which of course were the main problem across our health boards - work is going on, and there is a level of confidence that many will be back up and running before GP surgeries open on Monday morning." Ms Sturgeon told the BBC: "Obviously cyber-attacks of this nature are hugely concerning and I think they underline the vulnerability not just of the public sector, but also of society generally to cyber-attacks, but they also underline the importance of all organisations making sure that they have all appropriate measures in place to protect against those kinds of attack." She added: "Obviously there is a lot of investigation into exactly why the health service has been affected in the way it has. I think it's important to stress that this has been a global international attack." Shona Robison said NHS Lanarkshire had been more affected in terms of its acute hospitals, but said manual systems had worked safely and insisted that patients had not been negatively impacted by the breach. "The intention today is to begin testing those IT systems and to gradually and safely try to bring those back on over the course of the weekend." Ms Robison added: "Throughout all of this there's been no breach to patient confidentiality that has been detected to date so

Summary: The Scottish government says it is working closely with health officials following a global cyber hack.


South Lakes Safari Zoo in Dalton said it would be closed from 9 January. Barrow Borough Council raised several concerns about the zoo, including the closeness of the rhino dung to a fence, and the safety of walkways. Zoo bosses said they felt "harassed" by the council and were unable to continue under such conditions. On Thursday Barrow Council's licensing committee issued an order to the zoo to prove within 28 days that the aerial walkways were safe. Zoo inspector Matthew Brash showed the council pictures of rotting timbers and said he and his colleagues had noted 20 slips and trips on them from the zoo's accident book. But Karen Brewer, from the zoo, said there was only one accident listed in 2015 and two in 2014. The council also said a pile of rhino dung was too close to a fence, providing a possible escape route for baboons, although the zoo said there had never been a baboon escape in 16 years of the dung being piled there. In a statement, the zoo said: "We assure everyone that the zoo is safe and there is no evidence whatsoever to say otherwise. "We are being subjected to an unprecedented attack and attempt to undermine our credibility and professionalism at every chance created. "The management team cannot work under these conditions and hence the decisions made."

Summary: A Cumbria zoo is closing after councillors raised concerns about the potential for baboons to escape using a pile of rhino dung.


The research, funded by World Rugby over 29 months, took in 485 men and compared amateur and professional players with matched control groups. World Rugby said it was "difficult" to draw robust conclusions, adding "further research was required". But Professor Patria Hume said it was "irresponsible" to ignore the link. She said rugby players who had suffered four or more concussions performed worse in tests measuring mental and physical coordination, motor speed and multi-tasking. The Auckland University of Technology study, which is in the process of being peer reviewed for publication, was commissioned by World Rugby in 2012 amid growing fears about the potential for long-term brain injuries in high-impact sports. Hume, who said that "94% of elite level rugby players experienced one or more concussions", added that the study showed a statistically significant link between repeated concussion and brain damage. She said: "We've got to go through that scientific process, but what I'm saying is that, as a scientist, it's irresponsible for people to say there are no long-term brain health issues. "Because all indications so far from the analysis we have done indicates that there possibly are for the rugby players and for people who have been concussed more than four times." The study involved 131 ex-players, 281 retired amateur players and 73 retired non-contact sportspeople. World Rugby said in a statement: "The study showed that rugby players performed above average in some tests compared to non-contact sports players and less well in others. "It is therefore difficult to draw robust conclusions about the links between rugby and long-term cognitive health issues and highlights the need for further in-depth research." Concerns about concussions in rugby follow a £490m settlement in 2013 between American football's NFL and former players, who said the league hid the dangers of long-term brain damage. And the issue was highlighted when Wales and Northampton winger George North and England's Harlequins full-back Mike Brown were both stood down from the game for an extended period after suffering concussion earlier this year. The latest annual injury audit for English rugby shows that the number of reported concussions rose by 59% in 2013-14 compared to the previous season. But rugby's governing bodies believe the increase is because of improved understanding of head injuries. In the new findings, athletes who reported four or more concussions during their careers performed worse in some, but not all, neuropsychological testing and those who had one to three concussions had a worse result in one of five balance tests. But researchers said further targeted research was needed to assess the impact of concussion on long-term balance and cognitive brain function. Arthritis and cardiovascular health in retired athletes also requires further investigation.

Summary: A major study of rugby union players points to a potential link between frequent concussion and brain function, the project's lead researcher said.


The National Union of Teachers said the money was spent on 62 free schools, university technical colleges and studio schools which either closed, partially closed or did not open. The NUT said the data was mainly drawn from government websites. The Department for Education said free schools were popular with parents. The figures were published by the National Union of Teachers during its annual conference - which had highlighted concerns about school budget shortages. The union's general secretary Kevin Courtney said ministers should apologise to teachers and parents for the £138.5m "thrown away" on these abandoned projects. "These figures make clear that the free school, UTC and studio school programmes were ill-thought policies which, in many cases, resulted in an appalling waste of significant sums of money," said Mr Courtney. University technical colleges (UTCs) and studio schools have an emphasis on vocational skills for 14 to 19-year-olds. "In the case of the closed UTCs, an average of £10m was spent on each school, rising to £15m in the case of Tottenham UTC. "That sums of this magnitude have been thrown away at a time when schools across the country are crying out for funding for staff, to provide a broad and balanced curriculum and to ensure essential resources and equipment are available, is criminal." Education Secretary Justine Greening this week announced that 131 new schools had been approved under the free school programme, creating around 69,000 places. Free schools are state schools that are outside of local authority networks and which are set up by groups such as academy trusts, charities, parents and community groups. There are now about 800 free schools either open or in the pipeline. The NUT said the £138.5m on the closed or unopened schools would have paid for 3,680 teachers for a year. Mr Courtney added: "The true cost of these policy failures is even greater. There is a human cost in the disruption caused to the education of the thousands of those pupils who attended schools which have closed. "Usually it is local authorities who have had to pick up the pieces by finding alternative places for the displaced children. "The NUT's biggest concern is that the government is intent on proceeding with these programmes despite growing evidence that the UTC and studio schools programmes cannot attract sufficient numbers of pupils." The Department for Education said free schools were popular with parents and their creation had given parents more choices in finding good local schools. "The construction costs of a newly-built free school are 29% lower than those built under the previous school building programme," said an education department spokeswoman. "They also operate under a much more robust accountability system than council-run schools, meaning we can take swift action to deal with underperformance." But Shadow Education Secretary Angela Rayner said the data was further evidence that the "free schools programme is a deeply inefficient way to provide the new school places that are desperately needed". "Billions of pounds of taxpayers' money has been sunk into free schools, but there is still little evidence that the government

