Holyrood's public audit committee has written to the justice secretary saying SPA chairman Andrew Flanagan appeared to have "behaved inappropriately". The letter follows a series of heated evidence sessions at parliament, which saw one MSP tell police bosses "it's not the Kremlin you're running". Mr Flanagan insisted the group has made "substantial progress" over 12 months. MSPs have been conducting an inquiry alongside a separate probe by HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary in Scotland Derek Penman into the governance of the SPA and concerns about transparency. The letter from the committee, which was addressed to Justice Secretary Michael Matheson and copied to Mr Flanagan, is highly critical of the chairman and the running of the board. It reads: "We are writing to set out our very serious concerns about the standards of governance at the SPA, following our recent evidence sessions. "In particular, we consider that the chairman of the SPA board, Mr Andrew Flanagan, would appear to have behaved inappropriately on occasion and in a manner not in keeping with relevant Scottish government guidance. "We consider this to be unacceptable, particularly in relation to a public body that performs such a vital role." The committee were particularly critical about a row over meetings being held behind closed doors, which saw one board member, Moi Ali, quit. She told members that she felt she had been bullied, describing her exit from the board as "a really horrendous experience". The letter notes: "It appears to us that Mr Flanagan treated Ms Ali in an inappropriate manner, to the degree that she felt obliged to resign from the board." While members acknowledged there would be times when public bodies would have to discuss matters in private, they said the "default position for such an important body is that its committees should meet in public". And they said it would be "entirely unacceptable" for the SPA to repeat the situation where private meetings were held to discuss governance with no notes being taken, saying there was "a clear need for a culture shift within the organisation so that there are far fewer private meetings". On the matter of transparency, they said some of the board's "decisions on basic operational matters have been inexplicable", and said SPA board members "should be far more critical in how they question or challenge some of the decisions made by the chair of the board". In response to the letter, a spokesman for the SPA said: "As board members outlined this week, the SPA is listening to public and civic concerns and has already signalled it is ready to adapt its approach at the next public board meeting. "In addition, HMICS is currently looking at governance within the SPA and we are working closely with the inspectorate to facilitate that review. Its findings and recommendations will further inform our approach to improved governance and transparency." During his appearance at Holyrood in April, Mr Flanagan insisted the group had made "substantial" progress over the past year, adding: "I believe I am doing an effective job." He said: "I think we've made

Summary: MSPs have voiced "very serious concerns" about how the Scottish Police Authority is run.


The city council has approved plans from the Co-operative Group and Moda Living for the 34-storey Angel Gardens building. It will be built at Shudehill, on a site once home to an 18th Century cotton mill built by Richard Arkwright. Angel Gardens will include more than 450 apartments, resident lounges, a cinema room and a rooftop garden. Developers claim the project will "change the face" of the private rental sector and offer its customers "a lifestyle choice not currently available" in the city. Angel Gardens is the major residential component of the regeneration of Manchester's urban land, owned by The Co-operative Group and Hermes Real Estate, NOMA. David Pringle, a director at The Co-operative Group, said: "Angel Gardens will push the boundaries for purpose-built rental accommodation, in a location dubbed by property consultants JLL as the best residential site in the UK, outside of London."

Summary: A block of "new style" flats is to be built near Manchester's Victoria station.


Some 39,723 homes were repossessed by bailiffs in the 12 months to September 2016 - equivalent to 108 per day, Ministry of Justice data says. It adds that 137,773 renting households are at risk of losing their homes. Homelessness charity Shelter blamed benefit cuts and affordable housing shortages, but the government said reasons for evictions were complex. Although the number of households evicted has dipped slightly since the peak of 42,054 in 2015, Shelter says the statistics are still very worrying. Campbell Robb, chief executive of Shelter, said: "The news that tens of thousands of renters have been evicted from their homes in the last year is a sobering reminder of the impact of welfare cuts and the severe lack of affordable homes. "Our deepening housing crisis means that over 120,000 children will wake up homeless this Christmas, and sadly this shows that not far behind them are many more families still desperately fighting to stay in their home. "Our helpline advisers can make the difference between a family losing their home and keeping it, but we are finding it increasingly tough to keep up with soaring demand." The majority of claims for home repossession in the year to September 2016 were from social landlords, at 60%, while 15% were by private landlords. The remaining 25% of claims were made under the accelerated procedure, which can be used by both private and social landlords in certain circumstances. A government official said: "The latest figures show that all stages of landlord repossessions have gone down compared to the last quarter. "We are committed to building the homes this country needs and have doubled the housing budget to Â£8bn to build 400,000 more affordable homes. "The reasons for repossessions can be complex, so to link it to welfare reform is misleading. "Our reforms are incentivising work and restoring fairness to the system, and we continue to spend over Â£90bn a year supporting working age people who are out of work, disabled or a carer, bringing up a family or on a low income." But Shelter said social sector evictions had risen in conjunction with the introduction of the bedroom tax and that homelessness acceptances, caused by the loss of private tenancy, have soared since cuts were made to the amount of housing benefit people receive. Chris Town, vice chairman of the Residential Landlords Association, said landlords did not spend their time looking for ways of evicting tenants. "Seeking to regain possession of a property can be a long and stressful process for both tenants and landlords. Landlords will usually only ever seek possession for a few reasons - either tenants who are not paying their rent or committing anti-social behaviour, the landlord wants to renovate a property, or wants to sell." Join the conversation - find us on Facebook

Summary: More than 100 households were evicted every day from rented homes in England last year, the latest figures show.


Scott Diver, 16, from Clydebank, West Dunbartonshire, was last seen at his home on Saturday 17 September. The teenager, who is 5ft 7in tall, with a slim build, dark hair and blue eyes, is said to need regular medication. The CCTV images show Scott walking in Clydebank's Dalmuir Park, towards the Mountblow Road entrance, at about 14:53 on the day he went missing. Insp John Mullen said: "The two images we are issuing today have been identified as Scott - this is the last confirmed known sighting of him. "As the weather was favourable that day, there were a number of people within the park who may have seen Scott. "I would urgently ask anyone who remembers being in the park and who might have seen Scott to get in touch with us. Even if you don't believe you may have seen Scott in the park please contact the police as you may have information that is pertinent to our inquiry." Insp Mullen said that given the length of time Scott had been missing police and his family "remain concerned for his welfare". He added: "His family and friends are very distressed at his disappearance. He is a young boy who is vulnerable and needs to be home with his family." Insp John Mullen said that anyone with information could contact police at a dedicated email address: scottdiverinquiry@scotland.pnn.police.uk

Summary: Police have released new CCTV images of a vulnerable teenager who has been missing for more than two weeks.


Passengers were terrified as a gust of wind sent empty carriages swinging at the top of the 60m (198ft) Sky Swing at Cardiff's Winter Wonderland. Sayers Amusements, which operates it, said there was no fault with the ride. It said it shut down automatically - as it should - when the wind got too strong on Friday. The operator released a statement after it had investigated what happened on the towering ride. It said when the ride started the wind had not exceeded the ride's wind speed limit, which is 10m per second. However, when gusts picked up the ride shut down. "It took less than five minutes to get all gondolas unloaded," the operator said. "No one was hurt as the safety system was working correctly at all times, and a full explanation was given to everyone on the ride, and they were all given a full refund, and all stayed onsite for a while afterwards." It added that the ride re-opened after the wind eased. The Winter Wonderland is a Cardiff Council event and the authority said it has sought assurances steps have been taken to ensure there is not another incident.

Summary: An amusement ride which was shut down after its carriages crashed into each other in mid-air with people on board is safe, its operator says.


Media playback is not supported on this device Hosszu's time of four minutes 26.36 seconds took more than two seconds off the previous best set by China's Shiwen Ye at London 2012. Scotland's Hannah Miley, 26, finished fourth after being pipped to bronze by Spain's Mireia Belmonte Garcia. Fellow Briton Aimee Willmott, 23, finished seventh. Miley, ranked second in the world behind 27-year-old Hosszu, said she had "nothing left" to stop Belmonte overtaking her on the final leg. "I could see her. I knew she was coming back at me. I gave everything I had," Miley, who won gold at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, told BBC Sport. "It is such a mixture of emotions. I was so close to getting it. It is happy and disappointment all coming together." Rebecca Adlington, double Olympic gold-medal winner Find out how to get into swimming with our special guide. "I am so angry. I was like, 'Hannah what were you doing?' In the last 50 metres, she did not breathe and look at Belmonte once. "If you know someone is coming up, you can give that extra tiny bit if you breathe and think 'she is right there'. "I am devastated for her because that was her opportunity. All she had to do was breathe once." Subscribe to the BBC Sport newsletter to get our pick of news, features and video sent to your inbox.

Summary: Hungarian swimmer Katinka Hosszu set a remarkable new world record as Britain missed out on a medal in the women's 400m individual medley at Rio 2016.


