It had been thought that being unhappy was bad for health - particularly for the heart. But the decade-long analysis, published in the Lancet, said previous studies had just confused cause and effect. However, experts argued that unhappiness in childhood may still have a lasting impact. A series of studies had shown that how happy people are, strongly predicts how long they are going to live. Ideas included detrimental changes in stress hormones or the immune system resulting in a higher risk of death. But the research team in the UK and Australia said those studies failed to deal with reverse causality - namely, that people who are ill are not very happy. Participants in the Million Women Study were asked to regularly rate their health, happiness and levels of stress. The results showed that whether people were "never", "usually" or "mostly" happy had no impact on their odds of dying during the duration of the study once other factors such as health or whether they smoked were taken into account. Dr Bette Liu, one of the researchers at the University of New South Wales in Australia, said: "Illness makes you unhappy, but unhappiness itself doesn't make you ill. "We found no direct effect of unhappiness or stress on mortality, even in a 10-year study of a million women." Co-author Prof Sir Richard Peto, from the University of Oxford, said light smokers had double the risk of an early death and regular smokers had three times the risk of dying during the study period, but that happiness was "irrelevant". He said it could have indirect effects if people started consuming large amounts of alcohol or massively overeating, but happiness itself "does not have any material, direct, effect on mortality". But he warned the myth may be too entrenched to shake off: "People will still believe stress causes heart attacks after this story has been and gone. "It isn't true, but it suits people to believe it." In a commentary, Dr Philipe de Souto Barreto and professor Yves Rolland from the University Hospital of Toulouse in France, said: "Further research from a lifecourse perspective is needed since happiness during critical periods, such as childhood, could have important consequences on health in adulthood."

Summary: Being miserable or stressed will not increase your risk of dying, according to the UK's Million Women Study.


Kellingley Colliery is set to close in 2015 with the loss of about 700 jobs. Workers, MPs, and union leaders marched through Knottingley and held a rally at Kellingley Social Club. In August, Business Secretary Vince Cable said giving government funds to keep the mine open "wouldn't be good value for money". UK Coal announced plans in April for a managed closure of the colliery due to "extremely difficult trading conditions" and in September secured Â£4m from government to support the plan. Chris Kitchen, from the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), said: "Kellingley has about 30 years worth of coal and we know that we're going to be burning coal in this country to generate electricity... the majority of that now is imported. "It's not that we're trying to keep Kellingley open for some kind of historic reason, there's a use for the fuel and there's a use for the fuel going forward that's mined at Kellingley." A report prepared for the NUM said the mine could remain open until 2018 with help additional from the government. Labour MP for Normanton, Pontefract and Castleford Yvette Cooper said: "If the government doesn't act fast it will be too late. "The cost of keeping Kellingley open is going up week after week because there's been no investment in new faces. Yet the government is just dragging its feet trying to kill off the pit by stealth." A government spokesman said: "We have now received a plan from the company and will look carefully at their proposal, bearing in mind that we must make sure that taxpayers receive value for money."

Summary: Miners at a North Yorkshire coal mine set to close this year have staged a rally to call on the government to provide funds to keep it open.


The waste, which includes soft toys, plastic bags and photographs, was discovered by the charity that operates Telford Steam Railway. The site - owned by Network Rail - is near the A4169 near Horsehay, the Shropshire Star reports. Network Rail said it was supporting an investigation by West Mercia Police to identify the culprits. Read more on this and other news for Shropshire Network Rail said it had been monitoring the site to find out who was responsible for the fly-tipping. Simon Masters, media relations manager, said: "Fly-tipping causes a great amount of misery to those who live nearby, as well as costing the taxpayer tens of thousands of pounds in clean-up costs." Paul Hughes, from Telford Steam Railway, a group which leases a signal box on the site, said he first discovered the dump before Christmas. "We were doing a routine inspection when we discovered there was some commercial fly-tipping which progressively increased to what has become a huge mountain of waste," he said. "We are all used to seeing somebody drop off an old sofa or bedspread but this is on a completely different scale." Telford and Wrekin Council said it was working with the police and the Environment Agency.

Summary: Some 150 tonnes of rubbish has been dumped near a popular steam railway attraction in Shropshire.


Californian scientists found traces of everything from caffeine and spices to skin creams and anti-depressants on 40 phones they tested. We leave traces of molecules, chemicals and bacteria on everything we touch. Even washing hands thoroughly would not prevent the transfer to everyday objects, the researchers said. Using a technique called mass spectrometry, the University of California San Diego research team tested 500 samples taken from 40 adults' mobile phones and hands. They then compared them to molecules identified in a database and produced a "lifestyle profile" of each phone owner. Dr Amina Bouslimani, an assistant project scientist on the study, said the results were revealing. "By analysing the molecules they left behind on their phones, we could tell if a person is likely to be female, uses high-end cosmetics, dyes her hair, drinks coffee, prefers beer over wine, likes spicy food, is being treated for depression, wears sunscreen and bug spray - and therefore likely to spend a lot of time outdoors - all kinds of things," she said. Most of the molecules are thought to be transferred from people's skin, hands and sweat to their phone. Mosquito repellents and sunscreens were found to linger for a particularly long time on people's skin and phones, even when they had not been used for months. Previous research by the same team found that people who had not washed for three days still had lots of traces of hygiene and beauty products on their skin. The study said the testing method could: The researchers now want to find out more about the multitude of bacteria that cover our skin - and what they reveal about us. Senior author Prof Pieter Dorrestein said there were at least 1,000 different microbes living on the average person's skin, in hundreds of locations on the body.

Summary: Molecules found on mobile phones reveal an astonishing amount about the owner's health and lifestyle - including their food preferences and medication.


Trescothick made 153 and Abell hit 131 - his maiden first-class hundred - as they put on 272 for the first wicket. Cooper struck 118 at number three and James Hildreth made 71 as the hosts built a huge first innings lead of 329. Somerset, who led eighth-placed Hampshire by five points at the start of play, have eight bonus points. Hampshire on the other hand have only taken one batting and one bowling bonus point from the game. Resuming on 147-0, Trescothick and Abell took the hosts past Hampshire's first innings total of 240 before Abell was trapped lbw by Gareth Berg. Skipper Trescothick, who signed a new one-year deal with the county on Wednesday, struck 29 fours in his 261-ball innings which came to an end when he was bowled by West Indies paceman Fidel Edwards. Cooper then continued the fine work of the openers in glorious batting conditions as he brought up his first century for Somerset off just 103 deliveries and put on 142 with Hildreth. Hildreth passed 1,200 Championship runs for the season before he was bowled by Liam Dawson (3-130) shortly before the close on a day in which 422 runs were scored.

Summary: Marcus Trescothick, Tom Abell and Tom Cooper all hit centuries as Somerset piled up 569-5 on day two against relegation rivals Hampshire at Taunton.


The 16-year-old girl and the 36-year-old married man were in love and killed by the girl's relatives, they said. The bodies were later cremated. One man has been arrested. So-called honour crimes are common in India, where many still prefer arranged marriages within their own caste and love matches are often frowned upon. In 2011, India's Supreme Court said those involved in honour killings should face the death penalty. The latest incident took place in Amaitha village in Bihar's Gaya district on Wednesday. Reports said the couple had eloped a few days ago, but were found by the girl's family and brought back to village on Wednesday morning. "A married man, Jairam Manjhi, had fallen in love with a girl. The girl's family killed the couple by brutally beating them and then burnt their bodies," senior police official Manu Maharaj told BBC Hindi. Mr Maharaj said the village council held a meeting to resolve the issue, but the girl's family refused to see reason and killed the couple. Police have registered a murder case against six people, but so far only one man had been arrested.

Summary: A couple who had eloped in the northern Indian state of Bihar have been lynched by villagers in what is suspected to be a case of honour killing, police said.


In 1903, scientists decided Brontosaurus was a more complete specimen of a different dinosaur. But many more specimens of plant-eating sauropod dinosaurs are now known, revealing Brontosaurus to be different enough to warrant its own name. The results have been published in the open access journal PeerJ. The name Brontosaurus goes back to the so-called Bone Wars of the late 1800s, when rival fossil hunters Othniel Charles Marsh and Edward Drinker Cope raced new dinosaur names into the scientific literature. In their quest for new specimens, Marsh and Cope were drawn to the rich fossil beds of the American west. Marsh's team found two long-necked sauropods. He named one Apatosaurus ajax (Apatosaurus means "deceptive lizard") and the second skeleton Brontosaurus excelsus (Brontosaurus means "noble thunder lizard"). Shortly after Marsh's death, a team from the Field Museum of Chicago found another dinosaur skeleton similar to both Apatosaurus ajax and Brontosaurus excelsus, but with features deemed intermediate between the two. This led the scientists to conclude that Apatosaurus and Brontosaurus were just different species within the same scientific genus. Apatosaurus took precedence because it had been named first so, Brontosaurus excelsus became Apatosaurus excelsus. But the name Brontosaurus is still known by several generations of schoolchildren. It's not entirely clear why the name stuck, but it may be to do with its origins in the Bone Wars, when there was intense public interest in the discovery of new dinosaurs. It may also be because of the evocative meaning: "thunder lizard". Now, Emanuel Tschopp from the New University of Lisbon in Portugal and colleagues applied statistical techniques to calculate the differences between species and genera of diplodocid dinosaurs (the large-scale grouping that includes Apatosaurus as well as other long-necked plant eaters). It is only with new finds of dinosaurs similar to Apatosaurus and Brontosaurus in recent years that it became possible to undertake a detailed investigation of how different they were. "Until very recently, the claim that Brontosaurus was the same as Apatosaurus was completely reasonable, based on the knowledge we had," said Mr Tschopp. To their suprise, Brontosaurus emerged from the analysis as a distinct dinosaur. "The differences we found between Brontosaurus and Apatosaurus were at least as numerous as the ones between other closely related genera, and much more than what you normally find between species," explained Roger Benson, a co-author from the University of Oxford. Thus, the researchers argue that it is now possible to resurrect Brontosaurus as a genus, different from Apatosaurus. Prof Paul Barrett, of London's Natural History Museum, who was not involved in the research, told BBC News: "This paper is the most comprehensive study produced to date on the evolution of Diplodocus and its closest relatives and sets out some really interesting new ideas on how these animals are related, and how they should be classified. "The author finds a number of ways in which the original specimens of Brontosaurus and Apatosaurus can be separated from each other and uses these to resurrect Brontosaurus as a separate entity. "The conclusions seem entirely reasonable to me, as they are

Summary: The iconic name Brontosaurus, once used to describe a family of huge dinosaurs, has been resurrected after being killed off more than a century ago.


