Chief executive Leeann Dempster and Director of Football Operations George Craig performed a rigorous process before appointing Alan Stubbs two years ago, and a similar project is now under way to find his successor. The bottom line for the successful candidate is they must lead the Edinburgh club out of the Championship and back into Scotland's top flight - or be deemed a failure. So who are the likely options for the Hibs board, and what are their chances of succeeding Stubbs at Easter Road? Neil Lennon (current odds: 7/1) Took Celtic job in 2010 and led them into Champions League group stages, famously beating Barcelona, and won three league titles. Left in the summer of 2014 and after a short spell out of the game, appointed Bolton boss. But constant financial issues saw Wanderers plunge to the bottom of the English Championship, and Lennon left in March, less than halfway through a four-year contract. Recently lost out to Brendan Rodgers for the Celtic job. Stuart McCall (current odds: 5/1) Currently in a part-time role as a member of Gordon Strachan's backroom team with Scotland. Linked with a number of managerial posts since leaving Rangers last summer. Had a successful four-year spell as Motherwell boss, leading them to a second-place finish in the Premiership and winning the Manager of the Year Award. Began his managerial career at Bradford City before returning north to take on the job at Fir Park. John Hughes (current odds: 9/4) Life-long 'Hibee' who has played for, captained and managed the club previously, finishing fourth in the top flight in his one full season before a fall-out with the board saw him leave five months later. May find it difficult to turn it down if asked again, but while chairman Rod Petrie remains, a return seems unlikely. Led Inverness to Scottish Cup success and a third-place finish, but left last month amid rows over budgets with the board. John Collins (current odds: 16/1) Played over 160 games for the club in a six-year spell between 1994 and 2000 before leaving for Celtic. Returned to Easter Road in his first managerial job when Tony Mowbray left in 2006, leading the club to a League Cup triumph in 2007, but soon left amid player complaints to the board about his management style. Spent the past two seasons as assistant to Ronny Deila at Celtic. Mixu Paatelainan (current odds: 33/1) A fans' favourite in two spells as a player, best remembered for scoring a hat-trick in a 6-2 win over city rivals Hearts in October 2000. Returned to Easter Road as boss in 2008, and led them to a top-six place. But after his first full season, he left by mutual consent, although departed on a high with another win over Hearts. Most recently boss of Dundee United, but sacked after their relegation from the Premiership this season. Alex McLeish (current odds: 5/1) McLeish took over a struggling Hibs side in February 1998 and despite an upturn in fortunes, they were relegated from Scotland's top flight. Guided them back at the

Summary: In the past 10 years only Tony Mowbray has lasted more than two years as manager of Hibernian.


Fran Murphy, 52, was paddling with friends on a sandbank at a resort near Perpignan when it collapsed, leaving her unconscious. The group was saved by a man from Swansea, and Ms Murphy appealed on BBC Wales for help to try and trace him. Now, she has met Ian Hullin and said it felt "wonderful" to be able to thank him for saving her life. Ms Murphy, a Cardiff librarian, was with three colleagues when the incident happened earlier this month. She was left unconscious and the group was unable to get ashore because of a rip current. They were saved by a mystery man who got them ashore and then "disappeared". Ms Murphy said her lungs were 80% full of water and she remained in hospital for over a week, with two days in intensive care. She did not remember her rescuer but her friends believed he was from Swansea. They said he joked that if he had known they were from Cardiff he would have "left them" in the water. Ms Murphy had said she just wanted to thank him for the "amazing thing" he had done. On Thursday Ms Murphy, her friends and Mr Hullin were finally reunited at her Cardiff home, and BBC Wales filmed the meeting. She told him: "I'm just so glad that we managed to track you down so that we could just say thank you. "You were just a mystery man to us at the time. We called you Mr Swansea. "What you did was absolutely amazing. It might not be anything to you, but it meant a lot to us." Mr Hullin said he was "really glad I could help", and told Ms Murphy: "You look better than the last time." He also said his mother, from Cardiff, was "not happy" at his joke about leaving them if he had known where they were from. He said he had made the joke while trying to reach shore with the second group of friends and was "running out of banter". Ms Murphy said she was "absolutely ecstatic" to meet Mr Hullin, adding: "We're very grateful to the BBC. I don't think we would have found him otherwise." Mr Hullin, who works in the protection of vessels as they pass Somalia, came forward after a friend of his partner's saw the story on BBC Wales Today. His partner, Lucy Ross, said she had been having a "lovely sunbathe" when she noticed Mr Hullin had gone. She assumed he had gone for a long swim, but said: "He just came back and casually said that he'd saved some women and then he just sat down." She said her partner then "casually got on with his book". For more on this story, see BBC Wales Today, BBC One Wales, at 18:30 BST on Thursday.

Summary: A Cardiff holidaymaker has been reunited with the mystery man who saved her from drowning off a French beach.


Media playback is not supported on this device Forest have slipped to 17th in the table, having won just once in eight Championship matches. Cohen, 29, told BBC Nottingham Sport bad results were not down to "a couple of little mix-ups with payments". "That is not any kind of reason why we are not getting results," Cohen said. "Anyone that says that is lying and using it as an excuse to hide the fact they are not doing well enough." Reds owner and chairman Fawaz Al Hasawi is close to selling up to a United States consortium, but has denied reports he is demanding a large annual salary and huge bonuses as part of any takeover deal. The Guardian article also claimed the players had to be placated over late payments and unpaid bonuses. But Cohen, Forest's longest-serving player having joined in 2007, added: "There have been issues over the years and everything has always been resolved, but because results are not going well and the media have got involved it has magnified the situation. "They always get sorted out, as they will be this time, and then we move on. "You don't want it to happen and would rather everything just ran completely smoothly but they are small issues. Talk of players' revolt - if that was going to happen then I missed it. "It's not as big an issue as everyone is saying but you want to iron out the small details. "There is a good relationship and always has been between the chairman and players and that hasn't changed over the last few weeks. I would be surprised if the same story had come if we had won the last five games."

Summary: Nottingham Forest captain Chris Cohen says the club's impending takeover, off-field distractions and "small issues" with late payments and unpaid bonuses are no excuse for poor form.


Ellie-May had been missing for two days before the grim discovery was made by a member of the public in Lincoln Drive, Cannock. The RSPCA has launched an investigation to find out whether the pet has been killed by a human or a wild animal. The owner of the 18-month-old black and white cat, Brenda Hearndon, said the news of her last moments was "awful". The 74-year-old said: "I have had Ellie-May since she was dumped 10 months ago with 12 kittens and she worked so hard bringing these kittens up. "She was a very timid cat but she was affectionate towards me. "It is so sad because she was just starting to enjoy life, going outside and doing what cats like to do, but now something like this has happened and it is awful." RSPCA inspector Kate Levesley said: "We do not know for certain how Ellie-May died, whether it was by the hands of a cruel human being or whether she died naturally and had started to be scavenged by wild animals. "However we cannot rule anything out. If this was done deliberately, it does not bear thinking about how terrified Ellie-May may have been in her last moments." Anyone with information is urged to come forward.

Summary: The body of a cat missing its head and tail has been found in a Staffordshire garden.


The Care Quality Commission (CQC) blames a "lack of urgency" to treat people because there are not always enough senior doctors or nurses. The emergency department has been rated inadequate and the trust as requiring improvement. The trust claimed it had addressed many of the areas identified as needing improvement. Click here for live updates on this story Overall Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust, which includes community health services and adult social care services, was rated outstanding for caring. Mental health services and adult social services were both rated good, while patient transport services were outstanding. Community health dental care, special care dental services and community health services were rated outstanding. The trust was created from two separate trusts seven months ago. Chief inspector of hospitals, Professor Sir Mike Richards, said: "I appreciate that it is sometimes hard to manage change in large organisations yet, despite challenges we have found that there is a strong vision for the future. "However, there are some areas where improvements are required. "On our inspection we found there was an apparent lack of urgency to assess or treat some patients promptly by at Torbay Hospital." Mairead McAlinden, the trust's chief executive, said: "We are a new organisation at the beginning of a massive change programme to deliver an exciting new model of care and tackle the long standing challenges we face as a health and care system. "We have had longstanding pressure on our urgent care service and at the time of our inspection our urgent and emergency care service was at maximum escalation. "We have already addressed many of the areas identified as needing improvement."

Summary: Patients in Torbay Hospital's emergency department are "at risk of avoidable harm" say inspectors.


Trade talks after leaving the EU will need more UK officials with language skills, say the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Modern Languages. There is already a languages skills shortage but currently the UK can rely on other EU nationals "to plug the gap", say the group. Ministers say their reforms are already boosting language learning in schools. Launching a checklist on Brexit and languages, the group say lack of language ability loses the UK an estimated 3.5% of economic performance. The country currently relies on the EU to negotiate trade deals but this will no longer be possible once the UK has left the Union, they add. APPG co-chair Baroness Coussins said: "Brexit must make the UK's language skills a top policy issue. "Language skills are vital for our exports, education, public services and diplomacy." Baroness Coussins called for "a national plan to ensure the UK produces the linguists we need to become a world leader in global free trade and on the international stage." The group identify a need to boost skills in both European and non-European languages for the purposes of trade, international relations and security. In particular, they fear the loss of European language skills if EU nationals already living in the UK are not guaranteed residency status post Brexit. They also want the UK to continue full participation in the Erasmus+ scheme, where young people study, work volunteer and train abroad in Europe, some working as language assistants in schools. The checklist includes calls to: "It is essential that schools continue to be able to recruit EU nationals post-Brexit," said Malcolm Trobe, interim general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders. "There is already a critical shortage of language teachers and the last thing that we need is anything which makes this situation worse. "We understand that Brexit means Brexit but it is vital that it does not also mean a full-blown crisis in language teaching." Mike Buchanan, head of Ashford School and chairman of the Headmasters and Headmistresses Conference, said independent schools were proud of their "increasingly central role in ensuring the survival of languages in British universities". "But more is needed to reverse this trend. The national situation is parlous," said Mr Buchanan. Sara Davidson, head of modern languages at the private Oundle School and chairwoman of the Independent Schools Modern Languages Association, said she did not know of a language department that did not employ native speakers. "Native speakers are helping us out amidst a major recruitment crisis in modern language teaching. "We simply do not currently produce enough linguists in this country to fill the modern language teaching vacancies we have." Ruth Sinclair-Jones, UK director of Erasmus+, said the value of the scheme to the UK "cannot be underestimated". "Losing UK participation would limit the future prospects of young people and the country as a whole," she said. And Mark Herbert, head of schools programmes at the British Council, said: "Learning a language isn't just a rewarding way to connect with another culture but boosts individual job prospects, as well

Summary: The government must plan now to avoid a post-Brexit languages crisis, say a cross-party group of MPs and peers.