The pilgrims had been travelling through Mastung in Balochistan province on their way to the Iranian border when the attack happened. Several other people were injured, some critically, Pakistani media reported. No group has admitted carrying out the attack but police say they believe the motive was sectarian. Sunni and Shia extremists have frequently clashed and launched attacks on each other over the past 20 years. Bus driver Khushal Khan said his vehicle was stopped by eight to 10 men driving in two jeeps that came from the opposite direction. Mr Khan said the men ordered everybody out of the bus and made them stand in a line before spraying them with AK-47 rifle bursts. Women and children were among the 45 passengers. He said some managed to run away but others were shot. Six passengers who were injured were taken away for treatment. Police said the bus had come from the provincial capital Quetta and was heading for the border town of Taftan. It was the deadliest attack against Shias in Pakistan since a suicide bomber killed at least 57 people at a Shia rally in Quetta in September 2010. Shia Muslims are a minority in Pakistan. At least 13 people were killed when a suicide bomber struck in the car park of a Shia mosque in Quetta - capital of Balochistan province - during the Eid festival at the end of last month. The BBC's M Ilyas Khan in Islamabad says that responsibility for most attacks has been claimed by the Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LJ) sectarian outfit, a predominantly Punjabi group with links to al-Qaeda and the Taliban. Police in Balochistan have over the years arrested a number of LJ activists in connection with these attacks. Some of them have been sentenced to death or imprisonment by the courts. Our correspondent says both police and the Shia community believe the mastermind behind most of the recent attacks was an LJ commander, Osman Saifullah, who was arrested in 2006 but escaped from a maximum security anti-terrorism prison in the cantonment area of Quetta in 2008. Buses leave Quetta every day to carry pilgrims to the Shia holy sites in western Iran and parts of southern Iraq. They have been a target for many attacks by sectarian militants in recent years.

Summary: At least 26 Shia Muslim pilgrims have been killed by a group of gunmen who opened fire on a bus in western Pakistan, officials said.


Northampton Borough Council lent money to Northampton Town FC but work on the Sixfields Stadium stalled and the club has since been taken over. The council was in talks with the new owner about land around the ground. Mary Markham, Tory council leader, said: "The debt is still there and we will recover [it] through the land." The council, which owns the stadium site, made the deal with former club chairman David Cardoza so parts of the stadium could be rebuilt. Land around Sixfields was meant to be developed for leisure by the club to fund the repayment of the loan. Read more on this and other news from across Northamptonshire Construction work on the East Stand halted and the club said it could not repay the loan. The Buckingham Group, which was constructing the East Stand, said it had carried out £3m of work for which it had not been paid. It is in talks with the club's new owner Kelvin Thomas. Mrs Markham said: "We will do all in our power to recoup the money and pursue the people involved." A memorandum of understanding has been agreed between the council and Mr Thomas that would see Northampton Town's debt wiped out with the council acquiring the land around Sixfields for development in return. The football club has been asked to comment.

Summary: A council has said it has received a "number of offers" on land it claimed in return for an unpaid £10.25m loan for football stadium development.


Media playback is not supported on this device Goals from Divock Origi, Mamadou Sakho, Daniel Sturridge and Philippe Coutinho gave the hosts victory over the Toffees, who had Ramiro Funes Mori sent off five minutes into the second half. Martinez, under pressure after a run of just three wins in 10 games, said he was "embarrassed" by the performance. "It doesn't come any worse than that," he added. "Everything that could have gone wrong went wrong. The whole chain of events was horrific and it is a showing we need to forget as quickly as we can." Everton have not won at Anfield since 1999 and, after conceding two quick goals before half-time, they never looked like taking the three points on Wednesday. In the end the Reds had 37 shots on goal compared with just three for Everton, none of which were on target. "We know we shouldn't have put a show on like this," said Martinez. "Sometimes there are things in football that you can't control with events that go against you, but we brought that on to ourselves conceding those two goals in three minutes just before half-time and it's something we should be much better at." Martinez faces the task of picking up his players for Saturday's FA Cup semi-final with Manchester United at Wembley. Louis van Gaal's side have won five of their past six games, while Everton have not won since beating Chelsea in the quarter-finals on 12 March. "I think the game is so big at Wembley that it is a game they don't need lifting," added Martinez. "It's tough but we're going to face adversity as we have to do, as we always show with strong character, with strong responsibility. "We're going to make sure we make up for this performance today in front of our fans at Wembley." Martinez will be without defender Funes Mori for that game following his red card for standing on Origi's ankle. "Ramiro tries to win the ball. That is his intent - he doesn't try to hurt the player," said Martinez. "It is a mistimed challenge and at that time he gets Divock Origi's ankle. It could have been a yellow card, it could have been a red card. I can understand why the referee gave it. "Ramiro probably got carried away with the emotion of the derby." There could be a further concern for Martinez after fellow defender John Stones was substituted against Liverpool with a stomach problem. The Toffees finished the game with midfielders James McCarthy and Muhamed Besic in the centre of defence. "I don't like criticising managers as we have all been there but Roberto Martinez doesn't seem to have a plan B," former Everton midfielder Peter Reid told BBC Radio 5 live. "He goes 4-2-3-1 but you've got to have something else. People work you out." Never want to miss the latest Everton news? You can now add them and all the other sports and teams you follow to your personalised My Sport home.

Summary: Everton boss Roberto Martinez described Wednesday's 4-0 defeat at Liverpool as his worst moment at the club.


The small pieces of plastic commonly found in toothpaste, exfoliating body scrubs and other household products and are thought to damage the environment. Environmentalists fear they are building up in oceans and potentially entering the food chain. A consultation on how a ban would work will start later this year, Environment Secretary Andrea Leadsom has announced. A number of cosmetic companies have made voluntary commitments to phase out the use of microbeads by 2020. Products that contain the tiny bits of plastic won't necessarily say "microbeads" in the list of ingredients. Instead, look for the words polyethylene, polypropylene and polymethylmethacrylate - the chemical names for plastics. Nylon may also be listed as well as the abbreviations PET, PTFE and PMMA. There are several websites listing products that do and do not include plastic such as Beat the Microbead. It also has a free app where you can check products by scanning the barcode with your smartphone camera. Many cosmetics brands include information on their websites. Johnson & Johnson which produces face scrubs under the brands Neutrogena and Clean & Clear has committed to phasing out microbeads by the end of 2017. Proctor and Gamble which owns Crest toothpaste, Gillette and Olay, has also promised to stop using them by next year. Read more: Why are microbeads controversial? The House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee last month said the government needed to step in to protect the environment as soon as is practicable, after it was revealed a single shower can result in 100,000 plastic particles entering the ocean. Mrs Leadsom said: "Most people would be dismayed to know the face scrub or toothpaste they use was causing irreversible damage to the environment, with billions of indigestible plastic pieces poisoning sea creatures. "Adding plastic to products like face washes and body scrubs is wholly unnecessary when harmless alternatives can be used." She said it was the "next step in tackling microplastics in our seas" following the introduction of the 5p plastic bag charge, which was introduced in England in October. Professor Richard Thompson, a marine biologist from Plymouth University, welcomed the decision. He said: "Over 680 tonnes of mircrobeads are used in the UK alone every year. That's substantially more than all of the litter we pick up on our beaches in voluntary beach cleans each year, so it's not a trivial quantity. "The sooner we can make progress with avoidable, unnecessary emissions, because it's not clear to me at all why we need to cleanse ourselves by rubbing our skin with millions of small, plastic particles. What's the societal benefit there?" The environment committee's report suggested microplastic pollution could be more damaging to the environment than larger pieces of plastic because its size makes it more likely to be eaten by wildlife and then potentially enter the food chain. As an example, it said a plate of six oysters can contain up to 50 particles of plastic. More than 280 marine species have been found to ingest microplastics, but the committee said much more research was needed into plastic pollution because there

Summary: The UK government has announced plans to ban microbeads used in cosmetics and cleaning products by 2017.


Ex-Labour Northern Ireland Secretary Lord Hain said the peace process could "so easily unravel". He said the Brexit bill should be changed to support maintaining the open border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. A government minister said the government was committed to building on the peace process. They were speaking as peers debated the government's draft legislation that will authorise the UK's departure from the EU. Among several amendments that were proposed was Lord Hain's, to require the prime minister to support the maintenance of the open border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland as set out in the Good Friday Agreement. He said: "If the referendum means Brexit at any price it may well mean a dangerously high cost for the Northern Ireland peace process." "The settlement in Northern Ireland is built on a delicate balance of the three strands of the Good Friday Agreement - relationships within Northern Ireland, between Belfast and Dublin, and Dublin and London," Lord Hain told peers. "Brexit will test each of these relationships, and if the government pursues a hard Brexit it could do profound damage to all three." Any physical border will create ill-feeling and could destabilise the region and "unravel" the peace process, he warned. Northern Ireland Minister Lord Dunlop said the government was absolutely committed to maintaining and building upon the peace process. He said: "Nobody wants to see a return to the borders of the past." But he said the two-clause bill will simply trigger the Brexit process and did not need to be amended to enshrine a commitment to maintaining an open border, adding: "No such undertaking is necessary in this bill. "Particularly in light of the strong assurances I have given, and our desire to keep this bill clean and simple." Lord Hain, who withdrew his amendment in light of the minister's assurances, later attempted to amend the Brexit bill to keep the UK in the single market. After a debate, this was rejected by peers by 299 to 136. Other proposed amendments which will be considered by peers focus on the rights of EU nationals living in the UK to remain after Brexit, and calls by Labour for a "meaningful vote" on the deal reached after the negotiations. MPs have already voted in favour of the government's Brexit bill, which was drawn up after the Supreme Court ruled that Theresa May could not invoke Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty without consulting Parliament. If the Lords back any amendments to the legislation, it will return to the Commons where MPs will decide whether to accept peers' proposals.

Summary: Brexit could mean a "dangerously high cost" for peace in Northern Ireland, a former minister has warned.


