The artist was arrested at Shannon Airport in November 2014 when she was taken off a flight from New York after an alleged air rage incident. As she was being detained, O'Riordan told officers that she was an "icon" and the "Queen of Limerick". Last December, she admitted three assaults and obstructing an officer. She was diagnosed as suffering bipolar disorder after the incident. Medical reports given to the court showed she had been suffering mania and was mentally ill when it happened. At Ennis District Court in County Clare on Wednesday, a judge said it would be unfair to impose a criminal conviction on O'Riordan. He accepted O'Riordan has no memory of the incident and had a "very severe medical illness which completely inhibited her judgment". "Let me be utterly clear that the defendant is not being treated any differently than anyone else," he said. The judge asked for the money to be paid to a charity that helps prisoners ahead of their release from jail. Originally from County Limerick, O'Riordan became a multi award-winning musician after first singing with the Cranberries when she was just 18. The band went on to become one of the biggest of the 1990s, selling tens of millions of records. Leaving the courthouse, O'Riordan said she was feeling "very positive about this coming year". She added: "I have a couple of albums coming out and I'm going to go back to work."

Summary: Cranberries singer Dolores O'Riordan has been ordered to give 6,000 euros (£4,690) to charity after head-butting an Irish police officer.


The Vue chain ditched a scheme granted planning permission in 2012 for a cinema in the Buttermarket centre. But the borough council has approved a new proposal for a 16-screen multiplex, gym, new shops, restaurants and bars. The centre, which opened in 1992, was bought in March for £9.2m by Capital & Regional and Drum Property Group. The application has been granted subject to a number of conditions. It is hoped the multiplex will increase visitor numbers to the town, especially in the evening. Hugh Scott-Barrett, chief executive of Capital & Regional, said: "We believe our proposals will revitalise not just Buttermarket shopping centre but Ipswich town centre as a whole by introducing a tailored mix of retail and leisure facilities." The new scheme also includes the widening of the St Stephen's Lane atrium inside the centre and six new restaurants and bars on the ground floor. The new 16-screen cinema will span the building's three floors. An area for a large store will remain on the ground floor but there will also be seven other shops, restaurants and bars. "We have a real opportunity to develop Buttermarket into a vibrant shopping centre everyone can be proud of," Mr Scott-Barrett said.

Summary: An Ipswich shopping centre is to be transformed with a multi-screen cinema after previously abandoned plans were altered.


They describe it as a kind of "jet stream" - a fast-flowing river of liquid iron that is surging westwards under Alaska and Siberia. The moving mass of metal has been inferred from measurements made by Europe’s Swarm satellites. This trio of spacecraft are currently mapping Earth's magnetic field to try to understand its fundamental workings. The scientists say the jet is the best explanation for the patches of concentrated field strength that the satellites observe in the northern hemisphere. "This jet of liquid iron is moving at about fifty kilometres per year," explained Dr Chris Finlay from the National Space Institute at the Technical University of Denmark (DTU Space). “That might not sound like a lot to you on Earth's surface, but you have to remember this a very dense liquid metal and it takes a huge amount of energy to move this thing around and that's probably the fastest motion we have anywhere within the solid Earth,” he told BBC News. Dr Finlay was speaking here at the American Geophysical Union (AGU) meeting in San Francisco, just ahead of the official publication of the research in the journal Nature Geoscience. Most people will be familiar with the atmospheric jet stream - the high-altitude, rapidly flowing belt of air on which aeroplanes ride to get to their destination more quickly. Dr Finlay and colleagues want us to envision something similar but made of metal and 3,000km down, under our feet. They assess the jet to be about 420km wide, and say it wraps half-way around the planet. Its behaviour will be critical to the generation and maintenance of the global magnetic field, they add. “It's likely that the jet stream has been in play for hundreds of millions of years," said Dr Phil Livermore from Leeds University, UK, and the lead author on the journal paper. In the paper, the team puts forward a model to explain the jet. The scientists say the feature probably aligns to a boundary between two different regions in the core. They call this boundary the "tangent cylinder". They imagine this as a tube sitting around the solid inner core, running along Earth’s rotation axis. When liquid iron approaches the boundary from both sides, it gets squeezed out sideways to form the jet, which then hugs the imaginary tube. "Of course, you need a force to move fluid towards the tangent cylinder," said Prof Rainer Hollerbach, also from Leeds and another co-author on the paper. "This could be provided by buoyancy, or perhaps more likely from changes in the magnetic field within the core." Although the team believes it understands how wide and how long the jet is, the depth to which it descends is far from certain. Dr Livermore told BBC News: "It currently wraps about 180 degrees around the tangent cylinder. Although observations only constrain the jet stream on the edge of the core, our theoretical understanding suggests that the jet could in principle go very deep indeed - possibly in fact all the way down to the edge of the core in the

Summary: Scientists say they have identified a remarkable new feature in Earth’s molten outer core.


Pembrolizumab is a treatment for advanced skin cancer and is the first medicine to be approved through the Early Access to Medicines scheme (EAMS), launched in England last April. The idea is to get pioneering drugs to severely ill patients much sooner. Drugs signed off through EAMS have been scrutinised by regulators, weighing the risks and benefits. A green light by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) means doctors anywhere in the UK can prescribe the drug in question before normal licensing procedures - which can take years - are complete. Melanoma is the sixth most common cancer in the UK and kills more than 2,000 people in Britain each year. Damage to the skin by the sun's harmful UV rays increases your risk of developing this cancer. While advanced melanoma that has spread to other parts of the body may not be curable, targeted treatment can ease symptoms and may extend life. Clinical trials of pembrolizumab, which is injected into the bloodstream, suggest it has great promise for treating advanced disease. The treatment is considered a "next generation" drug in cancer care, stimulating the body's immune system to fight the disease. It blocks a biological pathway that the cancer uses to disguise itself from attack. Clinical trials are still under way, although the drug has already received a licence in the US for treating advanced melanoma. Until now, UK patients would only have been able to get pembrolizumab if they were on a clinical trial. Another government scheme in England, known as the The Cancer Drugs Fund, pays for cancer drugs that have already been licensed but not yet approved by the NHS watchdog NICE. MHRA chief executive Dr Ian Hudson said: "We are delighted to issue the first positive Early Access to Medicines Scheme scientific opinion. "The scientific opinion describes the risks and benefits of the medicine and the context for its use, supporting the prescriber and patient to make a decision on whether to use the medicine before its licence is approved." Emma Greenwood of Cancer Research UK said: "Pembrolizumab is another example of the great progress we've made in developing immune treatments for cancer, so it's encouraging to see it being made available to patients earlier. "NICE and the Cancer Drugs Fund only look at licensed drugs, so it's a step in the right direction in terms of patients getting access to new treatments faster. With this approach, relevant data will be collected and patients are closely monitored. "We look forward to seeing whether it can be replicated with other promising drugs."

Summary: An experimental and unlicensed cancer drug has been fast-tracked to NHS patients under a new government scheme.


"I love writing, cooking and baking. I'm enjoying what I'm doing and I don't want it to be taken away from me," the Junior Bake Off judge told the BBC. When asked if Channel 4 had approached her about the show, which is moving from BBC One, she told Newsround: "No." Channel 4 signed a three-year deal earlier this month with Love Productions, which makes the programme. But judge Mary Berry will not move after she quit The Great British Bake Off last week out of loyalty to the BBC, a few days after presenters Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins also decided not to make the move to Channel 4. Paul Hollywood is the only Bake Off star to have agreed to stick with the show and switch to Channel 4, so there is speculation as to who will present and judge the show. It was announced last month that Hussain, who won in 2015, was to judge the CBBC junior version of the show, alongside chef and food writer Allegra McEvedy. Channel 4 will begin airing the programme in 2017, starting with a celebrity special in aid of Stand Up To Cancer. Hussain was asked by BBC Breakfast about her views on Bake Off changing channel, but responded by saying: "It's old news. "Change happens, change comes, wherever it [the show] goes I just want it to do well, whatever happens, wherever it goes." But when asked about the importance of Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins to the show, she said: "Mel and Sue are so important to the show. Every time I was falling apart they'd come and say, 'It's just cake, come on you can do this.'" She added it is "the least competitive competition in the world" and that "you like each other, there's camaraderie in the competition, you don't see that anywhere else." She said: "You want to win and do really well and you want everyone to do well as well." The BBC and Channel 4 clashed over Bake Off on Tuesday at the Royal Television Society London Conference. James Purnell, the BBC's director of strategy and education was in a debate with Channel 4's chief creative officer Jay Hunt. Hunt said: "I understand that you feel aggrieved about Bake Off although it is worth remembering the BBC lost Bake Off. Channel 4 didn't take Bake Off." Purnell told her: "You have a remit which you describe yourself as 'born risky'. I think there's real questions about whether buying Bake Off qualifies for that." The Great British Bake Off began life on BBC Two in 2010, where it became a firm favourite with viewers before moving to BBC One in 2014. Last year's final was the UK's most watched television programme of the year, with 13.4 million viewers tuning in to see Hussain win the competition. Follow us on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, on Instagram, or if you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news@bbc.co.uk.

Summary: Great British Bake Off winner Nadiya Hussain said she has had "no offers" from Channel 4 to join the show.


The promotion of Trollope, 43, was confirmed on Wednesday with Dalman promising him full control of the first team and funds to bolster his squad. Trollope worked as Slade's assistant from February 2015 and has been told the Bluebirds hierarchy expect a top six finish. "It is not us taking the cheap option," Dalman told BBC Radio Wales Sport. "It could turn out to be a very expensive option." Slade has taken up a new role as head of football, in which he will oversee scouting, among other duties. Trollope will not report to Slade, and has already started to change his backroom staff with coach Scott Young being moved from first team duties. Dalman believes Trollope's appointment underlines Cardiff's commitment to stability and has explained the club will allow the former Bristol Rovers manager to be his own man. "We have [had] stability over the last 18 months. The team is not far off, let's be honest about that," he said. "Paul is absolutely able to bring in his own coaching team, it is entirely up to him how he builds that and I will support him with club resources." Dalman entirely dismissed the notion the club missed a trick by appointing from within. "First of all, we interviewed candidates from outside of the club as well, and some very, very good candidates actually. I was genuinely very surprised and impressed by the number of people who have shown interest," he said. "We felt that when you look at the history of the club and the disruptions and difficulties that we have had, we felt continuity was important. "And the resources we are about to have we want to put into the squad, rather than anywhere else. There will be money available for Paul, absolutely." Trollope has been told clearly he is expected to finish in the top six next season after the Bluebirds finished this campaign eighth in the Championship. "We need to get promoted and we will do the best that we can," Dalman said. "It is challenging, especially with the teams coming down - Aston Villa, Norwich City and Newcastle United, these are not the sort of teams you take lightly. "I think Paul has a real task ahead of him, but you've got to expect us to be at least in the top six, if not in the top four, if we make the investments we are planning to make." Trollope will not be reporting to Slade as he takes control of all aspects of the first team at Cardiff City Stadium. "Russell has now gone to head our football side; he will be helping us with all football matters, apart from the first team," said Dalman. "Paul Trollope will report directly to our CEO Ken Choo and very much has a free hand. "And that is the big significant change, that we are allowing Paul to express himself on the pitch. I think he will do a good job for us."