Summary: Almost £140m has been "wasted" on free schools and other new types of school, which either closed early or failed to open at all, says a teachers' union.


Williams, 25, can play full-back or wing and has 38 caps for Wales, as well as 100 Scarlets appearances. The move could limit his international appearances, under the senior selection policy which only allows three non-Wales based players to be selected. "Liam is arguably one of the most talented backs in Europe," director of rugby Mark McCall said. In a statement released by the Scarlets, Williams said: "I will continue to give my all in the Scarlets jersey and will hopefully have an opportunity to play for silverware at the end of this season with a what is a great group of boys." European and Premiership champions Saracens have already confirmed France hooker Christopher Tolofua will move to Allianz Park next season. Williams' arrival adds new competition for Alex Goode and Sean Maitland at full-back, an area in which Sarries have had to add cover in fellow Welshman Andrew Fenby this season. As for Scarlets, Williams' exit would put them in a position to bring Toulon and Wales full-back Leigh Halfpenny to the region. The Welsh Rugby Union said it had made "the best offer it can" to take him back to Welsh rugby. Chris Jones, BBC Radio 5 live rugby union reporter It has been an open secret for some time. With 38 Wales caps, he has developed into one of the finest attacking running backs in Europe and he is sure to thrive at Saracens, a club which has an outstanding reputation for developing and looking after its players. But it is a blow for the domestic game in Wales. Scarlets say they fought hard to keep him and my understanding is that he was offered a dual-contract with the Welsh Rugby Union. He will now have to rely on a wildcard selection next season to play for the Wales national side.

Summary: Wales back Liam Williams will join Saracens from Scarlets on a three-year deal from the start of 2017-18.


It has caused big problems for people living in parts of northern England and Scotland. Heavy rain and high-speed winds have resulted in water flooding roads and houses. Hundreds of people have been forced to leave their homes as rivers burst their banks and flood waters rose quickly. Around one month's worth of rainfall fell in just 24 hours. There are more than 50 flood warnings in place across the UK and the Met Office has advised people not to travel. Dozens of trains have been cancelled, and roads have been closed in Scotland, England and Wales.

Summary: Schools and hospital services have been closed in parts of northern England, as emergency services continue to battle against the effects of Storm Desmond.


Jon Andrewes, 63, from Totnes, misled a Somerset hospice where he was chief executive from 2004 and Torbay Care Trust when he became chairman in 2007. He also misled Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust where he became chairman in 2015. Exeter Crown Court Judge Geoffrey Mercer told Andrewes that for 10 years "your outwardly prestigious life was based on a staggering series of lies". More on the NHS fraudster, plus more Devon and Cornwall news Andrewes admitted obtaining money by deception when he secured a job at the St Margaret's Hospice in Somerset, and two counts of fraud. These related to making misleading statements before he was appointed as chairman of the Torbay Care Trust and of the Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust (RCHT). His total earnings from the health bodies between 2005-16 was £1,072,076. Among the fake claims he called himself "Dr", despite him not having a PHD. Andrewes also falsely claimed degrees from Edinburgh, Plymouth and Bristol universities, although he did have a Higher Education Certificate in Social Work. He had actually spent most of his career as a probation officer, customs officer or youth worker. Chairman of St Margaret's Hospice, Michael Clark, who appointed Andrewes, said the hospice made "significant progress" under his leadership and he had "no doubts about his ability to do the job". But he would not have employed Andrewes if he had known about the fake qualifications. Cameron Brown, prosecuting, told the court that Andrewes' employment was a mixed bag with a range of performance, and he was "not actively doing damage". But he said the grounds for prosecution were "not his performance but the fact he was there".

Summary: A bogus NHS boss who lied about his qualifications and raked in more than £1m has been jailed for two years.