Mr Swinney made the announcement as he unveiled his draft budget to MSPs in the Scottish Parliament. He also announced a tax rise on many second homes and buy-to-let properties through a Land and Buildings Transaction Tax levy. And Mr Swinney confirmed that the council tax freeze would continue. The finance secretary warned that the Scottish budget was set to continue to reduce in real terms until the end of the decade, as he said it had done since 2010. Opposition parties claimed that Mr Swinney was "following where the Conservatives lead" and that his budget would result in "massive cuts" to local services such as schools, roads and care of the elderly. And local authority body Cosla warned that funding going to Scotland's 32 councils had been cut by 3.5% - meaning they would lose out on £350m between them. Holyrood will be given limited powers over income tax rates next April under the 2012 Scotland Act, which was passed under the previous UK coalition government. It will see the Treasury deduct from the Scottish block grant a sum equivalent to the product of 10p worth of income tax north of the border. Mr Swinney then had the option of setting a Scottish Rate of Income Tax (SRIT) which could either be lower, higher or the same as the 10p that has been deducted. The finance secretary told the Holyrood chamber: "I propose that the Scottish Rate of Income Tax will be set at 10p in the pound - the rate people pay this year will be the same rate that they will pay next year. "I hope that from 2017/18 this parliament will have more flexibility in setting income tax rates. However, that will depend on reaching agreement on a new fiscal framework and final passage of the Scotland Bill." Among the other measures proposed by Mr Swinney were: Greater controls over income tax are among the measures contained in the Scotland Bill which is currently being scrutinised by Westminster, but these will not come into force until 2017 at the earliest. Mr Swinney said that the Scottish government aimed to set out its longer-term plans on income tax ahead of the dissolution of the Scottish Parliament in March of next year. He said that the Scottish government's aim was to focus on tackling inequality and boosting productivity in order to "create the foundations for a stronger and more inclusive economy". But he said that would need to be delivered within a "significantly constrained" public spending environment. Mr Swinney added: "By 2020 our budget will be 12.5% lower in real terms than when the Conservatives came to power. That is the equivalent of one pound in every eight that we spend being cut by Westminster by 2020." He said that Land and Buildings Transaction tax, which replaced the stamp duty charge on property sales in Scotland, will remain the same for most transactions. But he added: "The exception to this is for buyers purchasing an additional residential property - such as a second home or a buy-to-let - worth more

Summary: The finance secretary John Swinney has ruled out an increase in Scottish income tax when Holyrood gets new financial powers next year.


He was presented with a prize of Â£15,000 for his story Briar Road at an event at the BBC's Radio Theatre in London. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time author Haddon was the runner up for his story Bunny. Brighton-based Buckley said the award was "a huge and delightful surprise". He is the author of nine novels, most recently The River is the River. Chairman of Judges Allan Little said: "Jonathan Buckley's Briar Road is a quiet, intriguing mystery and focuses on a single moment in the life of one family who have turned to a spiritualist after their teenage daughter has disappeared. He described Buckley's writing as "understated, stark and plain", adding: "The intrigue builds as key details are revealed slowly, hinted at and suggested rather than spelled out." The winner was announced on BBC Radio 4's Front Row programme. Haddon's story Bunny tells of a morbidly obese housebound man who finds love in an old school friend. Little called it "compassionate, touching and darkly funny". Mantel's work, The Assassination of Margaret Thatcher, is set four years after Margaret Thatcher became Prime Minister in 1979 and imagines an IRA attempt on her life. The two other shortlisted authors were Frances Leviston and Jeremy Page. Gwyneth Williams, controller of BBC Radio 4, said: "I am thrilled to celebrate 10 years of our BBC National Short Story Award with such exceptional stories and gifted writers. "Radio 4 is proud to broadcast more short stories than anyone, anywhere in the world. Writers and original writing lie at our very heart."

Summary: Former Rough Guides editor Jonathan Buckley has beaten Hilary Mantel and Mark Haddon to win the 10th annual BBC National Short Story Award.


Defence lawyer Brenda Weksler told a court in Las Vegas her client Michael Sandford, from Dorking, Surrey, was in a "delicate mental state". Court papers said he had been on suicide watch at a detention centre. Mr Sandford's mother Lynne, who was not in court for the hearing, wants him to return to the UK for psychiatric help. Prosecutors allege Mr Sandford, 20, tried to grab a police officer's gun to shoot Republican presidential candidate Mr Trump at a campaign rally in Las Vegas on 18 June. They also claim he practiced shooting at a gun range the previous day. His trial has been scheduled for 3 October. The Associated Press news agency said the meeting was also expected to include Ms Weksler and Ms Sandford's London lawyer Saimo Chahal. US magistrate judge Cam Ferenbach said the meeting "might help in the resolution of the case in a way that benefits the defendant and the government", the agency reported. Ms Sandford has said her son has autism, OCD, severe depression and would face up to 30 years in prison in the US. She argues he should serve any sentence in a psychiatric hospital in the UK to receive help closer to his family. He has denied charges of disrupting government business and official functions and being an illegal alien in possession of a gun.

Summary: The mother of a Briton accused of trying to shoot and kill Donald Trump has been given permission to visit him in custody in the United States.


Paul Gallihawk, 34, failed to finish the initial swimming part of the race at Leybourne Lakes and was reported missing after he did not arrive to collect his bike for the cycling stage. The cause of his death remains unclear. His girlfriend Hayley said: "He was the most amazing and thoughtful partner. I loved him to bits and always will." "He was incredible in every way and he always put others before himself," she added. In a statement, the family said: "[Paul] had such a caring nature and will be sadly missed by all the family, extended family and friends. "Paul was a brilliant son and brother to Nick - he would do anything to help anyone and would always put them first." His friends also issued a statement: "Many of us have known Paul since we went to school together and we are all completely heartbroken. "He was a genuine and honest man - he was the funniest person in the world." The triathlon event was organised by Ocean Lake Triathlon, who said: "We are shocked by what happened." The triathlon club, based at Leybourne Lake Country Park and Simon Langton School in Canterbury, organises a series of six sprint distance races. Mr Gallihawk had been missing since a 750m swim at the start of the triathlon. He had written on his JustGiving page that he was competing to raise money for King's College Hospital in London, which had looked after his father. Since his disappearance was announced, donations on the page have risen to over Â£6,000. One donor wrote on the site: "Paul, you always had a smile and a laugh about everything, and a great teammate playing for Lenham. An absolute gent and our thoughts are with your loved ones."

Summary: Tributes have been paid to a triathlete whose body was found after he disappeared during a race near Maidstone on Saturday.


He worked under Billy Reid at Hamilton Academical, and advised Reid to move to Swansea City when the club wanted him to replace Paulo Sousa five years ago, but Reid chose to stay. He is now an assistant manager in Sweden's second tier. Neil is ambitious, and has always indicated a desire to test himself at the highest level. So he was always likely to accept the offer to succeed Neil Adams at Carrow Road. Reid was his friend, but also the man who shaped his career. Neil was a right-back when he pitched up at Hamilton from Mansfield Town in 2005; Reid restored him to a holding midfield role because of two significant qualities: his tenacity and his ability to read the game. Those traits have served Neil well. He only became Hamilton player-manager in April 2013, when Reid stepped down. Since then, he has guided the club to promotion - via the play-offs last summer - and to an eye-catching campaign in the Premiership, which has included topping the table in October. For perspective, no side in the top division has a lower wage budget. Hamilton regularly field a team in which half of the players have come through the youth ranks, and he led the team to their first win at Celtic Park since 1938. Following that 1-0 win, Neil gathered all of the players and club officials in the dressing room and urged them to make the most of the moment, and to build on it. The display and result were typical of Neil - not least because he was booked in the second half, while still amongst the substitutes. He has a steely edge, and can occasionally be overly aggressive. That tends to generally be controlled, though, and the spikiness will be required as he tries to impose his authority on the Norwich squad. Many of the players will be around the same age as Neil - who is 33 - and most will have played at a higher level and earned more money from their careers. In a world where wealth and kudos are commodities, Neil must find a way to display leadership and motivation without compromising his principles. "He's very calm and won't be fazed," said the former Rangers midfielder Derek Ferguson, who regularly reports on Hamilton games for BBC Scotland and whose youngest son is a youth player at New Douglas Park. "I did my B coaching badge with him. He has an edge and that's really important." The victory over Celtic was also typical of Neil because he was not prepared to limit his players or alter his tactical approach. Reid would often make Hamilton more defensive when they played bigger clubs, but Neil urges his players to have belief in their abilities and to trust in their game plan. The approach has worked, which is why Neil became Norwich's choice to replace Adams. Reid believes that his protege will succeed, remarking on him being "grounded" and that there is "no chance he will be overawed by the challenge down there". Reid has

Summary: New Norwich City manager Alex Neil has learned from the successes and mistakes of his mentor.