Summary: Chairman Mehmet Dalman says Paul Trollope is not a "cheap option" to succeed Russell Slade as Cardiff boss.


Shillingford, 30, and team-mate Marlon Samuels were both reported to the ICC for suspected illegal actions during last month's Test series in India. Meanwhile, Samuels, 32, has been banned from bowling his quicker deliveries. Shillingford's arm was found to extend more then the permitted 15 degrees for his off breaks and doosras. Samuels exceeded the 15-degree limit for his quicker balls, but he is allowed to continue bowling his standard off breaks. A batting all-rounder, he has played for the Windies as a specialist batsman before now, although Shillingford - a specialist bowler - now faces withdrawing from international cricket until he remodels his action. The pair have 14 days to lodge a written appeal to the ICC, although West Indies are currently in the middle of a Test series in New Zealand. Shillingford and Samuels both played in the first two Tests, although Samuels did not bowl. The third Test begins in Hamilton on Thursday, with one-day and Twenty20 internationals to follow. Both players have previously been suspended from bowling in international cricket for illegal actions. However, they were allowed to resume bowling after undergoing remedial work and further testing. Samuels was banned from bowling in February 2008 because his arm extended more than the permitted 15 degrees for off-breaks and quicker deliveries. Although the Jamaican continued to play as a batsman, he did not resume bowling in international cricket until September 2011, having served an unrelated two-year suspension from cricket between May 2008 and May 2010 for passing information to a bookmaker. Shillingford, from Dominica, was reported after his international debut in November 2010 and banned a month later when his average elbow extension was found to be 17 degrees. He was cleared to return in June 2011.

Summary: West Indies off-spinner Shane Shillingford has been suspended from bowling in international cricket by the International Cricket Council (ICC).


The 13,000-year-old object is on show as the centrepiece of an exhibition celebrating Ice Age Llandudno. The bone was found at the Great Orme in the 1870s by a retired copper miner who polished pebbles to sell to tourists. Dr Jill Cook of the British Museum said it was "very special" to reunite it with other rare items found there. The decorated bone has been in London as part of the British Museum's display of Ice Age art almost continuously since its discovery around 140 years ago. Decorated deer foot bones and perforated animal teeth found at the same site are also being loaned to Llandudno Museum by National Museum Wales. New research by the British Museum has shown that the art and burial items found in Llandudno belonged to people who migrated into Britain 13,000 to 14,000 years ago, during the last Ice Age. They arrived in north Wales with jewellery made from bear, deer and wild cattle teeth in the same style as those found in Belgium and France. But they also had their own distinctive style, shown by the decoration of the horse jaw and the deer foot bones. At this time, the Great Orme was not by the sea but dominated a wide coastal plain. It had views over the coast, hills and distant mountains - an ideal place for people living by hunting and gathering. The skeletons of three adults and a young person were also found in the cave, but few tools, suggesting Kendrick's Cave was a rare example of an Ice Age burial place. The bones and teeth were found by accident by retired copper miner Thomas Kendrick, who used a cave on the Great Orme as a workshop to cut and polish pebbles to sell to tourists as souvenirs. Dr Jill Cook, deputy keeper of prehistory and Europe at the British Museum, said the items were of international significance. "The decorated horse chin from Kendrick's Cave is a reminder of our deep history," she said. "It is usually on display in the British Museum with Ice Age art from France. Seeing it reunited with the other rare items found on the Great Orme is very special and a great start to Llandudno's plans to develop its museum." The exhibition is backed by Â£37,000 from the Â£1.7m Cadw-funded Our Heritage Project aimed at boosting tourism in Gwynedd, Conwy and Snowdonia. The items were previously on show at Llandudno Museum in 2008 and 2010. Museum chair Roy Haley said: "We are very excited to welcome this rare and internationally important object back to Llandudno. "Thanks to the support of the Our Heritage project, we have been given the opportunity to display a first-class collection that helps to tell the story of Llandudno - and we hope to see many more visitors as a result." Phil Edwards, Conwy council cabinet member for communities, added: "The objects from Kendrick's Cave offer a unique and fascinating insight into our distant past here in Llandudno." Ice Age Llandudno runs at the town's museum until 30 September.

Summary: A horse's jaw bone, which features what is believed to be the oldest work of art in Wales, has returned to the town where it was found in a cave.


The search to find someone for the bellowing role in Swadlincote, Derbyshire first began in April. But one applicant withdrew ahead of the second round of auditions last Friday and the second was unable to attend. The council said it has not given up just yet and are "optimistic" of finding someone eventually. Kate Allies, from the recruiting team at South Derbyshire District Council, said she was "surprised" so few people applied but said: "We are not giving up trying to find a town crier. "It has to be the right candidate because this is very important for Swadlincote." The role was introduced after residents asked for a town crier as part of a survey on what they wanted in their area. It would be paid for with some of the Â£40,000 Heritage Lottery Funding that was given to the Swadlincote Townscape Heritage Scheme to revive the town. Ms Allies said they were trying to rearrange a new trial with the one applicant left before re-advertising the vacancy for a third time. "It will definitely happen," she said. "People have asked for it and there has been a lot of interest for it, we just need the right candidate."

Summary: A town has struggled to find its first town crier after only two people applied for the job and then failed to turn up to auditions.


The 23-year-old, who started his career at Carlisle, has signed a three-year dealt with an option of a further year. Head coach Paul Heckingbottom said: "He brings something different to our midfield with his height and strength. "He's shown real progression and ability throughout his time in football and is someone we have wanted to bring to the club for a while." Barnsley begin their Championship season with a trip to Ashton Gate to face Bristol City on Saturday. Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page.

Summary: Midfielder Brad Potts has joined Championship side Barnsley from Blackpool for an undisclosed fee.


Chris Grayling told MPs it wouldn't be "sensible" to spend taxpayers money on translation facilities but said the government might review the ban if a new MP couldn't speak English. He was responding to a call from his Labour shadow, Chris Bryant, who suggested MPs could be allowed to speak Welsh during meetings of the Welsh grand committee. Mr Bryant asked him: "I understand that the language of this House is English but Welsh is the mother tongue of many of my compatriots and constituents so is it not time we allowed Welsh in the Welsh grand committee?" Mr Grayling replied: "I have given this careful thought. In my judgement, given the fact that English is the language of this House and given the fact it would cost taxpayers' money to make a change at this moment in time, if somebody arrives in this House who cannot speak English we may need to look at this issue again but I think we have considered this issue very carefully and we should retain the situation where English is the language of this House." MPs have been able to speak Welsh when the Welsh grand committee (made up of all MPs from Wales) has met in Wales and the Welsh affairs select committee (made up of 11 elected MPs) has taken evidence in Welsh at Westminster. Mr Grayling's comments annoyed Cynon Valley Labour MP Ann Clwyd, who told him: "Can I remind you that some of us took the oath in joining this House in both English and Welsh and I'd ask you to look again at the proposal to use Welsh in the Welsh grand committee? Some of us did not speak English until we were aged five and most of us are now bilingual but nevertheless the Welsh language and its status is very important." He told her: "Of course I do absolutely understand the need to protect the Welsh language and indeed across different administrations over the last generation extensive steps have been taken to protect the Welsh language, to make it very much a part of routine life in Wales. "My question to you really is: at a time of financial pressure, is it really sensible for us to be spending taxpayers' money in a House where the prime language, the main language, the official language is English, when we have members of this House who are able to talk in that language? As long as that is the case, I have considered it carefully but I don't believe we should change things." Discuss.

Summary: The leader of the House of Commons has rejected calls from MPs to overturn a ban on speaking Welsh at Westminster.


JJ Hanrahan's try put Saints ahead but Don Armand and Olly Woodburn scored either side of Ken Pisi's yellow card. Ian Whitten, Jack Nowell, Sam Hill and Woodburn all scored second-half tries as Exeter's dominance finally told. Ahsee Tuala went over in the corner for a last-gasp Northampton consolation. Victory for Rob Baxter's side at Gloucester on the final day of the regular season on 6 May will guarantee them a home play-off semi-final, while they could yet finish top of the table. Wasps are home to Saracens on the same day. Northampton, meanwhile, are three points behind sixth-placed Harlequins, with European Champions Cup qualification now out of their hands. They are home to Harlequins in their final league game. They were forced into a late change, skipper Tom Wood out with a shoulder injury, while England and Lions man Courtney Lawes was forced off with a head injury. Samoa wing Pisi was sin-binned after being adjudged to have knocked-on deliberately with Exeter on the attack. Nowell had a try chalked off in the first half but the Lions call-up was rewarded for a fine performance when he touched down after being bundled over in the corner. Exeter assistant coach Ali Hepher said: "We left some tries out there, but we are pleased with the way the guys kept coming, which was the mental attitude we needed. "Yes, we have been winning with bonus points, but we hadn't been performing right at our top, but today was getting towards it. "The last few weeks have been tough for Jack Nowell. Coming out of the Six Nations has been a real tough one through conditioning and the mental pressures as well, so he has just been a little bit off himself, and he admitted that. "He showed why he has been selected for this Lions tour, and why he should be going as well." Northampton director of rugby Jim Mallinder said: "I thought we were well beaten today. "Over the last few weeks we've competed well against some of the top sides, but right from the start today Exeter looked after the ball and were very physical. "I thought we defended quite well, but it took its toll, and it took its toll in attack because whenever we did get the ball we just couldn't keep hold of it and didn't have that physicality needed to break down their defence." Exeter: Turner; Nowell, Whitten, Devoto, Woodburn; Steenson, Townsend; Rimmer, Yeandle (capt), Holmes, Dennis, Parling, Ewers, Armand, Horstmann. Replacements: Cowan-Dickie, Moon, Williams, Atkins, Salvi, Chudley, Simmonds, Hill. Northampton: Tuala; Pisi, Burrell, Mallinder, Foden; Hanrahan, Groom; Waller, Hartley (capt), Brookes, Day, Ribbans, Gibson, Lawes, Harrison. Replacements: Haywood, Ma'afu, Denman, Ratuniyarawa, Dickinson, Dickson, Tuitavake, Estelles. For the latest rugby union news follow @bbcrugbyunion on Twitter.

