On arrival, they find their iPads and smartphones suddenly only serve for taking photos which, to their dismay, can't be immediately posted to their Instagram or Facebook accounts. Whether Snapchat-obsessed millennials or email-addicted workaholics, they stare at their phones in disbelief, waiting in vain for the familiar "4G" symbol to appear, as the realisation dawns that an enforced digital detox is upon them. Conversely, plenty of travellers to Cuba relish the chance to disconnect from the office emails and the constant barrage of WhatsApp alerts and tweets. Yet what for the tourist is either a temporary inconvenience or a welcome offline breather is a very different reality for ordinary Cubans. For years, it felt to many on the island like the internet was something happening elsewhere, to other people. Recently though, it is easier, and cheaper, to get online in Cuba than it used to be. There are now more than 240 public access wi-fi spots dotted around the country and the price for an hour of internet access, while still expensive by international standards, has dropped by more than half, to $1.50 (£1.20) for an hour. It is now a common sight to see people sitting with their laptops or phones in parks and public plazas connecting with their families abroad via video-chat technology. In the latest development, the state telecommunications company, Etecsa, has installed internet connections in around 2,000 homes in the capital's colonial district, Old Havana, as part of a two-month pilot scheme. Among the lucky few is Jose Antonio Ruiz. His modest apartment in one of the neighbourhood's newer buildings is part of the government's domestic online experiment. As a private business owner who rents rooms to tourists, Mr Ruiz has found the new "luxury" helped him in two main ways. First, he says, he can advertise his apartment more easily on popular accommodation websites like Airbnb, and answer his clients' emails much more promptly than before. Secondly, he can offer his guests a unique service giving him a competitive advantage over other guesthouses. "The guests are really pleased when you tell them we have internet," Jose Antonio explains. "They relax as they know they can check their flights from here, read their emails or contact their families." During the pilot, the connection is free but once it's over the government is expected to publish prices, so users can choose whether to keep the service or live without it. It hasn't yet been confirmed but it is believed it will cost around $15 (£12) for 30 hours at the slowest speed of 128 kilobits per second, and up to $110 (£90) for the fastest - two megabits per second. With the average wage in Cuba about $25 (£20) a month, those prices would be prohibitively expensive for many Cubans. Jose Antonio's connection is not fast enough to stream video, for example. Still, it is an improvement on the dial-up connections that some state employees have at home and he says he'd pay to keep it as it's enough for what he needs. One day, though, those needs could

Summary: No matter how much you warn visitors to Cuba that they'll be offline during their stay, they often won't believe it until they actually arrive in Havana.


Player offences will be measured across four levels and punishments range from giving away five runs to being dismissed temporarily or permanently. Batsmen will also now not be run out if their bat loses contact with the ground after being grounded behind the crease. The new laws will come into effect from 1 October, 2017. MCC (the Marylebone Cricket Club) is the guardian of the laws and spirit of the game, and has a world cricket committee - established in 2006 - of 12 current and former top international players which made its recommendations last December. This is the first time a new code of laws has been written since 2000. The mode of dismissal of a bowler running out a batsman at the non-striker's end has also been changed. Bowlers will now be able to perform the run-out "to the instant when the bowler would normally have been expected to release the ball", rather than before entering his or her delivery stride, as was the previous rule. Offences and punishments include: Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 "We felt the time had come to introduce sanctions for poor player behaviour and research told us that a growing number of umpires at grassroots level were leaving the game because of it," MCC head of cricket John Stephenson said. Following much debate in the past few years over bat sizes, and a call for restrictions from the International Cricket Council in June, specific size limitations to the edge and depth of bats will be added to the laws as the committee believes "the balance of the game has tilted too far in the batsman's favour" - with some mis-hit shots clearing the boundary for six. Bat edges will have a maximum allowance of 40mm and bat depths must not exceed 67mm (60mm plus an allowance of 7mm for a possible curve on the face of the bat) and the width can be up to 108mm. "The bat size issue has been heavily scrutinised and discussed in recent years. We believe the maximum dimensions we have set will help redress the balance between bat and ball, while still allowing the explosive, big hitting we all enjoy," Stephenson said. While a bat gauge will be used to enforce the new restriction in the professional game, a moratorium will allow amateur players to continue to use their existing bats which may be in breach of the new law.

Summary: Cricket will introduce sendings-off, award penalty runs for poor behaviour and limit bat sizes after lawmakers the MCC approved the changes.


Mr Trudeau toasted the two nations as "siblings" at a state dinner. Mr Obama raised his glass at the White House to the "great alliance" and joked about Mr Trudeau's previous jobs. "If things get out of hand, remember the prime minister used to work as a bouncer," said Mr Obama. In a joking reference to Canadian-born presidential candidate Ted Cruz, Mr Obama said: "Where else could a boy born in Calgary run for president of the United States?" A lavish state dinner was held for Mr Trudeau and his wife Sophie Gregoire-Trudeau, featuring poutine, Nanaimo bars and white chocolate snowballs. During Mr Trudeau's toast, he referred to the 25,000 refugees from Syria who have arrived in Canada in the past four months, saying that "diversity can be a source of strength". More than half of US governors oppose allowing refugees to settle in their states. A new life in Canada for Syrian refugees Can Trudeau be what Obama couldn't? What Canadians make of the US election After a private meeting at the White House, Mr Trudeau said he had learned a lot from "my friend Barack", who he described as "a man of both tremendous heart and tremendous intellect". Earlier, Mr Obama said the two leaders share "a common outlook" and that Mr Trudeau had brought "new energy and dynamism not only to Canada but to the relationship between our nations". He added that the US and Canada were "blessed to be neighbours". The leaders have pledged co-operation on liberalising investment and trade, promoting clean energy and preventing foreign fighters from travelling to the Middle East. Mr Trudeau came bearing gifts for the First Family: a pair of Canadian-made dog boots called "Muttlucks" for the pet dogs, a beaded cape for Mrs Obama, an aboriginal statue for Mr Obama, and scarves for the president's daughters. Ahead of the meeting, a joint statement on environmental cooperation announced that the US and Canada would cut methane emissions by 40-45% below 2012 levels, by 2025. They also agreed to set "world class" standards on commercial activities in the Arctic, including oil and gas exploration. US-Canada relations had previously suffered because of energy issues, when Mr Obama's administration opposed the Keystone XL pipeline, which was meant to transport oil from Canadian tar sands in Alberta to the US Gulf coast. President Obama, 54, sees in the young leader a man who shares his progressive politics, as well as his early rhetoric of hope and change, the BBC's Barbara Plett-Usher reports from Washington. Mr Trudeau's optimistic election platform has led many to draw comparisons with the beginning of Mr Obama's presidency and some American liberals to draw envious comparisons with the US's political scene. As Donald Trump solidified his position as front-runner for the Republican presidential nomination earlier this month, there was even a spike in internet searches about how to move to Canada. In Washington, Mr Trudeau chose his words carefully after being asked by reporters for his views on US-Canada relations under a Donald Trump or Ted Cruz presidency. He said he looked forward

Summary: US President Barack Obama and Canada's new Prime Minister Justin Trudeau have lavished praise on each other during the first official visit by a Canadian leader in nearly 20 years.


Lee Joon-seok, 68, is accused of leaving the ship as it was sinking while telling passengers to stay put, reports Yonhap news agency. He was among the first to be rescued by coast guards at the scene. The Sewol ferry disaster on 16 April killed 281 passengers, most of whom were high school students. Another 23 are still missing. Besides Mr Lee, three crew members - the chief engineer, the chief mate and the second mate - are also being charged with manslaughter. If convicted, they could face life imprisonment. "The [four people charged] escaped before the passengers, leading to grave casualties," prosecutor Ahn Sang-don told journalists. Prosecutors have indicted another 11 crew members for negligence. Only 172 passengers survived the sinking of the ferry, including 22 of the 29 crew members. Meanwhile, the results of an interim investigation has found that a sharp turn was the main cause of the sinking, Yonhap said. The Sewol "made a sharp turn at a 15 degree angle before tilting and capsizing", Yonhap reported, quoting police and prosecution officials. The overloading of cargo and the lack of water in ballast tanks to balance the load made recovery from its sharp turn difficult, officials added. The captain of the ferry was not on the bridge when the ferry capsized, with a third mate at the helm. The authorities have also arrested several people who were not on the ferry at the time of the sinking. These include five officials of the ferry owner, Chonghaejin Marine Company, and an employee of a private safety device inspection company. The latter is suspected of conducting poor inspections of the ferry's safety equipment. South Korea is looking to reform its safety and emergency response system in the wake of the ferry's sinking. President Park Geun-hye said on Tuesday that the government would soon release details of this move, said Yonhap. She has previously apologised for the way the government handled the incident, amid questions over the initial rescue effort. Following the recent death of a civilian rescue diver, Seoul also plans to provide psychological help for rescue workers "suffering from physical and mental agony", said local media. It comes amid reports the ship, submerged for nearly a month, has begun to deteriorate, making it even more difficult for divers to search for bodies. Officials said that divers had spotted walls "getting weaker and about to collapse". Rescue workers are now plotting new routes through the hull. Earlier reports said that some bodies had floated away from the ship, prompting workers to deploy nets around the site.

Summary: The captain of the sunken South Korean ferry has been charged with manslaughter, reports say.


The veterans have set off from the Canary Islands. They aim to row the 3,000 miles in under 55 days as part of the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge. The Row2Recovery group are competing against 25 other teams in the race, which will end in Antigua in the Caribbean. The race was scheduled to start on 15 December, but stormy weather postponed the challenge. One of the rowers, Lee Spencer, said: "We'll literally be on our own. "We have a life raft and personal location devices and if we end up in the water swimming is not a big deal. We only have three legs between us. "But the day-to-day chores are the things we'll struggle with." Mr Spencer said they had been training their upper bodies to compensate for having lost lower limbs. "We want to be an example to all people; we're just normal guys who have suffered some misfortune, but life carries on," he said. Cayle Royce - 29, from Dartmouth. Suffered serious injuries serving in Afghanistan Paddy Gallagher - 30, from Cambridgeshire. He was injured in Afghanistan while serving with the Irish Guards Nigel Rogof - 56, from Hereford, who lost his leg while taking part in an RAF parachuting display Lee Spencer - 46, from Yelverton in Devon. He lost a leg when he was struck by debris when he stopped to rescue a seriously injured motorist on the M3 Also competing are a group of four women aged 44 to 51 from Yorkshire, and 20-year-old University of Bristol aerospace engineering student Callum Gathercole, who is a solo competitor. Crews will spend at least a month at sea, living on freeze-dried food, while raising money for charity. Carsten Heron Olsen, race organiser, said: "This year we have 26 teams from the US, Italy, the UK, Antigua, Australia and South Africa, and there are 62 rowers in total. "Winds look extremely favourable for the rowers for the first few days at sea, and alongside the high level of professionalism of the participants, we're anticipating a quick and competitive race and hopefully break some records. "The race was planned to start on Tuesday, but due to strong winds going in the wrong direction we had to delay the race for a few days."

