A four-mile section of the A591 between Keswick and Grasmere remains closed after it was damaged in a landslide. Cumbria County Council said it had upgraded a forest road at Dunmail Raise which is wide enough for a small bus but not general traffic. A spokesman said the service would begin on Tuesday. A spokesman said there would be a park and ride service with pick up points at Keswick, Legburthwaite and Grasmere.

Summary: A shuttle bus service is being put in place to help passengers stranded after the collapse of a major road during Storm Desmond.


The visitors took an unexpected lead after just four minutes when Robbie Crawford beat three men on his way to an excellent solo goal. Hibs went on to dominate possession, but they were out of sorts and struggled to create clear chances. Even once they equalised, Hibs were unable to secure a win, wth Grant Holt's header cleared off the line. The result nudges Hibs nine points clear of Dundee United, who can reduce the gap at home to Raith Rovers in the evening kick-off. Hibs suffered their setback early enough to initially consider it an inconvenience. The home fans were stunned when Crawford gathered the ball 25 yards out, to the right of the penalty area, then set-off on a run towards goal. He might not have had a plan in place, but his impetuosity took him into the danger area, and past three challenges as he jinked and weaved with the ball. Eventually, he was in a position to shoot and his low effort seemed to bobble underneath the outstretched hand of goalkeeper Ross Laidlaw. The home side have to have been resilient enough to respond, but there was a lacklustre quality to their play. Even with two fast wingers in Chris Humphrey and Martin Boyle, they failed to turn the Ayr defence. Passing was laboured, and there were symbolic moments across the field, such as James Keatings tackling his own team-mate, John McGinn, on the edge of the Ayr penalty area and Lewis Stevenson throwing the ball straight to an opponent deep inside his own half. There were inevitably half-chances, given how much possession Hibs enjoyed, but Andrew Shinnie's effort at the near post from Keatings' cross was blocked by Ayr goalkeeper Greg Fleming. Just before the interval, Shinnie also headed over. Hard words would have been spoken in the home dressing room, and Humphrey didn't reappear as Hibs boss Neil Lennon sent on Holt. Soon after the restart, Hibs' top scorer, Cummings, also made his way off the bench. By then, the home side were utterly dominating the ball, but Ayr were defending manfully and Nicky Devlin headed off the line. The pressure eventually told, though, as Cummings applied the finishing touch with his head to Keatings' cross. There was a desperate search for a winning goal, with Cummings' long-range effort pushed away and Holt's header cleared off the line by Brian Gilmour. Ayr, though, held on. Hibernian manager Neil Lennon: "The first-half performance was awful and the goal we conceded was symptomatic of the way we played. The second half was a lot better, so I'm pleased we showed a bit of character to get something out of the game. It feels like we dropped a couple of points, no question. "Our build-up play was poor, pedestrian, looked like there was a bit of panic out there at times. I don't know where that's come from. In the second half we made a few changes and got the goal we deserved and on balance should probably have won. "We forced the game in the second half, but

Summary: Championship leaders Hibernian needed a Jason Cummings header to rescue a point against second bottom Ayr United.


The 25-year-old has been advertising his club's car sponsor and has also appeared in adverts for petrol. Reus also received speeding tickets on at least five occasions from 2011 before authorities realised he had been driving without a licence. "The reasons I did it are something I cannot really understand," he said. Dortmund said they had discussed the matter with the player and spokesman Sascha Fligge said: "He has promised such a thing will not happen again." Reus, who missed Germany's World Cup triumph in July after picking up an ankle injury in the final warm-up game, has repeatedly been linked with a move to the Premier League but is currently out until the New Year with another ankle injury.

Summary: Borussia Dortmund and Germany winger Marco Reus has been fined more than half a million pounds for driving without a licence.


A major OECD report, published on the 28 January, ranked NI students 22nd out of 23 countries in literacy and 21st out of 23 in numeracy. However, the OECD now say that they initially published the wrong data, and NI students are "in reality closer to mid-table of the surveyed countries". The OECD say the mistake in the Building Skills for All report was only identified and corrected during Monday 1 February. The new data shows that Northern Irish students rank 13 out of 23 for literacy skills, and 14 out of 23 for numeracy skills. Northern Ireland students now rank above those in countries like the Republic of Ireland, Spain, England, the USA and Canada for reading and writing skills. Meanwhile, Northern Ireland students rank better than those in countries like Australia, Poland, the Republic of Ireland, England and the USA for maths skills. The OECD mistake affected rankings on the skills of university students published on pages 15 and 53 of the report. In a statement to the BBC, an OECD spokesperson said a formatting error was to blame. "In the course of formatting the document for publication, the graphic image for figure 3.2 (but not the title) was mistakenly replaced by the graphic image for figure 2.3," the spokesperson said. "So while England's position changed little, Northern Ireland is, in reality, closer to mid-table of the surveyed countries." The position of a number of other countries in the rankings was also affected and has been changed. Finland is now the highest ranked country in the world for students literacy skills, instead of Japan. Belgium is now the highest ranked for students' numeracy skills, instead of Finland. The OECD say the rest of the data published in the original report is accurate.

Summary: The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has apologised for publishing the wrong information about the reading, writing and maths skills of Northern Ireland university students.


The two sides will attempt to resolve outstanding differences, which include Saturday pay and unsocial hours. The government has put on hold, for five days, its plans to impose the contract. The British Medical Association (BMA) has suspended its threat of further industrial action while the talks last. This latest round of talks will be mediated once again by conciliation service Acas. Ministers drew up plans to change the contract in 2012, but talks broke down in 2014. Under the terms of the new contract, basic pay is to be increased by 13.5% on average, but other elements of the pay package are to be curbed, including what constitutes unsociable hours. Day hours on a Saturday will be paid at a normal rate, while extra premiums that are being offered for the rest of the weekend are lower than what is currently paid. As a result of the dispute between the government and the BMA, there were four strikes by junior doctors in England affecting routine - but not urgent care - between January and early April. Last week, there were two one-day strikes affecting all forms of care, including emergencies - the first such action in the history of the NHS. Meanwhile, researchers from Oxford University have said earlier findings backing the government's push for a seven-day NHS in England are based on flawed data. One of the government's key arguments behind the push for a seven-day NHS in England - and a new contract for junior doctors - has been patient safety. The new Oxford University paper concludes that hospital data suggesting a "weekend effect", where death rates are higher for those admitted over the weekend period, are deeply flawed. It focuses on the Oxford Vascular Study covering more than 90,000 people in Oxfordshire, looking at hospital admissions for stroke between 2002 and 2014. The researchers found more than a third recorded as being admitted for stroke were actually in for other things - often low-risk, routine procedures carried out on Monday to Friday. They say these coding errors distorted the mortality figures, making them appear better for patients admitted on weekdays. Without the mistakes, they argue, there was no "weekend effect". They warn these errors are commonplace across the UK and not just for data on strokes. The lead author, Professor Peter Rothwell, said it was time for an independent review to assess the "weekend effect". "There's a wealth of poor-quality evidence based on hospital administrative data," he said. "If you look at those studies that have actually done the due diligence and looked at real data - gold standard data - there's very little evidence indeed of a weekend effect. "It really is an excellent example of how poor quality data, badly interpreted, can lead to the wrong answer." He said government ministers had acted in good faith but had been "badly misled" by their advisers. "Looking at where we are now, you could only describe it as a shambles," he said. "We need to step back and work out to begin with is there a problem here

Summary: Fresh talks aimed at ending the dispute over a new contract for junior doctors in England will get under way later.


Once complete, Atlantic Shed will provide an extra 7,200 sq m (668,000 sq ft) metres of storage for the port, mainly for the steel industry. Associated British Ports said the investment meant the site would be able to meet the increasing demands of its customers. It said the development would support the future growth of the port.

Summary: Work has started on a £2.7m project to redevelop part of the Port of Newport to increase cargo volumes.


Marshall Leonard is being held by police after throwing a bomb into one of the department stores in Tupelo, Mississippi, early on Sunday. Mr Leonard is known in the city for the 4ft (1.2m) flag he flies over his car. Nobody was hurt or injured by the improvised device that produced only a loud bang but no damage. "An employee was sitting in the vestibule taking a break. He told the employee to run - that he was going to blow the place up," said Police Chief Bart Aguirre. The suspect then threw the newspaper-wrapped package into the store - around 0130 local time (0630 GMT). Walmart, along with several other retailers, pulled the battle flag and other memorabilia from their shelves following the killing in June of nine black worshippers at a church in Charleston, South Carolina. The man charged with the killings was pictured holding the flag. Explosives experts said that the package contained enough explosive material to damage the store, but its poor assembly rendered it ineffective. He was arrested by police about a half-hour later when his silver Mazda adorned with stickers of battle flag and the Mississippi state flag - which itself features an inset Confederate battle flag - was seen running a red traffic light. "He's a strong supporter of keeping that flag flying," the police chief said. "This is his way of bring attention to that". Mr Leonard, who lives alone and is unemployed, does not currently have a lawyer, but will be appointed one by a judge if it is deemed he cannot afford one. The Confederate battle flag became a potent symbol for the southern states fighting the Civil War as they sought to break away from the union. It is seen by some as an icon of slavery and racism while others say the banner symbolises their heritage and history.

Summary: A man apparently angered by Walmart's decision to stop selling Confederate battle flags has been accused of bombing one of the retailer's stores.


Media playback is not supported on this device Thanks to a superb defensive display, Britain led 34-25 at half-time and were then always in control in Worcester, stretching their lead after the break. Terry Bywater top-scored with 29 points and was named Most Valuable Player, while Ian Sagar added 17. "These are exciting times for this team," Bywater told BBC Sport. "We have some new talented players coming through combined with veterans like myself and Simon Munn and we play with pride and passion. "I think our start surprised Turkey. They beat us in last year's World Championship quarter-finals in Korea so revenge is sweet." Earlier, the GB women secured their fifth European bronze medal in a row after an easy 69-39 win over France. The home side, who had lost 56-55 to Paralympic champions Germany in Friday's semi-finals, were dominant throughout with Helen Freeman and Jordanna Bartlett leading the scoring on 10 points apiece. Both GB teams had already secured their places at next year's Rio Paralympics thanks to their performances at the tournament.