Summary: Exeter secured a record seventh straight bonus-point win in the Premiership, running in six tries to ease past Northampton and move level on points with leaders Wasps.


Trains will not serve Moorfields, Lime Street and Liverpool Central stations for six months during the "essential renewal works", Network Rail said. Services will not operate beyond Birkenhead Central and Birkenhead North at certain times. Alternative travel arrangements will run during the works. Merseyrail managing director Jan Chaudhry Van der Velde said: "The work that Network Rail will undertake next year is essential for maintaining the safe and reliable operation of the infrastructure built in the 1970s. "However, we do not underestimate the inconvenience this will cause to our Wirral line passengers in the short term."

Summary: Rail passengers travelling between Liverpool and Wirral are being warned of longer journey times when major engineering works begin in January.


Highlights of all of Saturday's Scottish Cup ties will be on Sportscene on BBC One Scotland at 22:30 GMT. And, on Sunday, Raith Rovers v Hearts (13:05) will be broadcast live on BBC One Scotland and Radio Scotland will provide commentary of that match and Albion Rovers v Celtic (15:00). Sportscene returns with more highlights at 18:15 on BBC Two Scotland on Sunday, with a repeat at 23:40 on BBC One Scotland. Scottish Cup Aberdeen 4-0 Stranraer Alloa Athletic 2-3 Dunfermline Athletic Ayr United 0-0 Queen's Park Bonnyrigg Rose 1-8 Hibernian Dundee 0-2 St Mirren Elgin City 1-2 Inverness CT Greenock Morton 2-0 Falkirk Kilmarnock 0-1 Hamilton Academical Livingston 0-1 East Fife Partick Thistle 4-0 Formartine United Rangers 2-1 Motherwell Ross County 6-2 Dundee United St Johnstone 2-0 Stenhousemuir Stirling Albion 2-2 Clyde Scottish Championship Dumbarton 1-2 Queen of the South Raith Rovers v Hearts (13:05) Albion Rovers v Celtic (15:00)

Summary: Match reports of Saturday's Scottish Cup and Championship matches and previews of Sunday's Scottish Cup ties.


The project, called Historical Dances in an Antique Setting, is the work of Argentine artist Pablo Bronstein. Three classically-trained dancers will be seen weaving up and down the Duveen Galleries "striking elegant and refined poses". The free installation opens on Tuesday with live performances from 1100-1700. It runs until 9 October. Bronstein's work also features two large-scale architectural structures which are overlaid with images of Tate Britain's exterior architecture. The effect is described as "visually turning the gallery inside out". "Grand architecture is one of the things I'm most interested in, so it was a rare opportunity to be able to create work in such a unique setting as the Duveen Galleries," Bronstein said. "The commission also presented a perfect and challenging opportunity to work with performance on a large scale." Tate Britain director Alex Farquharson said: "Pablo Bronstein's work consistently makes for deliciously jarring encounters between past and present, and between art and society. It's fantastic to see his work come to life in the aesthetic and institutional grandeur of Tate Britain's Duveen Galleries."

Summary: A trio of dancers are to perform inside Tate Britain as part of the London gallery's latest commission.


Mr McMullin, the former chief policy director of the House Republican Conference, is expected to formally file his candidacy on Monday. He is likely to face challenges on ballot deadlines and fundraising just three months before Election Day. The 40-year-old Mormon has never held elected office. Mr McMullin, an outspoken critic of the Republican nominee, Donald Trump, released a statement to ABC News. "It's never too late to do the right thing, and America deserves much better than either Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton can offer us. I humbly offer myself as a leader who can give millions of disaffected Americans a conservative choice for President," Mr McMullin said. The little-known, unmarried conservative worked for the CIA for 11 years before leaving the agency in 2010. He later went to work for Goldman Sachs and became a senior adviser on national security for the House Committee on Foreign Affairs in 2013. Mr McMullin resigned from his position at the House Republican Conference on Monday, US media reported. The Utah native graduated from Brigham Young University and earned a master's of business administration from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, according to his LinkedIn page. He had just 135 Twitter follows when his pending candidacy was first announced and gained more than 12,000 within hours. Mr McMullin has voiced his opposition to Mr Trump on social media, calling him an "authoritarian" and denouncing the Republican nominee's attacks on the family of fallen Capt. Humayan Khan. In a Facebook post, Mr McMullin condemned Mr Trump's anti-Muslim rhetoric, saying "attacking them as a group makes America weaker, not stronger". Mr McMullin joins third-party candidates Libertarian Party's Gary Johnson and the Green Party's Jill Stein, who are also in the race for the White House. Mr McMullin faces a series of hurdles over the next three months, having already missed the deadlines to get on the ballot in 26 states. He will have to collect tens of thousands of signatures in the coming days to make the 10 August deadline for several more states. But the Morman candidate will have time to appear on the ballot in his native Utah, where Mr Trump is deeply unpopular among the Mormon electorate. Senator Ted Cruz overwhelmingly defeated Mr Trump in Utah during the primary election, taking 69% of the vote to 14%. Though Mr McMullin is not likely to appear on majority of state ballots across the country, he could block Mr Trump from taking the historically red state of Utah and peel off some of the billionaire's conservative voters. Mr McMullin will also have to chase millions of dollars in donations over the next few weeks in order to keep up with his opponents this fall. The group Better for America, which was formed by Never Trump conservatives, had been reportedly searching for an independent presidential candidate to put up against the nominee. The group has insisted key Republican donors would throw their support behind his candidacy, according to ABC News. Prominent Republican operative Rick Wilson is expected to help run Mr McMullin's campaign. Mr

Summary: Former CIA agent Evan McMullin has launched an independent campaign for the White House with support from members of the Never Trump movement.


Her former husband, Chaudhry Muhammad Shakeel, is accused of murder and is reported to have confessed to strangling her with her scarf. Chaudhry Muhammad Shahid, her father, is being held as an accessory to her murder. A lawyer for Samia's father said he intended to lodge an immediate appeal. At a hearing in the Punjab city of Jhelum, Samia's uncle and the policeman who headed the original investigation were granted bail. They were being held on suspicion of falsifying and withholding evidence in the case. Both men will be released subject to the payment of bonds. Ms Shahid, 28, from Bradford, died in July in northern Punjab. She had been visiting family in the village of Pandori when she died, and her relatives initially said she had suffered a heart attack. Her second husband, Syed Mukhtar Kazim, believes she was the victim of a so-called honour killing as her family did not approve of their marriage. A post-mortem examination confirmed she died as a result of being strangled.

Summary: A judge in Pakistan has dismissed an application for bail from the father of Samia Shahid, who was allegedly killed in a so-called "honour killing".


However, the organisation says it will review its policy to seek alternatives. Uefa ordered CSKA to play three Champions League home games without any fans present as punishment for a series of offences including racist chanting. City plan to complain to Uefa over its stance after 650 vocal fans backed the home side in the 2-2 draw. The Premier League champions do not believe the presence of supporters influenced the result but they feel the "behind closed doors" ruling was not adhered to. City captain Vincent Kompany earlier complained his side had been punished unfairly with their supporters also banned from the Khimki Arena. Media playback is not supported on this device "Why the hell do we not have any fans here? What have our fans done wrong? There's no fairness in it," he said. A Uefa statement read: "Following the match between CSKA Moscow and Manchester City, Uefa has reviewed the officials' reports and found no breach of the conditions related to a match played behind closed doors that make part of the disciplinary decision. "Only people who were allowed to enter the stadium (clubs delegations, media, security staff, Uefa and guests of sponsorship partners) attended the match with no record of inappropriate behaviour. "However, Uefa is reviewing the 'behind-closed-doors' policy to see if alternative solutions could be implemented in the future." City were pegged back on Tuesday despite taking a 2-0 lead in the first half, and are without a win from their opening three games in Group E. "You say no fans, all of a sudden you turn up and the team who has no fans is Man City. So who's getting punished? Who's being done for racism, Man City or Moscow?" added 28-year-old Belgian Kompany. City brought the issue about supporters to the attention of Uefa. Meanwhile, Uefa may order clubs to allow only women and children into European matches as punishment for racist behaviour by fans. The authority's president, Michel Platini, will put forward the issue for discussion by European football's chiefs after a successful use of the scheme in Turkey in 2011, where Fenerbahce imposed the rule after a series of hooliganism incidents. Media playback is not supported on this device Uefa chief of press Pedro Pinto said: "The president has suggested an idea where instead of having empty stadiums only women and children are allowed into the match. "This is just an idea at this stage but Mr Platini is open to discussing it inside Uefa to see if it is better overall for fans and for the image of football." City are third after three games with their remaining matches at home to CSKA Moscow and Bayern Munich before a trip to Roma, who were thrashed 7-1 at home by Bayern.

Summary: Europe's governing body Uefa says no rules were broken despite fans being present at CSKA Moscow's "behind closed doors" match with Manchester City.


South Wales Fire and Rescue Service was called to St David's Junior and Infants School, Cwmbran, at about 20:10 BST on Saturday. The fire started in an outdoor storage container and spread to a ground-floor classroom, causing minor damage. Additional security has been put in place until the school reopens on Tuesday.

Summary: A suspicious fire which has damaged a classroom at a school in Torfaen is under investigation.