So-called Islamic State (IS) is most prominent in the region, but there are at least two other groups, with possible links to Islamic State's arch-rival, al-Qaeda, worth paying attention to. This is the name of IS' Sinai affiliate. It has claimed responsibility for downing the Russian airliner. Formerly known as Ansar Beit al-Maqdis, the group first appeared in September 2011 and rebranded itself with an Islamic State pledge of allegiance in November 2014. It generally targets Egyptian military and security forces in northern Sinai, and has scaled up attacks since July when it claimed an attack on a naval vessel in the Red Sea. The propaganda of this low-profile group suggests alignment with al-Qaeda. It posted a sophisticated video two days before the Sinai plane crash showcasing its strengths, but without any specific threats. Jund al-Islam emerged in September 2013 with a claim of a double suicide attack on the Egyptian military intelligence HQ in the north Sinai town of Rafah, on the border with the Gaza Strip. It has stepped up its propaganda campaign this year, claiming rocket attacks on Israel, and its latest video hints at links with al-Qaeda in Yemen - which has a record of trying to down planes. Online jihadist media operatives have also suggested that al-Qaeda in Yemen has been given oversight of activities in Egypt, among other regional fronts. Not to be confused with established Saharan group Al-Mourabitoun, this Egyptian faction announced itself in July. Its propaganda suggests an al-Qaeda orientation, and veteran jihadist media operatives link it - along with Jund al-Islam - to an al-Qaeda attempt to check the rise of Islamic State in Egypt. Its leader, Abu-Umar al-Muhajir alias Hisham Ashmawi, is a former officer in the Egyptian army, and was a senior figure in Ansar Beit al-Maqdis before it pledged allegiance to Islamic State. In October, Ashmawi issued a call for the killing of Egyptian military officers, and for revenge for the deaths of Palestinians by Israel's security forces. Meaning "Soldiers of Egypt", this group appeared in January 2014, and carried out attacks in Cairo over the summer. It has possible al-Qaeda associations, in that the Yemeni and African branches of that network posted eulogies on the death of its leader in April. It also coordinated attacks with Ansar Beit al-Maqdis before the latter joined Islamic State. But Ajnad Misr has repeatedly said that it tries to avoid civilian casualties in its attacks. The Al-Furqan Brigade and the salafist-jihadist Group in Sinai appear to be dormant, beyond issuing online threats against the Egyptian state. BBC Monitoring reports and analyses news from TV, radio, web and print media around the world. You can follow BBC Monitoring on Twitter and Facebook.

Summary: The Sinai plane crash has drawn international media attention to Islamist armed groups active in the Sinai Peninsula.


The 14-time Grand Slam title winner will therefore miss November's ATP World Tour Finals in London. Nadal, 28, made his announcement after losing 6-2 7-6 (7-4) to Croatian teenager Borna Coric in the quarter-finals of the Swiss Indoors on Friday. "I'm not going to Paris and London - I'm not competitive enough," the nine-time French Open champion said. "I am going to have surgery on 3 November." Nadal had already qualified for the ATP World Tour Finals event, so the Spaniard's withdrawal means the player ranked ninth in the final ATP Race to London rankings will make it through to the season-ending event at the O2 in Greenwich. Britain's Andy Murray will compete in next week's Paris Masters, which is the final ranking event of the season. The Scot, 27, currently lies in eighth position in the Race to London standings. The Swiss Indoors in Basel was just the third tournament Nadal had played since Wimbledon following a wrist injury, and he revealed earlier this month that he was on a course of antibiotics for his appendix. Coric, 17, showed no fear as he raced into a 5-0 lead against a wayward Nadal and held his nerve to secure a stunning victory. Coric learned his tennis travelling between Zagreb and north London under the guidance of British coach Ryan Jones, although the pair have gone their separate ways in recent days. The Croat goes on to face Belgian David Goffin in the semi-finals, with Ivo Karlovic up against Roger Federer, who beat Grigor Dimitrov 7-6 (7-4) 6-2.

Summary: Rafael Nadal has confirmed he will not play again this season and says he will undergo appendix surgery next month.


The government and private operators run TV and radio stations and outlets from American Samoa are readily available. By June 2015, there were nearly 27,000 internet users (InternetLiveStats.com). Internet cafes are widely used.

Summary: Press freedom is "generally respected", according to US-based Freedom House.


One of them, the blogger Prof Michael Pettis of the Beijing Business School, had earned kudos as one of the first to predict the sharp slowdown in China's economy seen over the last year. The other was the Economist. The magazine, that is. Their bet - for a bottle of booze - was over whether China's economy was about to run out of puff. The country has managed 9.9% growth on average over the past 35 years, but Prof Pettis thinks that the growth rate will fall to a measly (by Chinese standards) 3% this decade. The more gung-ho Economist by contrast was forecasting that China would stay on course to overtake the US as the world's biggest economy by 2018. "China has grown very rapidly in the last 30 years, but it has been following a model that is not unique," says Prof Pettis. "In the 50s and 60s almost everyone 'knew' that the Soviet Union would overtake the US in the 70s - even Jack Kennedy - but it didn't happen. Instead, the Russian economy got mired in debt and years of stagnation." Other examples include the Brazilian economic "miracle" of the 1960s and 1970s, says Prof Pettis, that ended in a 1982 financial crisis and a "lost decade" of growth, or Japan's rapid ascent up until its own 1990 crisis and subsequent two-decade stagnation. What these countries have in common is an enormous level of government-led investment - in roads, trains, schools, hospitals, education and training. "You can get tremendous growth by keeping investment levels high," he explains. "And in the early days, growth is healthy and sustainable. "But later... you very easily reach a point where you can't identify economically viable projects any more, and you overshoot and start misallocating capital in a pretty significant way. That's when debt rises more quickly than the economy's capacity to service it." China has been overinvesting perhaps since the 1990s, according to Prof Pettis, and certainly in the last five to 10 years. "A lot of growth is fake," he says. "If you spend $1bn building an airport, it generates the same amount of [economic output] today whether or not anyone actually uses the airport. "If no-one uses it, however, the economic value created by the airport is not enough to repay the debt, and so future growth must decline as wealth is transferred from some other part of the economy to pay down the debt." He says that there are three main sources of growth for China. The first, investment, is already exhausted. The second, exports, are also no longer viable, as China's main export markets in Europe and the US are depressed, and China's trade surplus has become politically contentious in those countries. The third option is for ordinary Chinese people to increase their spending on consumer products and services. But here the numbers just don't stack up. Consumers account for just a third of spending in China - an unprecedentedly low share for any major economy - while investment accounts for a whopping half of the economy. If

Summary: Earlier this year, two economists made a friendly wager.