Just over £7,900-worth of virtual currency has been moved from the Bitcoin address listed in the blackmail demand that appeared on hacked PCs. One expert said there was little doubt the funds had been tapped by those responsible for the crime. And it seems they have now made a fresh ransom demand. However, analysts suggest the move is intended to confuse investigations into the matter. In other related developments, Ukraine's interior minister has said the police managed to prevent a second wave of attacks by shutting down and confiscating computer servers used by a local software company, which is thought to have unwittingly helped the Petya-variant virus to spread. And after having repeatedly denied any involvement in the transmission of the malware, the developer Intellect Service has acknowledged an upgrade to its MeDoc tax software was indeed "contaminated", allowing the attack to be carried out. "As of today, every computer which is on the same local network as our product is a threat," the company's chief executive Olesya Bilousova told reporters. She added that one million computers in Ukraine had MeDoc installed on them. The police have recommended that everyone stops using the program and turns off computers that have it. Although the majority of the detected attacks occurred within Ukraine, according to analysis by security firm Eset the malware also affected businesses across the world. Their computers became inaccessible after the code spread over their internal networks, scrambling a part of the PCs' operating systems used to locate where files are stored. High-profile casualties included Nurofen-maker Reckitt Benckiser, Oreo cookie manufacturer Mondelez International, the shipping group Maersk and the advertising agency WPP. Most of those struck did not, however, pay the ransom demand. This was in part because the email address given by the attackers to contact them was shut down by its German operator. And until Tuesday, the funds that were raised lay dormant. But at 22:32 BST on Tuesday, three transfers were triggered. Two of these were sent to Bitcoin wallets used to collect donations to the PasteBin and DeepPaste text-sharing services - platforms often used by hackers to announce their activities. The third and largest of the transfers went to an address that had previously been empty. A little later, a post appeared on DeepPaste demanding 100 bitcoins ($256,300; £198,500) for a "private key to decrypt any hard disk" affected by the attack. "Unless the hackers gave away the Bitcoin account linked to the original ransom demand, only they could have moved the funds," Prof Alan Woodward from the University of Surrey told the BBC. "People are gobsmacked they have gone anywhere near it - they can't be daft enough to try and cash it out. "As far as we can tell, there's no way to actually decrypt affected PCs even if you paid the new demand. "So, it may be that they are trying to lead a false trail away from themselves." Ukraine has accused Russia of being involved in the attack, but the Kremlin has denied any responsibility. The news site Motherboard said it spoke to

Summary: The perpetrators of a recent cyber-attack that disrupted businesses across the world appear to have accessed the ransom payments they raised.


Crystalla Dean, 52, was last seen by her daughter at her home in Longsdale Crescent, Oban, at about 20:00 on 15 December. On 5 January a body was found on the shore at Ardmucknish Bay near Benderloch. Police said the body had now been formally identified as that of Ms Dean and her relatives had been informed. Following a post-mortem examination, the death is not being treated as suspicious. A large-scale search for Ms Dean took place, involving Police Scotland's mountain rescue team, the coastguard and the local mountain rescue team.

Summary: A body found in Argyll earlier this month has been confirmed as being that of a missing woman.


15 March 2016 Last updated at 07:19 GMT The Microtugs are a group of tiny robots who are being developed by a team of researchers from Stanford University in America. The scientists who invented them tried to mimic the way that certain animals move and work together, such as ants and geckos. On their own the Microtugs can move objects that are up to 2,000 times heavier than themselves, however the researchers decided to see if the robots could work together to pull even bigger and heavier objects. Six of the Microtugs were able to pull a full size car - which weighed about 1800kg - meaning that together the robots were able to move more than 3,000 times their combined body weight!

Summary: When you think about super-strong robots, these little guys might not come to mind - but they are the Hulks of the robot world!


The head of the mission, known as Minusma, called the killings in the town of Kidal a "barbaric crime". Saturday's fighting broke out between the army and Tuareg rebels during a visit by Prime Minister Moussa Mara. In 2012 a Tuareg rebellion in northern Mali triggered a military coup and an Islamist takeover of the region. Civilian rule was re-established in 2013, but Islamist and separatist forces remain active in some areas. During Saturday's fighting the rebels captured the local governor's office, seizing 28 people. Minusma head Albert Koenders called for an inquiry into the attack. Earlier, Mr Mara said his government was now "at war" with the separatists. The army said eight soldiers and 28 rebels were killed in Saturday's fighting, but the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA) rebels denied losing any fighters. Officials say that a Senegalese peacekeeper was also killed. Malian Defence Minister Soumeylou Boubeye Maiga has said reinforcements were being sent to Kidal. "We will double our troops on the ground if necessary," AFP news agency quoted him as saying. The rebels are from the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA). The United Nations is attempting to negotiate a truce between the Malian army and Tuareg rebels.

Summary: At least 17 people, including eight civilians, have been killed in an attack by rebels in northern Mali, officials say.


Miller's converted try and a Jimmy Gopperth penalty put Wasps 10-3 up at the break after Saints' Stephen Myler kicked the first points of the game. Myler swapped penalties with Elliot Daly before Miller grabbed his second. Daly's long-range penalty and Jamie Stevenson's try ensured Wasps moved to within two points of second place. They are also now seven points clear of fourth-placed Leicester Tigers with just three games remaining. With fifth-placed Saints facing Leicester in their next league outing on 16 April, Wasps are on the verge of making their own top-four Premiership spot secure and are well set to earn a home semi-final date. The win against a below-par Northampton was not convincing until the latter stages, with a combination of some spirited defence, sloppy Saints handling and the distance kicking of Daly keeping them in front. Miller's first-half try, following a slick move from a break from deep inside their own half, helped to establish a seven-point interval lead. Despite not being at their best, a Saints side that lost England prop Kieran Brookes and replacement scrum-half Lee Dickson to head injuries kept probing and stayed within touching distance. And it was not until Miller crossed for his second try on 66 minutes, running a brilliant line from George Smith's inviting pass, that the game was made safe. Replacement scrum-half Stevenson's score in the final minute gave hope of a four-try bonus-point win, but the home side had to make do with four points. Wasps director of rugby Dai Young: "We didn't play anywhere near our best and have played a lot better this season. We were edgy and snapped at things. "Of course we're happy with the win, but it's tinged with frustration over the way we played. "We realise that this performance will not be good enough against Exeter. There are lots of things for us to work on and get right." Northampton director of rugby Jim Mallinder: "Lee and Kieran are up and about. We will have to go through the protocols and hopefully they won't have any symptoms. "I can't remember a period when we have had so many concussions, but I guess that is what happens. We will have to battle on. "Dylan (Hartley) is getting better. We are not sure when he will return, but hopefully we will get him doing some exercise this week." Wasps: Miller; Wade, Daly, S Piutau, Halai; Gopperth, Hampson; Mullan (capt), Johnson, Cooper-Woolley, Launchbury, Davies, Young, Smith, Hughes. Replacements: Festuccia, McIntyre, Cittadini, Myall, Haskell, Stevenson, Jackson, Tagicakibau. Northampton Saints: Foden; K Pisi, G Pisi, Mallinder, North, Myler, Fotuali'i; Waller, Haywood, Brookes, Lawes, Day, Wood (capt), Harrison, Dickinson. Replacements: Marshall, Ma'afu, Hill, Craig, Fisher, Dickson, Hanrahan, Collins.

Summary: Rob Miller scored two tries as Wasps beat Northampton to boost their top-four hopes while also sealing leaders Saracens' place in the play-offs.


Official figures have shown a total of 72.4% of red calls were reached within eight minutes in December. It follows a new year-long pilot to test changes to the Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust's patient response. In November, nearly 71% of code red calls were responded to compared with the 65% target. The new pilot, implemented in October, measures the results of treatment and patients' overall experience in a bid to make sure they receive the most appropriate care. The Emergency Ambulance Services Committee, which oversees the compilation of the data, said Wales now has the most detailed information on ambulance performance across the UK. The new data, for October to December, showed that out of 69,686 patients taken to hospital or another destination by ambulance, the vast majority - 63,694 - went to A&E. Ambulance crew handed over 58.2% of cases to hospital staff within the target time of 15 minutes, yet 12,233 hours were lost due to delays. Since a new traffic light system for grading calls was introduced, call centre staff have been given more time to determine the nature of the emergency. Of the total number of emergency calls received in December, 1,927 (5.0%) were red - "immediately life threatening" - the figures showed. Of those, more than 90% of red calls received a response within 15 minutes, but seven responses took longer than 30 minutes to arrive. Amber calls, deemed serious but not life threatening, do not have a target time but 65% were responded to within 15 minutes and 23 seconds. Emergency response time figures for November cannot be compared to December's as revised changes where introduced on 11 November, meaning a 999 call is now upgraded to a red category if the patient deteriorates. Tracy Myhill, chief executive of the Welsh Ambulance Service, said they were "committed to learning and improving from this pilot as we move forward". Deputy health minister Vaughan Gething said it was "encouraging" to see "continuing improvement". "The new clinical response model is helping to ensure people get the right care, in the right place, at the right time," he said. However, he called for improvements in Powys and Hywel Dda health boards' performances, as both failed to reach the 65% emergency response target. Welsh Liberal Democrats leader Kirsty Williams has criticised the variation in response times across Wales, adding: "Labour ministers need to address this imbalance quickly."

Summary: New data measuring how effectively ambulance staff in Wales deal with 999 calls has been published for the first time.


