Right up till the close of Thursday's session, shares were not able to trade as there were about 10 times as many sell orders as there were bids. According to the Tokyo Stock Exchange, the latest share price was indicated at 583 yen ($5.34; Â£3.74) a share. That is a 20% plunge from the previous day close of 733 yen. Shares tanked by more than 15% on Wednesday. That was as news emerged that Mitsubishi Motors had admitted falsifying fuel economy data for more than 600,000 vehicles sold in Japan. Officials have raided an office of Mitsubishi motors, and authorities are demanding a full report from the company, due on April 27th. In the broader Japanese market, the benchmark Nikkei 225 index rose 2.7% - or 457.08 points - to close at 17,363.62. That is the highest level since 3 February. More than 600,000 Japanese vehicles affected 157,000 Mitsubishi models 468,000 Nissan models 15% Wednesday's share price fall "In a lot of respects I think yesterday's selling of Mitsubishi was a bit overdone," said Gavin Parry, managing director at Parry International Trading. "From what we know so far it's all very domestic, with no US impact and no impact in Europe, and I think people are a bit hasty to cast this in the same light as the Volkswagen scandal. But of course the facts aren't all in yet, so it's hard to know for sure." Mitsubishi's announcement follows on from the Volkswagen's emissions scandal last year, in which it was found to have cheated diesel emissions tests in the United States and elsewhere. Elsewhere in Asia, China's Shanghai Composite index was up 0.42% at 2,985.12, while in Hong Kong the Hang Seng index rose 1.8% to 21,617.50. In South Korea, the benchmark Kospi index closed up 0.8% at 2,022.10, while Australia's S&P ASX 200 index ended the day 1.1% higher at 5,272.69. US stocks closed higher overnight amid mixed earnings reports. Coca Cola reported a fall in quarterly profit. Yahoo revealed a $99m loss in the first quarter. And chipmaker Intel announced it was cutting 11% of its workforce. The Dow Jones closed up 42.67 points at 18,096.27, the S&P 500 added 1.60 points to 2,102.40 while the Nasdaq rose 3.35 points to 4,540.44.

Summary: Investors in Tokyo are waiting in line to sell off more shares of Japanese automaker Mitsubishi Motors.


Ogier's win in the three-day road gravel event in New South Wales was his seventh of the season as the French driver beat Volkswagen Polo R team-mate Jari-Matti Latvala by 12.3 seconds. The 31-year-old said: "It's an amazing season, the best I've ever done." Ogier joins Sebastien Loeb (nine), Juha Kankkunen and Tommi Makinen (both four) in winning three or more world titles. Volkswagen's 1-2 in Australia secured a third manufacturers' crown for the German team. Ogier won the final seven speed tests to take victory in Australia, overhauling Northern Ireland's Kris Meeke, who had led on the second day before going on to finish third, more than half a minute behind the winner. The 11th round of the championship takes place in France from 1-4 October with the 13th and final round, the Wales GB Rally, being staged from 12-15 November.

Summary: Sebastien Ogier secured his third successive World Rally Championship with victory in Rally Australia.


The 2ft (60cm) statue of a young girl was presented to Burhill Primary School, in Pleasant Place, Hersham, in memory of the former pupil. The eight-year-old was murdered by convicted paedophile Roy Whiting in West Sussex in 2000. The statue was discovered after it was left outside a property in Cobham. Three people were thought to be involved in theft, which happened at about 01:00 GMT on Wednesday, Surrey Police said. The statue was believed to have been left outside the address in Northfield road between 05:15 and 07:30 on Thursday. Sgt Marc Nettleingham said: "The member of the public who found the statue, which is thankfully undamaged, had seen our appeal on Facebook. "We are continuing to carry out a number of inquiries to identify the offenders responsible for this theft." Police said a van was also seen in the area at the time of the theft.

Summary: A bronze statue commemorating murdered schoolgirl Sarah Payne that was stolen from her primary school in Surrey has been found.


Firefighters were called to the Toys R Us store in Kingsway West Retail Park at 00:34. Seven appliances including an aerial unit tackled the fire in an external canopy at the rear of the building. The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said the store was heavily smoke-logged as a result, but the fire was extinguished within two hours. A Police Scotland spokeswoman said officers were keen to trace a person seen in the area at the time who was wearing a light-coloured hooded top and dark-coloured trousers or jogging bottoms.

Summary: Police in Dundee are investigating whether a major fire at a Dundee toy shop was started deliberately.


The 18-year-old initially joined the National League club on a month-long deal, and has started four games in all competitions for The Spitfires. Odoffin is working under Eastleigh manager Martin Allen, who gave him his Barnet debut before the defender moved to Molineux in January 2016. He is yet to make a senior appearance for the Championship club. Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page or visit our Premier League tracker here.

Summary: Eastleigh have extended the loan of Wolverhampton Wanderers defender Hakeem Odoffin until the end of the season.


The city council will contribute £4.4m while £12.6m will come from the FA, Premier League and Sport England. Four "hubs" will be formed on current pitches to reduce a reliance on council subsidies, an authority spokesman said. The FA has said it will invest a record £260m into grassroots football by 2019. The leader of the Liverpool council's Liberal Democrat opposition Richard Kemp, however, has warned the deal could cause "major problems". He said local residents had not been consulted by the FA and Liverpool City Council, and "practicalities had not been worked through" including the presence of floodlights near local residences. He also questioned whether the council should be contributing funds when it was struggling to maintain parks due to funding cuts, and when the FA was "one of the richest sports organisations in the world". A council spokesman said members of the public would be consulted after planning applications would be submitted in the "next few months". City mayor Joe Anderson said it was a "real coup" for the city as the council had "far less money than we used to". Where will the grassroots football hubs be? The sites in the first phase of the programme include: A city council spokesman said discussions were being held with Merseyside Youth Association, who have run three of the sites for nearly 100 years, to restructure their leases. FA chief executive, Martin Glenn, said the FA aimed to set up football hubs in 30 cities in the next four years to support its youth development. Sheffield was chosen for the country's first FA-funded grassroots football "hubs" in 2014, when a £9.6m fund was pledged.

Summary: Liverpool has been chosen as the recipient of the biggest investment into grassroots football after a £17m deal has been agreed.


One of their clubs will be consigned to automatic relegation after Saturday's final Scottish Premiership fixtures, with Accies presently ahead by a point. Manager Canning said "it means everything to everybody" at his club. But he said: "Richie's saying what I would expect him to say, but the pressure is still on Inverness." Caley Thistle's 2-0 win over Dundee on Wednesday - their second victory in three games - has resurrected their hopes of avoiding automatic relegation as they prepare to host Motherwell. Accies have, meanwhile, lost four games in a row and presently occupy 11th spot, which comes with it a play-off against the winners of Friday's semi-final between Championship clubs Falkirk and Dundee United for a top flight berth. "I said a long while ago it would probably come to the last game," said Canning, whose side entertain Dundee. "But I didn't think it would be only ourselves and Inverness involved in it. "He (Foran) is trying to take all the pressure off his team and on to our team, which is a natural thing to do. "But, trust me, there's still a load of pressure on Inverness because they have still got to win their game and if we win our game and take care of our job then it doesn't matter what they do. "For the first time, they've got an opportunity to catch us, but they have got to go and win their game still." The frustration for Canning is missed opportunities in recent matches, including Tuesday's 3-2 defeat away to Ross County which the hosts won courtesy of Jonathan Franks' stoppage-time goal. "The Ross County game was the worst I've ever been involved in in terms of getting a feeling that every break is going against you," said the Accies boss. "We played really well and had a lot of opportunities and didn't get one break. Hopefully they come on Saturday. "The last couple of games have been tough on us. "If we can replicate that performance from the other night then hopefully that's enough to get the three points." Canning retains belief in his players' ability to avoid relegation. "It has been in our hands and we have lost four games in a row, which isn't acceptable at this stage of the season, and that's going to put you in trouble," he added. "For us, yes, there is pressure, but it is no more so than it was on Saturday and on Tuesday. "We need to make sure we go and win and, if we get three points, it doesn't matter what Inverness do."

Summary: Martin Canning has dismissed as mind games Inverness counterpart Richie Foran's suggestion that the relegation pressure is on Hamilton Academical.


Three converted first-half tries from Cory Hill, Ashton Hewitt and Jason Tovey gave the Welsh side a 24-0 lead at the break that did not flatter them. Carl Meyer crossed after the break for a fourth try to secure the bonus point. Paddy Butler, Mosese Ratuvou and Watisoni Votu all added tries for Pau but the Dragons were always in control. Victory leaves the Dragons top of Pool Two, two points above second-placed Sale Sharks after their win over Castres. Second row Hill's brilliant individual try gave the visitors an early lead, before a Tovey penalty made it 10-0 and then Sarel Pretorious' pass saw Hewitt burst through a gap in the Pau defence to cross for the second try. Tovey ran clear after a mistake by the French side to add the Dragons' third try and he duly converted, before kicking through to Meyer for the fourth try after the break. With Hill sent to the sin-bin, Pau capitalised to score through Butler, but they failed to convert and a Tovey drop-goal made it 34-5. Word Cup-winning New Zealand centre Conrad Smith came on for his Pau debut and, shortly afterwards, Ratuvou barged his way over the line for the home side's second try. Fijian Votu added a late third score but Pau remain bottom of the pool. Dragons director of rugby Lyn Jones told BBC Radio Wales: "We're absolutely delighted. It was a great performance from us. It was as good as we get "We were a far better team than them and we deserved to come away with the spoils. "We kept (Colin) Slade quiet and they couldn't deal with us." Pau: Damien Traille; Sireli Bobo, Julien Fumat (c), Jale Vatubua, Mosese Ratuvou; Colin Slade, Thierry Lacrampe; Jérémy Hurou, Mehdi Boundjema, Sylvain Charlet; Daniel Ramsay, Julien Pierre; Josefa Ulago Domolailai, Paddy Butler, Brice Monzeglio. Replacements: Quentin Lespiaucq Brettes, Julien Jacquot, Euan Murray, James Coughlan, Sean Dougall, Thibault Daubagna, Conrad Smith, Watisoni Votu. Newport Gwent Dragons: Carl Meyer; Nick Scott, Adam Hughes, Adam Warren, Ashton Hewitt; Jason Tovey, Sarel Pretorious; Phil Price, Elliot Dee, Lloyd Fairbrother; Cory Lewis Hill, Rynard Landman (c); Nick Crosswell, Nic Cudd, Taulupe Faletau. Replacement: Rhys Buckley, Brok Harris, Shaun Knight, Matthew Screech, Ollie Griffiths, Charlie Davies, Dorian Jones, Ross Wardle. Referee: Andrew Brace (Ireland) Touch judges: Frank Murphy (Ireland), Stuart Douglas (Ireland) TMO: Kevin Beggs (Ireland) Citing commissioner: Dave Guyan (England)

Summary: Newport Gwent Dragons enjoyed a comfortable bonus-point win in Pau to edge one step closer to reaching the European Challenge Cup quarter-finals.


