On Wednesday the Egyptian Competition Authority said it had referred the Caf president Issa Hayatou to prosecutors for investigation. It said he was suspected of not opening up the tender to free and fair competition as required by Egyptian law. Caf is based in Cairo so the authorities say it must follow their laws. Caf said the reports were false, adding that in the letter it was sent by the competition authority there was no mention of any prosecution against Mr Hayatou. "False information, published in the Egyptian press since yesterday and widely reported around the world, indicates a recommendation for prosecution of the president of the Caf to the Attorney General of Egypt on corruption charges," said the statement. "It should be noted that in the letter sent to Caf by the Egyptian Competition Authority, there is no mention of any prosecution against the president of Caf, whether for acts of corruption or something else." "Caf wishes to point out that the contract with Lagardère Sports does not contravene national or supranational legislation, as established by categorical legal opinions in this regard." In June 2015, Caf signed a deal with Lagardere which gave the French media company broadcasting rights to a variety of African football competitions, including the flagship Africa Cup of Nations, from 2017 until 2028. The deal was valued at $1 billion by African football's ruling body and followed on from a previous contract with Lagardere, which had run from 2008 to 2016. The French company is not the subject of the referral, but has denied any wrongdoing. "Any allegations that the agreement breaches local Egyptian competition laws are wholly unfounded and we have clear and categorical legal advice to that effect," it said in a statement to the BBC. The Egyptian Competition Authority's complaint comes days after the new deal took effect and a week before the Nations Cup gets underway. The continent's largest sporting event kicks off in Gabon on 14 January, with the final taking place on 5 February.

Summary: The Confederation of African Football (Caf) has strongly denied that a deal with a media company for broadcast rights to several African football tournaments has broken any laws.


He was taken into custody on Thursday in Lurgan. Four other men arrested after searches in the County Armagh town and in Coalisland, County Tyrone, on Wednesday, are still being questioned. Police evacuated an estimated 15 homes in Lurgan's Woodville Avenue during Wednesday's searches. Forensic teams and police using a sniffer dog carried out the searches. Three men, two aged 22 and one aged 24, were arrested in Lurgan and a 46-year-old in Coalisland.

Summary: A 22-year-old man who was arrested by police investigating dissident republican activity has been released unconditionally.


Each week in the UK, about 12 seemingly healthy people aged 35 or under are victims of sudden cardiac death, largely due to undiagnosed heart conditions. If you have a family member who has been diagnosed with an inherited heart condition, or has a family history of premature deaths, doctors will suggest you be tested. Having angina or a heart attack at a young age can also prompt a test. Young people should also be checked if they have: They carry out an electrocardiogram test - also known as an ECG. This looks at the electrical activity of the heart. It is painless and involves having small stickers placed on the chest, which are connected to the ECG machine. A cardiologist checks the results. Sometimes, an echocardiogram - an ultrasound test that looks at the structure of the heart - is also done. If someone under 35 has died suddenly, the NHS will offer "cascade testing" to family members to see if they have inherited a faulty gene. Just being identified helps. People can then be monitored, and encouraged to make any lifestyle changes that could help them. There are drug treatments available - and people can be fitted with internal cardioverter defibrillators - a matchbox-sized device placed just under the collar bone that gives the heart electric pulses or shocks to get the heart rhythm back to normal. Other procedures and surgery are also available. Talk to your GP if you have any concerns. These websites have more information:

Summary: About 620,000 people in the UK have a faulty gene that puts them at risk of developing coronary heart disease or sudden death, and most are unaware, heart experts have warned.


It means Blackberry users will have to use the mobile version of the website to log on to the social network. It is not clear when this will come into effect. Earlier this month WhatsApp, which is owned by Facebook, also announced that it would only continue to support Blackberry's Android-powered Priv handset. Whatsapp support for Blackberry's own operating system will end at the end of 2016, the firm said. "We fought back to work with WhatsApp and Facebook to change their minds, but at this time, their decision stands," wrote Lou Gazzola, who works in developer relations at Blackberry, in a blog post. "We have worked hard to ensure our end users have the best experience in light of this decision, and are continuing to search for alternate solutions." Mr Gazzola urged supporters to take to social media using the hashtag #ILoveBB10Apps. "Hey @facebook and @WhatsApp #ILoveBB10Apps Please don't kill'em *attempts puppy eyes*" tweeted Jo. "I use BB10 because I wanted an alternative to Android and iOS devices, don't stop offering people an alternative choice! #ILoveBB10Apps" tweeted Ed Hale. Facebook has been contacted for comment.

Summary: Blackberry said it is "extremely disappointed" with Facebook's decision to discontinue support for its app.


Jurors could not reach a verdict after four days of deliberations in the case against former North Charleston patrolman Michael Slager, 35. A bystander filmed the officer opening fire on 50-year-old Walter Scott after he fled an April 2015 traffic stop. The jury of 11 white people and a black man heard four weeks of testimony. Charleston County prosecutor Scarlett A Wilson said her office would retry Mr Slager, who is also scheduled to stand trial in federal court next year. "We hope the federal and state courts will coordinate efforts regarding any future trial dates but we stand ready whenever the court calls," she said in a statement, referring to his federal trial. The case gained national attention after video emerged appearing to show the moment the officer opened fire on a fleeing Mr Scott. Mr Scott was fatally shot five times in the back as he tried to run away after he had been pulled over for a broken tail light. Mr Slager was fired from the police force after the shooting. He pleaded not guilty to murder, but jurors were also allowed to consider a voluntary manslaughter charge against him as the trial came to a close last week. The jury announced on Friday they were unable to reach a unanimous verdict, but the judge sent them back to continue deliberations. One of the jurors wrote Judge Clifton Newman a letter saying he could not "in good conscience approve a guilty verdict" and would not change his mind. On Monday, a note from the jury said "the majority" of jurors were still undecided. The panel also submitted a number of questions, including why voluntary manslaughter was added as a possible verdict and whether the definition of self-defence is different for police than for civilians. Mr Slager had testified that he feared for his life during the encounter. "Like so many others in our community, I'm deeply disappointed by the jury's inability to reach a unanimous verdict", Charleston Mayor John Tecklenburg said in a statement. "However, despite that disappointment, I also understand that justice is not always delivered by a single jury, in a single courtroom, on a single day. Justice is often a journey. And the journey to justice in the Michal Slager case is far from over." The former police officer would have faced 30 years to life in prison on a murder charge while a manslaughter conviction would have carried a sentence of two to 30 years behind bars. The North Charleston City Council reached a $6.5m (Â£5.1m) settlement with Mr Scott's family in October 2015 over the incident.

Summary: The case of a South Carolina police officer accused of murdering a fleeing black motorist by shooting him dead has ended in a mistrial.


Belgium international Lukaku, 20, and Barry, 32, join on season-long loans. Everton have stated that McCarthy, 22, has signed for £13m, but Wigan say the fee is in the region of £15m. The Toffees have also confirmed the departure of Marouane Fellaini to Manchester United for £27.5m and Victor Anichebe to West Brom. Lukaku, who signed for Chelsea from Anderlecht in August 2011 for a reported £20m, spent last season on loan at West Brom, where he scored 17 Premier League goals. He has appeared as a substitute twice for Chelsea in the Premier League this season and missed the decisive penalty in the Blues' Super Cup defeat by Bayern Munich. The Baggies were hoping to bring Lukaku back to The Hawthorns but Everton beat them to his signature to offset the departure of Anichebe to West Brom. McCarthy, who has played 16 times for the Republic of Ireland and was part of Wigan's FA Cup-winning side last season, was brought in to fill the void left by Fellaini's departure. Everton have not revealed the length of his contract, describing it as a "long-term deal", while his former club Hamilton Academical have also received a substantial sell-on fee from Wigan. England international Barry signs after making 132 Premier League appearances for Manchester City. The former Aston Villa man, who helped City to FA Cup and Premier League successes, is in the last year of a five-year deal with the Manchester side.

Summary: Everton have signed Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku, Wigan midfielder James McCarthy and Manchester City's England international midfielder Gareth Barry.


Carmarthenshire council voted in favour making Ysgol Llangennech, near Llanelli, a Welsh medium primary from September. The move will not affect current pupils who can continue to learn in English. A bitter debate took place in County Hall on Wednesday, with 38 councillors voting in favour of the proposal and 20 against. Carmarthenshire council said it wanted to extend Welsh medium provision in schools, partly in response to census figures which show a fall in Welsh speakers in the county. Speaking during the debate, Labour councillor Kim Thomas said the move amounted to "segregation...and at worst apartheid." Parents opposed to the change said they will fight on, while those in support said the decision was "a huge relief". An amendment to maintain a dual stream school at Llangennech, pending further discussions, was defeated.

Summary: Plans to remove English stream education at a Carmarthenshire school have been backed.


It said the number of homes on the market was close to record lows, partly because of low rates of construction. Nevertheless, its latest figures show that annual house price inflation has fallen, from 5.6% in August to 5.3% in September. Between August and September, prices rose by just 0.3%, half the 0.6% rise in the previous month. The average price of a house or flat in the UK is now Â£206,015, it said. Even though demand for homes has fallen, the number of new properties coming on to the market has also gone down. The Nationwide's chief economist, Robert Gardner, said housebuilders should have more confidence that people will want to buy any homes they build. And he said they have plenty of sites where they could begin construction. "The major housebuilders appear to have capacity to expand output, with most reporting land banks that could support around five years' worth of construction at current rates of building activity." Government figures show that in the last year, 139,000 new houses were completed in England. This compares to the need for 225,000 new homes a year, said Mr Gardner. "The number of new homes built in England has picked up, but is still not sufficient to keep up with the expected increase in the population," he said. The industry responded by saying that there had already been a huge increase in supply, and it was planning to deliver even more. "House builders have massively increased output over the past few years and continue to recruit the people and buy the land necessary to deliver even more desperately needed homes," said Stewart Baseley. executive chairman of the Home Builders Federation (HBF). "Reversing decades of under supply requires government to continue to implement pro development policies and lenders to ensure buyers can get a mortgage," he told the BBC. But Mr Gardner said that in particular, not enough homes are being built in London and its suburbs. Over the last year, the housing stock in the capital has risen by 2.9%, whereas a rise of 4.3% could have been expected, he added. Where can I afford to live?