Researchers suggest there is poor evidence to support screening and isolating infected patients - standard practice in hospitals worldwide. But good hand hygiene and bathing with antibacterial solutions are key to reducing infections, they say. Experts warn more studies are needed before any change in protocols. Despite rates of Meticillin resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) falling in many countries, concerns about its spread remain. The bug is resistant to most antibiotics and while it is can be carried harmlessly on the skin it may lead to serious wound infections - particularly in people who are already unwell. Hospitals have used a varied combination of methods to tackle it, including: Scientists reviewed studies over the last decade. But most investigated several infection control measures in combination, making it difficult to tease out which ones worked best. Researchers say the limited evidence focusing solely on isolation or screening suggest they may not reduce spread of the disease and could do more harm than good. Prof Gerd Fatkenheuer, from the University Hospital Cologne, Germany, who was part of the research team said: "In the haste to do something against the rising tide of MRSA infection, measures were adopted that seemed plausible but were not properly assessed, bundling the effective and harmless with the ineffective and harmful. "We know for example that isolating patients can result in anxiety and depression and fewer visits by doctors and nurses." The scientists emphasise evidence backs good hand-washing and suggests people with the bug should bathe daily using antibacterial solutions. Prof Peter Collignon at the Canberra Hospital, Australia said: "Certain countries, however, that take all of these combined approaches - such as the Netherlands and Denmark - have the lowest rates of MRSA spread in healthcare facilities. "So we need to make sure that studies clearly show that we will not do harm by stopping some or all of these isolation methods." The report authors say as MRSA levels continue to drop this provides a good opportunity to reassess how best to tackle the problem. And they recommend scarce resources could be redeployed to combat other infections - rather than singling out MRSA. Recent figures for England suggest 862 cases of MRSA were recorded in the year 2013-14, a substantial reduction from the 4,451 cases reported in 2007-08.

Summary: The jury is still out on the effectiveness of methods to control the hospital superbug MRSA, according to an international report in the Lancet.


The 27-year-old Jamaican, who also won last year, clinched 100m, 200m and 100m relay gold in the World Championships in Moscow in August. Fellow Jamaican Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce took the women's award after winning the same three golds as Bolt in Russia. 100m: 2008, 2012 Olympics; 2009, 2013 World Championships 200m: 2008, 2012 Olympics; 2009, 2011, 2013 World Championships 4x100m: 2008, 2012 Olympics; 2009, 2011, 2013 World Championships Earlier this week, the 27-year-old said she will refuse to run in major events unless Jamaica's athletics authorities "stand by" their athletes. Bolt, who beat Britain's double world champion from Moscow Mo Farah to the award, became the most successful athlete in the history of the World Championships this year with his eighth gold and 10th medal in total. At the awards ceremony in Monaco, he said his 2014 target was to beat his 200m world record of 19.19 seconds. "That has always been my dream; that has always been my aim," he said. "This season will be the season when I will be going for world records because there are no major [outdoor] championships. Media playback is not supported on this device "The 200m is much easier than the 100m to try for a record and that would be my main focus this season." Bolt has previously said he could retire after the 2016 Olympics - but he added he might yet compete at the World Championships in London the following year. "I was having some talk about this with my coach, and he was saying people had said I should go for another year," he said. Fraser-Pryce has now won seven medals at World Championships to add to her four Olympic medals. Men's finalists: Usain Bolt (Jamaica, sprinter), Bohdan Bondarenko (Ukraine, high jumper), Mo Farah (GB, distance runner). Women's finalists: Valerie Adams (New Zealand, shot put), Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (Jamaica, sprinter), Zuzana Hejnova (Czech Republic, 400m hurdles).

Summary: Usain Bolt has been named male World Athlete of the Year for a fifth time.


It was Guiseley's first league victory since 30 April - and the manner of it was enough to see the club trending on Twitter. The game featured seven goals, a 37-minute delay when the lights went out and an angry fan marching on to the pitch to confront York City boss Jackie McNamara. York, relegated from League Two last season and backed by more than 700 fans for the away trip, dropped to 20th with a fourth straight defeat. Guiseley remain bottom with six points from 14 games. The visitors led through Matt Fry's header, only for Guiseley to scores twice in three minutes through debutant Jake Cassidy and Alex Purver. Purver added a third, Jordan Preston made it 4-1 and, after the floodlight failure plunged the ground into darkness, Jermaine Hylton, another debutant, and Rob Atkinson completed the rout. The game, which started at 19:45 BST, finished at 22:35. Match ends, Guiseley 6, York City 1. Second Half ends, Guiseley 6, York City 1. Goal! Guiseley 6, York City 1. Robert Atkinson (Guiseley). Substitution, Guiseley. Adam Boyes replaces Jermaine Hylton. Substitution, Guiseley. Michael Rankine replaces Jake Cassidy. Substitution, Guiseley. Nicky Clee replaces Connor Brown. Substitution, York City. Kaine Felix replaces Justin Johnson. Goal! Guiseley 5, York City 1. Jermaine Hylton (Guiseley). Substitution, York City. Fraser Murdoch replaces Scott Fenwick. Substitution, York City. Yan Klukowski replaces Ben Clappison. Second Half begins Guiseley 4, York City 1. First Half ends, Guiseley 4, York City 1. Goal! Guiseley 4, York City 1. Jordan Preston (Guiseley). Jordan Preston (Guiseley) is shown the yellow card. Goal! Guiseley 3, York City 1. Alex Purver (Guiseley). Goal! Guiseley 2, York City 1. Alex Purver (Guiseley). Goal! Guiseley 1, York City 1. Jake Cassidy (Guiseley). Goal! Guiseley 0, York City 1. Matt Fry (York City). First Half begins. Lineups are announced and players are warming up.

Summary: National League bottom club Guiseley came from behind - and overcame a floodlight failure - to thrash Yorkshire neighbours York City at Nethermoor.


To others, Alternative fuer Deutschland (AfD) - or Alternative for Germany - is a dangerous populist force, whipping up anti-foreigner feeling, and giving right-wing extremist ideology a respectable face. Either way, few are indifferent to Germany's new anti-euro party. It was founded last year as a protest against German-backed EU bailouts for poorer Southern Europe. The AfD originally catered to some German taxpayers fed up with paying for what they saw as the irresponsible behaviour of southern Europeans living beyond their means. But it has now become the first anti-euro party to win seats in a German regional parliament, receiving almost 10% of the vote in the eastern German state of Saxony, taking even the party's bosses by surprise. "Astonishing results," Frauke Petry, one of the party's leaders, told journalists in Berlin on Monday. The 39-year-old mother-of-four is a former chemist. As the face of the party, she is meant to shake off its grumpy-old-man image, campaigning heavily on education and family issues. That agenda counters allegations that the AfD is simply a more respectable, lighter version of the far-right NPD, which is no longer represented in Saxony's parliament. But Ms Petry has big ambitions, giving a clear warning to Chancellor Angela Merkel's governing Christian Democrats (CDU), who have ruled out entering into government with the AfD - both in Saxony now, and nationally in the future. "The CDU will lose out if they refuse to talk to us," she said. The danger for Angela Merkel is not that the AfD poses a threat as a rival for national or even regional government. Rather it is that Germany's right will be splintered - much as, over the past decade, the far-left Linke party has chipped away at support for the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD). By focusing on traditional conservative ideas, such as law and order, tougher border controls, and the importance of the traditional family model, the AfD is managing now to attract voters who feel that Mrs Merkel's government is betraying those values. Mrs Merkel's pragmatic approach, to appeal to as many voters as possible, has pulled her CDU party closer to the centre. And governing with the SPD means compromise. So the AfD aims to scoop up voters who want a tougher approach to the EU and immigration - much as the Eurosceptic party UKIP does in Britain. But there the similarity ends. In Britain, UKIP can make statements about Europe which in pro-EU Germany would lead to pariah status. However, in Germany, comments by some AfD candidates on abortion or homosexuality would be deemed unacceptable in mainstream British society. And AfD leaders bristle if they are described as Eurosceptic, keen to underline they are anti-euro, not anti-EU. So, in the European Parliament, the AfD is actually in the same grouping as the UK Conservatives, not with UKIP. Commentators often see more parallels between the AfD and the socially conservative American Tea Party, than with UKIP. "We have arrived on the political scene," announced AfD leader and co-founder Bernd Lucke, an economist who has taken time off from his career

Summary: To some, it is a party that speaks up for the people, challenging Germany's pro-European political establishment, and tackling tough issues which other parties are afraid to mention.


Armenians say up to 1.5 million of their people died in the atrocities of 1915. Turkey says the toll was much lower and rejects the term "genocide". The vote heightened German-Turkish tensions at a time when Turkey's help is needed to stem the flow of migrants. Turkey has recalled its ambassador and its leader threatened further action. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the recall was a first step and that the government would consider further action it might take in response to the vote. "We will do whatever is necessary to resolve this issue," he said. In the latest response: Armenian 'genocide' vote ignites press More than 20 nations, including France and Russia, as well as Pope Francis, have recognised the 1915 killings as genocide. Turkey denies that there was a systematic campaign to slaughter Armenians as an ethnic group during World War One. It also points out that many Turkish civilians died in the turmoil during the collapse of the Ottoman Empire. Mrs Merkel was not in the Bundestag (lower house) for the vote. Her Christian Democrats (CDU), their coalition partners the Social Democrats (SPD) and the Greens all supported the resolution, and the vote in favour was overwhelming. German MPs came under pressure from Turks in the run-up to the vote, receiving threatening and abusive e-mails, German ARD news reports. The resolution uses the word "genocide" in the headline and text. It also says Germany - at the time an ally of the Ottomans - bears some guilt for doing nothing to stop the killings. The reactions from Ankara are every bit as strong as feared. Turkey's foreign minister even accused Berlin of trying to deflect from the dark episodes of its own history, a clear reference to Germany's Nazi past. But for many German politicians this vote was about exactly the opposite: it was about dealing with not just Turkey's difficult 20th century history, but also Germany's. Many of the speeches in parliament focused on German responsibility in the 1915 killings. At the time, the German empire was a military ally of the Ottomans, and is accused of knowing about the massacres and not doing anything to prevent them. So for many Germans this resolution is about facing up to German historical guilt - something modern Germany is founded upon. But the big question is what this all means for Europe's attempts to solve the migrant crisis. Diplomatic relations may be strained. But the hope in Berlin is that tensions don't scupper the EU's new refugee deal with Turkey. Under a deal struck in March, Turkey agreed to take back migrants - including Syrians - arriving on Greek islands, in return for EU aid and a pledge to give Turks visa-free travel to most of Europe. Germany accepted 1.1 million migrants last year - by far the highest influx in the EU. German-Turkish relations were also strained this year by the case of comedian Jan Boehmermann, whose obscene poem about Mr Erdogan prompted a criminal complaint from the Turkish leader. Last month a court in Hamburg ruled that Boehmermann's

Summary: The German parliament has approved a resolution declaring that the mass killing of Armenians by Ottoman Turks during World War One was a "genocide".