So called "tandem burials" happened at a limited number of hospitals in the Republic of Ireland up to the 1980s. It is understood this happened in what the authorities called "exceptional circumstances". This might be if a newborn baby died and options for burial in a hospital or religious plot were not selected. The remains would then be placed in the coffin of an adult who had died. Details of such burials were set out in documents obtained by RTÉ News under the Freedom of Information Act. In a letter to the former secretary general of the Department of Health, Dr Ambrose McLoughlin in August, Irish Health Service Executive director general Tony O'Brien said it was not certain that the families of both of the deceased would always have been informed of the practice. In the letter, Mr O'Brien said: "Our understanding is that the remains would have been placed with adult remains and that, ideally, the awareness and understanding of both families involved would have been sought, though this is not guaranteed." It is understood that the practice may have occurred in a number of cases to ensure that a baby was buried in consecrated ground. At a time in Ireland, the Catholic Church's tradition stipulated that if a baby was born and died before baptism, they could not be buried on sacred ground in a cemetery. The souls of such babies would go to Limbo - an in-between place where they could neither see God nor be reunited with their parents. In 2007, Pope Benedict XVI revised the concept of Limbo.

Summary: In Ireland, dead babies have been buried in the coffins of adults to whom they were not related, according to Irish broadcaster, RTÉ.


CRCC was at the head of a consortium that had won the project last year, which was abruptly revoked shortly after being awarded. The deal was called off over controversy in the bidding process. The Mexican government relaunched the bid earlier this year, but that was cancelled for a second time. The second cancellation of the 130-mile rail link was blamed on budget cuts. The Chinese rail firm gave Mexico's communications and transport ministry (SCT) a list of costs that it had incurred during the bidding process and had requested for compensation. The ministry announced the amount to be paid to the firm on Thursday. If the deal had gone ahead, it would have resulted in Mexico becoming the first Latin American nation to have a bullet train after Brazil and Argentina had postponed their own rail projects.

Summary: Mexico will compensate China Railway Construction Corporation (CRCC) $1.31m (£835,953) for cancelling a $3.75bn high-speed rail contract.


The 'strategy group' of the sport's leading figures is having its latest meeting ahead of this weekend's German Grand Prix and the 'halo' is one of the main items on its agenda. The key decision is whether a device aimed at addressing the single biggest area of vulnerability for drivers should be adopted in 2017. On the face of it, the answer might appear simple. The halo undoubtedly improves safety. It exists. It has passed all the tests. It does what it is meant to do. And the 2017 cars are being designed for it. Media playback is not supported on this device But the debate that has raged about it - and will be addressed by the strategy group - goes beyond that, into aesthetics and the central philosophy of what F1 should be, and be seen to be. The idea of the halo was initially proposed by Mercedes, and has been further developed fundamentally by Ferrari under the aegis of governing body the FIA, to address the single biggest safety failing of F1 cars. Safety has improved dramatically and consistently over the last couple of decades, since the death of Ayrton Senna in 1994 led to a renewed and more focused approach to the issue. The cars have got stronger, safety systems have improved and the biggest risks have been removed from circuits. But one major anomaly has remained - the driver's head sticks out of the car, and is protected only by a helmet. The risks are obvious - flying debris can hit the driver's head; an inverted car can land on a wall upside down; and on and on. These sorts of incidents have been the central cause of all the major injuries and deaths that have occurred in forms of motor racing in the last few years. So rule makers set themselves a simple task - come up with a device that deflects large objects that could otherwise encroach on the cockpit. The halo is the answer - made of titanium, in an oval, or halo, shape above the driver's head, secured at three points, one directly in front of him and two at the back of the cockpit. If it is adopted, all teams will use a single design, and it is not expected to have any effect on the racing. As an engineering solution, it is elegant and effective. But not everyone is happy about it. The drivers, through their union the Grand Prix Drivers' Association, have made it clear they would like to see some form of additional head protection introduced as soon as possible. They recognise the limitations of the halo - it is unattractive, some would say ugly; looks like a bit of an after-thought - but also its strengths - it is very effective at doing what it was designed for. For them, it works, it is available, it is the best system for the moment, so introduce it. There have been some dissenting voices - among them world champion Lewis Hamilton, who in March called it "the worst-looking modification in

Summary: The introduction of the controversial new 'halo' cockpit head protection system into Formula 1 hinges on a critical meeting to be held on Thursday.


Sharon Shoesmith was sacked over a damning report into the death in 2007 of Baby Peter who was subjected to months of abuse. Three people were jailed, including his mother. The Court of Appeal ruled Ms Shoesmith had been "unfairly scapegoated" and that her removal had been unlawful. Her payout could cost up to £600,000, but she is expected to receive less. Timeline of Baby P case ▶ Sharon Shoesmith on child protection Earlier this week, one government source told BBC Newsnight the exact figure may not emerge as there are confidentiality clauses preventing its disclosure. The package is believed to be more than the minimum suggested by senior judge Lord Neuberger in a 2011 ruling in the Court of Appeal. He suggested Ms Shoesmith was entitled to a minimum of three months' salary plus pensions contributions. Three months' salary would have been about £33,000. Ms Shoesmith was sacked in December 2008 by the then children's secretary, Ed Balls, who has said her payout "leaves a bad taste in the mouth". On the legal fees, Councillor Richard Wilson, the leader of the opposition Liberal Democrat group on Haringey Council, said: "Whilst we agree Ms Shoesmith should have gone it is not right that the taxpayer has been left with a massive bill because Haringey Council decided not to follow the proper procedures. "It is appalling that because of the action of the then Labour government and the Labour-run council, local residents will be left with a hefty bill for legal fees." He added: "Ed Balls and the Labour-run Haringey Council should apologise for landing taxpayers with this massive bill. It adds insult to injury and shows we are still paying the price for mistakes made four years ago." A council spokesman said: "The legal fees relate to a very complex and long-running process that involved a number of different strands of litigation." Baby Peter had more than 50 injuries when he died, despite being on the at-risk register and receiving 60 visits from social workers, police and health professionals over eight months. His mother, Tracey Connelly, her boyfriend, Steven Barker, and his brother, Jason Owen, were jailed in May 2009 for causing or allowing the child's death. Earlier this month it was reported that Connelly was due to be released from prison on parole.