"The Turks", he said, had "decided to lick the Americans in a certain place". He was giving his wide-ranging annual news conference. Touching on next year's US presidential election, the Russian leader called Donald Trump a "very colourful, talented person" and the "absolute frontrunner in the presidential race". Mr Putin is now into his third term as president since 2000, battling an economic crisis. Critics say civil liberties have been steadily eroded under his rule. He remains one of the world's most recognisable politicians, and has topped the list of The World's Most Powerful People compiled by Forbes magazine for the third year running. On other issues raised at the news conference, President Putin Russia deployed its air force to Syria in September in support of President Bashar al-Assad and has been carrying out air strikes on his opponents. Its intervention has been heavily criticised by Turkey, the US and Gulf Arab states. Mr Putin said the downing of the Russian jet by Turkish warplanes on the Syria-Turkey border was a "hostile act" but Russia was "not the country" to run away. He said he saw "no prospect" of ties improving with Turkey - which Russia has put under sanctions - under its current leaders. There was, he said, a "creeping Islamisation of Turkey that would have Ataturk rolling in his grave". The remark appeared to be aimed at President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, whose AKP party, with its Islamist roots, has been accused of seeking to dismantle the secular state founded by Kemal Ataturk. Mr Putin said Turkish officials should have picked up the phone to talk to Russia about their concerns that air strikes in Syria were hitting Turkmen rebels. Vladimir Putin: Russia's action man president Ever noticed that Russian President Vladimir Putin has an unusual walking style? He does not swing his right arm much at all when he walks - instead all the movement is on the left side of the body, giving him a very distinct lop-sided gait. A team of European neurologists analysed countless YouTube videos of the president and other top Russian officials to find out why. They discovered that they all had a similar gait, and it is probably linked to their KGB military training which requires them to keep their weapons close to their chest or in the right hand, giving them time to draw a gun on an unexpected enemy. As a result, only the left arm moves freely. So President Putin officially has a "gunslinger's gait" - but doctors should be aware that a reduced right arm swing can also be an early sign of Parkinson's disease too, the British Medical Journal research says. Is there such a thing as a 'hard man' walk? Mr Putin insisted his country's economy was recovering. While oil prices had fallen sharply, he said, manufacturing had shown slight growth and there was a healthy trade balance in agriculture. "Our economy depends on oil and gas prices, we expected Brent to be worth $100 per barrel, but then it was $50, but this was an optimistic prediction

Summary: Russian President Vladimir Putin has used crude language in a furious new attack on Turkey over the shooting down of a Russian combat jet last month.


The 19-year-old striker is yet to make a senior appearance for Everton but twice featured in the Premier League club's Under-23 side that played in the EFL Trophy this season. Southport-born Brewster, an Everton academy player since he was 12, had a previous loan spell at Stockport. He is available to make his Southport debut against Wrexham on Sunday. Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page.

Summary: Everton teenager Delial Brewster has joined National League side Southport on loan until the end of the season.


Albinism is an inherited condition that results in the absence, or near absence, of pigmentation in the eyes, skin and hair. Many people living with albinism are subject to negative public attitudes, persecution and violence. Dingwall's project began with portraits of Thando Hopa, a legal prosecutor using her visibility to address the negative perceptions surrounding albinism. More recent work features Sanele Xaba, a young model with albinism, and uses specific elements to create symbolic meanings. "They are not about race or fashion, but about perception, and what we subjectively perceive as beautiful," says Dingwall. "I wanted to create a series of images that resonate with humanity and make people question what is beautiful. "To me diversity is what makes humanity interesting and beautiful." Drawing on elements from nature, Dingwall aims to alter the viewer's perspective. "The butterfly unquestioningly embraces the changes of their environment and their body," says the photographer. "For this reason, butterflies have become symbols of growth, surrender, transition, celebration, resurrection and fragility." In images such as Cerasinus and Indicum, Dingwall paints with light, using bold colours that neutralise the perception of skin tone. Albinism is particularly prevalent in Tanzania, with one in 1,400 affected, according to a 2006 BMC Public Health report. This compares with one in 20,000 in Western countries. Since 2000, at least 75 people with albinism have been killed in targeted attacks in Tanzania. Many are killed because potions made from their body parts are believed to bring good luck and wealth. All photos: Justin Dingwall

Summary: South African photographer Justin Dingwall's portrait series Albus explores the aesthetics of albinism and perceptions of beauty.


Sussex Police has told relatives of 11 men who died they are investigating an incident at the Southport Airshow in 2014 in which a vintage jet is believed to have flown too low. At the Shoreham event in August, a Hawker Hunter jet crashed. Pilot Andy Hill was thrown free from the aircraft. The 11 died at the scene. Det Ch Insp Paul Rymarz said the force was aware of an incident at the Southport Airshow in September 2014. "This incident forms a line of inquiry in our wider investigation. "All the families are aware of our interest in this incident," he said. Analysis: Richard Westcott, BBC transport correspondent I've just been speaking to the man who was commentating at the Southport airshow on the day that this happened. George Bacon is an expert from the British Air Display Association, so he knows his stuff. He told me that the plane was flying too low and very slightly over the crowd line, which is not allowed, and the display was stopped. But George also says there was never any immediate danger, that it was never "life threatening". He described it as an "occurrence", not an "incident" (less serious in effect), saying Andy Hill was always in control of the aircraft. And he stressed the point that this kind of transgression can happen to any pilot and for all sorts of reasons - sun in the eyes, moving to avoid a bird or another aircraft, a strong wind. "Even the Red Arrows can misjudge the strength of the wind", he told me. He wanted to make the point that display pilots are not risk-takers. A spokesman for the CAA said it was aware of an incident in 2014, and had been informed of the Sussex Police investigation. At the time, he said, the CAA took appropriate action in conjunction with the show's organisers. "The CAA continues to support the police and AAIB with their investigations," he said. Mr Hill was interviewed by police in December. No arrests have been made. BBC South East correspondent Mark Norman said the parameters of the "very wide-ranging, complex ongoing investigation" had yet to be revealed. At Shoreham, the vintage jet, which had been performing aerobatics, crashed on the A27 dual carriageway. Footage captured by witnesses showed a large fireball engulf the area around the crash site.

Summary: The pilot flying a jet which crashed at the Shoreham airshow was involved in an incident at a different airshow a year before, it has emerged.


She said equality for women was "at the heart of the Scottish government". More details about the competition, which is being run by the Young Scot organisation, will be released at a later date. Ms Sturgeon has also called on women in leadership roles to follow her example and become mentors. Speaking at a diversity event in Edinburgh, the first minister said: "My ambition for all our young people is that they will have a fair chance to succeed, and if they work hard and have the ability, there's nothing to stop them realising their dreams. "It is not acceptable in 2017 for women to be under-represented in senior positions, including in the boardroom." Ms Sturgeon insisted that her government offered "ambitious commitments" in support of women's equality which included; She explained that one of her first moves as first minister was to appoint a gender-balanced cabinet. The chief executive of the Young Scot charity, Louise Macdonald, said that supporting young people in realising their career potential and meeting their ambitions was the responsibility of every leader in Scotland. She added: "Mentoring is a powerful way of helping young people achieve their goals and will help to create a new generation of positive role models to inspire other young women in the future. "We're delighted to support the first minister and the Scottish government with this new mentoring programme and we are encouraging as many young women from across Scotland as possible to apply for this amazing opportunity." "I hope that my election as first minister does indeed help to open the gate to greater opportunity for all women. "I hope that it sends a strong, positive message to girls and young women, indeed to all women, across our land - there should be no limit to your ambition for what you can achieve. "If you are good enough and if you work hard enough, the sky is the limit and no glass ceiling should ever stop you from achieving your dreams."

Summary: Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has launched a competition to find a woman aged between 18 and 23 to mentor for a year.