Henry Duncan worked in a commercial bank before taking up the ministry in Ruthwell Parish at the turn of the 19th Century. He started his "penny bank" to give parishioners access to savings and interest for the first time. The model was soon adopted around the globe. In 19th Century rural Scotland personal banking was beyond the means of most. All of a sudden somebody in Scotland was giving away free money - the word spread very quickly as you could imagine Commercial banks demanded Â£10 to open an account - unimaginable savings for farm workers and domestic servants paid a fraction of that per year. In Ruthwell, a country parish 10 miles south east of Dumfries, the kirk minister Henry Duncan decided he could change that. He had worked for three years for a bank in Liverpool before turning to the ministry. The cottage where he opened his savings bank - initially for one hour a week on a Thursday evening - is maintained today as a museum by the TSB. Curator Mhairi Hastings said: "The first account here at Ruthwell you could open with sixpence. "That brought it into the affordability for ordinary folk like farm workers and servants. "It gave them the security of somewhere to put their money so they didn't have to hide it somewhere around their house - under their bed or in their sock drawer." Ms Hastings said there was another benefit of using the savings bank which proved popular. "It also gave them access to interest because Henry took the money from Ruthwell and redeposited into a commercial bank," she said. "He got between 5% and 6% interest from them and he paid out between 4% and 5%. "So, all of a sudden somebody in Scotland was giving away free money - the word spread very quickly as you could imagine." The model created by Duncan was copied quickly around the UK and, before long, around the world. Who was Henry Duncan? Source: Savings Banks Museum Last year, Dave Dewar from Dunoon chanced upon the museum. He runs an historical theatre group called Cultural Connections and was so inspired by Duncan and his many life achievements that he wrote a play. "He's an incredible man and he's largely an unsung hero - people don't know much about him," he said. "He didn't just start the savings bank movement worldwide. He was a geologist, an artist and a newspaper publisher - he owned one of the local newspapers here. "He was, as they say in Scotland, a man of many parts." Henry Duncan, The Banker Who Cared premiered on Thursday night in Ruthwell church where Duncan preached for more than four decades. "This is where it all started, in this church, so it is an honour really to do it in Henry Duncan's church," Mr Dewar said.

Summary: A play on the life of the Dumfriesshire minister who started the world's first savings bank has been premiered in the church where he preached.


The proposal is one of several contained in a Scottish government commissioned review. Other recommendations include a new National Wild Fisheries Unit and scrapping the system of "closed days" for salmon fishing. Environment minister Paul Wheelhouse said he would consult on the findings. An independent panel led by former Scottish Natural Heritage chairman Andrew Thin was asked to look at ways of modernising the management of Scotland's wild fisheries. The panel's report contains 53 recommendations for change. It suggests a "small National Wild Fisheries Unit" be created within government to provide strategic direction and regulation. The strategy would be delivered through "locally empowered Fisheries Management Organisations" (FMOs). The report notes that salmon fishing has previously been the principal driver of policy but suggests the new system takes an "all species approach". The FMOs could be formed out of existing district salmon fisheries boards and fisheries trusts. The report makes no firm recommendation on whether a rod licensing scheme should be introduced in Scotland, but says "serious consideration" should be given to the idea, with any money raised re-invested in angling. It calls for a ban at the earliest opportunity on the killing of wild salmon unless a licence is granted. Applicants would need to demonstrate sustainability. The system of "closed days" for salmon fishing is outdated and ineffective, it argues, and should be abolished except for certain coastal netting operations where stocks benefit from periods of closure. The system of "closed seasons" should be reviewed and extended to all species, based on scientific evidence, and brought under the control of the new national unit. It suggests a new Angling For All programme be developed to encourage participation with an emphasis on young people and links with the tourism strategy. Environment and Climate Change Minister Paul Wheelhouse said angling alone was worth Â£134 million to the Scottish economy. He said: "This independent review was tasked with considering the requirements of a modern, evidence-based management system that is fit for purpose in the 21st century and is guided by the conservation needs of our wild species. "We need to ensure we have a robust and sustainable system so our fish thrive and people can continue to enjoy wild fishing and the socio-economic benefits that flow from it for generations to come." Mr Wheelhouse said he would study the report in depth and consult on proposals to implement a new management system.

Summary: The killing of wild salmon could be banned, except under licence, under measures aimed at protecting Scotland's wild fisheries.


Critics have warned that the abolition of the Scottish Funding Council could pose a threat to academic independence. The concern follows a decision two weeks ago to put the Scottish government's economic agencies under a single national board. It has since become clear that the four boards of directors running the agencies face abolition. Enterprise Minister Keith Brown ordered the review of Scottish Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Skills Development Scotland as well as the Scottish Funding Council. He concluded that a national board should be created to oversee the different agencies and ensure their work was "aligned". A Scottish government spokesman said there was no timetable for the changes. He also confirmed that details had to be worked through, including the question of whether a government minister will be chair of the national funding board. The move is the second phase of reform for the economic agencies, which began after the Holyrood election in May. What has since become clearer to those who work for the agencies is that the boards that govern them face abolition some time after the national board is set up. The boards have not been formally notified of this but have been told in private meetings. There is concern within the Scottish Funding Council that the implications for academic freedom have not been thought through. The funding council was set up in 2005 to replace separate boards for higher and further education. It oversees allocations of government grants for universities and colleges. Alastair Sim, chief executive of Universities Scotland, said he would be looking for details of how the new national board would work. He said: "One particular interest is ensuring that the Scottish Funding Council retains its much valued role as an expert body at arm's length from government, while working collaboratively to help boost Scotland's innovation and productivity." Prof Iain Gray, vice-president of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, the academic institute, said universities were in favour of measures that would improve links with business. But while university research remains one of Scotland's biggest strengths, he said there was a need to explain the Scottish government's strategic approach to innovation in the economy. He said: "We need to get a clear strategy, and avoid unintended consequences of bringing together organisations with different remits, without thinking things through." Scotland spends a lot more per head of population on economic development than the rest of the UK. But is it getting value for that money? Is it really helping drive growth? The lack of data on that seems to have been one of the driving forces behind the review of enterprise agencies. But even some of those close to the heart of the review process have been puzzled as to what the minister, Keith Brown, has been trying to achieve. His conclusion, published in October, was largely supportive of what the agencies have been doing. That's while it identified opportunities to improve co-ordination and alignment, tackling duplication and improving economic data, notably on the requirements of the labour market. The biggest threat the review appeared to pose

Summary: Concerns have been raised about the centralisation of funding for Scottish universities, BBC Scotland has learned.


Media playback is not supported on this device There's an art to not exposing the weaknesses of your team, which is always your first priority Since taking charge of a side that won last season's Premier League title by 11 points, David Moyes has endured a miserable eight months. Clubs so often happy to leave United with a narrow defeat have boarded their respective team buses with landmark victories, domestic cup hopes have ended and, after midweek defeat at Olympiakos, the Red Devils' European dreams are on the same path. Moyes put his head in his hands as Robin van Persie ballooned a late chance over the bar in Greece. In truth, supporters could be forgiven for having done the same at a far earlier stage, such was the latest bland offering in a season in which one disappointment has quickly followed another. I still believe Moyes is the man to lead United in what would always be a tricky post-Sir Alex Ferguson era. What I did not expect was for so much to go wrong so quickly. Here are 10 Moyes mistakes at Manchester United: One moment which stood out to me was his admission he did not substitute Robin van Persie in the home defeat by Newcastle because of the potential reaction from supporters. So what? He would have made the change at Everton. He was once fearless, but suddenly fearful. Fearful of a backlash. Moyes should not care about what others think because he is at United because of his ability. He is good enough. He was the man chosen and now he has to believe in himself. I have spent time with him and he is a passionate, hard-working man, but that will count for little if he does not start believing in himself a bit more. This, I thought, would change. He was criticised at Everton for not beating the big clubs and, this season, in the head-to-head table of the league's top seven clubs, United sit bottom. They have just one win in nine games against those sides and five defeats. It just is not good enough for a United team. Moyes carries an inferiority in the big games and it is a big question mark. You can also point at the players, but couple a failure in big matches with the fact United will not win a trophy and not much has changed for Moyes since moving from Goodison Park. A lack of conviction in the transfer market has been costly. He spent £65m on Marouane Fellaini and Juan Mata combined, but the big question mark is the failure to land Cesc Fabregas. He was the man Moyes wanted and would have gone some way to addressing the club's biggest on-field problem - midfield. In their league appearances this season, Tom Cleverley, Michael Carrick, Shinji Kagawa, Marouane Fellaini and Darren Fletcher have not offered a single goal assist between them. Only Carrick and Cleverley have scored a goal. Cesc Fabregas has created 12 goals in 27 appearances at Barcelona, scoring eight times. Michael Carrick, Tom

Summary: Manchester United will not win a trophy this season, and the man heralded as the "Chosen One" on a banner in the Stretford End has made too many poor choices of his own.


Jackson Whistle is moving to the Giants from the Kelowna Rockets who play in the Western Hockey League in Canada. The 21-year-old's father is Dave Whistle who led the Giants to league and play-off titles during his period in charge from 2000 to 2003. First choice goaltender Murphy, from Dundee, has signed on for an eighth season with the Giants. The 34-year-old has won the British Netminder of the Year award eight times. Steve Thornton, Head of Operations at the Giants, said: "The decision to sign Stephen Murphy is one of the easiest for me to make each year. "He has been the backbone of our organisation since I signed him back in 2009."