Summary: Great Britain men's wheelchair basketball team clinched a third consecutive European title after beating Turkey 87-66 in the final.


Souness, who won 54 caps for his country, said the current squad is not up to the standard of his day. "Going back to my generation we had players in all the big teams in England and winning trophies in England," Souness told BBC Sportsound. "We now have a group that's maybe short of that level." Scotland lost both games in their Euro 2016 qualifying September double header to Georgia and world champions Germany, which leaves them sitting in fourth place Group D. "I think the manager deserves great credit for what he's doing with a limited group of players," said Souness. "I don't want to be harsh on the players because I know when you're a Scotland player you go out and give it your lot. "The manager deserves great credit for gelling them and getting the very most from a group that are limited. That's all you can do as a manager. "He's got what he's got and he's doing a very good job of it as far as I'm concerned." Scotland's final two qualifiers next month see them host Poland at Hampden before travelling to face Gibraltar. The best they can place in the group now is third place which would secure a spot in a two-legged play-off. However, it is not entirely in their own hands, with a number of permutations needed in other games in the group involving Germany, Poland and the Republic of Ireland. Souness admitted: "It's never great if you're relying on other people."

Summary: Gordon Strachan is doing as best as he can with the talent at his disposal, according to former Scotland captain Graeme Souness.


The freighter sank after the collision on Wednesday night, about 11km (7 miles) off the Indonesian island Batam, Singapore officials said. It was carrying 560 tonnes of fuel but there are no reports of an oil spill. The Singapore Strait is one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world, although major accidents are rare. Officials said the tanker Stolt Commitment, registered in the Cayman Islands, collided with freighter Thorco Cloud, which had the Antigua and Barbuda flag, around 20:00 local time (1200 GMT). The tanker had only minor damage. The missing are among the freighter's crew of 12 men. The rest were rescued and are currently being treated in a Singapore hospital. Anti-pollution craft have been put on standby in case of an oil spill, said Singapore's marine and port authority.

Summary: Authorities from Singapore and Indonesia are searching for six people, after a chemical tanker collided with a freighter in the Singapore Strait.


Terrier-cross Molly took months to recover from a skin condition after being neglected by her previous owner. Vets then discovered she had a third degree heart block which could potentially shorten her life. Big-hearted members of the public rushed to donate to the appeal, launched by the RSPCA's Coventry branch. Read more West Midlands stories Since Molly, who has featured on Channel 5's The Dog Rescuers, was signed over to the RSPCA, areas of hair loss she suffered from her skin condition have regrown. However, she suffered her latest setback when her "heart rate plummeted dangerously slow" on the day she was being neutered. Danni Holder, kennel supervisor at the Coundon Wedge Drive centre, where Molly has been since May 2016, said: "Molly's heart is beating too slow and if she doesn't have the pacemaker fitted her heart will become worse and will lessen her lifespan. "She has been on such a journey and we would love her to have the happy ending to her story that she deserves." When the charity launched its appeal on Thursday morning, Ms Holder said: "We are appealing for people to help us in our appeal to fundraise £2,500 for this so we can mend Molly's broken heart." Donations flooded in and by 13:30 GMT on Thursday the charity had raised more than its original fundraising target.

Summary: A £2,500 charity appeal to fit a rescue dog with a pacemaker has smashed its target.


A parade and service was held at Blandford Camp where thousands of sailors from the Collingwood Battalion trained. The Princess Royal attended the ceremony at the battalion's memorial. The service commemorated those who died during the Third Battle of Krithia on the Turkish peninsula. The battalion were almost totally destroyed during the eight-month campaign that was fought from 25 April 1915 to 9 January 1916. More than 100,000 troops were killed and hundreds of thousands more were wounded.

Summary: The centenary of the Gallipoli campaign - one of the bloodiest of World War One - has been marked with a memorial in Dorset.


At least eight others were wounded in the midday blast, which is said to have hit people waiting at the al-Rafidain bank to collect their salaries. Security personnel were said to be among those killed in the blast, which was confirmed by the town mayor, police and hospital sources. It is thought to be the first major attack in the town since October 2009. A suicide bomber killed five people at a funeral in that attack. In Thursday's bloodshed, there were reports that security personnel were among the dead, but it was unclear whether they were police or soldiers. The manager of the local hospital told Reuters there were many critical cases among the injured, and it was feared the death toll would rise. Anbar province, where Haditha is situated, was once a stronghold for Sunni militants following the 2003 invasion of Iraq by US-led forces. It gained notoriety when US Marines were accused of killing 24 Iraqi civilians in 2005. But violence dwindled after tribal leaders allied themselves with US forces.

Summary: A suicide bomber has targeted a bank in the northern Iraqi town of Haditha, killing at least nine people.


The art deco building had a £4.2m refurbishment in 2013, reopening with a cinema, cafe and gallery. But the cinema closed in March, while the pavilion closed three days a week, prompting campaigns for them to reopen. Prof Tony Hazell, of Penarth Arts and Crafts Ltd (PACL), which runs it, said the pavilion had not been run in a sustainable way. He said his team had opened on "full throttle" in December 2013, running the landmark building on the Victorian pier seven days a week, 12 hours a day, 362 days a year. "It probably wouldn't be sustainable on a commercial basis, let alone a charity one," he added. Mr Hazell said the decision to close the cinema - the only one on a pier in the UK - was taken after figures from previous years showed it did not attract as many visitors in the summer months. In addition, the cafe was closed on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays because it was not making enough money to cover costs. But after reviewing the business and receiving £126,000 in lottery money, he said the pavilion and its cafe would reopen either five or six days a week from the middle of the summer. It will probably remain closed every Monday. He also said the cinema would welcome visitors again from September "if not before". "We are now looking for new ideas about how to raise more revenue," he said. "At the end of the day, this building is run as a charity and people don't really donate as much to a building as they might to an animal charity. "We only have a small team of paid staff and we rely a lot on volunteers. But, yes, we will survive." However, campaigner Andrew Jones, 52, who started a petition to reopen the cinema - signed so far by more than 1,700 people - said he did not have faith in PACL. "There has been a complete wall of silence in Penarth from PACL," said Mr Jones, who lives in Penarth. "The cinema shut down very suddenly, with just a notice put on their website, which not many people saw," he added. "I certainly don't believe cinema attendances fell that much in the summer." Vale of Glamorgan council, which runs the pier and leased the pavilion to PACL for 125 years on a peppercorn rate, said it had "provided significant amounts of both financial and professional" support to the charity. It gave £800,000 towards the renovations - in addition to money from the Heritage Lottery Fun - and a £100,000 grant in its first year of trading to help support the group. "Since this grant came to an end professional support has been provided by the council to help PACL improve their approach to business planning and financial management," a spokesman added. "Having supported them to such an extent the council is keen to see the organisation flourish and to continue to provide facilities that we know are greatly valued by the local community." Penarth Pier opened in 1895 and was voted pier of

Summary: Fears over the future of the renovated Penarth Pier Pavilion are unfounded, the charity running it has said.


He replaces Wang Yang, viewed by many as a leading reformer. Xinhua state news agency did not say what Mr Wang's next job might be. There is no suggestion he has been sacked. Mr Hu, 49, a protege of outgoing President Hu Jintao, was promoted to the politburo last month. Known as "Little Hu", the new Guangdong boss is part of the so-called "sixth generation" of leaders born in the 1960s and lined up to take charge after the next transition of power in 2022. Mr Hu will be replaced by Wang Jun as party chief in Inner Mongolia, Xinhua said. The reshuffle follows the confirmation of Xi Jinping as national Communist Party leader last month. Wang Yang is also a politburo member, but missed out on promotion to its seven-member Standing Committee this year. Analysts say he could become a vice-premier next year. Mr Wang was considered a rival of the disgraced Bo Xilai, who was sacked this year as Chongqing party secretary. The party secretary post in the manufacturing hub of Guangdong is among the country's most prominent provincial leadership jobs. Guangdong, China's most populous province, is often viewed as a testing-ground for reform. Correspondents say it is not clear what political direction Mr Hu will take.

Summary: One of the Chinese Communist Party's rising stars, Hu Chunhua, has been appointed party boss in the powerhouse province of Guangdong.


Four people died when the CHC Super Puma plunged into the sea on its approach to Sumburgh in August 2013. The Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) said a lack of monitoring meant a reduction in air speed was not noticed by the pilots. Attempts to recover were too late. The report stated the investigation identified two main "causal factors". It said: "The helicopter's flight instruments were not monitored effectively during the latter stages of the non-precision instrument approach. "This allowed the helicopter to enter a critically low energy state, from which recovery was not possible. "Visual references had not been acquired by the Minimum Descent Altitude (MDA) and no effective action was taken to level the helicopter, as required by the operator's procedure for an instrument approach." The report explained: "The decreasing airspeed went unnoticed by the pilots until a very late stage, when the helicopter was in a critically low energy state. "The commander's attempt to recover the situation was unsuccessful and the helicopter struck the surface of the sea. "It rapidly filled with water and rolled inverted, but was kept afloat by the flotation bags which had deployed." No evidence was found of any engineering issues causing the crash. Passengers Sarah Darnley from Elgin, Gary McCrossan, from Inverness, Duncan Munro, from Bishop Auckland, and George Allison, from Winchester, lost their lives in the crash on 23 August 2013. Fourteen people were rescued. The report said the impact with the water was "survivable". Of the four dead, the conclusions said one was unable to escape, one was incapacitated by a head injury, one drowned before reaching the surface, and the other died in the life raft from a chronic heart condition. A total of 28 safety recommendations have been made but the report said many of them have already been implemented. An initial AAIB report already found the crew failed to notice the helicopter's air speed dropping until it was too late. In February 2014, the Civil Aviation Authority announced a series of measures aimed at improving offshore helicopter safety following an inquiry set up in the wake of the Shetland crash. They included helicopters not being allowed to fly offshore in severe sea conditions, passengers having to be seated next to emergency exits, and a size limit for those on board. Duncan Trapp, vice president for safety and quality at CHC Helicopter, said: "CHC deeply regrets the tragic Sumburgh accident, and we continue to extend our sympathies to the survivors and to the loved ones of those who died. "Our priority is always the safety of our passengers and crews and we would like to thank the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) for its thorough investigation. "Although the AAIB makes no recommendations specific to CHC, immediately after the accident, and in the time since, we put in place additional measures to further improve safety. "Among those actions, we have enhanced crew monitoring procedures and supported the industry-wide deployment of improved emergency breathing systems and training for offshore passengers and crew." A Crown Office spokesman said: "The Crown welcomes the publication

Summary: A report into a helicopter crash off Shetland in which four people died has said flight instruments were "not monitored effectively" by pilots in the moments leading up to the incident.