Summary: Haringey Council spent £196,000 trying to fight its former head of children's services in her case for unfair dismissal, it has emerged.


An all-rounder with no forearms, a batsman who rarely leaves his home and the youngster who has had his life transformed by cricket. BBC Kick Off reporter Josef Rindl met the Warwickshire disability cricket team preparing to take on England. "Boot it," shouts 18-year-old Joe Glaze, as a broad smile stretches across his face before what is just his third match for Warwickshire Super9's disability cricket team. After facing Derbyshire, his next could be against England's physical disability team at home in the Midlands on Sunday, 30 July. Glaze was only introduced to the game three months earlier, having attended a cricket festival at his special needs school. He suffers from a rare genetic disorder and is also on the autistic spectrum. Joe's father, Andy, has quickly got involved as an assistant coach and is an avid photographer from the sidelines. "Sport teaches you life skills," Andy told BBC Sport. "It teaches you teamwork, discipline, but most importantly social skills. It is all ideal for someone like Joe." Glaze runs towards his father and screams excitedly: "10, 10, Dad I'm batting at 10." "Three months ago he couldn't hold a bat," Andy recalled. "Now he's the only batsman I've seen who runs from the clubhouse to the crease." Recounting the first time his son picked up the bat, Andy continued: "We were in a school sports hall and he hit the ball down the length of the hall and through an open corridor - it remains one of my happiest moments in cricket. "I just had to get involved. For the kids here, (the Super9's) is brilliant." For some, the match against Derbyshire represented their last chance to impress ahead of England's visit, with two players in the squad on the fringes of national selection. Charlie Pestridge, the captain, is one of them. He is a batsman, a bowler and against Derbyshire, because nobody else is available, a stand-in wicketkeeper. Pestridge, who has cerebral palsy, said it took him about six months to even find a disability team. "It's that hidden," he said. "I'm glad I discovered the team. It's great to be able to see people play who wouldn't usually have been given a chance." The match, played at the picturesque Alcester and Ragley Cricket Club, has all the hallmarks of the traditional village cricket game; cars parked around the boundary, spectators construct a gazebo and small children hide under the mobile covers. Pestridge, 20, is now on the cusp of the national team, regularly attending a training centre in Northampton. He hopes to earn England selection for next year's tri-series tournament against Australia and South Africa. To do so, Pestridge has to juggle a busy schedule. He studies mathematics at Bath University and featuring for Warwickshire in their Midlands Group game against Derbyshire means an 180-mile round trip. "Right now I'm not sure whether to prioritise the degree or aim towards representing my country," he admitted. "I'd love to play for England." There are three England disability sides, representing the visually impaired, learning and physical disabilities. Both the learning and

Summary: "What you gonna do when you get into bat, Joe?"


Baroness Morgan said Labour is in a serious situation if it cannot reconnect with working class communities. She said there "probably was an element" of Labour's Remain campaign starting too late. "A lot of us were exhausted", she told BBC Radio Wales. Senior Welsh Labour sources have privately said they were wary of talking about Brexit before the assembly election in case it drove Eurosceptic supporters towards UKIP. Plaid leader no longer ruling out coalition with Labour AMs to have say on Brexit deal, says Welsh Tory leader Corbyn's Labour set for heavy losses, says Stephen Kinnock Asked if Labour's Remain campaign started too late, she told the Eye on Wales programme: "I think there probably was an element of that. "And don't forget in Wales we had the assembly elections where people were not talking about the European Union. We were focused absolutely on those assembly elections." She added: "I think it was a mistake not to be talking about the European referendum in those assembly elections." Wales voted 52.5% to 47.5% for Brexit. Only five counting areas voted to Remain. The strongest Leave votes were in Torfaen (60%) and Blaenau Gwent (62%) - two traditional Labour strongholds in the south Wales valleys. The Welsh government has a programme to "re-energise" communities that voted to Leave, much of which would have been funded by EU money, Baroness Morgan said. "The question for us now is how on Earth do we reorganise the economy without that European funding?" she asked. "Unless we find a way to reconnect with that working class element within our communities then I think the Labour party is in a serious situation in future". Labour won 29 seats at May's assembly election - a better result than many expected - but lost 7.6% of its share of the vote on the constituency ballot. Earlier, on BBC Sunday Politics Wales, Baroness Morgan said Carwyn Jones was "absolutely, without question" the right man to lead Welsh Labour.

Summary: It was a mistake for Labour to avoid talking about the EU referendum during the assembly election campaign, one of the party's AMs has said.


