The 19-year-old, who won four golds at last year's World Championships in Glasgow, has a progressive neurological condition which causes muscle weakness. "A recent progression in my condition, coupled with an ongoing shoulder injury, has affected my ability to train," she said. "I did everything in my power to get to Rio, but it just wasn't to be." The Paralympics begin on 7 September, while the swimming events run from 8-17 September. Kearney, who has been battling to be fit since the start of the year, missed the British Paralympic swimming trials in April but was named in the team in May. She added: "I'm devastated not to be able to represent GB in Rio. I have worked incredibly hard in training for many years to get to this point in my career and last year was fantastic for me. "Obviously, I hope that there will be a way for me to continue to compete in the sport I love so much next season and beyond." British Para-swimming national performance director Chris Furber said: "We all share in Tully's disappointment in this news. "As a team we worked closely with Tully to ensure she had the right support and as much time as possible. "Our whole medical and coaching team has and will continue to provide the best support possible for Tully. We all wish her a speedy return to competition."

Summary: Swimmer Tully Kearney has had to withdraw from the Great Britain team for the Rio Paralympics through injury.


Media playback is not supported on this device Ethiopian great Kenenisa Bekele, who won last year's Berlin Marathon in the second-quickest time ever, heads the men's elite field along with Kenya's Stanley Biwott. In the women's race, Great Britain's Jo Pavey will have qualification for this year's world championships in her sights as part of a strong field. Six-time Paralympic gold medallist David Weir has said he will retire after the men's elite wheelchair race. BBC One will have comprehensive coverage from 08:30 BST on race day, with BBC Red Button viewers able to watch the elite races from start to finish. Fans can also watch the amateur runners complete the 26.2 mile course with a special Finish Line stream, available via Connected TV and on the BBC Sport website. You can also follow text updates from 08:30 to 16:00 on the BBC Sport website, plus live radio commentary on BBC Radio 5 live. Saturday, 22 April 13:15-13:45, Marathon Preview, BBC One Sunday, 23 April 07:50-08:50, Marathon Preview, BBC Red Button (repeat) 08:00-14:00, BBC Radio 5 live sports extra (simulcast of BBC London's coverage) 08:30-14:30, BBC One 08:50-12:30, Elite Races, BBC Red Button and online 12:30-16:00, Finish Line, Connected TV and online 18:00-19:00, Highlights, BBC Two *All times listed are BST. Fixtures and event start times are subject to change. The BBC is not responsible for any changes. Also, coverage on BBC Red Button can be subject to late schedule changes, so details may differ from this page. Media playback is not supported on this device National and regional variations have been included in this list where possible. Please check your local listings for more detailed information. You can view all our TV and Red Button broadcasts as well as listen to our radio sports programming on the BBC iPlayer.

Summary: On Sunday, 23 April, the world's best elite runners as well as keen amateurs take on one of the most iconic races - the London Marathon.


Their studies on survivors in Liberia showed large numbers had developed weakness, memory loss and depressive symptoms in the six months after being discharged from an Ebola unit. Other patients were "actively suicidal" or still having hallucinations. More than 17,000 people in West Africa have survived Ebola infection. The evidence, being presented at the annual meeting of the Academy of Neurology, is an early glimpse at a much wider study of long-term health problems after Ebola. The initial analysis, on 82 survivors, showed most had had severe neurological problems at the height of the infection, including meningitis, hallucinations or falling into a coma. Six months later, new long-term problems had developed. About two-thirds had body weakness, while regular headaches, depressive symptoms and memory loss were found in half of patients. Two of the patients had been actively suicidal at the time of the assessment. Dr Lauren Bowen, from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, told the BBC: "It was pretty striking, this is a young population of patients, and we wouldn't expect to have seen these sorts of problems. "When people had memory loss, it tended to affect their daily living, with some feeling they couldn't return to school or normal jobs, some had terrible sleeping problems. "Ebola hasn't gone away for these people." Infection with Ebola ravages the body. Some of the symptoms could improve with time as the body heals, others may be down to social trauma as many survivors are ostracised from their families and communities. But other symptoms, including eye problems, indicate damage to the brain, which may not heal. Meanwhile, data presented earlier, at the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections, raised concerns about sexual transmission of the virus in survivors. It indicated 38% of men had tested positive for Ebola in their semen on at least one occasion in the year after recovering. And in the most extreme case, Ebola had been detected 18 months later. Yet most survivors reported being sexually active, with only four in every 100 using a condom.

Summary: Most people who survive an Ebola infection will have long-lasting health problems, say doctors from the US National Institutes of Health.


Media playback is not supported on this device The top two were tied on a clearance of 4.85m, but European champion Stefanidi won by having fewer failed jumps. Bradshaw, 24, set a season's best of 4.70m, with New Zealand's Eliza McCartney taking bronze with 4.80m. Cuba's world champion Yarisley Silva managed only joint seventh with 4.60m, 31cm short of her personal best. "I am fifth at the Olympic Games and I am really happy with that. It was a step up from the last Olympics I was at in London," said Bradshaw, who was joint sixth four years ago with 4.45m. "I am an ultimate competitor so I am always going to be disappointed whatever happens. I felt I jumped the best of my season and I was so close to 4.80m. "I am just a little bit too inconsistent to mix it with the top girls in the world at the moment. I just need a year where I don't have an injury." Media playback is not supported on this device Defending champion Jennifer Suhr, the only athlete to clear five metres this season, was joint seventh and said she was suffering with an illness. "I feel horrible,'' Suhr said. "I'm actually getting concerned. It's going on day 10 and I feel worse today. "They think it's respiratory and now in the lungs. This morning I was coughing up blood. It's getting scary. "I just want to get out of here and go home and figure it out." Find out how to get into athletics with our special guide. Subscribe to the BBC Sport newsletter to get our pick of news, features and video sent to your inbox.