The 25-year-old will join the Women's Super League One club following this summer's European Championships, for which Belgium have qualified. The former FC Twente forward has scored four goals in 26 international games. "Yana was brought to my attention after recently playing against Scotland," head coach Willie Kirk told the club website. "Her style of play suits us and she is a big personality."

Summary: Bristol City Women have signed Belgium striker Yana Daniels from Anderlecht.


The pool will have a see-through bottom so that people using it can peer down to the ground as they swim. It will be 35 metres up in the air and will link two blocks of flats near Battersea, in London. Nicknamed "Sky Pool", it has been described as a world first. These pictures are artists impressions of what the pool bridge will look like when it's completed in the summer of 2019.

Summary: Plans to build a 25 metre swimming pool, that will join two 10 storey tower blocks, have been announced.


Danni Jordan found the net for the Welsh with just a minute to go, to make the final score 2-1 in Glasgow in the final Test of the series. Phoebe Richard had equalised just before half-time in a hard-fought encounter after Fiona Burnet had opened the scoring for the hosts. Wales take the series 3-0 after beating Scotland 2-1 and 1-0 previously. The dramatic series win was a fitting way for defender Tina Evans to celebrate winning her 100th cap for Wales. "We're absolutely thrilled considering Scotland are ranked considerably higher than us in the world rankings," Evans said. "We knew it was going to be a really difficult test for us but we're really pleased with how we've performed in getting three really good results. "We came here with high expectations and probably exceed them but we're delighted with the performances and the results we've got. "It was a really special day and it was really amazing to captain today and for the girls to come in and put in that huge amount of effort makes me really chuffed and excited for what the future holds." Wales are currently ranked 26th in the world and are preparing for the European Championships in Cardiff in August, so will relish an important series win over 17th-ranked Scotland. Find out how to get into hockey with our special guide.

Summary: Wales women hockey came from behind to complete a three-Test whitewash over their Scottish counterparts.


UKPC was temporarily suspended from using DVLA data to trace drivers' addresses, meaning unpaid fines given during the ban could not be chased. But the BBC filmed car park attendants claiming people issued tickets during that time would still be pursued. UKPC claimed staff had misunderstood an email and were now aware of the facts. The company is being investigated by the British Parking Association (BPA) after the BBC's West Midlands Inside Out programme made it aware of its secretly filmed footage. The BPA investigated UKPC in September 2015 over allegations employees had changed time stamps on photos in Lincolnshire, Staffordshire and Worcester. BPA boss Patrick Troy said the "thorough" investigation had concluded an expulsion from the organisation "was not warranted". But he told the BBC: "If there's a repeat of any kind of misbehaviour, that will almost certainly result in expulsion or further suspension." UKPC was suspended from using the DVLA database to trace drivers' addresses from 18 September to 4 November. The fresh investigation comes after UKPC had to cancel a number of tickets after what it called an "isolated photograph tampering incident" by "a few rogue employees". The company said it "condemned" the actions of staff who "took advantage of a software flaw" which had now been updated to stop it from happening again. Sarah Gashi spent an hour visiting a friend in Diglis Water, Worcester, but received a ticket stating she had overstayed the two hours' free parking. She asked for evidence and received two photographs of her car - one stamped with 14:13 GMT and another 16:19 GMT. "I was at my parents' house at 14:20 GMT. I was nowhere near here," said Ms Gashi. "If you look at the colour of the sky [in the photograph] everything is still the same. "Whereas to me, it should have got darker at that time of year." Alex Shipp, who campaigns as the Parking Prankster, came to the aid of Neil Horton who received a ticket while at a Staffordshire supermarket. Mr Shipp said: "He only parked for a short amount of time, but the pictures are theoretically a couple of hours apart. "You can see [in the photograph] there's a blue car with its boot open. Was that boot open for two hours? I think not. "What happened was the photographs were doctored to issue a charge illegally." BBC Inside Out West Midlands is on Monday 11 January on BBC One at 19:30 GMT and available afterwards on iPlayer.

Summary: A car park operator whose staff changed times on photos to wrongly issue tickets is being investigated again following claims it misled drivers.


Butler, 24, joined the Iron for an undisclosed fee from National League South side Hemel Hempstead in June. He kept two clean sheets in six appearances for the club, but was sent off in their defeat by Macclesfield. Fellow keeper Sam Beasant joined the club last week after his release by Cambridge United and made his debut against Guiseley last Saturday.

Summary: Braintree Town have agreed to release goalkeeper Jamie Butler just 72 days after he signed for the club.


McCartan, who has now scored seven goals in his last 10 games - five from free-kicks - fired home from 20 yards in the 89th minute to extend Stanley's unbeaten run to 10 games. Grimsby had looked on course for victory thanks to substitute Akwasi Asante's first league goal. Asante, who scored 12 goals for Solihull Moors before signing for the Mariners in January, made space for himself on the right of the penalty area before firing the ball home in the 70th minute. Stanley had hit the woodwork twice prior to that with Hull loan defender Harvey Rodgers firing a long-range effort against a post and Matty Pearson rattling the crossbar with a long-range strike. Dutchman Asante, a 57th-minute replacement for Scott Vernon, almost claimed a winner in the second minute of added time when he was denied by a superb save from Aaron Chapman. Match support supplied by the Press Association. Match ends, Accrington Stanley 1, Grimsby Town 1. Second Half ends, Accrington Stanley 1, Grimsby Town 1. Attempt missed. Jonathan Edwards (Accrington Stanley) left footed shot from the centre of the box is too high. Corner, Accrington Stanley. Conceded by James McKeown. Attempt saved. Sean McConville (Accrington Stanley) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Attempt saved. Akwasi Asante (Grimsby Town) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Attempt missed. Akwasi Asante (Grimsby Town) right footed shot from the right side of the box misses to the left. Attempt missed. Matty Pearson (Accrington Stanley) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the left. Attempt saved. Akwasi Asante (Grimsby Town) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Hand ball by Jordan Clark (Accrington Stanley). Goal! Accrington Stanley 1, Grimsby Town 1. Shay McCartan (Accrington Stanley) from a free kick with a right footed shot to the top left corner. Sean McConville (Accrington Stanley) wins a free kick in the attacking half. Foul by Zak Mills (Grimsby Town). Corner, Accrington Stanley. Conceded by Zak Mills. Substitution, Grimsby Town. Shaun Pearson replaces Gavin Gunning. Gavin Gunning (Grimsby Town) is shown the yellow card. Shay McCartan (Accrington Stanley) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Foul by Chris Clements (Grimsby Town). Foul by Jonathan Edwards (Accrington Stanley). Zak Mills (Grimsby Town) wins a free kick in the attacking half. Delay in match James McKeown (Grimsby Town) because of an injury. Corner, Accrington Stanley. Conceded by Danny Andrew. Attempt blocked. Jonathan Edwards (Accrington Stanley) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Attempt missed. Matty Pearson (Accrington Stanley) header from the centre of the box is just a bit too high. Corner, Accrington Stanley. Conceded by Danny Andrew. Substitution, Accrington Stanley. Jonathan Edwards replaces Janoi Donacien. Attempt missed. Jordan Clark (Accrington Stanley) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right. Attempt blocked. Shay McCartan (Accrington Stanley) right footed shot from

Summary: In-form Shay McCartan rescued a point for Accrington with a late free-kick in the draw with fellow mid-table side Grimsby.


Members of the RMT and TSSA unions backed industrial action following a similar vote by drivers. Workers in these unions will now join a planned 24-hour walkout by members of the drivers' union Aslef, which begins at 21:30 BST on 8 July. Talks aimed at averting a strike are being held at the conciliation service Acas. The RMT union and TSSA said its workers planned to begin striking at 18:30 BST. The unions are in dispute with London Underground over pay and conditions for the new all-night Tube, which is due to start at weekends from mid-September, on sections of the Central, Jubilee, Northern, Piccadilly and Victoria lines. The RMT said its members voted by 91% in favour of strikes and 96% for other forms of industrial action. The union is also in dispute over a series of other issues including jobs and safety. RMT General Secretary Mick Cash said: "The industrial relations situation on the Tube has sunk to an almost unprecedented low with all four unions united and balloting for action over pay and working arrangements due to be ushered in under the guise of the mayor's 'night Tube' vanity project in just 10 weeks' time." TSSA General Secretary Manuel Cortes said: "We hope that this result will show Boris Johnson just how angry our members are at his plans to try and rush the start of the night Tube without any detailed agreement on manning levels." Among TSSA members, the vote in support of strikes was 76%, with 88% backing other forms of action in a turnout of 44%. London Underground's chief operating officer Steve Griffiths said: "Londoners and businesses overwhelmingly back the Night Tube. "It will make life easier for everyone, cut journey times, create jobs and boost the economy. "No-one is being asked to work more hours," he added. "In return, we are offering a realistic pay increase this year and next, as well as an additional payment for Night Tube working. "

Summary: More London Underground workers have voted to strike in a dispute over the new all-night Tube service.