Summary: The Belfast Giants have signed the son of their first ever coach as back-up netminder to number one Stephen Murphy.


Pearlman launched the careers of the Backstreet Boys, the best-selling boy band of all time, and NSync, among others. He was jailed for 25 years in 2008 over a massive $300m (Â£153m) Ponzi fraud scheme. NSync singer Lance Bass tweeted that Pearlman was not the best businessman but that he would not be where he was without his influence. The cause of death has not yet been revealed. Pearlman was inspired by the success of New Kids on the Block and formed his own record label, launching a $3m talent sweep that in 1993 selected five unknowns to be the Backstreet Boys. They went on to sell 130 million records. NSync were also a huge success, selling more than 55 million. Pearlman later managed other boy bands such as LFO, Take 5, Natural and O-Town, and the girl group Innosense, which initially featured Britney Spears. Lance Bass wrote on Twitter: "Word is that #LouPearlman has passed away. He might not have been a stand up businessman, but I wouldn't be doing what I love today wthout his influence. RIP Lou." O-Town's Ashley Parker Angel posted: "Love him or hate him, Lou gave many of us our start. It's a shame he let greed get in his way." Pearlman swindled family, friends, investors and banks by enticing them to put money into two fake companies for 20 years. Prosecutors counted at least 250 individual victims who lost a total of $200m plus 10 financial institutions that lost $100m. The judge at his trial said victims included "his family, his close friends and people in their 70s and 80s who have lost their life savings". "So the sympathy factor doesn't run high with the court," the judge said. In a statement, Pearlman had said: "Since my arrest, I've come to realise the harm that's been done. I'm truly sorry and I apologise for what's happened."

Summary: American boy band mogul Lou Pearlman has died in prison at the age of 62.


"Jealous" Paul Hemming beat Natalie Hemming, 31, as her children slept upstairs at their Milton Keynes home, Luton Crown Court was told. Miss Hemming's badly decomposed body was found on 22 May, three weeks after she was last seen. Mr Hemming, 43, admits manslaughter but denies murder. The couple lived lived together in Alderney Avenue, Newton Leys, where the prosecution alleges Mr Hemming murdered his partner in a jealous rage because she had met someone else. Miss Hemming was last seen alive as she left her mother's home in Hemel Hempstead on 1 May. The court heard that her body was found three weeks later 30 miles away at Toms Hill in Chandlers Cross, Hertfordshire. More on this and other news from Buckinghamshire Simon Russell-Flint QC, for the prosecution, told the court the accused "struck and killed her in the living room". He then wrapped her naked in a carpet and either carried or dragged her out of the house while her children slept and then dumped her body, he said. Miss Hemming had a fractured skull and arm, the latter Mr Russell-Flint said was almost certainly a defence wound. The exact cause of death could not be ascertained because her body was badly decomposed when found. The court heard Mr Hemming told police Miss Hemming had gone to stay with a friend after being raped by a colleague, however, Mr Russell-Flint said Mr Hemming attacked her because she planned to leave him. The rape story was a fabrication, he said. He told the court Miss Hemming had spent the night before her death in a hotel with a colleague, Simon Dennis. Mr Dennis, who worked with Miss Hemming at a car dealership, told the jury their relationship, initially "flirtatious", had recently become more serious and he had booked a hotel for them on the night of 30 April. The court heard from Miss Hemming's friend, Rebecca Hornsby, that Mr Hemming had been violent towards her and she intended to leave him. On the day she was allegedly killed she had texted her friend to say she had enjoyed the night with Mr Dennis. Mr Hemming's actions the following evening were "callous, cold and calculated," Mr Russell-Flint said. "This is murder. A calculated, murderous attack because of jealousy and rage." The court was also read a statement by Miss Hemming's mother, in which said she was worried when she could not contact her daughter on the evening of 1 May. The previous week Miss Hemming told her she had twice ended the relationship with Mr Hemming and he replied: "If I can't have you no one can," the court was told. Defending Mr Hemming, David Jeremy QC told the jurors that while they may "loathe" the accused, they had to decide whether he had intended to kill Miss Hemming or cause her really serious harm. Mr Jeremy said it was the defendant's case that he had intended to do neither. Mr Hemming has admitted obstructing a coroner in the execution of his duty and preventing the lawful and decent burial of a

Summary: A man murdered his partner in a "calculated" attack before dragging her body from their house and dumping it in woodland, a court has heard.


Lines in and out of Cardiff Central were closed early on Thursday morning after Network Rail's re-signalling work went on longer than planned. They reopened at 08:15 GMT but disruption has continued to cause services to be cancelled or delayed. Arriva Trains Wales hoped services would run on time by late evening. Sophie Holley was waiting to catch a train home to Rhoose in Vale of Glamorgan when it was cancelled, so had to arrange a lift instead. She said: "It's a bit of an issue, we've got to wait around in the cold now with a little one - it's a bit annoying." It added there was still severe disruption to Valley line services, but it said trains to Penarth, Coryton and Cardiff Bay would be reinstated throughout the day. Meanwhile, Maesteg services will start and terminate at Bridgend and a shuttle bus will run between Bridgend to Cardiff, calling at Pencoed, Llanharen and Pontyclun. Replacement buses have been put on between Cardiff and Newport and tickets for Cardiff rail services will be accepted by Cardiff Bus. Passengers took to Twitter to vent their anger at the delays. Dan Walsh wrote: "Sheer madness at Cardiff Central today: not good enough @ArrivaTW @GWRHelp @nationalrailenq." Rich Griff tweeted: "@GWRHelp been sat at a standstill outside Cardiff Central for over an hour. Anyone planned on travelling to Cardiff today. Don't bother." Arriva Trains Wales said: "We apologise for this disruption and would advise all passengers to check before they travel at www.arrivatrains.wales/check for the latest information on disruption to services and assure them that we are doing all we can to get trains back on schedule as quickly and safely as possible."

Summary: Rail disruption continues across south Wales following earlier cancellations between Cardiff to Newport after engineering works overran.


The inquiry, carried out by Professor Sir Bruce Keogh, England's NHS medical director, was set up following the Mid-Staffordshire Hospital scandal. A report into high death rates at two hospitals in Mid-Staffordshire earlier this year found there were hundreds more deaths than expected, with patients let down by poor standards of care. The table below shows how the 14 NHS trusts covered by the review scored in two measures of mortality. A score much above 100 is higher than the national average. All of the data has been standardised to take into account the different case-mix at hospitals - for example, hospitals that treat more elderly patients might be expected to have higher death rates.

Summary: Fourteen NHS trusts in England have been investigated as part of a review into higher-than-expected hospital death rates.


Syria's 1-0 victory on Thursday shocked fans in the Chinese city of Xi'an who took to the streets. China has said it wants to become a "world football superpower". But the loss means the team could now miss out on a place in the 2018 World Cup in Russia. China is ranked 78th in the world whereas Syria is 114th, just ahead of North Korea. The Chinese team faces Uzbekistan on 11 October which will decide if they qualify. Tencent's sports website said large group of fans gathered on the streets outside the Zhuque stadium, demanding the resignation of Cai Zhenhua, president of the Chinese Football Association after the game. "Resign, resign, resign!", they are heard shouting in a video posted to Twitter. Online, fans were equally critical of the Chinese team's performance. "The Syrian football team has proved that we aren't strong and victorious," said one user on micro-blogging site Weibo. "I'm going to hide my face now," said another. "My blood pressure literally rose when I was watching the game," a user said. "Syria, a war-torn country who can't even afford to buy their own shoes or shirts, whose manager earns a monthly salary of 2000 yuan, defeated China whose players earn millions," one person said. Syria, who play their home matches in Oman due to the war, has seen almost five years of armed conflict. Earlier this year, China laid out an ambitious plan to become a "world football superpower" by 2050. The country's President Xi Jinping, a football enthusiast, previously said he wanted China to win the World Cup in 15 years. The country also wants 50 million children and adults playing the game by 2020. "The president of the country is pushing for football," Sven-Goran Eriksson, who coaches the Chinese Super League, told the BBC earlier this year. "He wants China as a national team to be big, to be better in football."

Summary: Angry Chinese fans have called for the resignation of the president of China's football association, after the country lost to Syria in a World Cup qualifier.


Jim Gallagher was due to celebrate his 21st birthday when he was shot on a bus at Fort George on the Strand Road. He had been released from prison just six days before after serving time for planting a bomb and IRA membership. A soldier has served a prison sentence for Mr Gallagher's manslaughter. Fiona Gallagher has said that she would like to know what the solider has to say. Fiona was the key speaker at the latest in a series of events hosted by the Towards Understanding and Healing Team, which was held on Wednesday. "Jim got out on Tuesday 11th May and by Monday he was dead. Jim was hit on the base of the neck at the right hand side. "There were two shots fired and he was hit by one of them and the other went through the left side of the bus," she said. "When he came out it was his upcoming 21st birthday. Effectively the food and drink that was bought for his birthday ended up being served at his wake." "I think I would be able to stand eye to eye and say I know you took my brother's life but I want to know what his feelings are."

Summary: The sister of an IRA man has said that she would like to meet the soldier who killed her brother in Londonderry in 1976.


Panathinaikos led 1-0 in a play-off to secure a place in next season's Champions League. On 55 minutes, with the sides each down to 10 men, a melee saw two more sent off. Moments later, PAOK coach Vladimir Ivic fell to the ground after being hit by a bottle thrown by a fan and the game was halted before being abandoned. The 40-year-old was struck on the right side of the head and received treatment in the dressing room at Stadio Apostolos Nikolaidis in Athens before having stitches in hospital. After close to an hour's suspension, referee Giorgos Kominos abandoned the match. "The natural and moral perpetrators... will be hunted with all the means of redress," PAOK owner Ivan Savvidis said in a statement. PAOK, Panathinaikos, AEK Athens and Panionios, are in a round-robin play-off to determine who joins league winners Olympiakos in the Champions League. Panathinaikos' Odisseas Vlachodimos saw red after 20 minutes with his side a goal up but Amr Ward picked up two yellow cards in four second-half minutes to even up the numbers. Three minutes later, ex-Barnsley goalkeeper Luke Steele was kicked by PAOK's Jose Angel Crespo, who then grabbed Steele's team-mate Marcus Berg by the throat and threw him to the floor. This led to pushing and shoving by several players, prompting red cards for Panathinaikos' Mali defender Ousmane Coulibaly and PAOK's Ukraine midfielder Yevhen Shakhov.