The government should, if necessary, negotiate with their captors to secure their release, a protester said. The Islamist group Boko Haram has been blamed for abducting the girls from their school in Chibok, Borno state. Boko Haram has not yet made any response to the accusation. The group, whose name means "Western education is forbidden" in the local Hausa language, has staged a wave of attacks in northern Nigeria in recent years, with an estimated 1,500 killed in the violence and subsequent security crackdown this year alone. Organisers said about 500 people, most of them women dressed in red, braved heavy rain to march to the National Assembly to hand over a letter to complain that the government was not doing enough to secure the release of the girls. By Will RossBBC News, Abuja The demonstration was small - just a few hundred people - but emotions were running high. There has been a great deal of anger in Nigeria because many have the impression that the government is doing far too little to secure the release of the teenage girls who are believed to be in the hands of the Islamist extremist group, Boko Haram. Parents of the abducted students have been left to rely on rumours as officials have said very little. In the pouring rain, people marched to the National Assembly and delivered their message to the politicians themselves. The Senate President David Mark was there. He told the drenched crowd that the military must do everything within its means to rescue the students. More rallies are due to be held over the next few days. Some here are determined that the plight of the missing school girls is not allowed to be ignored by the political elite - many of whom send their own children to schools overseas far from the vulnerable students of north east Nigeria. The protest, labelled the "million-woman march", had been called by the Women for Peace and Justice organisation. March organiser Mercy Abang told the BBC's Focus on Africa radio programme that the government should do whatever is necessary, even if it meant holding negotiations with the abductors, to make sure the girls returned home "alive - not in body bags". Anger has mounted in recent days over the abductions. Parents have criticised the government's search and rescue efforts and the number of missing girls has been disputed. Nigeria's Interior Minister Abba Moro told BBC Focus on Africa that he understood the "outpouring of emotions", but the government could not divulge details of what it was doing to secure the release of the girls. It had to act in a "discreet" way because the militants had threatened to kill the girls if "certain steps" were taken, he said. He accused opposition parties of politicising the crisis and said they should work with the government rather than criticise it. Another march organiser, Hadiza Bala Usman, told the BBC the women wanted to know why soldiers seemed so ill-equipped to find the girls. She warned that the abductions would discourage parents from sending their daughters

Summary: Hundreds of mainly women protesters have marched through the Nigerian capital, Abuja, to press for the release of 230 schoolgirls abducted by militants two weeks ago.


A letter to Finance Secretary Mark Drakeford warns they may be forced to cut frontline police budgets or lower training standards below England's. They are particularly concerned that the £2m they pay in the apprenticeship levy is not spent on police training. The Welsh Government said the levy does not cover Treasury funding cuts. North Wales commissioner Arfon Jones, who chairs the All-Wales Policing Group, said in the letter that Welsh forces were "now at a serious financial disadvantage and in future will be disadvantaged in terms of training compared to our English counterparts". He warned that Wales faced a bill of £8.9m for the Police Education Qualifications Framework (PEQF) by 2020-21. While English forces only had to meet 8% of training costs with the rest covered by the apprenticeship levy, Mr Jones said forces in Wales faced paying 95% to 100% from their own budgets. A shortfall of £10m would be equivalent to 200 fewer officers in Wales, he added. Welsh forces had already lost 2,500 police officers and staff since 2010, Mr Jones said, "equivalent to the entire resources of North Wales Police". "Under such pressures, Welsh forces might have to lower the standard of training and it would be regrettable to break away from the uniform standards that are currently in place," Mr Jones said. "Being forced to fund the training from existing resources would inevitably have an impact on frontline policing." A Welsh Government spokeswoman said ministers had written to Home Secretary Amber Rudd about the issue of police training. "While we are supportive of the PEGF in principle, we have been clear that responsibility for operational policing matters, including training, rests solely with the Home Office and it should fund training until policing is devolved," she said. As for the apprenticeship levy - 0.5% payable on annual wage bills of more than £3m - the spokeswoman said it was a UK government employment tax "which directly conflicts with areas of devolved responsibility". As skills policy is devolved, the money is not necessarily spent on apprenticeships in Wales. Instead, the Welsh Government is entitled to a population-based share of the proceeds under the UK Treasury's Barnett formula, to be spent as ministers in Cardiff see fit. The spokeswoman said such money had been "largely offset by cuts made elsewhere, meaning there is no significant new money to invest in services as a result of the apprenticeship levy". A Home Office spokesman said: "All police forces pay the apprenticeship levy, and in Wales those funds are passed back to the Welsh Government through an arrangement agreed with HM Treasury."

Summary: Wales could have 200 fewer police officers than it should by 2021 due to a shortfall of up to £10m in training cash, police chiefs have claimed.


The experienced 26-year-old front-man is expected to go straight into the Alex squad for Tuesday night's home date with Peterborough United. Haynes' arrival follows the signing of fellow forward Febian Brandy from Championship side Rotherham for a further month's loan extension. The Alex have the joint-worst scoring record in League One. Saturday's late winner at Walsall was only their 11th goal in 13 matches this season, in stark contrast to their defensive record. Their goals-against total of 30 is the worst in the Football League. Former Ipswich Town, Millwall, Bristol City, Barnsley, Charlton Athletic and Hibernian striker Haynes has made two Notts appearances this season, having had his pre-season disrupted because of injury.

Summary: League One bottom club Crewe Alexandra have signed Notts County striker Danny Haynes on a month's emergency loan.


"For about 10 minutes I didn't process what it was, and just started playing with it," says the 15-year-old from Maryland in the US. "Then I finally realised - this fell out of my head. This is in an insect, this is a head louse." The discovery prompted a ritual familiar to millions of parents around the world - John's mother and father bought an over-the-counter chemical treatment, and "bug bombed" his head. "But it didn't work," says John's mum Jerri. While exact statistics are hard to come by, getting head lice is a rite of passage for most schoolchildren. In the US alone, as many as 12 million kids per year get an infestation, according to the federal public health body, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Meanwhile, a 2011 survey found that one third of under-16s in the UK had caught head lice in the previous 12 months. The problem for families trying to get rid of head lice is that over the past few decades the insects have built up a resistance to many of the available pesticide treatments. So simply spraying or shampooing your child's hair with one of these products can often not work against these toughened "super lice". Thankfully for stressed-out mums and dads - and itchy children - in recent years a new industry has built up on both sides of the Atlantic as a response: professional head lice removal companies. One such business is Lice Happens, based in Annapolis, Maryland, an hour's drive east of US capital Washington DC. The firm, who came to the rescue of John and his mum, runs a 24-hour emergency "lice line". Once a time has been arranged, Lice Happens will visit a family's home. Wearing special headsets fitted with magnifying glasses, staff are armed with professional grade "nit combs", and use a pesticide-free and non-toxic spray to loosen and comb out both lice and their eggs (nits). An average session costs from $300 (£244), and all family members are screened. "It only takes one appointment," says Lice Happens' owner Nancy Fields, who set up the business in 2008. "And while we work we educate, because there is so much misinformation out there. We make sure people understand fact from fiction, and give them hands-on training. "We show parents how to accurately screen their children, and if they find they have to deal with lice again, we remind them of their training, and guide them so they don't have to throw more money at it. "Instead of looking at it as an expense, it's a one-time investment." Ms Fields decided to set up Lice Happens after helping her sister battle an infestation. "My sister was doing everything she could, but it didn't work," she says. "She was also having to take unpaid leave from a new job to look after her children because the school wouldn't admit them while they were infected. "It got me thinking that there has to be a better process, and that inspired me to think about starting a service to help people like

Summary: Teenager John was doing his homework when a bug fell onto his school book.


Media playback is not supported on this device British Cycling have produced this guide that will help you choose the right bike. Inspired to get back on your bike? Take a look at this handy guide to find ways to get into cycling.

Summary: Not having the right bike can be very uncomfortable - and potentially damaging, so finding the correct bike fit is very important, especially if you cycle regularly.


The pup was found on the opposite shore from Conwy town with an eye injury and with no sign of its mother earlier this month. It was taken to the Welsh Mountain Zoo where its wounds have since healed. RSPCA inspector Mike Pugh said: "It's fantastic news that this seal pup is on the mend, after such a tough ordeal." But he urged the public not to approach all lone seals, as they have not necessarily been abandoned by their mothers. The pup's release has been planned for the first three months of 2017.

Summary: A seal pup that was rescued in Conwy county is recovering well and could be released into the wild in the new year, RSPCA Cymru has said.


The 26-year-old left-armer, who replaced the injured Zafar Ansari in the squad, has represented England at Twenty20 and one-day level. England are 3-0 down in the series heading into the fifth and final match of the series. Pace bowler James Anderson has been ruled out though general soreness from England's fourth-Test defeat in Mumbai. After Cyclone Vardah recently passed through Chennai, the ground staff at the MA Chidambaram Stadium have dried the wicket using trays of hot coals. England are likely to opt for a three-spinner attack with Dawson, Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid supplemented by Joe Root's part-time off-spin. Hampshire's Dawson took three wickets in England's Twenty20 win over Sri Lanka in July and two in the one-day defeat by Pakistan in Cardiff in September - his only two international appearances. England's leading wicket-taker had been out since August with a shoulder injury before returning to play the second Test of the five-match series in India. "It's a tough one. He is body sore from the Test match and we don't think he is worth the risk in this situation," said England captain Alastair Cook. Anderson has taken just four wickets in his three Tests in the series in India. Cook added: "If it was 1-1, we would probably take that risk but history over the last six months or so has shown us that, when he has played in these situations, injuries have happened. "We need to look after him. He has got a big part to play for England cricket over the next 18 months or so. He is disappointed but I think it is the right call." Fellow bowler Stuart Broad has missed the past two Tests with a tendon strain in his right foot and a decision on his fitness will be taken after practice on Thursday. "Broady is fit and has a chance. He bowled at a local ground on Wednesday. It's great to have him back," said Cook. England, having drawn the first Test, are 3-0 down in the series going into the final match. Cook, who said he had "questions" about his role as England Test captain after the fourth match was lost by an innings and 36 runs, will meet with director of cricket Andrew Strauss in January to discuss his position. "It's a natural thing that happens with me and Straussy now," 31-year-old Cook told BBC Test Match Special. "Often my future comes up and how we want to move forward. "This would be no different to any of those other meetings and we are going to have to discuss what is the best thing for English cricket. "You have to be very careful about decisions that are made in the heat of the moment that have a long-term effect on yourself and the team." Cook, who captained England in Bangladesh in 2010 before taking on the role permanently in 2012, has won 24 of his 58 Tests in charge. He has also overseen 21 Test defeats, including a 5-0 Ashes whitewash in Australia in January 2014 and England's first Test loss

Summary: Spinner Liam Dawson is set to make his Test debut for England in Friday's dead rubber against India in Chennai.