Summary: Greece's Ekaterini Stefanidi won women's pole vault gold, narrowly beating USA's Sandi Morris into silver as Britain's Holly Bradshaw was fifth.


Media playback is not supported on this device The 21-year-old English swimmer was joined on the podium by Scotland's Ross Murdoch, 22, who claimed silver. Peaty, Chris Walker-Hebborn, Siobhan-Marie O'Connor and Fran Halsall then won mixed 4x100m medley relay gold. Halsall, 26, also took a bronze medal in women's 50m butterfly final, with 21-year-old Ben Proud finishing third in the men's event. Media playback is not supported on this device "There was amazing support in the venue tonight and it's definitely one of the best races I've had," said Peaty. "And to have Ross alongside me is just great." The reigning world and European champion set a new championship record of 58.36secs in his final and added: "That puts me in a great place going into Rio."

Summary: Great Britain's Adam Peaty won gold in the men's 100m breaststroke final at the European Championships in London.


As a result, people should be cautious about using them to judge what to eat, Stanford University scientists said. The study recommended that companies release data showing how their devices work out measurements. The accuracy of seven wrist devices were tested while 60 volunteers were asked to walk, run and cycle. Researchers found that six out of seven of the fitness devices were good at estimating the heart rate of the person wearing it, with an error rate under 5%. They were the Apple Watch, Fitbit Surge, Basis Peak, Microsoft Band, PulseOn and MIP Alpha 2 - but the Samsung Gear S2 had the highest error rate of 6.8%. However, when it came to keeping track of energy used during exercise, the five devices that performed this function were all a long way out. Not one of the devices had an error rate below 20% - and some, such as the PulseOn, were much more inaccurate, the US research team found. Dr Euan Ashley, co-author of the study from the department of cardiovascular medicine at Stanford University, said the public should be aware of the strengths and limitations of fitness devices worn on the wrist. "People need to know that on energy expenditure they give rough estimates. "If you go to the gym, and you think you've lost 400 calories, then you might feel you've got 400 calories to play with," he said. That could be an issue if people were basing their diet on what they thought they had burnt off, he said. Technology for measuring heart rate had moved on quickly over the past five or six years, but on energy expenditure "it's not quite there yet", he added. It may be that companies are not using heart rates in their calculations. There is also a very wide difference in calories burnt between one person and another. For example, 10,000 steps could equate to anything from 400 kilocalories to 800 kilocalories lost, depending on a person's height and weight alone, the study said. Dr David Ellis, lecturer in computation social science at Lancaster University, said working out the number of calories burnt was a tricky business and relied on many different factors such as height, weight, percentage of body fat, heart rate and more. "However, because manufactures do not share the algorithms [which are constantly updated] used to determine calories burned, it is almost impossible to know the exact source of error at this stage," he said. Fitness trackers can have a very positive effect on people's activity levels, so complete 100% accuracy may not be vital if the devices are encouraging more exercise. But recent trials have suggested that wearing them doesn't always result in a positive outcome, or improve the chances of losing weight. The researchers urged companies to be more transparent and publish the results of their own accuracy tests. They said this would ensure the public and clinicians were aware of the devices' limitations. The Stanford team has set up their own website to share this kind of data with others.

Summary: Most fitness trackers are good at measuring heart rate but poor at measuring calories burned, a study suggests.


An aircraft transporting Jeffrey Fowle, 56, landed at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base early on Wednesday. Mr Fowle was greeted by his wife, children and relatives upon arrival. A US state department official said the agency was working to secure the release of two other US nationals, Matthew Miller and Kenneth Bae, who remain in detention in North Korea. There were tearful scenes as Mr Fowle was reunited with his family. His children were brought to the base without being told their father would be on a plane home. Following the arrival, a spokesman for the family said Mr Fowle was feeling well. He was treated well by his captors but has requested privacy as he readjusts, his spokesman added. When asked directly how he felt, Mr Fowle gave reporters a thumbs up. The US had earlier accused North Korea of using detained Americans as pawns in a diplomatic game. Mr Fowle, 56, entered North Korea on 29 April and was detained in early June as he was leaving the country. He was charged with "anti-state" crimes. He was reported to have left a Bible in the toilet of a restaurant in the northern port city of Chongjin but his family have insisted that he was not on a mission for his Church. Missionary activity is considered a crime in North Korea. In August, he and fellow detainee Matthew Miller made a televised appeal to the US government to help secure their release. Responding to the appeal, the US authorities vowed to make securing the release of the detainees a "top priority". Mr Miller was later sentenced to six years' hard labour for committing "hostile acts". Washington had been trying to send high-level representatives to negotiate the detainees' release but those visits were cancelled by North Korea in recent months. Pyongyang has denied accusations that it is using the arrested Americans as diplomatic bargaining chips. US Secretary of State John Kerry has said there was "no quid pro quo" in Mr Fowle's release this week. "We are very concerned about the remaining American citizens who are in North Korea, and we have great hopes that North Korea will see the benefit of releasing them also as soon as possible," he told reporters.