Pte William Kemp, Cpl Sandy MacDonald, and L/Cpl James Wilson escaped their captors after convincing them they were from the Soviet Union. Now film producers have used the tale as a premise for new World War Two drama In the Darkest Hour. Scottish film company Burning Horseshoe Productions is behind the project. However, it will not be a faithful re-telling of the story of the soldiers' escape from enemy clutches. Stephen Don, a director with Northern Ireland-based Silver Sombrero Pictures which is also involved in the project, said it was a "brilliant premise" for a film. He said: "The germ of the idea for this project came from my father who was a soldier in World War Two. "He told me that two Scots soldiers got stuck in enemy territory and ditched their uniform in an effort to get back to their lines and avoid capture. "Their only defence if captured was that one of the them was a fluent Gaelic speaker and would bamboozle the Nazis in a lingo which they couldn't understand." He added: "I find it a brilliant premise to throw together two characters into a make or break situation." The soldiers' escape from the Germans in June 1940 came weeks after their Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders regiments surrendered to enemy forces. Pte Kemp's memoir charts their remarkable journey from Abbeville, in occupied northern France, to the safety of the British consulate in Spain. In it, the soldier from Ballachulish, recounts the moment a German commander pointed a revolver at each of their heads after they were taken to prisoner of war camp. When they were asked to state their nationality, Pte Kemp replied in Gaelic: "I do not know". When he was asked which country he was from, he said: "Ardnamurchan". The men were then questioned in seven other languages - and to each they replied in Gaelic, to the confusion of their captors. The memoir continued: "Next an atlas was produced. The interpreter took us over the various countries on the continent, one by one, and when he came to the Ukraine, I quickly pointed my finger to it." He said the commander consulted three other officers, before saying "Allez" and opening the gate for the trio. "We were free once more", Pte Kemp wrote. The soldiers were hailed heroes on their return to Scotland but once the Nazis got wind of the story, they targeted Gaelic prisoners for harsher treatment. Their tale has been adapted for In the Darkest Hour, which features fictional soldiers Hamish McNeill, who speaks Gaelic, and his sergeant, Gordon McGregor. It will look at the pair's fraught relationship as they move from the front line in France to a Nazi interrogation room in Berlin. The film, which is still in development, is a "high concept World War Two action drama", said Mr Don. It has received lottery development funding from Northern Ireland Screen.

Summary: The true story of a trio of Gaelic-speaking soldiers who used their native tongue to "bamboozle" the Germans has inspired a new feature film.


Fe fydd Radio Cymru 2 yn darlledu o 7:00 tan 10:00 bob bore'r wythnos ar radio digidol, teledu digidol a BBC iPlayer Radio. Cymysgedd o gerddoriaeth ac adloniant fydd ar y gwasanaeth newydd, tra bydd Radio Cymru yn parhau i ddarlledu'r Post Cyntaf. Dywedodd golygydd Radio Cymru, Betsan Powys, ei bod yn ddatblygiad "hanesyddol". Daw'r cyhoeddiad ar ôl i'r BBC arbrofi gyda gorsaf dros dro, Radio Cymru Mwy y llynedd. Dywedodd Betsan Powys: "Does dim dwywaith fod hwn yn un o'r datblygiadau mwyaf hanesyddol a phwysig yn natblygiad yr orsaf ers ei sefydlu yn 1977. "Mae gwrandawyr Radio Cymru gyda'r gwrandawyr radio mwya' ffyddlon yng Nghymru ac mae gallu cynnig dewis iddyn nhw ac i wrandawyr newydd yn hynod gyffrous." Mae tîm golygyddol Radio Cymru yn bwriadu lansio'r gwasanaeth newydd cyn diwedd y flwyddyn. Wrth ymateb i'r newyddion dywedodd Carl Morris, llefarydd darlledu Cymdeithas yr Iaith: "Ry'n ni'n croesawu'r newyddion yma - mae'n ddatblygiad addawol iawn gan fod dybryd angen rhagor o gynnwys digidol amrywiol yn y Gymraeg. "Gall un orsaf ddim bod yn bopeth i bawb, felly gobeithio bydd y gwasanaeth newydd yma yn golygu y bydd rhagor o amrywiaeth." Mewn cyhoeddiad arall, fe ddywedodd y BBC y bydd gorsaf Radio Wales yn ehangu ar FM i gyrraedd 330,000 o bobl ychwanegol. O ganlyniad bydd yr orsaf yn cyrraedd hyd at 91% o'r boblogaeth ar FM, o'i gymharu â 79% ar hyn o bryd. Gwrandawyr yn y gogledd ddwyrain a'r canolbarth yn benodol fydd yn elwa ar y cynnydd yn argaeledd Radio Wales ar FM. Bydd yr orsaf yn defnyddio tonfeddi FM sydd yn darlledu BBC Radio 3.

Summary: Mae'r BBC yn bwriadu sefydlu ail orsaf radio genedlaethol yn Gymraeg.


The reforms - which would significantly increase the powers of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan - received the required three-fifth majority in the assembly. The bill will be put to a referendum, probably in April, and will become law if more than 50% of voters back it. Critics say the move could usher in authoritarian rule, and amounts to a power grab by Mr Erdogan. But the president says the changed system will resemble those in France and the US. The constitutional reform bill was approved by 339 of the 550-member assembly. Who is Turkey's dominant president? No cause for optimism in divided Turkey Turkey targets 10,000 social media users Mr Erdogan assumed the presidency, a largely ceremonial position, in 2014 after over a decade as Turkey's prime minister. The reforms would let the president retain ties to a political party, so Mr Erdogan could resume leadership of the AK Party (AKP), which he co-founded. Opposition leaders say that would abolish any chance of presidential impartiality. It has been suggested that Mr Erdogan could remain in power until 2029 under the new rules. The draft constitution states that the next presidential and parliamentary elections will be held on November 3, 2019. The president would have a five-year tenure, for a maximum of two terms. If the clock on Mr Erdogan's presidency re-sets from 2019, that would allow him to stay in the job until 2029, not 2024. Mr Erdogan has not made clear whether this would be the case. Turkey's Prime Minister Binali Yildirim congratulated MPs on passing the constitutional changes, saying: "We have done our job. Now we convey the issue to its real owner, our people." Kemal Kilicdaroglu, the leader of the opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), urged Turks to "spoil the game that was played in parliament". He described the approval of the presidential system as a "mistake". Debates over the constitution changes have been heated. Last week a fight broke out in parliament after the AKP clashed with CHP members when an MP tried to film a voting session during a debate. The pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) boycotted the vote. To secure its necessary majority, the AKP has relied on the support of the rightwing Nationalist Movement Party, the fourth-largest in the legislature. Turkey has been in a state of emergency since a failed coup in July. The status was extended after a series of attacks on the country, including a mass shooting in an Istanbul nightclub on New Year's Eve.

Summary: Turkey's parliament has approved a new draft constitution paving the way for a presidential system of government.


Known as the New Jersey Nets for 35 years, the team will start the new season in the famous New York borough, and in a new stadium, the Barclays Center. Jay-Z, who owns shares in the club, has been a prime mover behind the NBA team's reincarnation, advising club executives, as well as designing club logos and apparel. He also stars in a series of eight sold-out concerts, starting on Friday, 28 September, to open the multi-purpose venue, which will be used for everything from sporting events, to concerts, to family shows. The music star, real name Shawn Corey Carter, was brought into the Nets fold in the mid-2000s by then-owner, and current minority stakeholder, property developer Bruce Ratner. It was Mr Ratner who also came up with the idea of moving the team to sports-mad Brooklyn, without a major professional sports team since the Brooklyn Dodgers baseball team moved to Los Angeles in 1957. Ownership 'vision' "When Bruce Ratner first bought the team he brought Jay-Z into the ownership structure - that showed foresight," says Brett Yormark, Brooklyn Nets chief executive. "Jay-Z is from Brooklyn, he is of Brooklyn. So he recognised the vision when Bruce first announced his intention to come to Brooklyn." Mr Yormark says: "Jay-Z's role with the team has evolved." And the rapper worked closely with club executives on the two new club logos - one with a shield and one with a large B - and colours. "He is a confidant that I can reach out to - he has a tremendous understanding of current consumer trends," the Mr Yormark, 45, adds. The move completes a near eight-year battle for Mr Yormark to get the team into its new $1bn (Â£0.6bn) home, having to overcome the global financial crisis on the way. "We are very excited - I honestly think the Barclays Center, and the move of the Nets, has exceeded people's expectations," he says. "It has taken time to get to Brooklyn, but on 30 April we turned the page." That was when the red, white and blue of the New Jersey Nets was exchanged for the black and white Brooklyn look. The Brooklyn borough is roughly 10 miles (16km) across the Hudson from Newark, New Jersey, last home of the Nets. "It has been an incredible time since April - the public has really connected with the 'Brooklyn-isation' of our offer," Mr Yormark says. If its population was counted separately from that of New York, then Brooklyn would be the fourth biggest city in the US, offering a large potential fan-base. Mr Yormark says that sales of merchandise are going very well, and doing better than some long-established teams. Demand has exceeded expectation, and Mr Yormark was also pleased to see club merchandise on sale in London during a recent visit, given that the Nets are looking to create a global fan-base. Like all NBA teams, China is a major potential market, but for the Nets there is another specific nation they are targeting, the homeland of club majority owner Mikhail Prokhorov. "We have

Summary: Few, if any, leading sports clubs can say that a top rap star has played a role in their rebirth, but that is the case with the newly founded Brooklyn Nets basketball team.


Srikant Ganapati from the Sudarshanam charity said people had taken time off work to attend the event. However, he said they were all told because they were born in India, they were not able to donate. The NI Blood Transfusion Service said it was investigating what happened. They said they welcome everyone who gives blood but said there was strict donor eligibility criteria. Mr Ganapati said it was arranged nine months ago that members of the Indian community would donate blood and that their ethnicity was known by the NI Blood Transfusion Service. He said those taking part were not informed in advance that they would need a malaria test to assess suitability before coming to the donation session in north Belfast last Friday. Mr Ganapati said they only found out about the criteria when they turned up at the venue. "They said to me, 'are you born in India?', I said yes. 'Did you recently visit India?', I said no, I have not been there for the last four years," Mr Ganapati said. "He said, 'if you born in India, you have to do a malaria test'." When he asked how long it would take to get the results of a malaria test, Mr Ganapati said he was told between six and eight weeks. He described what had happened as "very frustrating" for all those from the Indian community, most of whom had taken the day off work to attend. "Most of the Indians here are professionals, some are nurses and doctors, they all gave their time to support this blood donation, but unfortunately they all had to leave frustrated," he said. Mr Ganapati said they should have been informed before they arrived but said that all of those who turned up were willing to submit to a malaria test and hoped to be able to donate blood at a future date. The event had been organised by the Sudarshanam charity which promotes Hindu and Indian culture in Northern Ireland.