1502 - Christopher Columbus lands in Honduras. Hurricane Mitch wiped out homes in Tegucigalpa, killed thousands Mitch: A path of destruction 1525 - Spain begins conquest of Honduras, which is accomplished only in 1539 after bitter struggles with the native population and rivals representing Spanish power centres in Mexico, Panama and Hispaniola. 17th century - Northern coast falls to British buccaneers; British protectorate established over the coast until 1860 while the Spanish concentrate on the inland area. 1821 - Honduras gains independence from Spain but becomes part of Mexico. 1823 - Honduras joins the United Provinces of Central America, which also include Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala and Nicaragua. Independence and US economic control 1840 - Honduras becomes fully independent. Late 19th-early 20th century - US becomes economically involved in Honduras, with the United Fruit Company controlling two-thirds of banana exports by 1913. 1932-49 - Honduras under right-wing National Party of Honduras (PNH) dictatorship led by General Tiburcio Carias Andino. 1963 - Colonel Osvaldo Lopez Arellano takes power after leading a coup. 1969 - Brief but costly war with El Salvador over heavy immigration and disputed border. 1974 - Lopez resigns after allegedly accepting a bribe from a US company. 1975 - Colonel Juan Alberto Melgar Castro take power. 1978 - Melgar ousted in coup led by General Policarpo Paz Garcia. 1980 - General Paz signs peace treaty with El Salvador. Civilian rule, war with Nicaragua 1981 - Roberto Suazo Cordova of the centrist Liberal Party of Honduras (PLH) is elected president, leading the first civilian government in more than a century. But armed forces chief General Gustavo Alvarez retains considerable power and Honduras becomes embroiled in various regional conflicts. US-run camps for training Salvadorans in counterinsurgency are set up on Honduran territory. 1982 - US-backed Nicaraguan counter-revolutionaries, or Contras, launch operations to bring down Nicaragua's Sandinista government from Honduran territory. 1982-83 - General Alvarez responds to increasing political unrest by ordering the detention of trade union activists and left-wing sympathisers. Death squads are allegedly used to eliminate subversive elements. 1984 - General Alvarez is deposed amid anti-American demonstrations in Tegucigalpa. US-run training camps for Salvadoran counter-revolutionaries are shut down, but the government continues to cooperate with the US administration's anti-Sandinista activities in return for substantial economic aid. 1986 - Another Liberal Party man, Jose Azcona del Hoyo, elected president after the law was changed to stipulate a maximum one-term presidency. Human rights abuses 1987 - Amnesty granted both to military and left-wing guerrillas for abuses committed during early 1980s. 1988 February - An Amnesty International report alleges an increase in human rights violations by armed forces and right-wing death squads. 1988 August - Inter-American Court of Human Rights finds Honduran government guilty of "disappearances" of Honduran citizens between 1981 and 1984. 1989 January - General Alvarez is assassinated by left-wing guerrillas in Tegucigalpa. 1989 February - Summit of Central American presidents in El Salvador reaches agreement on demobilisation of Nicaraguan Contras based in Honduras. 1990 January - Rafael Callejas sworn in as president; proceeds to introduce neo-liberal economic reforms and austerity

Summary: A chronology of key events:


Wood drowned during a boat trip with her husband, TV star Robert Wagner, and actor Christopher Walken. At the time it was ruled to have been an accident. But police reopened their inquiry last year after receiving new evidence. The death certificate now says she died as a result of "drowning and other undetermined factors". The amended document, obtained by the Associated Press news agency, also says the circumstances of how she ended up in the water are "not clearly established". The certificate was altered earlier this month. Chief of detectives William McSweeney said the decision was made by the coroner's office. He added that detectives still had work to do on the case, but that did not necessarily mean a major development was coming. "We don't close these cases," he said. "These cases have active periods and more passive periods. We're moving toward the end of an active period." Conflicting versions of what happened on the yacht have contributed to the mystery of how the actress died in November 1981. Wood had been partying the night before her death, and the coroner's investigation ruled she had been drinking and may have slipped trying to board the dinghy. Resuming the investigation last November, the sheriff's office said: "Recently sheriff's homicide investigators were contacted by persons who stated they had additional information about the Natalie Wood Wagner drowning." The move came hours after the captain of the boat, Dennis Davern, told NBC News that he lied to police during the initial investigation and that a fight between Wood and Wagner had led to her death. In his book Pieces of My Heart, Wagner acknowledged that there had been a fight with Wood before she had disappeared, but authorities have said Wagner is not a suspect in his wife's death. Wood's body was found floating in a Catalina Island cove off the coast of California. Police reports said she was found wearing a long nightgown, socks, and a jacket. The post-mortem report said Wood had bruises on her body and arms as well as a facial abrasion on her left cheek. Wagner's family said they supported the reopening of the inquiry and trusted the detectives would "evaluate whether any new information relating to the death of Natalie Wood Wagner is valid, and that it comes from a credible source or sources other than those simply trying to profit from the 30-year anniversary of her tragic death". As a child, Wood featured in films like Miracle on 34th Street and The Ghost and Mrs Muir. She was nominated for a best supporting actress Oscar for her role in Rebel Without a Cause, and for best actress for Splendor in the Grass and Love with the Proper Stranger.

Summary: Actress Natalie Wood's death certificate has been amended to reflect some of the lingering questions surrounding the star's death in 1981.


The British Channel Islands-registered company has acquired more than 60 launchers to help put up its proposed satellite broadband network. OneWeb envisages placing 648 spacecraft in orbit to take affordable internet connectivity to every part of the globe. The firm used a London press conference to detail its plans. This included introducing all of the key partners in the endeavour. Along with European aerospace giant Airbus, which was announced last week as the satellite manufacturer, OneWeb presented Bharti Enterprises, Coca Cola, Group Salinas, Hughes Network Systems, and Intelsat. Chip-designer Qualcomm and the Virgin Group already had seats on the board. "We have put together an incredible team and we have an ability to execute on our model," said OneWeb CEO Greg Wyler. "We have funding, we have spectrum, chip technology, satellite manufacturing, launchers, and then markets - the broad pieces of the puzzle to build a system of this size." Virgin's Sir Richard Branson said that he would be making available at least 39 of his LauncherOne rockets to assist with the deployment of the satellite constellation. This vehicle, which is based on Virgin Galactic's space tourism system, has not actually had its debut flight yet, and when it does enter service will probably only launch between one and three satellites at a time. That makes the involvement of the long-established Arianespace all the more important. It is the commercial operator of the Soyuz launcher. OneWeb says it has a firm acquisition order for 21 of these Russian-made rockets. The vehicles would orbit the satellites in large batches of about 36. At some point, Arianespace may even make available its Ariane rocket. In publicity material released on Thursday, an artist's impression depicted the forthcoming Ariane 6 rocket painted in the OneWeb livery. "The special characteristic we'll bring is in the replenishment role," said Virgin Galactic's CEO, George Whitesides. "And if there is a problem with a particular satellite, we can help fix that. I think it's a very smart strategy, and what I think people should get is that it is a very complementary strategy between the different launch vehicles." It is difficult to overstate the challenge of the OneWeb proposition. Its constellation would be 10 times the size of the largest commercial satcom network currently in the sky. To make the project financially manageable, it will need not only some sizeable loans but also considerable direct investment from its partners, and part of Thursday's event was to announce that OneWeb had raised $500m of funding from those supporting companies. One aspect of key interest is the price of each individual 150-kilo satellite. The aim is to get the unit cost to half a million dollars or less - something unheard of in the industry. "Yes, the cost per satellite will be about half a million, which is really tremendous for company that normally makes satellites for a hundred million and upwards," said Airbus CEO Tom Enders. "We do it by being ingenious and creative." OneWeb expects to place the spacecraft in 20 orbital planes at an altitude of about 1,200km. They

Summary: The biggest commercial rocket campaign in history has been announced by OneWeb.


But he added that the defeat of rebel groups in the northern city would not end the conflict. The rebels called for a five-day truce to allow the evacuation of civilians, after withdrawing from their last strongholds in Aleppo's Old City. But Mr Assad ruled out any ceasefires, as his army continues its offensive. This is despite new calls for an immediate truce from the US and five Western powers. In an interview with Syria's al-Watan newspaper, President Assad said: "It's true that Aleppo will be a win for us, but let's be realistic - it won't mean the end of the war in Syria. "But it will be a huge step towards this end. "Terrorists are present elsewhere. Even if we finish with Aleppo, we will continue our war against them." Rebel-held districts in east Aleppo are falling fast, faster than expected. The full story from the battlefield is still emerging. Areas we've been able to visit are a testament to intense fighting. The district of Al-Shaar, cleared on Tuesday to enable the army's assault on the Old City, is now in utter ruin. The smoke of battle still hung in the air a day later as did the residue of explosives. There are also reports of deals to allow rebel fighters to retreat, including from the Old City. But the most battle hardened fighters, including forces known as the al-Qaeda-linked Nusra Front are vowing to fight on in what remains of the opposition enclave. The Syrian military, and its Russian and Iranian allies, aren't listening to calls for a truce, or even for humanitarian corridors. Monday's mortar attack on Russia's field hospital is said to have stiffened Moscow's resolve to finish the battle for Aleppo as soon as possible. Tens of thousands of civilians are still trapped in rebel-held districts of south-eastern Aleppo. The rebel groups said those residents were in great danger, adding that they would support any initiative to ease their suffering. One resident said those districts were now heavily crowded and there were fears that people faced being captured, detained and tortured to death. "I know people who literally did nothing, they just kept doing nothing for four, five years, they just wanted to stay in their homes and now they are being arrested by the regime," Wissam, a teacher and activist said. Food supplies are exhausted and there are no functioning hospitals after months of heavy bombardment. Government forces now control about 75% of eastern Aleppo, held by the rebels for the past four years. The rebels, who had been left with just a spit of land north-east of the citadel after recent government advances, had abandoned it by Wednesday morning, retreating to territory they still hold further south. Meanwhile, the US, Britain, Germany, Italy, France and Canada jointly called for an immediate ceasefire "to allow the United Nations to get humanitarian assistance to people in eastern Aleppo". They also condemned the Syrian government and its main backer Russia for "their obstruction of humanitarian aid", accusing them of targeting hospitals and schools "in an attempt to

Summary: Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has said a victory for his army in Aleppo would be a "huge step" towards ending the country's five-year civil war.