Summary: Housebuilders should get on and build more houses, the Nationwide Building Society has declared.


Conservative Nusrat Ghani is calling on the Diplomatic Service to offer homegrown bottles "where possible" to help promote the UK's image abroad. She told MPs that the UK was "missing opportunities" in countries such as Japan, India, China and Singapore where wine consumption was increasing. Some 44% of wine drunk at government events in 2015 was English or Welsh. Ms Ghani, whose Wealden constituency in Kent is home to a number of England's 133 wineries, has presented a ten-minute rule bill to Parliament which would give English firms greater presence at high-profile ambassador's receptions around the world. She told MPs that the English wine industry, which produced five million bottles last year, could compete with the best from across Europe despite its relatively small size. Domestic firms, she said, were now official suppliers to Downing Street while she believed that the Queen served English sparkling wines at state banquets. But she expressed concern at what she said was a "lack of consistency" among the UK's 268 foreign embassies, high commissions and consulates towards showcasing homegrown produce. "Last week I was told our Rome embassy asked the UK industry to sponsor an evening for Tuscan wines. That is simply not good enough. I doubt Italy's outposts here in London serve anything other than Italian wine." With the UK set to leave the EU, she said British success stories needed as much support as possible to reach a wider audience while also projecting the UK's post-Brexit "brand". "Article 50 is on its way and this could be seen as the first post-Brexit bill," she said. "As we leave the EU we must grasp every opportunity to find new markets for our products around the world and be imaginative in supporting them. "I look forward to the very best of our wines creating a splash in Paris, Berlin, Madrid and Rome for that matter and perhaps helping to oil the wheels of the Brexit negotiations to come." Her bill got an unopposed first reading in the Commons but is unlikely to become law unless it is adopted by the government - ten-minute rule bills are generally used to raise the profile of an issue rather than precipitate legislation. According to the most recent statement by the Government Hospitality wine cellar, published by the Foreign Office, the cellar contains over 33,000 bottles of wines and spirits, with a total value of Â£809,990. English and Welsh wine were the most commonly served in 2015-6, making up 44% of the total consumed.

Summary: Serving English wine at UK diplomatic functions could help "oil the wheels of Brexit negotiations", an MP has said.


Media playback is not supported on this device Kerber, seeded seventh, won a thrilling final 6-4 3-6 6-4 at Melbourne Park. The 28-year-old is the first German to win a major singles title since Steffi Graf at the 1999 French Open. Williams, 34, was beaten for just the fifth time in 26 Grand Slam finals, and the American missed the chance to tie Graf's open-era record of 22 titles. Kerber, who saved a match point in her first-round win over Misaki Doi, will move up to number two in the world rankings. Kerber had won just one of six previous matches against Williams and was making her Grand Slam final debut, but she was the better player over two hours and eight minutes on Rod Laver Arena. She led Williams in the ace count until the latter stages, limiting her to just seven overall, while the American racked up 46 errors to just 13 by Kerber. Williams made 23 mistakes in the first set alone - sparking memories of her desperately nervous display in losing to Roberta Vinci at the US Open last September - and Kerber took full advantage to claim it after 39 minutes. However, the defending champion cut her error count to just five in the second set and claimed it thanks to a single break in game four. Kerber twice moved ahead in the decider and a stunning sixth game saw the German produce two fine drop shots and win a breathtaking 19-stroke rally to cling on to her serve and edge closer to victory. Nerves took hold and she was broken while serving for the match, but she launched into the Williams serve once again and clinched the title when the world number one sent a volley long. Kerber said afterwards that being able to say she was a Grand Slam champion "sounds crazy". "It's my dream come. I worked for this my whole life," said the German. "It's been such an up and down two weeks, I was match point down in the first round and had one foot in the plane to Germany. "Now I have beaten Serena and won the championship. I have so many emotions, so many thoughts, but all of them good ones." Williams was gracious in defeat, telling Kerber: "Angie, congratulations. You deserve this and I'm so happy for you. I really hope you enjoy this moment." The runner-up added: "Would I give my performance an A? No, but this is all I could produce. "I'm not a robot. I do the best that I can. I try to win every point but realistically I can't. Maybe someone else can." BBC tennis correspondent Russell Fuller Kerber had to save a match point just to avoid losing in the first round, and she proved her mental toughness again when the title was on the line. Having pressured Williams into a string of unforced errors in the first set by chasing down virtually every ball, she mixed true grit with sheer class as she broke for a 4-2 lead in the deciding set.

Summary: Germany's Angelique Kerber stunned world number one Serena Williams in three sets to win her first Grand Slam title at the Australian Open.


Protestors are blocking access to Woodburn Forest near Carrickfergus. One man has been arrested for causing an obstruction. Contractors turned up on Thursday morning to start preparatory work on the site. Protestors have maintained a presence there since Monday. The oil company, Infrastrata, wants to drill an exploratory well on the site. A trailer has been used to block access to it and a number of private cars are also blocking the road outside it. Campaigners claim that the well could impact the water supply because the site is within the catchment of a reservoir that supplies water to thousands of homes in Belfast and Carrickfergus. Northern Ireland Water, which has leased the well site to the company, has said it is confident there is no threat to the water supply. The campaign group Stop the Drill has called for the planning consents to be reviewed by the Department of the Environment. The company has said that once it starts, it will take seven weeks of drilling to complete the borehole. In a statement, the company said: "Infrastrata is committed to carrying out this conventional exploration in an environmentally-responsible manner. "In common with other petroleum exploration sites in the UK, the site at Woodburn Forest has been designed to assure the maximum protection for the environment." The company says this will involve developing a fully watertight site which will protect local watercourses including the Woodburn River and the nearby reservoir. All work will be finished within four months.

Summary: Police and environmentalists are in a stand off at a County Antrim forest where an oil company plans to drill a well.


David Cameron has promised Scotland new powers over tax, spending and welfare - as well as promising voters in England, Wales and Northern Ireland that they too will have a greater say in the way they are governed. Lord Smith of Kelvin, who was in charge of Glasgow's Commonwealth Games, will now oversee the negotiation process, based on new promises made by the Better Together campaign during the Scottish referendum, and known as "Devo-max". Under those promises, Scottish taxpayers can now expect bigger - and earlier - changes than they previously thought. A timetable has already been agreed to devolve some tax powers. These could be introduced soon after the general election in May 2015. The powers would allow Holyrood to raise a further Â£2bn in revenues, and have even greater control over income tax than has already been planned. The Scottish Parliament already has powers to alter the amount of income tax people pay, by up to 3p in the pound. To date it has not used this power. But from April 2016, when the Scotland Act (2012) is expected to become law, Holyrood is due to have greater power. It will be able to alter the tax rate by up to 10p in the pound. The UK's basic rate of tax is currently 20%. But under the Scotland Act, that rate could be cut to 10%, or increased to 30% north of the border. The higher rate of tax is currently 40% - which Scotland could cut to 30%, or increase to 50%. The top rate of 45% could be cut to 35%, or increased to 55%, in Scotland. The Act requires that if one tax rate is altered, the other rates must move in tandem. In other words, if the basic rate were to be cut by 5%, the other rates would have to be cut by 5% as well. However, these changes are likely to be overtaken by the UK government's promise of changes to tax, spending and welfare. Despite David Cameron's announcement after the referendum result, the main Westminster parties are not yet agreed on what extra tax-raising powers should now be devolved to Scotland. Both the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats would like to cede virtually all control over income tax to the Scottish Parliament, including rates and bands. However, a study for the Conservatives, chaired by Lord Strathclyde, suggested that Westminster should still have control of the amount that people can earn before paying tax - the personal allowance. The Tories have also suggested that Scotland might have some control over VAT receipts. Labour wants to give the Scottish Parliament less extensive tax-raising powers. It suggests allowing Holyrood to increase tax rates by up to 15p in the pound. So the 20% basic rate could be increased to 35%. Members of the Scottish Parliament could also decide to reduce the 45% rate, providing they cut the basic rate as well. But until detailed discussions between the parties begin, many of these proposals are far from clear. Even then, compromises are likely before they are implemented.

Summary: Scotland has voted to remain part of the United Kingdom, but Scots can still expect significant changes in the taxes they will pay, and the welfare benefits they will receive, as soon as next year.


Jeff Varner, who is appearing on Survivor: Game Changers, made the revelation about his team-mate Zeke Smith on Wednesday's episode. Varner told the show's presenter and his team-mates: "There is deception here," before turning to Smith and asking: "Why haven't you told anyone that you're transgender?" He has since apologised on Twitter. Several other contestants quickly defended Smith after Varner's comments, telling the former news anchor his actions were "so wrong" and that he "didn't have to do that". Smith had previously shared his history with Varner privately but had not intended to reveal he was trans on the show. In an article for The Hollywood Reporter published after the episode aired, Smith criticised Varner and said he was "not wild about [viewers] knowing that I'm trans". He wrote: "In calling me deceptive, Varner invoked one of the most odious stereotypes of transgender people, a stereotype that is often used as an excuse for violence and even murder. "Varner is saying that I'm not really a man and that simply living as my authentic self is a nefarious trick. "In reality, by being Zeke the dude, I am being my most honest self - as is every other transgender person going about their daily lives." Smith added that he doesn't believe Varner, who is gay, did it because he hates trans people, and praised his Survivor team-mates for the way they reacted. "I think he hoped others would believe that trans people are fraudulent. What's great is that nobody bought it. "It's important people see he lost that fight. The message should be clear that hate will always lose." In a Twitter message posted after the show aired, Varner offered his "deepest most heart-felt apologies to Zeke Smith". He wrote: "I was wrong and make no excuses for it. I own responsibility in what is the worst decision of my life." Follow us on Facebook, on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, or on Instagram at bbcnewsents. If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news@bbc.co.uk.