Summary: More than 150 people have been prevented from giving blood at an event in Belfast aimed at encouraging people from the Indian community to donate.


The move comes after an increase in syringe finds. The Belfast Telegraph reported the "sharps disposal boxes" will be placed in public toilets in Belfast. The first box was installed in the Dublin Road at the end of 2014. Since then, five more have been put in public toilets. They are in Custom House Square, Winetavern Street, Lombard Street, the Ormeau Road and the Antrim Road. When all six are rolled out, 12 of the 14 public toilets in Belfast will have sharps disposal facilities. The needle bins are small silver plaques sited on the wall with the words "sharps disposal" on them. There is a hole in the middle to allow people to dispose of used needles in a secure container. The issue was raised at a meeting of the People and Communities Committee in April. The council minutes said the increase in boxes was down to an increase in sharps finds. It said that the BBC had reported that the Council's "Needle Exchange Programme" witnessed an increase in visits in four years, from 7,500 to just under 15,000. Following this increase in sharps finds, the council "liaised with their contracted service providers and other public bodies on an ongoing basis to take measures to counteract this behaviour". The council said that work is ongoing to install the remaining six boxes throughout 2017-2018.

Summary: Belfast City Council has said it plans to install six more needle bins to allow injecting drug users to safely dispose of used syringes.


Several athletes have come under scrutiny after stolen medical records showed they used banned substances for medical reasons under TUE rules. Briton Froome, 31, said the system is "open to abuse" and must be addressed "urgently" by cycling's governing body, the UCI, and the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada). "I have never had a 'win at all costs' approach in this regard," the Team Sky rider said in a statement. "I am not looking to push the boundaries of the rules. "I believe that this is something that athletes need to take responsibility for themselves, until more stringent protocols can be put in place." Froome and Sir Bradley Wiggins, a former team-mate at Team Sky, were among the athletes whose medical records were made public by hacking group Fancy Bears. There is no suggestion any of the athletes named have broken anti-doping rules. Froome, whose TUEs for prednisolone in May 2013 and April 2014 were revealed, said: "There are athletes who not only abide by the rules that are in place, but also those of fair play. "I take my position in the sport very seriously and I know that I have to not only abide by the rules but also go above and beyond that to set a good example both morally and ethically." Media playback is not supported on this device Wiggins, Britain's most decorated Olympian and the first British winner of the Tour de France in 2012, has been criticised for the timing of his TUEs, shortly before major races in 2011, 2012 and 2013. He said he took the anti-inflammatory drug triamcinolone for allergies and respiratory issues, telling the BBC on Sunday that he was not trying to gain an "unfair advantage" from being allowed to use an otherwise banned steroid. Team Sky boss Sir Dave Brailsford on Monday said the team did not "do not cross the line" over performance-enhancing drugs and that he had complete trust in their doctors. Media playback is not supported on this device

Summary: Tour de France winner Chris Froome says athletes must "take responsibility" and not "push the boundaries of the rules" following criticism of the therapeutic use exemption system.


This may suggest would-be adult apprentices are being put off by having to borrow to fund their courses, says an education charity. Official targets are for 25,000 people this year to borrow about Â£4,000 for higher and advanced apprenticeships. The government says numbers may pick up later in the year. It points out that not all apprenticeships start at the beginning of the academic year. Until this year apprentices have not had to contribute to the costs of their training - but from September 2013 some 25,000 over-24s on advanced or higher level apprenticeships have been expected to take out a loan to be paid back once they are earning. A further 50,000 adults are expected to have their training costs paid by their employers. Trainees under 24 still do not have to pay. Figures published by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills on Thursday show that in the first quarter of 2013-14 only 404 people had applied for the loans. NIACE says a second set of official figures, published on Thursday show that by contrast some 197,000 people were enrolled on higher and advanced level apprenticeships in 2012-13. NIACE is concerned that the low uptake of the loans may indicate that would-be trainees are being deterred by being required to part-fund their courses. The charity's chief executive David Hughes said: "We have continually voiced our concerns about the impact loans for apprenticeships would have. "However as today's figures show, that impact has been even more severe than anyone first feared." He called on the government to take "urgent action", including writing off some loans and subsidising under-represented groups on higher and advanced level apprenticeships. A spokeswoman for the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills said: "Application numbers indicate that employers and learners are not engaging with loans in apprenticeships. We are keeping a close watch on the data and the implications for the apprenticeship programme."

Summary: Only 404 people have applied for loans for adult apprenticeships in the three months since September, official data suggests.


A US law prevents the government from selling arms to countries which fail to tackle human rights abuses. Mr Buhari met President Barack Obama in Washington on Monday to seek further assistance. Boko Haram has killed some 10,000 people since 2009 and has also kidnapped hundreds of girls and women. Last month, human rights group Amnesty International said that some 8,000 men and boys had died in Nigerian military custody after being detained as suspected militants. The military rejected this allegation, Nigeria's president promised an investigation but there have been no further details. The US has previously promised some $5m (Â£3.2m) in military assistance to the regional coalition helping to fight Boko Haram, which has pledged allegiance to Islamic State. However, Mr Buhari heavily criticised the US, especially the Leahy Law, which links military sales to human rights. The Nigerian military did "not possess the appropriate weapons and technology which we could have had if the so-called human rights violations had not been an obstacle," he told the United States Institute of Peace on Wednesday. "Unwittingly, and I dare say unintentionally, the application of the Leahy Law Amendment by the United States government has aided and abetted the Boko Haram terrorists." In the latest suspected Boko Haram attack, at least 29 people were killed in bomb blasts at two bus stations in the north-eastern city of Gombe on Wednesday. At least 11 people were earlier killed in the Cameroonian town of Maroua, just over the border from Gombe. Boko Haram last year seized a huge area of north-eastern Nigeria, before being beaten back by a regional coalition, including Cameroon, Chad and Niger. Mr Buhari was elected in March, partly on a pledge to defeat Boko Haram. Why Boko Haram remains a threat Who are Boko Haram?

Summary: The US has "aided and abetted" the Boko Haram Islamist militant group by refusing to provide weapons to Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari says.


Omar Gonzalez, 42, made it past the front door and all the way to the executive mansion's East Room before being tackled. As part of a plea deal, he will serve between 12-18 months in prison and be barred from entering Washington DC. He was previously ordered to undergo a 30-day mental health evaluation. Gonzalez will be sentenced in June. The breach was led to the resignation of the director of the Secret Service, the agency responsible for protecting the president. "We are pleased that Mr Gonzalez has chosen to take responsibility for his incomprehensible decision to leap a fence and charge into the White House with a knife," US Attorney Ronald Machen said in a statement. "He is lucky to be alive," Mr Machen said, adding the US anticipates he will be required to undergo psychiatric treatment. Gonzalez scaled the White House fence on 19 September, dashed across the lawn and gained entry through an unlocked door, then barrelled past a guard and ran into the East Room before being tackled. Eight hundreds rounds of ammunition, two hatchets and a machete were found in his car, officials say. Gonzalez, an Iraq War veteran said to suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, was previously stopped by Virginia police in July. Officers found two powerful rifles, four handguns and other firearms and ammunition in his vehicle along with a map marking the White House. In addition, it has been reported Secret Service agents interviewed Gonzalez twice during the summer but concluded he was not a security threat.

Summary: An Iraq war veteran who jumped the White House fence and ran into the building with a knife has pleaded guilty to two charges.


Police, councils and the NHS recorded scores of missing items, including computers, mobile phones, Blackberries and USB data sticks. The call for action came from the Lib Dems who obtained the information. The Scottish government said public services were responsible for storing their own information. The Lib Dems said that between December last year and June, seven NHS areas recorded a range of missing equipment, including patient files and details of more than 100 people on a needle exchange programme. Greater Glasgow and Clyde NHS board reported the theft of eight laptops, six hard drives and three PCs. This included two laptops stolen from the paediatrics department at Yorkhill Hospital in March of this year and a PC stolen from the X-ray viewing room at the Western Infirmary in April. Meanwhile, Strathclyde Police reported an unencrypted USB stick containing investigation files as missing. Lost or stolen equipment among local authorities included five laptops from a children and families establishment in Edinburgh which contained the details of 10 people. West Dunbartonshire Council also lost 60 personal computers from schools. Most equipment missing from councils was either encrypted or contained no personal details. Last January, the Lib Dems called for an urgent review into data loss after reporting that scores of laptops, PCs and memory sticks containing confidential data had been lost by councils and health boards in recent years. The party said that while almost all files were encrypted, the public would be rightly worried that their personal data was at risk. Lib Dem justice spokesman Robert Brown said: "Central government, local councils, NHS boards and the police hold a great deal of information on all of us. Our data is in their hands and we need to know they are taking this responsibility seriously. "The government is not in control of the situation. They need to get a grip on this right now." A Scottish government spokesman said it took data security "very seriously" and had set robust standards for the storage and transmission of data. He added: "We expect the same high standards of public sector bodies. However, it remains the responsibility of individual police forces, local authorities and health boards to ensure that personal or sensitive information is stored securely."

Summary: Scottish ministers have been told to "get a grip" of data control as new claims emerged of equipment being lost or stolen from the public sector.