The officer had posed as the boss of a courier firm to infiltrate the group known as the Three Musketeers, the Old Bailey heard. Naweed Ali, 29, from Sparkhill, Birmingham, is on trial along with three other men from the West Midlands. The four deny preparing terrorist acts. They were arrested on 26 August after a partially-constructed pipe bomb, machete and imitation gun were discovered by security services in Mr Ali's car. Both Mr Ali, of Evelyn Road, and his co-accused Khobaib Hussain, 25, also of Evelyn Road, have previous convictions for attending a terror training camp. See more stories from across Birmingham and the Black Country here The Old Bailey heard Mr Ali had been employed by the officer - described in court only as "Vincent" - to deliver parcels. On his first day, Mr Ali's Seat Leon was parked at a depot in Birmingham city centre while he went to Luton to deliver a parcel, the court heard. Cross-examining, Stephen Kamlish QC suggested the officer had planted a bag of incriminating evidence in Mr Ali's car before MI5 arrived to bug it. Mr Kamlish, for Mr Ali, said to Vincent: "You had until he left the car and MI5 came in, to plant a bag of incriminating items in his car. This was your only opportunity - yes or no?" The officer said: "That's a interesting work of fiction. I'm afraid nothing you have just said to me makes any sense to me whatsoever. So no." At a previous hearing, Vincent told jurors that during a search of Mr Ali's car, what appeared to be a pipe bomb and a handgun were found inside a JD Sports bag. He told jurors he and another officer had eased the contents of the bag on to a ground sheet and carried it into a different room. On Monday, Mr Kamlish asked the officer why he had put his hand in the bag and pulled out what he thought was a "live bomb" after the secret services had been told to leave the depot. Vincent said it was a "calculated risk" and added: "I'm not a bomb disposal expert but I know what a pipe bomb looks like. "This was a fast-moving, difficult situation and difficult decisions had to be made and that difficult decision was made." The barrister told Vincent he had known it was not a real bomb "because you put it there". Asked if he planted the device, Vincent said: "I would never be involved in anything like that, have never, and will never." Mr Ali and Mr Hussain, Mohibur Rahman, 32, of High Lane, Stoke-on-Trent, and Tahir Aziz, 38, of Wulstan Road, also in Stoke, deny the charges. The trial continues.

Summary: An undercover officer has described a claim in court that he planted a bomb in the car of a convicted terrorist as an "interesting work of fiction".


The proceeds will be used to pay down debt and help revitalise its UK business. Homeplus is being bought by MBK Partners, a South Korean buyout firm set up a decade ago. It has partnered with a Canadian pension fund and Singapore's Temasek Holdings for the deal. Dave Lewis, chief executive of Tesco, said: "This sale realises material value for shareholders and allows us to make significant progress on our strategic priority of protecting and strengthening our balance sheet." After tax and other costs the sale will produce £3.35bn in cash for Tesco and is expected to be completed before the end of the year. Retail analyst Nick Bubb said the main aim was to reduce its debt mountain and avoid a rights issue. "Interestingly, however, Tesco say that the disposal will also give it the financial flexibility to buy some UK store freeholds," he added. Bruno Monteyne, an analyst at Bernstein and a former senior Tesco supply chain executive, said the deal would allow the company to qualify for a top credit rating once more from the ratings firm Moody's in 2017-18. The Homeplus deal is the first major disposal since Tesco reported a record pre-tax loss of £6.4bn for the year to February. That compared with annual pre-tax profit of £2.26bn a year earlier. It was the biggest loss reported by a UK retailer and one of the largest in the country's corporate history. It's not quite money down the back of the sofa, but the chief executive of Tesco has been hunting for bits of the business he can sell ever since arriving at the beleaguered supermarket last year. He needed to get rid of assets to fend off speculation that the supermarket's debt - which was standing at over £20bn - was becoming a problem. The South Korean sale goes some way to alleviating the business's balance sheet strain. Speculation was growing that without significant sell-offs Tesco might need to raise fresh capital from shareholders - never a happy prospect. Tesco's debt now stands at £17bn, including pension liabilities, so Mr Lewis still has some way to go. Read Kamal's blog in full Tesco - the UK's biggest supermarket chain and the world's third largest retailer after Walmart and Carrefour - has faced challenges on several fronts in recent years. Hard discounters such as Aldi and Lidl have been eroding the market share of the big four supermarket chains, while Tesco has struggled with excess floor space in out-of-town superstores. Shoppers have moved away from doing one big weekly shop at such stores in favour of topping up more frequently from high street convenience stores. Writing down the value of Tesco's property portfolio accounted for about £4.7bn of its record annual loss. In July 2014 Tesco appointed Mr Lewis as chief executive to replace Philip Clarke and he started in October. Before he took over, the retailer said in September that it had mis-stated profits by £250m - a figure that was raised to £263m a month later. After an initial rise, shares in Tesco were down 0.4%

Summary: Tesco has sold Homeplus, its South Korean business, for £4.2bn as the troubled supermarket chain seeks to shore up its balance sheet.


Jetstar and Virgin cancelled all their flights between Australia and Bali's Denpasar airport, hitting the school holiday season. It is the second day of flight disruptions due to continued eruptions from Mount Raung. Some of those affected by the Bali closure have been speaking to the BBC about their situation: Erika Fitzgerald, who was on holiday in Bali, said she was due to start a new job near Sydney on Monday but will not make it back in time. "My main concern at the moment is getting back for that," she said. Instead of flying direct, she is now trying to get on a flight to Singapore on Saturday then three connecting flight back to Sydney. "If we hadn't taken the four flight option we wouldn't have been able to get back till Sunday 19 [July]," she said. Janan Jedrzejewski said she had booked a Bali villa with a private pool as part of a post-breakup retreat. "I wanted to go get my nails done and get mud baths and go back looking fabulous," she said. But when she arrived at the airport on Thursday night Jetstar staff told her the flight had been cancelled. "I used to work for the airlines so take in my stride, [it's] better safe than sorry, but I'm trying to cancel my villa," Ms Jedrzejewski told the BBC. Jake Powell said he managed to get back to Australia but his parents are stuck in Bali for another 10 days and may not be able to make a claim for the delay through their travel insurance. "[Mum] was supposed to fly back tonight to Sydney and catch a connecting flight to Newcastle so I could pick her and Dad up tomorrow at 1pm," Jake told the BBC. Wendy Robertson, 78, was hoping to return from Bali feeling relaxed, but has instead been stuck with little information about when she and her eight-year-old grand-daughter, Ashley, will get home. "I have run out of my medications for blood pressure and diabetes," she told Fairfax. "I have to take them every day, I only brought a supply for six days. "I am in a hiatus. There is no information. All I got was a recorded message. I was told I can arrange to confirm my booking online but I am 78-years-old. I [can't] access online." How long will this go on? Forecasters say the situation is somewhat unpredictable as it is a matter of waiting for Mount Raung to stop erupting. "This volcano has been erupting for about a week and it's been streaming ash constantly," Chris Davies from Darwin's Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre told the BBC. "It's not an explosive eruption, just a constant stream and because the summit is so high it doesn't take much ash to interfere with flights. "The most dangerous aspect for aviation is that modern jet engines pull in so much air and the ash concentrates in engines and turns into a kind of molten glass. "The ash melts, coats inside of the engine and affects fuel flow, so in the worst case scenario

Summary: Travellers to and from Australia have been left stranded or unable to go on holiday after an erupting volcano forced Indonesia to close five airports on Friday.


Stephen Evans, 18, from Holywell, appeared before Flintshire magistrates on Monday. It is alleged he intended to put life in danger, or was reckless as to whether life would be endangered, amid allegations the cars were close to people's homes. He was remanded in custody. Magistrates said the case should be sent to Mold Crown Court where he will appear at a preliminary hearing on Friday 11 September.

Summary: A man has been charged with 12 counts of arson after a dozen vehicles were allegedly torched in Holywell, Flintshire.


Mr Corbyn has not visited Wales during the campaign, and a planned visit for Friday was cancelled on Thursday night. Mr Jones said the visit was "not possible" after the suspension of former London Mayor Ken Livingstone. He also told BBC Wales the response to Mr Corbyn on the doorsteps in Wales was "mixed". Mr Livingstone has been suspended from Labour for his comments saying Adolf Hitler had supported Zionism. Mr Jones has called for the former mayor to be expelled from the party altogether. The Welsh Labour leader said: "It was planned he was going to come. We all saw what happened yesterday with Ken Livingstone, he is dealing with that in London, so it's just not possible." The decision not to proceed with the visit took place after "discussions between the two offices", Mr Jones said, adding that "given all the publicity yesterday it would detract from our campaign today". Asked if Mr Corbyn would be in Wales before voters go to the polls next week, Mr Jones said: "Probably not, because there isn't much time and parliament is sitting next week. "If it's possible, great, but I don't think it's going to be possible between now and Thursday." Asked how voters were responding to Mr Corbyn on the doorstep, Mr Jones said: "I think if I'm honest with you, it's mixed. "Yes, there are some people who are saying to me, well, I'm not sure about Jeremy Corbyn. There are others who take the opposite view. "What we're finding is that fewer and fewer people are mentioning him on the doorstep and more and more people are saying David Cameron and the Tories, they're divided on everything." On Friday, a source close to Labour's UK leader said: "Jeremy Corbyn cancelled the visit due to a high level of media interest that would have affected the day's campaigning." A spokesman for Welsh Labour said the party was trying to reschedule a visit by Mr Corbyn before polling day on Thursday. Analysis by BBC Wales political editor Nick Servini Senior Welsh Labour figures are putting a brave face on things but behind the scenes there is barely concealed irritation at the way the headlines have been dominated by further question marks over the leadership of Jeremy Corbyn. The party has been effective so far in running a Jeremy Corbyn-free campaign. The UK leader has not been to Wales of late and there has been little mention of Westminster politics by Labour candidates so far. There is a reason for this - Jeremy Corbyn plays badly on the doorstep with plenty of voters in key marginal seats. Carwyn Jones says fewer and fewer people have been mentioning him, which may be a reflection of the success Labour have had in largely keeping him out of the assembly campaign. Whether they like it or not, Labour's internal divisions at a UK level are back out in the open and it is something they are going to have to deal with as we head into the final weekend of the campaign. Commenting earlier on

Summary: Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn will "probably not" visit Wales before next week's assembly election, First Minister Carwyn Jones has said.