Summary: Four red cards, a mass brawl and a manager struck on the head by a bottle - little wonder then that Panathinaikos v PAOK Salonika was abandoned.


The unnamed 29-year old suffered multiple, severe stab wounds to her head and body in what police described as an "extremely brutal" attack. She was attacked yards from her home after getting off a bus in Krithia Road, Dagenham, at 21:40 GMT on Monday. Police say they believe the attack was carried out by a stranger but are "keeping an open mind". Passers-by attempted to help the woman, who remains in a critical condition in a hospital in east London. Due to the nature of the attack investigators do not have a description of a suspect at this point and there have been no arrests. Police appealed for two women who stopped to help the victim, or anyone else with information, to contact them. DCI Gary Holmes, of Homicide and Major Crime Command, told BBC London: "This is a really brutal and horrific stabbing of a young lady coming home from work. "That attack has left her in a terribly critical condition, currently in hospital in a life threatening condition and we are desperate to locate the person who committed... that attack."

Summary: A woman in east London has been left fighting for her life after an apparently random knife attack.


But even from the road below the village you can see the buildings are shattered, roofs collapsed, more reminiscent of a war zone than the Umbrian countryside. Nearly a year on from the earthquakes which devastated this region of central Italy, visitors have just been allowed back into the so-called "zona rossa" near Castellucio, although not the village itself. The red zone marks areas still regarded as too dangerous to visit but an exception was made for people to see "La Fioritura". This is a spectacular showing of wild flowers in the meadows of the Piano Grande. We joined a convoy of around 40 cars to be taken through army road blocks high up into the Sibillini mountains. Village after village showed the impact of the earthquakes that hit this region, first in August 2016 and then again in October. These villages look as if the earthquake had just happened, instead of nearly a year ago. Most of the people who lived there have been moved to hotels on the coast. We left our cars on top of a high ridge and trekked for two hours down on to the plain, overlooked by the jagged peak of Monte Vettore, which marks the boundary between Umbria and Le Marche. A deep, black crack could be seen high up on the mountainside which had appeared after the earthquake. As we came down on to the plain, extraordinary splashes of colour came into view, reminiscent of an Impressionist canvas. Meadows were tinted red with swathes of poppies, others bright blue with cornflowers. Normally there would be 10,000 visitors a day to photograph the splendours of the Fioritura, we were told. This year it is in the hundreds. There are more beehives than people in the fields. The 16 sq km (6 sq miles) Piano Grande - literally the big plain - was once a glacier lake and is surrounded by mountains. It is here that the farmers of Castelluccio plant their lentils, a crop that has become famous amongst foodies around the world. This year they were only allowed in by convoy to prepare for the season ahead. No-one is allowed up into what has become a ghost village. It was once the highest inhabited village in Italy at 1,452m (4,760 ft). Below what has been his home for generations, Lorenzo Caponecchi is selling lentils and wild peas in a stall by the side of the road. I wondered why it was taking time for rebuilding to begin. Was it because these were such old buildings or was it a question of money? No, said his partner Monia Falzetti angrily. "It's the state and the politicians. There is plenty of money from the EU but we aren't seeing any of it." Other former inhabitants of Castelluccio are so angry at the lack of help that they believe visitors should not be allowed into the Piano Grande. It is the tourism of rubble, they proclaim. But the local mayor told La Repubblica that the flowers of the Piano Grande do not just belong to the people

Summary: From a distance Castelluccio looks the same as it has done for 1,000 years, a beautiful hilltop town in the midst of one of Italy's most celebrated plains, the Piano Grande.


31 October 2015 Last updated at 19:12 GMT A group of dogs got into the spirit of the celebration at Stormont Estate on Saturday afternoon. Claire Graham reported for BBC Newsline.

Summary: It is common practice for people to get dressed up for Halloween but what about our four-legged friends?


Reial Phillips, linked to Birmingham's Burger Bar gang, was "at the heart" of the shootings, targeting rival members of the Johnson Crew, police said. At Birmingham Crown Court he admitted firearms offences and conspiring to sell cocaine and heroin. Police said his actions "brought fear" to people in the West Midlands. Ashai Gray, 22, from Tanacetum Drive in Walsall, also admitted conspiracy to supply cocaine and heroin and was sentenced to nine years in jail. More updates on this story and others in Birmingham and the Black Country Both men were among 18 the BBC named in March when they were banned from parts of Birmingham for what police then said were their links to "gun or gang crime". West Midlands Police said 20-year-old Phillips, of Musgrave Road, Winson Green, and Gray were believed to be the "armed response" faction of the Burger Bar gang. The shootings occurred over several months last year and escalated when members of the rivals groups uploaded rap videos online to taunt one another, the spokesman said. Det Supt Mark Payne said: "For a period of time last year these men and their associates brought fear to the people of the West Midlands through their actions." The two gangs took their names from two cafes in Handsworth where black youths congregated in the late 80s and early 90s. Shootings timeline:

Summary: A man has been jailed for 27 years after seven people were injured in a series of shootings during a feud between rival gangs.


Friends Eddy Corlett, 30, and Colm Connolly, 32, set off from Darwin in November and have ridden 18,641 miles (30,000 km) through 17 countries. Mr Corlett said their arrival was "very emotional" and they were "looking forward to watching the TT races". The men also travelled on a container ship, nine car ferries, a banana boat and travelled 621 miles on trains. Mr Corlett said: "I'm really looking forward to letting our hair down and enjoying the races." "It was a big relief to get here and we were very emotional arriving in Douglas. I'm a little bit sad for it to be over but it's a real sense of achievement getting here." The men, who dreamt up the idea after hearing they were to made redundant, have had to cope with floods, soaring temperatures, snow showers and dust clouds on their way. Around 45,000 visitors are expected during this year's Isle of Man TT fortnight, with the first racing on Saturday.

Summary: Two men have completed an epic seven-month motorcycle journey from Australia to the Isle of Man for the TT races.


Royston Jones, 39, from Brynmawr, was jailed for 15 years for the attempted murder of his wife Claire at the intensive care unit where she worked. Plans for security staff to be on site at the hospital were also accepted. Aneurin Bevan University Health Board said work to implement the measures was "underway". The investment will enable CCTV to be expanded and monitored while security doors and access points will be upgraded, a health board spokesman said. A second phase of funding was also approved for two security staff. They will initially be on duty overnight and at weekends.

Summary: A £120,000 investment has been approved to boost security at Abergavenny's Nevill Hall Hospital after a nurse was attacked on site.


Ouseph, 30, became the first Englishman in 27 years to win the men's singles title with a narrow 21-19 21-19 victory over home favourite Anders Antonsen. The husband-and-wife Adcocks beat Danes Joachim Fischer Nielsen and Christinna Pedersen in the mixed doubles final. Scot Kirsty Gilmour lost in the women's singles final to Carolina Martin. The Spanish top seed triumphed 21-14 21-12. It is the first time England have won two golds at the Euros since 1988, when Darren Hall won the men's singles and Gillian Clark claimed the mixed doubles title with Danish partner Steen Fladberg. The success at the Euros comes after GB Badminton had all its funding cut by UK Sport before the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Ouseph, who had previously won two bronzes and a silver in the men's singles at the European Championships, is just the third Englishman to win the event with Steve Baddeley the previous player to triumph in 1990. Between the wins for Baddeley and Ouseph, players from Denmark had won gold in eight out of nine European Championships. The second-seeded Adcocks took full advantage of their first appearance in a Euros final to see off top seeds Nielsen and Pedersen, who had won the event in the past two Championships. The Adcocks were pegged back after winning the first set but held their nerve to triumph 21-17 18-21 21-19.

Summary: England claimed two gold medals as Rajiv Ouseph and Chris and Gabby Adcock triumphed in finals at the European Badminton Championships in Denmark.


Gary Haggarty, 44, is no longer to be prosecuted for three alleged offences. His lawyers said these relate to possessing explosives and firearms. His legal team are also set to challenge the "propriety" of prosecuting a man they say worked as a state agent for some of the remaining 209 counts against him. On Wednesday, Belfast Magistrates' Court was told that a hearing to decide if the suspected UVF commander-turned police informer has a case to answer is scheduled for November. Mr Haggarty has been waiting to discover if he will stand trial since signing an agreement to become an assisting offender under the terms of the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act (SOCPA) back in 2010. The north Belfast man was charged with 212 charges covering a 16-year period between 1991 and 2007. The prosecution case against him runs to 12,000 pages, with his alleged offences including: Mr Haggarty, whose address is listed as c/o the Police Service of Northern Ireland, is believed to be living at a secret location in England. He was not present for the latest stage in an ongoing court review of the case. Outside court, Mr Haggarty's solicitor said a challenge would be mounted against some of the remaining charges. "The defence forwarded written submissions to the PPS on 4 May dealing firstly with charges where we say the papers do not disclose a prima facie case, but also charges where there are issues in relation to the propriety of the charges at a time when the defendant was a state agent from 1993-2004," he said. ""

Summary: Some charges against a so-called loyalist supergrass accused of a catalogue of murders and paramilitary crimes are to be dropped.


The Quick-Step Floors rider had won five stages of this year's race to lead the green points jersey classification. Kittel injured his right shoulder in the crash on a flat section of road, 20km into the stage. Australia's Michael Matthews, who was nine points adrift, will take over the lead and hold a virtually unassailable 160-point advantage over Andre Greipel. The points classification, which rewards consistently high finishes, had been providing a terrific sub-plot to the race. World champion Peter Sagan had won the five previous green jerseys and was attempting to match Erik Zabel's record of six. However, the Slovakian was disqualified from the race for causing Britain's Mark Cavendish to crash out on stage four. That left Kittel, who is a pure sprinter, in the jersey and he built an advantage of more than 100 points over Matthews. Team Sunweb rider Matthews is a better climber and can therefore pick up points at intermediate sprints on more mountainous stages - as he did on stage 17 - and he had whittled the lead down. It would now appear as though Matthews just needs to stay on his bike to Paris to win the jersey. There are 60 intermediate sprint points available plus 50 points for the winner of the 21st and final stage, which is likely to be a sprinter, such as Germany's Greipel. However, Greipel will not be able to pick up any points in the mountain-top finish on stage 18, and is unlikely to win stage 20's individual time trial.