McInnes felt the Dons were "pushed about" too easily in Perth as their title dream all but ended with their defensive frailties exposed. "We got dominated at both ends of the pitch and the more determined team won," McInnes told BBC Scotland. "I know what I need to get in but there won't be wholesale changes." With Ash Taylor injured, McInnes handed a debut to 20-year-old defender Michael Rose, but he went off injured at half-time with Aberdeen 2-0 down following a David Wotherspoon free-kick and Steven MacLean adding a second. More defensive mistakes followed as Liam Craig took advantage of a Mark Reynolds error to make it three. "We were lacking in physicality, we were vulnerable at every set play," said McInnes, whose side remain eight points behind Premiership leaders Celtic. "We didn't win enough headers. When we don't have Ash Taylor in the team - he gives us real size and aggression at centre-back - we never had that dominance there. "There's been a few games this season where we've lacked that physicality, strength and size. We need to make sure we get more players in the building in the summer that can deal with that and stand up to that. "The introduction of [Barry] Robson, a guy at 37 and a young boy at 16, Connor McLennan, making his debut - they played the game with the enthusiasm and determination that everyone should have treated the game. "When the game is a technical game we can take on anybody. But tonight we needed more strength of character, we needed more first headers, we needed physicality because we got pushed about tonight and the best team won." St Johnstone manager Tommy Wright saw his side move into fourth in the Premiership and was delighted with their dominant performance. "Tonight we made it so difficult for them from the first whistle in terms of the pressure we put them under and how hard we worked," said Wright. "That gave us a platform to go and play well; lots of good possession, lots of good balls into the box. It was a really good performance and when we're like that we're a match for anybody. "I thought [Graham] Cummins was good tonight, that is him back to his best. MacLean gives us what he gives us all the time and young Joe Shaughnessy at the back I thought was strong. "Overall I thought everybody played extremely well."

Summary: Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes will attempt to sign more physical players this summer after they were swept aside 3-0 by St Johnstone at McDiarmid Park.


The FAI accepted 5m euros (Â£3.6m) from Fifa in 2010, in return for dropping court proceedings over Thierry Henry's handball in a 2009 World Cup play-off. The FAI described it as an "interest-free loan" that was accounted for in its 2010 audited financial statements. It said the 5m euros was recorded under "bank and other loans" in its accounts. The timeline has been published on the FAI's website, and includes copies of its written agreement with Fifa and relevant bank documents. It confirms that in 2013, the remaining loan amount was "reduced to nil as a result of the non-qualification for the World Cup South Africa in 2010 and the World Cup Brazil in 2014". Details of the timeline were released just hours after Irish prime minister Enda Kenny publicly urged the FAI's chief executive John Delaney to explain the Fifa deal. Mr Kenny described the payment as "quite extraordinary" and said the FAI boss must answer questions "in the interests of transparency and accountability". The Republic of Ireland team was 16 minutes away from a penalty shootout for a place in the 2010 finals in South Africa when Henry handled in the build-up to William Gallas's extra-time equaliser in the second leg of the play-off in Paris. In its latest statement, the FAI said that because FIFA has confirmed the transaction, FAI Board members believed they were "no longer obliged to abide by the confidentiality agreement" struck as part of the deal. Its timeline detailed how the FAI wrote to Fifa in November 2009, saying it was considering referring the handball dispute to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. In a press conference later that month, Fifa president Sepp Blatter joked about the FAI's request to be the 33rd team at the World Cup, which the FAI claimed caused it "reputational damage". Mr Blatter later made a personal apology for the remark. Following negotiations with Fifa in Zurich in January 2010, the FAI said FIFA offered it "a 5m euros interest-free loan by way of compensation as well as a 400,000 euros (Â£290,000) Goal Project grant that was used for FAI Regional Football Centres". It added that the 5m euros was lodged in to FAI's National Irish Bank deposit account on 20 January, 2010. "This funding was used to make payments to New Stadium Ltd (trading name for Aviva Stadium management company) on February 25 and March 26 of 2010," the FAI statement said. It said it had released the details "to demonstrate that the Board of the Association acted at all times in the best interests of Irish football, and in full compliance with Irish company law".

Summary: The Football Association of Ireland (FAI) has released the timeline of its controversial multi-million-euro deal with Fifa to stop a legal battle.


The US hit five targets related to the group, including several vehicles and buildings, near the border with Turkey. The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which monitors the violence, said several militants and two children had died in the attack. It is the second time US strikes have targeted Khorasan, whom it accuses of planning attacks on the US and Europe. In a statement, the US Central Command (Centcom) said Thursday's strikes near the town of Sarmada had hit vehicles and buildings used for training and to produce explosive devices. A senior US official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told reporters that one of the targets was a French militant called David Drugeon, who had joined the group. The official said it was unclear as to whether he had been killed in the strikes, but added: "We think we got him." Little is known about Khorasan other than information released by US officials. They say the group is made up of veteran fighters from the Afghanistan and Pakistan region who have embedded within al-Qaeda's Syria branch, the al-Nusra Front. Centcom said the group was using Syria as a base to attack the West, rather than seeking to overthrow Syrian President Bashar al-Assad or helping the Syrian people. The first strikes on the group were on 23 September during the US-led coalition's first raids against Islamic State (IS) fighters in Syria. At the time, Pentagon's operations chief Lt Gen William Mayville said Khorasan militants were in "the final stages of plans to execute major attacks". The US-led coalition has launched several air strikes in Syria since September, mostly targeting IS fighters. Syria's civil war, which is in its fourth year, has claimed more than 200,000 lives. President Assad's government has been battling against an armed and increasingly fragmented uprising. As well as fighting the government, rebel groups such as the Nusra Front and IS have also been fighting among themselves.

Summary: The US military says it has carried out air strikes against the al-Qaeda-linked Khorasan group in north-western Syria.


The healthcare policy has serious IT issues, prompting the joke: "In 2008 my slogan was: 'Yes we can.' In 2013 my slogan was: 'Control-alt-delete.'" And he ridiculed media commentators for their apparent obsession with Mr Putin's bare chest. Dozens of celebrities, journalists and politicians were at the dinner. The roll-out of healthcare.gov, Mr Obama's main policy initiative of his second term, provided much of the humour. The president made several references to computer malfunctions. "Does anybody know how to fix this," he asked, pretending that the overhead projector had failed to work. Health Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, who quit as a result of the IT issues, stepped up and said: "I got this. I see it all the time." The president used Mr Putin as a way of lampooning some conservative commentators and political opponents. "Last year [conservative commentator] Pat Buchanan said Putin is headed straight for the Nobel Peace Prize... to be fair they give those to just about anybody these days. So it could happen," he said. Mr Obama was given the award in 2009 having been nominated for it after less than two weeks in office. "[Republican] Mike Huckabee and [conservative commentator] Sean Hannity keep talking about his bare chest, which is kind of weird." The charity event is traditionally used by presidents to ridicule their opponents, but also laugh at themselves.

Summary: Barack Obama has used the annual White House correspondents' dinner to crack jokes about his healthcare policy, his political opponents and Vladimir Putin.


Claire Throssell's ex-husband Darren Sykes lured Paul, nine and Jack, 12, to the property in Penistone on 22 October before setting fire to the building. A charity appeal in aid of Ms Throssell has been set up with the aim of raising enough money to help her restore the property and sell it. Campaigners have so far raised around Â£8,000 of a Â£50,000 target. Ms Throssell said: "It's just amazing, the people are just awesome and I just can't believe that so many people are carrying that love for my boys. "It's keeping their memory alive. They were the best part of me, they were my life and it's lovely that people love them for who they were."

Summary: Rebuilding work has begun at a house in South Yorkshire where a man killed himself and his two sons in a fire.


Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspectors rated almost every aspect of care at Sunderland's Hylton Medical Group as "inadequate". The group, which operates two sites for 5,240 patients, came out of its first spell in special measures a year ago. Clinical commissioners described the rating as "disappointing". Alison Holbourn, deputy chief inspector of general practice at the CQC, said: "We found that people were not getting the high quality of care which everyone should expect to receive from their GP. "Following improvements at a previous inspection in April last year, the practice has been unable to sustain these and they now return to special measures. "We remain particularly concerned about the effectiveness of the service the practice provides to patients." Ms Holbourn added: "There were no audits taking place, so staff had no way of knowing if the services provided to patients were improving their outcomes. "Following this inspection we also found fresh concerns around leadership. We weren't confident the practice was providing effective clinical leadership or that leaders had a comprehensive understanding of the practice performance. "I do not believe that the practice is likely to resolve its challenges without external support. "Where necessary, another inspection will be conducted within six months and if there is not enough improvement we will move to close the service and remove the provider's registration." David Gallagher, chief officer at Sunderland Clinical Commissioning Group, said: "It is disappointing the practice has received this rating, but we continue to work with NHS England and other partners to help the practice team tackle the issues that have been raised and make the necessary improvements. "Patients at the practice can continue to use the service in the usual way, and we would encourage anyone who is concerned about the report to contact the practice."

Summary: A GP practice has been warned it could be closed down after inspectors placed it in special measures for a second time.