The growing problem needs "an urgent response" coordinated by the Home Office, NAO head Sir Amyas Morse said. Almost two million cyber-related fraud incidents were estimated to have taken place last year, it added. The Home Office said government, the police and industry were working together to tackle the problem. Sir Amyas said the Home Office, while not solely responsible for tackling the issue, was the only organisation that could oversee the system and lead change. The Home Office's Joint Fraud Taskforce, which was launched in February 2016, was a positive step "but there is still much work to be done", he said. "At this stage it is hard to judge that the response to online fraud is proportionate, efficient or effective." Analysis: BBC home affairs correspondent Danny Shaw According to the Office for National Statistics, fraud is now the most commonly experienced crime in England and Wales, with most offences committed online. But the National Audit Office says only one in every 150 police officers specialises in fraud - and it doesn't even feature in a third of the policing plans issued by local police and crime commissioners. The NAO also criticises a Home Office taskforce set up last year to tackle online fraud, saying it's too focused on banking, lacks proper governance and hasn't established measures for its performance. The Home Office says the taskforce is making a positive difference but it acknowledges there's more to do. In the year to 30 September 2016, the Office for National Statistics estimated there were 1.9 million cyber-fraud incidents in England and Wales, or 16% of all estimated crime incidents. Online fraud includes criminals accessing citizens' and businesses' bank accounts, using their credit card details, or tricking them into transferring money. The report said: "Fraud is now the most commonly experienced crime in England and Wales, is growing rapidly and demands an urgent response. "Yet fraud is not a strategic priority for local police forces and the response from industry is uneven." The Home Office said that tackling online fraud "demands a collaborative and innovative response to keep pace with the emerging threat", which is why it had launched the Joint Fraud Taskforce. Improved data-sharing between banks and law enforcement had closed thousands of accounts linked to fraud, it said, adding that it was working with Financial Fraud Action UK on its Take Five to Stop Fraud awareness campaign. Tom Ironside of the British Retail Consortium said: "The retail industry strongly supports a much closer partnership between the government, law enforcement and industry to tackle online fraud."

Summary: Online fraud has been "overlooked" by the government, police and business, according to public spending watchdog the National Audit Office.


It follows concerns changes proposed by the UK's Food Standards Agency (FSA) could undermine the "scores on doors" scheme in Wales. In November 2013, Wales became the first UK nation to require food outlets to display their inspection ratings. The FSA is considering allowing third party auditors to be brought in to make much more limited inspections of premises. Senior officers in Wales are concerned the changes are fuelled by a need for councils in England to make savings - something the FSA has denied - and believe they would undermine the improvements in Wales. Mark Elliott, from the Directors of Public Protection in Wales, said: "We should in Wales really consider a Wales-specific solution now, to build on what we've done, and not mess up what we've already got." The FSA said the proposed new system would give a better picture about a premises' standards every day - rather than just on the day they are inspected - by taking their own audits and systems into account. It has also been suggested food businesses should have to pay for a licence before they could open. A Welsh Government spokesman said: "We will continue to collaborate with the FSA and local authorities to develop a sustainable approach to food business regulation that works across Wales and which reflects the need to ensure that the highest standards of food hygiene and safety are maintained."

Summary: Calls have been made for Wales to have greater control over food hygiene.


An estimated 250 people made the journey from Wales to the holy city of Mecca, near where the incident happened on Thursday. The Muslim Council of Wales (MCW) had difficultly contacting some groups from Cardiff, Newport and Swansea. All have now confirmed they are safe. MCW general secretary Saleem Kidwai said he had made contact with all group leaders from Wales, and all those on the pilgrimages have been accounted for. The MCW's director of projects Mohammed Alamgir said he is now ensuring adequate support services are available to the returning parties through its network of chaplains and Imams. "There was great concern for families and many members of the Welsh Muslim community waited anxiously for news of their loved ones and friends. Prayers were offered across Wales hoping for good news," he said on Sunday. "We all now wait for the outcome of the investigation launched by the Saudi government and hope for further safeguards to ensure the safety of pilgrims." Along with those killed, a further 863 people were injured in the incident at Mina, which happened as two million pilgrims were taking part in the Hajj's last major rite.

Summary: All groups from Wales making the Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia where a stampede killed at least 717 have been accounted for, a Muslim leader has said.


Researchers in the US found that high doses of these supplements may "completely offset" the damage caused by very fine particulate matter. The scientists involved say the effect is real but stress the limitations of their work. Follow up studies are urgently needed, they say, in heavily polluted cities like Beijing or Mexico. While the impacts of air pollution on health have become a cause of growing concern to people all around the world, the actual mechanics of exactly how dirty air makes people sick are not clearly understood. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), over 90% of the world's population live in areas where air pollution exceeds safety guidelines. One of the pollutants that is considered the most dangerous is very fine particulate matter, referred to as PM2.5, where particles have a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometres. These complex particulates come from diesel cars, wood burning stoves and as a by-product of chemical reactions between other polluting gases. At around 1/30 the width of a human hair, PM2.5 fragments can lodge deep in the human lung and contribute to lung and heart health issues in the young and old. Scientists have long suspected that PM2.5 causes what are termed epigenetic changes in our cells that can damage our health. The genes in our DNA contain the instructions for life, but epigenetics controls how those instructions are used - it's like the relationship between an mp3 track and the volume control, you can only hear the musical notes (genes) when you dial up the volume (epigenetic changes). The study shows the very presence of environmental factors like air pollution seems to alter genes in the immune system at the epigenetic level - switching them on or off, and inhibiting our defences. Researchers had already seen that nutrients could somehow stop this process in animal studies with the chemical Bisphenol A. Now in this new human trial, an international team of scientists wanted to see if exposure to concentrations of PM2.5 could be mitigated by a daily B vitamin supplement containing 2.5mg of folic acid, 50mg of vitamin B6, and 1mg of vitamin B12. Ten volunteers were tested initially exposed to clean air while given a placebo to measure their basic responses. The same volunteers were later tested with large doses of B vitamins while exposed to air containing high levels of PM2.5. The researchers found that a four week B vitamin supplementation limited the PM2.5 effect by between 28-76% at ten gene locations. They found a similar reduction in impact on the mitochondrial DNA, the parts of cells that generate energy. "Where we quantify the effect, it is almost close to a complete offset on the epigenome of the air pollution," said Jia Zhong from Harvard School of Public Health, who led the study. "On the mitochondrial DNA side, it also offset a big proportion of it." However, the authors caution that their study, while observing a real effect, has many limitations. As well as the small number of participants, there was little information on the size of the B

Summary: B vitamins may offer some protection against the impacts of air pollution, a small scale human trial suggests.


following a breach of club discipline at Posh. Peterborough boss Darren Ferguson has said he does not see a future for the forward at London Road. "Obviously I'm contracted there so that is my parent club," Barnett told BBC Radio Suffolk. "But if I could get away I would be delighted." Barnett's Posh exit came after he and winger Nathaniel Mendez-Laing, now on loan at Portsmouth, were "There's always regrets because I didn't want to leave the club in the way that I did," he said. "I'd rather it be on good terms. But that's life. You take it, get on with it and hopefully I can move on." Barnett has said supporters at his new club should not base their perception of his character on the manner of his Peterborough exit. "I'd say take it with a pinch of salt. The lads and people who know me know I'm not a troublemaker or whatever people want to come up with," he said. "When you get to know me I'm an all right guy." The former Macclesfield frontman switched to Peterborough from Crawley in a club-record £1m move in February and went on to score four goals in 13 games. But, after netting just once in 10 this term, he hopes to contribute the goals Town need to haul themselves out of the Championship relegation zone. "I want to play as many games as I can and hopefully prove myself at this level," he said. "I'm fairly confident I can get goals. I just need to get a few more games under my belt, get to know the lads a bit better and I'm confident in my ability. It's got me this far."

Summary: Ipswich Town striker Tyrone Barnett has said he would be "delighted" if he never returned to Peterborough United.


Mike Brandon, 31, from Bristol, is being treated in Philadelphia after his British consultant said all NHS routes were "exhausted". Kate Brandon said it had been "by far the hardest three weeks of our lives." She said her husband had spent the last week in intensive care but was now back on the "wonderful oncology unit". Mr Brandon was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia two years ago. In May, his wife raised enough money using a social media campaign to fund his taking part in "revolutionary" cancer trials at the University of Pennsylvania. Mrs Brandon said: "We were told that paradoxically the sicker that people become during this treatment, the more likely they are to have a good outcome. "This knowledge has helped carry us through this excruciatingly difficult time. Boy, did our boy get sick." Mr Brandon said: "There are plenty of things about a leukaemia diagnosis that are tough: the constant worry about things that may never happen, the strain of the things that have definitely happened, and the stress it places on those closest to me. "When my leukaemia relapsed in March, we were told that it was time to plan our last days together, but Kate point blank refused. We would fight on, and we have."

Summary: A man with a rare type of leukaemia whose wife raised £400,000 to cover his medical costs in the USA is "well under way" with his cancer treatment.


Its survey of 1,600 cities in 91 countries revealed that nearly 90% of people in urban centres breathe air that fails to meet levels deemed safe. The WHO says that about half of the world's urban population is exposed to pollution at least 2.5 times higher than it recommends. Air quality was poorest in Asia, followed by South America and Africa. "Too many urban centres today are so enveloped in dirty air that their skylines are invisible," said Dr Flavia Bustreo, the WHO's assistant director-general for family, children and women's health. "Not surprisingly, this air is dangerous to breathe." Health risks The WHO currently sets safe levels of air quality based on the concentration of polluting particles called particulate matter (PM) found in the air. It recommends that levels of fine particles called PM2.5 should not be more than 10 micrograms per cubic metre on average over a year, and slightly larger pollutants, called PM10, should not reach more than 20 micrograms per cubic metre on average. But the Urban Air Quality database showed that many areas were breaching these levels. Some cities in Asia showed extremely high levels of pollution. Peshawar in Pakistan registered a PM10 level of 540 micrograms per cubic metre over a period of two months in 2010, while Delhi in India had an average PM2.5 of 153 micrograms per cubic metre in the same year. Cities in South America, including Rio De Janeiro in Brazil, also fared badly. But the WHO says it is still lacking data, especially from cities in Africa, where poor air quality is a growing concern. The most recent figures suggest that seven million people around the world died as a result of air pollution in 2012. It is estimated that 3.7 million of these deaths were from outdoor air pollution. The WHO calls its the world's single largest environmental health risk, and links poor air quality to heart disease, respiratory problems and cancer. "We cannot buy clean air in a bottle, but cities can adopt measures that will clean the air and save the lives of their people," said Dr Carlos Dora from the WHO. Follow Rebecca on Twitter

Summary: The World Health Organization says air pollution in many of the world's cities is breaching its guidelines.