Summary: Germany's Marcel Kittel has abandoned the Tour de France after crashing on Wednesday's stage 17 in the Alps.


Contact has been made between the two clubs, although there is no agreement over a deal yet. The France player, who signed for United for £25m in July 2015, would be reunited with former Southampton manager Ronald Koeman at Goodison Park. Red Devils boss Jose Mourinho will sanction any deal for the 27-year-old, who is not part of his long-term plans. Schneiderlin has played 11 minutes of Premier League football this season and he has not been included in the United squad for Wednesday night's league match at Crystal Palace. Koeman was keen to keep the Frenchman at Southampton during his time as manager in 2014, and the Dutchman views him as a key component in his plans to strengthen Everton's midfield. It is also understood Koeman is keen on United and Netherlands forward Memphis Depay. The Dutchman has also attracted interest from Germany and Italy, with Roma among the clubs keen on the 22-year-old, who joined United from PSV Eindhoven for £31m last year.

Summary: Everton are interested in signing Manchester United midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin.


Shortly before midday, the FTSE 100 index was up 41.56 points, or 0.6%, at 7,041.52. In Asian trade, the pound had sunk 6% against the dollar in a matter of minutes to $1.1841, before recovering. It is not clear what triggered the flash crash, with some blaming automated trading systems reacting to a news report. Sterling remained under pressure, and was still down 1.9%, more than 2 cents, against the dollar at $1.2378. The pound has been sliding all week, with traders nervous about how the UK's talks with the EU over leaving the bloc will progress. Last Sunday, Prime Minister Theresa May said she would trigger Article 50, the clause needed to start the exit process, by the end of March 2017. A fall in the pound is often seen as beneficial to the FTSE 100 as many of the companies in the index generate most of their revenues abroad. A weaker pound means overseas revenues are worth more when they are converted back into sterling. Mining companies were among the biggest gainers in the FTSE 100 on Friday. Shares in Randgold Resources rose 2.6% while BHP Billiton added 2.4%. Shares in housebuilders were coming under pressure, however, with Barratt Developments down 5% and Taylor Wimpey 4% lower. In the FTSE 250, shares in William Hill and Ladbrokes were both lower after a report in the Times said gambling companies could be banned from advertising on TV during the day.

Summary: London's main share index headed higher as the pound continued to slide on the foreign exchanges.


A tight first half saw Oliver Gildart and John Bateman go over for the home side, with Benjamin Jullien and Ryan Atkins replying for Warrington. Wigan's two-point half-time lead was wiped out when Ben Currie scored in his first game since September 2016 after recovering from a serious knee injury. Two successive Stefan Ratchford penalty goals secured Wire a vital away win. Wigan, who had captain Sean O'Loughlin celebrating his 400th appearance for the club, remain four points behind Super League's top four, while Warrington's victory keeps alive their slim hopes of a top-eight finish with one match to play until the Super 8s split. They must rely on Huddersfield losing their next two games and then beat Widnes on 20 July to avoid the Qualifiers. The hosts went ahead after 68 seconds when Thomas Leuluai's diagonal bobbling kick was picked up by Gildart to go over in the left-hand corner, but Warrington reacted well and Ratchford's short pass saw Jullien force his way through from close range. Despite being outplayed in the first quarter, Wigan went back in front with O'Loughlin found Leuluai, who freed Bateman to run in to the right of the posts. With half-time approaching, Declan Patton's kick to the left-hand corner was pushed down by Tom Lineham for Atkins to reduce Warrington's deficit to two points. Wire, who lost to Wigan in last year's Grand Final, went ahead as Currie dived over from a kick through by Patton, who missed the conversion attempt to go with two earlier failed kicks from Ratchford. But Ratchford was accurate with two successive penalty goals in the last 20 minutes as Warrington ended a five-game streak without a win against the Warriors. Wigan Warriors coach Shaun Wane: "It was a massive game, the 400th for Lockers (Sean O'Loughlin) and we had loads of reasons to win the game, but I didn't see the desperation. "We owed him a victory and we didn't get it. That's why I feel bad and really angry. I'm really disappointed and they know that. "One hundred per cent Warrington deserved to win. They had too much enthusiasm for us which is something you can't practice. They had better line speed and ran harder." Warrington Wolves coach Tony Smith: "Defensively I thought we were outstanding. Wigan are always going to ask questions of you, so to limit them to 10 points was very good. "The first half try they scored was dubious or I don't know the rules, but I'm glad my boys were able to dig in for each other and come through." On Ben Currie: "Aside from his try, I thought he was terrific. I thought he did everything that was asked of him and more. It showed what a class player he is, while ever there was a need for kick pressure, he was there. He didn't look as if he's been out all year, it's great to have him back." Wigan: S Tomkins; Marshall, Gelling, Gildart, Burgess; Williams, Leuluai; Nuuausala, McIlorum, Sutton, Isa, Bateman, O'Loughlin. Replacements: Clubb, Powell, Tautai, Wells. Warrington: Ratchford; Hiku,

Summary: Warrington kept alive their hopes of a place in Super League's top eight with victory at rivals Wigan Warriors.


Last week the IOC said individual sports' governing bodies must decide if Russian competitors are clean amid claims of state-sponsored doping. But it now says the newly convened panel "will decide whether to accept or reject that final proposal". More than 250 Russian athletes have so far been cleared to compete. The three-person panel comprises Ugur Erdener, president of World Archery and head of the IOC medical and scientific commission, Claudia Bokel of the IOC athletes commission, and Spanish IOC member Juan Antonio Samaranch Jr, son of the ex-IOC president of the same name. The World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) had recommended all Russian athletes be banned after its independently commissioned report found evidence of a four-year "doping programme" across the "vast majority" of Olympic sports. The IOC stopped short of applying a blanket ban in a move criticised by Wada and others, while swimmers Vladimir Morozov and Nikita Lobintsev have become the first Russian athletes to appeal against their ban to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. The Olympics start in Rio on Friday. Meanwhile, Russian whistleblower Yulia Stepanova has asked again for the IOC to reassess her exclusion from Rio. The 800m runner's testimony helped shed light on the scale of doping in Russian sport, and she was to compete under a neutral flag in Rio. But the IOC ruled that she should not be allowed to take part as she had previously failed a doping test. In a letter to the IOC on Saturday, Stepanova and her husband Vitaly asked the body to "reassess the decision on Yulia". The IOC responded by saying it had rejected any review of her case and had not discussed the matter at its executive board meeting. "The final decision has been taken already," IOC spokesman Mark Adams said.

Summary: The International Olympic Committee (IOC) says a three-person panel will have the final say on which Russian athletes can compete at the Rio Games.


The move will take it past the current high street leader, William Hill, combining Ladbrokes' 2,100 shops with Coral's 1,845. Current Ladbrokes chief executive, Jim Mullen, will become boss of the merged company, named Ladbrokes Coral. The two firms had announced merger talks last month. Peter Erskine, chairman of Ladbrokes, hailed the merger as a "major strategic step for Ladbrokes". He added: "Together, we will create a leading betting and gaming business. The transaction will provide an attractive opportunity to generate considerable value for both sets of shareholders." The best way at looking at the challenges facing the merged betting giant of Ladbrokes and Coral is that they have tried to merge before. In 1998 that planned deal was squashed by Peter Mandelson, the trade and industry minister at the time, on the grounds that it would dominate the industry. Yet at that time the biggest threat to Ladbrokes and Coral did not even exist. Betfair is the world's largest internet-based betting exchange and it was not founded until 2000. It is only one of a huge number of online betting companies that pay lower tax bills, can compete for business both here and around the world and face few of the fixed costs of owning thousands of shops on the British High Street. The rationale behind this merger is to create a company that will stand a better chance of competing with those online giants. To fund the deal Ladbrokes will offer 93 million new shares to investors, representing 10% of the company. Gala Coral has been owned by a number of private equity firms, including Apollo Global Management, Cerberus Capital Management, Anchorage Capital Partners and Park Square Capital, since 2010, when it collapsed under £2.5bn of debt. Under the terms of the deal, those private equity owners will own 48.25% of the new company's shares, with the remainder being held by Ladbrokes shareholders. Ladbrokes shares closed down 3.3% at 124.1p. Before the merger talks began, Gala Coral had appointed Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs to advise on a possible stock market debut, initially planned for October. The deal comes just over a week after online bookmaker 888 Holdings won a takeover battle with GVC Holdings for rival Bwin.party in a cash and shares deal valued at about £898m.

Summary: Bookmakers Ladbrokes has announced it plans to merge with Gala Coral in a deal expected to value the business at £2.3bn.


The teenager said James Comey's decision to publicise part of the FBI's investigation into Mr Weiner had led to her being hounded by news reporters. Mr Comey announced last week that the investigation had turned up fresh emails relating to Hillary Clinton. Mr Weiner is married to Mrs Clinton's political aide Huma Abedin. In an open letter, the teenager said reporters had "canvassed" her area. "Every media outlet from local to national has contacted me and my family to get my 'story'", she wrote. "Why couldn't your letter have waited until after the election, so I would not have to be the centre of attention the last week of the election cycle?" She accused the FBI director of taking a "vague approach" in announcing that emails had been discovered on Mr Weiner's laptop that related to Mrs Clinton. She said the lack of detail in his announcement led reporters to chase her for clues about what might have been found. In the letter, addressed directly to Mr Comey and published by Buzzfeed, the alleged victim wrote: "I am the 15-year-old (now 16) who was the victim of Anthony Weiner. "I now add you to the list of people who have victimized me. I told my story originally to protect other young girls that might be a victim of online predators." She went on to say: "I thought your job as FBI Director was to protect me. I thought if I co-operated with your investigation, my identity as a minor would be kept secret. That is no longer the case. My family and I are barraged by reporters' phone calls and emails. "I have been even been blamed in a newspaper for causing Donald Trump to now be leading in some polls and costing Hillary the election. "Anthony Weiner is the abuser. Your letter helped that abuse to continue. How can I rebuild my life when you have made finding out my "story" the goal of every reporter?" She signed the letter "Girl that lost her faith in America". Mr Weiner and Ms Abedin recently split following a series of revelations that Mr Weiner had exchanged sexual messages with other women. Reports on Thursday said he had entered a rehab clinic to treat sex addiction. The FBI last month closed a large-scale investigation into Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server, but Mr Comey announced last week that the law enforcement body was examining fresh emails found on Mr Weiner's laptop. The FBI director has been heavily criticised by leading Democrats, who allege that the timing of his announcement threatens to influence next week's general election. US law prohibits public officials such as Mr Comey from using their position to influence the outcome of an election. Opinion polls showed that Mrs Clinton's lead over her Republican rival Donald Trump had narrowed slightly in the wake of Mr Comey's announcement. Both candidates have been campaigning in the key swing state of Florida ahead of next Tuesday's election.