Summary: A contestant on a US TV show has been outed as being transgender by one of his fellow competitors.


Each course teaches students, who must be 18 or older when attending, about GCHQ's work to combat cyber-threats and helps them develop their "cyber-skills". The schools are held at four sites in the UK, an increase from two last year. The expansion was made following high demand for places, GCHQ has said. One of the schools, Cyber Insiders, will give participants the chance to learn from a range of cybersecurity experts and will be held at Cheltenham from 4 July to 9 September. Another, named Cyber Exposure, is targeted at students with a "natural curiosity for technology and problem-solving". The Cyber Exposure courses will be held at sites in Scarborough, the Manchester area, and the Thames Valley between 11 July and 19 August. "It is good that GCHQ is doing this, it increases the number of people that are learning about cybersecurity," cryptography expert Prof Mark Ryan, at the University of Birmingham, told the BBC. "We do have a cybersecurity skills gap where we just aren't training enough people in cybersecurity." The Cheltenham-based school is targeted specifically at first- and second-year students studying computer science, maths, physics or related subjects. The other courses are open to students of any subject who have five GCSEs, including maths and English, who are also on track to achieve two A-levels at C grade or higher. In a statement, GCHQ said that work at the summer schools would cover a wide range of technologies. "Students will learn about GCHQ's role in defending the UK against cyber-threats whilst being paid £250 a week," the agency said. Applications are now open at the GCHQ careers website.

Summary: UK intelligence agency GCHQ has announced it will pay £250 per week to students attending its Cyber Summer Schools this year.


The deal with AEVI will see the Edinburgh-based firm's scheduling and booking software being made available to more than 500,000 firms worldwide. The software will feature on AEVI's cloud-based suite of business-to-business apps and services. From February, users will be able to schedule appointments on AEVI-enabled point-of-sale devices. Appointedd's software is designed to help small and medium sized businesses (SMEs) make appointments with colleagues and customers wherever they are in the world. Appointedd was founded by Leah Hutcheon in 2011 and has attracted support from several high-profile investors, including Skyscanner founder Gareth Williams and Macklin Enterprise Partnerships founder Marie Macklin. Ms Hutcheon, said: "At Appointedd, we're passionate about supporting businesses to grow and flourish and this new partnership with AEVI exposes Appointedd to a wide range of businesses across the globe, enabling us to help them to scale their businesses. "We know that SMEs are short on time and Appointedd can help them streamline processes, grow their businesses and gain a competitive advantage."

Summary: Online booking firm Appointedd has formed a strategic partnership with a global payment transaction provider.


Staff have been told the posts will go by March and will mainly affect management and head office roles in Manchester and Stockport. Deputy chief executive Liam Coleman said the cost reductions were "critical" as it continues its three-year plan to rebuild the business. The bank almost collapsed in 2013 and it expects to continue to be loss-making until the end of next year. Mr Coleman said: "These cost reductions are critical to progressing our turnaround and delivering a cost base which supports a sustainable core bank." He said it would continue to consult colleagues and trade unions on the proposals over the coming weeks. "We have made progress in turning the bank around since 2013, but have always been clear that the bank's recovery is a difficult journey." He said the business would not make a profit this year or next year while it continues its "turnaround plan in a challenging economic environment". Rob MacGregor, national officer at trade union Unite, said: "The speed and breadth of these cuts will hit the Co-operative Bank's much cherished customer service and with it the bank's unique selling point. "Compulsory redundancies are anathema to all trade unions, but the timing of this exercise just before Christmas is a real blow to our members." He said the union would be supporting members and pressing the bank to reconsider the cuts where possible. The bank was owned by the Co-operative Group until 2013, when a Â£1.5bn hole was discovered in its finances. The group had to go to outside investors to support the Co-op Bank, which is now 80% owned by US hedge funds, with the remainder held by the Co-op Group.

Summary: Co-operative Bank is cutting 200 jobs as it looks to continue its recovery.


Claim: Leaving the EU would make an average holiday for four people to the EU £230 more expensive in two years. Reality Check verdict: It would be reasonable to expect a weaker pound to make foreign holidays more expensive, but it is hard to predict a precise figure. Actually, only the starting point of this analysis comes from the Treasury - Monday's document from the Treasury predicted that if we left the EU, the pound would be 12% weaker in two years than it would have been if we had stayed in. The 12% figure is not excessive compared with other predictions. Some banks have been forecasting much more severe declines in sterling if the UK leaves the EU. The next step was to get the Office for National Statistics to work out the average cost of a holiday for four to various destinations, based on the International Passenger Survey. Then, you work out how much extra that holiday would cost if the pound was worth 12% less. And the result you get is that the average eight-day stay in the EU for four people (that's any group of four, not necessarily a family) would cost an extra £230 due to currency movements. In addition to the currency effect, the release from Downing Street also refers to the chances of air fares increasing following a Brexit, which the Reality Check team has considered before. We concluded that leaving the EU could lead to an increase in fares, but that the impact could be reduced or even avoided depending on what agreements the UK reached with the EU and other countries. The release also refers to the cost of mobile phone calls if roaming fees are not abolished. From next year, mobile phone roaming charges will be abolished across the EU, saving UK customers up to 38p per minute on calls. But if Britain left the EU, it is possible the UK and Brussels could agree a new deal. Read more: The facts behind claims in the EU debate

Summary: Prime Minister David Cameron has warned: "If we were to leave, and the pound were to fall, which is what most people expect and what the Treasury forecast, that would put up the cost of a typical holiday for a family of four to a European destination by £230."


You asked for the latest news on an office block in Dudley which has stood empty for many years. You wanted to know why a once popular picture house in Shropshire closed in 1967. And you asked us to shed some light on the history of terraced houses in Stoke-on-Trent. Here is how we have got on with answering your questions. Cavendish House in Dudley town centre was once home to Inland Revenue offices but has been empty for many years. The seven-storey, 85,880 sq ft building was bought at auction by Avenbury Dudley Ltd for £800,000, the Express & Star reported in October 2015. The following month, the Birmingham Post reported Avenbury planned to demolish the building to pave the way for a £50m retail and leisure development. Midlands Business News reported a planning application had been submitted to Dudley Council in March 2016. We asked Councillor Khurshid Ahmed, cabinet member for planning and economic development, for the latest. He said: "We are in regular dialogue with the developer and will be meeting with them again in the New Year." A spokesman for Avenbury told us: "Things are still happening behind the scenes but [there is] nothing to announce yet." We have spoken to a number of local historians and cinema enthusiasts and the general consensus is that it closed due to dwindling audiences. Historian Ron Miles said there were once 26 cinemas in the Telford area and two in Oakengates - but they became less popular when people started to get televisions in their own homes. Another local historian, Rob Breeze, remembers being taken to The Grosvenor to watch Carry on Cleo. He agreed that a lot of cinemas started closing from the late-1960s onwards, as demand fell. There is also a theory that the cinema had to close to make way for the flyover carrying the A442 Queensway. But according to the book "Silver Screen Memories" that is not true, because the road was not built until 1975. Like many parts of the UK, terraced houses - with one design repeated along a row of joined homes - were built in the city in great numbers following the industrial revolution. Local historian Fred Hughes said many were built around the six town centres of Burslem, Fenton, Hanley, Longton, Stoke and Tunstall. These went on to form Stoke-on-Trent. They were built close to industrial centres for pottery and mining due to the lack of transport links, he said, with many knocked down towards the end of the 1950s and early 60s when they were replaced by housing estates like Chell Heath and Bentilee. Stoke's terraced houses hit the headlines in 2013 when the city council sold off 35 of the properties, mainly in the Cobridge area, for £1. Have you got a question about the West Midlands? Is there something you have seen or heard that you would like us to investigate? It could be a burning issue or something you have always wondered about the area or its people. Use the tool below to send us your questions. We

Summary: Readers have been using Your Questions to tell us what they want to know about the West Midlands.


The left-hander made 114 not out after the start of play was delayed until 14:00 BST because of a wet outfield. He shared a stand of 142 with Kumar Sangakkara, who was caught behind off Jake Ball for 83 soon after tea. Pace bowler Ball claimed 3-77, but Surrey, having followed on, reached the close on 297-5, a lead of 76. Harinath scored 568 runs in eight first-class appearances for Surrey last summer, including two centuries. He again showed a clam temperament to hold the innings together with one six and 15 fours after Rory Burns (17) was lbw to Ball in only the second over of the day. Sangakkara also looked in good touch before he and Steven Davies departed in similar fashion in the same Ball over. Jason Roy made a typically assertive 37, but was then lbw to Brett Hutton, leaving Harinath to bring up his century with a sweep for three off Samit Patel.

Summary: Opener Arun Harinath hit an unbeaten century as promoted Surrey avoided the prospect of an innings defeat on day three against Notts at Trent Bridge.


The men, one of whom was carrying a suspected firearm and another a knife, forced their way into a house in Burneys Mews about 02:25 GMT on Sunday. The gang threatened the occupants before leaving. Nothing was taken during the incident. Although those in the house were not injured, they were left shaken by their ordeal. Police have appealed for anyone with information to contact them.

Summary: A number of people have been threatened by a gang during an aggravated burglary in Newtownabbey, County Antrim.