The authority has reduced the frequency of grass cutting to save money. But it has led to complaints from residents, with the overgrowth said to be "destroying" people's final resting places. The council said it has brought forward its next scheduled cut in many locations. Councillor Dilwyn Lloyd has received complaints about a park in his ward of Talysarn. He said the long grass posed a risk to the public. Meanwhile, Nerys Owen-Jones recently visited her mother's grave at Coetmor cemetery in Bethesda and was "deeply saddened" by what she saw. "I drove up to my mum who thankfully has my father maintaining her plot, but apart from a few others, it's all overgrown," she said. "There are a few there that I know will never be looked after as there are no children and the wives/husbands are not capable. "It's so very sad that your last resting place ends up under council cutbacks and the visiting place for families is destroyed." She added: "The grass cutting service needs to be reinstated immediately. It's a disgrace." In March Gwynedd council approved a programme of service cuts totalling Â£4.94m. It included an option to reduce the frequency of grass cutting. A council spokesman said: "It must unfortunately be accepted that less frequent grass cutting will inevitably lead to a deterioration in the tidiness of some areas during certain times of the year. "However, the very recent spate of growth means that the council has brought forward the next scheduled cut in may locations throughout the county, and this work is being carried out as quickly as possible."

Summary: Gwynedd council has been criticised for not cutting the grass in its cemeteries, play areas and open spaces.


Dapp, which runs education and health projects in the African country, has received millions of pounds in the last decade from the UK, EU and Unicef. It is connected to the Teachers Group, whose leaders are wanted by Interpol over fraud allegations. British officials have suspended funding and launched an investigation. The move follows an investigation by the BBC and its US partners into Dapp Malawi, the Malawian branch of charity Development Aid from People to People. Dapp is one of the major NGOs active in Malawi, providing a range of aid projects from farming to health and education. The BBC found that part of the funding it received found its way to the Teachers Group, with some Dapp staff handing over as much as 30% of their monthly salary to the group. Founded in the 1970s, for years the Teachers Group has run a government-funded alternative school system, but in 2001 the Danish authorities raided its offices and charged its founder Mogens Amdi Petersen with fraud. Found not guilty in 2006, he and some of his associates immediately left the country, but prosecutors appealed and the group are now wanted by Interpol. It is thought they may have taken refuge in a massive luxury compound, worth an estimated Â£20m, on the Pacific coast in Mexico. In a statement, the Department for International Development urged the BBC to share all the information it obtained during its investigation into Dapp and Teachers Group, which included interviews with Dapp workers and Teachers Group members. "Payments to Dapp have been suspended and we encourage the BBC to share their evidence in full."

Summary: The UK government is to stop giving money to a charity in Malawi following a BBC investigation which found it was under the control of a cult-like group.


The principal of Saint Ignatius College in the northern Sydney suburb of Riverview has informed former and current pupils of the allegations. Paul Hine said in his letter that the allegations concerned "child sexual abuse over 30 years ago". The Roman Catholic college is among the country's top private schools. Mr Hine said the college was assisting New South Wales police with the complaint, which was made to the standards office of the Australian Province of the Society of Jesuits, the owners of the school. In a statement, Mr Hine said: "The College and the Jesuits wish to express, in the strongest possible terms, their abhorrence of sexual misconduct or any form of abuse involving children. "We wish to respond to past abuse and suffering with a commitment to healing, openness and accountability." Mr Hine also encouraged any person who "believed they were harmed" while in the care of the school to get in touch. As well as Mr Abbott, the school was attended by Barnaby Joyce, the minister for agriculture, and Anthony Fisher, who is archbishop of Sydney. In 1997, Peter Bohrsmann, a 57-year-old teacher at the school, took his own life on school grounds after he was accused of sexual abuse. Bohrsmann had denied the allegations. Australia's Royal Commission is currently investigating allegations of child sexual abuse at a variety of institutions including schools, churches, and orphanages. The Commission's inquiry was launched by former Prime Minister Julia Gillard in 2013.

Summary: Police in Australia have received allegations of sexual abuse at a school attended by Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott.


Officers were called to a property in Fore Street, Chudleigh, on Monday evening. The injured 20-year-old, who was taken to Plymouth's Derriford Hospital after the assault, has since been discharged. Devon and Cornwall Police said a 25-year-old man has been arrested and believe the assault was an "isolated incident".

Summary: A man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after another man was found with stab wounds in a Devon town.


The 29-year-old, competing in her first international sprint regatta, came second in the K1 1,000 event in Montemor-o-Velho. Broughton said: "I was happy to get out there and put a good race together. "I'm always a bit slow off the start so I knew I had to stick at my own thing but I knew in the middle it would all settle down."

Summary: Great Britain's Lizzie Broughton has won silver at the Canoe Sprint World Cup in Portugal.


Spencer White, from the Witterings area of Chichester, absconded from HMP Ford in West Sussex in July 1999. The 39-year-old, who was convicted of kidnapping an adult, disappeared eight months into a three-year sentence. After being recognised at Lanzarote Airport on 19 September he was stopped, detained and flown back to the UK. At Chichester Crown Court on 23 October he admitted escaping lawful custody. He was sentenced to 16 months, to be served on top of the two years and four months he had remaining on his original sentence. Police believe White had been living in the Republic of Ireland and was intending to take a short break in the Canary Islands. Sussex Police confirmed White had not been returned to HMP Ford, a jail which accommodates up to 557 inmates with less than two years left to serve. In November 2013, police found there were a number of absconders whose cases had not been regularly reviewed. A dedicated team was set up to review each case and in September 2014 Sussex Police said there were 83 Ford prisoners on the run. PC Lewis Dines, from the investigation team, said: "Spencer White has been a priority to locate from the moment he absconded but he evaded immediate capture and disappeared [from] our radar. "Within the last year we received information about his possible location and were able to secure a European Arrest Warrant so he could be arrested if found outside the UK. "His capture and additional sentence send a message that we will not give up seeking absconders and when we put them back in front of the court they can expect further punishment."

Summary: A man who fled from an open prison 16 years ago is back in custody after he was caught trying to take a holiday in Lanzarote, police have said.


Nigel Wilson, 42, from Bingham, near Nottingham, appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court accused of 17 breaches of the Air Navigation Order. It is the first prosecution of its kind in England to follow a police-led investigation. Mr Wilson admitted two counts, but will go on trial for the remaining 15. Mr Wilson, of Rockingham Grove, admitted two counts of not maintaining visual, unaided contact with an unmanned surveillance aircraft to monitor its flight path. They relate to incidents over the north bank of the River Thames on September 27 and during Manchester City v Tottenham Hotspur at the Etihad Stadium, Manchester on October 18. He denied other charges of flying a "small unmanned surveillance aircraft" without permission during football matches at various grounds. They included Arsenal's Emirates Stadium, Liverpool's Anfield ground as well as Nottingham Forest's City Ground, Derby County's iPro stadium and the King Power Stadium in Leicester. The charges also claim he breached regulations by failing to maintain direct visual contact with the drone as he flew it near landmarks including Buckingham Palace and the Palace of Westminster. The majority of the offences are said to have happened in September last year. Prosecutor Edward Aydin said: "These were extremely busy areas. "The fear of the police and the Civil Aviation Authority is that it [the drone] is going to fall out of the sky and hit someone." The Civil Aviation Authority successfully brought two similar cases to court in 2013 and 2014. However, this is the first time someone has been prosecuted by the Crown Prosecution Service after a police operation. Mr Wilson is due to appear at the same court on Friday so that a date for his trial can be set.

Summary: A man alleged to have illegally flown a camera drone over packed football stadiums and London tourist attractions has appeared in court.


Images appeared to show Drissa Traore, Brandon Ormonde-Ottewill and Jeremy Balmy taking the legal high, commonly known as laughing gas, via balloons. Swindon suspended the trio on 7 April and, following a club investigation, a statement said: "Swindon Town now consider this matter to be closed. "The three first-team players have been fined for their actions." The statement added: "The trio acknowledge that their actions were wrong and would like to apologise to their team mates, the club's staff and the supporters. "They are keen to move on from this issue and get back to training to help the team as quickly as possible. All three will be considered for selection once again this weekend." Head coach Luke Williams told BBC Wiltshire: "They will be available (on Saturday) because they will have served their suspension time but the boys will have to earn their right to be back in the matchday squad. "I should think there's a level of conditioning that they've now lost because they have not been training for a fortnight, so they'll have to be re-conditioned. "They'll have to show in training every day that they're desperately trying to make up for what they've done." Swindon host Chesterfield in League One on Saturday.

Summary: Swindon Town have fined three players after they appeared to inhale nitrous oxide in a live social media video.