Summary: A US citizen released from detention in North Korea has been greeted to an emotional homecoming in Ohio.


All 54 countries at the organisation's congress in Cairo agreed to change the statutes which previously stopped officials serving past the age of 70. It was proposed Caf should bring its rules in line with those of world football's governing body Fifa. Hayatou, 68, will now be able to stand for another term in office in 2017. His current mandate ends in two years and he is seeking four more years until at least 2021, when he turns 75. The rule change follows success in recent years in adapting the statutes to limit potential opponents to Hayatou's rule. Caf previously brought in a rule that candidates for its presidency can only come from the ranks of its own executive committee, a tight-knit club closely controlled by Hayatou. Fifa does not have the same restriction. Cameroon-born Hayatou, a former athletics official, is the longest serving senior member in Fifa structures, where he acts as vice-president, and has had few serious challengers for power in Africa since first winning election in 1988.

Summary: The Confederation of African Football voted on Tuesday to remove an age limit on its officials, paving the way for Issa Hayatou to stay on as president.


This year's winner will be announced in December, but all four nominated works will be on display until January. In its four-star review, London's Evening Standard said: "The display of work by the four contenders efficiently captures art's current mood." Mark Hudson in The Telegraph also gave the nominees four stars, but added: "Michelangelo it certainly isn't." "There's plenty to exasperate the sceptic and give even the most receptive gallery-goer a headache," he added. "None the less, this is one of the strongest Turner Prize shows in ages." The Guardian's Adrian Searle said the show was "perhaps the most peculiar and baffling Turner prize show I can remember". "I haven't enjoyed being so confounded and perplexed in a long time," he added. But Rachel Campbell-Johnston from The Times gave the nominated works two stars, commenting: "This year's Turner display is nothing if not idiosyncratic." She added the meaning of some of the artworks is not immediately clear when looking at them. "You have to start with the written explanation and then work out how their objects illustrate their ideas. "That's why I would like Helen Marten to win, she produces the most visually intriguing pieces of the four candidates." The Guardian also tips "the inscrutable, endlessly inventive" Marten to win, saying she "makes life feel less bare, more rich, more absorbing". The BBC's arts editor Will Gompertz said the same, adding that her artworks are "sort of time capsule stories containing an arrangement of clues that help the viewer solve a riddle". The Turner Prize exhibition is at Tate Britain from 27 September until 8 January 2017. Follow us on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, on Instagram, or if you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news@bbc.co.uk.

Summary: Art critics have given broadly positive reviews to this year's Turner Prize exhibition at Tate Britain.


Shops and 60 homes were evacuated after the crane toppled and came to rest against the former Primark building in Reading at 13:50 BST on Saturday. The council has had to provide alternative accommodation for 49 people so far, with others staying with family or friends. No-one has been reported injured. The crane is being stabilised by Berkshire Fire Service and emergency services were at the scene in West Street overnight and will continue to be so into Sunday. Fifty members of staff from emergency services and Reading Council remain at the scene.

Summary: People were rehoused for the night and roads remain closed after a 60m crane overbalanced in a town centre.


Phil Flanagan was ordered to pay nearly £50,000 damages to Tom Elliott following comments he made in a tweet. Mr Flanagan said he was unaware his tweet was libellous. Lawyers for AIG argued that he is ineligible for cover because he knew the comments were defamatory. They also contended that Mr Flanagan is excluded as the social media post had nothing to do with constituency or parliamentary business. But the Sinn Féin representative for Fermanagh and South Tyrone said he was unaware the tweet was libellous - originally believing he was merely posing a question after listening to a "one-sided" radio discussion on Northern Ireland's troubled past. The judge in the libel case said that Mr Flanagan's tweet was grossly defamatory. Following the two-day insurance hearing at the High Court in Belfast, the judge said he pledged to deliver his verdict as soon as possible. A High Court judge has put a stay on any payout until Mr Flanagan resolved his legal action with the insurers.

Summary: Judgement has been reserved in a Sinn Féin MLA's legal battle with an insurance firm over its refusal to to provide cover for a libel award against him.


The pedestrian was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash, which happened at 01:35 BST on High Road, at the junction with Seven Sisters, in Tottenham. His next of kin have been told, the Met said. A 36-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of failing to stop at the scene and causing death by dangerous driving. He is in custody for questioning. Road closures are in place and parts of the pavement between the High Road and Stonebridge Estate are also closed.

Summary: A 70-year-old man has died in an apparent hit-and-run in north London.


The Big Gaelic Survey has been commissioned by the language's development body, Bòrd na Gàidhlig. The study of media, such as BBC Alba and BBC Radio nan Gàidheal, has three questionnaires. They are aimed at Gaelic speakers, Gaelic learners and people who are interested in learning Gaelic in the future. Shona MacLennan, of Bòrd na Gàidhlig, said: "Bòrd na Gàidhlig wants to understand better how people learn and enhance their Gaelic skills. "It is paramount for planning and developing the language that we understand how the media helps Gaelic speakers, learners, and those interested in learning access the language. "This is the first time research such as this has been undertaken and it will enable us to measure just how important the media is in growing Gaelic."