The match was in memory of the late Falkirk defender, Craig Gowans, 17, who died in 2005. Guinness World Records are expected to approve the record set by the Craig Gowans Memorial Fund World Record Breaking Football Match within days. The final score at Ainslie Park, at 22:00 on Wednesday, was 774-707. The match started on Saturday at 13:00. The previous record was 102 hours. Craig Gowans was killed when training equipment he was carrying connected with an overhead power cable at the Little Kerse ground in Grangemouth. The Craig Gowans Memorial Fund for The Sick Kids Friends Foundation has so far raised almost Â£80,000. The match was played using seven substitutes on each side. There were no limits on how many times a substitute was used. Every 12 hours a player clocked up on the pitch gave them one hour off from the match to have a shower or get food. Eoghan Molloy, a member of the Craig Gowans Memorial Fund organising committee, said: "The whole experience has been an emotional rollercoaster from start to finish. "There were a lot of mixed emotions as the final whistle blew - from relief and tiredness to joy, happiness and everything in between. It was amazing to hear that final whistle and to finish what we set to achieve. "I'd like to extend a huge thank you to all of the supporters and volunteers who came down to support us across the four days. "Playing throughout the night was by far the most difficult part of the challenge, but when the sun came up and the crowd returned this completely lifted our spirits. Being able to finish the match is all down to these supporters." Roslyn Neely, chief executive of the Sick Kids Friends Foundation, said: "All of the participants of the Craig Gowans Memorial Fund have done a tremendous job in completely this outstanding challenge and we feel extremely privileged to be the beneficiary of their efforts. " The money raised will be used to fund enhancements to the new Sick Kids hospital at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh at Little France, specifically a state-of-the-art Snoezelen room in Craig's name. The space will be a calming room with multi-sensory equipment providing a relaxing and stimulating space for children with sensory impairments. The previous world record was set at St Mary's, the home of Southampton FC, in June by two squads representing the Testlands Support Project, a Southampton charity. Doug Henderson, chairman of Falkirk FC, said: "I'd like to congratulate the team for their great efforts over a monumental 105 hours, and to thank them also for getting together to deliver this wonderful tribute to Craig Gowans. "Craig was an upstanding young man with a great future ahead of him, he had enormous promise as a footballer and was a big part of our Falkirk family. We all miss him so much."

Summary: A world record breaking attempt for the longest 11-a-side match has finished following 105 hours of football in Edinburgh.


Extra college places would be paid for by introducing a graduate contribution to raise funds from university leavers. The Tories said 140,000 places had been lost from Scottish colleges since 2007, and vowed to reinstate them. The party also supports creating an extra 10,000 modern apprenticeships. Party leaders have started setting out their stalls ahead of May's elections. Labour has announced a housing policy targeting first-time buyers, while the SNP pledged to put education "front and centre" in their plans. The Conservatives produced figures suggesting the number of students at Scottish colleges was at its lowest number on record, with staff numbers also down a fifth since 2008. Party leader Ruth Davidson said the SNP's record on colleges was the government's "hidden shame". She said: "The SNP has built monuments to itself on so-called free education, while quietly demolishing the ladder of opportunity that our colleges provide to thousands of youngsters. "We reject the discrimination which favours academic over vocational courses. A Scottish Conservative government would therefore reverse the cuts made by the SNP to Scotland's college budget. "We would pay for this through our existing plan to back graduate contribution, paid for only after university graduates are earning a decent wage." Education is set to be a key battleground in the election on 5 May, with first minister and SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon promising to put it "front and centre". She said Scotland under the SNP was reducing the attainment gap "faster than the rest of the UK". The SNP criticised the graduate contribution plan, saying it showed a vote for the Tories was "a vote to end free higher education in Scotland". George Adam, a member of the education and culture committee at Holyrood, said: "The Tories claim that their colleges policy will be funded 'in its entirety' by a graduate contribution - but without any detail about how much students would be expected to pay, or exactly when they would have to start paying it, their colleges policy has absolutely no credibility. "It is also completely unacceptable to leave young people considering going to university in the dark about what it will cost them." Scottish Labour's opportunity spokesman Iain Gray said: "The SNP want to be judged on their record and the first minister said education is her top priority. "Well, the SNP's record on colleges is simply shameful with 140,000 fewer students in Scotland's colleges, and 3,500 fewer lecturers "That record means lost opportunities for our young people, but those young people deserve better than unfunded promises from the Tories."

Summary: The Scottish Conservatives have pledged an extra £60m to Scotland's colleges as the party sets out its election platform.


Nerijus Gudelevicius would entice Lithuanians to the UK with the promise of paid work, delivering and collecting charity clothes bags. The 34-year-old, of Westlea, Swindon, was found guilty at Swindon Crown Court of two charges of human trafficking. He was cleared of a further four charges of slavery and released on conditional bail. The court heard Gudelevicius would pay workers between Â£10 and Â£30 a week - but sometimes payments were made every fortnight or three weeks. He would also charge them Â£40-a-week in rent, if they needed accommodation. Gudelevicius, originally from Lithuania, is due to sentenced at Salisbury Crown Court on 19 June. Following the judgement, acting Det Insp Rob Findlay said the verdict was a "positive result" following months of robust investigation work. "The victims of human trafficking are often very vulnerable people who are used as simple commodities - often for the financial gain of the perpetrators," he said. "Wiltshire Police will always treat human trafficking as a priority and vigorously investigate, along with our partners, such incidents. "Community-based intelligence proves crucial in investigations such as this, and I would always urge anyone with information or concerns about potential victims of modern slavery to contact us."

Summary: A man has been found guilty of human trafficking in what police have called a case of "modern slavery".


The visitors were already underdogs for the match at Des Moines Golf and Country Club, which starts on Friday, before the loss of Suzann Pettersen, through injury. The Norwegian is a talismanic figure for Europe, having played in the eight previous competitions, winning 57% of her matches, but her influence will now be restricted to a vice captain's role. A back problem aggravated by some light jogging last weekend has effectively prompted a job swap with 47-year-old Scot Catriona Matthew, who had been preparing for a week as Sorenstam's assistant. "It's been a lot of juggling, to put it mildly," the European captain admitted. "I had a plan, I called it Plan A. And then we started a Plan B." Sorenstam also has fitness worries over her highest ranked player, world number 13 Anna Nordqvist. The tall Swede has been suffering glandular fever and is still prone to periods of exhaustion on the course. The skipper says she hopes there will be no need for a "Plan C" but Nordqvist admitted she found it hard work in her last tournament outing at the Ricoh Women's British Open at Kingsbarns. "It was definitely a bit of a struggle getting through 18 holes in the weather," she said. "But since then I've had a lot of rest and the last two weeks have been a lot better but I haven't been able to do as much practice as I usually do." Nordqvist has been playing practice rounds punctuated by heavy thunder storms here in Des Moines. "Walking up a few hills I have to take a few extra breaths because I was a little more tired than normal," she added. Pettersen was at the heart of the bad blood between the two sides in Germany two years ago, failing to concede a short putt picked up by American opponent Alison Lee, in an incident dubbed 'Gimmegate'. There seems a better spirit between the teams in the build up to this match, with the US skipper Juli Inkster allowing Matthew to practice ahead of Pettersen's withdrawal on Wednesday. "It was nice of Juli," Matthew told BBC Sport. "Normally the reserve or a vice captain wouldn't be able to play the golf course. So it was nice to get out there and play." This is Inkster's second match as US captain after using 'Gimmegate' to inspire the American comeback from 10-6 down in the last contest. Now Europe are seeking their own lift and avenging the loss of that dominant position is being used as a source of inspiration. "I would say it motivates us quite a lot," said Kettering's Charley Hull, who at the age of 21 is already playing her third Solheim Cup, having won six of the eight matches she has played. "We've got good memories from being back in America from four years ago," Hull added. On that occasion Europe thrashed the home team by a record 18-10 at Colorado Golf Club. Europe will have four rookies on duty including Englishwomen Georgia Hall and Florentyna Parker as well as captain's picks Emily

Summary: Europe captain Annika Sorenstam admits her team will be employing "plan B" as they seek to regain the Solheim Cup from the United States in Iowa this week.


His 2016 budget would impose a one-off 14% tax on US profits stashed overseas, as well as a 19% tax on any future profits as they are earned. The $238bn (Â£158bn) raised would be used to fund road projects in the US. But analysts say it is unlikely the Republican-controlled Congress will approve the proposals. Mr Obama told broadcaster NBC that despite several years of economic improvement, wages and incomes for middle class families were "just now ticking up". "They haven't been keeping pace over the last 30 years compared to, you know, corporate profits and what's happening to folks in the very top," he said. Research firm Audit Analytics calculated last April that US firms in total had $2.1tn-worth of profits stashed abroad. It found US conglomerate General Electric had the most profit stored overseas at $110bn. Tech giants Microsoft and Apple and drugs companies Pfizer and Merck all featured in the top five. No tax is currently due on foreign profits as long as they are not brought into the US. As a result some companies put their earnings in low tax jurisdictions and simply leave them there. The White House said its plans for an immediate 14% tax would raise $238bn, which would be used to fund a wider $478bn public works programme of road, bridge and public transport upgrades. "This transition tax would mean that companies have to pay US tax right now on the $2tn they already have overseas, rather than being able to delay paying any US tax indefinitely," a White House official said. The official said that after this one-off tax, the 19% permanent tax firms would have to pay on overseas profits "would level the playing field, and encourage firms to create jobs here at home." The tax rate is far lower than the current US top corporate tax rate of 35%. Also expected in Mr Obama's budget proposal is a tax cut on earned incomes, including tax credits for child care and "second earners". Mr Obama will also seek to ease restrictions on military and domestic spending in place since a budget deal in 2011. Republicans in Congress have largely rejected many of Mr Obama's proposals for increased domestic spending and tax rises on corporations but support increased military spending. Representative Paul Ryan, the Republican's top budget official, accused Mr Obama of exploiting "envy economics" in his proposal. "This top down redistribution doesn't work," Mr Ryan told NBC.