Summary: Four ex-servicemen are rowing across the Atlantic in a bid to become what is believed to be the first all-amputee team to make the trip.


I know Stan - who I face in the semi-final on Friday - and we have both won three Grand Slams but I don't compare myself with other players in that sense. It's not what I'm playing for. Over the last few years Stan has played great in the Slams, he's been very consistent. In the US Open final last year he definitely deserved to win. I also think when he played the French Open final here with Novak Djokovic, he played extremely well. He deserves the titles that he's got but his success doesn't affect how I feel about mine. Whether it's Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak or Stan, I don't need to think about the amount of Slams they have for any motivation. Media playback is not supported on this device Four or five years ago, I don't think anyone would have thought I'd have a chance to win a French Open. I never would have expected to reach the semis here five times and play in the final at the beginning of my career, no chance. That doesn't mean I didn't think I could play well on this surface. I do feel like in the middle part of my career, physically I was hampered a bit on the clay. I did struggle a lot with my back for a couple of years and that didn't help, but I got to the quarter-finals for the first time back in 2009 when I was still pretty young. I had some chances in that match against Fernando Gonzalez too. I actually watched it back a few weeks ago and I played some good stuff. It's always quite interesting to see how your game's changed, so I just watched some of my matches over the years at the French Open. I was surprised, because my perception of my clay-court game when I was younger was that it was bad - that I didn't know what I was doing, didn't play well, struggled with my movement - but when I actually watched it back I was pretty good! Media playback is not supported on this device It's interesting as athletes how we can view performances very differently at the time, and then with a little bit of distance. I didn't feel like I played particularly well against Kei Nishikori on Wednesday, and that might have been the case, but there have been plenty of matches where I thought I played great, and looked back and went 'wow!' because it really wasn't great tennis. Sometimes your perception can come from what other people are saying about you - that you're not able to play on clay, or that you're just not good enough - and it's important sometimes to get that little bit of distance and then actually watch it back. At the beginning of the clay-court season we looked at a couple of matches from 2016, because I did feel I played well on the clay last year, and one of those matches was the semi-final against Stan in Paris. It had nothing to

Summary: Trying to win tournaments I've never won before is a huge motivation, but I'm not trying to compete with Stan Wawrinka in terms of the numbers.


The army agent, who was given the codename Stakeknife, has been named by the BBC as west Belfast man Fred Scappaticci. He has denied he was an agent. Northern Ireland's director of public prosecutions wants the new investigation to look at what information the army, MI5 and the Royal Ulster Constabulary's Special Branch received from Stakeknife. The families welcomed the news but said they did not want the Police Service of Northern Ireland to lead any investigation. Shauna Moreland's mother Caroline was taken from her west Belfast home and murdered by the IRA in 1994 after being accused of being an informant. Her killing came just weeks before the IRA ceasefire. She left behind three young children. Shauna described the announcement as a "step forward". "I believe if she was an informant her handlers would have been able to step in and save her and if she wasn't an informant, Stakeknife's handlers would have known what was happening," she said. "There was also a police report that went missing on my mummy. She was reported as a missing person, so where was that investigation?" Ms Moreland said she wanted to know the truth about what happened to her mother. She said he wanted "evidence one way or another whether she was or was not an informant and for the people who were involved in her murder to be held accountable". Frank Mulhern's son Joseph was shot dead by the IRA in 1993 on suspicion of being a Special Branch informant. Mr Mulhern said he wanted the case to be investigated by an international team of detectives "who would be totally free from any pressure from the security services here". "My son died a very violent death and he didn't need to die," he said. "There must have been other RUC informants there who could have said where my son was being held. They may very well have even known he was going to be taken away by the IRA beforehand. "They must have reported this to their handlers, but the handlers must have done nothing. "I want justice for my dead son, I want the involvement of the state security forces brought to light and I want the people who covered up my son's and other murders to face the courts."

Summary: Some families of IRA murder victims have been giving their reaction to the announcement that the army's most high ranking agent within the IRA is to be investigated about the murder of at least 24 people.


The Open Society Justice Initiative and Kenya's Muslims for Human Rights said the police often tortured detainees. Their report said arbitrary arrests and disappearances were also widespread, especially in Mombasa, a city with a large Muslim population. Officials have not responded, but they have denied similar claims in the past. The US and UK governments support Kenya's anti-terror police with training and equipment. In prison with al-Shabab The report said such assistance should be suspended to any unit where there was credible evidence that the police had committed human rights violations. The BBC's Africa security correspondent Moses Rono says that would be a difficult decision to take as Kenya's counter-terrorism efforts are key to stemming spreading Islamist militancy in East Africa. The September attack on the Westgate shopping centre in Kenya's, capital, Nairobi, in which 67 were killed has added pressure on the authorities to act or be seen to be trying to stop terror attacks, he says. The Somali Islamist group al-Shabab said it was behind the four-day siege. In the report titled We're Tired of Taking You to the Court researchers spoke to more than 40 people over the last year. They found that the Anti-Terror Police Unit (APTU) tortured detainees to get them to admit links to terrorism, and arbitrary detentions and disappearances were widespread. The report called for official investigations to be carried out into the disappearances and killings of at least 20 individuals suspected of terrorism-related activities. These included the recent assassinations in Mombasa of two Muslim clerics alleged to have links to al-Shabab. Kenya's security forces have previously denied allegations that they were behind the killings. According to the report one officer told a detainee at a police station: "We're tired of taking you to the court. Next time we'll finish you off in the field." The report quoted a lawyer telling a court hearing: "My clients have complained to me that investigators used a pair of pliers to squeeze their private parts." Such tactics violate human rights and are counterproductive to counter-terrorism efforts, the report said. The investigation focused primarily on abuses committed in Mombasa in 2012 and 2013, but the report says "the ATPU's broader pattern of rights violations extends back years earlier". It pointed to illegal renditions to Somalia and Ethiopia in 2007 and at least nine suspects who were rendered to Uganda in 2010 following the World Cup bombings in Kampala. An anti-terror police officer told the BBC that counter-terrorism was a difficult business and it was not easy to find evidence to link suspects to terrorism. He said witnesses were often unwilling to testify, some suspects were killed in shootouts, and others fled the country to avoid prosecution.

Summary: Kenyan counter-terrorism officers have been accused of carrying out extra-judicial killings and other abuses in a report by US and Kenyan rights groups.


UK researchers found that if the trees grew at an angle, they produced a special kind of wood that resulted in the higher sugar content. Willow, a short rotation coppice crop, is widely grown as a source for the biofuel and biomass industries. The findings appear in the Biotechnology for Biofuels journal. "It would drastically reduce [the environmental impact of biofuels] because you would not need such a severe pre-treatment in the conversion process, which is currently one of the highest energy consumption steps in the process of converting woody biomass to biofuels," explained co-author Michael Ray, a researcher at Imperial College London. Energy intensive pre-treatment processes are used to soften the wood before it goes through an enzymatic stage to break down the woody matter in order to produce biofuel. "Our feeling is that these varieties that we know yield more sugar will need a much less severe pre-treatment process," Dr Ray told BBC News. "Ultimately, we will work towards producing varieties that actually will not need any pre-treatment at all and will be able to dissolve them in enzymes without undergoing any pre-treatment processes." He added that the findings could also improve the environmental performance of biofuels by increasing sugar yields, making the whole process more productive and cost effective. "What we are really working towards here is sustainability, reducing the energy inputs and improving the energy and carbon balances, and reducing the competition for land that you could use for food production," he said. Wind in the willows Dr Ray and his colleague Dr Nicholas Brereton said the latest work built on previous work involving a wider study on willow varieties at the national collection at Rothamsted Research, which is the longest running agricultural research station in the world. "We found in that study that certain varieties released more sugar than others, and in that same study we discovered that it had nothing to do with the total amount of sugars that were there, so we knew that it had to be something else that was causing the differences that we were seeing," Dr Ray recalled. "The phenomenon we are investigating is a natural phenomenon that is observed in most trees. You get a special type of wood (known as reaction wood) laid down in response to environmental stimuli, such as tipping or wind, which induces these special woods to be formed." "We found that the trees we tipped, compared with control trees that were not tipped, the different genotypes responded differently. Some of them did not release any additional sugar, even if you tipped them. Yet in others, there were very big differences." Reaction wood has a different cellular characteristic to normal wood and is formed when branches or stems have been disturbed and the tree attempts to return to its original position. It is also known as tension wood in deciduous trees and compression wood in conifers. Working alongside colleagues from the University of Highlands and Islands, Scotland, the pair found the same results in the environment as well, allowing them to conclude that it was the

Summary: Scientists have identified willow trees that yield five times as much sugar as ordinary varieties, "drastically reducing" the impact of biofuels.