The Mayor of London who is in the country on a trade visit was invited to join children on a mini turf pitch in Tokyo for the non-contact game. Toki Sekiguchi was knocked to the ground and said he "felt a little pain". The mayor, a keen rugby fan, shook the boy's hand and apologised. In the game of touch rugby the person with the ball is stopped by being touched, not tackled, as in union rugby. Slo-mo BoJo He has form. He brought a child to the ground last year in a football kickabout. And in 2006 he played in a charity England-Germany football match. Although only on for 10 minutes he stunned the 20,000-strong crowd by flooring retired German midfielder Maurizio Gaudino in a rugby-style tackle. Of that incident he said: "When he was about two yards away I just put my head down. I was going for the ball with my head, which I understand is a legitimate move in soccer." In Tokyo, the pair later posed for photographs and Mr Johnson handed over a 2015 rugby ball to the youngster.

Summary: Boris Johnson has knocked over a 10-year-old child while playing touch rugby in Japan.


The 33-year-old has signed a two-year deal at Cardiff City Stadium after being released by League Two Portsmouth earlier this summer. Murphy joins subject to international clearance and offers competition to goalkeepers Ben Amos and Ben Wilson after David Marshall's move to Hull. "I'm delighted to be here and looking forward to getting going now," he said. "I'm used to working hard and that's what I'll do. "Hopefully we'll push each other every day and when it comes to Saturday, you get what you deserve."

Summary: Cardiff City have signed former Manchester City and Swansea goalkeeper Brian Murphy on a free transfer.


The Swansea boxer's chance comes at Bethnal Green's York Hall on Saturday, 24 February. Harris' father Peter was a British champion and Harris, who trains with Gary Lockett, is looking to follow in his footsteps. "To be fighting for a title in just my 10th fight is huge for me," he said. "I'm determined to become the Commonwealth champion." Find out how to get into boxing with our special guide.

Summary: Welsh boxer Jay Harris will challenge Thomas Essomba for the Commonwealth flyweight title in just his 10th professional fight.


The company said staff who walk out in the ongoing dispute over the role of conductors would be paid the money when industrial action came to an end. The RMT union described it as "another outrageous and bullying attack on staff fighting for public safety". General secretary Mick Cash said staff were "signing away basic human rights". Passengers on Southern services have suffered months of delays and disruption caused by the industrial action over the introduction of Driver Only Operated trains. The next 48-hour walkout takes place next week, with further strikes planned in the run-up to Christmas and over the new year. Mr Cash said it was "despicable" that Southern "felt it necessary to try and hoodwink staff" into signing an agreement with the "sole purpose to stop lawful industrial action". In a statement, Southern said: "Passengers have had to endure 17 days of strikes so far with 11 more to come, causing misery and hardship to people's work and family lives. "We feel we cannot make these payments to conductors who are planning to take industrial action. "They will be paid once the industrial action is over."

Summary: Southern rail has been accused of bullying after it asked staff to sign a pledge not to strike in exchange for getting backdated holiday pay early.


The engine was driven from Larne fire station at about 04:00 GMT on Saturday and crashed into cars and houses a short time later. Robert Duffin, 66, from Green Link in Larne, appeared at Coleraine Magistrates' Court on Monday facing five charges linked to the incident. Ross Clarke, 19, from Fairway in Larne, also appeared, accused of 14 offences. He faces charges including burglary, aggravated vehicle taking, causing damage and various motoring offences. The pair were remanded in custody to appear again on Thursday at Ballymena Magistrates' Court, when it is expected a bail application will be made.

Summary: Two men have been remanded in custody over the theft of a fire engine in County Antrim.


He was playing against opponents who, earlier that season, had wound him up so badly that it completely put him off his game. Players who 24 hours earlier had spoken to a newspaper to explain, in detail, how this imposter was going to be stopped. The supporters didn't like him. Nothing was going right. And then, taking possession 40 yards out, Ibrahimovic explodes. A dart forward. The acceleration beginning. A quick stepover, round one opponent, speed increasing. Another stepover. Outside another, back inside the same man as he tries to recover and then a shot into the bottom corner from 18 yards. "He could have passed," recalled one of the opponents he had left trailing in his wake. "But he had read the article. It was as if he was saying, 'Forget it guys. It's me'." Ibrahimovic was not finished. Initial glee, wide smile, on bended knee, waving an arm in mock celebration to show how easy it was. Then something else, more serious, a point to be made. A cup-eared celebration, blowing kisses to the crowd who were already in a state of fury. He was 19. The goal is well known among Swedish fans. The reaction to it new. It is part of a documentary 'Becoming Zlatan' to be released in August that contains remarkable archive footage of Ibrahimovic's early years at Malmo. Getting such close access at an early stage of his career was sheer good fortune for brothers Fredrik and Magnus Gertten, who shot the footage in 2000 and 2001 as part of a film intended to show the conflict between young and older players at their beloved Malmo. They needed a focus for each side of the debate. They had heard of Ibrahimovic and approached him. "The way he saw it, of course we should make a documentary him," said Fredrik. "It suited his self image. He was only 17 but he had a very strong confidence that he would make it because he had something special." Manchester United's newest recruit has a reputation for saying what he thinks. Numerous times in recent weeks he refused to say where he was going, even though his destination after leaving Paris St-Germain was obvious. Instead he said he amused himself by reading what was being written and would eventually let everyone know, at a time of his choosing. He meant it. When he posted United's badge on Instagram, he even beat his new club to the news by 24 hours. "We are not part of the football world," said Gertten. "Our business is making social and political films. Our initial experience of dealing with footballers was that nothing of them ever comes out in what they say. Their words are controlled, boring, nothing. "Zlatan was different. Here was a young guy who said interesting things, very honest things about himself and his emotions. It was so fresh. It made you feel warm towards him. "The problem is people don't always like honesty. When someone says what they think it can be painful." His Croatian mother and hard-drinking Bosnian father

Summary: It was typical of Zlatan Ibrahimovic.


Officers from South Yorkshire Police are on the island for two weeks to re-appeal to local people and follow up lines of inquiry. Ben, from Sheffield, was 21 months old when he disappeared on 24 July 1991. His mother Kerry has always maintained her son, who would now be 26, is alive and was probably abducted. Ms Needham said she hoped that Greece's statute of limitation laws would mean that people may now come forward in the knowledge they can no longer be prosecuted for withholding information. Live updates on this story and others from South Yorkshire At a press conference, Det Insp John Cousins said: "We specifically want to appeal to anyone who thinks they might be Ben. Did you have blonde hair and blue eyes as a child? Are you unsure of your background? "I'd like any of those individuals who believe they might be Ben to come forward and speak to us. There will be no pressure on them at all. "We have Ben's DNA and it will be very easy for us to do a quick test and confirm or otherwise." Mr Cousins said officers were looking into calls made to the UK's Missing Persons Bureau in 1993 by an anonymous Greek person who had said "Ben was known then as Andreas and was being cared for by a man called Nikos". Ben vanished after travelling to the island with his mother and grandparents who were renovating a run-down farmhouse building in the village of Iraklis. Speaking on the island where her son went missing, Ms Needham said: "The answer does lie on Kos, Ben was abducted from Kos, and someone knows on the island what happened to Ben. I think the appeal this morning by the detectives can bring that person forward. "Every day is difficult to deal with. It seems, and it's a little bit ironic, but it's nearly 25 years and we're going back to the beginning. I wish this could have been done so many years before but unfortunately it never was allowed. "I'm just thankful now that the Greek police and the British police are working together. The British government have given funding for this to happen. "We need to look to the future now, to remain positive and hopefully, we can get some answers. "There's no word to describe how much this means to me. "I think we've got the best team of detectives on the case." Officers travelled to Kos on Sunday, they are carrying out "house-to-house visits" and distributing leaflets and posters during the "next two weeks". Speaking from the farmhouse where Ben disappeared, Mr Cousins said: "I'm aware there were a number of vehicles and people on this lane on the day that Ben disappeared. I'd also like to appeal to anyone that was here on this day to come forward and speak to us." Earlier this year, the force secured £450,000 from the Home Office to investigate the disappearance of Ben for another six months. A DNA test was carried out on a man in Cyprus in an

Summary: Police have offered a reward of 12,500 euros (£9,800) in the search for missing Ben Needham, who disappeared on the Greek island of Kos in 1991.


The £20m contract is with wind farm developer Scottishpower Renewables. The engineering firm is to make 24 steel foundation jackets for wind turbines to be used in the North Sea. The work will take two years to complete. Harland and Wolff said the new contract is "very significant for Belfast". It added that the structures, at more than 65m tall, will almost be as "prominent in the Belfast skyline as the famous Samson and Goliath cranes". Harland and Wolff stopped shipbuilding in 2003 and its more recent work has included refurbishing oil rigs. In March, it announced 60 jobs were to go because of a downturn in the offshore oil and gas sector. Accounts for last year show it had made a profit of £1m and described market conditions as difficult.

Summary: Harland and Wolff has secured a major manufacturing contract that it says will support 200 jobs.