Summary: The influence of Gaelic media on learning of the language is being examined.


She had been widely tipped as the politician who would take over from the former deputy first minister, who retired partly due to illness. The 40-year-old County Tyrone woman is the current health minister having previously been agriculture minister. She paid a warm tribute to Mr McGuinness and said she was "following in the footsteps of a political giant". She said "no-one can replace Martin" but said she would continue the work he started. Mrs O'Neill will have just five weeks to prepare for an election after Stormont's power-sharing coalition fell apart over a botched energy scheme scandal. The fallout from the Renewable Heat Incentive scandal, which is approximately £490m over budget, led to Mr McGuinness' quitting after DUP leader Arlene Foster refused to stand aside as first minster while an investigation was carried out. As they hold a joint office, his resignation automatically put Mrs Foster out of her job and prompted the calling of snap elections on 2 March. Mrs O'Neill described her new role as "the biggest honour and privilege of my life". "I have never been afraid of challenge and I have never been afraid to act," she added. She referred to her first act as health minister last year, when she ended Northern Ireland's blanket ban on gay men donating blood. Mr McGuinness said he was "overjoyed" at her appointment, which he said was part of a "generational change" within his party. He said that as health minister she had already taken on one of Stormont's toughest portfolios, adding that Sinn Féin did not appoint people to such ministerial posts unless they had the "all-round ability to manage very difficult situations". Tackling mounting hospital waiting lists has been a huge task for Mrs O'Neill since she was appointed health minister last May. In October, she launched a 10-year plan to transform the health service, saying it would improve a system that was at "breaking point". Opposition politicians questioned the lack of details in the plan, which was not costed. But it set out a range of priorities, including a new model of care involving a team of professionals based around GP surgeries. Mrs O'Neill was first elected to the assembly in Mid Ulster in 2007 and has held various senior positions within Sinn Féin. She has worked for the party since 1998, initially as political adviser to MP and former MLA Francie Molloy, before being elected to Dungannon and South Tyrone Borough Council in 2005. In 2011, she was appointed as minister for agriculture and rural development. The following year, she announced the department would move to a former British army barracks in Ballykelly, County Londonderry. After the announcement, it came to light that Strabane had been chosen as a more suitable location by an internal DARD assessment, a decision that Mrs O'Neill then overruled. In February 2013, it was also revealed that the decision had been questioned by then Finance Minister Sammy Wilson.

Summary: Sinn Féin has announced that Michelle O'Neill is to replace Martin McGuinness as its leader north of the border.


Wardrobes, beds, sofas, lamps and other pieces from the Athletes' Village in Dalmarnock will be handed over to Glasgow Housing Association (GHA). It will then be passed on to people and charities helping to furnish homes. About 36,000 items are to be distributed after the Games. Some of the furniture will have been used by the likes of Sir Bradley Wiggins, Mo Farah, Eilidh Child and possibly Usain Bolt. It includes items that were previously used at the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and relocated for use in Glasgow alongside newly-manufactured furniture such as folding chairs and tables. The plan to pass them on to GHA is part of the legacy programme from Glasgow 2014. About 700 houses in the Athletes' Village will be sold or rented after the Games, and a new 120-bed care home for the elderly will also be established on the site. Glasgow 2014 chief executive David Grevemberg said: "It's fantastic that the furniture used by the athletes and officials during the Games this summer is going to be distributed to families in need in Glasgow. "Sustainability is very high on Glasgow 2014's agenda and this is a tangible benefit from the Games to the great people of this city, following the excitement of the sporting events themselves." Twelve new training positions at GHA will be created to move and refurbish furniture items. Olga Clayton, director at Wheatley Group, which runs GHA, said: "We're delighted to support the Commonwealth Games coming to Glasgow and to do our bit to provide a lasting legacy for the people of this city. "We know many people are finding it difficult financially in these tough times. "This project will make a big difference to thousands of adults, families and groups who need help to make their house a home."

Summary: Furniture used by some of the world's top athletes during the Commonwealth Games is to be distributed to vulnerable families in Glasgow at the end of the event.