Media playback is not supported on this device Riaz described England's middle order as "fragile" before the first Test at Lord's starting on Thursday. "It's the same before every series - you generally get a bit of trash talk," said Root, who will bat at three. "It's getting a bit like boxing now. We will have to wait and see how things develop and see if the plans work." Boxing is notorious for fighters' pre-match verbal contests aimed at intimidating opponents. James Vince, who has played only three Tests, and the recalled Gary Ballance will bat at four and five for England when the four-Test series gets under way. Former England captain Michael Vaughan said Vince should have been promoted to three to enable Root to stay at four. England vice-captain Root, 25, averages 50.36 in 21 innings at number four and only 28.71 in eight innings at three. Root, 25, said it is "a great opportunity to bat a bit longer" and that captain Alastair Cook, coach Trevor Bayliss and the selectors gave him time "to get my head around it". He added: "It's about taking that opportunity for responsibility as a senior member of the side, to lay some good foundations for us to make some big scores." Nick Compton batted at three for England in the 2-0 series win over Sri Lanka, but announced he was taking a break from cricket after scoring only 51 runs in five innings. Vince managed 54 runs batting at five against Sri Lanka, his debut Test series. Ballance has not played for England since being dropped last July, but made 132 for Yorkshire against Middlesex this month in his most recent first-class game. Root said Vince and Ballance had a "great opportunity" to prove Riaz wrong, adding: "Gary's in fine form - he's just got a hundred for Yorkshire. "Vincey's a brilliant player. He made his first innings for England in the one-day series against Sri Lanka - he made a brilliant fifty. So they'll take confidence." Pakistan pace bowler Mohammad Amir will play his first Test since serving a five-year ban and three-month prison sentence for spot-fixing at Lord's in 2010. England captain Alastair Cook has warned the 24-year-old, who took four wickets in Pakistan's opening tour game against Somerset, to expect a "reaction" from the crowd this week. But Riaz said: "Mentally he's very strong, and he's very eager to perform. "The place where it all began, he will perform at that place and make sure his name is reborn."

Summary: England batsman Joe Root said cricket is becoming like boxing as he dismissed Pakistan bowler Wahab Riaz's "trash talk".


Amina Al-Jeffery, 21, had complained her father locked her up in a Jeddah flat, which he has disputed. But the High Court was told on Friday that a face-to-face meeting with Ms Al-Jeffery's solicitor had not happened due to passport delays. The case has now been adjourned until February. In August, Mr Justice Holman said her father had to "permit and facilitate" his daughter's return to England or Wales by 11 September, but she has not returned. A further hearing was told that restrictions on Miss Al-Jeffery had been eased. But the judge said he wanted to hear the outcome of a meeting with the woman's solicitor Anne-Marie Hutchinson to resolve the issue "once and for all". However, the High Court was told that meeting has still not taken place as Irish national Ms Hutchinson required a new passport to accommodate travel visas. The court was told there was a backlog in passport applications following June's vote to leave the EU. "There you have it. The reach of Brexit has even impacted on progress in this case. Who would have foreseen it?" said the judge.

Summary: A post-Brexit vote surge in Irish passport applications has hit the case of a Swansea woman claiming to be held in Saudi Arabia against her will.


Media playback is not supported on this device The home team took the lead when right-back Ben Marshall tucked in a low shot. Victor Moses's equaliser squirmed in and Payet's free-kick put West Ham ahead before Blackburn were reduced to 10 men by Chris Taylor's red card. Emmanuel Emenike converted twice either side of Cheikhou Kouyate's dismissal, then Payet added a superb solo goal. The Hammers, who last won the FA Cup in 1980, will travel to either Shrewsbury or Manchester United in the last eight. It is only the second time in the past 10 seasons that they have reached the quarter-finals. Read how the action unfolded at Ewood Park West Ham have not won a major trophy for 36 years but, in their final season at the Boleyn Ground, are hoping that they can take the FA Cup with them to the Olympic Stadium. Hammers manager Slaven Bilic has previously said he would rather win the trophy than finish in the Premier League top four, and he showed his intent by picking a near full-strength side against the Championship strugglers. And, despite that brief early scare after Marshall's opener, the visitors never looked like becoming the victim of a cup upset. Backed by over 7,000 travelling supporters, they quickly grew into the game as their superior quality shone through. The Hammers, who had won just one of their previous 10 away matches, completely controlled the tie after Taylor's dismissal, with Blackburn constantly stretched by their pace and sharp movement. "The sending-off was completely needless and changed the course of the game," said BBC Radio 5 live summariser Mark Lawrenson. "I'm not saying West Ham wouldn't have won but they wouldn't have won so easily." France attacking midfielder Payet has been the star of West Ham's season, impressing plenty of observers since his summer move from Marseille with his vision, poise and technical ability. The 28-year-old showed again why he is pivotal to the Hammers' hopes of winning the FA Cup with a masterful performance at Ewood Park. He put the visitors ahead with a trademark free-kick, arcing the ball over the Rovers wall from almost 30 yards and into the corner. Not for the first time this season, Payet was not always constantly involved in the game - but it is his ability to burst into life with devastating effect which is so impressive. In the final stages, his precise throughball teed up Emenike's second goal before sealing the match with a wonderful solo run and finish. Media playback is not supported on this device Payet has now been involved in 17 goals in all competitions for the Hammers since his arrival, scoring nine goals and providing eight assists. No wonder Hammers boss Bilic, who was warmly embraced by Payet on the touchline after his first goal, was so pleased to tie him down to an improved contract. "Dimitri is one of the very best, in terms of the players that I've played with and coached. He is up there with Luka Modric," said Bilic afterwards. READ MORE: Bilic wants

Summary: Dimitri Payet produced a virtuoso performance as West Ham fought back to ease into the FA Cup quarter-finals at Championship side Blackburn.


Media playback is not supported on this device Defending champion McIlroy posted a one-over-par 73 to end on one over, five shots short of the cut mark. Rank outsiders Im and Hebert both shot rounds of 67 to lie 13 under and retain the one-shot lead they held over the chasing pack after the first round. Spaniard Jon Rahm is one behind on 12 under after also firing a 67. Frenchman Hebert and American Im were among the early starters on Friday and registered seven birdies and six birdies respectively in their five-under-par rounds in testing wet and windy conditions. New Zealander Ryan Fox and English duo Matthew Southgate and Oliver Fisher are well in contention on 11 under, with American Paul Peterson also challenging strongly on 10 under. McIlroy began the tournament with a disappointing level-par round in benign conditions on Thursday and needed a bright start to Friday's second round to reignite his hopes of making the last two days. A bogey at his first hole of the day, the par-three 10th, saw the world number four immediately drop a shot, before carding three birdies and a second bogey on the remainder of his opening nine. The Northern Irishman picked up a shot at the fourth hole but a bogey at the sixth and a double bogey at the eighth sealed his fate as he was forced to watch playing partners Rahm and Hideki Matsuyama make their mark near the top of the leaderboard. "I felt like I was battling well, two under through 13, and with another par five coming up, but bogey at the sixth took the wind out of my sails," said McIlroy, who showed his frustration by slamming his driver to the ground after a poor drive at the 16th. "My short game, in general, it's just silly mistakes," he said. "I'm just not being very efficient with my scoring and that's why I'm making it difficult for myself. Just need to tidy up the short game a little bit; I feel like the long game is there." The four-time major winner will compete in next week's Scottish Open before heading down to Royal Birkdale for The Open Championship. "Obviously, I might have a few commitments here this weekend, but I need to practice," he said. "I need to get sharp and get ready for next week and ultimately for The Open in a couple week's time." World number two Matsuyama is well placed on nine under, the same score as fellow Japanese player Hideto Tanihara, who recorded the lowest score of the day with a 65. Paul Dunne is best placed of the Irish contingent on eight under, along with others, including Jamie Donaldson and Soren Kjeldsen, two of 11 former Irish Open winners in the field. Major champions Padraig Harrington and Justin Rose, plus last week's French Open winner Tommy Fleetwood, are among a group still well on touch on seven under. Among those to miss the cut was local hero Graeme McDowell, who slumped to a six at the 18th, a double bogey

Summary: Rory McIlroy missed the cut at the Irish Open for the fourth time in five years as Daniel Im and Benjamin Hebert led after day two at Portstewart.


Parliament voted to oust conservative Prime Minister Janez Jansa, after smaller parties left his coalition. He was accused by the anti-corruption watchdog in January of tax irregularities and has been struggling to implement austerity measures to combat the country's financial crisis. MPs asked opposition leader Alenka Bratusek to form a new government. She will become the first woman to lead Slovenia since its independence from Yugoslavia in 1991. Mr Jansa was elected a year ago, but his government has struggled to contain the country's economic problems. Slovenia joined the European Union in 2004 and the eurozone in 2007, but its banking sector was hit hard by the financial crisis and the eurozone crisis that followed. It is currently in a deep recession, with unemployment at more than 12% and GDP expected to shrink by a further 2% this year. There is speculation that Slovenia will be forced to request an international bailout, as it needs to repay 2bn euros (Â£1.7bn; $2.6bn) of debt in the coming months. Mr Jansa has faced corruption allegations, but also growing public anger and protests over austerity measures. Ms Bratusek, who has previously worked in the finance ministry, has voiced her opposition to austerity, saying her priority will be "growth and jobs". She also plans to avoid requesting a Greece-style bailout. "I say it clear, there will be no Greek scenario in Slovenia," she told parliament.

Summary: The government of Slovenia, beset by economic turmoil and allegations of corruption, has fallen.


US officials described the intercept by the SU-27 jet on Wednesday as "dangerous and unprofessional". Russia's defence ministry said the US plane had been approaching Russian territory and the SU-27 pilots had adhered to international rules. Russia is currently carrying out military exercises in the Black Sea. Pentagon spokesman Capt Jeff Davis said the US Navy P-8A Poseidon aircraft had been conducting routine operations in international airspace when the Russian fighter made the unsafe manoeuvre. "These actions have the potential to unnecessarily escalate tensions, and could result in a miscalculation or accident," he said. A US defence official quoted by AFP news agency said the Russian plane had flown within 30ft of the P-8A before closing to just 10ft. However, the Russian defence ministry said fighters intercepted the US plane because it was heading towards Russian territory with its transponder signal - which helps others identify it - switched off. "After the Russian fighters got close to the spy planes for visual confirmation and to determine their wing numbers, the American aircraft changed course sharply and flew away," a statement said. "The Russia pilots acted in strict accordance with international rules for flights." Relations between Russia and the West have been strained since the Russian annexation of Crimea from Ukraine in March 2014. In April, the US complained that Russian jets had confronted one of its reconnaissance planes over the Baltic Sea in an "unsafe and unprofessional manner". In that incident, Russia also said that the US plane had turned off its transponder signal.