Delhi's 2010 Commonwealth chief Suresh Kalmadi said it would be inappropriate for him to be honorary life president of India's Olympic body. The sports minister had described the appointment as "totally unacceptable". Mr Kalmadi is awaiting trial on charges of cheating, forgery and criminal conspiracy. He denies the charges and has pleaded not guilty. The Congress party politician was sacked from his Commonwealth role in 2011 and spent 10 months in jail before being freed on bail. "I thank the Indian Olympic Association for conferring the honour of life president on me," Mr Kalmadi said in a letter to Indian Olympic Association (IOA) President N Ramachandran. "However, I do not feel that it would be appropriate for me to accept this honour at this time. I am confident that my name will be cleared and I will defer acceptance of the honour till such time." The sports ministry had threatened to cut off ties with the IOA, if it did not reverse the offer of honorary life roles to Mr Kalmadi and another politician facing corruption charges, Abhay Singh Chautala. Indian social media users ridiculed the offers. "Suresh Kalmadi & Abhay Chautala have been rewarded for India's terrific performance in the Olympics over the last several years," wrote one commentator, referring to his country's poor record in recent games. "Yes, Indian Olympic Association, let's motivate our athletes by making #SureshKalmadi their president," wrote another. Others suggested prominent people they felt would be similarly ill-suited to influential positions because of their backgrounds, with one such tweet suggesting former porn star Sunny Leone should head India's film censors.

Summary: A senior Indian politician charged with corruption has turned down an honorary Olympic role amid a storm of protests.


George Barker was found at the Double K Gym in Stable Lane, Bexley, south-east London, at about 09:40 GMT on Monday. Officers want to hear from anyone who saw, spoke or knows where the 24-year-old was during the weekend before. They specifically want to know where he spent Sunday evening into Monday and where he was before he went to the gym. Mr Barker, of South Darenth, in Kent, died of stab wounds to his chest and abdomen. He was the father of a week-old baby girl. Det Ch Insp Laurence Smith, who is leading the murder investigation, said Mr Barker had been a regular user of the gym and had arrived there at about 09:15, and was attacked shortly after. "Our enquiries so far have led me to believe that there were five men inside the gym who were waiting for George Barker to arrive. "Following the brutal assault on George the men left the gym and I am appealing to anyone who saw the men arriving in Stable Lane prior to the murder, or saw them leaving, to contact the police," he said. Det Ch Insp Smith added that he "retained an open mind as to the motive" for the killing.

Summary: Detectives investigating the murder of a man who was stabbed outside a gym are appealing for information regarding his movements prior to his death.


Opposition councillors accused the ruling Labour group of "arrogance" and not listening to the public's concerns. The plans had also prompted protests outside the council's offices on Wednesday. Council leader Peter Marland said he was "disappointed" but would work with other parties to agree a new budget. The authority's provisional 2015-16 budget had included £1.5m cuts to bus services, and reduced funding for the Citizens' Advice Bureau. Homeless shelters faced possible closure under the plans, and the removal of other funding could have forced some scout groups to shut down. Liberal Democrat leader, Douglas McCall, accused council leaders of refusing to listen to public concerns or engage with opposition parties. He described their approach to a public consultation as "arrogant". However, Mr Marland said a record consultation response showed the authority was listening. "What we couldn't do is persuade enough opposition politicians that what we were doing was ultimately right," he said. Former Conservative group leader Andrew Geary said his party had predicted savings for five years and put forward a "clear strategy" for delivering them when it was in control. "You simply can't amend something that is not built on a solid foundation and this budget is built on the sand and it will collapse and it won't deliver." The authority is set to meet again next week to discuss the revised proposals. Analysis Paul Scoins, Political reporter, BBC Three Counties After the political grandstanding comes the negotiation. Concessions will be made but the key sticking point of provision for homeless people will remain a subject for debate. The council will then need to agree that budget and, if they fail, the government will step in and act, most likely freezing the budget in its current state. More than £90m needs to be saved over the next few years and Labour says difficult decisions are inevitable. Sources within the leadership group say they would be surprised if an agreement cannot be reached, suggesting the "nuclear option" of handing the decision to communities secretary Eric Pickles would be something all parties would find difficult to swallow.

Summary: Proposals for £22m council budget cuts in Milton Keynes have been rejected over fears they would adversely affect vulnerable people.


Trevor Wright, 67, of Ballingdon Street, Sudbury, was found guilty at Ipswich Crown Court of five charges of rape and seven of sexual assault. He had already admitted six more sex assaults on the same three victims. Judge Martyn Levett granted Wright conditional bail and told him he would be sentenced later this month. One rape took place in a car belonging to a customer at Wright's garage in Ballingdon Street, the court heard. Other offences took place at a stables where Wright kept a horse. One sex assault was in a swimming pool in Devon while Wright was on holiday, prosecutor Andrew Thompson said. Wright said although he was "sex obsessed", he denied the further assaults or committing rape. He had told police he had been a heavy drinker and suffered from memory problems.

Summary: A garage owner who preyed on three schoolgirls between 1977 and 1989 has been convicted of rape and sexual assault.


HMP Birmingham prisoners Demehl Thomas and Moysha Shepherd, both 25, are accused of boasting about drug dealing and violent assaults on rival gang members in the video, police said. The pair are charged with making a sound recording in jail under the 1952 Prison Act. They will appear via video link before magistrates in the city on Thursday. West Midlands Police, which described the video as a "selfie rap", said it believed the prosecution against Thomas, formerly of Vernolds Croft in Highgate, and Shepherd, of Hampstead Road, Handsworth, was the first of its kind. Insp Nick Dale, said the law was intended to "minimise the potential" for a camera or recording device to be used inside prison "and possibly compromise security or pose a threat to the safety of prisoners and staff."

Summary: Two inmates have been charged with making a "selfie" rap video using a mobile phone smuggled into a jail.


27 May 2016 Last updated at 19:43 BST Here's his Africa news round-up in 90 seconds.

Summary: Satirist Ikenna Azuike from What's Up Africa is worrying about the tomato shortage in Nigeria, celebrating improved life expectancy and reflecting on presidential breakdowns.


Fox was unseated after his mount, Luxford, veered sharply to the right. Television replays showed the filly had been distracted by a stray golf ball on the course, which appeared to be thrown up by eventual winner Big Lachie. The ball ricocheted off the helmet of another rider and across the sightline of Fox's mount. Sandown Park in Surrey has three nine-hole golf courses close to the racetrack, but clerk of the course Andrew Cooper said they were not open on racedays. "I am satisfied that we take all reasonable precautions to make sure that the course is as clear as we can make it but we accept that there will be some balls buried in the grass," said Cooper. "We have a 14-strong team that walk the course, and other parts of the track, looking for golf balls. "Even where there is netting next to the driving range we have found them. It is not a unique occurrence and we probably have this happen once every three or four years." The afternoon ended on a more positive note for Fox as he partnered First Experience to victory. Subscribe to the BBC Sport newsletter to get our pick of news, features and video sent to your inbox.

Summary: Jockey Kieren Fox escaped unhurt when he fell from his horse in a bizarre incident involving a golf ball during a race at Sandown.


Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton remains a frontrunner. Her main rival, Senator Bernie Sanders, apologised for his campaign's accessing of voter information compiled by Ms Clinton's team. "Not only do I apologise to Secretary Clinton, I want to apologise to our supporters," he said. Former Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley is also taking part in the debate in Manchester, New Hampshire. Gun control and the fear of terror attacks in the United States were tackled early in the debate. "Guns in and of themselves will not make America safer," said Hillary Clinton. "Arming more peopleâ€¦ is not the appropriate response to terrorism." Ms Clinton said that Republican rhetoric - especially from Donald Trump - was "fanning the flames of radicalisation". But Mr O'Malley accused of two rivals of "flip-flopping" in Washington over gun ownership restrictions. For his part, Mr Sanders said US foreign policy needed to focus on destroying the so-called Islamic State (IS or Isis) group, not removing Bashar al-Assad from power in Syria. "It is not Assad that is attacking the United States," he said. "First priority: destroy Isis," he said. Mr Sanders also criticised Qatar, saying that "instead of spending $200bn on the World Cup, maybe they should pay attention to Isis on their doorstep". Bernie Sanders said that on two occasions there were computer breaches - which he said were the fault of the software vendor - in which his campaign could see proprietary data from Hillary Clinton's campaign and that they alerted party officials "quietly". He said his campaign "didn't run to the media and make a big deal about it". He said that the most recent breech involved inappropriate behaviour by one of his staff members, adding that person had now been dismissed. He said that the Democratic Party's decision to temporarily suspend his campaign's access to the strategically crucial database was "an egregious act". The Sanders campaign on Friday filed a lawsuit against the Democratic National Committee in a federal court to restore its access to the voter data. Strategically important information on voters is contained in the database, which campaigns use to decide strategy. That data takes on a crucial role as campaigns prepare for early primary voting in just over a month's time. Forbidding the Sanders campaign from accessing the database will significantly hamper its ability to reach out to new Democratic voters, says the BBC's Anthony Zurcher in Washington. The DNC maintains the database and charges campaigns for access. Primary voting begins in early February.

Summary: Candidates seeking the Democratic Party's nomination for the US presidency have begun their last debate of the year in New Hampshire.