The hosts led when Harrison ran onto a long goal kick that had bounced over Cambridge keeper Josh Coulson, and tapped the ball into the net. Ben Williamson hit the post for Cambridge as they looked to level. Stevenage sealed the win when Connor Ogilvie's drilled cross found Harrison, who converted from close range. Harrison helped Stevenage secure promotion to League One in 2011, and is back at the club on loan from Chesterfield. Stevenage caretaker manager Darren Sarll told BBC Three Counties Radio: Media playback is not supported on this device "It was a good performance. We've come away from that knowing that that's still not our best. There's still so much to do in terms of improving us. "There's real signs of the old Stevenage coming back. Standing shoulder to shoulder, and we won't be beat. I love that mentality, that's the mentality that I've been brought up on here. "I thought we could have done better in the first half. To be a little more authoritative with our football, to go after Cambridge a little bit more than we did. There's lots to be pleased with, more so the fact we can beat sides above us."

Summary: Byron Harrison scored twice on his return to Stevenage, securing their first home win since November.


Images posted on social media showed flames emerging from many of the building's 24 floors. There were no immediate reports of fatalities from the blaze, the cause of which is unknown. A number of people were treated for smoke inhalation at the scene, officials told the Gulf News newspaper. Residents were evacuated from the building and the power was cut, Brigadier Abdullah Al Suwaidi, head of civil defence in Sharjah, told Gulf News. Around 200 families live in the tower, the newspaper said. Images suggested that the fire started on one of the building's lower floors before spreading rapidly upwards. Flaming debris could be seen falling into the adjacent car park. The blaze reportedly brought traffic to a near standstill in the roads around the building.

Summary: A high-rise residential building in Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates has caught fire, sending plumes of thick black smoke into the air.


The Ivory Coast international, 27, said he wanted to leave in August and was a target for Everton. However, a move did not materialise for Kone, signed from French Ligue 1 club Lorient in January. "Lamine is an important player for this club and I made that clear to him from the outset," said Sunderland manager David Moyes. Kone was signed by Moyes' predecessor Sam Allardyce and played a key role in their survival in the top flight last season. Moyes added: "He only been playing in the Premier League since January, but in that time we have already seen what he is capable of. "The challenge for Lamine now is to build on what has been a very positive introduction to English football and to continue to improve and grow as a player."

Summary: Sunderland defender Lamine Kone has signed a new five-year contract with the Premier League club.


Manbij sits on an intersection of roads linking the IS stronghold of Raqqa to the Turkish border and other areas under its control in Aleppo province. The routes have become key to the group's ability to move fighters, weapons and supplies into and out of Syria. On 31 May, a US-backed alliance of Syrian Kurdish and Arab fighters called the Syrian Defence Forces (SDF) began an operation to take Manbij and cut the supply routes. After some heavy fighting, Manbij was encircled and completely cut off earlier this month. We steered clear of the main roads leading to the town as our guides warned us that IS had planted mines and roadside bombs. So we bumped along on dusty side roads. On the way in we passed through Kobane, a town on the border with Turkey that was wrested back from IS control by Kurdish-led forces in January 2015, after a gruelling four-month battle. Much of Kobane is now in ruins and pictures of Kurdish fighters - both women and men - who were killed in the fighting festoon the wrecked buildings. As we get closer to the frontline near Manbij, some 55km (35 miles) to the south-east, we saw the first of the hundreds of civilians who have fled their homes since the fighting began. They were mainly Arab villagers, camped out along the roadside and flying white flags. When they saw an SDF vehicle, they ran forwards begging for food and water. A young SDF fighter, also an Arab, was clearly moved. "We are at the gates of Manbij now," he told us. "God willing, we will end Daesh injustice in Manbij and liberate our families and this city from them," he added, using an Arabic acronym based on the previous name of IS. We were taken to the site of an IS base which was recently destroyed in a US-led coalition air strike. The bodies of dead IS militants were still lying in the field. Kurdish fighters pointed out one who appeared to be Sudanese and another they said was a Chechen. One of the militants was still wearing a suicide belt. In death, his fingers were frozen inches from the detonator. Much of the SDF advance in this area was made possible by US-led coalition air support, and we could hear warplanes circling overhead. The air strikes are being directed by foreign special forces personnel on the ground, as we saw for ourselves when we ran into a group of them close to the frontline. They appeared to be French and American and told us to stop filming. The Kurdish fighters told us there were also British special forces operating in the area. Although air power has been decisive, it is not without cost. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based monitoring group, 49 civilians have been killed in air strikes since the offensive on Manbij began. Civilians are often caught in the crossfire on the ground too. In a field just behind the frontline, we came across a group of families huddled together for

Summary: We travelled along the road to Manbij, a small town in northern Syria that has become the new frontline in the battle against the jihadist group Islamic State (IS).


A pregnant traveller, 18, said she was put in a ward on her own and not allowed visitors, as "she was a Gypsy". It was one account uncovered in a study into Gypsy and travellers' experiences of the Welsh NHS. Health Secretary Vaughan Gething said there were "real challenges" and more needed to be done. Chairwoman of the assembly's Gypsy and Traveller Committee Labour AM Julie Morgan said the discrimination was an "absolute disgrace". According to the last official count over 900 Gypsy and traveller families live in caravans across Wales, with 35% living on sites in Cardiff and Pembrokeshire alone. In what is thought to be the first survey of its kind in Europe, about 100 Gypsies and travellers were interviewed by community champions as part of the study, between April 2016 and March 2017. Travellers spoke of difficulties accessing GP services, claiming they faced discrimination from receptionists and barriers filling in registration forms as many are illiterate. A distrust of dentists also led to children saying they had needed to have between 10 and 20 rotten teeth removed. Report author Dr Adrian Marsh said while some GPs gave travellers prescriptions for during the summer period, when they travel to festivals and cultural events, others did not. He said large numbers of visitors descending on hospital wards during visiting hours often created tensions and lead to conflict. Some evidence of good practice especially in north Wales were also highlighted in the report. Speaking at the report's launch at the Pierhead in Cardiff Mrs Morgan said the experiences of the community were often "very negative" and people were nervous of seeking help. She said she hoped the report could be a blueprint for improving services for a community which was "one of the most stigmatised" in Wales. "It's very shocking to hear some of the ways people have been treated in the health service," she said. "There have been very good examples, very good relationships with district nurses, with GPs, but also a lot of stories of discrimination; difficulties getting access to the health service, ways people had been treated, stigma, and this really illustrates it, and it is really something we have got to tackle." Mr Gething said the Welsh Government was working in partnership with health boards to improve access to NHS services for communities. "I know we are not a perfect country but I do think we are doing the right thing to make sure there is equality," he said.