Summary: The Pentagon says a Russian fighter plane flew within about 10ft (3m) of one of its reconnaissance aircraft operating over the Black Sea.


Citizens Advice Bureaux says the 51% increase means it is now Wales' biggest debt problem. Council tax has increased by around 4% in the past year, and many cannot balance that with the cost of living. The Welsh Local Government Association said it does its best to ensure the most vulnerable households are protected. But the charity's report also found bailiffs knocked on the doors of 2,000 people last year in order to collect the tax. A WLGA spokesman said: "In a period of such prolonged austerity, it comes as no surprise that the number of households reporting problems with paying their council tax has risen, on average bills are £160 less than in England. "Council officers take an even-handed approach to enforcement."

Summary: Over 6,000 people are struggling to pay council tax bills in Wales - double the number a year ago, says an advice body.


Organisers of the event, which has seen Judi Dench, Stephen Fry, BB King and JK Rowling appear, want to "secure its future for the next 50 years". They say each year they must raise £500,000 to keep the event afloat. Prince Charles said the festivals "played a crucial role in nurturing new talent." The festivals' Future 50 Appeal aims to raise £1m for the arts charity "that has been at the heart of Harrogate for half a century - to secure its future for the next 50 years", organisers said. Backing the appeal, Prince Charles said: "I am so pleased to be able to support such an innovative charity organisation as it launches the Future 50 Campaign, which will help safeguard the festivals' heritage and reputation for excellence, as well as playing a crucial role in nurturing new talent and providing opportunities for all, making life that little bit more worthwhile." Sharon Canavar, Head of Harrogate International Festivals, said: "We have a strong heritage and an ambitious future. We are passionate about building on this remarkable legacy for future generations.

Summary: The Prince of Wales has given his backing to a campaign to raise £1m to secure the future of Harrogate International Festivals.


Jason Downie, 32, befriended youngsters on the social media site before sending them messages asking to meet up. Aberdeen Sheriff Court heard how he sexually assaulted a 13-year-old girl in Fraserburgh in September 2012. Sentencing him, Sheriff Annella Cowan described Downie as a "dangerous and manipulative" man who would remain on the sex offenders register for life. Downie, who admitted the assault, had started chatting with the young girl on Facebook and X-box Live Chat. The court heard he then encouraged the girl to meet him in a car in Fraserburgh. Fiscal depute Kelly Mitchell said: "The complainer asked if he would get her a sweet from the nearby shop. He said that he would do it in return for a kiss." After seizing the youngster's head and kissing her he jumped into the back seat of the vehicle and sexually assaulted the schoolgirl. Miss Mitchell said: "She screamed 'stop' and 'get off me'. Neighbours stated that they heard a girl screaming." The court heard that the next day the girl went to the police and reported the attack. Downie also pleaded guilty to travelling "with the intention of having unlawful sex" with another young girl he befriended on Facebook earlier this year. The court heard he sent her inappropriate messages in June 2015, asking for pictures of herself in her underwear. At one point, he suggested they go for a drive in his car and they could kiss - but the girl turned up to the meeting near Banff in the company of friends. The court heard Downie later sent her abusive messages, stating that she had wasted his "time and fuel". The girl's mother found the messages on her daughter's Facebook app and reported Downie to the police. Downie, whose address on court papers was given as HMP Grampian, was sentenced to 38 months in jail, with an extended sentence of three years.

Summary: A man who used Facebook to find young girls to have unlawful sex with has been jailed for more than three years.


King Salman's decree also means Prince Mohammed bin Salman, 31, will become deputy prime minister while continuing as defence minister. Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, 57, has been removed from his role as head of domestic security, state media say. He has pledged allegiance to the new crown prince, his younger cousin. Saudi Arabia has typically been ruled by kings in their 70s or 80s. Prince Mohammed bin Salman's rapid ascent is seen by the younger generation as a sign that things are changing. Before his latest promotion, he was responsible for leading Saudi Arabia's war in Yemen, overseeing the kingdom's energy policy and economic reform. He must have already ruffled a lot of feathers in a royal family that was used to being presided over by a succession of elderly men, the BBC's Middle East editor Jeremy Bowen reports. His father King Salman is 81 and reportedly not in the best of health, our correspondent adds. Prince Mohammed bin Salman could, potentially, lead Saudi Arabia for decades, heralding a long period of internal stability. However, the new crown prince is close to US President Donald Trump, and could ratchet up pressure against Iran - which would raise tensions in the region. The rise of Prince Mohammed bin Salman has been meteoric. When I met him in Jeddah in 2013 he described himself as simply "a lawyer". Today he is a heartbeat away from ruling the most powerful country in the Arab world. Despite being the driving force behind Saudi Arabia's damaging and inconclusive military campaign in Yemen, he is largely popular at home, especially with younger Saudis. He has swept away many of the ineffective timeservers in government offices and replaced them with young, Western-educated technocrats. He has set out a possibly over-ambitious development plan, "Vision 2030", and announced plans to sell off part of the vast state-owned oil company, Saudi Aramco. He has also forged ties with Washington and the Trump administration. But his biggest and most risky move may yet prove to be his bid to curb the power of the conservative religious establishment. Washington likes this move, but others closer to home do not. The founder of Saudi Arabia, King Abdulaziz (known as Ibn Saud), had dozens of sons, and there are as many as 15,000 princes and princesses in the royal family. In 2006, a decree was passed setting up a committee responsible for electing the king and crown prince. The committee is made up of senior princes of the Al Saud royal family and is known as the Allegiance Council. Mohammed bin Salman's new promotion to crown prince was approved by 31 out of 34 members of the council. Analysts say those in power tend to appoint their sons to roles that will enhance their chances of being promoted - so when monarchs and crown princes change, sons can come into and out of favour. King Salman, a son of King Abdulaziz, acceded to the throne in January 2015 after the death of his half-brother Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz. He launched his first major cabinet reshuffle a

Summary: Saudi Arabia's king has appointed his son Mohammed bin Salman as crown prince - replacing his nephew, Mohammed bin Nayef, as first in line to the throne.


The Dartmouth College team discovered the insects' communication system and studied females' reactions to the males' songs. They say the call is likely to have evolved from males impersonating hunting bats and startling females. Females' shuddering response appears to allow males to locate a mate. Close examination of females' nervous systems suggested that this shudder evolved from a startle reflex, the researchers say. The findings are published in the journal Current Biology. Lead researcher Prof Hannah ter Hofstede investigated this unusual insect duet after a colleague presented some recordings of the insects' particularly high frequency chirps. "It struck me as very strange that these crickets would use such high frequencies for mating purposes," the scientists said. Other cricket species avoid sounds at these frequencies, which are similar to the sounds that bats make when navigating and hunting. Prof ter Hofstede used playback experiments - playing males' songs through speakers - to test females' reaction to the high, bat-like chirps. "I expected the females to walk to the speaker, because this is the usual behaviour for female crickets, but they did not do this - [they instead] made a small jerking motion after each male call," she explained. "From many observations of males and females together, I noticed that it was always the male walking to the female when she produced these vibrational signals." Further study revealed that the male calls also triggered activity in a nerve cell known to be responsible for triggering escape behaviour in crickets. This, along with careful tracking of the cricket evolutionary tree, led Prof ter Hofstede and her colleagues to conclude that what is now a mating song and dance routine originated from a reflex startled "jump". This, the scientists say, is an example of "how communication systems can change over evolutionary time. "And that even something as unlikely as a reflex response to a predator can be the origin for a new communication signal."

Summary: Scientists have discovered that the chirps of some crickets could be a cunning way to "startle" potential mates into revealing their location.


Tries from Bill Meakes, James Hook and Ross Moriarty coupled with Hook's accuracy with the boot gave the Cherry and Whites a 25-6 half-time lead. A scrappy second half saw little more than a couple of confrontations between both sides, before Gloucester's Tom Savage crossed the whitewash. Gloucester are now just three points behind fourth-placed Northampton. Newcastle went into the match on the back of consecutive home victories over Leicester and Northampton, but a lacklustre display before the break ensured the match was over by half-time. Relive Gloucester's win over Newcastle here Gloucester, however, looked buoyed by last weekend's 25-12 loss at leaders Saracens and came flying out of the blocks, despite losing Jacob Rowan to a first-minute head injury. Australian wing Meakes collected Willi Heinz's pinpoint grubber kick to open the scoring before instrumental Wales international Hook wriggled through to add a second try shortly after. Flanker Moriarty then dived over following some quick hands from Heinz and Mariano Galarza just before the half-time whistle. As the game turned niggly after the break, neither side was able to string any attacking momentum together until replacement lock Savage crashed over. Newcastle's only saving grace from a disappointing afternoon was Worcester's 38-18 defeat at Northampton, which saw them stay two points ahead of Warriors in 10th and seven points clear of bottom side London Irish. Gloucester director of rugby David Humphreys told BBC Radio Gloucestershire: Media playback is not supported on this device "In the same way that we reacted very positively immediately after the Leicester defeat, we got the same reaction today - I thought the players were outstanding. "I thought the last 10 minutes were much better, we stayed patient, subs came on and made a difference, made a real impact. "There's a sense of relief more than anything else I think after that game because we played so well that we felt we just deserved the bonus point. Gloucester: Cook; Sharples, Meakes, Twelvetrees (capt), Purdy; Hook, Heinz; McAllister, Hibbard, Afoa, Thrush, Galarza, Moriarty, Rowan, Ludlow. Replacements: Dawidiuk, Thomas, Doran-Jones, Savage, Kvesic, Braley, Burns, Trinder. Newcastle: Hammersley; Venditti, Harris, Powell, Watson; Willis, Takulua; Vickers, Lawson, Vea, Green, Wilson, Mayhew, Welch (capt), Hogg. Replacements: McGuigan, Rogers, Hatakeyama, Botha, Clever, Young, Sinoti, Socino.

Summary: Gloucester ran in four tries to earn a comfortable bonus-point win over Newcastle Falcons at Kingsholm.