Ms Cafferkey, 39, spent several weeks in Royal Free Hospital in London in January 2015 after becoming the first person to be diagnosed with Ebola in the UK. She was later discharged after apparently making a full recovery - but later it was discovered that the virus is still present in her body. So what do we know about Ms Cafferkey? Pauline Cafferkey is said to have been inspired to join the NHS after watching the horror of the Ethiopian famine on television in the 1980s. So when an appeal was made for NHS staff who were willing to travel to west Africa to help tackle the Ebola outbreak, she felt compelled to volunteer. Ms Cafferkey - a nurse with 16 years of experience who was working at the Blantyre health centre in South Lanarkshire - was well aware of the risks she would face. But as she prepared to depart for Sierra Leone as part of a 30-strong NHS team in November 2014, she told BBC Scotland that she could not think of any reason not to go. She added: "I have experience in the past. I've done aid work, I've worked in Africa, so I didn't really think about it actually, I just did it." The NHS team - which included GPs, nurses, psychiatrists and emergency medicine consultants - had been specially selected from the 1,000 staff who volunteered to take part in the mercy mission to west Africa, where more than 7,000 people have been killed in the Ebola outbreak. They had undergone nine days of intensive training with the Ministry of Defence before being allowed to start work with patients at treatment centres across Sierra Leone. Colleagues who worked with her have spoken of Ms Cafferkey's dedication and enthusiasm for her role at the Ebola Treatment Centre in Kerry Town. And in extracts from her diary published by the Scotsman newspaper, she described how the work she was doing had quickly come to feel like a "normal part of life". She wrote: "My nice community nursing job in Blantyre is far removed from this but at the moment this seems a lot more real. The dreams that I do remember always seem to have an Ebola theme, it seems to be all consuming." During the third week of her diary, she described "an awful shift" during which she had to tell a young boy, whose father had died from Ebola, that the virus had also killed his mother and sister. "His mother had seen her daughter die in the bed across from her that morning and she died a few hours later," she wrote. "The sad thing is that this is a regular occurrence and we see and hear of whole families being wiped out by this awful disease." Ms Cafferkey returned to the UK on 28 December 2014 for a break as part of a rotation system. She was screened after arriving at Heathrow Airport, but no concerns were raised about her health. While waiting for a connecting flight to Glasgow, she complained about her temperature and

Summary: Scottish nurse Pauline Cafferkey, who contracted Ebola while working in Sierra Leone two years ago, is being investigated over claims she gave dishonest answers while being screened for the deadly disease when she returned to Heathrow Airport.


The 11-month-old's parents had returned to the High Court to seek permission to take him home for "a few days of tranquillity outside the hospital". But Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) said there were practical problems with that proposal, for example his ventilation equipment would not be able to fit through their front door. The judge will rule on Wednesday. At Tuesday's hearing, the judge said hospital managers had suggested a hospice would give Charlie and his parents the space, privacy and protection they needed. Chris Gard and Connie Yates have pleaded for a paediatric intensive care doctor to come forward to help their son die at home. "We promised Charlie every day we would take him home. It seems really upsetting after everything we've been through to deny us this," Ms Yates said. Grant Armstrong, representing the parents, told Mr Justice Francis that his clients' "last wish is that Charlie dies at home". He suggested a portable ventilator and oxygen supply could be used but accused GOSH of "putting up obstacles". Lawyers for the hospital told the judge they "would like to be able to fulfil the parents' wishes... if it is safe and practicable and in Charlie's best interests". However, Katie Gollop QC, who leads the hospital's legal team, said providing intensive care for Charlie away from a hospital was not simple. Charlie's condition requires air to be forced into his lungs. She said as far as the hospital was aware invasive ventilation was only provided in a hospital setting. Ms Gollop said Charlie would need to be "monitored by an ITU trained nurse at all times, with an ITU doctor on call and close at hand". Such resources "cannot be provided by GOSH to Charlie at his parents' home", she said. Mr Justice Francis said: "If going home can be achieved within reason then I would like to achieve that for them." He said he would make a final decision, about whether Charlie can be taken home, at 14:00 BST on Wednesday. Charlie's parents, from Bedfont, west London, said they had been spending their "last precious moments" with their son. Charlie has encephalomyopathic mitochondrial DNA depletion syndrome. He has brain damage and cannot move his arms or legs. His parents had asked Mr Justice Francis to rule that their son should be allowed to undergo a trial of nucleoside therapy in New York, a move opposed by medics at GOSH who argued the treatment would be "futile". The Family Division of the High Court heard on Monday that US neurologist Professor Michio Hirano was no longer willing to offer the experimental therapy after he had seen the results of a new MRI scan. In a statement to the High Court, GOSH said Professor Michio Hirano had not taken the opportunity to see Charlie until last week, despite being offered the chance to do so by the hospital in January. The hospital said it was also concerned the professor had declared a financial interest in some of the treatment he had proposed prescribing for Charlie. Timeline of legal battle

Summary: Moving Charlie Gard to a hospice to die would be the best option for the terminally-ill baby, a court has heard.


TV presenter and columnist Peaches Geldof was the most popular term, according to new research from Microsoft's search engine Bing. The 25-year-old died in April after suffering a heroin overdose at her home in Wrotham, Kent. Hollywood star Robin Williams came second on the list after he took his own life in August. Bing says nearly half of all British searches for the comedian came from smartphones. In third place was Oscar-winning actress Jennifer Lawrence, who has been in the spotlight for both professional and personal reasons this year. The 24-year-old plays the lead role in the The Hunger Games. Its latest instalment Mockingjay - Part One took $123m (Â£79m) in its opening weekend in the United States. Over the summer naked images of Jennifer Lawrence were leaked online, something she later called "a sex crime". Fast & Furious actor Paul Walker, who was killed in a car accident in November 2013, completed the top four. Newly-engaged Wimbledon champion Andy Murray was the UK's most searched-for sportsman in 2014, followed by South African Olympic and Paralympic athlete, Oscar Pistorius, who was jailed in October for killing his girlfriend. In the music world, One Direction and Justin Bieber captured the most online attention this year. Follow @BBCNewsbeat on Twitter and Radio1Newsbeat on YouTube

Summary: The death of the world's biggest celebrities made them some of Britain's most searched-for stars in 2014.


Pallas's cats are found in Iran, Mongolia and China. David Barclay, of the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS), has been in contact with a researcher in Iran since 2013. In a new development, an abandoned Pallas's cat kitten could be radio-collared for the first time in Iran. Efforts to capture images of the animals in Iran using camera traps have been unsuccessful so far. Mr Barclay said putting a radio collar on a young cat and releasing it back into the wild could help uncover new information on the cats. He said: "Should this happen we will be in a position to offer financial support and gain a valuable insight into the behaviour and ecology of Pallas's cats in their western range." RZSS is also supporting a new Pallas's cat research project in the central Alborz Mountains of Iran. Mr Barclay said: "It is clear that interest in the species is growing not just in range countries but throughout the zoo world. "It is an exciting time for Pallas's cats and as long as I am breathing I will continue to support the conservation and research efforts and wave the Pallas's cat flag." RZSS has Pallas's cats in its collection at its Highland Wildlife Park at Kincraig near Aviemore. They are also known as Manul, steppe and rock wildcat. They are classed as "near-threatened", according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources. The break up of their habitats are one of the biggest threats to the species.

Summary: Wild cat experts from Scotland are working with counterparts in the Middle East to better understand one of the world's rarest and most elusive cats.


The independent report for the county council said A12 improvements are essential if Sizewell C goes ahead. Traffic will increase on the stretch through Stratford St Andrew, Marlesford, Farnham and Little Glemham. EDF Energy, planning to build Sizewell C, said it was not considering funding for the bypass as a priority. The county council report looked at the impact of construction traffic on the A12 and predicted it would be slightly reduced compared to earlier studies. However, the additional number of vehicles generated by projected "natural" growth, in addition to the Sizewell C project traffic, meant road improvements were essential. The report recommends a dual or single carriageway bypass should be built and ready before work starts on the new power station. The report said that traffic at the busiest time of the day could increase by 14% and the proportion of vehicles taking more than seven minutes to travel through the four villages would more than double. The high levels of Sizewell C traffic would result in increased journey times, a higher accident rate and poorer air quality, the report said. Tom McGarry, from EDF Energy, said it was listening to local concerns but its priority was getting cars off the road in the first place. Guy McGregor, Suffolk County Council's cabinet member for roads and transport, said: "Two months ago we said that EDF Energy needed to wake up and truly realise the scale of the impact Sizewell C will have on local communities in Suffolk. "We hope that this independent report from experts with international repute will help them come to their senses now. "It's time for EDF to take note of the strength of feeling and undeniable evidence on this critical issue." "The A12 from Woodbridge to Lowestoft is just not fit for purpose - let alone to carry the volumes of heavy lorries in particular which will be necessary for the Sizewell C project," a Suffolk Coastal council spokesman said.

Summary: Four villages in Suffolk must be bypassed to take anticipated growth in traffic due to the construction of a nuclear power station, a report says.


The film has led to arguably one of the biggest scandals in the country's history and has shaken the foundations of the judiciary. Investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas made it after two years of undercover work in which he gathered 500 hours of raw footage. It appears to show judges and court workers taking bribes from litigants, as well as some demanding sex, to manipulate justice. Allegations have been made against 34 judges, as well as dozens of other court officials, in evidence that was handed to President John Mahama and Chief Justice Georgina Theodora Wood. The chief justice launched an investigation into the 22 lower court judges, and is considering what to do about the 12 high court judges. Lawyers for 14 of the accused judges have denied the allegations and the High Court has dismissed their attempt to get the investigation suspended. The other accused judges have yet to comment in public. The film - Ghana in the eyes of God; Epic of Injustice - has been shown in the capital, Accra, and is now being screened for free across the country. Mr Anas has opted for public screenings rather than a television broadcast because media companies have been threatened with legal action if they do show it. But he wants as many people as possible to see the work as he told me he believes "justice is for the people, let them see what justice means in this country". Anas Aremeyaw Anas is something of an enigma, as he is never seen in public without a disguise. His fans call him a modern-day folk hero or the "James Bond of journalism" for his work in exposing alleged corruption and malpractice in Ghana and beyond. In his 15 years of undercover journalism he has among other disguises, posed as a female investor in high heels, sunglasses and lipstick, and a janitor in a brothel. He has also secreted himself inside a fake rock placed at the side of the road with a peep hole for his eyes. In his work he has exposed a human trafficking racket, corruption in the police and malpractice in a food processing plant. He argues that "there is no point in doing journalism, if it does not lead progress in your society". Before becoming a journalist, Mr Anas worked as a lawyer for two years. Unsurprisingly, the judges featured in the film are not keen for it to be shown, and a case has been filed to restrain cinemas and other venues from allowing their facilities to be used to screen the film. But this has so far been ignored. Justice Paul Uuter Dery has filed a new suit at the Supreme Court seeking to stop the investigations into the judges. He wants the court to declare that the material gathered cannot be used, as Ghana's constitution guarantees that evidence in a case relating to the removal of a judge should be heard in camera - in other words behind closed doors - and Mr Anas has already shown it in public. The documentary itself

Summary: It has all the ingredients of a Hollywood blockbuster but the tale of sex, money and corruption that is gripping Ghanaian cinema-goers is a three-hour documentary that purports to expose judicial corruption.