Proposals for reform will include term limits for presidents and integrity checks for top officials, president Sepp Blatter announced. Fifa will hold an extraordinary congress to elect its new president on 26 February 2016, he added. Blatter, 79, announced he would stand down in June - just four days after being re-elected president. Blatter's resignation on 2 June followed the arrest of seven Fifa officials as part of a United States investigation that saw 14 people in total indicted on corruption charges. A second criminal case was launched by Swiss prosecutors into the bids for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, to be held in Russia and Qatar respectively. They followed a number of scandals and corruption allegations that had tainted Fifa in recent years. In December, independent investigator Michael Garcia quit Fifa in protest at the way it handled his report into bidding for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. Candidates to replace Blatter in the February election must be nominated before 26 October. Initial predictions were of a December election, as favoured by several regional football confederations. By the time of the vote, Blatter will have been in office for almost nine months from the date of his 2 June resignation speech. Media playback is not supported on this device At a news conference on Monday, he did not backtrack on his announcement to stand aside - despite appearing to suggest in June he was reconsidering - confirming: "On 26 of February, Fifa will have a new president. I will not be a candidate for the election in 2016." Explaining his decision to step down, he said: "I had to do something very special and I did it. In footballing terms I would say I kicked the ball out of the field to stop something, this is what I did on 2 June. I'm still the elected president and today I speak with you as the elected president." Earlier on Monday, Prince Ali bin al-Hussein - who lost to Blatter in the May election - had called for the Swiss to leave his post immediately. "President Blatter's resignation cannot be dragged out any longer. He must leave now," he said. Uefa president Michel Platini has been asked by a majority of world football chiefs to stand for the post. It is thought 60-year-old Platini has yet to decide whether he will stand. But following Blatter's announcement, Platini said: "We now have a concrete date which means we can look forward to new leadership, which will surely bring with it new ideas and new solutions. This is an exciting time for Fifa." Term limits for officials, central integrity checks for executive committee members and the disclosing of all salaries and payments to Fifa members will be the main focus of the reform taskforce, Blatter said - although he did not go into more detail. The set-up of the committee would be like "10 players and a coach", he added, with one key person - the "coach" - driving the process. Platini said the creation of the panel was "an important step".

Summary: Fifa is to set up a taskforce of 11 people to look at reforming football's scandal-hit world governing body.


Harmer finished with match figures of 14-172, as the county champions lost their last five wickets for 10 runs. Nick Compton's 120 off 303 balls had helped Middlesex recover from 51-3, putting on 153 with Paul Stirling (55). But they slumped from 252-5 to 262 all out as Division One leaders Essex won by an innings and 34 runs. South Africa international Harmer, who returned career-best figures of 14-128 in last week's win over Warwickshire, has now taken 47 wickets in eight matches this season. Middlesex began the day on 27-0, still needing another 273 runs to avoid an innings defeat, and got off to the worst possible start when Nick Gubbins (16) was caught by Alastair Cook. Harmer next saw off Stevie Eskinazi (12) who was caught by Varun Chopra at leg slip, diving forward with one hand after Cook had parried the ball at slip, while Dawid Malan soon followed for one. Compton steadied the ship and completed his first century of the season from 232 balls, but was trapped leg before to become Harmer's 11th wicket of the game and Middlesex subsided. They lost their last four wickets in 27 balls, sending Essex 29 points clear at the top of the Division One table.

Summary: Spinner Simon Harmer took a career-best 9-95 as Essex beat Middlesex with just moments of a dramatic final evening at Chelmsford remaining.


The accident, involving a Jaguar which struck a bridge barrier, happened at 05:45 at Junction 18 Charing Cross in the city. The affected lane and slip road reopened at 09:00 following repairs. Police said a 38-year-old man had been taken by ambulance to Glasgow Royal Infirmary following the crash. His condition was not thought to be life-threatening. Traffic Scotland had warned drivers that the route was likely to remain shut through the early morning rush hour. The delays affected traffic from Glasgow Airport and drivers on the M77 from Junction 5. At one point, the tailback stretched as far back as Junction 29, St James Interchange. The queues had largely dissipated by mid morning but traffic was slower than usual.

Summary: Drivers have faced a seven-mile tailback after an early morning accident on the M8 in Glasgow caused damage to a bridge.


The 24-year-old sustained the injury to his right knee during last week's EFL Cup fourth-round win over Tottenham. It is not the same knee in which he suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury in October 2015 that sidelined him for seven months. "To say we are gutted would be an understatement," said Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp. "He is such a great boy and has worked so hard that he deserves better luck than this. "It is typical of Danny's personality, on and off the pitch, that he picked up this injury to his knee when courageously trying to win the ball back for his team by making a tackle. "But it is this same personality that means he will come back as good and as strong from this latest setback as he has done in the past. "He is mentally strong, physically strong and will have the very best treatment and rehab possible to make sure when he returns he is ready to play for us at the level we know he is capable of." England international Ings will have surgery in London on Tuesday. He joined Liverpool from Burnley in June 2015 for a fee that was later set at £8m by a tribunal. However, injuries have limited him to just 11 appearances for the Reds since then, in which he has scored four times. He made his one and only England appearance as a substitute in the 3-0 Euro 2016 qualifier in Lithuania in October 2015, shortly before he suffered his anterior cruciate ligament injury.

Summary: Liverpool striker Danny Ings will be out for up to nine months with a knee injury that requires surgery.


Estimates put the total quantity of waste involved at more than 30,000 tonnes. That amount would fill twelve Olympic-sized swimming pools. The latest site at Galbally, near Dungannon, is the third such find in the area since the Autumn. Experts from the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) are now linking it to two other dumps discovered previously at Ballygawley and Sandholes. Derek Williamson, from NIEA's Environmental Crime Unit, described the latest find as "significant". He said: "Given the nature of the waste deposited, NIEA is currently linking five ongoing investigations in the east Tyrone area. "We also believe the waste originated in the Republic of Ireland." Mr Williamson said his officials were working closely with the GardaÃ to identify those responsible. The volume of waste at the most recent find is still being assessed. A man was arrested as part of the operation and was later released pending further inquiries. NIEA has appealed for anyone with information on illegal dumping to contact them.

Summary: Investigators say parts of County Tyrone are being used by "unscrupulous criminals" to bury waste following the discovery of a fifth illegal dump there.


The advance came as the US said it had conducted 21 air strikes near the town, slowing down the IS advance. Tall Shair hill had been captured more than 10 days ago by IS militants. Later on Tuesday, US President Barack Obama will host talks with military chiefs from more than 20 countries on how to combat IS in Syria and Iraq. Correspondents say this is the first time such high-ranking military officials from so many countries have come together since the US-led coalition was formed last month. In a separate development, Turkish warplanes on Monday bombed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) rebel targets in Hakkari province near the Iraqi border, causing "heavy casualties", Turkish media report. If confirmed, this would be the first major air raid by Turkey on the PKK since a ceasefire was reached in March 2013. On Tuesday sources in the Kurdish Popular Protection Units (YPG) told the BBC that they had regained control of Tall Shair hill-top, about 4km (2.5 miles) to the west and near an informal border crossing. In a statement the US military said Tuesday's air strikes had destroyed IS buildings and military vehicles. The statement said the security situation on the ground "remains fluid with IS attempting to gain territory and Kurdish militia continuing to hold out". The battle for Kobane, a predominantly Kurdish town, has lasted for a month and emerged as a major test of whether the coalition's air campaign can push back IS. Two weeks of air strikes against IS targets in and around Kobane have allowed Kurdish fighters to slow the jihadists' advance, but Turkish and Western leaders have warned that the town is still likely to fall. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based activist group, reported that IS carried out three separate suicide bomb attacks. One IS suicide bomber blew up an explosives-filled vehicle in the north of the town, near the border, while the second targeted an eastern area, it said. Later, a third bomber attacked a YPG position in the north-east. The Observatory said it believed IS now controlled about half of Kobane. Capturing the town, from which more than 160,000 people have fled, would give the group unbroken control of a long stretch of the Syrian-Turkish border. Meanwhile at least 10 Syrian soldiers were killed on Tuesday in fighting against IS militants in the oil-rich eastern province of Deir Ezzor, the Syrian Observatory said. The fighting took place near Deir Ezzor military airport, one of the last government-controlled outposts in the province. Deir Ezzor has been a key target of air strikes by the US-led coalition fighting against IS.

Summary: Kurdish fighters battling Islamic State (IS) say they have recaptured a strategically important hilltop west of Kobane on Syria's border with Turkey.


Hansons Auctioneers said the Gibson UB3 banjolele is expected to attract worldwide interest at the sale on 30 June, in Etwall, Derbyshire. In 2008, another George Formby banjo ukulele sold for for £72,000 at auction to Queen's Brian May. In 1936, the BBC banned Formby's song The Window Cleaner for being smutty. John Croft, former president of the George Formby Society and ukulele expert, said: "There is huge interest in this instrument. George Formby has fans all over the world - young and old." Mr Croft, from Llanyblodwel, Shropshire, added it was a "wonderful piece of social history". "In his heyday in the late 1930s, George Formby earned more than three top Hollywood stars put together - Errol Flynn, Douglas Fairbanks and Clark Gable. "And we should never forget Formby's contribution to boosting morale among the troops during World War Two. "He and his wife Beryl flew out to dangerous war zones, including El Alamein. This country owes a great deal to them both. "I hope the instrument stays in the UK but the most important thing is that it is loved and played." This banjolele was originally purchased by Bill Logan, the first president of the George Formby Society. Who was George Formby? He was born George Hoy Booth on 26 May 1904, in Wigan and was the eldest of seven children The actor, singer-songwriter and comedian's show business career started in 1921 and lasted 40 years until his death in 1961 He was famous for playing the banjolele and by 1939 was the most popular and highest paid entertainer in the British Isles - he was estimated to be earning more than £100,000 a year Formby appeared in 21 films, made more than 230 records, entertained on stage hundreds of times, performed twice by royal command and entertained an estimated three million allied servicemen and women during World War Two In 1960, Formby made his last record, Happy Go Lucky Me, and in December that year made what was his final television programme, The Friday Show George Formby Society Charles Hanson, owner of Hansons Auctioneers, said: "This is such a rare opportunity. This was one of George Formby's favourite banjoleles and the chance to own and play it is very special. This instrument is a priceless treasure for Formby fans." Formby was said to have owned three Gibson UB3 models.

Summary: A banjo ukulele owned by popular 1930s and 40s entertainer George Formby is to be auctioned, with an estimated sale price of £30,000.