Richard Gray, 36, is accused of possessing an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence near Heene and St Mary's Primary Schools in Worthing. Mr Gray was charged on Thursday and pleaded not guilty on Saturday at Brighton Magistrates' Court. The defendant, of Cortis Avenue, was remanded in custody and will appear at Hastings Magistrates' Court on 15 May. He has also denied possessing of a knife in Victoria Park. Police said a man reported being shown a firearm close to Victoria Park and Norfolk Street in Worthing, at 14.15 BST on Thursday. A woman said she was shown a gun in a bag in Stoke Abbott Road at 21:10.

Summary: A man has denied brandishing a plastic gun and a knife near two schools.


Produced by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, the guidelines recommend women seek advice well before pregnancy on their care. Managing seizure control, tiredness and risks linked to some epilepsy medicines can make pregnancy a difficult time. Epilepsy Action said the guidance would help women make informed decisions. Around 2,500 infants are estimated to be born to women with epilepsy every year in the UK. But there are risks to the health of unborn babies from taking some anti-epileptic drugs during pregnancy, particularly sodium valproate. Some women stop taking their medication or cut down, which can make seizures worse and increase the risk of harm to mother and baby. However, the guidance says "most mothers have normal healthy babies", but women with epilepsy should be informed that the risk to the foetus is dependent on the type, number and doses of drug they take. These RCOG guidelines, for GPs, midwives, consultants and women with the condition, say women should: It's a condition that affects the brain, leading to epileptic seizures. A seizure happens when there is a sudden burst of intense electrical activity in the brain. This causes a temporary disruption to the way the brain normally works. There are many different types of seizure. During the more serious ones, the person can lose awareness, go stiff, fall to the floor and the body can jerk. Some types of epilepsy last for a limited time and the person eventually stops having seizures. But for many people epilepsy is a life-long condition. Shakila Thangaratinam, lead author of the guidelines and professor of maternal and perinatal health at Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, said the right care before, during and after pregnancy was important. "Women with epilepsy require multi-disciplinary care throughout their pregnancy, and healthcare professionals need to be aware of the small but significant increase in risks. "While most women who have epilepsy remain free of seizures throughout their pregnancy, some may have more seizures if they are pregnant. "It is important that these women receive pre-conception counselling, meet with an epilepsy specialist, and are monitored closely for seizure risk factors." Simon Wigglesworth, deputy chief executive at Epilepsy Action, said he was delighted to see the guidance published. "This ensures that they are able to make informed decisions about all aspects of their health and wellbeing, as well as that of their baby." Louise Silverton, director for midwifery at the Royal College of Midwives, also welcomed the guidance. "It is vital we remember that women with epilepsy are classified as high risk during their pregnancy, often they require more monitoring and specialist care during the course of their pregnancy. However, the majority of women with epilepsy will give birth safely." Experts say the risk of death is 10 times greater in pregnant women with epilepsy compared with those without the condition. Between 2009 and 2013, 21 women died during pregnancy as a result of epilepsy - and in most of those cases their seizures were found to be poorly controlled.

Summary: Pregnant women with epilepsy should be treated by a specialist healthcare team to prevent unnecessary deaths, according to new national guidelines.


A Walmart truck crashed in to the back of Morgan's limo in June 2014, with prosecutors alleging the driver had not slept for more than 24 hours. Comedian James McNair, known as Jimmy Mack, was killed in the crash. Morgan's lawyer, Benedict Morelli, said Walmart "took full responsibility for the accident". All sides had worked hard to reach the undisclosed agreement, he added. Morgan said Walmart "did right by me and my family, and for my associates and their families". "I am grateful that the case was resolved amicably.'' A representative for supermarket giant Walmart also called it an "amicable settlement". Morgan, 46, was left in a critical condition following the crash, suffering a traumatic head injury, a broken leg, nose and ribs. In March, his lawyer said the star had not yet been able to get back to work but was "working very hard to get better, physically, emotionally and mentally." The comedian, who rose to fame on Saturday Night Live, will give his first interview since the crash to NBC's Today on Monday, 1 June. Morgan will be interviewed by Matt Lauer live in the Rockefeller Center - which was the setting for 30 Rock - and will be joined by his lawyer Benedict Morelli. Walmart had previously reached an agreement with the family of James McNair, 62, who grew up with Morgan in New York. Their driver, Kevin Roper of Jonesboro, Georgia, has pleaded not guilty to death by auto and assault and is currently on bail.

Summary: Comic and 30 Rock star Tracy Morgan has settled his legal case against Walmart over a crash which left him seriously injured, and killed his friend.


The 24-year-old victim was subjected to a serious sexual assault by two men in Dixon Road, in the city's Govanhill area, in the early hours of 19 May. Police Scotland launched a high-profile inquiry after the incident. The force said two men, aged 28 and 29, had been reported to prosecutors following the inquiry.

Summary: Two men have been reported to the procurator fiscal over the alleged rape of a woman in the south side of Glasgow earlier this year.


Hawes appears in the second series of BBC drama The Missing, which focuses on children who have disappeared. She said: "Having three children myself, I have tended to stay away from these sorts of dramas in the past. "It all felt too close to home, it's one of those stories you see on the news." Hawes, the star of Line of Duty and Ashes to Ashes, added: "You don't want to look at it, but in the end you can't help it because it's riveting." The second series of The Missing - written by brothers Harry and Jack Williams - begins with a young British woman being found collapsed in a German town square. It later transpires the woman - Alice Webster, played by Abigail Hardingham - has been missing for 11 years. The series explores how her family and the local community cope with her return. Hawes and The Walking Dead actor David Morrissey play the young girl's parents, Staff Sergeant Sam Webster and his wife Gemma. Speaking about her decision to sign up to the show, Hawes said: "I was sent the first six scripts and I sat down one evening and thought, 'Oh I'll take a look at the first one.' "By the end of the evening I had read them all, like I was making my way through a box set. I just couldn't stop. So I was very excited." The first series of the BBC One drama, which starred James Nesbitt, aired in 2014. The forthcoming series stars an almost entirely different cast - detective Julien Baptiste, played by TchÃ©ky Karyo, is the only character to return. It will again tell the story over two timelines, starting in 2014 when Alice returned and then moving to the present day. The programme will also examine Alice's possible connection to another missing girl whose case Baptiste has examined. Harry Williams said: "We didn't want to recreate the same story, we wanted to do something different. "Rather than losing someone, it's about finding someone, and whether that is the happy ending that everyone thinks it is." The Missing will return on 12 October. Follow us on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, on Instagram, or if you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news@bbc.co.uk.

Summary: Keeley Hawes says she has previously stayed away from acting in dramas about missing children as they "felt too close to home".


The trumpet-shaped work, called Dirty Corner, has been vandalised three times since it was installed in June. Sir Anish had said he would not remove the graffiti in order to highlight intolerance in society. But a tribunal in Versailles ruled over the weekend that the graffiti must be erased and an alarm installed. After that, the artist chose to gild the slogans into obscurity - calling it his "royal response" to the vandalism. Dirty Corner, which has been dubbed the "Queens Vagina" in French media, was splattered with yellow paint shortly after its installation in June. That was hastily cleaned off but, the following month, it was daubed with graffiti, some of it anti-Semitic, on two separate occasions. After the tribunal ruling Sir Anish posted a picture of the sculpture on Instagram of the graffiti covered up by black sheets. Next to the image, he said: "The racists in France have won a court judgement forcing the racist graffiti to be covered, blaming the artist and Versailles for inseminating racist propaganda. "It is as if a woman is raped and blamed for her own rape. We will fight this. The racists cannot win. Join us!" Speaking after ruling, Sir Anish told Le Figaro: "This decision breaks my heart." He said he could not remove the graffiti because that would deny the fact that it had happened. He said covering the sculpture in gold would ensure the slogans remained, transforming his original vision into "something else, a room still with a painful past, but a piece that first claims the beauty of art". Speaking to The Art Newspaper, Sir Anish added that the gilding would be "an act of transformation which turns the nastiness into something else. "I want something active, not reactive," he said. The artist has recently distanced himself from earlier comments comparing the sculpture to "the vagina of the queen who took power", saying the work was open to interpretation.

Summary: A controversial sculpture by Sir Anish Kapoor in the Versailles Palace gardens has been covered in gold leaf to mask anti-Semitic graffiti.


The 23-year-old carded a final-round five-under-par 67 to finish on 11 under at the Trump National in New Jersey. Compatriot Choi Hye-Jin was two strokes behind in second, while China's Shanshan Feng, who held a one-shot lead overnight, went round in 75 to finish tied for fourth, five strokes adrift. A South Korean has won the US Open seven times in the past 10 years. Park told Fox Sports: "I did not have the best first and second rounds so I wanted to believe in myself in the remaining rounds. Trusting myself definitely helped." England's Charley Hull finished 11 strokes behind Park on level par, with Scotland's Catriona Matthew a further six shots back.

Summary: South Korea's Park Sung-hyun won the US Women's Open by two shots to claim her first LPGA title in her debut season.


Seventh-placed Vikings went into the break 8-0 ahead thanks to two tries from Corey Thompson. Liam Farrell's converted score brought Warriors back to within two against a side who defended stoutly despite at one stage having two in the sin-bin. Wigan turned down a late chance for goal, but the visitors held out. Shaun Wane's side need only one point to confirm a top-four finish, but decided against trying to draw the match when they won a 79th-minute penalty. They decided to run it and, after it came to nothing, Widnes saw the clock down. Wigan: S Tomkins, Charnley, Gelling, Sarginson, Tierney, Williams, Shorrocks, Sutton, Powell, Flower, Farrell, Bateman, Isa. Replacements: Tautai, Gildart, Nuuausala, Bretherton. Widnes: Hanbury, Thompson, Dean, Runciman, Marsh, Mellor, Brown, Burke, White, Buchanan, Whitley, Houston, Cahill. Replacements: J Chapelhow, Dudson, Heremaia, Farrell. Referee: Phil Bentham (RFL)

Summary: Widnes Vikings produced a superb defensive display to beat Wigan and leave Warriors still waiting to confirm their Super League play-off place.