The winger scored three times in 21 second-half minutes to draw level with Lomu's mark of 15 World Cup tries. The Springboks ran in eight second-half tries in all to earn a bonus-point win at the Olympic Stadium. South Africa top Pool B and will now play the loser of Saturday's Pool A decider between Australia and Wales. A mixture of South Africa's ill-discipline and poor finishing kept the score down in the first half, while USA only made it into the Boks' 22 in the last minute of the half, despite enjoying plenty of possession. Centre Damien de Allende scored his first international try before South Africa were awarded a penalty try as USA struggled at the scrum. A different South Africa came out after the break as Habana scored almost from the restart, collecting a Fourie du Preez kick to go over in the corner. Bismarck du Plessis and Francois Louw both crossed the line, before Habana scored two tries in two minutes to complete his hat-trick. Louw scored his second with Jesse Kriel also getting on the scoresheet, before Lwazi Mvovo rounded off a dominant Springboks performance. Habana had a subdued first half, with his only contribution of note seeing him clatter into Blaine Scully as the pair competed for a high ball. But he came out firing in the second half and his hat-trick not only saw him equal New Zealand legend Lomu as the tournament's all-time leading try scorer, but also draw level with Australia's David Campese for joint second in the list of Test try scorers with 64. The 32-year-old, a 2007 World Cup-winner with the Boks, scored 62 seconds into the second half for his 13th World Cup try. He then went over unopposed in the 59th minute after a break by De Allende and swooped on a loose ball to dive over in the corner just two minutes later. Habana could have broken All Black winger Lomu's record but a knock-on as he tried to collect another chip through denied him a fourth try on the night. South Africa's World Cup campaign started in the worst possible way with that shock loss to Japan, but they recovered with a bonus point victory over Samoa and a comfortable win against Scotland. If they are to win the tournament, they will be the first side to do so having lost a pool match. Before the USA game, Boks coach Heyneke Meyer talked about his side "doing a Roger Bannister", citing the British runner who broke the four-minute mile barrier as an example of overcoming the impossible. He also spoke about respecting their opponents but in the first half they showed signs of complacency and failed to pile the points on an under-strength USA, who had made 12 changes from their defeat by Scotland. A rejuvenated and more clinical Springboks came out after the break - and eight tries in 40 minutes will certainly send out a message to the teams left in the competition. South Africa: Le Roux, Habana, Kriel, de Allende, Mvovo, Pollard, du Preez,

Summary: Bryan Habana equalled Jonah Lomu's World Cup try-scoring record with a hat-trick as South Africa reached the quarter-finals by thrashing USA.


Sandra Weir, 41, battered pensioner Mary Logie to death in her home in Leven in January. The pensioner suffered multiple head wounds, possibly inflicted by a heavy rolling pin. Police said Weir was "a callous and uncaring individual who regularly exploited Mary Logie for financial gain". Weir had been stealing money from Mrs Logie to fund her drug habit. At the High Court in Edinburgh, Weir had lodged a special defence of alibi claiming that around the time of the murder she was elsewhere in Leven. She was convicted following a 10-day trial. She will be sentenced in January at the same court. Judge Michael O'Grady said: "In these courts we do not weigh the worth of victims; nor should we. All life is precious. "But, on the evidence before me, Rae Logie was a decent, kind, tolerant and harmless elderly woman. That you should have betrayed her trust is shocking enough." He said Mrs Logie's death was "breathtakingly wicked". "I have no doubt then you left her for dead and went about your business. Instead, you found she was still alive and that you could not allow," he added. "And so, as she lay defenceless, you simply finished her off." The court heard Ms Logie was found dead in her home in Green Gates on Tuesday 5 January. The pensioner had 31 injuries to her head and neck, and died as a result of "blunt force trauma" to her head. The court heard that Weir had become close to Mrs Logie and had acted as her unofficial carer. It emerged she had been a drug addict since her 20s and had racked up debts. Det Ch Insp Keith Hardie, of Police Scotland, said: "Sandra Weir is a callous and uncaring individual who regularly exploited Mary Logie for financial gain. "She would use coercion to obtain cash and other items of value from Mary before ultimately subjecting her to a horrific attack, which left the 82-year-old with fatal injuries. "The level of violence inflicted upon Mary, coupled with the prolonged period of bullying and intimidation, demonstrated Weir's complete disregard for the wellbeing of her victim." The officer added: "Mary's death had a profound impact on the local community and we are extremely grateful to the local residents who came forward with vital information that allowed us to identify Weir and bring her to justice." Earlier Alex Prentice, prosecuting, had told the jury there was evidence that Mrs Logie was still alive after being attacked in the morning. He added: "I suggest that evidence will cause you to conclude that she was conscious but lying there. "Mary Logie remained alive. The wounds incapacitated her and she remained there that day." He said evidence given by the accused and a witness indicated that Mrs Logie was attacked for a second time later in the evening. Analysis of the spot where Mrs Logie's body was found revealed both "fresh blood" and "clotted" blood, suggesting there were two attacks against her. The lawyer said Weir had probably administered the blows which killed Mrs Logie on the

Summary: A heroin addict has been found guilty of the "horrific" murder of her 82-year-old neighbour in Fife.