Ryan Counsell, 28, a Muslim convert from Nottingham, denies four charges, including having possession of an al-Qaeda bomb-making guide. He told Woolwich Crown Court on Tuesday he downloaded the videos due to a "business interest". He said he wanted to create a "catalogue of propaganda" online. More on this story and other news in Nottinghamshire The married father, who worked at the Hyson Green branch of Asda in Nottingham, told the judge he downloaded videos so he could analyse and write articles about them. The jury was shown several of the videos, including footage of explosions and material explaining the structure of the caliphate (an Islamic state). When asked to explain why he watched this video he said it was something he found "interesting". He said its "main purpose" was "to show how Islamic State claim to organise themselves". Asked why he had named a folder of material on his computer entitled "alleged Jihad", he told the jury: "It is something that I do not believe they are actually performing with a genuinely religious motivation. "I believe it's just a form of terrorism, it is nothing to do with the religion. That's why I titled it alleged Jihad." Counsell is charged with preparing acts of terrorism by obtaining information about Islamic terrorist groups in the Philippines, arranging to travel to the Philippines to join and fight for an Islamic terrorist group, and purchasing equipment and clothing for use when having joined such a group. The trial continues.

Summary: A supermarket worker accused of trying to join a terrorist group watched Islamic State (IS) videos to learn more about propaganda, a court has heard.


He is not thought to be seriously hurt, but a decision was taken to airlift him because of the remote location. The island is a popular tourist spot reached by a rope bridge suspended almost 100 ft (30 m) above the sea. Emergency services called a helicopter rather than taking the risk of walking the casualty back over the rope bridge. The Royal Navy search and rescue rescue helicopter was sent from its base in Prestwick, Scotland. Its crew transferred the injured man, who is in his 60s, to the Causeway Hospital in Coleraine, County Londonderry. A spokesman for the hospital said the patient is in a stable condition.

Summary: A man has been airlifted to hospital by Royal Navy helicopter after he fell while walking on Carrick-a-Rede island off the coast of County Antrim.


MP Damian Collins has asked the body to investigate whether the payment breached bribery laws. The £3.9m payment was made to the FIA for entering into an agreement with the teams and sport's commercial arm. The FIA says the payment was remuneration "for its regulatory role" and denies wrongdoing. Collins, chairman of the Culture, Media and Sport Parliamentary select committee, said he was "very concerned" about why the sport would need to make a payment to its governing body and regulator as part of the so-called Concorde Agreement, which was signed in 2013. "That's why I've written to the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) asking them 'do they feel there was a breach of the Bribery Act and does it warrant investigation'?" he told ITV. An SFO spokesperson told BBC Sport: "The Serious Fraud Office is reviewing material in its possession in relation to these allegations. All matters referred to the SFO are assessed against criteria to establish whether they may fall within its remit to investigate." The FIA confirmed in a statement that it had received the payment and explained: "The Concorde Implementation Agreement entered into by the commercial rights holder of Formula 1 and the FIA in 2013 introduced a new governance structure for Formula 1 and redefined certain conditions applicable to their relationship, in particular to ensure that the FIA be properly remunerated for its regulatory role. "Within this agreement, a lump sum payment of $5m (£3.9m) was made to the FIA as part of the global consideration received in connection with the renegotiation of the terms of the agreements between the commercial rights holder and the FIA, and of the Concorde Agreement, at that time. "Following its approval, the Concorde Implementation Agreement came into force and this sum was paid to the FIA and properly accounted for. No individual received any payment out of this sum. Any allegation to the contrary would be defamatory."

Summary: The Serious Fraud Office is "reviewing material" relating to a payment made by Formula 1's commercial rights holder to the sport's governing body the FIA.


Images of a toddler, washed up on a beach in Turkey, ram home the sometimes deadly consequences of what is going on. Right now though there seems little prospect of the UK government shifting its position on taking in more refugees, as EU leaders and Labour opponents have been calling for. Although these latest images are heart wrenching, David Cameron's conviction is that it's more effective to tackle the cause not the symptom of this crisis. That means substantial amounts of taxpayers' money going to provide food and shelter to refugees on the edges of Syria, to help on the ground. And diplomatically pushing for a political process that can move that country towards peace. It does not mean throwing open the doors to many more Syrian refugees. But there are two other parts to the logic of sticking to the position. First, despite what's going on, there is not huge public appetite for the government suddenly to act. Second, there is a caution about sending a signal to other kinds of migrants, rather than refugees seeking safety, that makes the UK seem a more attractive destination at a time when the government is trying to limit the numbers. Could that change? Of course. The intensity of the need means the calls to "do more" grow louder every day. The public imagination, and that of Conservatives, could be stirred by the images to the extent that a shift becomes inevitable. As politicians drift back after their summer break the volume of voices might become too intense. Or, the incentive to take more refugees as part of a wider deal with Europe - quid pro quo - might become tempting too. Yet at this moment, there is nothing to force the prime minister to budge. But don't be surprised if the pressure on him to shift continues to build.

Summary: Only the hardest of hearts would not be moved by the latest images of the people who have been caught up in the danger and chaos of this mass movement.


Olsson, who played 261 times after joining the Baggies in 2008, would have been out of contract this summer. But the Premier League club have agreed to cancel his deal early so he can return to his homeland in time for the start of their new top-flight season. "Albion has, and will always be, a huge part of my life," said Olsson, 34. "It's all happened so quickly I've not had chance to say a proper farewell to so many people. I will be back at the first chance to do that. "I'm really grateful to the club for helping me sort out this transfer," said the Swede, who also captained Albion during his near nine years' service to the club. Meanwhile, teenager Kane Wilson has signed his first professional contract at The Hawthorns, the 17-year-old defender having signed a deal which ties him to Albion until the summer of 2019. Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page.

Summary: West Bromwich Albion's long-serving defender Jonas Olsson has had his contract cancelled to allow him to move back to Sweden to join Djurgarden IF.


Pinewood Group's two biggest shareholders have tentatively agreed to sell the famous film and television studios to a property investor. The deal depends on Aermont, which runs property investment funds, securing financing in the next four weeks. Pinewood's 007 stage is one of the world's largest and was used to film parts of Spectre and Skyfall. Some of Star Wars: The Force Awakens was also filmed at Pinewood in Buckinghamshire. However, Harrison Ford, the actor who plays Han Solo, was injured when the door of the Millennium Falcon closed on him and broke his leg. Goodweather Investment Management, which is owned by property investors Peel Holdings, and Warren James Holdings, owner of the eponymous jewellery chain, together control 65% of Pinewood Group and have agreed to the cash sale providing the buyer secures financing. The prospective new owner intends to keep the existing management in place, led by chief executive Ivan Dunleavy. The company has film and TV studios all over the world including in the US, Canada, Malaysia and the Dominican Republic. Earlier this year, Pinewood Group retained investment bank Rothschild to examine its strategic options. In the past, it had been constrained from raising additional funding for investment via the stock exchange. Shares in Pinewood were down 4.8% at 552.1p in afternoon trading.

Summary: Pinewood film studios - home to the James Bond movies - are set to be sold for £323.3m.


As well as allowing robots to quickly respond to potential damage to their systems, it could also protect humans who are increasingly working alongside them. The scientists plan to base the system on "insights from human pain research". To test it, they fitted a robotic arm with a fingertip sensor that could detect pressure and temperature. The researchers, from Leibniz University in Hannover, are developing a system that would allow a robot to "be able to detect and classify unforeseen physical states and disturbances, rate the potential damage they may cause to it and initiate appropriate countermeasures, ie reflexes", they explained. Just as human neurons transmit pain, the artificial ones will pass on information that can be classified by the robot as either light, moderate or severe pain. Researcher Johannes Kuehn told IEEE Spectrum: "Pain is a system that protects us. When we move away from the source of pain, it helps us not get hurt." Teaching robots about a range of stimulus is important, robotics expert from Cambridge University Prof Fumiya Iida told the BBC. "Getting robots to learn is one of the most challenging things but is fundamental because it will make them more intelligent," he said. "Learning is all about trial and error. When a child learns that falling over causes pain, it then learns to do it with more skill."

Summary: Researchers from Germany are developing an artificial nervous system aimed at teaching robots how to feel pain.


He was named man of the match against Treviso last Friday, was best man at brother Darren's wedding the following day and turned 22 on Monday. "I'm thankful to my big brother, Darren, for getting me into rugby," said Hoyland, who signed until 2018. "He was there to push me to where I wanted to be because he had faith in me to go far." Edinburgh-born Hoyland, who previously played for Boroughmuir and Melrose, becomes the third player this week to commit to the Pro12 club after new deals for hooker Stuart McInally and centre Chris Dean. "Since joining the club in 2014, I haven't wanted to go anywhere else," he said. "You can see how much the club's developed over the last couple of years. "We're definitely heading in the right direction and it's not a place you'd want to leave when we're achieving all this good stuff." Hoyland, who scored two tries in the win over Treviso, represented Scotland at youth level and won his first and only senior cap in August against Italy. "I'm obviously delighted with the one Scotland cap I've got, but I do want to push on for more by playing well for Edinburgh," said the winger who starts against Agen in the European Challenge Cup on Friday. Head coach Alan Solomons was delighted that Hoyland had committed himself to the club. "As a talented young Scottish player, he epitomises our vision for Edinburgh," he said.

Summary: Winger Damien Hoyland has completed a hectic but happy week by signing a contract extension with Edinburgh.