Summary: US President Barack Obama plans to close a tax loophole that allows US firms to avoid paying taxes on overseas profits, the White House says.


Openers Mark Stoneman (93) and Phil Mustard (88) shared a 180-run first-wicket stand and Scott Borthwick hit a quickfire 63 off 53 balls as the Jets pummelled 340-6 from their 50 overs. A century stand between Kevin O'Brien (89) and Mark Cosgrove (63) put the Foxes on course for their target. They were restricted to 329-9, though, as paceman Jamie Harrison claimed 4-40. Earlier, Mustard looked to attack for Durham from the first ball and hit 10 fours and four sixes before being caught off Kevin O'Brien after facing just 70 balls. Stoneman and Borthwick later fell in quick succession to Rob Taylor (4-58) as Leicestershire tried to stem the scoring rate. Their response began disastrously as Chris Rushworth bowled Mark Pettini and Harrison had Neil Dexter caught behind to reduce them to 26-2. O'Brien and Cosgrove shared a 115-run third-wicket partnership to put Leicestershire back in the match, but the former was caught off Harrison as Durham held on to win. Leicestershire all-rounder Kevin O'Brien told BBC Radio Leicester: "To get close when chasing a big total is disappointing but we probably have to blame ourselves. "Three of us who got in, myself, Cossie and Niall (O'Brien), if we're being honest, we threw our wickets away at crucial times. "If one of us had gone on and got 100, 110, 130, we'd have been on the other end of this result." Durham batsman Phil Mustard told BBC Newcastle: "The pitch today was a little bit better, we had the odd one that did a little bit but as the day went on, it did get better. "Once your two openers get you off to the start that we did today, I think 330, 340 was always going to be our target. "Scotty came in at number three and did a fantastic job, and then the boys near the end of the innings put on a nice partnership, and the bowling was really good as well."

Summary: Durham earned a narrow 11-run victory over Leicestershire in a high-scoring One-Day Cup match at Grace Road.


She was performing her sell-out tour at the SSE Hydro on Friday night when a chain fell from the production rigging onto a woman in the audience. She was taken to hospital "as a precaution", a spokesman for the venue said. Adele later tweeted: "I'm so sorry to hear that someone got hurt at my show tonight. "It's being investigated to ensure it won't happen again. X" A spokesman for the venue said: "The lady was attended to by our own medical team and then taken to hospital as a precaution. "The safety of every member of our audience is paramount and we are currently working with the promoter's production team to establish why this happened and to ensure it does not happen again." Stuart Duffy, who was at the show, said the lights came up and other spectators were moved. He posted a picture on Twitter of the rigging that appeared to have malfunctioned. Adele will perform a second show at the 13,000-capacity arena on Saturday. Her album 25 stayed at the number one spot for the 12th consecutive week, denying rock band James - who had been leading the chart earlier in the week - the top spot.

Summary: Pop star Adele has apologised after a fan was injured by a falling chain at a concert in Glasgow.


The two men are filmed speaking in Arabic and referring to IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. One holds a piece of paper on which the IS flag is printed. Fr Jacques Hamel, 86, had his throat cut in the attack on Tuesday at a church in a Normandy suburb. Both attackers were shot dead by police after taking hostages. The video was posted by Amaq news agency, the media arm of IS, which has posted the group's videos and statements in the past. It has not been verified by French police. Reports on Tuesday said the men had filmed the attack, but it is not clear where the video posted by Amaq was recorded. More on this story Friends recall 'brainwashed' Kermiche Jacques Hamel: Tributes to priest who dedicated life to church What we know about church attack France responds with calls for peace and understanding One of the two attackers has already been named by police as Adel Kermiche, 19, who had twice tried to reach Syria to join IS. French investigators believe they are close to identifying the second attacker, according to French media reports. Officers are said to have found an ID card at the home of Kermiche belonging to an individual named as Abdelmalik P, from Aix-les-Bains in eastern France. It is not known whether this is the second attacker, whose face was badly disfigured by the police shooting. France's Le Monde newspaper also reports that French security officials received a tip-off on Friday from an unnamed foreign intelligence partner that an individual was planning an attack in the coming days. The newspaper says a photograph of the individual was provided but no identity, and French police were hunting for the man in the run up to the attack. It may be that the so far unidentified man is the dead second attacker, the BBC's Hugh Schofield in Paris says. A number of media outlets in France have announced that they will no longer publish images of people responsible for terror attacks. In an editorial, Le Monde said it was doing so "to avoid giving posthumous credit" to those responsible, while adding that the intention of killing Father Hamel was to provoke "the blind vengeance that would place the entire country under the empire of hatred". The move was repeated by the broadcasters BFMTV, France 24 and RFI. A statement by the joint editorial team of France 24 and RFI said that they were "conscious of the echo that is being offered by our antennae... to terrorist movements who claim a state that does not exist". The Catholic daily La Croix, which said it was following suit, said in its editorial on Wednesday that "responding to hatred with hatred would mean that evil has triumphed". The newspaper would now give only the first name of attackers, it said. The Europe 1 radio station announced it would not name perpetrators of terror attacks. The killing in Normandy came 12 days after the truck attack in Nice in which 84 people died. The Nice killer also pledged allegiance to IS.

Summary: The so-called Islamic State (IS) has released a video it says shows two men who murdered a priest in France, pledging allegiance to the group.


They will replace Michael Buble as hosts of next month's show after the Canadian singer pulled out to care for his ill three-year-old son. The Brit Awards take place at the O2 in London on 22 February. "The Brits is an iconic show that I've watched and attended many times," said X Factor presenter O'Leary. Emma, who is currently presenting The Voice UK, said: "To present the Brits is an honour but to be doing it alongside one of my absolute favourites, Mr Dermot O'Leary is just bonkers. Bring on the Brits 2017." Robbie Williams, Little Mix, The 1975 and Emeli SandÃ© have already been confirmed to perform at the event.

Summary: Dermot O'Leary and Emma Willis are to present this year's Brit Awards, organisers have announced.


The end of the month of fasting is marked by Eid al-Fitr, which means the "festival of the breaking of the fast", which continues over several days. The first day of Eid starts in the UK this Friday, beginning with morning prayers, followed by feasting and celebrations with family and friends. Ramadan is also a time for charitable deeds, which for some Muslims in the US this year has meant helping raise funds to rebuild black churches in the American South that have been devastated by fire. Imam Zaid Shakir, an Islamic scholar at California's Zaytuna College, explained why on one of the fundraising pages. He wrote that the US Muslim community understood "the climate of racially inspired hate and bigotry that is being reignited in this country. "We want to let our African American brothers and sisters know that we stand in solidarity with them during this dark hour." However, that sense of some communities dividing increasingly along ethnic or religious lines is one that has also been felt in parts of Europe and the UK, not least as the self-styled Islamic State (IS) and other extreme Islamist groups continue to dominate the headlines, exacerbating concerns among non-Muslims over what Islam means for some of its younger followers today. Some Islamic clerics around the world have used Ramadan as a chance to reflect publicly on how to reform the religious discourse within Islam to keep up with the challenges of 21st Century life, and to oppose extremism. In Egypt and elsewhere, some Islamic scholars have discussed ways to renew the interpretation of the Koran, while in the United Arab Emirates, a popular American scholar of Islam warned that renewal was needed within Islam. Others stressed the necessity for a greater emphasis on tolerance of difference, mercy and mutual respect. Those efforts to discuss religious reform to a faith followed by around 1.6 billion people, or a quarter of the world's population, are aimed in part at ensuring that extreme interpretations of Islamic tradition do not gain a greater following. Militant violence has escalated in the Middle East and elsewhere with the spread of IS. Slick online propaganda appeals to some Muslims in Europe - and to rather more young people in countries such as Tunisia or Saudi Arabia - some of whom are attracted to its austere interpretation and claim to be the "real" Islam. In January, the Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi called for a revolution in Islam, saying that outdated interpretations had made the Muslim world a source of destruction. However, others do not want a revolution within Islam but reinterpretations, or gentler reforms. Speaking in Abu Dhabi, American scholar Sheikh Hamza Yusuf urged a return to the core tenet of mercy in Islam, describing the religion as a house that had been neglected and was in need of renovation. "The water taps aren't working, the plumbing's not working. The house is in disarray," he told the Associated Press. "You don't destroy it, you don't set it aside. You renovate it." He said Muslims should not oppose even strong reforms,

Summary: During the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, Muslims reflect on their faith as they conduct their daily fast from dawn until dusk in the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, which marks the anniversary of the revelation of the Islamic holy book, the Koran.


Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt had called for the system to be simplified to help "turbocharge" tourism in the wake of the London 2012 Olympics. But a letter seen by the Daily Telegraph suggests Theresa May believes it would pose a security threat. The letter, written by Mrs May's private secretary, says she believes the plan is "unacceptable". On Tuesday, Mr Hunt set out a strategy to give UK tourism a boost following London's Games and said ministers were looking at simplifying visa applications for non-EU nationals. The strategy focused on attracting visitors from China, where the government thinks there is potential to triple the number of tourists - generating more than Â£500m in extra spending and creating more than 14,000 jobs. Currently, visitors can apply for a single visa to visit much of Europe - but a separate one is required to travel to the UK. Countries such as France and Germany are far more successful at attracting Chinese visitors, and the UK could do better if getting a visa was easier, Mr Hunt has suggested. But a letter from Mrs May's private secretary to the prime minister's private secretary said the current rules were a "key tool in protecting the public against significant harm". There are already 400 Chinese criminals awaiting deportation and 1,000 asylum applications from Chinese citizens last year, it said. "The proposal... is not acceptable to the home secretary for national security reasons," the letter said. "We also face significant challenges with foreign national offenders and organised crime, including drugs, money laundering, fraud, criminal finances, intellectual property, immigration and cyber crime." But Mark Tanzer, chief executive of the Association of British Travel Agents (Abta), said: "In the absence of concrete data about visa abuse, it is impossible to determine whether the right balance is being struck between the UK's commercial interests and its security needs." He argued that "proper visa monitoring and reporting processes" were needed, and any abuses of the system could be addressed as they arose. "We must not forget that visas are only one of the factors that deter Chinese tourists from visiting us - lack of air routes and high aviation taxes also depress demand," he added. Mr Tanzer has previously said his organisation "welcomed" Mr Hunt's position as "a step in the right direction". Meanwhile, Immigration Minister Damian Green told that a visa scheme had failed to attract as many of the most talented artists, musicians and scientists to come and work in the UK as the government had hoped. "We offer a thousand visas a year for the exceptionally talented," Mr Green said. "In its first year in operation it came nowhere near using them all. "That tells me we need to fine tune the system to make sure that around the world, if you are a bright young artist or a gifted young scientist, you know there is this route to come and work in Britain. We need to do better on that." The minister added: "If you are a current Nobel Prize winner, you won't find it very difficult to

Summary: The UK's home secretary has expressed concerns about plans to make it easier for Chinese tourists to get visas.


The positions are in its claims department and represent around one third of its local workforce. A statement said: "Today we have briefed employees in our Belfast office on changes to our claims function. "We will be closing our claims function in Belfast by the end of April 2015." Aviva said the work will move to locations in England. "These changes have not been taken lightly, and we will work closely with those affected to provide as much support as possible," they added. "Other Aviva teams based in Belfast are not impacted."

Summary: The insurance group Aviva is to axe around 30 jobs at its office in Belfast, a company spokesman has told the BBC.


Labour MP Meg Hillier, who chairs the Public Accounts Committee, said the Education Funding Agency, which oversees free schools, had paid above the market value in 60% of cases. And some purchased sites had later been deemed unsuitable to turn into schools. The government said it paid over the odds only if there was no alternative. Ms Hillier said in her constituency of Hackney South and Shoreditch civil servants had purchased the former police station for £7.6m - even though it had been valued at £3m six months previously. The site was bought as a potential permanent home for the Olive School - an Islamic faith school - currently housed in temporary accommodation nearby. But, after the sale had gone through, Hackney Council refused planning permission to convert the property to a school. An appeal against that decision will be considered in a six-day hearing in June. Ms Hillier said: "There is a real concern about whether the Olive School will ever open. "Children are being taught at a temporary site - it is not good for pupils, and it is not good for the taxpayer." But a Department for Education (DfE) representative said: "Hackney Police Station represented the best value option to meet the school's needs at the time of purchase. "The site had been marketed openly, and the competition for it was such that the vendor received offers in excess of the original valuation. "In this context, we believe we secured this site for the best price possible." But Ms Hillier said many MPs and councillors in England could "name sites in their areas that have been bought for more than their market value". "The Education Funding Agency is one of the biggest purchasers of land in the country - and it keeps paying over the odds," she said. "People see the EFA coming. "The desire to build 500 new free schools by 2020 means there is a rush to secure sites." Ms Hillier added: "It is a real worry and not getting value for money for the taxpayer." In response, the DfE said it would be launching a government owned company called LocatEd that would be led by property experts and responsible for securing sites quickly and providing good value for the taxpayer. "We do not pay in excess of what a site is worth or purchase expensive sites if there are better value for money alternatives in the area," a representative said. "The construction costs of a newly built free school are 29% lower than schools built under the previous school building programme." The representative added: "Free schools are playing a vital role in creating more good school places. "They are popular with parents, ensuring thousands more families have the choice of a good local school."

Summary: Too much money is being paid for the land and buildings needed for new government-funded free schools, the Commons spending watchdog has said.


The explosion happened at about 00:40 GMT on Sunday at a car dealership on the city's Cathedral Road. Houses in the area were evacuated while army bomb experts searched the scene and examined the device. Police said they believed the bomb was left at the dealership by a person carrying a backpack 10 minutes before it detonated. Det Insp Will Tate said: "Today we are lucky that we are not dealing with a serious injury caused by this device and the reckless actions of the person or people behind it." The security alert has ended and residents have been allowed to return to their homes. Roads that were closed during the alert have now reopened, apart from a small section of the Cathedral Road.

Summary: A pipe bomb blast has caused damage to four vehicles in Armagh, police have said.


The ringed bird, known as KL, produced three chicks in the nest at Bassenthwaite near Keswick last year. Two were killed by magpies. She has been joined this year by an unringed male. The Lake District Osprey Project team said they were "delighted", as the birds do not always return to the same nest sites. Project manager Nathan Fox said they were "hopeful for another successful nesting season". The birds have been seen mating since they arrived, having spent the winter in west Africa. Ospreys returned to the Lake District in 2001, after an absence of more than 150 years. They have nested successfully every year, raising nearly 30 chicks. The birds can been seen from specially-created viewpoints and visitors can watch live nest-cam images on screens at Whinlatter visitor centre.

Summary: A female osprey has returned to a Lake District nest for the fifth year running.


He accused the government of failing on its deficit target, debt target and welfare cap - while pledging more taxes, debt and borrowing. "The verdict could not be clearer - the so-called long-term economic plan has failed," he said. Mr Hammond said there were not enough high earners to fund Labour ambitions. Single market access Giving his response to Mr Hammond's first Autumn Statement as chancellor, Mr McDonnell said the government was "ill-prepared and ill-equipped" to face Brexit - "the greatest economic challenge of a generation". "The chaotic Tory handling of Brexit threatens the future," he told MPs. "You must now do the right thing for British workers and businesses - you must insist on full, tariff-free access to the single market.... "If you stand up for British business and jobs in fighting for single market access, you will have our support." Turning to the rest of the statement, Mr McDonnell claimed six million people were earning less than the living wage and accused the Conservatives of treating so-called Jams - those who are "just about managing" - as being an "electoral demographic", adding "to us they are our friends and the people we represent". "If you really want to make a fair tax system as well, you can start by bringing back the 50p rate for the very richest in our country." 'Race to the bottom' He said it was regrettable that the chancellor was still going ahead with some of the cuts to Universal Credits, accusing him of "betraying" working single parents who he claims are at least Â£2,300 worse off. He called for additional support for the social care budget, stressing: "We now have 3.9 million people on NHS waiting lists ... Many of those are waiting in pain and they have got no relief today." He described the scrapping of tenant and letting fees as "a victory for Labour campaigning", but said home ownership was still "a dream" for the under 25s because fewer houses had been built under the Conservatives since the 1920s. He said the chancellor was "continuing a race to the bottom" on corporation tax, while continuing to cut public services and cut taxes for big businesses. But in response, Mr Hammond said the top 1% of earners contribute 27% of the tax paid. "Unfortunately, there aren't enough of them to finance all your ambitions."

Summary: Chancellor Philip Hammond's spending plans "offer no hope for the future" after six "wasted" years, his Labour counterpart John McDonnell has claimed.


US President Donald Trump's two adult sons, Donald Jr and Eric, were at the luxury hotel's grand opening. About 200 protesters gathered outside the building to chant "dump Trump" before the noon ceremony. The city's mayor and city council boycotted the event because of the president's controversial statements about immigrants. Steel fences surrounded the downtown property early Tuesday ahead of the ceremony, but that didn't stop the demonstrations. The words "hate lives here" were scrawled in chalk outside the CA$360m ($274m/Â£220m) luxury hotel, and people stuck anti-Trump sticky notes to the outside of the building. Another protest was scheduled to take place in downtown Vancouver for 1600 local time (midnight GMT). In a statement, the Vancouver police force said the safety of both those attending the event and the general public was a priority. They received help from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Protective Policing unit, which is responsible for the safety of "Internationally Protected Persons," such as the family of foreign officials. A spokesperson for the RCMP declined to say how much security cost. The Canadian tower was designed by famed architect Arthur Erickson and had a soft launch last month. The building has a distinctive 45-degree twist as it rises upward and is the second-tallest building on the city's skyline. Mr Trump's sons and his daughter Tiffany bypassed protestors by entering through the back, local media reported. In a press conference in the hotel's grand ballroom, Eric Trump praised developer Joo Kim Tiah's efforts in getting the hotel and condominium project built. "We love you, we love the relationship and we're going to have a lot of fun for many years to come," said Eric Trump. He also said Vancouver was "truly one of the most beautiful places in the world" and "so fitting for the Trump brand". The mayor of Vancouver and members of his party on the City Council said they would not attend the event. Mayor Gregor Robertson had asked the developers in 2015 to remove the Trump name from the project. "We're a city that's one of the most diverse in the country," Vancouver city councillor Kerry Jang told CBC News. Trump's businesses, he said, are "really not welcome here." The luxury hotel and tower in the city was jointly developed by Malaysia-based global property firm TA Global Berhad and Vancouver-based property player Holborn Group. The Trump brand signed on to the project in 2013. Like similar projects worldwide, the Trump Organization provides branding for the Vancouver development and manages the property, but does not retain a stake. The Trump Organization is an umbrella company for Donald Trump's investments in real estate, brands and other businesses. In January, the president said he had formally given "complete and total" control of the Trump Organization's businesses to his two sons in a bid to avoid conflicts of interest, though that plan has been criticised for not going far enough in removing any business conflict. The two sons also attended the opening of the Trump International Golf Club in Dubai in mid-February. The Vancouver tower's units were sold

Summary: Vancouver's new Trump International Hotel and Tower has opened with pomp and protests.