Pilot Philip Garvey, 56, his wife Ann, 55, their daughter Emily, 23 and son Daniel, 20 died in the crash near Churchinford, police said. The family from Woking, Surrey, had been flying towards Dunkeswell Aerodrome in east Devon. Avon and Somerset Police said the six-seater plane had now been recovered from the field for further examination. Officers are carrying out a joint investigation with the Air Accidents Investigation Branch. The family were members of St Dunstan's Catholic Church in Woking. Emily and Daniel were former pupils of St Dunstan's Primary School and the St John the Baptist School (SJB) in Woking. A statement released by SJB read: "The family was highly regarded within the SJB community, Emily and Daniel were two of the nicest and kindest young people you could ever wish to meet and were extremely well liked and respected by their peers and teachers. "Philip and Ann Garvey supported the school in every way, not only in the interest of their own children but also devoting their time supporting the school as a whole even after their children had left. "Currently Philip Garvey was involved both in supporting our Year 13 students with interview preparation and offering current Year 11 and 12 students work experience at his company - they will be sorely missed. "Our thoughts, prayers and deepest sympathy are with their remaining family members."

Summary: Four members of the same family who were killed in a plane crash in Somerset on Saturday have been named.


Fe ddaeth prif weithredwr Cyngor Sir Gâr, Mark James ag achos preifat yn erbyn y blogiwr Jacqui Thompson am sylwadau a wnaeth hi ar-lein. Mae cais dan y Ddeddf Rhyddid Gwybodaeth wedi dangos bod y cyngor wedi talu £29,414.08 tuag at ffioedd cyfreithiol Mr James yn yr achos. Dywedodd Swyddfa Archwilio Cymru nad oedd addewid yr awdurdod i dalu'r bil yn gyfreithlon. Yn 2012, dywedodd Mr James y byddai unrhyw arian y byddai'n derbyn fel iawndal "yn cael ei dalu i'r awdurdod". Cafodd Mrs Thompson orchymyn i dalu iawndal o £25,000 i Mr James, ond yn flaenorol mae ei gyfreithwyr wedi gwrthod cadarnhau y bydd yr arian yna'n cael ei ad-dalu. Nid yw Mr James wedi gwneud unrhyw daliadau, ond dywedodd yr awdurdod: "Hyd y gwyddom, nid yw Mr James wedi derbyn unrhyw iawndal gan Mrs Thompson." Ond mae Mrs Thompson yn dweud ei bod wedi gwneud dau daliad o £250 i Mr James, a'i bod yn credu y dylai ad-dalu'r bil cyfreithiol. Mae gan Mrs Thompson hefyd ddyled o £5,000 mewn llog a bron £15,000 mewn costau - sy'n rhaid eu talu erbyn 2032 - ynghyd â £190,393 am gostau cyfreithiol y cyngor. Ym Mawrth 2016, fe benderfynodd cabinet y cyngor yn unfrydol y byddai'n mynd ar ôl y costau yna, ond yn gohirio mynd ar ôl ffioedd cyfreithiol Mr James am ei achos enllib yntau. Dywedodd y cyngor bod ei safbwynt ar y mater "yn wybyddus ac yn gyhoeddus. Does dim mwy i ddweud". Dechreuodd y ffrae yn 2011 pan gafodd Mrs Thompson ei thaflu allan o gyfarfod cyngor a'i harestio am wrthod rhoi'r gorau i ffilmio'r cyfarfod. Ar dudalen flogio, fe gafodd llythyr agored ei gyhoeddi oedd yn feirniadol o Mr James a'r cyngor gan annog iddo ymateb. Fe wnaeth hynny, gan ddweud bod Mrs Thompson wedi rhedeg "ymgyrch o erlid, bygwth ac enllibio staff ac aelodau'r cyngor am beth amser". Fe ddaeth hi ag achos o enllib yn erbyn Mr James a'r cyngor, ond methodd yr achos wrth i'r llys ddweud bod hynny'n wir. Fe ddaeth Mr James - a fydd yn ennill cyflog o hyd at £171,539 yn 2017-18 - ag achos preifat ei hun yn erbyn Mrs Thompson am y sylwadau ar y blog yn 2011. Yn ôl yr Uchel Lys, fe wnaeth "gyfres o ddatganiadau ffug...a nifer o honiadau o lygredd, celwydd, celwydd dan lw a chamddefnydd o arian cyhoeddus" yn erbyn Mr James. Dywedodd Mrs Thompson: "Rwy'n credu y dylai ad-dalu'r arian am ei fod wedi ei gael yn anghyfreithlon. Ni ddylai'r cyngor fod wedi gwneud hyn - mae yn erbyn y gyfraith. "Mae hon jyst yn bennod arall yn yr hanes trist yma. Yn fy marn i, dyw hi ddim yn ymddangos fod gan Mr James fawr o gydwybod wrth feddwl am y trethdalwr."

Summary: Mae trethdalwyr wedi cyfrannu bron £30,000 i gronfa i dalu bil cyfreithiol pennaeth cyngor mewn achos enllib preifat, a does yr un ceiniog o'r arian wedi cael ei ad-dalu.


But did he get what he wanted? Here we look at the draft reform proposals drawn up by European Council President Donald Tusk at the start of February, the final text agreed on Friday and what Mr Cameron originally promised. What Cameron wanted: Allowing Britain to opt out from the EU's founding ambition to forge an "ever closer union" of the peoples of Europe so it will not be drawn into further political integration in a "formal, legally binding and irreversible way". Giving greater powers to national parliaments to block EU legislation. What the draft deal said: "The references to an ever closer union among the peoples are... compatible with different paths of integration being available for different member states and do not compel all member states to aim for a common destination. "It is recognised that the United Kingdom... is not committed to further political integration into the European Union. "Where reasoned opinions on the non-compliance of a draft union legislative act with the principle of subsidiarity, sent within 12 weeks from the transmission of that draft, represent more than 55% of the votes allocated to the national parliaments, the council presidency will include the item on the agenda of the council for a comprehensive discussion." What the final deal said: "It is recognised that the United Kingdom, in the light of the specific situation it has under the Treaties, is not committed to further political integration into the European Union. The substance of this will be incorporated into the Treaties at the time of their next revision in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Treaties and the respective constitutional requirements of the Member States, so as to make it clear that the references to ever closer union do not apply to the United Kingdom." Assessment: Mr Cameron has secured a commitment to exempt Britain from "ever closer union" to be written into the treaties. He has also negotiated the inclusion of a "red-card" mechanism, a new power. If 55% of national parliaments agree, they could effectively block or veto a commission proposal. The question is how likely is this "red card" system to be used. A much weaker "yellow card" was only used twice. The red-card mechanism depends crucially on building alliances. The sceptics say it does not come close to winning the UK back control of its own affairs - and Mr Cameron is set to announce further measures which he claims will put the sovereignty of the Westminster Parliament "beyond doubt". Some key areas also appear to be have been dropped along the way. There will be no repatriation of EU social and employment law, which was a 2010 manifesto commitment. There will be no changes to the working-hours directive. What Cameron wanted: The Conservative manifesto said: "We will insist that EU migrants who want to claim tax credits and child benefit must live here and contribute to our country for a minimum of four years." It also proposed a "new residency requirement for social housing, so that EU migrants cannot even be considered for a council

Summary: David Cameron is campaigning for Britain to remain in the EU after securing a deal he claims will give the country "special status" in the 28 nation bloc.


NI First Minister Arlene Foster said she was shocked and deeply saddened to hear of Mr Hunter's death. He was well-known to the public as a television and radio reporter with the BBC in Northern Ireland. He later was appointed as director of media and public relations with the Royal Ulster Constabulary. Mr Hunter, 64, had also served in a senior role in the BBC Northern Ireland press office. In a statement, the Hunter family said they were "absolutely devastated at the loss of a loving husband, father and grandfather". Mrs Foster said Mr Hunter was "held in the highest regard by all who knew him". "As a highly respected journalist for many years, Austin's professionalism and exemplary journalistic skills put him at the forefront of his profession," she said. "Austin was a man of deep integrity and objectivity who was respected by all who knew him or came in contact with him." Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness described him as a "very good journalist and nice man". "Austin was a man with a wide range of communication and interpersonal skills and made a considerable contribution to the media and public relations industry here for over 40 years," he said. Ulster Unionist Party leader Mike Nesbitt, who worked as a journalist with the BBC and UTV, said Mr Hunter was a "great journalist" and "superb human being". Mr Nesbitt said Mr Hunter had been "very encouraging" when he began his career at the BBC. Peter Johnston, director of BBC Northern Ireland, said Mr Hunter was "a true professional". "He demonstrated his great skill as a journalist on the frontline of reporting of some of the toughest times in Northern Ireland and throughout his BBC career he also gave generously of his time and knowledge to encourage others," he said. Former colleagues of Mr Hunter at BBC Northern Ireland and across the media have also paid tribute. Kathleen Carragher, Head of BBC News NI, said her former colleague was "passionate about Northern Ireland, the people and the politics and it informed all his work". "He helped many young journalists in Northern Ireland develop their careers and he will be deeply missed by all who knew him." Former Controller BBC Northern Ireland Anna Carragher said Mr Hunter was "a very sensitive man who was also fantastic fun to work with". Andrew Colman, former head of news and current affairs at BBC NI, said Mr Hunter had reported on "many of the most difficult and challenging circumstances" of the Troubles "with great compassion and integrity and won the respect of all". Former head of news and current affairs and chief editorial adviser BBC NI, Keith Baker, said Mr Hunter was "always calm and measured and was trusted by audiences and by those he had to work with on stories, particularly those who were recently bereaved". "He will be remembered for his honesty, for being a great colleague and mentor and for that impish sense of mischief that was never far away." News Letter editor Alistair Bushe said Mr Hunter's leadership skills had helped "lead it

Summary: The former BBC journalist and News Letter editor Austin Hunter has been killed in a traffic accident in Bahrain.


Yeovil District Hospital was put on "black alert" last year when it was overwhelmed by demand. This year the hospital is installing a 24-bed modular ward on its roof and leasing 18 beds from a nursing home. Chief Executive Paul Mears said: "Winter is a challenging time for us and we've taken action to ensure we're well prepared for this winter." Last February, the hospital was put on "black alert" for two weeks as it struggled to cope with the number of people coming into its accident and emergency department. What is a black alert? â€¢The NHS uses a national internal alert system based on the colours green, amber, red and black to rank how busy a local health and social care system is â€¢Black alert status occurs when a hospital cannot cope with the number of people coming into the accident and emergency department because not enough people are being discharged â€¢It effectively means the hospital does not have enough bed capacity to cope This year, to boost bed capacity, the hospital is hoisting a permanent emergency admissions unit onto the roof of its outpatient department in the run-up to Christmas. It has also contracted with a local nursing home to take 18 beds for six months for patients waiting for nursing home placements or a package of care. "Last winter was really, really bad for us - part of that was due to the complexity of the patients we were admitting which were a more elderly, frail group of patients and also the sheer numbers," said Mr Mears. "But we've got 42 beds on top of our current bed base now and we believe that will put us in a much better place to be able to cope with the additional pressures."