Philando Castile was shot in his car in St Paul, Minnesota, on Wednesday as he reached for his driving licence, his girlfriend said in a Facebook Live video taken during the aftermath. His death follows that of Alton Sterling, who was shot dead by police during an incident in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on Tuesday. What do we know about the two victims? The 32-year-old had worked in the canteen of a school in St Paul for more than 10 years, his uncle Clarence told media in Minnesota. The JJ Hill Montessori Magnet School in the city listed Mr Castile as a cafeteria supervisor on its website. On his Facebook page, Clarence later re-posted comments by a Minnesota bishop, Divar Kemp, calling Philando Castile "an a1 genuine man who was killed because he obeyed what the officer asked him". Mr Castile's cousin, Antonio Johnson, told the Star Tribune newspaper his cousin had graduated with honours from St Paul Central High School. Mr Castile was "a black individual driving in Falcon Heights who was immediately criminally profiled and he lost his life over it tonight", he said. He added that Mr Castile was "very non-confrontational" and "a real upstanding citizen". The Star Tribune said Mr Castile had only minor offences on his criminal record. Little is publicly known about Mr Sterling, 37. The father of five sold CDs and DVDs in the car park in which he died, family members told media in Louisiana. "If you asked Alton for the shirt off his back, he'd give it to you," his aunt, Lorna, told The Advocate newspaper. "Alton would give you the world." One broadcaster, 9News, said Mr Sterling had a long criminal record, that included several battery, drug, and burglary charges. It said he was also arrested in 2009 for resisting an officer and illegally carrying a weapon. But Lorna Sterling said her brother had sought to earn a living after his last conviction in 2011.

Summary: Two black men have been shot dead by police in the US this week, the latest in a line of similar incidents, many of which have led to protests.


The economy grew at an annualised pace of 2.1% in the fourth quarter of the year, the Commerce Department said, up from an earlier estimate of 1.9%. But the data had little impact on shares, with the Dow Jones up 20.23 points, or 0.1%, at 20,679.55. The S&P 500 edged up 2.17 points to 2,363.30 while the Nasdaq added 5.63 points to 5,903.18. The biggest faller in the Nasdaq was sportswear maker Lululemon Athletica, which plunged by nearly a quarter after it warned that sales were likely to fall. The company said it expected same-store sales to fall in the first quarter of the year, the first decline since 2009. Shares in ConocoPhillips jumped nearly 6% after the energy company announced it was selling oil sands and western Canadian natural gas assets to Cenovus Energy for 17.7 billion Canadian dollars ($13.3bn; Â£10.6bn). ConocoPhillips is not the first oil major to scale back its operations in the region, with both Royal Dutch Shell and Marathon Oil also having sold oil sands assets. The high costs of extraction have made it hard for companies to make profits with oil prices remaining low.

Summary: US stocks remained unmoved in early trade, despite an upward revision to the growth rate at the end of 2016.


Hill, 18, scored 15/16 in the skeet final to beat Thailand's Sutiya Jiewchaloemmit. Scott, 30, triumphed in the double trap, shooting 27/30 to beat Qiang Pan of China. "To come away with a gold is an amazing end to the year and I couldn't have asked for a lot more," said Hill, who won gold at the European Games in June.

Summary: Amber Hill and Steve Scott both won gold medals at the 2015 ISSF Shotgun World Cup final in Cyprus.


Mr Jammeh told state TV the proclamation was in line with Gambia's "religious identity and values". He added that no dress code would be imposed and citizens of other faiths would be allowed to practise freely. Some 90% of Gambians are Muslim. The former British colony's economy relies heavily on tourism. However, relations with the West have soured recently. The European Union temporarily withheld aid money to Gambia last year over its poor human rights record. Mr Jammeh has been president of the tiny West African country for 21 years. "As Muslims are the majority in the country, the Gambia cannot afford to continue the colonial legacy," Mr Jammeh told state TV, explaining his decision to proclaim an Islamic republic. Other Islamic republics include Iran, Pakistan and - in Africa, Mauritania. Mr Jammeh withdrew Gambia from the Commonwealth in 2013, describing the organisation as neo-colonial. In 2007, he claimed to have found a herbal cure for Aids.

Summary: Gambian President Yahya Jammeh has declared his Muslim-majority country an Islamic republic, saying the move marks a break with the colonial past.


The 36-year-old from Carrickfergus had been level on 15 with the late Robert Dunlop going into Thursday's races. Seeley broke away to win the opening Supersport race ahead of runner-up Ian Hutchinson and Martin Jessopp. The Supertwins race was abandoned after a two riders were injured in a high-speed crash. Dungannon rider Ryan Farquhar and Dan Cooper from Stroud came off at Black Hill and were taken to hospital. Forty-year-old Farquhar sustained chest and pelvic injuries, while Cooper, 28, had shoulder injuries. Record-breaker Seeley has won at least one event at the North-West for nine years in a row. He has also won at least one Supersport race in each of seven consecutive years from 2010 to 2016. The Supersport event provided a thrilling start to racing at the 2016 North West. Ballymoney's Michael Dunlop, a four-time winner at the North West, did not make it off the grid because of mechanical problems. Seeley surged into an early lead but some exillerating action saw Fermanagh rider Lee Johnston, Yorkshire man Hutchinson and Michael's brother William Dunlop all take turns at the front. Seeley, Hutchinson and Jessopp all broke the class lap record on the final circuit. "The North West put me on the map when I first came here and now to be mentioned in the same sentence as the Dunlops is unbelievable," said an elated Seeley. "It was a typical Supersport race. We managed to get a break and clinch the 16th win."

Summary: Alastair Seeley has broken the record for wins at the North West 200 road races by achieving his 16th career win at the international meeting.


Ms Leigh won an Oscar for her portrayal of Scarlett O'Hara in the 1939 movie. Heritage Auctions said the grey jacket and skirt worn by the actress were among 150 items offered by collector James Tumblin. He originally bought the outfit for $20 from a costume shop.

Summary: An outfit worn by Vivien Leigh in the film Gone with the Wind has been sold for $137,000 (£91,000) at an auction in California.


The Care Quality Commission (CQC) rates the Royal Cornwall Hospital as "requires improvement". Chief Inspector Professor Sir Mike Richards said it was "disappointing" that "not enough progress" had been made its the 2014 report. Hospital bosses insist changes have been made and care is getting better. Read more on this story as it develops throughout the day on our Local Live pages. The other Cornwall NHS hospitals, St Michael's in Hayle and West Cornwall in Penzance, were rated "good". The CQC's main concerns about the Royal Cornwall Hospital included: In recent months the trust has been ranked one of the worst in the country for waits in A&E, bed blocking and staff being able to report mistakes. Agency spend is exceptionally high; the hospital spent Â£1.43m on agency workers in March. The Royal Cornwall Hospital also has a higher death rate than would be expected so new chief executive Kathy Byrne has some major issues to deal with. Prof Richards said: "If the trust is going to pull itself round, it will need a combined determination of the staff, the leadership team and the commissioners." Kathy Byrne, the RCHT's chief executive said: "We don't feel it is a disappointing report. "I fully accept the CQC's view that in some important areas we have not made enough progress. "We have acted on all the CQC's "must do" recommendations and are seeing better results for patients across the board."

Summary: Cornwall's main hospital has been told it must improve, two years after it was given the same instruction by inspectors.


This takes FOI closer to the centre of power within Whitehall and the personal involvement of the prime minister. But how good is the Cabinet Office's own record on handling FOI requests? New data obtained by the BBC shows a big increase in complaints to the information commissioner about Cabinet Office slowness. The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has disclosed that the number of Cabinet Office delay cases which were not previously reported amounted to 90 in the two years 2013/4 and 2014/5. That's more than three times the comparable figure of 29 in the previous two years. This is on top of the smaller number of investigations which have led to the ICO publicly issuing formal decision notices. It is the latest evidence of the historically poor track record of the Cabinet Office, which has twice been subject to special monitoring by the ICO due to its inadequate performance on processing FOI applications. It's possible that the Cabinet Office may now face this for a third time. "In the last two months or so we've issued six decision notices against the Cabinet Office for exceeding the statutory time limit - it's not a good record," says Graham Smith, the deputy information commissioner. As well as obtaining direct control over freedom of information policy, the Cabinet Office has also taken over the "clearing house" from the Ministry of Justice. This is the team of officials who advise other government departments on how to handle sensitive FOI cases. "The Cabinet Office should be setting a good example to the rest of Whitehall," Smith adds. "You would hope that they would want to be an exemplar". A few days ago the ICO also rebuked the Cabinet Office for failing to comply properly with an investigation. A decision notice reported that the commissioner was "extremely disappointed" he had to serve a formal notice on the Cabinet Office to get cooperation. However the ICO itself is often criticised and sometimes derided by those who feel that for political reasons it fails to take a tough enough stance over the Cabinet Office's failings. Some who believe this are FOI officers in other public authorities. In June the commissioner issued an enforcement notice against the Department of Finance and Personnel in Northern Ireland, instructing it to deal with its extensive backlog of unanswered FOI requests. But Smith told the ICO press office not to issue a press release announcing this measure, because it would "provoke more questions and comment about lack of action against others, notably the Cabinet Office". This document was revealed following an FOI request to the ICO by the information law consultant, Tim Turner. Smith says he does not feel any embarrassment at this disclosure. He argues that the specific legal and practical circumstances for an enforcement notice to be issued do not exist in the case of the Cabinet Office. His reasons for dropping the press release simply reflected the facts of life, he says: "We know how these things are talked about". A Cabinet Office spokesperson commented: "The transfer of FOI policy to Cabinet

Summary: Last month the Cabinet Office took control of government policy on freedom of information, removing it from the Ministry of Justice.