The suspects, 16 and 18 years old, ran away when officers arrived at their house in Broken Arrow, outside of the city of Tulsa. A child at the home was taken to hospital and is in critical condition. Another child was found unhurt. Police are investigating the deaths as homicides. The dead include both adults and children, Broken Arrow police Sgt Thomas Cooper said. Authorities say they responded on Wednesday night to a 911 call where someone called 911 but did not speak on the phone. Mr Cooper said the Oklahoma Bureau of Investigation is assisting in the investigation. "It appears that the two suspects fled out the door sometime during our arrival. We had a canine track, and they were apprehended," Mr Cooper said. The house where the two teens were arrested was large and fairly expensive for the area, according to property records. Helen Hoagland, a neighbour, told the AP news agency that two parents and five children lived in the home and that the children were home-schooled. She said the mother was very strict. "We have a great neighbourhood. That's just crazy; it's absolutely crazy," Ms Hoagland said. Mr Cooper said Broken Arrow is "relatively safe", calling the crime "unprecedented" for the area, which has a population of about 103,000.

Summary: Two teenagers have been taken into custody after five relatives were found stabbed to death inside their home in Oklahoma.


In a personal interview with blog Humans of New York, she said she was told at the admissions exam she should forfeit her place so a man would not be drafted and sent to Vietnam. She also revealed that as a young woman she learned to "control her emotions". The Democratic candidate was criticised this week by the Republican party chairman for not smiling enough. Reince Priebus was accused of sexism when he said Mrs Clinton had appeared to be defensive and angry when she was questioned by veterans at an event in New York on Wednesday. Her Republican rival Donald Trump has also criticised her looks, saying he does not "look presidential" enough. How do you 'look presidential'? On the Humans of New York Facebook page, Mrs Clinton said she felt pressured into not going through with the law school exam. "My friend and I were some of the only women in the room. I was feeling nervous. I was a senior in college. I wasn't sure how well I'd do. And while we're waiting for the exam to start, a group of men began to yell things like: 'You don't need to be here.' And 'There's plenty else you can do.' It turned into a real 'pile on.' One of them even said: 'If you take my spot, I'll get drafted, and I'll go to Vietnam, and I'll die.' And they weren't kidding around. It was intense. It got very personal." She said that she can sometimes be perceived as "cold or unemotional" but she had learned to control her emotions when she was younger. "That's a hard path to walk. Because you need to protect yourself, you need to keep steady, but at the same time you don't want to seem 'walled off.'"

Summary: Hillary Clinton has said she was singled out as one of the only women applying to go to Harvard law school.


The Department for Transport predicted a "decline in network performance" once one in four cars become driverless. However, should driverless vehicles make up between 50% and 75% of cars, DfT researchers say they will reduce congestion. The average time spent delayed on city roads at rush hour will fall by 12.4% when 25% of vehicles are driverless. The DfT said early models of the vehicles acted more cautiously and the result could be a "potential decrease in effective capacity" on motorways and A roads. But as more people adopted the technology and it became common place on the country's road network, the study found that congestion could be cut by 40%. Steve Gooding, director of motoring research charity the RAC Foundation, said: "There's a prize to be had in terms of swifter, safer journeys, but the transition to that world will be challenging. "There are around 32 million conventional cars on the UK's roads - as driverless cars come in, traffic flow could initially get worse rather than better, potentially for many years. "Much will depend on how an autonomous car's parameters are set and just how defensively these vehicles will be programmed to drive." The study used software to map out the effects of the cars on the road network. The DfT said the report was the first step into more trials and researching, ensuring driverless cares are "safe and beneficial for all". Transport minister John Hayes said: "This exciting and extensive study shows that driverless cars could vastly improve the flow of traffic in our towns and cities, offering huge benefits to motorists including reduced delays and more reliable journey times." Ministers are also planning to extend existing insurance cover to driverless vehicles, covering individuals when they are driving and when they have handed over control to the computer. In the event of a crash caused by the technology, a government consultation document suggests the driver and anyone else affected should be able to claim from the insurer and, in turn, the insurer would be able to claim compensation from the manufacturer. In the document, the government adds it will incorporate the insurance proposals for automated vehicles forward into the Modern Transport Bill, which is expected to be debated by MPs later this year.

Summary: Driverless cars could initially lead to longer delays on the UK's major roads, according to a government report.


Programs such as Adblock Plus, AdFender and Popup Blocker Pro have long claimed to protect consumers from intrusive web ads that slow down our browsers and hoover up personal data. Around 200 million people globally are estimated to use such apps. But for businesses that depend on web advertising, ad blockers could cost an estimated $21.8bn (Â£15bn) in lost revenue a year. While some dispute this figure, most in the industry agree that ad blockers threaten publishers' ability to provide content free at the point of use. Now publishers and advertisers are fighting back; the battle of the blockers is heating up. Free London-based business newspaper CityA.M. is one of several publishers to have tried blocking visitors to its site if they have an ad blocker switched on. The firm, which has been working with the anti-ad block start-up Rezonence, says about a quarter of its readers use ad blockers, but that there has been "no perceivable drop in traffic" since it launched the strategy in October 2015. "We have had a trickle of complaints, but not many," digital editor Emma Haslett tells the BBC, adding that the firm had extended the strategy - which was initially aimed at Firefox users - to all internet browser types. Others, like Conde Nast's men's magazine GQ, have tried charging ad blocker-users for access, while US business magazine Forbes is asking users to turn their blockers off in exchange for an "ad-light" experience. If readers comply, Forbes says, they will be shown no welcome ad, no video ads inserted between paragraphs, and no ads between posts. If they don't, they will be denied access to the site's content. "Since we started in December, four million desktop visitors, or over 40% of those asked, have either disabled their blockers or whitelisted Forbes.com, gaining access to content and the ad-light experience," says chief product officer Lewis Dvorkin. Whitelisting means telling an ad blocker or security program to treat a certain website as safe. Not everyone is convinced by this approach, however. Johnny Ryan of anti-blocking start-up PageFair believes ad blocking walls are relatively easy to bypass. "Often publishers simply update their code, forcing the ad blocking community to get working again. It is a coding tug of war," he says. Instead, PageFair's technology enables publishers to display "respectful and unobtrusive ads" that do not get filtered out by ad blockers. In a variation on the theme, former Mozilla co-founder Brendan Eich has launched a browser called Brave, which replaces the targeted ads on websites with "clean" ones that do not record user data or slow down browser speeds. It claims it will be able to pay publishers a higher proportion of ad revenues generated by cutting out middlemen. And it plans to roll out a system that lets web users make micropayments to publishers they like, in exchange for an ad-free experience. Privacy app Ghostery is also adopting a more nuanced approach. It shows consumers which ad-serving technologies a website has switched on, and then offers the choice to block or whitelist those services. According to the

Summary: When Apple said it was going to allow ad blocking on the iPhone version of its web browser last September, it escalated a conflict that had been building in the digital economy for years.


Wales will appear in their first semi-final of a major tournament when they play Portugal in Lyon at 20:00 BST. The winners of that game will face either France or Germany in Sunday's Euro 2016 final. Fan zones have been set up around Wales, including at Cardiff's Principality Stadium which will hold 27,500 fans who obtained tickets. An extra 7,500 tickets made available for the Cardiff venue sold out on Wednesday morning in just over an hour. Those who have secured tickets have been advised to arrive early as extra security measures are in place which may delay entry to the stadium. Westgate Street in Cardiff will close from 18:00 until 23:30 and Arriva Trains Wales is adding capacity to services where possible. But Mark Jones, the Blackwood student who campaigned for a Cardiff fan zone, did not manage to get a ticket. "It's not just gutted for myself but I'm gutted for what seem to be the vast majority of fans who haven't been able to get a ticket and had been to the previous games," he said. "I can't understand why the council can't open Coopers Field [where the fan zone previously was] as well." There will also be fan zones in Singleton Park, Swansea, Colwyn Bay, Rhyl, Denbighshire, Aberystwyth, Anglesey, Newport, Pontypridd and Wrexham. One of the many proud Welshmen watching tonight will be Michael Davies - the head teacher at Joe Allen's former school, Ysgol Y Preseli in Crymych, Pembrokeshire. He said: "His performances have been quite inspirational - he's the man that brings everything together in terms of the Welsh midfield." Insurance giant Admiral is closing its Cardiff, Swansea and Newport offices at 19:00 instead of the usual 22:00 so the 600 employees in those sites can watch the game, with staff outside Wales covering customer calls. Prince Charles has sent a message to the team, saying: "Throughout the whole championship, you have set an inspiring example of teamwork and sportsmanship and I have no doubt that in this latest game you will continue to give your country even greater cause for pride." First Minister Carwyn Jones said, after waiting 58 years for a place in a major football tournament, "Euro 2016 really is turning into a dream come true for Wales". Welsh Secretary Alun Cairns added: "You have to look to the fairytale triumph of Leicester City Football Club for something similarly inspiring. This Welsh team truly are the history boys." At Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday, David Cameron said: "They have played superbly and we wish them all the best." The Football Supporters' Federation Cymru said it expected more than 20,000 Welsh fans to head to Lyon. John Welch, 57, who has made the trip from Australia, said he was "getting goosies" thinking about the game. Mr Welch, originally of Cardiff but now of Perth, flew from Australia to Lyon after his wife, Jacqui, surprised him with a flight ticket. The father of five said he was desperate to "be here and taste the atmosphere" - even if it was just in the city's fan

Summary: Thousands of Wales fans have travelled to France for the biggest football match in the nation's history.