Summary: A "ready made" ward is to be craned onto the roof of a Somerset hospital to help cope with winter demand.


Marco Pierre White Jr, 21, had pleaded guilty to dishonestly making a false representation on 23 November. He was told he had to undertake 120 hours of unpaid work and pay £2,500 in compensation to his victim. Chief magistrate Emma Arbuthnot said she believed goods he had bought with the money were "sold to buy drugs". "There is no doubt this is serious enough for a community order," she said while also admonishing Pierre White Jr for "smirking" in the dock. Westminster Magistrates' Court heard the former Big Brother contestant admitted making a "high volume" of payments on Carina Evans's card after borrowing it to buy food in February. When the card was blocked, he tricked Ms Evans into unblocking it by pretending he had been arrested and needed to pay bail. He then went on to spend about £2,500 during visits to shops including the Apple Store and Sunglasses Hut. He previously pleaded guilty to dishonestly making a false representation at Hammersmith Magistrates' Court.

Summary: The son of chef Marco Pierre White has been ordered to perform unpaid work after he admitted dishonestly using his ex-girlfriend's bank card.


Kneen, 28, won both Superbike events on his way to collecting the man-of-the-meeting award two years ago, and will ride for the Mar-Train Yamaha outfit. Ryan Farquhar takes in the 'big bike' events on his BMW Superstock and the Supertwins class on his KMR Kawasaki. Malachi-Mitchell Thomas competes after taking a treble at the Mid Antrim 150. The Bolton rider is joined in the Cookstown BE Racing team by Dubliner Derek Sheils, who won the feature event at Mid Antrim on 2 April on his 1000cc Suzuki. Farquhar struggled with the stability and electronics on his Superstock machine at Mid Antrim but emerged the victor in the Supertwins and won the opening Superbike race over the 5.3-mile Tandragee circuit last year. William Dunlop is set to campaign his Supersport 600cc Yamaha at the County Armagh meeting, with Republic of Ireland competitors Derek Sheils and Derek McGee also in the mix. The meeting features a nine-race programme, with practicing on Friday and racing on Saturday.

Summary: Manxman Dan Kneen will be out to repeat the form he showed on his debut in 2014 when he takes part in this weekend's Tandragee 100 road races.


A freedom of information request by Plaid Cymru revealed the Labour-run authority had paid out £144,000 for the legal costs of nursery campaigners. It also paid the £97,500 legal bill of successful library campaigners. The council said costs in such circumstances usually fell on the authority which was "regrettable". RCT had previously revealed that its own external legal costs came to £113,199. Parents took their fight to the High Court in May to overturn the council's decision to end full-time nursery education for younger children. Meanwhile, in the same month, campaigners chained themselves to bookshelves to protest against the proposed closure of Rhydfelin library. They were granted a judicial review before it was reprieved. Plaid Cymru said the money would have been better spent on frontline services. It said the council had tried to "railroad" local people and it had been "a very expensive mistake to make". A council spokesman said due to continued UK government cuts unpopular decisions had to be made. "As is their right, residents can and have challenged these particular council decisions which, in respect of the decision to make changes to the funding arrangements for nursery education, resulted in the council's decision being quashed."

Summary: Rhondda Cynon Taf Council (RCT) has had to pay a £350,000 legal bill over challenges to cuts in nursery education and Rhydyfelin library's closure.


The baby died about six weeks ago but few details of the case were released. The child was born in Midland Regional Hospital, Mullingar, County Westmeath, on 16 August and died on 22 August at Dublin's National Maternity Hospital. The Health Service Executive (HSE), which runs the Republic of Ireland's public health services, confirmed it was investigating the "tragic" case. In a statement to the BBC, a spokesman said: "The HSE incident management policy is being followed and a full and thorough investigation into this tragic event has commenced. "The family are involved in this process. The hospital extends its deepest sympathy to the family," he added.

Summary: The Irish health authorities have begun an investigation following the death in hospital of a newborn baby.


Police said the 30-year-old was being treated for serious injuries at Glasgow Royal Infirmary. His condition has been described as "stable". The incident, which happened in the Maryhill area at about 20:25 on Saturday, is being treated as attempted murder. It involved between six and 10 men and women carrying weapons. It is not thought to be gang-related. A Police Scotland spokeswoman said: "A 30-year-old man sustained serious injuries after being stabbed on Hathaway Lane at around 8.25pm. "Hathaway Lane and Avenue Park Street remain closed and we are carrying out CCTV and door-to-door inquiries."

Summary: A man has been stabbed during an incident in Glasgow which involved up to 10 people.


Twenty others were also affected after a hot tub on display at JTF warehouse in Stoke-on-Trent exposed people to harmful levels of Legionella bacteria. Richard Griffin, Harry Cadman, 71, from Stoke-on-Trent and William Hammersley, 79, Chesterton died in 2012. JTF will be sentenced at Stafford Crown Court on Monday. It admitted failing to ensure the safety of employees and customers under the Health and Safety at Work Act. More updates on this story Not guilty verdicts on two corporate manslaughter charges were accept by the judge at Stafford Crown Court and three other health and safety charges were allowed to lie on file. A report by the Health Protection Agency (HPA) in 2012 said the hot tub was the probable source of the "significant" outbreak. In 2015, it emerged that more than £200,000 has been awarded to families after the deaths. Mr Griffin, 64, contracted the disease while delivering meat to a café in the warehouse in Fenton. He initially suffered headaches and hallucinations and later lost consciousness at his home in Clayton. He died in hospital from multiple organ failure. His family said he had never taken a day off sick in 30 years.

Summary: A firm has admitted a health and safety breach after an outbreak of Legionnaires' disease in a hot tub caused the deaths of three men.


The Horizons project has already helped two dozen acts since 2014 - with radio airplay and UK festival appearances. "Supporting new music is at the heart of what the BBC does across the whole of the UK, and internationally," said BBC Music's Jason Carter. Bands and solo artists have until 12 February to apply. "We're proud to support Horizons for a further year and see another 12 artists have a creative and potentially career changing 2016," said the Arts Council's Lisa Matthews. "There's been some incredible opportunities created so far and we're looking forward with excitement to more incredible music experiences." Solo artist Violet Skies said the 2015 project had meant a "mad year" for her. She said: "I've been lucky enough to tick off a lot of things from my musical bucket list - The Great Escape, Festival No.6, SÅµn, Maida Vale and now, I'm looking forward to Eurosonic and SXSW festival in 2016. "It's been a lovely little Welsh family of talented musicians and a really good support team - it's nice to turn up at festivals or a show knowing you have people there to help you."

Summary: A scheme to help new Welsh bands get wider exposure is set to return for a third year, backed by BBC Wales and the Arts Council of Wales.


Officers found Matthew Williams, 34, attacking Ms Yemm in the Sirhowy Arms Hotel in Argoed, Caerphilly county on 6 November 2014. He was stunned with a Taser and arrested at the scene but later died. Healthcare Inspectorate Wales is looking at the mental health support Williams received before the killing. Williams was known to mental health services at Aneurin Bevan, Abertawe Bro Morgannwg and Cardiff and Vale University health boards. The health watchdog said its independent review would investigate the care, medical history and events surrounding the killing in a bid to "provide an understanding and background to the fatal incident". The review will try to identify any change in Williams's behaviour, look at documents including risk assessments, assess how different agencies worked together and and interview staff involved in Williams's care. It has published the terms of reference for the independent review, which was ordered by the Welsh government. Inquests into Williams's and Miss Yemm's deaths are due to be held in the autumn.

Summary: A report to ensure "lessons are learnt" after a homeless prison leaver killed 22-year-old Cerys Yemm is to be published in early 2016.


Items worth more than £36 sent from the islands will incur VAT from 1 January 2013. The limit was £40. A gift is defined as an item sent between two private people, such as a birthday or Christmas gift. Jersey and Guernsey Post allow people to pay the VAT in advance so that the recipient is not charged by the UK Post Office. A spokesman for Jersey Post said the recipient could have to pay the VAT and an £8 charge set by the Post Office, if the sender did not pre-pay for the item. VAT is charged on all commercial parcels sent from Jersey to the UK after the end of Low Value Consignment Relief in April 2012. This loophole previously allowed for commercial items worth less than £15 to be sent VAT free. HM Revenue and Customs says the change is due to a revaluation of the euro compared to the pound.

Summary: The maximum value of gifts sent from the Channel Islands to the UK without incurring VAT has dropped.