Serco won a £70m contract in April 2015 to take over HR and finance support for Lincolnshire County Council. Lincoln's Bishop King Primary School said about 30 staff were affected, with four receiving no wages at all. Serco said it was "really sorry for the impact" the latest error had had on staff at the school. Abi Tierney, delivery director for Serco, said there has been some "significant issues" with parts of the service. She said the firm was "putting in a lot of work to deliver changes and make improvements", but denied accusations the contract was too big for the company to handle. More on this and other local stories from across Lincolnshire In May, Serco was fined more than £1m after failing to pay bills to suppliers and leaving staff without wages. The fine came after a number of head teachers complained that errors by Serco meant staff were left unpaid. Paula Colburn, business manager at Bishop King, said staff had been "left in tears" and put under unnecessary stress. She said: "We can't keep working like this - I can't have it being detrimental to the staff's health." In a statement, Lincolnshire County Council said: "Serco has committed to rectifying the payroll issues by the end of October, and we are satisfied that they are making good progress to achieve this."

Summary: A company responsible for council payroll services has apologised after staff at a school were left without wages, or paid incorrectly.


The 77-year-old man, from Newhaven, and the woman, from Lewes, were on the A259 at White Rock when the accident happened on Thursday evening. They and the motorcyclist were taken to the Conquest Hospital in Hastings, where the man later died. Police said the 22-year-old motorcyclist, from St Leonards, and the woman were not detained. Sussex police are appealing for witnesses to the accident, which happened just after 21:00 BST on Thursday.

Summary: A man died and a 90-year-old woman was injured in a collision with a motorcycle on a busy road in Hastings.


The four-time Tour de France winner made his breakthrough when finishing second in 2011's race to equal the then-best finish by a British rider in a Grand Tour. Will he go one better this year and become the third man to complete the Tour-Vuelta double in the same year - and first since the Spanish race was switched from early to late in the season 22 years ago? Froome goes into the race as favourite but with six of the top 10 from this year's Tour and the likes of five-time Grand Tour winner Vincenzo Nibali and Britain's Adam Yates in the mix, the Vuelta promises to be as tough as they come. The race starts in Nimes in France on Saturday, 19 August and concludes in Madrid on Sunday, 10 September. The youngest of the three annual Grand Tours, the Vuelta, like its cousins the Giro d'Italia and Tour de France, is a three-week race made up of 21 stages, raced over 23 days. Prior to 1995 the race took place earlier in the season but often clashed with other major races so was switched to after May's Giro and July's Tour. It was first raced in 1935, and aside from pauses for the Spanish Civil War and World War II, it has been contested continuously since 1955. The 72nd edition of the race is starting outside of Spain for just the third time after Lisbon, Portugal in 1997 and Assen, Netherlands in 2009. It is often an unpredictable race with riders racing who have suffered injuries or health problems earlier in the season, or those trying to rescue a failed season, while riders like Froome are trying to maintain their form from the Tour de France. The route is notoriously mountainous, as evidenced by this year's race, which features nine summit finishes. "It's vicious," is Froome's take on it, while 2015 champion Fabio Aru says it will be the "usual horrendous race" and the "toughest stage race of the 2017 season". The summit finishes are spread evenly across the three weeks with a mix of short, sharp climbs such as stage five's 3.5km ascent of Ermita Santa Lucia. It features gradients of 20%, while stage 15 finishes at an altitude of 2,510m in Sierra Nevada. The penultimate stage pits the riders against the infamous Alto de Angliru, where Sky lost the 2011 Vuelta when Froome waited for team leader Bradley Wiggins as Juan Jose Cobo launched a race-winning attack. An opening team time trial in Nimes should not be long enough to create any significant time gaps between those chasing the overall victory but crucial seconds will be won and lost. Race organisers will hope the 40km individual time trial on stage 16 will help balance out the climbs but it could just serve to strengthen Froome's grip on the title. Sprinter-friendly stages are few, although those that make it to the finale are rewarded with a chance of glory in Madrid. In a nutshell, he can climb with the best in the race and is a better time-trial rider.

Summary: Chris Froome heads into the Vuelta a Espana looking to create more history by becoming the first British winner of the three-week race.


22 November 2015 Last updated at 14:58 GMT Yusf Pirot said he wanted to show people that "not all Muslims are terrorists". Another video of a blindfolded Muslim man asking for hugs in the aftermath of the Paris attacks has also gone viral.

Summary: A video of a blindfolded Muslim teenager in Nottingham giving out free hugs has attracted millions of views on social media.


Artillery and small arms fire were used in the town of Laukkai, in the Kokang region. Fighting reportedly erupted after rebels dressed in police uniforms launched a surprise raid. Five civilians, five police officers and at least 20 rebel fighters are said to have died. The office of Myanmar's de facto leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, said in a statement: "According to initial information, many innocent civilians including a primary school teacher... were killed because of attacks by the MNDAA armed group." The Myanmar Nationalities Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) is a rebel group fighting Myanmar's armed forces in the region. Officials said the attack was launched early on Monday, and targeted police and military posts. A separate group of fighters later attacked other sites in Laukkai. Video shared on social media appeared to show parts of the town on fire on Monday afternoon, as civilians ran to safety. An army source told the AFP news agency that the fighting was ongoing as darkness fell. "Residents in town are fleeing. We do not know exact figures yet," the officer said. What is Myanmar like? The Northern Alliance, a multi-faction rebel group which includes the MNDAA, confirmed on Facebook that its members were fighting in Laukkai. It said the attack was carried out in "self-defence", citing operations by the Myanmar military since December. The violence is among the worst to hit the Kokang region, in the northern part of Shan state, since 2015. The worsening conflict in the borderlands has raised tensions between Myanmar and much larger China. Kokang has close ties to China, with locals speaking a Chinese dialect and using the yuan as currency. Ms Suu Kyi's government is desperate to end the decades-long violence, amid fears it could spark a new refugee exodus.

Summary: At least 30 people have been killed on Myanmar's border with China, after clashes between ethnic rebels and the security forces.


Cafodd Cymru Fyw air gyda rhai fu'n cyd-oesi gydag e yn Ysgol Ramadeg Dyffryn Aman: Mae cylchgrawn 'Y Twrch Trwyth' o 1967 yn adrodd hanes disgybl oedd yn flaenllaw mewn nifer o weithgareddau yn Ysgol Ramadeg Dyffryn Aman. Roedd Neil Hamilton o 6A yn actio, dadlau ac yn chwarae rhan lawn yng ngweithgareddau'r ysgol. Ond sut ddisgybl oedd yr Aelod Cynulliad ac arweinydd newydd UKIP yng Nghymru? Mae'r actor Dafydd Hywel yn cofio digwyddiad hanesyddol yn 1966, sef blwyddyn Etholiad Cyffredinol: "Wnes i sefyll ffug etholiad ysgol yn ei erbyn. Roedd y sylwebydd rygbi Alun Wyn Bevan hefyd yn ymgeisydd. Wnes i sefyll dros Plaid Cymru, roedd Alun yn sefyll fel boi'r Blaid Gomiwnyddol. Wnaeth Neil Hamilton sefyll fel Tori wrth gwrs... a wnes i falu fe! Dwy bleidlais gafodd e - ei ffrind e a fe ei hunan!" Mae'r 'comrade' Alun Wyn Bevan yn cofio'r etholiad hefyd. "Wnes i sefyll fel aelod o'r Blaid Gomiwnyddol achos doedd neb arall yn fodlon eu cynrychioli nhw! Ddes i'n ail achos bod fi wedi addo rhoi tunnell o lo i bawb fyddai'n pleidleisio drosto fi. "Felly wythnos diwethaf oedd y tro cyntaf i Neil Hamilton ennill etholiad yng Nghymru, achos y tro ddiwethaf gafodd ei racso gan Dafydd Hywel a fi!" Cafodd Neil Hamilton ei eni yn y Coed Duon a daeth i Ddyffryn Aman wedi ei dad gael swydd fel rheolwr pwll glo yn Rhydaman. Roedd y sylwebydd chwaraeon, Alun Jenkins yn yr un dosbarth â'r Aelod Cynulliad ac yn ei gofio'n iawn: "Am fy mhum mlynedd cynta' yn Aman Valley, o'n i'n eistedd rhwng dau foi enwog dros ben sef Allan Lewis, aeth 'mlaen i hyfforddi tîm Cymru gyda Graham Henry, a Neil Hamilton. "Fi'n cofio fe achos roedd pawb arall yn normal ac yn ffitio mewn ond ro'dd Neil Hamilton yn dod i'r ysgol mewn deerstalker... wel doeddet ti ddim yn gwneud 'na yn Nyffryn Aman. O't ti'n gallu gweld straight away nad oedd hyn yn normal!" "Ond whare têg, erbyn o't ti'n dod lan i'r chweched dosbarth, ac yn dod yn gyfarwydd â'r boi, o't ti'n gallu dod 'mlaen 'dag e. Oedd e byth yn un o'r bois, a doedd e ddim yn cymysgu 'da lot o bobl o gwbl. "Oedd e'n ffrindiau mawr 'da boi o'r Garnant, neu Glanaman o'r enw Roy Davies oedd yn slingyn mawr tal, ac oeddet ti wastad yn gweld y ddou o nhw gyda'i gilydd. "Oedd hi'n bach o jôc, achos roedd y rhan fwyaf o bobl eraill yn yr ysgol yn Gymry Cymraeg ond roedd Neil a Roy'n sefyll mas fel rhyw ddau cartoon character." Roedd un peth amlwg arall yn sefyll mas i Alun Wyn Bevan: "Roedd yr acen anhygoel ma' gyda fe... wel, dweud y gwir, dwi ddim hyd yn oed yn meddwl fod neb yn Lloegr yn siarad gyda'r fath acen. "Oedd e'n swnio fel rhywun oedd wedi bod i Harrow neu Eton. Beth oedd yn rhyfedd amdano oedd bod y diddordeb mowr ma' gyda fe mewn gwleidyddiaeth o oed ifanc iawn, rhyw 14 neu 15 oed, a phan aeth

Summary: Mae'n un o gymeriadau mwyaf lliwgar y pumed Cynulliad ond wyddoch chi am gefndir Neil Hamilton fel disgybl ysgol yng ngorllewin Cymru?