It also showed the depth of squad head coach Alan Stubbs has assembled as they chase honours in three competitions. He made seven changes to the team that started last Tuesday's Scottish Cup replay win against city rivals Hearts. Danny Carmichael scored between Boyle's brace, and Stubbs' men rarely looked like slipping up against a gutsy but impotent bottom side Alloa. Media playback is not supported on this device It was a brilliant bit of vision from on-loan Celtic midfielder Liam Henderson that created the opener with a sublime diagonal pass. That sent Boyle clear and he rounded Scott Gallacher to mark his first start since mid-December with a goal. Steven Hetherington ought to have levelled for the visitors barely a minute after the restart, but he could only divert a bouncing cross straight into Mark Oxley's arms. James Keatings' lovely through-ball set up Carmichael for the second six minutes from half-time in his first start since August - his maiden goal for the Hibees. Alloa did create a number of chances throughout the match but they lacked the quality to exploit those opportunities. It was tough on them when Boyle completed the scoring in 76 minutes with a back post tap-in when the part-timers were caught on the counterattack. Hibs now make up their game in hand over Rangers at home to Morton on Wednesday night while Alloa face a vital home match against second-bottom Livingston on Saturday. Media playback is not supported on this device Hibernian head coach Alan Stubbs: "To score so early on settled all the players down and I think from then onwards it was a matter of being professional. When our chances came we took them. "It's great to see the changes that I made to the team get on the scoresheet." Alloa Athletic manager Jack Ross: "I don't have any qualms over the result, but I thought our players gave a good account of themselves individually and as a team. If we'd taken one of our opportunities early in the second half, it would have gotten us back to within a goal and the game could have been different, but there is a lot to be pleased about."

Summary: Martin Boyle's double piloted Hibernian past Alloa Athletic to within five points of Championship leaders Rangers.


Nigel Poustie was taken to Ninewells Hospital after being found in Charleston Drive at about 18:30 on Monday, but died the following day. Officers have carried out "extensive inquiries" into the circumstances surrounding Mr Poustie's death. It is understood witnesses saw him fall several times. Det Insp Brian Geddes said: "Following information that we have obtained during this time, the circumstances surrounding his death are being treated as suspicious and as such, we continue to appeal for information to assist us with our enquiries." Mr Poustie was wearing a dark jacket and black "tammy" hat with a red band when he was discovered. Det Insp Geddes said officers wanted to speak to anyone who had contact with him on Monday. He said: "During our inquiries we have spoken with members of Mr Poustie's family, his friends and neighbours, but we want make sure that we have contacted as many people as possible who may have known him."

Summary: The death of a 49-year-old man who was discovered seriously injured in a Dundee street is being treated as suspicious, police have confirmed.


Joy Hewer, 52, was sexually assaulted and stabbed in her flat in Walthamstow, north east London, in 1995. Her younger sister, Penny Barnes, said the family couldn't face "another 20 years of unanswered questions." There were no signs of forced entry at the flat and Ms Hewer may have known her killer, police said. Her body was found in her bedroom with multiple stab wounds after two fires were deliberately started in her sixth-floor flat. An enhanced CCTV image of a man seen entering Ms Hewer's flat in St David's Court at around 22:30 BST on the night she died has been issued. He is white, with short hair and wearing a light-coloured jacket. He would now be aged between 50 and 60 years old. Officers believe that those close to the man would still be able to recognise him. Ms Barnes said her sister was "absolutely no harm to anyone" and "would go out of her way to help others". She added: "We've never forgotten the moment we were told she'd been murdered. It will never make any sense to us. "She lived a quiet and peaceful life which was totally at odds with her last terrifying moments." Police are also searching for a man who called the fire service on the night of Ms Hewer's death from a public phone on Fulbourne Road and a person waiting at the bus stop who he spoke to during the call. Lead investigator Det Insp Susan Stansfield urged witnesses who may not previously have come forward to break their silence.

Summary: The family of a primary school teacher killed at her home have made a fresh appeal for information, 20 years after her murder.


Media playback is unsupported on your device 18 August 2015 Last updated at 20:31 BST The 43-year-old Mikron Theatre company is stopping in Warwickshire, Staffordshire and Shropshire. Artistic director Marianne McNamara said: "We perform to an average of 100 people a night, it is fabulous." Monday evening's performance near Southam, Warwickshire, celebrated one hundred years of the Women's Institute. The company of five live on the boat and perform six nights a week for six months of the year.

Summary: A travelling theatre that performs from a canal boat is making its way through the West Midlands this summer.


Confirmation that terms had been agreed with O'Neill followed a board meeting of the Irish Football Association. The 42-year-old, who recently resigned as Shamrock Rovers manager, will occupy the role for an initial period of two years, beginning on 1 February 2012. He will be in charge for a friendly against Norway on 29 February, followed by games with the Netherlands and Finland, before World Cup qualifying. Two other candidates were interviewed for the job, former Ipswich Town and Queens Park Rangers boss Jim Magilton and ex-Hull City, Crystal Palace and Charlton Athletic manager Iain Dowie. O'Neill won 33 caps for Northern Ireland during his playing career, scoring seven goals, and played club football for Newcastle United, Dundee United and Hibernian. He entered management as assistant at Cowdenbeath before becoming manager of Scottish side Brechin City. He became Shamrock Rovers manager in 2008 and guided the club to successive League of Ireland titles in 2010 and 2011. He made history by becoming the first manager of a League of Ireland team to reach the group stages of the Europa League following a play-off victory over Partizan Belgrade. O'Neill left the club following their final Europa League game against Tottneham Hotspur earlier this month. "I am honoured to be chosen to manage my country," said O'Neill. "I'm a proud Northern Irishman who was fortunate enough to win 33 senior caps and it was always an ambition to manage my country. "To be entrusted with the role early in my managerial career is quite humbling but I am confident that we can make progress. "Northern Ireland has a strong football tradition but one that needs to be refreshed with some more contemporary success. "That is my primary objective - to restore a sense of belief and pride in what it means to represent Northern Ireland so that our players will want only to play for their country - that is how it should be. "There is a huge amount of work to be done but with the right direction and the necessary passion good progress can be made. "The board and the chief executive have a clear plan for the future and have given me responsibility to set about the task of renewal within the context of a long-term plan. "At the same time, in the interests of everyone involved, most particularly our supporters, my job is to work with the players to sustain a competitive performance throughout the qualifying phase of the 2014 World Cup finals." Northern Ireland have been drawn against Portugal, Russia, Azerbaijan, Israel and Luxembourg for the World Cup qualifiers, which begin in September. Patrick Nelson, chief executive of the Irish FA, said O'Neill was "the stand out choice from an excellent field". "The selection panel was very impressed with his thoughts and plans over the coming years." Nigel Worthington, after his side's poor Euro 2012 qualification campaign in October, told BBC Sport: "The toughest thing for any Northern Ireland manager is the lack of numbers that you've got to pick and choose from. "The one thing I experienced is

Summary: Michael O'Neill has been appointed as the new manager of Northern Ireland.


He has played 12 games since arriving in October on non-contract terms. "It's down to the club to put something on the table in January and we can take it from there," 29-year-old Gerrard told BBC Radio Shropshire. "If somebody wants a player badly enough, those funds can miraculously appear from out of the blue." The cousin of former Liverpool and England skipper Steven Gerrard, he was released by Huddersfield Town in the summer, having made only 10 appearances in 2014-15. He is grateful for the opportunity given to him by Town boss Micky Mellon, who has warned that he will not spend money the club does not have. "It's the first time I've strung a consecutive amount of games together in about a year and a bit," said Gerrard. "I'm just concentrating on each and every 90 minutes that I can get under my belt. "For a player who has played whole seasons, last year was a bitter blow to my career. But it's done now. I'll be glad to see the back of 2015, and look forward to a promising 2016. I'm here to play. "I'm here to do what I can for the team and help them get to a nice solid base. I can see myself staying here, but obviously there's a lot to be talked about and figures to be spoken about before that can happen."

Summary: Shrewsbury Town defender Anthony Gerrard hopes that talks can take place next month with a view to him signing a full-time contract at the club.


There has been little chance to take such ads to task, as there are currently no rules on the portrayal of gender stereotypes through advertising. But this is set to change as the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) plans to bring in new guidelines from 2018, cracking down on ads that mock people for not conforming to gender stereotypes or that reinforce gender roles. Here are some examples from the ASA of adverts it has received complaints about over gender stereotypes - but not taken action on. This advert from the formula company shows three babies exploring as youngsters but growing into their careers. The two baby boys have futures as engineers and mountain climbers. However, the baby girl as depicted as growing into a ballerina. A spokesman from the ASA said complainants considered the ad portrayed negative gender stereotypes, but he added: "We did not find grounds for a formal investigation." Clothing giant Gap attracted complaints after releasing adverts for its children's clothes. The boy is portrayed as a "little scholar" with an Albert Einstein T-shirt, promising that his "future starts here". However, the girl has the title of "social butterfly", wearing glittery cat ears and clothes that will be "the talk of the playground". The ASA said Gap took steps to take the ad down so it "did not have grounds for further investigation". A TV advert from fast food chain KFC, depicting two men arguing about the size of their new TVs, attracted complaints because of its treatment of anxiety disorders. After one character boasts how much bigger his TV is - because he is "a man" - he continues to mock the second man for owning scented candles. "You know those candles help with my anxiety," he replies. "You're a monster." The majority of complainants said the advert implied that it was acceptable to make fun of a mental health problem. A number also objected because it equated anxiety with a lack of masculinity, and helped perpetuate the damaging view that men shouldn't admit to mental health concerns. The ASA said it did not consider the advert to cause serious or widespread offence on either point, so no further action was taken. This estate agent advert, which appeared on the London Underground, attracted complaints over gender stereotypes. Complainants said it made men appear to be in charge of the finances, while making out it was his role to buy "the missus a new kitchen". The ASA spokesman said: "Whilst we fully appreciated the concerns that were raised, we considered this specific ad described one person's personal situation and what that one person decided to do with the money saved. "We acknowledged that some readers may have found the wording in the ad to be distasteful, and the overall premise somewhat old-fashioned. "However, we did not consider that it was likely to cause serious or widespread offence on the basis suggested and we therefore didn't take further action on this occasion."

Summary: Whether it be housewives left to clear up the mess of their families, fathers freaking out when mummy leaves them holding the baby, or children picking "boys" or "girls" toys, the way men and women are portrayed in advertising can often lead to complaints.