The suspension comes pending the outcome of an investigation by the charity commission into the finance of the association. The investigation "is focussed on addressing concerns about the governance and financial controls". All five of the association's officers deny any wrongdoing. The charity, which receives more than £100,000 in funding each year, organises events and excursions for former police officers injured on duty. Membership is open to ex-RUC and PSNI officers. In recent years it has organised trips to London, Dublin, Cork , Poland and the K Club in County Kildare. An apparent conflict of interest, potential misconduct, not following financial procedures, misleading members of the charity, and non-compliance with funding conditions are some of the claims being examined by investigators in relation to the suspended chief executive, Elaine Hampton. The commission is also looking at whether or not the charity may have applied for double funding for some trips. Ms Hampton said she did not wish to comment for fear of prejudicing an appeal she has lodged against her suspension. It is understood she denies "any financial irregularities of any description" at the DPOANI, or indeed any wrong-doing. The association receives funding from the public purse, including income from the Northern Ireland Police Fund, the Community Relations Council and OFMDFM's Victims and Survivors Service, to help pay for its activities and trips. It also receives donations including one of almost £20,000 a year from the Greater Manchester Police. The Northern Ireland Police Fund, which is funded by the Department of Justice, confirmed it has frozen any grants to the association pending the outcome of the charity commission's inquiry. As well as the chief executive, Elaine Hampton, four other trustees, chairman Billy Allen QGM, audit committee member Robert Crawford, director Gordon Knowles MBE and former assistant treasurer Stephen McAlister, have been suspended pending the outcome of the commission's investigation. It is understood all five are appealing the commission's decision. Billy Allen is accused of not following financial procedures. Mr Allen declined to be interviewed saying he did not want to prejudice the outcome of his appeal. It is understood he strongly denies any wrongdoing. After first suspending Robert Crawford, the charity commission is now trying to remove him from the charity altogether. He is accused of mismanagement of the audit committee. Mr Crawford declined to be interviewed, also saying he did not want to prejudice his appeal against the suspension. It is understood he believes he did nothing wrong. As a consequence of the commission's actions, Mr Crawford has now been suspended from his post as a senior civil servant at the Department for Regional Development. It Is understood the commission is also examining concerns that some people not eligible for membership of the charity benefited from what it said could be "excessively lavish expenditure of public money", by taking part in a visit to the exclusive five star K Club golf resort in County Kildare in March. It is believed accommodation and meals for the three-day trip cost around £12,000. According to the commission, suspended board member Stephen McAlister, who attended

Summary: The chief executive and four trustees of the NI Disabled Police Officers Association (DPOANI) have been suspended.


The move by House Democrats is part of a "Day Without a Woman" strike, designed to highlight how crucial women are to the US national workforce. "I think it's important women in Congress show our solidarity," said Congresswoman Lois Frankel. Schools in some districts were forced to close after staff walked out. International Women's Day has grown from a labour movement with its roots in a 1908 protest to a UN-recognised annual event. Women in Ireland still face prison for having an abortion Witty comebacks to sexist banter Why I can't post images of things going wrong Protests of various kind took place around the world. In Ireland, women across the country went on strike and wore black to protest against the country's restrictive abortion laws. Solidarity protests were held in London, Amsterdam and elsewhere to call for Irish laws to be changed. Women in Poland staged rallies and marches to demand protection against violence, equal rights and respect. They were joined by actress Jessica Chastain, who was in the city for a screening of her latest film. In Germany, airline Lufthansa said six all-female crews would be flying in support of the day. Just 6% of pilots in the airline's parent company Lufthansa are women. Sweden's women's football team replaced the names on the back of their jersey's with tweets from Swedish women "who have struggled to gain ground in their respective field". In the US, thousands of women were expected to not work or spend money, to demonstrate their economic strength and impact on society. "We provide all this value and keep the system going and receive unequal benefits from it," said Cassady Findlay, a spokeswoman for the organisers behind the idea. US women are paid just four-fifths of their male counterparts' wages. The "Day Without a Woman" is being organised by the group behind the Women's March in January, when millions across the US gathered to protest the day after Donald Trump's inauguration. International Women's Day rallies are planned in New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Milwaukee, Washington and Berkeley, California, with some employers giving women time off to attend. Mr Trump tweeted on Wednesday to say he had "tremendous respect for women", but the president has been accused of sexism and forced to deny a series of claims of sexual assault. The White House said that none of its female staff members had taken part in the strike. Spokesman Sean Spicer said everyone had "shown up" and was working hard to advance President Trump's agenda. Elsewhere, Iceland's government said that it would begin to make employers prove they offer equal pay regardless of gender, ethnicity, sexuality or nationality, becoming the first country to do so. And in Finland, the country announced a a $160,000 (â‚¬150,000) International Gender Equality Prize to be given to "a dedicated defender and builder of equality". Hundreds of women in the tiny state of Montenegro protested against cuts in state aid for mothers of three or more children, and in Romania dozens of women lay on the ground and read out the names of women killed

Summary: US congresswomen have walked out of work, joining women around the world who are going on strike as part of International Women's Day.


The new company will take over Crown's 27.4% interest in two Macau businesses. Macau is the world's largest gaming centre and the only place in China where casinos are allowed. Its gaming revenues have been hurt by a slowdown in Chinese spending. China's campaign against corruption and luxury spending began in late 2012 and has left officials and businesspeople from the mainland more wary of gaming and spending in Macau. Crown said the demerger, which included a move away from interests in Las Vegas among others, would benefit shareholders. Rob Rankin, chairman, said: "We believe that Crown Resorts' extremely high quality Australian resorts are not being fully valued and the Crown Resorts share price has been highly correlated to the performance of its investment in Macau." Shares in Crown closed 13.2% higher at $12.75 in Sydney following the announcement, but were still flat over the past 12 months. Crown was founded by James Packer, who stepped down as a director last December. He is the son of the late Australian media mogul Kerry Packer. James Packer still owns a 53% stake in Crown and said last year that he planned to focus on projects in Sydney, Melbourne and Las Vegas, as well as Crown's online gambling operations. Crown's first casino was in Melbourne and has since expanded to Sydney, Perth, London, Macau, Manila and Las Vegas.

Summary: A crackdown on corruption in China has prompted Australian casino operator Crown Resorts to spin off its international assets into a separate company.


Rotherwas Chapel, in Herefordshire, has been unused for many years and currently can only be viewed by making an appointment through English Heritage. But a newly formed Friends of the Chapel group are striving to make the historic chapel, once part of a large estate, more accessible to visitors. The mass, open to all, is due to take place on Monday. Margot Miller, a member of the Friends of the Chapel, which formed earlier this year, said research had not thrown up any records of mass ever being held there. "It was originally used as a family church for the Bodenham family, not a parish church, so we don't know if any mass was heard," she said. The Ministry of Defence took over the building after the death of the last Bodenham family member and it was used by soldiers defending the munitions factory in Rotherwas. The rest of the estate was knocked down. English Heritage eventually took the chapel over and Ms Miller and other volunteers formed a group to help look after and clean the building. "It is a lovely chapel," she said. "A beautiful little building. We think it was mainly used in the 16th century and it has a little altar and stained glass windows. The Bodenham family spent a lot of money on it." The first mass is designed to coincide with celebrations for the Feast of the Assumption. The chapel is called Our Lady of the Assumption. Plans for a memorial for Henry Bodehnam, killed in France in 1916, are being arranged for September and it is also hoped a carol service will be held in December.

Summary: A little-used chapel is to host what is thought to be its first public mass.


The 31-year-old carded a four-under 67 to finish seven under with Haas, who was one ahead overnight. He then claimed the play-off with a par for his 15th professional win, but only his second on the PGA Tour. World number one Jordan Spieth, the defending champion, birdied the last for a 73 and was tied 18th, seven back. Playing partner Lee McCoy, the 22-year-old amateur who grew up next to the Copperhead course, followed his third-round 66 with four birdies in a 69 and finished fourth to qualify for the Houston Open. Haas was two shots ahead into the closing stages, but having made par from a greenside bunker at the par-three 15th, he was unable to do so from a similar scenario at the next and was tied with Schwartzel, who birdied three of his final six holes, including a putt from 64 feet at the 13th. At the first play-off hole, the par-four 18th, Haas put his tee shot with a three wood into the trees on the right and his second into a greenside bunker. Schwartzel, the 2011 Masters champion, took an iron off the tee and was pin-high in two, before calmly two-putting to secure the title after Haas could not hole for par from 18 feet.

Summary: South African Charl Schwartzel won the Valspar Championship in Palm Harbour, Florida with victory over American Bill Haas at the first play-off hole.


The deal would only go ahead if Zurich felt it was getting a fair deal, said chief executive Martin Senn. His comments came as Zurich reported a 1% dip in net profits for the April to June quarter to $840m (Â£538m). Separately, RSA reported pre-tax profits of Â£288m for the first half of 2015, beating analysts' estimates and dwarfing 2014's results. RSA is amid a turnaround process under chief executive Stephen Hester. The firm said it planned to have "substantially completed" that process by the end of the year. Last month, Zurich said it was considering a bid for RSA, the owner of the More Than brand, which has a market value of about Â£5.3bn. Zurich is Europe's third-largest insurer and has often been linked with a bid for RSA. The Swiss firm said that its second quarter results were hit by "large losses" in the UK and at its global corporate business in North America, and "higher levels of catastrophe and weather related losses".

Summary: The head of Swiss insurer Zurich has said he sees "significant benefits" in buying UK rival and bid target RSA.


The signage on Anderson Street in Merkinch is part of a phase of work in the construction of the city's new flood alleviation scheme. Local resident Sarah Mackay said: "A no entry sign is a no entry sign, you don't need nine signs to say no entry." The contractor involved said they were needed for the number of access points. Another resident, David McCall, said: "Everyone can see the road's closed. "Why do you need signs taking up the pavement?" A spokesperson for the contractor McLaughlin and Harvey said the traffic management system was drawn up by another firm and approved by Highland Council. The spokesperson added: "The reason there are so many signs on that section of Anderson Street is that there are a lot of access points."

Summary: Eight no entry signs and an illuminated road closure sign to mark an Inverness one-way system have been described as unnecessary by people who live there.


Myles Bradbury has lodged an appeal against a 22-year jail sentence imposed last December. He admitted abusing 18 children at Addenbrooke's in Cambridge between 2009 and 2013. The mother of the 11-year-old abused when he was kept on as a patient told the BBC Bradbury should never be freed. Bradbury, 41, from Herringswell in Suffolk, was jailed at Cambridge Crown Court for sexual assault, voyeurism and possessing more than 16,000 indecent images. The court heard the images of his victims were taken in the hospital. Victims told investigators Bradbury had focused on examining their private parts when there was no medical need to do so. The child, who is now 13, was referred to Bradbury because his older sister had a blood disorder and it was feared he might have the same condition. But, his mother said, there was nothing wrong with him. Instead of discharging him from his patient list, Bradbury continued seeing and abusing the boy for a year. The boy is currently on heavy medication to deal with the mental effects of his abuse. His mother said she did not know how Bradbury could appeal. She said: "He is in prison now, probably doing his crafts or whatever. We are suffering every day. "He does not understand the knock-on effect he has had on families." Bradbury's appeal will be heard at the Royal Courts of Justice on 12 June.

Summary: A paedophile doctor who abused young cancer victims kept one boy on as a patient for a year even though he was not ill.