North Wales Fire and Rescue Service responded to reports of a fire and smoke at an aluminium works at London Road, Holyhead, at 03:29 BST. The A55 was closed for a short time between J1 A5 Victoria Road and London Road and J3 A5 (Valley) due to concerns about a risk of further explosions, said North Wales Police. One fire crew remains at the scene. Multiple agencies attended the site and, after checks, it was declared safe and roads were reopened, a police spokesman said.

Summary: Fire crews have been called to several reports of an explosion at Anglesey.


The suspects reportedly used automatic weapons and an anti-tank missile in the heist last September. Their colleagues in the police helped identify them to investigators, said Dragan Lukak, interior minister of Bosnia's Serb-run region. Two other people have been arrested for alleged involvement in the raid. Money on board the armoured vehicle belonged to a subsidiary of UniCredit, Italy's top bank. A security guard was injured in the robbery. Mr Lukak said the suspects, if found guilty, would have "disgraced... their unit and the whole police force". Bosnia is administered under two entities, the Muslim-Croat Federation and the Serb Republic, each with their own police force.

Summary: Five members of Bosnia's special police have been held over an armed raid on a bank van that netted 617,000 marka ($344,000; Â£241,000), officials say.


The 21-year-old, who can also play in midfield, scored twice in 33 games after joining Posh from Hartlepool for £500,000 in September 2014. But he did not figure last season and spent the first half of the campaign with Bradford City, before returning to Pools on loan in February. James has signed with an option to make the move permanent next May. He is Darrell Clarke's third new signing of the summer for Rovers, who have won promotion in the last two seasons, following Plymouth Argyle central defender Peter Hartley and Port Vale winger Byron Moore. "He's only 21 but already has the benefit of over 150 league games behind him," said Clarke. "They sold him to Peterborough for a £500,000 fee and he has since been out on loan at Bradford City and back at Hartlepool. "I thought he was Pools' best player when they came to The Mem last season. I've watched him on a number of occasions in the last few years. He's always impressed me with his work rate and I believe I can get him scoring goals." Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page.

Summary: Bristol Rovers have signed forward Luke James on a season-long loan from fellow League One side Peterborough United.


Its subsidiary, Tesco Stores Ltd, reached what's known as a deferred prosecution agreement with the Serious Fraud Office after a two-year probe. Tesco said there was "regret" over the issues of 2014 and said it has been working hard to "restore trust". The firm also agreed with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to spend £85m on compensating investors. The money will go to those who bought shares or bonds between 29 August and 19 September in 2014. Those investors would have had misleading information from a trading statement on 29 August, which gave a rosier assessment of its performance than was actually the case. Tesco issued a corrected statement before the markets opened on Monday 22 September, which estimated it had overstated profits by about £250m. The revelation sent the retailer's share price plunging and sparked two internal inquiries. Even that was not the full story, the overstatement was subsequently revised up to £326m. The compensation order is a first for the FCA, although it has not imposed its own penalty, and Tesco has accepted the regulator's finding of "market abuse". The SFO said Tesco had co-operated with the investigation and had undergone an "extensive" period of change. Tesco's current chief executive, Dave Lewis, said: "Over the last two-and-a-half years, we have fully co-operated with this investigation into historic accounting practices, while at the same time fundamentally transforming our business. "We sincerely regret the issues which occurred in 2014 and we are committed to doing everything we can to continue to restore trust in our business and brand." A Deferred Prosecution Agreement (DPA) is a fairly new way (introduced in February 2014) of punishing a company for criminal behaviour without the collateral damage of a conviction. DPAs may be fairly new, but they are instruments the SFO is warming to. Just last month it announced a DPA with Rolls-Royce which saw the company pay a UK fine of £500m. In that case, the judge agreed that a criminal conviction for the company could disbar it from securing contracts - particularly in the US - which in turn could threaten the jobs of thousands of UK workers. A DPA also avoids lengthy and costly trials and puts the offending company on probation to ensure full co-operation in the future. It also does NOT mean that individuals escape scot free while shareholders pay the price for their conduct. Three former executives from Tesco face criminal proceedings. The SFO also quizzed the former chief executive Phil Clarke, before dropping any further action against him. Read more from Simon here: The DPA with Tesco Stores still needs approval by the High Court, which is scheduled to make its decision on 10 April. This potential DPA agreement only covers Tesco Stores and does not address whether liability of any sort applies to the larger international group Tesco plc or any of its employees. To pay for the penalty, compensation scheme and related costs Tesco will charge £235m to its results for the 2016-17 financial year, which are due to be published on 12 April. Tesco shares were

Summary: Tesco has agreed to pay a fine of £129m to avoid prosecution for overstating its profits in 2014.


Detectives say significant efforts were made to conceal the body, which was discovered on Tuesday night. Alice's family have been informed. Formal identification is yet to take place and a post-mortem examination is due to be held later, police said. Convicted murderer Arnis Zalkalns, 41, from Latvia, remains the prime suspect. He was filmed cycling along the Grand Union Canal 15 minutes after Alice had walked along it, on 28 August. It is the last known sighting of the 14-year-old. The body was found in the nearby River Brent. Mr Zalkalns has been missing from his Ealing home since 3 September. Speaking outside Scotland Yard earlier, Commander Graham McNulty said: "We are unable to make a formal identification at this stage, but clearly this news is devastating for everyone involved in the search for Alice. "At this time my thoughts are with Alice's family and friends." He urged anyone with information to come forward, saying it was not too late. "I would like to thank the local community of Ealing who have shown huge support and patience during the course of our investigation. This discovery will have a significant impact throughout the borough," Cdr McNulty said. "You only need to walk around the surrounding streets to see the effect that Alice's disappearance has had on the whole community." Lauren Turner, BBC News Two women, dressed in black save for the yellow ribbon that has served as a symbol of hope for Alice Gross, walk down Hanwell's Greenford Avenue as they carry out a sombre task. One has tears in her eyes as she methodically rips the pieces of paper from lampposts and trees - the missing posters bearing Alice's image. For this community, which rallied together in the wake of the teenager's disappearance, the discovery of a body in the River Brent has cast the darkest shadow. In a local supermarket, the talk has been about the sadness everyone feels at the latest development. The shopkeeper said: "I feel very very sad. Especially for her mum. "I am a mother too - I have a 14-year-old boy. I really feel for her." Grief in Hanwell as body found Cdr McNulty read the statement out at 06:30 BST. BBC News reporter Jon Brain, who was at Scotland Yard, said: "The body hasn't been identified yet but you can be rest assured that detectives would not be holding a press conference at this time of day if they weren't absolutely convinced that it is Alice's body." He added detectives' main priority now is to find Mr Zalkalns and to ask him about his movements on that day and what he knows about Alice's disappearance and possible murder. The family's local MP, Stephen Pound, who lives near to the family in Hanwell, said there was an "an incredible sense of sadness" He said there was also "anger that we're dealing with a pretty cold, cunning predator here - someone who has concealed a body in a particularly effective way. "This is a pretty horrific business but now - our thoughts have to be with the

Summary: The disappearance of teenager Alice Gross is now being treated by police as a murder inquiry after a body was found in a west London river.


The Stags have an option of signing a permanent deal with the 22-year-old striker. Coulthirst, a graduate of Tottenham's academy, made just one first-team appearance while at White Hart Lane. The striker also had loan spells with Leyton Orient, Torquay, Southend, York and Wigan. Coulthirst will join his former team-mate Hayden White at Field Mill, after he was signed on loan from Posh a week ago. Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page or visit our Premier League tracker here.

Summary: League Two side Mansfield Town have signed Peterborough United forward Shaquile Coulthirst on loan until the end of the season.


The Conservative-led authority made the announcement as part of plans to save Â£55m during 2011-12. The council, which has nearly 15,000 employees, plans to save Â£7m by cutting senior management, freezing recruitment and renegotiating contracts. Liberal Democrat councillor Keith House said the council was in "financial chaos" after it failed to plan ahead. The Winchester-based council employs about 40,000 people. Excluding teaching staff, who will not be affected, there are 14,990 people in 11,182 full-time posts. The cuts represent about 8% of the workforce. It has blamed the cuts on a reduction of Â£30.9m (14.3%) in its government grant, following the Spending Review. Peter Terry, of public sector Unison, called the cuts "unnecessary" and said strike action could not be ruled out. "It's quite devastating news for us, for the staff who work for the county council and for the communities that rely on the council's services," he said. "This council has decided upon itself to roll out four years of cuts into two. "It's a double whammy and has been made twice as bad for the people of Hampshire." Mr House, leader of the council's opposition, said it was "unrealistic" for the council to blame the coalition government "It should have been obvious to the council leadership way before the election that there would be some devastating times ahead," he added. "They should have planned ahead. "Residents are going to see that some services are going to stop and others will get worse, across the country, month by month, more and more will change." Jane Frankum, the council's only Labour councillor, said the authority had chosen to "cut deeper and faster" than was really needed. Council leader Ken Thornber told the BBC he expected "anxious months" of talks with unions. He reassured residents budgets for child protection, highways maintenance and schools will be protected. Council tax will also be frozen at last year's levels. "One could point the finger at the last government who spent money that it was going out of style and we could point the finger at the bankers," he told the BBC. "But quite frankly, what I have got to do is to take what the government say should be our reduction and work to it. "I don't remember in 30 years of service anything remotely like the difficulty we are in at the moment." The budget is expected to be approved by the full council on 24 February.

Summary: Union bosses said 1,200 job losses at Hampshire County Council would lead to "inferior services" to communities.