Summary: Gypsies and travellers are facing barriers to accessing health care in Wales due to discrimination, a report suggests.


That is the highest level of borrowing in October in six years. The government has borrowed £54.3bn so far this year and is making slow progress on meeting the Office for Budget Responsibility's (OBR) forecast. These figures mean Chancellor George Osborne will need to restrict borrowing to just £15bn between now and April. While not impossible - January usually sees a surplus thanks to an influx of self-assessment income tax receipts - it remains unlikely that the chancellor will meet the £69.5bn OBR forecast without severe cuts at next week's Autumn Statement. The previous annual borrowing figure was £90.1bn. The Treasury said the figures showed the job of rebalancing the economy was "not yet done". It added that "government borrowing remains too high". The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) said the chancellor faces "two big challenges" to meet cuts plans and achieve a surplus by 2019-20. "The first is to divide up the shrinking budget for day-to-day spending by departments, while continuing to protect many areas of spending. "The second is to remain within his welfare cap while taking on board the recent House of Lords motion that he must reconsider the tax credit cuts he announced in July," said IFS. Analysis: BBC economics correspondent Andy Verity So you thought we were living in a time of austerity. Yet the question is increasingly - austerity for whom? The Treasury's acknowledged that government borrowing "remains too high". Even ignoring the fact that it was the worst October for the public finances since 2009 (which could be down to statistical blips) the government had to borrow £54.3bn from April to October to plug the gap between its income and its spending. If George Osborne is to achieve his goal of borrowing no more than £69.5bn for the whole financial year, there isn't much headroom left for the remaining five months. It's highly likely that the Office for Budget Responsibility will have to relax its forecast at next week's Autumn Statement. The fact that the budget deficit is falling at all is not because of reduced spending but because of increased tax receipts. From April to October central government spending rose by 1.1% to £402.6bn. A big part of the reason for that was that the government has exempted the health budget from austerity. It is also raising the basic state pension by a minimum of 2.5% a year - even when inflation is negative. Overwhelmingly, the beneficiaries of those exemptions are members of the older generation. By contrast, those who bear the brunt of the planned tax credit and benefit cuts will be people of working age. Many economists say the Treasury has no hope of meeting the OBR's forecast for this year. Howard Archer chief UK and European economist at IHS Global Insight said: "George Osborne now has an almighty task to meet his fiscal targets for 2015/16. "Indeed, if the pattern of the first seven months of the fiscal year continued, PSNB would amount to £80.3bn in 2015/16, which would mean that Mr Osborne would overshoot by some £11bn the target of

Summary: Public sector net borrowing (PSNB) rose £1.1bn in October compared with the same month a year ago to £8.2bn, official figures show.


800 - Emperor Charlemagne, Frankish ruler of France and Germany, crowned Roman emperor by Pope Leo III. 843 - Break-up of Frankish empire; Germany emerges as separate realm. 962 - German King Otto I crowned Roman emperor after gaining control of northern Italy; beginning of what became known as Holy Roman Empire centred on Germany. 1250 - Death of Emperor Frederick II Hohenstaufen marks virtual end of central authority and acceleration of empire's collapse into independent princely territories. 1438 - Election of Albert I marks beginning of Habsburg dynasty based in Austria. 1517 - Martin Luther proclaims Ninety-Five Theses against traditional church practices; start of Protestant split from Catholic Church. 1618-1648 Thirty-Years' War: failure of Habsburg emperors' attempt to restore Catholic dominance and imperial authority against opposition of Protestant princes; 1648 Treaty of Westphalia confirms near total independence of territorial states. 1806 - Napoleon's armies impose French rule over much of Germany; Francis II declares abolition of Holy Roman Empire and adopts title of emperor of Austria. 1813 - Defeat of Napoleon at Battle of Leipzig. 1848 - Year of Revolutions; failure of liberals' attempt to unite Germany under democratic constitution; start of period of rapid industrialisation. 1871 - Otto von Bismarck achieves unification of Germany under leadership of Prussia; new German Empire's authoritarian constitution creates elected national parliament, but gives emperor extensive powers. 1888 - Start of William II's reign; start of trend towards colonial expansion and build-up of navy to compete with Britain's; rapid growth of economic power. 1890 - Growing workers' movement culminates in founding of Social Democratic Party of Germany. 1914-1918 - World War I 1918 - Germany defeated, signs armistice. Emperor William II abdicates and goes into exile. 1919 - Treaty of Versailles: Germany loses colonies and land to neighbours, pays large-scale reparations. Beginning of the Weimar Republic, based on a new constitution. Its early years are marked by high unemployment and rampant inflation. 1923 - Adolf Hitler, head of the National Socialist German Workers' (Nazi) Party, leads an abortive coup in a Munich beer hall. France, Belgium occupy the Ruhr over failed reparation payments. Hyperinflation leads to economic collapse. 1929 - Global depression, mass unemployment. 1933 - Hitler becomes chancellor. Weimar Republic gives way to a one-party state. Systematic persecution of Germany's Jews escalates. Hitler proclaims the Third Reich in 1934. 1935 - Germany begins to re-arm. Nuremberg Laws deprive German Jews of citizenship. 1938 - Annexation of Austria and Sudetenland. Kristallnacht (Night of Broken Glass) sees orchestrated attacks on Jews and their property as well as synagogues. 1939-1945 - Invasion of Poland triggers World War II. Millions of people of all ages, mostly Jews but also large numbers of Gypsies, Slavs and other races, the disabled, homosexuals and religious dissenters, die as the Nazis implement an extermination policy in the death camps of eastern Europe. 1945 - Germany defeated, Hitler commits suicide. Allies divide Germany into occupation zones. 1945-1946 - Nuremberg war crimes trials see major Nazi figures executed or imprisoned. 1949 - Germany is divided. The US, French and British zones in the west