The Texas senator fought Mr Trump in a bitter primary battle, marked by mud-slinging and personal insults. Mr Cruz said he would fulfil his promise to vote for the Republican nominee and that electing Hillary Clinton would be "wholly unacceptable". He drew ire at the Republican National Convention in July, when he was booed off stage for not endorsing Mr Trump. "This election is unlike any other in our nation's history. Like many other voters, I have struggled to determine the right course of action in this general election," Mr Cruz announced in a Facebook post. "After months of careful consideration, of prayer and searching my own conscience, I have decided that on Election Day, I will vote for the Republican nominee, Donald Trump." Everything Ted Cruz has said about Trump The comments underscore a dramatic U-turn for Mr Cruz, who has referred to Mr Trump as a "trainwreck" and a "pathological liar" who could not be trusted in the White House. Mr Trump responded to the Cruz reversal by saying he was "greatly honoured" to have the endorsement of "a tough and brilliant opponent". But some of Cruz supporters decried the senator's announcement, including his former campaign spokesman, Rick Tyler, who told NBC: "It's mourning in America for conservatives. We lost our leader today." Meanwhile, Trump campaign manager, Kellyanne Conway, who previously worked for a super PAC supporting Mr Cruz, expressed her relief on social media. By endorsing Donald Trump now - after all the heat he took for his "vote your conscience" stand in July - Mr Cruz appears to be acknowledging two realities. The first is that Mr Trump might actually win the presidency even without Mr Cruz's support. At the very least, he will be competitive, diminishing the Texas senator's ability to tell his fellow party mates "I told you so". The second is that Trump-ism is the future of the Republican Party - and if Mr Cruz wants to be a part of that, he's going to have to play ball. The Texas senator has to run for re-election in 2018, and he faces the threat of a pro-Trump primary challenger. This endorsement could be a way to defuse that political bomb. Although he styles himself as an ideological true believe, Mr Cruz has shown remarkable political flexibility. The Ivy League establishment lawyer turned into anti-Washington firebrand to win a Senate seat. During the presidential campaign, he embraced Mr Trump when he saw it in his interest, then turned on the front-runner when the field narrowed. Now, it seems, the Trump-Cruz bromance has been rekindled. But the Republican nominee would be wise to watch his back. Mr Cruz said he decided to back his former foe due to six key policy differences between Mr Trump and Hillary Clinton, including the fate of the Supreme Court, Obamacare, immigration and energy. Mr Trump and Mr Cruz repeatedly clashed during the primary campaign both on and off the debate stage. Mr Trump came under fire after he tweeted an unflattering photo of Mr Cruz's wife, Heidi. He also suggested that

Summary: Defeated Republican presidential hopeful Ted Cruz has endorsed Donald Trump in the race for the White House.


The Sun reported that it was offered the images, which it said included shots of the duchess's children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte. The paper said someone had contacted it asking for Â£50,000 within 48 hours. The Met Police said inquiries were ongoing and no arrests had been made. The haul from the hack is believed to include 3,000 pictures, and an anonymous person has reportedly tried to sell them via encrypted messaging service WhatsApp. The Sun quoted a spokesman for Miss Middleton, who was maid of honour at her sister Catherine's 2011 wedding, as saying: "Thank you very much for drawing this to the family's attention. "I can confirm that not only have the lawyers been informed but the police are about to be involved as well." A Met Police spokesman said: "Police have received a report concerning the alleged hacking of a personal iCloud account. Specialist officers are now investigating." In the summer, Miss Middleton and hedge fund manager James Matthews confirmed their engagement, with a wedding planned for next year. Several high-profile figures have had images stolen from their iCloud accounts, including actress Jennifer Lawrence and singer Rihanna. In July, US man Edward Majerczyk pleaded guilty to running a phishing campaign to steal private pictures and videos from film and TV stars, in what was known as the "celebgate" affair. In 2014, Apple said it had expanded its use of "two-step verification" checks to protect data stored on its iCloud servers. The process works by introducing an extra step after an account holder has typed their username and password into a device they have not used before. They are also required to enter a four-digit code that is either texted to a trusted mobile phone number or sent via Apple's Find My iPhone app. If the person does not enter the code, they are refused access to iCloud and are blocked from making an iTunes, iBooks, or App Store purchase.

Summary: Police are investigating claims an iCloud account reportedly belonging to the Duchess of Cambridge's sister Pippa Middleton has been hacked and private photographs stolen.


The two pools were confirmed on Monday after New Zealand accepted an invitation to play in Brazil. The Dutch are ranked number two in the world with Germany third, while Ireland will also take on Argentina, India and Canada in Pool B. "We're know how tough the tournament is and that we're in a tough group," said Irish coach Craig Fulton. Argentina (sixth) and India (seventh) are above Ireland (12th) in the rankings with Canada 14th. Pool A comprises Australia, Great Britain, Belgium, New Zealand, Spain and host Brazil. "We will be focusing on improving as individuals, and as a squad and team come Rio," added Fulton. "Our first training camp is in early January and we're looking forward to starting 2016 with a tough but enjoyable tour." The match schedule for all pool games and the play-off stages will be announced in February.

Summary: Ireland's pool opponents at the Rio Olympics will include defending champions Germany and the Netherlands.


The Ghana international, 22, made 51 appearances for Bundesliga side Augsburg before moving to Stamford Bridge on a five-year deal last August. Raman made his Chelsea debut in the Champions League and went on to make 23 appearances for the Blues. His return to Germany reunites him with former Augsburg manager Markus Weinzierl, who took over as Schalke manager in June. Subscribe to the BBC Sport newsletter to get our pick of news, features and video sent to your inbox.

Summary: Schalke have signed Chelsea defender Baba Rahman on a season-long loan.


Remi Bonfils, Hugo Bonneval and Geoffrey Doumayrou, plus a penalty try, put the home side on course to avenge last week's defeat at Murrayfield. Edinburgh's only first-half reply had been a Jason Tovey penalty at 7-0 down. But tries from Fraser McKenzie, Viliame Mata and Sam Hidalgo-Clyne brought the Scots to within six points. And the visitors were left to rue a poor first-half and two conversion attempts that struck a post. Edinburgh remain top of their qualifying group, but Harlequins will overtake them should they win their game in hand on Saturday at home to bottom side Timisoara Sarcens of Romania. Stade Francais applied early pressure and it paid off when hooker Bonfils went over for the opening try, with Jules Plisson converting to establish the lead after 12 minutes. Ben Toolis thought he had replied for Edinburgh, but the TMO deemed it no try for a double movement on the lock's approach to the line. Tovey did reduce the arrears with a penalty, but Bonneval's try edged Stade Francais further in front. More home pressure told with a penalty try, converted by Plisson, and a costly yellow card to Edinburgh prop Simon Berghan for the scrum infringement. Stade Francais were now well in control and it was followed, within five minutes, by another try, this time by Doumayrou, and another Plisson conversion. It was the home side's turn to have someone in the sin bin following Sylvain Nicolas' ruck infringement three minutes before the break. McKenzie made the man advantage tell shortly after half-time, forcing his way over from close range, but Tovey's conversion attempt rebounded off the upright. Edinburgh had fought back from 20-3 down at half-time to win 28-23 at home and, when Plisson crossed the line but had a try ruled out by the TMO for an infringement by Sekou Macalou, they sensed their chance again. Blair Kinghorn crossed the line for Edinburgh only to have the ball knocked out of his hands as he was about to score. Mata did slide over to reduce the deficit, with Tovey successful on this occasion. Hidalgo-Clyne gave Edinburgh hope of victory with a try with two minutes left on the lock, but Duncan Weir's conversion hit a post and time ran out for the visitors. Stade Francais: Bonneval, Sinzelle, Doumayrou, Danty, Raisuge, Plisson, Daguin, Felsina, Bonfils, Slimani, Pyle, Pape, Ross, Macalou, Parisse, Nicolas. Replacements: Arias for Doumayrou (58), Steyn for Plisson (64), Zhvania for Felsina (58), Burden for Bonfils (66), Melikidze for Slimani (58), Nicolas for Ross (35), De Giovanni for Nicolas (59). Not Used: Coville. Sin Bin: Nicolas (38). Edinburgh: Kinghorn, Hoyland, Allen, Dean, Brown, Tovey, Hidalgo-Clyne, Dickinson, Ford, Berghan, McKenzie, B. Toolis, Du Preez, Watson, Manu. Replacements: G. Bryce for Allen (27), Weir for Brown (49), Dell for Dickinson (58), Cochrane for Ford (58), Carmichael for McKenzie (59), Mata for Manu (59). Not Used: McCallum, Kennedy. Sin Bin: Berghan (28). Referee: Dudley Phillips (Ireland).

Summary: Edinburgh suffered their first defeat in European Challenge Cup Pool 5 despite a spirited second-half fightback at Stade Francais.


The bus was travelling to the Monastery of St Samuel the Confessor, 135km (85 miles) south of Cairo, from Minya province when it came under fire. No group immediately said it was behind the attack. But Islamic State (IS) militants have targeted Copts several times in recent months, and vowed to do so again. Two suicide bombings at Palm Sunday services at churches in the northern cities of Alexandria and Tanta on 9 April left 46 people dead. Another suicide bombing at a church in the capital in December killed 29 people, while a Christian community was forced to flee the town of el-Arish in the northern Sinai peninsula after a series of gun attacks in February. The Copts killed on Friday had been travelling to St Samuel's monastery to pray. Their bus was in a small convoy that was stopped on a desert road near Adwa police station by between eight and 10 gunmen wearing military uniforms, officials cited witnesses as saying. The gunmen then fired at the bus with automatic weapons before fleeing in three 4x4 vehicles, they added. A Christian official in Minya, Ibram Samir, told the New York Times that children had been on the bus and were among the dead. Mr Samir said a pick-up truck carrying workmen at the monastery was also in the convoy. It is not clear whether it was targeted as well. Minya governor Essam al-Bedawi said security forces had arrived at the scene and were fanning out along the road to the monastery and setting up checkpoints. Copts make up about 10% of Egypt's population of 92 million. Last month's attacks prompted President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi to declare a three-month nationwide state of emergency and promise to do whatever was necessary to confront jihadist militants, most of whom are based in northern Sinai. But many Copts complain that the Egyptian authorities are not doing enough to protect them, says the BBC's Orla Guerin in Cairo. There is now a real sense of fear, and a feeling of being hunted, she adds. The Coptic Orthodox Church is the main Christian Church in Egypt. While most Copts live in Egypt, the Church has about a million members outside the country. Copts believe that their Church dates back to about 50 AD, when the Apostle Mark is said to have visited Egypt. The head of the Church is called the Pope and is considered to be the successor of St Mark. This makes it one of the earliest Christian groups outside the Holy Land. The Church separated from other Christian denominations at the Council of Chalcedon (451 AD) in a dispute over the human and divine nature of Jesus Christ. Read more about the Coptic Orthodox Church

Summary: Gunmen have attacked a bus carrying Coptic Christians in central Egypt, killing at least 26 people and wounding 25 others, state media report.