Summary: A 15-year-old girl who was allegedly sent indecent messages by former US congressman Anthony Weiner has criticised the director of the FBI.


For an overview of our coverage on Red Button and the website - plus network TV and radio please visit this page. BBC Radio 5 live and sports extra schedule BBC local radio online commentaries

Summary: Details of forthcoming live BBC Sport coverage.


About half of trusts provided details of cancellations one to three days before admission. Hospitals must record cancellations on the day of an operation or of admission - but not those prior to that. But Ipswich Hospital has now said it will start keeping records of earlier cancellations. NHS England said official figures showed less than 1% of operations were cancelled at the last minute. By Caroline Parkinson, Health editor, BBC News website These figures shine a light on a hidden issue. Hospitals don't have to record these early non-medical cancellations, so the data provided by these 74 hospitals is the only indication we have of the extent of the problem. There is a view that the more notice a patient gets of a cancellation the better, because it allows more time to rearrange plans. But if operations are cancelled outside the official period, patients don't have the same rights to a date for their rescheduled operation. Of course, sometimes patients themselves cancel an operation at the last minute. And while very few hospitals had that data, the information from those that did suggest it could be a bigger problem than hospitals cancelling themselves. Official NHS England figures show about 7.7 million planned operations were carried out in England last year. There were 71,370 last-minute cancellations - either on the day the patient was meant to arrive, after they had arrived or on the day the operation was meant to take place. In each case, NHS rules say a patient should be offered a new date within 28 days. If that deadline is missed, hospitals are not paid for the operation, and it is recorded in official figures. However, operations cancelled outside of the official definition are not subject to the same rules. In Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, the definition of last-minute cancellations is wider - and is taken over several days. The BBC asked all 156 NHS trusts in England, via a Freedom of Information request, to provide figures for operations cancelled one to three days before a patient was due to be admitted. Seventy-four provided data suggesting they had cancelled 41,474 operations within that period - as opposed to 33,400 last-minute cancellations recorded for the same trusts in the official figures. Iona Hevican from Cornwall waited a year for a planned hysterectomy operation, which was cancelled three times before it went ahead. She told the BBC: "Every time they give you a date to go in for your operation there's a lot of preparing before you go in for that date, so any cancellation that you get is obviously a very traumatic time because of all the plans that you made, all your mindset, everything. "Then just to say come back tomorrow, like you're nothing, like a piece of meat, then that's not good. "They have to realise what goes into planning. They have to plan, and we have to plan." The main reasons for cancellations were a lack of beds or ward space and staff shortages. For operations cancelled on the day, emergencies take priority - something that

Summary: Tens of thousands of operations were cancelled by English hospitals last year but not officially counted, figures obtained by the BBC suggest.


One person was killed in Kabul, one in the eastern city of Jalalabad and at least four in Parwan province. US officials apologised on Tuesday after Korans were "inadvertently" put in an incinerator at Bagram airbase. Officials at Bagram reportedly believed Taliban prisoners were using the books to pass messages to each other. The charred remains of the volumes were found by local labourers. Protesters in Kabul shouted, "Death to America!" and threw stones at Camp Phoenix, the main US base in the city. By Babrak MiakhelBBC Afghan, Jalalabad There were several demonstrations across Nangarhar province and at least two in the main city of Jalalabad. The first happened at the university. Students were angry, chanting slogans against Americans and against US troops. They were determined but not violent. A second demonstration elsewhere in the city turned ugly. I arrived as injured protesters were being taken to hospital in ambulances and private cars. People said the US apology was not enough. Oil tankers had been set ablaze. The protesters' message was that Afghans respect the other religions of troops inside Afghanistan, so why have they failed to respect Islam and the Koran? Riot police used water cannon to disperse protesters, some of whom were blocking the road leading to Jalalabad, one of the main trade routes into the capital. Witnesses said security guards were firing into the air. There were also reports of people chanting pro-Taliban slogans. One protester in Kabul was killed and 10 wounded. Four further deaths were confirmed in the Shinwari district of Parwan province, north of Kabul. There were also peaceful protests in the eastern province of Kunar. In Jalalabad, protesters burned an effigy of US President Barack Obama, and BBC Afghan reporter Babrak Miakhel said oil tankers had been set on fire. A doctor told the BBC one person had been killed and 10 injured. One protester in Kabul, 18-year-old Ajmal, told Reuters: "When the Americans insult us to this degree, we will join the insurgents." The US embassy in Kabul is on lockdown and all travel is suspended. The Taliban called on Afghan police and soldiers to redeem themselves by turning their guns away from protesters and towards Nato-led troops. The Afghan parliament held an emergency debate. In a statement, MPs condemned what had happened, called for punishment of those responsible and asked the Afghan government to send its own delegation to Bagram to establish exactly what happened and why. "Everyone is emotional," Kabul resident Mohammad Naseer Malikzai told the BBC. "I am hurting and disappointed. "I created a Facebook group where I was disputing with a lot of people. The American apology is useless." Another Kabul resident, Farhad Raza, said abusing Islam would prolong the war in Afghanistan. "These kind of actions [abusing Islam] create a gap between Afghans and Nato forces, and make people hate Nato forces, which will make this war longer than it is now," he told the BBC. US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta said he and the top commander of US and Nato forces in Afghanistan, Gen John Allen, had apologised

Summary: At least six people have been killed and dozens injured in Afghanistan after protests spread over the burning of copies of the Koran at a US airbase.


Martin Hamilton said water used for washing crops on his land had leaked into the Enler River, near Comber. He estimated about 25 tonnes, or 25,000 litres of the dirty water, which kills the oxygen in the river, left the farm. Local people estimate thousands of fish had died. The Department of the Environment (DoE) said it was a water pollution incident of "high severity". Two government departments are investigating. Martin Hamilton told the BBC: "We have a massive run-off on one of the fields and we have got ourselves into a real mess. A total apology from ourselves to everyone involved." He said not all of the dirty water had gone into the river. "It is a situation that we are deeply embarrassed by. We plan to throw every resource at it to recover it," he said. "We are giving cast iron guarantees that we will be replacing any stock that is lost." The DoE said a "definite line of inquiry" was being followed. It said evidence was being collected from premises with a view to prosecution. A joint investigation is being carried out by the Northern Ireland Environment Agency, part of the DoE, and the Inland Waterways and Fisheries branch of the Department for Culture, Arts and Leisure. In a statement, the DoE said an anonymous call had been made to the water pollution hotline on Thursday, indicating that a large number of dead fish had been found in the river. An inspection was subsequently carried out by the Northern Ireland Environment Agency. The Enler River is a tributary of Strangford Lough. Councillor Robert Gibson said the local council had been aware of pollution on the river, and a smell in the town, for some time. "So many years work have gone into this and now it's all gone," he said. "Today we have lost thousands (of fish). We've probably lost them all, up to a five-metre span of the river." Eddie Donnelly from the Enler Angling Club said it was the worst fish kill he had ever seen. "I was devastated by the amount of dead fish. The whole life has been taken out of the river," he said.

Summary: A farmer has said he is deeply sorry that his business was responsible for a major fish kill in a County Down river.


The World Athletics Gala was scheduled for Saturday, 28 November in Monaco. However, Lord Coe, president of the International Association of Athletics Federations, said: "This is not the time for the athletics family to be gathering in celebration of our sport." The male and female athletes of the year will now be announced online. Coe added: "We will rightly still honour the outstanding achievements of the sport's athletes. "Therefore the athlete of the year and other annual honours will still be awarded and will be promoted and announced on the internet and social media. "The IAAF will seek a suitable occasion in the future for the presentation of these awards to be made to the winners." British distance runner Mo Farah, who won the 5,000m and 10,000m double at the World Championships, is nominated for the athlete of the year award. Among others, Farah is joined on the list by Jamaica's Usain Bolt, who claimed the 100m and 200m sprint double in Beijing and Dutch sprinter Dafne Schippers, who won 200m gold and 100m silver. The gala is run by the IAAF's own charitable foundation and Coe had to ask the foundation to cancel it, as it is not under the IAAF's control. Diack remains under investigation by French prosecutors, with the 82-year-old under suspicion of receiving money in 2011 in return for deferring sanctions against Russian athletes who failed drug tests. Diack, who was IAAF president from 1999 to August of this year, is yet to comment on the allegations. Meanwhile, four men, including the son of former president Lamine Diack, have been charged by the IAAF with breaching its code of ethics.

Summary: Athletics' annual awards ceremony has been cancelled by the sport's governing body in the wake of investigations into former president Lamine Diack.


The upper house cleared Mr Kuroda after he won approval from the lower house on Thursday. Mr Kuroda has said he will do whatever it takes to bring inflation up to 2%. Japan has seen 20 years of intermittent falling consumer prices, which analysts say has hurt its economy. The upper house also voted to approve the appointment of Kikuo Iwata and Hiroshi Nakaso as deputies to Mr Kuroda, who is leaving his current job as president of the Asian Development Bank. All three were nominated by new Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who came into office on the promise of bringing Japan's economy out of its prolonged slump. Mr Kuroda, who has long been a critic of the central bank's policies, is a supporter of Mr Abe's plan to ease monetary policy and increase government spending. "This is kind of an experiment," said Masayuki Kichikawa from Bank of America-Merrill Lynch. "It's worth trying," he adds. Mr Kuroda and Mr Iwata have said they are in favour of buying government debt with longer maturities in order to achieve the central bank's new inflation target of 2%. Deflation, or falling prices, discourages investment and spending by businesses and consumers, and makes debts more difficult to repay. The three will take control of the central bank after current governor, Masaaki Shirakawa, steps down on 19 March. Mr Kuroda's stance marks a stark contrast to that of Mr Shirakawa, who was not a proponent of aggressive monetary easing. In the run-up to the change of the leadership, the Japanese economy has been showing positive signs. The yen has fallen more than 20% against the US dollar, which is a relief for exporters. A strong yen makes them less competitive abroad. The stock market has also surged, with the benchmark Nikkei 225 index rising 27% in the last three months. The economy expanded slightly in the last quarter of 2012, instead of an expected shrinking, as Japan emerged from its latest recession.