"The world is watching. The use of chemical weapons is and would be totally unacceptable," said Mr Obama. A Syrian official has insisted it would "never, under any circumstances" use such weapons, "if such weapons exist". Meanwhile, the United Nations says it is pulling "all non-essential international staff" out of Syria. As many as 25 out of 100 international staff could leave this week, the UN news agency Irin reported, while all humanitarian missions outside Damascus will be halted for the time being. In a speech on nuclear non-proliferation at the National Defense University in Fort McNair, Mr Obama said: "We've worked to keep weapons from spreading, whether it was nuclear material in Libya or nor chemical weapons in Syria. Sources: CSIS, RUSI Could US remove Syria chemical weapons? "We simply cannot allow the 21st century to be darkened by the worse weapons of the 20th century." "And today I want to make it absolutely clear to Assad and anyone who is under his command... If you make the tragic mistake of using these weapons there will be consequences and you will be held accountable." But Damascus rejected allegations it was preparing to use such weapons. A foreign ministry spokesman was quoted by state television as saying: "Syria confirms repeatedly it will never, under any circumstances, use chemical weapons against its own people, if such weapons exist." Syria is believed to hold chemical weapons - including mustard gas and sarin, a highly toxic nerve agent - at dozens of sites around the country. The CIA has said those weapons "can be delivered by aircraft, ballistic missile, and artillery rockets". One unnamed US official spoke to the New York Times of "potential chemical weapon preparation". The White House says the level of concern was such that Washington is preparing contingency plans. By Kim GhattasBBC News, Washington The Obama administration is concerned about the possibility that the Assad government might use chemical weapons in last desperate stand. But the US is just as worried about the weapons falling in the wrong heads if central authority collapses. Washington has been working on contingency planning since the summer, when Mr Obama first warned that Syria's use of chemical weapons would cross a red line and could change his calculus about intervention. The US has been co-ordinating with allies in the region like Jordan and Israel about plans to secure the weapons in the event Mr Assad falls. Although the US will not give details about its planning, it's thought that securing the sites would require thousands of ground troops. The state department also said the US is speaking to the Syrian opposition about how the rebels should handle and help secure the WMDs if they gain access to them. The crisis in Syria had increased the risk of humanitarian workers in the country due to the increased risk of indiscriminate shooting by fighting forces., said Sabir Mughal, the UN's chief security adviser in Syria. The European Union, which has a diplomatic office in the Syrian capital, has confirmed it too is "to reduce activities in Damascus

Summary: US President Barack Obama has warned Syrian President Bashar al-Assad he will face "consequences" if he uses chemical weapons against his people.


Prince William held talks with President Obama in the Oval Office, in advance of delivering a speech to the World Bank on wildlife crime. During the speech, he described the illegal wildlife trade as "one of the most insidious forms of corruption and criminality in the world today". His wife, the Duchess of Cambridge, visited a New York children's centre. The couple arrived in New York on Sunday night, with the prince travelling to Washington alone on Monday. At the White House, the prince joked with Mr Obama about the birth of Prince George, saying: "The excitement of the event and everything else was just chaos." He added that he expects a "busy year" in 2015, when Catherine is due to give birth to the royal couple's second child. President Obama said the prince's work to protect endangered wildlife was "very important". It seems fair to assume that America's first family would happily have received William and his wife to the White House. As it was, only Prince William got to sit by the presidential fireplace in the Oval Office and chat to President Obama, reminiscing about the birth of Prince George and presumably - after the media had been ushered out - discussing his campaign against the illegal trade in wildlife parts. Catherine had stayed in New York to pursue her very deliberately separate programme. Both the tour planners and the couple are anxious to give both of them a chance to be seen pursuing their separate objectives without either overshadowing the other. And so Prince William was given a clear run to pay his visit to the White House and deliver his speech at the World Bank without any risk of being upstaged by Catherine's presence. There is certainly not the envy or sense of competition that existed between Prince William's father and mother when they were fulfilling engagements. Instead there is a realistic awareness of each other's ability to command column inches and a desire to work together to achieve the maximum impact. Later, in his speech at the World Bank, the prince said: "In my view, one of the most insidious forms of corruption and criminality in the world today is the illegal wildlife trade." He attacked those who "loot our planet to feed mankind's ignorant craving for exotic pets, trinkets, cures and ornaments derived from the world's vanishing and irreplaceable species". Paying tribute to his father, the Prince of Wales, and his grandfather, the Duke of Edinburgh, he said: "They helped to bring about a revolution in attitudes towards our natural environment." Prince William founded the umbrella organisation United for Wildlife to try to preserve the planet's most endangered animals and habitats. The prince has been the royal patron of Tusk since 2005. The charity supports projects in 17 African countries, aimed at protecting wildlife and alleviating poverty. Before starting at St Andrews University, the prince went on a gap year, some of which was spent in Africa learning about its wildlife and game conservation. He added: "From them, I learned that our relation to nature and

Summary: The Duke of Cambridge has met US President Barack Obama at the White House as part of a three-day visit.


Soldiers from both sides shared an impromptu ceasefire in Ypres, Belgium, on Christmas Day 1914. Graham Brookland of the Army FA said the match would "commemorate the occasion in an extremely good spirit". The game, played at Aldershot Town FC in Hampshire, ended in a 1-0 win for the British Army. Several thousand events have been held across the UK to mark the Christmas truce football match as part of Football Remembers Week. Every team in the Premier League and Football League have marked the centenary of World War One at recent matches. The famous "Christmas truce" of 1914 Source: Imperial War Museum

Summary: The British and German army football teams have played a match to commemorate 100 years since the World War One Christmas truce.


The 33ft (10m) deep crater appeared eight days ago in Fontmell Close, and nearly 7,000 tonnes of concrete has been pumped into it. Hertfordshire County Council has said tests are under way to see if there are any more cavities. It is unable to say if there has been further movement without looking at the results of that monitoring work. Dozens of residents have been unable to move back into their homes. Some are angry that a smaller hole reported previously had not been filled in. "The neighbour whose house it was outside was concerned and was chasing for some action and not getting an awful lot," said David Walker, who lives on the street. Council spokesman Rob Smith said: "Safety is our priority and we think we are a long way towards achieving that. We need to know what's going on in the surrounding ground. "We've already started doing non-intrusive radar-type surveys of the road to see if there's anything else that might possibly happen."

Summary: Engineers working at the St Albans sinkhole have revealed the ground is still moving and cracks are appearing.


Cory Allen scored a hat-trick as Wales opened a 28-9 half-time lead. But the centre may miss the rest of the World Cup with full-back Liam Williams and props Paul James and Samson Lee among other injury worries. Uruguay fly-half Felipe Berchesi impressed and kicked Los Teros into an early 6-0 lead, before Wales responded. However, six days before facing England at Twickenham, Warren Gatland's team were not convincing, despite completely dominating the forward exchanges. Relive Wales' win as it happened. Wales lacked composure behind the scrum, while Uruguay were dogged and courageous opponents who refused to capitulate even after Wales reached the 40-point mark on the hour. Wales eventually made their forward dominance pay, with two tries for scrum-half Gareth Davies and one each for Lee, Justin Tipuric and Hallam Amos. With Jonathan Davies, Rhys Webb and Leigh Halfpenny already out of the tournament, the last thing Wales needed was more injury trouble. So the sight of full-back Williams limping off with a thigh injury after 35 minutes on his return after foot surgery was a major worry for Gatland, who said it was too early to tell how serious the full-back's injury was. Gatland also described Allen's hamstring injury as "significant", and he said props Lee and James have calf injuries. Gatland faces a decision over which prop to replace and there is also concern over fellow prop Aaron Jarvis, who has a rib problem. There was some good news for Wales with flanker Dan Lydiate passing his concussion protocol. With fly-half Berchesi a lively playmaker and their defence determined to cut down anything in a red shirt, Uruguay started with purpose and were 6-0 up in nine minutes. Wales hit back with their pack dominating and Lee touching down from a driving line-out. It was a recipe which troubled the South Americans all afternoon, though the Welsh backs play was less impressive. But it was Allen who profited most, taking advantage of Rhys Priestland's chip to score the first of his three tries. His third, on the stroke of half-time, was the pick with Tipuric and Amos combining superbly as Wales claimed their bonus point. Wales' driving line-out was their main weapon, but this was not a vintage display. Uruguay's mix of full-time Europe-based professionals and home-grown part-timers deserved their lap of honour and the warm applause. England's pack is unlikely to be as accommodating at Twickenham on Saturday. Wales coach Warren Gatland: "Hopefully some of those players will recover over the next couple of days. The next day we're back in training is Wednesday to get ready for Saturday. "The number of turnovers was a bit disappointing. We had 24 turnovers. Respecting the ball and keeping the ball in hand is a big thing. "I was pleased up front. We stuck to the task and I was pretty happy with some of the performances. "Tipuric was outstanding again. Jake Ball had a really strong game for us and the front five stuck to their task as well." Wales captain Sam Warburton: "They were going to be extremely passionate.

Summary: Wales claimed a bonus point as they opened their World Cup campaign with a stuttering eight-try win over battling Uruguay at the Millennium Stadium.