As many as 30 stores around the state are expected to start selling the drug for recreational purposes from 1 January, dubbed Green Wednesday. Colorado, along with Washington state, voted to legalise the use and possession of cannabis for people over the age of 21 in November 2012. Washington is not expected to allow the sale of it until later in 2014. Colorado and Washington are among 20 states to have approved marijuana use for medical purposes. The drug is still illegal under federal law. Store owners had stocked up, prepared celebrations and hired extra security in preparation for their opening on Green Wednesday. Burning questions Under the new law, cannabis will be sold like alcohol. Residents will be able to buy up to one ounce, while those from out of the state can purchase up to a quarter of an ounce. Cannabis can only be smoked on private premises, with the permission of the owners. The sale of the drug will be taxed in the same way as alcohol, and state officials have said they expected it to raise millions - the first $40m of which will be used for school construction, The Denver Post reports. It was not clear exactly how many shops were expected to open on New Year's Day, though around 30 were listed by The Denver Post. A total of 136 stores have been given licences to sell marijuana. Most of the shops are based in Denver. Some communities elsewhere in Colorado have exercised their right not to have the stores. Supporters of legalising cannabis have praised Colorado's move. Rachel Gillette, of the Colorado branch of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, said the state "has found an exit strategy for the failed drug war and I hope other states will follow our lead". But critics say it sends the wrong message to the nation's youth and fear it will lead to serious public health and social problems. "There will still need to be a black market to serve people who are ineligible to buy on a legal market, especially kids," said Kevin Sabet of Smart Approaches to Marijuana. "It's almost the worst of both worlds."

Summary: The US state of Colorado is making history by becoming the first to allow stores to sell cannabis.


Sgt Elor Azaria, 20, shot Abdul Fatah al-Sharif, 21, in the head while he was lying immobile on a road. The incident happened in Hebron in the occupied West Bank last March, after another soldier was stabbed. Sgt Azaria said he thought Sharif might have an explosive vest, but prosecutors said his motive was revenge. The high-profile trial has proven extremely divisive in Israel, says the BBC's Yolande Knell in Tel Aviv. There have been rallies to support the soldier and some senior politicians backed Sgt Azaria. However, top military figures were quick to say that his actions did not reflect the values of the Israel Defence Forces (IDF). In the incident on 24 March, Sharif and another 21-year-old Palestinian, Ramzi Aziz al-Qasrawi, stabbed and wounded an Israeli soldier before troops opened fire on them, wounding Sharif and killing Qasrawi. Footage of the scene several minutes later, filmed by a Palestinian and released by the Israeli human rights group B'Tselem, shows Sharif alive. A soldier, identified as Sgt Azaria, is then seen cocking his rifle and fatally shooting Sharif from several metres away. In their indictment, prosecutors said Sgt Azaria "violated the rules of engagement without operational justification as the terrorist was lying on the ground wounded and represented no immediate threat for the accused or others who were present". Delivering the verdict on Wednesday, the panel of three military judges rejected Sgt Azaria's defence that he shot Sharif because he continued to pose a threat. He had told the court that he believed there might be a suicide belt under the Palestinian's jacket. The judges, who took two-and-a-half hours to deliver their verdict, noted that Sgt Azaria's company and battalion commanders had testified that he did not mention the same concerns when they questioned him immediately after the shooting incident. The judges also said there was no dispute regarding the veracity of the statements made by another soldier, who testified to military investigators that Sgt Azaria had told him during the incident: "They stabbed my friend and tried to kill him - he deserves to die." Sgt Azaria told the court that he did not recall having any such conversation, but the head of the judging panel, Col Maya Heller, described him as an "unreliable witness". "His motive for shooting was that he felt the terrorist deserved to die," she said. Prosecutor Lt Col Nadav Weissman said: "This is not a happy day for us. We would have preferred that this didn't happen. But the deed was done, and the offence was severe." A spokesman for Sgt Azaria's family said evidence proving his innocence had been ignored. "It was like the court was detached from the fact that this was the area of an attack," he said. The soldier's mother, Oshra, shouted at the judges: "You should be ashamed of yourselves." The defence team has said it will appeal against the verdict. Sentencing is expected in the next few weeks. Manslaughter in Israel carries a maximum 20-year term. Sharif's father Yusri was quoted as saying Sgt Azaria deserved a life sentence.

Summary: An Israeli soldier filmed shooting dead a wounded Palestinian attacker after he had been disarmed of a knife has been convicted of manslaughter.


At an emergency meeting in Ghana, ministers promised better collaboration to fight what has become the world's deadliest outbreak to date. So far, 759 people have been infected with the virus in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone and 467 of them have died. The two-day meeting was called by the World Health Organization (WHO). Under the new strategy, the WHO will open a sub-regional control centre in Guinea to co-ordinate technical support. Keiji Fukuda, the WHO's assistant director-general of health security, said it was "impossible to give a clear answer" on how far the epidemic could spread. "I certainly expect that we are going to be dealing with this outbreak, minimum, for a few months to several months," he told AFP news agency. "I really hope to see a turnaround where we begin to see a decrease in cases in the next several weeks." BBC West Africa correspondent Thomas Fessy says educating people rather than closing borders is seen as the most effective way to contain the outbreak. Cultural practices and traditional beliefs in some areas have hampered public health measures, contributing to the spread of the disease, he adds. In some cases, mobs have attacked health workers forcing emergency centres to close. The WHO has already sent more than 150 experts into West Africa over the past few months to try to contain the outbreak. But it says political commitment is needed from the region itself to ensure this outbreak is stopped soon. Most of the deaths have been centred in the southern Guekedou region of Guinea, where the outbreak was first reported in February. But health officials say the region's porous borders have allowed infected people to carry the disease into other countries. Ebola spreads through contact with an infected person's bodily fluids and there is no vaccine or cure. It kills up to 90% of those infected. In pictures: Battling Ebola in West Africa Why Ebola is so dangerous

Summary: Health ministers from 11 West African countries have adopted a common strategy to fight a deadly Ebola outbreak in the region.


The lorry then crashed into a house in Bolney Road, Ansty, West Sussex. The cottage's occupants were unhurt, but the building has structural damage. A 72-year-old man who was driving a VW sustained serious injuries. The other drivers were also taken to hospital. The A272 Bolney Road was closed at the junction with Bishops Lane and Pickwell Lane until the early hours, following the crash on Saturday afternoon. Ricky, the owner of the property - who did not want to give his full name - told the BBC he had only just finished renovating the house. "We started in September and finished it on Saturday morning, and now we've got to start all over again. "The downstairs is wrecked and the front top room is also damaged." He said his wife's grandparents, who are in their 90s, were in the property at the time and were very "shaken up". "Luckily they managed to get out... a few cuts and bruises but otherwise OK," he said.

Summary: A motorist was seriously injured in a crash involving a lorry and two cars.


Storer will move to St Andrew's on a six-month deal, to start when the transfer window reopens in May. The 18-year-old will initially feature for Blues' development squad, having previously been part of the club's academy until Under-15 level. He became a Stevenage scholar in 2014, signing his first contract last year. Storer has made one first-team appearance for Stevenage, as a late substitute in their 3-0 league defeat at Leyton Orient last August. Meanwhile, fellow teenager David Popa, also 18, has become the latest Blues academy player to sign professional terms. The Romanian striker, who has scored three times in seven games on loan at Kettering Town in the Northern Premier League, follows the lead of free-scoring academy striker Ronan Hale in agreeing a new deal. Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page.

Summary: Birmingham City have signed promising teenage striker Jack Storer from League Two side Stevenage for an undisclosed five-figure fee.


He had at least three children. The Metropolitan Police says he was born as Adrian Russell Ajao - but the story appears to be more confusing still, because of a string of alternative names or aliases he used. He was entered onto the birth registry in the Dartford district of Kent as Adrian Russell Elms, in the weeks after he was born on Christmas Day 1964. Elms was his mother's maiden name, but two years after he was born she married a man with the name Ajao. The future killer used the surnames interchangeably before he converted to Islam and became Masood. His mother and her husband lived for a long time in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, where the young Masood, then called Adrian, attended Huntleys School for Boys. His parents later moved to Wales and their Carmarthenshire home was this week searched by detectives from the Wales Extremism and Counter Terrorism Unit. They have not been treated as suspects and the BBC understands from a local source that Masood had been estranged from his parents for some time. Masood had a string of previous convictions for violence and public order offences. His first conviction came when he was 18, in November 1983, for criminal damage. Ten years later he appeared to have settled down. He and his first partner had two children and lived in the village of Northiam, East Sussex. While living there in 2000, Adrian Elms became embroiled in a serious pub attack following what may have been racist provocation and ostracisation or arguments in his village. He lost his temper with Piers Mott, slashing him on his face and leaving an 8cm gash on his left cheek. Mr Mott has since died, but his widow Heather recalled the incident. "My husband was defending someone who was working for him," she said. "I don't know how it happened - Piers was just defending this guy." Elms was jailed for two years after admitting the attack - and never returned to live in the village, although his former partner and children remained there for some years. After his release from jail, he moved to Eastbourne - where a man who knew him as a casual acquaintance told the BBC Elms used both cocaine and bodybuilding steroids. He was also on the cusp of a change in identity. "I first met him in a pub around Christmas Eve 2001," the former electrician told the BBC. "He was introduced as 'Black Ady'. I believe he had just got out of jail at the time." Elms came across as a Jekyll and Hyde character. "Everyone who met him said he was really polite, but he was in a pub one night and two guys were playing pool. "Something was said and he battered them both with pool cues. "One time I noticed a Koran and I made a joke like: 'Are you reading that?' He did not seem the religious type at all. "I spoke to my friend who lived with him for a while and he said he used to read the Koran

Summary: The man police say was responsible for the Westminster attack has been formally identified as 52-year-old Khalid Masood.