The hosts have not beaten the Pars at home since 2009 but looked like changing that in the first half when Brian Gilmour, Conrad Balatoni and Allan Forrest all forced visiting goalkeeper Sean Murdoch into good saves. Dunfermline threatened more after the break, particularly when substitute Farid El Alagui's scissor-kick tested Greg Fleming. Gaps opened up towards the end as play moved from end to end but neither side could capitalise. It means there was no home win against Dunfermline at the 10th attempt, in front of a 2883 crowd who had paid only five pounds to get in on the day former chairman Donald Cameron was remembered by a minute's silence. But there had been plenty of chances for the Honest Men to take the lead in the opening 45 minutes. Gilmour's volley from 25 yards brought out the best in Murdoch as the ex-Hibernian man tipped the effort over the bar, before clutching Balatoni's header from the ensuing corner kick. The Pars' 'keeper earned his corn again as he kept out Forrest's header at the back post. Dunfermline lost Nicky Clark and John Herron in the first half but El Alagui's introduction speared their attack in the second half and in addition to his acrobatic effort he almost assisted a Joe Cardle strike but it was ruled out because of a push by the French-born Moroccan. It was interesting to watch the effective role Ayr United midfielder Jamie Adams played in the match. The 29-year-old former Kilmarnock, Queen of the South and Dundee man has had an injury-blighted career, even spending some of last season at South of Scotland outfit Wigtown and Bladnoch to build fitness. Several fans at Somerset Park label him 'the disrupter' due to his ability to "run about the pitch and break up play all over the place". That quality was certainly evident today and the Stranraer-born player nearly scored as well. Ayr United manager Ian McCall: "It's our home game so you're never happy, but I thought it was a really good game for a 0-0. "I thought we shaded it and worked their goalie more than ours was - but overall a fair result. We're getting performances and getting points." Dunfermline manager Allan Johnston: "I thought both clubs gave all they had and I felt we shaded it with the chances and possession we had. "We had good control of the game but we've got to turn that into goals. The most pleasing thing for me was the clean sheet. "John Herron's ankle is quite swollen and Nicky Clark was feeling his groin since Thursday and it was just starting to get a bit tight." Match ends, Ayr United 0, Dunfermline Athletic 0. Second Half ends, Ayr United 0, Dunfermline Athletic 0. Foul by Paul Cairney (Ayr United). Michael Paton (Dunfermline Athletic) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Attempt missed. Paul Cairney (Ayr United) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left. Attempt blocked. Craig McGuffie (Ayr United) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Substitution, Ayr

Summary: Ayr United and Dunfermline Athletic had to settle for a point apiece in front of a healthy crowd at Somerset Park.


It said its food and funerals business had performed "robustly", with same-store sales in food up 0.4%, but its insurance business had lost money. The Co-op has begun a three-year plan to steady the business after deep problems emerged in 2013 with its bank, which it has since largely sold off. In 2014, it made a net profit of £216m selling its pharmacy chain and farms. Chief executive Richard Pennycock said without the proceeds of the sales the group would have, "at best, broken even". He said the organisation had made good progress reducing its costs, which had fallen from £176m to £146m and it had also cut its debts from £1.4bn to £808m. Co-op Group chairman Allan Leighton told the BBC that the business had strayed a long way: 'We lost the heart of what the Co-op was. I mean look at what's happened to the business, it's terrible. "The Co-op did used to stand for something and it was in the community, membership was important. Co-operation was important, but we've had unco-operation, we should have been called the unco-operative. Because that's the reality of where we've been." The Co-op is the country's largest mutually-owned organisation with more than eight million members, who share in the profits of the business. It is the UK's fifth-largest food retailer with almost 2,800 stores. In the last year, the group added 82 convenience stores and refurbished more than 700 stores. It plans to expand by adding another 100 outlets this year. But despite the improving performance, the business warned it would not be paying a dividend to its members until 2018. Last year, the Co-op recorded a net loss of £2.3bn, once one-off losses relating to its bank and its then-owned Somerfield business were taken into account. It was forced to divest itself of a large chunk of the bank to a number of private investors, largely hedge funds, and now owns just 20% of that business. That prompted a review by Lord Myners in which he called the group "manifestly dysfunctional" and recommended a major shake-up in its organisational structure. Co-op members will also get the chance to vote on whether the group should continue to make donations to political parties. BBC business editor Kamal Ahmed says that in effect, the board is asking the members of the Co-operative Group whether they want to continue financially supporting the Co-operative Party. The Co-op Party includes among its members a number of prominent Labour MPs such as Ed Balls, Stella Creasy and Chris Leslie. They stand as candidates of both the Co-operative Party and the Labour Party. Our business editor points out that the board has "carefully not given a view. But it is interesting to note that the new Co-op chairman, Allan Leighton, did sign a letter backing Labour in 2001".

Summary: The Co-operative Group has revealed it made a profit of £124m in 2014 compared with a loss of £255m the previous year.


Biometrics Commissioner Alastair MacGregor said police were "risking public safety" by failing to apply for extensions to hold DNA profiles of suspects who have not been convicted. He also said some records which were still stored should have been removed. The Home Office said the system worked well "in the vast majority of cases". A new system limiting DNA record storage was introduced in October 2013. Previously, DNA profiles and fingerprints could be stored indefinitely, regardless of whether someone had been charged or convicted. The anomalies were revealed in the commissioner's second annual report since the new rules were introduced. The report also revealed that DNA profiles and fingerprints of 7,800 people were held on a separate police counter-terrorism database as of October last year. The database holds biometric records of those convicted in relation to terror investigations and others who have not been convicted but where retention is deemed necessary for national security purposes. It also allows for the extended retention of material taken from an individual who has not been convicted when a senior officer makes a national security determination (NSD). Of the 7,800 individuals, 4,350 - or around 55% - had never been convicted of a recordable offence. Source: Biometrics Commissioner's annual report, 2015, and Home Office and National DNA database annual report The commissioner's report suggested the new system had led to a series of problems which meant DNA profiles were not being stored when they should be, and that some records had been retained when they should have been deleted. Mr MacGregor said the DNA profiles of 450 innocent people were automatically deleted from the database before police could decide if they wanted to keep the information on national security grounds. He blamed "procedural errors and delays" - and said police would have applied to hold about 10% of the records. "Those errors and delays have led, or will lead, to the loss of a significant number of biometric records that probably could and should have been retained." A spokeswoman for the National Police Chief's Council said: "The fingerprint and DNA data of a small number of individuals who potentially pose a threat to national security have been deleted from biometric databases as the retention period expired before a national security determination could be submitted for approval. "The identity of these individuals is known and the risks they potentially pose are being managed in conjunction with partner agencies. "Comprehensive measures have been put in place to prevent the loss of further biometric data from individuals of concern before a NSD is applied for." By BBC home affairs correspondent Danny Shaw The previous system for storing DNA was eventually declared to be unlawful - but it had the advantage of being simple to execute. The scheme the coalition government replaced it with is proving to be the exact opposite: difficult to understand, unwieldy to operate and prone to error. Perhaps it's not surprising then that the Home Office has taken three months to publish this report which sets out the many failings. Solutions are hinted at, such as

Summary: Hundreds of DNA and fingerprint records that could have been held for national security reasons in England and Wales have been deleted, a report reveals.


Pedro Luis Angarita Azpurua, president of the Farmatodo chain, and his vice president were accused of pricing "irregularities". They were charged under laws aimed at controlling skyrocketing inflation. The arrests come days after President Nicolas Maduro ordered the arrests of the owners of the well-known Dia a Dia supermarket chain. Mr Angarita and his deputy Agustin Antonio Alvarez Costa are accused of understocking shelves and of leaving cash registers unstaffed, thus causing long queues to form outside. Prosecutors said their actions were intended to lead to speculation and rising prices, which would have a "destabilizing" effect on the economy. News of the arrest came days after President Maduro ordered the arrest of the owners of the Dia a Dia supermarket chain on similar charges. President of the Venezuelan Federation of Chambers of Commerce Jorge Roig said the offences the executives had been detained for were "completely subjective". "We consider it as an attack not only on Farmatodo, but on a specific attack on private industry," he said . In late January, thousands of Venezuelans attended an opposition march in Caracas, banging empty pots to highlight what they say is the shortage of many staple foods. Demonstrators also voiced discontent at high inflation, crime and long queues. Many analysts say currency controls that restrict the availability of dollars for imports play a key role in creating a scarcity of many items. But President Maduro is adamant that many businessmen are colluding with the political opposition to oust his government. He has accused four supermarket chains of hoarding goods and smuggling items out of the country. Venezuela - a major oil producer - has been heavily affected by the fall in oil prices on international markets. The economy officially entered recession in December.

Summary: Venezuela has arrested two top executives of one of the country's largest pharmacy chains.


Bill Sharp, a Tory councillor at Castle Point Borough Council in Essex, is accused of assaulting activist James Parkin at Hadleigh's former fire station in March. Mr Sharp, 68, of Softwater Lane, Benfleet, appeared before Southend Magistrates to deny the charge. He is due to stand trial next year. The assault is alleged to have taken place on 14 March when Mr Sharp, who was deputy leader of the council at the time, was holding a surgery at the fire station. Mr Parkin was a candidate for the Appleby ward in Castle Point and was also an agent working with Jamie Huntman, UKIP's defeated parliamentary candidate for the Castle Point constituency. Mr Parkin was campaigning outside the fire station. Councillor Sharp, who is a cabinet member at the Conservative-run council, was released on bail ahead of a trial due to take place on 4 January.

Summary: A Conservative politician has appeared in court to plead not guilty to assaulting a UKIP candidate in the run-up to elections earlier this year.