Over the years, the 17th Century monument has been threatened by pollution, unabashed construction, a crematorium and even bombs. The BBC's Geeta Pandey in Delhi reports on five threats - past and present - to India's "monument of love". An invasion of the insect called Chironomus Calligraphus (Geoldichironomus) is turning the Taj Mahal green, says environmental activist DK Joshi. Mr Joshi has filed a petition in the National Green Tribunal - a special tribunal set up by the government to deal with environmental disputes - saying that the "explosive breeding" of the pests in the polluted Yamuna river is marring the beauty of the monument. "Fifty-two drains are pouring waste directly into the river and just behind the monument, Yamuna has become so stagnant that fish that earlier kept insect populations in check are dying. This allows pests to proliferate in the river," Mr Joshi told the BBC by phone from the northern city of Agra where the Taj is located. The stains the bugs leave on the marble are washable and workers from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) have been trying to scrub the walls clean, but Mr Joshi says frequent scrubbing can take the sheen off the marble. He says the problem has a simple solution - just clean up the Yamuna. On Monday, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav ordered officials to "trace the factors behind the problem and find a solution". Built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan as a mausoleum for his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal, who died in childbirth, Taj Mahal is often described as one of the wonders of the world. It is also India's biggest tourist attraction, visited by heads of states, celebrities and millions of Indian and foreign tourists every year. But pollution from the industries in Agra and a nearby oil refinery have seen the white marble yellowing over the years. To restore the monument's beauty, the ASI has been applying "mud packs" on its walls to draw out the pollutants. Manoj Bhatnagar of the ASI's chemical department told the BBC that the mud-pack is based on a traditional recipe used by Indian women from ancient times to restore a natural glow to their faces. "A layer of fullers earth - a type of lime-rich clay - mixed with water is applied over the walls and left on for 24 hours or more to dry," he said. "Once it dries, the mud is removed and the surface is washed with distilled water to remove impurities." The marble mausoleum had been given this treatment several times in the past: in 1994, 2001, 2008 and 2014. Mr Bhatnagar said the next round of beauty treatment will begin once the weather cools a bit - the heat wave currently blowing across India will dry out the mud-pack too quickly and render it ineffective. In November 2002, the government of the Uttar Pradesh state began work on a shopping complex near the Taj Mahal. The state government, led by then chief minister Mayawati, said the mall was being constructed to relocate shops that had been removed

Summary: India's iconic Taj Mahal has been threatened in recent weeks by insect poo - environmentalists say that bugs from the polluted Yamuna river nearby are invading the monument, leaving greenish-black patches of waste on its pristine white marble walls.


The Portrush golfer, starting on the back nine on the Californian course, birdied the par-five 17th and hit more two birdies on the front nine. He also bogeyed the par-three seventh and is tied for 30th place, five shots behind American leader Sam Saunders. Padraig Harrington is tied for seventh place on four under alongside Phil Mickelson. Shane Lowry will struggle to make the weekend cut, having shot three over through 16 holes on a fog-delayed first round. Dustin Johnson's bid to overtake Jason Day as world number one continued with a first-round five-under-par 66.

Summary: Graeme McDowell carded a two-under par round of 69 at the opening round of the weather-interrupted Genesis Open.


The house, which is now a museum in Haworth, West Yorkshire, reopens after a refurbishment on Friday. "It's closer than it's ever looked to how it would have done in the Bronte period," said Bronte Parsonage Museum collections manager Ann Dinsdale. "Charlotte put her stamp on the house, and there's quite a lot of colour." Researchers from the University of Lincoln examined sections of the walls, and in some places found 18 layers of paint and wallpaper dating back to the sisters' habitation in the mid-19th Century. Source: BBC History "They came up with the strata, all the layers of paints that had been used over the years in the parsonage and they were able to work out which was the Bronte period," Mrs Dinsdale said. "All the historic rooms, which are part of the original parsonage, have been completely redecorated." Charlotte, Emily and Anne Bronte lived with their father and brother in the parsonage. Enduring literary masterpieces written there include Charlotte's Jane Eyre and Emily's Wuthering Heights. The sisters are particularly remembered for their depictions of the surrounding bleak landscape and their characters' emotional turmoil. "I think people are possibly going to be quite surprised when they visit the parsonage," Mrs Dinsdale added. "People have this image of [it] being quite austere with white and grey walls. Actually, it's very clear that they did experiment with colour."

Summary: The former home of the Bronte sisters has been returned to the design of the authors' era after researchers found fragments of its original decor.


Darren Machon, 39, of Maesteg, had denied burgling a house in Park Street, Bridgend, in February. But a witness spotted his "distinctive" boxer shorts after she saw him bent over while rummaging through cupboards, a statement from South Wales Police said. He was jailed for 34 months on Tuesday after a trial at Cardiff Crown Court. Machon was arrested for the burglary while he was in police custody for a separate offence, the police statement said. As he was getting changed in his cell, an officer noticed his underwear, which had pictures of hot dogs and doughnuts, matched those described by the witness of a burglary earlier that day. Det Con Darren Bowen said: "The witness in this case and also the officer who recognised the underpants also deserve credit as it was their vigilance and attention to detail which no doubt ensured that Darren Machon was linked to the burglary. "He is a prolific criminal who will spend a number of years behind bars where he belongs - no doubt he'll spend a few of those years thinking about how he should have put his lucky pants on that day." Machon was also convicted of dangerous driving and disqualified from driving for 41 months.

Summary: A burglar has been jailed after his "novelty" underwear was held up in court and used as evidence against him.