About 270 undergraduate students at the university's medical school are affected. The university said the clinical examination they sat earlier this year had now been declared "void". It emerged that a handful of students had shared information about the exam using social media. The students responsible are now facing a disciplinary and fitness to practise process and the fresh exam has been timetabled for early May. In a statement, a university spokesman said: "After consultation with the senate of the University of Glasgow the affected examination has been declared void and a new clinical examination will be set for all final year students. "This decision has been made in an abundance of caution to ensure that the skills of our students are rigorously and fairly tested before they graduate in medicine." The new exam will take place at the beginning of May, with any resits resulting from that paper to be taken later the same month.

Summary: Final-year medical students at Glasgow University will have to resit an exam after evidence of "collusion" was uncovered.


The Oxford Mail reported Thomas Yuill's remains were found at his Oxford flat when police forced entry on Friday. Housing officers visited the property in January but saw "no concerns" for the 82-year-old's welfare and left. Blackbird Leys councillor Linda Smith said: "I'm shocked...why wasn't [this case] followed up for so long?" Mr Yuill stopped paying the rent on his Blackbird Leys flat in November, and housing officers visited his flat in Sorrel Road in January but saw "no concerns for his welfare". In April, Oxford City Council housing officers called the city's John Radcliffe Hospital, county's coroner's office and care homes in the area to try to locate him. On Friday the council asked police to force entry to the property, where Mr Yuill's body was found. Cabinet member for housing Mike Rowley said: "It wasn't an unusual thing for his neighbours not to see him for weeks at a time." He said the council was launching an inquiry into the "tragic case." The council said it had identified 700 residents who might be "socially isolated" who would be contacted by officers in the next three weeks.

Summary: A man's body was undiscovered at his flat for seven months after he died, despite council officers visiting the property when he stopped paying rent.


Another 11 were injured when the driver lost control of the minibus and ploughed through a crash barrier. Local media said no foreign tourists were among the passengers. Turkish media said the vehicle was heading towards Marmaris for a mother's day event, which is celebrated on Sunday there. The victims are believed to be mainly women and children. Amric Cicek, governor of Mugla province, suggested the brakes may have stopped working. But the mayor of Marmaris, Ali Acar, told Turkish newspaper Hurriyet: "I think that the accident was a result of driver error." Turkey's Andalou news agency said the crash took place on the Mugla-Antalya road at the Sakar Gecidi pass. The vehicle landed on another section of road below after it went through the crash barrier. Rescue teams were dispatched and the injured were taken to hospital, Andalou said.

Summary: At least 23 people have died after a tourist bus fell from a cliff near the southern Turkey seaside resort of Marmaris.


Its debut was the second biggest April opening in history, behind only Furious 7's $147.2m (£104m) launch in 2015. According to the studio, Jon Favreau's film also made an estimated $136.1m (£96m) outside the US and Canada. Comedy sequel Barbershop: The Next Cut came a distant second, with opening weekend takings of $20.2m (£14.2m). Disney has achieved success of late with transforming its classic cartoons into live-action remakes, including Alice in Wonderland, Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty makeover Maleficent. The Jungle Book is is a mixture of live action featuring Neel Sethi as Mowgli, with the rest of the footage created with animation. It features computer-generated versions of such familiar characters as Baloo the bear, Kaa the snake and Shere Khan the tiger. Bill Murray, Scarlett Johansson and Idris Elba lend their voices to the roles, with Christopher Walken and Sir Ben Kingsley voicing other characters. Slapstick comedy The Boss slipped to third place in its second weekend in cinemas, taking $10.2m (£7.2m) between Friday and Sunday. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Disney animation Zootopia - released as Zootropolis in the UK - round out this week's top five.

Summary: Disney's new version of The Jungle Book has taken a big bite out of the US box office, topping it with $103.6m (£73.1m) in its opening weekend.


National Grid applied to install the overhead line which would carry electricity from the proposed new nuclear power station, Hinkley C. The Planning Inspectorate has announced it will hold a six-month inquiry, during which local people can comment. It will then make a recommendation to the Secretary of State. Sir Michael Pitt, chief executive for the Planning Inspectorate, said the application "met the required tests" and the decision was made after "careful consideration". "The applicant must now decide when to publicise the fact that its application has been accepted to proceed to examination and announce when members of the public will be able to register with the Planning Inspectorate as an interested party in the application," he added. The National Grid plans were submitted last month. A company spokesman previously said it had taken "five years of consultation". It will see 30-miles of overhead wires carried on pylons and a five-mile section under the Mendips, connecting the station, near Bridgwater, Somerset, to the National Grid's 400,000 volt substation at Avonmouth. It would also see the removal of 246 pylons and 42 miles of cabling between Bridgwater and Avonmouth, and Nailsea. Those against the pylons argue the entire route should be underground or sub-sea - but National Grid had previously said this option would be too expensive. Now the plans have been accepted for examination, the documents will become public. A final decision will not be made until late 2015.

Summary: Plans for more than 140 pylons connecting Hinkley Point to Avonmouth have been accepted for examination by the government.


The events began a weekend of commemoration leading up to the anniversary on 31 May and 1 June. More than 6,000 Britons and 2,500 Germans died in the 36-hour Battle of Jutland, involving about 250 ships. Princess Anne joined First Minister Nicola Sturgeon for a service at a war graves cemetery in Rosyth. HMS Kent has weighed anchor at South Queensferry before heading to Orkney for further commemorations. Jutland, fought in the North Sea off the coast of Denmark, was the only major naval battle of the 1914-18 war. It brought together the two most powerful naval forces of the time and it became the largest sea battle in naval warfare history in terms of the numbers of battleships engaged. The events on Saturday were designed to mark the "contribution and sacrifices" made by those who served during the battle. The commemorations began with a wreath-laying service and then an act of remembrance at Rosyth Parish Church in the town where the battlecruiser force was based in 1916. A minute's silence took place following the ringing of a bell made from the hull of HMS Tiger, a battlecruiser which suffered light damage during the Jutland campaign. Ms Sturgeon said: "The sacrifices made by those who fought in this battle, the largest naval encounter of the First World War, and by other seafarers throughout the conflict must never be forgotten." A service of remembrance was held in South Queensferry Commonwealth War Graves Commission's cemetery, where 40 casualties from the battle are commemorated or buried. Descendents of those involved in the battle, local school pupils and children visiting from Wilhelmshaven in Germany were part of the event. Singer Barbara Dickson, whose uncle was killed in the Battle of the Somme, sang Scottish lament Flowers of the Forest as Princess Anne laid a wreath to remember lives lost. Elizabeth Dickson, whose father survived but her uncle, aged 16, was killed in the battle, said: "It's very important to commemorate because, always, the tradition of commemoration and the rituals of commemoration are important because they're healing." Admiral Lord West, a commander during the Falklands War who went on to be head of the Royal Navy for four years, said: "We forget sometimes, these sailors didn't die in an instant. There were ones trapped below decks, terrible burns. War is horrible - it was a horrible death on both sides, and we must remember that." In the final event of the day, hundreds of people lined the streets around Hawes Pier in South Queensferry. The band of HM Royal Marines (Scotland) performed the Beating Retreat and Ceremonial Sunset, while HMS Kent weighed anchor and fired a gun, before sailing alongside the MV Fingal, a strikingly coloured Dazzle Ship painted by artist Ciara Phillips. A commemorative plaque unveiled by Princess Anne will later take permanent place at South Queensferry's shore.

Summary: Hundreds of people have gathered to mark the centenary of the largest naval battle of World War One in Rosyth and South Queensferry.


Jennings replaced injured opener Haseeb Hameed in the squad in the build-up to the fourth Test in Mumbai, which starts on Thursday at 04:00 GMT. The 24-year-old is the son of former South Africa coach Ray Jennings, and captained South Africa Under-19s. "The more time you spend in a country, the more you feel welcome," he said. "Especially in the North East, the people are very welcoming - and that made me feel part of the furniture essentially. "At the moment I'm feeling very comfortable and very English, despite my accent." Jennings, whose mother was born in Sunderland, has served a four-year qualification period to be eligible for England. The Durham batsman made 101 not out as he captained the England Lions against the United Arab Emirates last week. He said the moment Lions head coach Andy Flower told him he had been called into the senior squad was "surreal". "I texted my dad and it ended up with my dad being speechless and my mum in tears," he told BBC Sport. Jennings said all-rounder Ben Stokes, his Durham team-mate, was helping him settle in to the national set-up. "It makes it easier when you have Stokes taking the mickey out of you," he added. England trail India 2-0 in the five-match series. India's cricket board is considering whether to switch the final Test from Chennai following the death of a local politician. The fifth Test is due to be held in the city from 16-20 December.

Summary: Keaton Jennings, the South Africa-born batsman who is set to make his England debut in India this week, has said he feels "very English".


Their study, published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine, argued elderly people had the least to gain. The team at University College London (UCL) has called on doctors to discuss the risks more clearly with patients. The charity Diabetes UK said doctors needed to strike a careful balance when prescribing treatment. Type-2 diabetes is an inability to control blood sugar levels and is linked to lifestyle factors including diet and obesity. In the long-term it is linked to heart disease, kidney damage, nerve damage and even blindness. Drugs such as metformin can be used to lower blood sugar levels to prevent the side effects. The report, which was carried out by the University of Michigan as well as UCL, said an average 45-year-old who dropped their blood sugar levels by one percentage point would gain 10 months of healthy life, compared with three weeks for a 75-year-old starting treatment. It added this needed to be balanced against the down-sides to a lifetime of medication including: Having to have multiple injections and blood sugar tests each day, drugs causing indigestion or sickness, or insulin treatments risking blood sugar levels dropping dangerously low (hypoglycaemia). One of the report's authors, Prof John Yudkin, told the BBC: "What it means is if you're someone with type-2, it's your right to know what the benefits of the treatment are in terms of gain in life expectancy or reduction in heart attacks or going blind. "And then you are entitled to decide, but not many doctors have got those figures to hand." He said GPs were too "target focussed" and were often looking only at the blood sugar level. The findings do not apply to people with type-1 diabetes. Commenting on the report, Simon O'Neill, the director for health intelligence at Diabetes UK, said: "Sometimes there is a balance to be struck where certain medications might help give someone a longer life, but also cause side effects that might negatively impact on quality of life. "This study highlights the importance of looking at the individual needs of the person with type-2 diabetes, rather than adopting a blanket approach." Patients are advised not to make any decisions without consulting their GP. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, which advises the NHS on medication, said: "The current NICE guidance on the management of type-2 diabetes recognises that glycaemic [sugar] control targets should not impair a person's quality of life as a result of the side effects of treatment. "Where medication does not help achieve this target level, lifestyle therapies such as dietary advice should be offered." Refreshed guidelines are due to be published next summer.