Media playback is not supported on this device Goals from Ali Crawford and Jesus Garcia Tena nudged the Dark Blues down to seventh as Hamilton Academical triumphed 2-1. "It's a real disappointment," Hartley told BBC Scotland. "I just don't think they performed today - especially the first 45 minutes. They were off it compared to the standards that they've set." Hartley's men were 2-0 down at half-time following Crawford's fifth goal of the season and Garcia Tena's penalty. Gary Harkins came on and pulled one back for the visitors but overall it was an off-colour display by the Dens Park side. "It's a massive blow for us, we came here with high expectations," said Hartley, who guided Dundee to a top-six finish last season. "I knew Hamilton would start the game well. We had to handle that and match them and we didn't do that. We didn't stop the crosses coming into the box and we didn't handle the physical side of it. "We now need to regroup and finish as high as possible." Hartley remained in the dressing room talking to his players for well over 20 minutes after the match. "It was just quiet," he added. "We had a chat with them. There were no angry words exchanged. We just had to get our points across. "It wasn't just this game, it's the amount of draws we've had this season when we've been in good winning positions." Accies player-manager Martin Canning was delighted to win a first home game in over six months. "First half we were excellent and could've been further ahead," he told BBC Scotland. "Second half Dundee came back into the game as they were always going to do. We had determination and spirit to hang on - which is something we've probably lacked a bit of late - but we're back to winning again at home which is important. "We defended well after we lost the goal, we regrouped." Twenty-year-old striker Eamonn Brophy had a hand in both goals for the hosts and Canning praised the youngster for an effective shift up front with Carlton Morris. "He's a talent," added Canning, who felt Julen Extabeguren should have been shown a second yellow card for fouling Brophy in the box to concede the penalty. "If he continues to develop the way he is now then he's going to have a real good career in football."

Summary: Dundee manager Paul Hartley has described missing out on a top-six finish as a "massive blow".


Lee Galloway-Forbes, 45, from the city, was struck by a black Audi A6 car on North Esplanade West on Monday 7 September at about 18:00. Police Scotland, renewing an appeal for witnesses, said he died in hospital on Saturday. The occupants of the car, a 45-year-old man and a 45-year-old female passenger, were uninjured.

Summary: A pedestrian has died in hospital following a road accident in Aberdeen in September.


802 Works Ltd claims the club has not paid a bill for work at Ibrox and wants the cash frozen to ensure payment if Rangers go bust. Rangers say the firm breached the contract as the system cannot be used by 50,000 people at the same time. A sheriff will rule on Friday whether an arrestment warrant granted two weeks ago should remain or be lifted. At Glasgow Sheriff Court, lawyers for 802 Works said the firm wanted the money ring-fenced to ensure payment if the club goes into insolvency. The court was told that Rangers "over a considerable period", had been operating at a loss of £7.5m per year. Various accounts were lodged at the court, including an audited report dated October 2015, showing financial information and an account showing more recent figures that were taken from the club's account system. The most recent figures were objected to by the representative of 802 Works. Solicitor advocate Simon Catto, representing 802 Works, said the audited report showed a full year's accounts and a loss of around £7.5m per year should be preferred. He said: "These are the only documents that should be looked at when considering if there is a risk of insolvency." Counsel for the club, Christopher Wilson, told the court that the sum sued for is 2% of the turnover. He said: "The company is turning over that amount each week." The court heard Rangers have repaid a £5m loan from Sports Direct. Mr Catto said the defence case, that only 10,000 users could access the Wi-Fi in the stadium and that constituted a breach of contract, was "feeble". The court was told it was "quite clear from documents" that there was no intention that anything like 50,000 people would be able to use the system simultaneously.

Summary: A company which provided Wi-Fi services to Rangers is bidding to have £300,000 of the club's cash ring-fenced.


Fairer outcomes remained an "entrenched" problem, she said, at an event promoting social mobility. Too many pupils fail to reach their potential, said Ms Greening. Making the most of all young people's talent was a "hard, cold, economic imperative," she said. "Children from high-income backgrounds who show signs of low academic ability at age five, are 35% more likely to become high earners than their poorer peers who show early signs of high ability," Ms Greening told a Social Mobility Commission event. Ms Greening said giving a fairer opportunity to all pupils remained a "really hard long slog". In her own family, she said she was the first to go to university. And the education secretary said that she had never planned to be a politician - and could remember her father shouting at out-of-touch politicians on the television. He was "frustrated that he felt they didn't really talk about his life," she said. Ms Greening said that poorer pupils, despite any early signs of talent, were more likely to leave school without A-levels and miss out on the chance to go to university. Even among those who went to university, there were still inequalities. "Graduates from disadvantaged backgrounds who do make it to the top jobs still earn, on average, over Â£2,200 a year less than their colleagues who happen to have been born to professional or managerial parents," she said. This was not just economic disadvantage, but also geographic, with some parts of England having much lower attainment, she said. A child living in one of the country's most disadvantaged areas was 27 times more likely to go to an inadequate school than a child in the most advantaged area, said Ms Greening. She said the government's "opportunity areas" would help to focus support in such deprived areas. And ensuring a supply of quality teachers could make a big difference to accelerating attainment. With the end of European Union membership, she said, it would become an economic necessity to make better use of all young people's abilities. Rather than employers "scouring the world" to find staff, she said, employers would need to focus more on making better use of home-grown talent. The UK had lower levels of productivity than many competitors, much of which was down to low levels of education, and that showed the importance of investing in education and training. But this week the education secretary faced strong criticism from the Public Accounts Committee, who warned the Department for Education had failed to engage with the seriousness of funding problems facing schools. MPs said ministers were failing to recognise the "real-world consequences" of their funding plans. The government has said that creating new grammar schools will promote social mobility. But Ms Greening said that any new grammars would also be accompanied by a "new model" for selection. "We're talking about a new model of grammar schools and how selection can work," she said. "It means an education system which caters for the very different talents and potential of different children - whether it's technical education, maths schools or

Summary: Low-ability youngsters from wealthy families go on to earn more money than their more gifted, poorer counterparts, says the Education Secretary Justine Greening.


Net profit for the year to the end of March rose 66% to €867m (£614m; $948m), slightly ahead of analysts' expectations. The airline's "Always Getting Better" customer experience programme had attracted "millions of new customers to Ryanair", chief executive Michael O'Leary said. Falling oil prices also led to a lower fuel bill. "Our AGB programme is transforming our customer experience, our service, and the way we listen and respond to our customers," Mr O'Leary said. "We have won substantial traffic and share gains in all markets." Passenger traffic was up 11% to 90.6 million customers, while total revenue rose 12% to more than €5.6bn. To cope with rising demand, Ryanair said it had ordered 183 Boeing 737-800 planes for delivery from 2014-18, and 200 Boeing 737 Max 200s from 2019-2023. The new aircraft will be cheaper to finance and operate, with engines 18% more efficient than their predecessors, the company said. Much of the growth in passenger numbers is being driven by its new Business Plus and Family Extra services, it added. Who'd have thought it. Being nicer to customers has given Ryanair a big jump in profits, a big jump in passengers and much fuller planes. By "being nicer" I don't just mean being more friendly. As one analyst told me, it's more concrete than that. They've got a better website. An app. They're not as draconian about their luggage rules, and you can pay more to secure a seat next to your family/friends etc. Even by their standards, the double-digit rise in passenger numbers is big. And Ryanair has ambitious expansion plans too. With hundreds of new planes on order, they want to double the number of passengers within a decade or so. Ryanair owns 29.8% of rival Irish airline, Aer Lingus, and has tried unsuccessfully to take over the firm in the past. But Aer Lingus is now a takeover target for International Airlines Group (IAG), which owns British Airways and Iberia. In February, the Irish government, which owns 25% of Aer Lingus, said it could not yet approve a £1bn offer from IAG for the carrier, because it wanted more clarity on guaranteeing jobs and more information on IAG's transatlantic plans. Aer Lingus, however, has welcomed IAG's offer. For its part, Ryanair said: "The Board of Ryanair will consider any offer (should we receive one) from IAG on its merits, if or when it is received." Chief financial officer Neil Sorahan told the BBC that "there's nothing on the table at the moment".

Summary: Irish airline Ryanair has reported a big increase in full-year profits.


Kuznetsova's 6-2 6-1 victory in Moscow ensured she took the eighth and final tournament spot. Konta, who is in Singapore with the rest of the finalists, did not play this week due to an abdominal injury. The Australian-born 25-year-old, ranked 10th in the world, will compete if any player withdraws. Kuznetsova, 31, took just over an hour to defeat her 22-year-old Australian opponent on Saturday and qualify for her first WTA Finals since 2009. "I was trying not to think about Singapore all week. I was playing match by match and I'm so happy to win," she said. Kuznetsova will next face world number three Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland in Monday's group stages, before later games against Czech Karolina Pliskova and Garbine Muguruza of Spain. Konta will finish her season at the WTA Elite Trophy for players ranked from ninth to 20th, which gets under way in Zuhai, China, on 1 November. It will complete a season that has seen her named the most improved player of the year after she recorded seven victories over top-10 players, and became the first British woman to break into the top 10 since Jo Durie in 1984.

Summary: British number one Johanna Konta missed out on a place in the WTA Finals after Russia's Svetlana Kuznetsova beat Daria Gavrilova in the Kremlin Cup.


Some 3,000 people have been left homeless, according to a BBC reporter who has been to the scene. Their houses were destroyed after mud and rocks, dislodged by the rain, plunged down the hillside. Reports from the Democratic Republic of Congo say there have been similar problems across the border. UN-backed Radio Okapi says 14 people have been killed on the Congolese side of Lake Tanganyika. Burundi's President Pierre Nkurunziza has visited the scene of the landslides, 35km (20 miles) south of the capital Bujumbura. The governor of Bujumbura district, Jacques Minani, described it as "a disaster", reports the AFP news agency. He said that the emergency services were now searching the area for survivors.

Summary: At least 10 people are missing, feared dead, in Burundi after landslides which have destroyed hundreds of homes, officials say.