The men are loyal to South Sudan's sacked Vice-President Riek Machar and crossed into the country with him in August following intense violence in the South Sudan's capital, Juba. The 750 men have been disarmed and cared for by the UN mission. But Congolese officials say they are now a security risk. They are being housed in UN camps in the volatile east of DR Congo, near the city of Goma in North Kivu province. The demand from DR Congo's government that the men be removed comes after a protest in Goma last Friday. The South Sudanese fighters have not been in any reported trouble since their arrival. But residents say they fear a repeat of the fallout of the 1994 genocide in Rwanda when perpetrators of the mass killings set up base in eastern DR Congo. "In April 1994, the population of North Kivu lived up to their legendary hospitality by welcoming Rwandan refugees," Jean Paul Lumbu Lumbu, an activist in Goma, said. "Unfortunately, the same refugees turned into those FDLR rebels and became executioners of North Kivu residents. That is why we deeply fear the gathering of South Sudanese rebels into camps." Correspondents say locals in Goma also fear the government of South Sudan, under President Salva Kiir, may exercise a "right of pursuit" across the border, exposing them to fresh conflict. The UN has confirmed that it has been contacted about the issue but has not commented on whether it will acting on the request to remove them by 10 October. Fighting between rival forces in Juba in July left hundreds of people dead less than a year after a peace deal was signed in South Sudan. Mr Machar, who had joined a unity government in April, was also aided by the UN in DR Congo and is now in residence in Sudan's capital, Khartoum. More on South Sudan's crisis:

Summary: The UN peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo has been given a week to fly hundreds of South Sudanese fighters out of the country.


Benedetto Vassallo, 68, from Folkestone in Kent, arrived in the UK with his parents as a young child in 1952. The home secretary attempted to have Vassallo - who retained his Italian citizenship - deported. However, the Court of Appeal ruled he was of "low risk" of reoffending and called him a "home-grown criminal". Vassallo was convicted of 68 offences, mainly burglary, while living in the UK. During this time he married a British woman and had two children who were also British citizens. In May 2012 he was sentenced to 29 months in prison for a burglary committed at the home of an elderly couple. After this the home secretary decided to make a deportation order against Vassallo on the grounds that it was necessary "in the interests of public policy or public security". An immigration tribunal ruled that deporting Vassallo was not justified under European immigration regulations. The Home Office appealed, however, three judges - Lord Justice Richards, Lady Justice Macur and Mr Justice Cranston - agreed he should not be deported.

Summary: An Italian-born burglar who has lived in the UK for 63 years cannot be deported despite his "reprehensible" record, a court has ruled.


South and West Yorkshire would both control some tax and spending if local councils devolve powers to new combined authorities run by a mayor. Under the proposals, strategic planning, transport and economic regeneration powers would be handed over. The Chancellor, George Osborne, could announce the plan on Wednesday. The five West Yorkshire councils - Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees, Leeds and Wakefield - joined the neighbouring City of York in North Yorkshire to form a combined authority six months ago. Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield councils have created a similar South Yorkshire body. The existing councils would continue to run services such as education and waste management individually. Under the current agreement one of the council leaders is chosen by the others to chair the combined authority. The chancellor's idea takes this on much further with extra powers for the combined authority to control social welfare policy, raise tax and control public spending. In return leadership would be given to a new generation of "metro mayors" wielding considerable executive powers. Councillor Peter Box, Labour leader of Wakefield City Council and current chair of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, said he would welcome any extra power and budgets but totally reject a regional executive mayor. Wakefield, Bradford, Leeds and Sheffield all rejected individual city mayors in referendums just two years ago. "Just a couple of weeks ago the Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg was in Leeds and told us that we could have the devolved powers without having to accept an executive mayor," said Mr Box. "Go on any street and it becomes clear the public will simply not accept another elected politician." Andrew Carter, leader of the opposition Conservative Group on Leeds City Council, voted against creating a local executive mayor in the 2012 referendums. "But, a metro mayor is a completely different proposition," he said. Support for the idea has come from two of Bradford's MPs. Gerry Sutcliffe, Labour MP for Bradford South, who was leader of the city council before being elected to parliament, says West Yorkshire has to follow the Manchester lead or it will see potential investment and economic growth being sucked over to the other side of the Pennines. George Galloway, Respect MP for Bradford West, said he believed that West Yorkshire could reap the same benefits that have resulted from the strong leadership of London's mayors. "We have had two now, both of them bigger-than-life figures, who have clearly made a difference to London," he said. The individual councils would not enter into a formal merger. A similar arrangement has been announced for Greater Manchester's 10 councils. "I am a great believer in the power of our cities to be big forces in the world," Mr Osborne said as he signed the deal with the Greater Manchester councils in November. "Great cities like Manchester don't quite have a strong enough voice. And I want to improve that. I think you do that by having a directly elected mayor. I think that has worked in London".

Summary: Parts of Yorkshire could be run by a London-style directly-elected mayor if new plans are proposed in the government's Autumn Statement.


Construction, accounting and IT training will be offered to 1,700 people in Torfaen, Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly and Merthyr Tydfil. Finance Minister Jane Hutt said the aim was to increase workers' productivity. The Tories' Shadow Economy Minister William Graham accused Labour of favouring their heartland areas in the run-up to the 2016 assembly election. The three-year Working Skills for Adults 2 project follows a six-year, £10m first phase which covered the same four counties plus Bridgend and Rhondda Cynon Taff.

Summary: Working people in four south Wales counties will be given the chance to boost their skills in a £3.8m project.