Summary: The downsides of taking medication for type-2 diabetes may exceed the benefits for some patients, researchers have advised.


The decision by ministers overturns a recommendation from a Scottish government reporter that the Pentland Studios Project should be thrown out. Midlothian Council had failed to make an initial ruling on the application. PSL Land Ltd said it was "very pleased" with the decision and hoped the first studio facilities would be operational by late 2018. The studio is earmarked for a site at Old Pentland Farm, near Straiton. The Association of Film and Television Practitioners Scotland (AFTPS) had called on ministers to back a new studio. PSL land Ltd said: "PSL Land Ltd are very pleased with today's decision by ministers to approve the grant of planning permission in principle for Scotland's world-class Film & TV studio complex, and will be moving forward immediately with the application for planning permission in detail for the Film Studio, Academy and Energy Centre sections of the development. "Working together with Midlothian Council, PSL hope this next stage will be expedited accordingly, recovering the construction scheduling that will enable delivery of the key Studio operation by late 2018. "It is anticipated that a detailed schedule to progress the planning application will be agreed with Midlothian Council in the next few weeks, producing a phased timeframe with the Studio, Academy and Energy Centre as the first buildings to be progressed to full planning consent." The Association of Film and Television Practitioners Scotland, which represents some of those working in film and television, previously said it believed the sector was being badly affected by the lack of a studio space.

Summary: Planning permission has been granted in principle for a film studio to be built on the outskirts of Edinburgh.


The 52-year-old, a former international in both sports, took 2-24 after turning out for Scotland veterans in their 125-run defeat by Lancashire over-50s. The match was played to commemorate 30 years since Scotland beat Lancashire - their first win over county opposition. Goram had a 23-year football career and played four times for Cricket Scotland. He remains the only person to have played in a first-class cricket match and a full international football match for Scotland. In 1989, he played against the touring Australians but went wicketless as Mike Veletta and Tom Moody hit centuries.

Summary: Andy Goram is known as one of Scotland's greatest goalkeepers, but on Wednesday he reminded people he was also a dab hand with the cricket ball.


The Richard Review says the definition of apprenticeship has been "stretched too far" and needs to be rethought. It warns that too often the traditional relationship between the employer and the person being trained has been lost. The government welcomed the report and said it would respond in due course. There has been a rapid increase in the number of apprenticeships in England in recent years, with successive governments urging young people to consider them instead of university. But there are concerns about quality, with some as short as three months. Entrepreneur Doug Richard was asked by Business Secretary Vince Cable and Education Secretary Michael Gove to consider the future of apprenticeships in England. In his review, Mr Richard says "apprenticeships or the notion of them are popular", but that this has led to many things being called apprenticeships which, in fact, are not. "Simply enough, not all instances of training on a job are apprenticeships," he says. They "require a new job role, a role that is new to the individual and requires them to learn a substantial amount before they can do that job effectively," he said. As a consequence, he says, the nation risks losing sight of the core features of what makes apprenticeships work. And he suggests they should last for at least a year, adding that those "measured in weeks or months", can still "fall short". He adds that while the knowledge required for a job could be covered in a shorter period of time, it took time for "the individual to transform from an apprentice to a skilled worker". This comes after numerous complaints that some agencies and businesses have been offering low grade apprenticeships that only last for a few weeks or even months, in exchange for cheap labour and government funding. He is clear that training to improve the skills of someone who has been in their job for some time or someone who is not yet ready to start work should not be called an apprenticeship. He warns that that the relationship between the employer and the trainee is being lost, as schemes have become government-led training initiatives, shaped by training professionals, rather than employers. He calls for a new set of qualifications which set out what a person should be able to do and know at the end of their training. But they must also offer a set of skills broad enough for other jobs. He said these new qualifications should be redefined by employers who should set the standard, rather than ministers. They should be free of the "bureaucratic box ticking assessment" and "micro-level" prescription that he says is a feature of current vocational qualifications. "It is complicated and off-putting to an employer to have to undertake paperwork gymnastics to pigeonhole their system into a redefined set of curricular approaches," he adds. He calls for the apprentice's accomplishments to be robustly tested and validated, and says they must include high quality attainments in maths and English for those who have not got GCSEs in the subjects before they start. And he

Summary: Apprenticeships in England should last for at least a year and genuinely train someone in a new role, a key report for the government says.


Mevlut Cavusoglu said the plan, which also involves Russia, could be set in motion "at any moment" but it was up to the "will of the leaders". Russia has not officially confirmed the deal, other than to say talks are under way with Turkey. The two countries back opposing sides in the conflict. Rebels said they would meet Russian officials in Turkey on Thursday. Turkey's state news agency had earlier reported the deal could come as early as Thursday evening. The issue of which areas would fall under the ceasefire deal remains a possible stumbling block. Earlier this month, Moscow and Ankara negotiated a ceasefire in Syria's second city, Aleppo, that led to tens of thousands of rebel fighters and civilians being evacuated from an enclave besieged by government forces. Previous ceasefire initiatives this year brokered by the UN, or the US acting with Russia, quickly collapsed. Fighting has continued elsewhere in Syria since the Aleppo evacuation, notably in the nearby town of al-Bab, where Turkey has been helping rebels fighting so-called Islamic State. Speaking on Turkish TV, Mr Cavusoglu said Turkey and Russia would act as guarantors of the ceasefire deal, under which all foreign fighter groups would have to leave Syria. "We are on the verge of an agreement with Russia," he said. "If everything goes alright, we will make this agreement. Russia will be the guarantor of the regime [Syrian government]. Russia and Turkey are guarantors in the agreement being worked on in Ankara." He added that there was "nothing final" on whether Iran, another military ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, would also sign it as a guarantor. Russia's RT state TV channel said it was still waiting for confirmation from the Russian foreign ministry that a deal had been reached. On Wednesday, Turkey's official Anadolu news agency cited an unnamed Turkish source as saying the ceasefire would exclude "terrorist organisations", without giving further details. An official from the Islamist rebel coalition Ahrar al-Sham said there were fundamental disagreements over which areas would fall under the ceasefire deal. Labib Nahhas singled out the rebel-held Eastern Ghouta area near Damascus, saying Russian attempts to exclude it from the truce were unacceptable. Despite the obstacles, Turkey and Syria analyst Ilhan Tanir detected greater confidence among the negotiators after the Aleppo evacuation and last week's Moscow Declaration, a roadmap for Syria's future signed by Turkey, Russia and Iran. "So this is kind of a third step and I think the parties have more confidence to work together for Syria," he told the BBC. Diana Darke, a Middle East expert, said she was optimistic as Russia and Iran had achieved their war goals. "Potentially everybody has finally reached the stage where they are ready," she told the BBC World Service's Newsday programme. "They can see that there is nothing further to be gained. I mean Russia does not want to be sucked more and more in to the Syrian quicksand. They've got what they wanted. The same for Iran. The Syrian government itself is incredibly weak."

Summary: A plan to implement a ceasefire across Syria could be in place before the new year, Turkey's foreign minister says.


The world number five was the 2013 runner-up and he proved it was no fluke by reaching the final four at last year's World Championship. And he told BBC Sport staying in a cottage a short drive away from Sheffield has helped him stay calm prior to another attempt at winning snooker's showpiece event. "It is ideal really," said Hawkins, who needed to call on all his powers of relaxation as he saw a 9-4 lead slowly whittled away in his 10-9 first-round win over Matthew Selt. "It's in the countryside, it has unbelievable views and on a lovely day it feels perfect - away from all the hustle and bustle of Sheffield and the snooker-mania. "I get fed up with staying in hotels and if you are going to be here for a week or two you want to be as comfortable as possible. "I stumbled across it a couple of years ago online and as long as I am playing at the Crucible I will always try to stay there." The eagerly awaited tranquil trip was very nearly a mini-break this year, with Hawkins coming perilously close to wasting his money before finally shaking off Selt's comeback. Avoiding defeat in that match means Ronnie O'Sullivan remains the only man to have beaten Hawkins at the Crucible since 2012. But the run to the 2013 final, where he lost 18-12, and last year's 17-7 defeat in the last four mean that although the title still eludes him, Hawkins did at least get full value from his countryside retreat. And the Kent-based, London-born left-hander said this season's tough Sheffield opener may do him some good - as long as there is no repeat when he starts his second-round, three-session match against Mark Allen on Friday. "It gives me a lot of confidence and shows I can do it under the utmost pressure," the 'Hawk' said. "I just hope I just don't have to do it again. "If you can get through the first couple of rounds playing really well and get through quite easy, and conserve some energy for the later rounds, then it is a massive advantage. "Last year I came through some really tough battles and when I played Ronnie in the semi-finals I was absolutely wiped out. "I had nothing left in the tank whatsoever. It was the first time I have ever felt like that. "I went quite far behind and just wanted him to finish me off. I just couldn't wait to get out of there. It's mentally draining and not a nice feeling to have." At least Hawkins had three full days off after Monday's nerve-jangling win over Selt. And the 36-year-old is guaranteed to be match sharp when he faces world number 12 Allen. He knows he needs to be, against one of the most attacking players on the circuit. "It just gets tougher and tougher from now on," said Hawkins, who has only beaten the Northern Irishman once in nine previous meetings. That win was in their last encounter, a 5-1 success at the

Summary: Barry Hawkins says the picturesque serenity of the Derbyshire countryside has helped him relax and find his best form at the Crucible.