Felix Gutierrez-Cortez, 34, strangled Anna Maria Thomas, 61, in her Wandsworth home in December 2013. He told authorities she had fallen unconscious while meditating, but was found guilty of manslaughter by diminished responsibility. At the Old Bailey he was given an indeterminate sentence in a secure facility under the Mental Health Act. The court heard Ms Thomas had given him a place to stay in exchange for Gutierrez-Cortez acting as her carer. On 10 December the defendant called 999 claiming he had found his landlady dead and her body was found in a bedroom covered in a duvet. He later changed his story to say she regularly became unconscious during meditation and that he had stayed in the lounge for two days while she meditated in the spare bedroom. A post-mortem examination revealed she had been strangled days before Gutierrez-Cortez contacted emergency services. Det Insp Andy Rees said: "Our investigations demonstrated that she was a caring mother and grandmother and a deeply religious woman with a wide circle of friends who will miss her deeply."

Summary: A lodger who worked as a carer for his landlady has been sentenced for killing her in their south-west London flat.


Tomasz Nowak, 33, of Kirkcaldy, was involved in a collision with a van on the Perth to Blairgowrie Road at about 16:00 on Sunday. The crash happened at Old Scone, near Perth Racecourse. Police have appealed for witnesses. Police Scotland said a report had been submitted to the procurator fiscal.

Summary: A motorcyclist killed in a crash on the A93 has been named by police.


David Greenwood said fewer than 100 of the estimated 1,400 victims identified in the Jay Report have taken part in a raft of new enquiries. He believes "radical change" is needed for more victims to come forward. It is nearly a year since the report into the shocking scale of abuse in the South Yorkshire town was published. Mr Greenwood, who works for 58 of the girls subjected to sexual abuse by gangs of men in Rotherham between 1997 and 2013, concedes that improvements have been made locally in the past 12 months. Two of the agencies that bore the brunt of criticism in the aftermath of the publication, South Yorkshire Police and Rotherham Council, have made progress but a truly independent organisation is needed to gain the trust of some survivors, he said. "Both agencies have improved in Rotherham in the last 12 months but survivors of exploitation will be unwilling to come forward to them unless radical changes are made. "An agency independent from South Yorkshire Police and RMBC [Rotherham Council] is essential for the 1,400 young women who need help. "I am aware of only around 50 to 60 girls having come forward. This means there are around 1,350 whose lives could be improved with specialist help," he added. The report by Prof Alexis Jay, published on 26 August 2014, detailed how children as young as 11 were raped by multiple perpetrators, abducted, trafficked to other cities in England, beaten and intimidated. It revealed "blatant" collective failures by the council's leadership, senior managers had "underplayed" the scale of the problem and South Yorkshire Police had failed to prioritise the issue. Its findings provoked outrage and a wave of resignations followed in its wake, the most high profile of which was South Yorkshire's Police and Crime Commissioner, Shaun Wright, who had been in charge of children's services in the town during the period some of the abuse happened. The council was later deemed "not fit for purpose" by government inspectors and its powers were handed over to government-appointed commissioners. The police now have a dedicated team of more than 60 working on child sexual exploitation (CSE) and its joint operation with the council and the Crown Prosecution Service, Operation Clover, has brought some suspected perpetrators before the courts. The police insist they are working hard to restore trust with those affected by CSE. Rotherham's police commander, Ch Supt Jason Harwin, said: "Over the last 12 months, if nothing else, restoring confidence has been really, really important and we've still got a journey to go on. "The key focus has been around the victims and survivors. We need to understand better what the issues are for them and we could have done better and what we need to do for the future." Mr Harwin said he understands the public want to see perpetrators jailed and that his force has arrested 460 people for child abuse offences in the last 12 months - with 76 of these suspected of involvement in "grooming and facilitation". And he said 22 people have been charged

Summary: A fraction of the hundreds of victims of child sexual exploitation in Rotherham have sought help, according to a lawyer for some of the survivors.


After 10 months, Sudan's Ministry of Health finally confirmed that there have been 265 deaths and more than 16,000 infected cases of "acute watery diarrhoea" in 11 of the country's 18 states. A half-admission that came only after the disease pierced the bubble of Sudan's capital, Khartoum. Medical professionals have long diagnosed the cases as cholera, despite the euphemisms the government has insisted on to downplay the severity of the crisis. But cholera by any other name is still cholera. The Federal Minister of Health, Bahar Abu Garda, told parliament that cases of "watery diarrhoea" were not his business - shifting blame to the Ministry of Water Resources and State Ministers. The private hospital of Khartoum's State Minister of Health, Mamoun Himeda, has a printed sign on the door, refusing the admission of any cases of watery diarrhoea. In April, journalist Ammar El-Daw was detained for reporting on the outbreak and accused of defamation by the minister of his home state, Gaderef. While the country's politicians continue to shirk responsibility and avoid action, the number of cases continues to climb. The first infections were confirmed as early as August 2016, in the White Nile state where the cluster of South Sudanese refugee camps has been identified by the government as the source of the outbreak. Whatever the origins, Sudan's crumbling infrastructure and underfunded healthcare system made conditions rife for the disease to spread. Poor sanitation, meagre emergency services and underpaid doctors, striking intermittently since October 2016, have left the nation extremely vulnerable. Medics have highlighted the lack of quarantine spaces and photos have been shared online of brackish water pouring out of taps across the country. Yousra Elbagir: Once again, the Sudanese community must rely on itself to fulfil its basic needs. Imams are spreading awareness at Friday sermons in mosques across the capital Khartoum, calling for the government to address the issue and praying to God to prevent a disaster. Citizens are handing out health and safety pamphlets throughout the capital and activists are taking to Twitter and Facebook to spread awareness and criticise the government's approach. And protests have broken out at cemeteries after the mass burial of tens of bodies, all victims of cholera. Locals have organised two sit-ins in the White Nile state. All of which seems to have fallen on deaf ears. The World Health Organization has been ominously silent in the face of the growing crisis. Many assume that pressure from the government - never shy to expel a UN official for saying the wrong thing - has left them at a loss for words. In this case, "cholera" seems to be the trigger word. Sudanese Twitter users have been using the hashtag #CholeraInSudan, hoping to attract international attention and pressurising the government to act - the same international pressure that forced the Sudanese government to restore subsidies on imported medicine back in November. Once again, the Sudanese community must rely on itself to fulfil its basic needs. Sudanese fight for their African identity How poets are fighting censorship in Sudan Why Sudanese people still feel

Summary: In the latest of our series of letters from African journalists, Yousra Elbagir criticises the Sudanese government's failure to get to grips with a cholera outbreak.


The 19th Century life-size carvings are modelled in the style of Spanish Conquistadors - bare-chested, wearing animal skins and carrying a club. They are estimated sell for up to £5,000 at 1818 Auctioneers on 5 June. Valuations expert David Brookes said he had never seen anything like them in a 35-year career and would love to know where they were made and how they ended up in the modern house near Ulverston. He described the carvings, which were possibly made in the Black Forest region of Germany, as detailed and skilfully done. "Beyond that, they are a complete mystery and one that we could do with solving", he said. "We know the Victorians loved their busts and statues; everything from knights in armour, angels and lions to athletes wrestling serpents. "They were collected by the wealthy and the middle classes to decorate their homes and, in the case of these two soldiers, to make a grand statement possibly either side of a doorway of the foot of a staircase. "I have asked colleagues and antique buyers for their opinions but nothing has come of it other than a bit of excitement and further speculation. "I would love to know where they were made, and by whom, and how they came to find their home in a modern house near Ulverston. Unfortunately that story has been lost with the owner."

Summary: Two statues found during a Cumbrian house clearance have baffled experts.


Phillip Cullen, 57, of Cadbury Heath in Bristol, committed six offences relating to Large Blue butterflies. Bristol Magistrates Court heard he caught butterflies in Somerset and Gloucestershire and then killed and mounted them for a wall display. His is believed to be the first prosecution in the UK involving offences related to the species. Cullen was seen illegally entering and chasing butterflies with a net at Daneway Banks reserve in Gloucestershire on 18 June 2015. He was also witnessed acting in a similar way at Collard Hill reserve in Somerset between 17 and 20 June the same year. It was reported to police who searched his home and found up to 30 trays of butterflies. Cullen had denied catching the Large Blue species found at his home, instead insisting he had purchased them from abroad. He was convicted of capturing, killing and possessing the insect. Source: Butterfly Conservation The Large Blue (Maculinea arion) species became extinct in 1979 but is now thriving after reintroduction in 2004. In 2004 it was found on nine sites in the country following a major conservation programme. It has a wingspan of more than two inches and can be identified by a row of black spots on its upper forewing.

Summary: A collector has been found guilty of capturing and killing the UK's rarest butterfly.