Summary: A chronology of key events:


The reforms are thought to include tax rises and pension changes. Greece is due to present the proposals by 22:00 GMT on Thursday to try to secure a third bailout and prevent a possible exit from the eurozone. The new proposals will be studied by eurozone finance ministers on Saturday and a full EU summit on Sunday. Defence Minister and junior coalition party leader Panos Kammenos gave no further details of the agreed plans as he left the prime minister's official residence, where ministers had been meeting. Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras has spent the day discussing the proposals with his cabinet. Greek media are reporting that the reforms will be put to the Greek parliament on Friday for approval. On Wednesday Greece formally submitted a request for an unspecified loan from the European Stability Mechanism bailout fund. This would be a fresh loan "to meet Greece's debt obligations and to ensure stability of the financial system", Greece says - in other words, to avoid bankruptcy. The President of the European Council, Donald Tusk, who will chair Sunday's EU summit, said he hoped to receive "concrete and realistic proposals of reforms from Athens". Such proposals "will have to be matched by an equally realistic proposal on debt sustainability from the creditors. Only then will we have a win-win situation," Mr Tusk added. However the German Chancellor Angela Merkel said that "a classic haircut" (meaning reducing the value of Greece's debts) was "out of the question" for her. All Greek to you? Debt jargon explained Speaking in Sarajevo, Mrs Merkel said the eurozone had dealt with the issue of debt sustainability in 2012. She described Sunday's EU summit as a decisive and important meeting. "We must not forget that the Greek people are suffering at the moment," she said. German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble also ruled out debt relief for Greece, saying "there cannot be a haircut because it would infringe the system of the European Union". Greece needs to implement reforms to win the trust of its eurozone partners, Mr Schaeuble said. He told a conference in Frankfurt that his message to the new Greek Finance Minister Euclid Tsakalotos was: "Just do it!". Follow the latest updates here The Greek government has meanwhile extended bank closures and the €60 (£43; $66) daily limit on cash machine withdrawals until Monday. The curbs were imposed on 28 June, after a deadlock in bailout talks with creditors led to a rush of withdrawals. Louka Katseli, the head of the Greek bank association, said on Thursday that there was enough liquidity in cash machines to serve the public until Monday. Tsipras, Greece's high-stakes gambler Why Greece sees France as last hope How easy is it to swap currencies? Full coverage of Greek debt crisis On Thursday, EU Economics Commissioner Pierre Moscovici said he was hopeful of a new deal: "I have the sense that the dialogue is established, or restored, and that there is a way out." The IMF, lowering its economic growth forecast for the world for 2015, said events in Greece would have a "limited"

Summary: Greece's government has agreed a reform programme and will submit its proposals to its international lenders soon, the defence minister has said.


Paramedics were called to The Mitre pub, on Spider Island, in Allenton, at about 15:00 GMT on Sunday. The 24-year-old man was arrested in the early hours of Monday and is in police custody. The teenager remains in a serious condition in hospital. "We would urge anyone who might have information that could help us to come forward immediately," police said.

Summary: A man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after a 16-year-old boy was stabbed outside a pub in Derby.


PC Daniel Moss, 39, who was based in Hastings, was placed under formal investigation by Sussex Police on 2 December and suspended from duty. The force said he was advertising sexual services for payment on an adult website after reporting off sick with a stress-related illness in September. He was sacked on Friday following a public gross misconduct hearing. The hearing found he had behaved in a manner that had discredited the police service or undermined public confidence. He did not attend the hearing. Det Insp Nick Wainwright from Sussex Police's professional standards department said despite being on sick leave Mr Moss was "still able to offer himself as being available to perform sexual services for payment". Mr Wainwright said it was "clearly completely out of keeping with his role that others uphold with pride, integrity and with the trust of the public whom they serve".

Summary: A police officer who advertised himself as a male prostitute while off sick from work has been sacked.


The government-proposed changes to national security laws are part of a review into counter-terrorism. The new measures would mean the Australian Defence Force (ADF) could be called in sooner to help police deal with threats. They were prompted by criticism of the speed with which police responded to the 2014 siege in a cafe in Sydney. Current legislation prevents police from calling on the ADF until they have reached the limit of their capability or capacity. Under the new measures, the military would also provide specialised training to police forces. At a press conference, Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said he was "taking a lot of the red tape and the gum out of the works to enable the cooperation between the police and the ADF". Two hostages and the lone gunman died in the Sydney siege and earlier this year a coroner said that the authorities had been too slow to respond How the Sydney siege unfolded Australia has seen several Islamist-inspired attacks over the past years, prompting a review of how police and authorities can respond better. In the most recent case, a terrorist holding a hostage in Melbourne was killed by police last month.

Summary: The Australian military is to be given broad new powers to respond to domestic terrorist attacks.