Summary: Japan's parliament has approved Haruhiko Kuroda as governor of the Bank of Japan, who is expected to push for monetary stimulus to boost growth in the world's third-largest economy.


The 23-year-old scored 11 goals in 50 matches in all competitions last season as his side won the Ligue 1 title. United have so far added defender Victor Lindelof to their squad as they attempt to improve on last year's sixth place in the Premier League. "Manchester United is a great team and I would think about it," Fabinho said. "If [Manchester United manager Jose] Mourinho invites me it would be very tempting," he told Brazilian television channel Esporte Interativo. "But I would have to talk with my agent and Monaco to make the things right." Fabinho joined Monaco in 2013 on loan from Portuguese side Rio Ave and made his move permanent in 2015, when he also won the first of four caps for Brazil. But having claimed the Europa League, Mourinho is being linked with several players in order to build a squad capable of dealing with the added fixtures. Tottenham's Eric Dier and Nemanja Matic at Chelsea have been linked with a move to Old Trafford, as has Real Madrid striker Alvaro Morata. United have strengthened their backroom staff in hiring Juventus scouting manager Javier Ribalta, who was at the Italian club with Morata. Ribalta worked on deals for Dani Alves and Sami Khedira while at Juventus, who have secured six straight league titles.

Summary: A move to Manchester United "would be very tempting", says Monaco midfielder Fabinho, who has been linked with the Old Trafford club.


Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Russel said the comments were creating "a climate of uncertainty" about the Philippines' intentions. Mr Duterte has announced a "separation from the US", its longstanding ally. It follows US criticism of the Philippines' brutal war against drugs. The campaign has caused thousands of extrajudicial killings. Mr Russel said the US was concerned about the loss of life in Mr Duterte's crackdown on the drugs trade. "I pointed out to secretary [Foreign Minister Perfecto] Yasay that the succession of controversial statements and comments and a real climate of uncertainty about the Philippines' intentions has created consternation in a number of countries, not only in mine," Mr Russel said. "This is not a positive trend. And as I candidly shared with the foreign secretary, your friends are also concerned about the loss of life in connection with the counter-narcotics campaign." The US called for clarification after President Duterte addressed an economic forum in China last week, saying: "I announce my separation from the United States. Both in military, not maybe social, but economics also. America has lost." He added: "I've realigned myself in your ideological flow and maybe I will also go to Russia to talk to [President Vladimir] Putin and tell him that there are three of us against the world - China, Philippines, and Russia. It's the only way." US officials said the remarks were "at odds" with the "close relationship" shared by the countries. Mr Russel said that although the US welcomed improved ties between the Philippines and China, it should not come at the expense of the US or other nations. "It's a mistake to think that improved relations between Manila and Beijing somehow come at the expense of the United States. This should be addition and not subtraction," he said. Mr Duterte has grown increasingly hostile towards the US since taking office in June. He has said he wants to end joint military exercises with the US and told President Barack Obama he could "go to hell" after criticism over his bloody war against drugs.

Summary: Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte's recent statements have caused "consternation" in the US and other nations, the most senior US diplomat for Asia said during a visit to Manila.


De Villota lost her right eye at Duxford Airfield while testing for Marussia and died a year later aged 33. The HSE said the driver's family had been informed of its decision. Manor Grand Prix Racing, which operated Marussia and now runs the Manor team, has yet to comment. De Villota, the daughter of 1980s F1 driver Emilio de Villota, was injured when the MR-01 race car she was driving hit a support truck on 3 July 2012. She had been driving at up to 200mph (322km/h), but was travelling considerably slower at the time of the crash. It was the first time the Spaniard had driven the car for Oxfordshire-based Marussia, which folded in 2014. Despite losing her eye, she was cleared to drive again in early 2013, but died the following October "as a consequence of the neurological injuries she suffered". Soon after the crash, Marussia said an internal investigation "excluded the car as a factor in the accident". An HSE spokesman said: "The investigation is now complete and no enforcement action is being taken. "Both the company [Manor Grand Prix Racing] and the DP's [deceased person's] family have been informed." He said HSE had investigated "all reasonable lines of enquiry". I was due to interview Maria and was standing with her mechanics when she came back in after a test run. Her car slowed for it to be reversed into the pits, but at the last second it suddenly accelerated again. By the time it hit the tailboard at the back of a truck, it was doing 30 or 40mph. I could see the collision impacted directly on her helmet and I feared the worst. It took almost an hour for ambulance staff to feel confident enough to take her out of the car. It was an awful moment. I was surrounded by people who knew her very well, including family, friends, engineers and her manager. Asked whether driver error had caused the crash, the spokesman said it was "not appropriate to disclose". He added: "However, as with all accidents there are a number of underlying causes." Speaking in October 2012 after leaving hospital, De Villota said: "I want to keep fighting because I believe so strongly in women being part of motor racing."

Summary: No action is to be taken against a former Formula 1 team after test driver Maria de Villota suffered a severe crash in Cambridgeshire in 2012, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) said.


The 27-year-old flyweight became the fastest Welsh boxer to win a British title with a points victory over Louis Norman at Ice Arena Wales in Cardiff. It was the Barry fighter's fifth outing as a professional, having made his debut in October 2015. "I want to be world champion, but there is no rush," said Selby, brother of IBF featherweight champion Lee Selby. "Get some more 12 rounds in, maybe defend it, go for the European [title]. "There is no point chucking me into the deep end straight away because I have only had one 12-round fight." No Welsh fighter has claimed a Lonsdale belt in fewer bouts and in less time since turning professional. Norman, 32, had lost only one of his previous 13 contests. Norman weighed in 0.9lbs over the eight-stone limit, but made the weight with seconds to spare after stripping completely naked. The fight was on the undercard of Lee Haskins' successful IBF world bantamweight title defence against Ivan Morales and Selby says it was a great occasion at Wales' new boxing venue. "It's the belt I've always wanted since I was a little kid," he said. "Winning in my home town, in front of all my friends and family, you couldn't ask for better. It's a dream. "You could just hear everyone screaming... I'd enjoy fighting here again."

Summary: Boxer Andrew Selby is in no hurry to win a world title after securing the British flyweight crown on Saturday.


It is Vitesse's first major trophy in their 125-year history. Striker Van Wolfswinkel, 28, headed home his first after 80 minutes and followed it up with a second two minutes from time. Vitesse, who sit sixth in the Dutch League, qualify for the Europa League group stage next season. Their cup final team included three players on loan from Chelsea - Brazilian midfielder Nathan, 21, United States defender Matt Miazga, 21, and 22-year-old midfielder Lewis Baker. AZ Alkmaar's team included goalkeeper Tim Krul, 29, who is on loan from Newcastle United.

Summary: Former Norwich City striker Ricky van Wolfswinkel scored two late goals as Vitesse Arnhem beat AZ Alkmaar 2-0 to win the Dutch Cup final in Rotterdam.


Two men, a woman and a teenage boy suffered burns to the face, hands, neck and arms in the incident in Severn Side, Stourport-on-Severn at 07:30 BST. The 17-year-old had significant burns to his hands and face and was airlifted to hospital for specialised treatment. A man in his 60s, a woman in her 60s and another man in his 20s were taken to Worcester Royal Hospital. West Midlands Ambulance Service said paramedics were called to reports of an explosion near to the Angel Inn. The man in his 60s sustained superficial flash burns to his face as well as a neck injury. The woman had partial burns to her hands whilst the man in his 20s had sustained superficial burns to his arms and neck, the ambulance service said.

Summary: Four people have been injured in a suspected gas explosion onboard a boat in Worcestershire.


The annual competition was expanded from two teams to six in 2015, with the top three Super League clubs facing their Southern Hemisphere counterparts. But the format may now revert to one match featuring the two champions - Cronulla Sharks and Wigan Warriors. NRL clubs completed a 3-0 whitewash over Super League teams in 2016. Reports suggest a number of other NRL clubs are set to reject any invitation to take part in the competition. Storm chief executive Dave Donaghy said: "We've decided that staying in Australia will provide our team with the best possible preparation for the 2017 NRL season. "Having treasured past visits to the UK in 2008, 2010 and 2013, we thoroughly value the concept of the World Club Challenge. However, a regular NRL season is already incredibly taxing and, as a non-Sydney team, our players travel more than most. "We have committed to playing two trial matches in Australia which we believe will serve as a better lead-in for the team."

Summary: NRL runners-up Melbourne Storm have rejected the opportunity to play in the 2017 World Club Series, preferring to stay in Australia during pre-season.


Stuart Price, died on Sunday after colliding with a black Jaguar car in Colliery Lane, next to the junction with Murton Lane, in Easington Lane. Northumbria Police said the Jaguar driver , who stopped his car - was left shaken but uninjured by the crash. Mr Price, 24, of Murton, County Durham, was pronounced dead at the scene and police are appealing for witnesses.

Summary: A cyclist has died in a collision with a car near Sunderland.


Calen Gaze, 17, from Gloucester, was found guilty of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, at Gloucester Crown Court last October. His 13-year-old victim suffered a shattered cheekbone and eye socket. Gaze, who was 15 at the time of the attack in 2015, was originally sentenced to 240 hours of unpaid work. The Court of Appeal in London heard Gaze, from Ashcroft Close, Matson, knocked the boy down by punching him in the face, and then stamped on his head "numerous times" at a park in the Abbeymead area of the city. The scuffle began after a row over a rugby ball between two groups of boys at a playing field in Hucclecote, the court was told. The victim had to have emergency surgery, and titanium mesh and plates were inserted to support his eye and repair fractures to his cheekbone. He was advised by doctors not to take part in contact sport as the mesh could sever his retina. Lawyers acting for the Attorney General Jeremy Wright QC said Gaze's initial sentence was too light for such a serious attack. Paul Jarvis told the court that, had Gaze been an adult, a sentence of about 12 years could have been expected. In sentencing Gaze to four years in a young offenders' institution, Lord Justice Fulford said the offence was "so serious that neither a fine, nor a community penalty, can be justified". The appeal court also lifted a ban on the media naming Gaze, despite him being under the age of 18.