They were discovered after the Stena Line ferry from Cherbourg to Rosslare docked on Thursday afternoon. The four adults, two teenagers and two children are all safe and well. It is understood they were in what is known as a "curtain container" which had come from the French port. Three ambulances attended the scene and all eight were medically assessed and brought to hospital for check-ups but none of them needed further treatment. It is understood there was one family of six and two other adults and most, if not all, said they were Kurdish refugees. They have been brought to Dublin where their claims for asylum will be processed. Earlier this year, authorities at Rosslare Europort discovered 14 people hidden in the back of a lorry, which also arrived from France. All 14 people, including one juvenile, were found inside a refrigerated trailer unit. They did not need medical intervention either.

Summary: Eight people have been found in a container which arrived on a ferry into Rosslare Europort in County Wexford in the Republic of Ireland.


The Rt Rev James Jones, who chaired the Hillsborough Independent Panel, said he felt "great pride" in being recognised in the Queen's New Year Honours list. Author Phil Scraton, who led the panel's research team, turned down an OBE in protest at those he said had not helped the 1989 disaster's survivors. Meanwhile, Merseyside Police's only Sikh officer has been appointed MBE. And Liverpool comedy legend Ken Dodd, 89, has been awarded a knighthood for services to entertainment and charity. Bishop Jones, now assistant bishop in the Diocese of York, said his pride was "mixed with sadness" because of "that enduring sadness of the families who have continued to feel the loss of their loved ones at Hillsborough". He continued: "I got to know the families very well during the Hillsborough Independent Panel process. And over the years I've come to understand something of their pain. "I think the families have shown extraordinary forbearance over the years as they have struggled to get people just to listen to them. "So, in receiving this honour, I also salute their forbearance." He said the panel's work was the "climax of my ministry as the Bishop of Liverpool". It was the panel's report that led to the quashing of the original inquests and the setting up of new inquests which ultimately led to the unlawful killing verdict for 96 football fans who perished in the tragedy. Merseyside Police's Det Insp Sarbjit Kaur was awarded her honour for work in exposing honour-based violence and forced marriages. The 43-year-old said she was "extremely humbled". "I believe everyone has the right to live their life free from abuse and have the freedom to choose whomever they want to marry," she said. The force's Chief Constable Andy Cooke praised Det Insp Kaur's work and said she was "an amazing role model". He added he hoped she would "encourage women from a similar background to join the police service and protect those most vulnerable in our communities".

Summary: The former Bishop of Liverpool has been made a Knight Commander for his services to the Hillsborough Inquiry.


Bu farw Gareth Jones ar ôl mynd i drafferthion yn y môr ger Trefor ym mis Mawrth 2014. Daeth adroddiad i'r casgliad bod ei gwch mewn cyflwr gwael, ac fe glywodd gwest i'w farwolaeth bod diffygion yn yr offer diogelwch ar y cwch. Daw galwad Iona Hughes wrth i'r RNLI lansio ymgyrch i wella diogelwch ar gychod pysgota. "Roedd o'n weithiwr caled ofnadwy, ac wedi meddwl cael mynd i'r môr erioed, ers oedd o yn yr ysgol," meddai Ms Hughes am ei brawd. "Roedd gan dad gwch pan oedden ni'n blant, ac oedd o wrth ei fodd yn mynd allan 'efo fo bob cyfle oedd o'n ei gael. "Ei uchelgais o erioed oedd cael cwch ei hun. Fe gafodd o ei gwch ei hun yn y diwedd, ond yn anffodus wnaeth hi ddim gweithio allan fel oedd neb wedi meddwl." Roedd y pysgotwr 36 oed o Forfa Nefyn yn casglu cregyn bylchog ger Nant Gwrtheyrn pan aeth i drafferthion, ac fe gafodd ei ddarganfod yn farw ar ei gwch. "O'n i adra efo'r gŵr a'r mab, a chael galwad ffôn wnes i, bod rhywbeth wedi digwydd," meddai Ms Hughes, o'r Ffôr ger Pwllheli. "O'n i methu credu'r ffasiwn beth - oedd o'n ofnadwy. "Do'n i ddim yn gwybod yn iawn beth oedd wedi digwydd - dim ond bod ei ddillad wedi mynd yn sownd mewn winsh, ac wedi methu dod ohono fo. "Yn anffodus mi gollodd ei fywyd mewn ffordd ofnadwy." Clywodd y cwest i farwolaeth Mr Jones nad oedd gan y winsh yr offer diogelwch angenrheidiol, sy'n ofynnol yn gyfreithiol. Dywedodd y crwner bod cyflwr y cwch yn awgrymu mai "diffyg arian, yn hytrach na diffyg ymwybyddiaeth o ddiogelwch" oedd wedi rhwystro Mr Jones rhag cynnal ei gwch yn gywir. Mae'r RNLI yn annog pysgotwyr ledled y DU i gymryd mantais o Gronfa'r Môr a Physgodfeydd Ewrop, all gael ei ddefnyddio i gael offer newydd, mwy diogel ar eu cychod. "Mae o yn waith peryglus - mae pawb yn gwybod hynny - ac mae pawb eisiau i'w gŵr, partner, mab ddod adra'n saff," meddai Ms Hughes. "Os oes yna help i'w gael, plîs ceisiwch gael yr arian i helpu eich hunain. "Gobeithio trwy wneud hyn y daw rhywbeth da ohono fo - na wneith teulu arall ddioddef fel 'da ni wedi dioddef."

Summary: Mae chwaer pysgotwr fu farw oddi ar arfordir Pen Llŷn wedi apelio i bobl eraill gymryd mantais o gynllun i sicrhau bod eu cychod mewn cyflwr diogel.


Keepers at Drusillas Park in Alfriston could not work out why Sofia and male Tupee had failed to bond since being introduced to each other in 2011. Head keeper Mark Kenward said it was not easy to establish the sex of a sloth and medical records had shown Sofia was female when she arrived. "We are going to have to find a more suitable name for Sofia," he said. It is likely that either Tupee or Sofia will now be re-homed to another zoo, and another female introduced. Mr Kenward said: "We had never looked after sloths before and were relying on the information provided. "Unfortunately we cannot keep our two boys together and it would also be a waste of their breeding potential." After enlisting the help of Bristol Zoo, Mr Kenward said it all made "perfect sense" given the problems they had been experiencing with the animals.

Summary: A pair of sloths at an East Sussex zoo failed to breed after it emerged that they were both in fact males.


The 53-year-old was given the job on a temporary basis in February, following the sacking of Claudio Ranieri. Shakespeare, who has only worked as caretaker or number two, was Ranieri's assistant after joining the club under former Foxes boss Nigel Pearson. "This is a really exciting opportunity for me to continue along this new path in my career," said Shakespeare. "Our preparations for pre-season and the new Premier League campaign have been ongoing for some time, but we can now move on with certainty and ensure we are well equipped to compete at the levels now expected of a club like Leicester City." Shakespeare won eight of his 16 games in charge last season, leading the club to the Champions League quarter-finals. As reigning Premier League champions, Leicester were one point above the relegation zone with 13 matches left when Ranieri departed. But Shakespeare collected 23 points, including wins in all his first five games, to guide the club to 14th place. Leicester beat Sevilla in the last 16 of Europe's elite club competition, but were knocked out in the next round by Atletico Madrid. City vice-chairman Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha added: "Craig has shown all the qualities in leadership, motivation and talent management that are required to be successful in this role. "Those qualities, aligned with his first-class coaching acumen, his knowledge of Leicester City and its philosophy, and the respect he has earned at every level of the club make him the ideal choice to help take us forward."

Summary: Leicester City have named caretaker boss Craig Shakespeare as their permanent manager on a three-year deal.


Now key players are meeting here for what has been widely called "one of the last chances" to stop a widening trail of destruction and death, which threaten the territorial integrity of Ukraine. The run-up to another Minsk meeting has been marked by an East-West war of words and an intensifying war on the ground. Pro-Russian separatists have been pushing deeper into government-held ground in eastern Ukraine to try to secure a stronger foothold in advance of any possible ceasefire. When leaders of France, Germany, Russia and Ukraine sit down in the Belarusian capital, they are hoping to build on the first Minsk protocol agreed last September - even if it failed to force either side to cease fire or help Ukraine re-establish control of its territory. But much more than the future of Ukraine is at risk in this high stakes diplomacy. "Europe is heavily engaged in this," former Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt told me during last weekend's Munich Security Forum. "If this is tolerated here, it opens up a Pandora's box - be that in the Balkans, in Central Asia, or somewhere else in the Russian periphery that would even more fundamentally endanger Europe's security." But Russia also sees, in the tensions over Ukraine, a threat to its strategic core. For Moscow, Europe's intervention amounts to unwarranted aggression in its backyard. On the brink of an even greater escalation in the worst East-West crisis since the Cold War, Western leaders are deploying all means and measures in their diplomats' toolkit. American officials warn they are weighing up the despatch of lethal "defensive weapons" to help Ukrainian troops defend themselves against pro-Russian forces. The EU has put on hold for a week a raft of newly approved sanctions against Russia and the rebels, including asset freezes and visa bans, to give this last ditch effort a "maximum chance of success". Outlines of a possible agreement include a 30 to 45 mile demilitarised zone between Ukrainian-controlled areas and what are now self-proclaimed People's Republics in Donetsk and Luhansk. But the ceasefire line drawn last September no longer corresponds to the new map carved in the bloody battles of recent months. Pro-Russian rebels are defiantly digging in on the ground. Vladimir Putin has also staked out a similar position during the flurry of negotiations in recent days including five hours of talks on Friday when Germany's Angela Merkel and France's Francois Hollande suddenly flew to Moscow to meet him. At the Munich Forum, some European officials spoke of "Minsk plus" with palpable unease. "This is, of course, a very tricky question," Norway's Foreign Minister Borge Brende explained to me. "Since 5 September there has been an escalation and we have to be realistic and go a bit further to accommodate Russian and pro-Russian supporters." Despite a mantra repeated at every turn that "Europe's borders are inviolate," many observers expect the very best that can be achieved is a "freezing" of current hostilities. Even that will be difficult. Details of a draft Minsk deal include the withdrawal of military equipment and illegal armed

Summary: It is five months since Minsk gave its name to a peace deal for Ukraine.