Set in a grand retirement home for ageing musicians, Quartet marks the 75-year-old's debut as a film director. The film has its gala screening at the London Film Festival on Monday night. Based on Ronald Harwood's play, Quartet is set in a home for retired musicians, where old rivalries are stirred up by the arrival of former opera singer Jean Horton (Dame Maggie Smith). She is joined in the cast by British heavyweights Tom Courtenay, Billy Connolly, Pauline Collins and Michael Gambon. But Hoffman, who says the the story is about people in their "third act", hired a supporting cast of real-life elderly performers to give his film authenticity. "For these people the phone hadn't rung for 20, 30 or 40 years, even through they can deliver," he said on Monday. "These people in their 70s, 80s and 90s came with such verve every day - and that in itself made this an extraordinarily special occasion for all of us." Released in the UK in the new year, the film follows the box office success of The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, another ensemble piece about a group of British pensioners in a retirement hotel in India. "I think a lot of grown-ups would like films for grown-ups and about grown-ups," said Dame Maggie, who also starred in Marigold Hotel. "I don't think films about elderly people have been made very much, but they always seem to be fairly successful." The youngest member of the principal cast is Sheridan Smith, who plays the retirement home's medic, Dr Lucy Cogan. The actress said it had been "overwhelming" to be part of the film. "I tried to be like a sponge and take it all in." Hoffman's movie breakthrough was as Benjamin Braddock in 1967's The Graduate, for which he was Oscar nominated. He has also had nominations for Midnight Cowboy, Lenny, Tootsie and Wag the Dog. He won the Oscar in 1979 for his role in Kramer vs Kramer and again in 1988 for Rain Man. Asked about Hoffman's skills as a debut director, Pauline Collins said: "Dustin is a dynamo and a darling. He's one of the most inspiring and kindest directors I've ever worked for because he understands how actors work because he is one." Explaining why it hadn't taken him so long to step behind the camera, Hoffman said: "Sometimes it takes you 40 years to get around to doing something."

Summary: Dustin Hoffman has sung the praises of the retired opera singers and musicians who appear in his new film, Quartet.


The Ireland front row was suspended for two games by European Champions Cup organisers following an incident in the defeat by Toulon in France last Sunday. Leinster have appealed, arguing that Healy was cited for one offence yet suspended for another. As the appeal cannot be heard until after Saturday, he is free to play. The 28-year-old could still miss the Pro12 meeting with Munster at Thomond Park on Sunday, 27 December. "Leinster believe this is a failure to follow due process and is unfair to Cian Healy," the Irish province said. Healy was handed the ban for dangerous play after being charged with striking Toulon hooker Guilhem Guirado with his knee during the 24-9 defeat in France. The striking charge was found to be not proven but the incident was deemed to be foul play. "As a written decision of the judicial officer is not available, it has not yet been possible to hear the player's appeal nor set a date for the appeal," said organisers European Professional Club Rugby. "The player is therefore free to play until the outcome of his appeal."

Summary: Leinster prop Cian Healy is available for Saturday's game with Toulon after it was ruled he can play until his appeal against a two-game ban is heard.


Allen, 25, who joins the Royals on what the club describe as a long-term deal, could make her debut against Arsenal in the Continental Cup on Saturday. Her Blues debut also came against Arsenal in 2013 in what was an all-English Champions League semi-final. Allen's arrival comes after Bonnie Harwood left Reading to join Millwall.

Summary: Reading have signed midfielder Remi Allen from Women's Super League One rivals Birmingham City for an undisclosed fee.


It says that 750,000 visitors who came to the UK last year experienced a football game, spending Â£595m in total, or the equivalent of Â£776 per fan. The most popular stadiums for overseas visitors were those of Manchester United, Liverpool, and Manchester City. The biggest number of football visitors were from Ireland, Norway and the US. Other countries whose residents showed a passion for English football were Germany, Holland, Japan, China, Australia, and the United Arab Emirates. Popular clubs for overseas visitors also included Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur, while many people also made a visit to Wembley Stadium. The greatest proportion of inbound visitors going to a football match was between January and March. "Not only do some of the best players in the world want to play in Britain, but their international fans want to follow them here to savour the atmosphere of a match," said Patricia Yates of Visit Britain. Visit Britain introduced a Premier League section on its website earlier this year. Its football visitor report was based on a question it sponsored on the 2010 Office for National Statistics International Passenger Survey - a survey of passengers entering and leaving the UK.

Summary: The boom in foreign players at Premier League teams is being matched by interest from overseas football fans, says tourist authority Visit Britain.


Others of you might have read some of my stories or observations before, but it's the first time I'm writing as the BBC's political editor. Welcome. I couldn't have a better predecessor than my excellent colleague Nick Robinson, who'll soon bring his incredible insight and wit to the Today programme on Radio 4. But you and I could hardly be starting out here at a more interesting moment in British politics. Over the coming years, I'll try to unpick what's going on, try to capture the essence of what's being said in public, but also what's being discussed in private, and what that might mean for us all. This is an amazing moment, in part because pundits and politicians can't be sure of very much. The rule book is looking a bit tattered around the edges. The reliability of the polls took a hammering in May when the strong and widely held expectation that no one party could win the general election outright turned out to be totally misplaced. The SNP were on the losing side not even 12 months ago in the vote on Scottish independence, but far from defeat damaging them as you might have assumed, historic victory followed in May, as it became the third biggest party in the House of Commons. Now the Conservatives are trying to redraw their rules, casting themselves as the party of the low paid. And it seems the assumptions are about to be broken again. Not for Labour a leader who conforms to the rules it helped design - someone who talks Westminster's language, has doggedly built a career based on party loyalty, and aspires to wide appeal - but a man, Jeremy Corbyn, who has made a life out of being an insurgent in his own party, defying the leadership, and who many of his MP colleagues hardly even know. The political story of the summer has, without question, been how this relatively obscure London MP has packed out clammy meeting halls around the country, exciting thousands upon thousands of people, making himself the most likely candidate to face David Cameron across the despatch box as the leader of Her Majesty's Opposition. But, hold on. Big crowds don't make it a done deal. The actual rules of this contest, not just the excitement of upending political rules, are worth paying attention to. It's hard to find anyone in the Labour Party now who thinks that Mr Corbyn won't win the first round of votes. But that's not it. Unless he gets over 50% of the votes in that first round - far less certain - the rules dictate that whoever is in fourth place drops out and the second preferences of their backers are reallocated to the other candidates. If there is still no winner, the third-placed candidate is then eliminated with their second preferences similarly reallocated. The candidate who has accumulated the most votes through the different rounds then wins. This matters so much because crucially, given how far to the left most of Mr Corbyn's positions are compared with the

Summary: If you're reading this page for the first time then we have something in common - this is a first for me too.


The University Hospital of North Staffordshire said the other patients were in a "stable or improving condition". The Health Protection Agency (HPA) said it was continuing to work with the NHS in Stoke and the city council to identify any sources of the disease. It said the outbreak was not hospital related and it was safe for patients. Professor Harsh Duggal, Director of the Health Protection Agency's Health Protection Unit in Stafford, said: "We have been able to obtain detailed information on the movements of those affected. "We are now working with HPA experts in mapping the outbreak and our partners to pinpoint possible sources, using the information we have gathered." Professor Duggal said he expected to get more cases "over the next week or so" because of the incubation period of the disease. Officials have said early signs include flu-like symptoms, with muscle aches, tiredness, headaches, dry cough and fever which can lead to pneumonia. Diarrhoea and confusion may occur, as well as chest and breathing symptoms. The disease can be effectively treated with antibiotics.

Summary: A man is in a critical condition after the number of cases of Legionnaires' disease in Stoke-on-Trent reached 11.


Police cars and other vehicles were set alight during the unrest in Little India. It was Singapore's first riot in more than 30 years, police said. The hour-long disturbance broke out after an Indian migrant worker was knocked down and killed by a bus. If convicted, the accused could face seven years in prison and caning. They were remanded in custody for a week after appearing in court, where an interpreter read the charges to them in Tamil. Four other men arrested in connection with the riot have been released. The bus driver, a 55-year-old Singaporean, faces charges of causing death by negligence, AFP news agency reports. The government has ordered a special committee to investigate the causes of the riot, in which about 400 foreign workers took to the streets. About 40 people were hurt, most of them police officers, before the violence was brought under control. Some 25 vehicles, 16 of them police cars, were damaged or burnt. Singapore depends heavily on foreign workers, with migrant labourers from South Asia dominating sectors like construction. Most are young men who come from India and Bangladesh, and live in dormitories while they work and send money home.

Summary: Police in Singapore have charged 24 Indian nationals with rioting after violent protests on Sunday night over the death of a migrant worker.


The incident happened at about 15:30 BST on Friday on the Albertbridge Road. The man who died was Patrick McDermott from east Belfast. Police have appealed for information in relation to the incident.

Summary: A 79-year-old man has died after being struck by a lorry in east Belfast.


His plan to deport the estimated 11 million people living illegally in the US was decried as impractical during an election debate in Wisconsin. But he said on Wednesday it was cheap, "doable" and humane. Democratic President Barack Obama wants to lift the threat of deportation to millions of undocumented people. But his plan to allow about four million people to apply for work permits has been hindered by legal challenges. Mr Trump, a billionaire New Yorker who has been leading in the polls, defended his plan to build a wall on the US-Mexico border and deport all the people living illegally in the US. "You're going to have a deportation force, and you're going to do it humanely," he told MSNBC's Morning Joe. "You have millions of people that are waiting in line to come into this country and they're waiting to come in legally." How do you deport 11m people? Debate exposes Republican divisions He pointed to the actions of former US President Dwight Eisenhower, who authorised what was probably the largest deportation operations in US history. Senator Ted Cruz backed Mr Trump during the debate, condemning any form of "amnesty" because illegal immigration kept wages low for American workers. But his fellow Republican, Ohio Governor John Kasich, said that mass deportation was a "silly argument" that could never work and would split families. The issue has exposed the diverging views within the party, and Florida Senator Marco Rubio clarified his stance on Wednesday. He described his position as a "very long path" to citizenship when people had spent at least 10 years on a work permit.

Summary: Donald Trump has defended his hardline stance on immigration, a day after it was attacked by fellow Republican presidential candidates on national TV