Summary: A teenager who stamped on a boy's face has been given a four-year sentence by appeal court judges after his previous sentence was deemed "unduly lenient".


The newspaper had reported allegations that Melania Trump once worked as an escort, but later retracted the claims. The story was published during the US election campaign last year. Mrs Trump accepted damages and an apology from the newspaper at London's High Court. The article was published by the Daily Mail newspaper, and subsequently the paper's digital operation Mail Online. In a statement, Mrs Trump's lawyer said that she is "very pleased" and "will remain vigilant to protect her good name and reputation from those who make false and defamatory statements about her". Mrs Trump filed a lawsuit against the Daily Mail in the UK, and filed against Mail Online in the US. The payout settles the case both in New York and the UK, despite London's High Court having no jurisdiction in the US. The US suit, filed last year, sought damages of $150m (Â£120m). The amount accepted by Mrs Trump in London was not disclosed in court. However, reports suggest the payout was closer to $3m, including legal costs and damages. In its apology, the Daily Mail acknowledged it had published "allegations that she provided services beyond simply modelling". The article also claimed that Mr and Mrs Trump may have met three years before they actually did, and later "staged" their first meeting. "We accept that these allegations about Mrs Trump are not true," the newspaper said. A lawyer for Mrs Trump told the London court the allegations "strike at the heart of the claimant's personal integrity and dignity". Her lawyer said the double-page spread in August last year, titled "Racy photos and troubling questions about his wife's past that could derail Trump", featured an old nude photo of Mrs Trump from her modelling career. "Readers of the newspaper that day could not fail to miss the article," he said. And so the mighty Mail titles have been Trumped. Well, almost. There are people in the legal profession flabbergasted at the size of the damages that Melania Trump has received from Associated Newspapers. But given some of the figures bandied about when this case first arose, that isn't as bad as some at the Mail group may have feared. Moreover, the Mail are pointing out that they stick by some aspects of their original story, but accept error on the most salacious: that the First Lady was an escort. It will be interesting to see if this settlement encourages others to be more aggressive toward UK papers, and also whether it helps to spread the trend for legal action across multiple jurisdictions. Charles Harder, Mrs Trump's lawyer, also acted for Hulk Hogan when the wrestler brought his $140m (Â£112m) case against Gawker Media, forcing its sale. Compared to that, this action is small fry. Mrs Trump's lawsuit initially said that Mrs Trump had the "unique, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity... to launch a broad-based commercial brand in multiple product categories, each of which could have garnered multi-million dollar business relationships for a multi-year term during which [she] is one of the most photographed women in the world". Critics used the phrasing to question

Summary: The UK's Daily Mail newspaper has agreed to pay damages and costs to the first lady of the United States over an article about her modelling career.


It followed a huge spike in applications for the non-domestic end of the renewable heat incentive scheme. The investigation will include a check on one in 10 of all schemes approved. The scheme was set up several years ago to encourage domestic and business users to change to biomass heating systems, mostly wood pellets. Industry Minister Jonathan Bell announced on Friday his intention to close it to new applications. On Tuesday, officials told the enterprise committee that £30m would have to come out of the block grant in 2016/7 to pay for it. The renewable heat incentive scheme applies to both home and business users. Businesses get about £24,000 a year over a 20-year term for installing one of the renewable heat systems. The benefits to domestic applicants are less lucrative, with an upfront payment of about £3,500 and £1,200 a year for seven years. Mr Bell told the assembly that the chancellor had limited the amount of money being paid to Northern Ireland out of the UK pot for renewable heat, and that had led to the problem. He said the scheme had been oversubscribed and it had created a "huge budgetary pressure" not just for his department, but for the whole of Northern Ireland. Dr Andrew McCormick, the Department of Enterprises's permanent secretary, said there had been a need to "turn the tap off" as quickly as possible to contain the overspend. He said it produced a "very serious financial issue" and it was the minister's "judgement that it was necessary to suspend the scheme immediately to prevent that overspend becoming even worse". The committee was told that "whistle-blower allegations" had been received through the Office of the First and Deputy First Minister. These have been drawn to the attention of the regulator Ofgem, which administers the scheme across the UK. Treasury funds covered the scheme up to a certain level, but due to the spike in applications at the end of last year, there was a large funding gap which would have to be covered from the Stormont budget. Nine hundred applications had been received over three years. In a six-week period last Autumn, a further 900 applications flooded in. Dr McCormick said with the scheme closed to new entrants, the funding gap would reduce in future years, but would still be £11m by 2021. Committee chair Patsy McGlone said the sudden closure of the scheme would threaten jobs and businesses. He said one installation company believed it could cost it up to £1m and put 25 jobs at risk. The Ulster Farmers Union told the committee that 50 poultry projects could be at risk as a result of the scheme's closure.

Summary: An investigation is under way after allegations from whistle-blowers about the operation of a renewable energy scheme that led to a £30m overspend.


The ex-France and Arsenal striker wore glasses and a wig to surprise teenagers at Pen-y-Dre High School, Merthyr. Henry, a Sky Academy ambassador, was there to present the Sky Sports Living for Sport Student of the Year Award for Wales to pupil Emma Morgan. The awards programme is on Sky Sports 1 on Sunday. A talented swimmer, Emma became the school's youngest student to represent Wales at the annual European 'Superschools' competition, in Sweden, where she won silver. She will attend the awards ceremony in London at the weekend where the overall UK and Ireland Student of the Year will be announced. Henry said Emma was a "deserving winner". Head teacher Keith Maher said: "Everyone was sworn to secrecy and it was an idea that Thierry and Sky came up with. "It was absolutely a complete surprise and very few staff knew about it."

Summary: Football legend Thierry Henry amazed pupils at a south Wales school by walking into their classroom disguised as a supply teacher.


Twenty-one-year-old striker Ollie Watkins and midfielder Ethan Ampadu, 16, have been linked with bigger clubs. Watkins signed in July 2013 and has scored 30 goals in 55 appearances, whilst Ampadu was named Wales Young Player of the Year in November. Tisdale told BBC Radio Devon: "I want to keep this team together for the season. Nobody is in a rush to sell." He continued: "There's plenty of interest and enquiries but this is the best group of players I have had in a long time. "The club is in a healthy place and doesn't need the money. It's a good quality problem to have."

Summary: Exeter City manager Paul Tisdale has confirmed growing transfer interest in two of his young stars.


The Shepherd's Bush Green blaze affected five floors of the 18-storey Shepherds Court building, resulting in its evacuation. London Fire Brigade said at least 120 firefighters tackled the blaze, now under control, from 15:45 BST. Hammersmith and Fulham Council tweeted: "Rest areas and housing are being arranged for those affected". London Ambulance Service said it treated two patients at the scene, but neither required hospital treatment. One person was treated for smoke inhalation, LFB said. Fire crews are now investigating the cause of the blaze. Ella Zwart, a talent acquisition consultant, who lives on the 15th floor, has told BBC London she was at work when the fire took hold. She does not know yet if she can return to her home tonight, but said she was "hugely impressed" with the fire crews who battled the blaze. She said: "I'm grateful for my support network here in London and happily staying with friends for the time being." The fire was under control by 17:32 BST but crews remain at the scene and have been "damping down". The blaze damaged around a quarter of a four-room flat on the seventh floor, half of a flat on the eighth floor, around a quarter of a flat on the ninth floor, half of a flat on the tenth floor and a small part of the flat on the eleventh floor, LFB said. Shadwell fire station manager Paul Hobbs said: ""The fire spread from the seventh floor via the outside of the building. "Crews wearing breathing apparatus used jets to extinguish the fire on each floor of the building. They worked quickly in difficult conditions to tackle the fire." At the height of the blaze, nearby Shepherd's Bush station was closed and the adjacent West 12 shopping centre evacuated. Shepherd's Bush Green remains closed in both directions, leading to queues in surrounding areas including Holland Road and Uxbridge Road. Wood Lane is also closed southbound from its junction with South Africa Road. Witness Helena Noifield told BBC Radio London: "Everyone's standing around not knowing where to go. "It's all pretty horrible really. There's ash everywhere, smoke everywhere... it's like something out of a horror film. It's ghastly." An air ambulance and several ambulance crews were on Shepherd's Bush Green. Natasha Wills, assistant director of operations at London Ambulance Service, said: "We sent multiple resources including ambulance crews, single responders in cars, our hazardous area response team and an incident response officer. "We treated two patients on scene, but they were not taken to hospital. We remain at the scene." Fire crews from Hammersmith, Kensington, Acton, Chiswick, Paddington and Fulham were at the scene. The cause of the fire is not known at this stage.

Summary: About 50 people will spend the night away from their homes following a blaze in a west London tower block.


People living close to the plant in Monkton Lane, Farnham, have complained that the stench has recently got worse. Thames Water, which manages the site, said emergency repair work could be the cause, but that it had written to residents to explain the situation. Local councillor Roger Steel said he had been inundated with complaints, but the firm said it was not aware of any. He said the Farnham Sewage Treatment Works was built 100 years ago and the odour problem was not new. "In the summer residents are not able to open the windows when it's hot, children can't play in the garden. "The odour gets into their clothes, even the wallpaper," Mr Steel said. The councillor, who represents Farnham Moor Park on Waverley Borough Council, said the plant was too old to cope with the current population it served. "There's plenty of room for them to perhaps rebuild a new plant or even to make major additions for it to be able to cope. "It's been inadequate for years and years and years," he said. In a statement, Thames Water said: "We're sorry if residents have noticed an increase in odour, but we're not aware of any complaints and [have] not noticed any difference. "We sent a courtesy letter to inform residents we would be doing a piece of cleaning work, outside of day-to-day operations. "Work stated last Tuesday, and is going well - we're ahead of schedule."

Summary: Residents in a Surrey town have claimed their lives are being made a misery due to the smell from nearby sewage works.