"Costs have got out of control, we need costs to come right down," he told BBC 5 live's Wake Up to Money programme. Lord Browne said companies would have to "slim down", warning "there will be some companies that go to the wall". The warning from Lord Browne, who led BP for 12 years, comes amid fears the industry is in crisis. A barrel of Brent crude has more than halved in price since its peak of $115 last summer. On Tuesday, the price stood at $57 a barrel. Last month, the chairman of the independent explorers' association Brindex told the BBC the industry was "close to collapse". Robin Allan claimed almost no new projects in the North Sea were profitable with oil below $60 a barrel. In recent weeks hundreds of North Sea jobs have been cut by oil firms, including BP and Talisman Sinopec. The chancellor has said he will look at new measures to support the industry in his next Budget in March. Both industry leaders and the Scottish government are calling for taxes to be cut further as a matter of urgency to help the sector deal with falling oil prices and higher costs. Unions have also raised safety concerns over the number of job cuts being made in the industry.

Summary: Former BP chief executive Lord Browne has warned North Sea oil operators' costs must fall in order for them to compete globally.


The local woman was driving a Peugeot which collided with a Ford driven by a 22-year-old man in Angley Road at the junction with Cranbrook High Street. Kent Police said the other driver was also taken to hospital with injuries not believed to be life-threatening. The A229 was closed for five hours after the accident at 13:38 BST on Saturday. Det Sgt Scott Lynch said: 'It was a busy Saturday afternoon so there may have been a number of people who saw the collision. "We would ask witnesses to contact us if they haven't already spoken to an officer."

Summary: An 85-year-old woman has died in hospital after a collision between her car and another vehicle.


After mopping up Kent's first innings for 236 in the morning session, despite Sam Northeast racking up a century, Durham had a 212-run lead. Graham Clark's career-best 83, helped by skipper Paul Collingwood's 51, saw Durham declare with a lead of 483. Kent survived the final 10 overs of the day to end of 35 without loss. Northeast had been the Kent hero on day two, with his unbeaten 109 aided by Yasir Shah's hard-earned 48 in a 113-run eighth-wicket partnership, before Durham hit back to reduce Kent from 236-8 to 236 all out. South African opener Stephen Cook (44) continued his resurgence in Durham colours once he took to the crease, although partner Keaton Jennings was not so lucky as he departed for a first-ball duck. Cameron Steel, who made 43, along with Clark and Collingwood put Jon Lewis' side in a decent position at the declaration, in spite of early exits for Ryan Pringle and Stuart Poynter. Daniel Bell-Drummond and Sean Dickson nursed Kent to stumps without loss, but still trailing by 449 runs.

Summary: Durham put themselves in strong position to earn a first Championship win of the season after declaring with a big lead on the third day at Kent.


The USS Stethem sailed within the territorial limits of Triton Island, part of the Paracel Islands, claimed by China and others. China responded by sending battleships and fighter jets to the island. The incident happened just before leaders of the two countries were due to speak on the phone. The US has repeatedly warned China against its occupation and aggressive reclamation of islands in disputed waters, but Beijing says it is within its sovereign rights to do so. US President Donald Trump is due to speak to his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in a pre-arranged call on Monday. In a statement late on Sunday, China's foreign ministry confirmed reports that the USS Stethem had entered waters claimed by China. The warship had sailed within 12 nautical miles of Triton Island as part of its "freedom of navigation" operations, according to news agencies and Fox News citing US defence officials. UN rules dictate that any territory can claim the waters up to 12 nautical miles from its coast. The sailing of a US ship within those limits indicates the US does not recognise those territorial claims. Beijing said it would use "all necessary means to defend national sovereignty and security". It also accused the US of "deliberately stirring up troubles" in the region as China and South East Asian neighbours have "cooled down and improved the situation". The tiny island is also claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan. China has been embroiled in maritime disputes with several of its regional neighbours in recent years. The US conducts a programme called "freedom of navigation" which challenges "excessive claims" to the world's oceans and airspace. It was developed to ensure all countries adhere to UN maritime rules. The US State Department says the programme operates through diplomacy, "operational assertions" by the US military, and consultations with other governments. The military operation is the second since Mr Trump took office. In May, the USS Dewey sailed less than 12 nautical miles from an artificial island built by China called Mischief Reef, which is part of the Spratly Islands. US Defence Secretary James Mattis said a few days later that the US would not accept China's militarisation of man-made islands in the region. In previous years, the US has conducted such operations against China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam. Rival countries have wrangled over territory in the South China Sea for centuries, but tension has steadily increased in recent years as Beijing has begun re-asserting its claims. The area is a major shipping route, and a rich fishing ground, and is thought to have abundant oil and gas reserves. The various islands and waters are claimed in part or in whole by Taiwan, China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei. Much of the conflict has been centred on two clusters of islands, the Paracels and Spratlys. China claims the largest portion of territory, saying its rights go back centuries, and issued a map in 1947 detailing its claims. Under President Xi Jinping, China has ramped up its territorial assertions, building artificial islands and military facilities on

Summary: Beijing has called the presence of a US warship near a disputed island in the South China Sea "a serious political and military provocation".


Stuart Brownhill, 59, was absent during a roll-call at 05:00 BST at the North Sea Camp prison, near Boston, police said. He murdered Lynne Taylor while her 11-year-old son slept in their home in Werneth, Oldham, in 1984 and was jailed for life at Manchester Crown Court the following year. Police have asked the public not to approach him. More on this story and others news in Lincolnshire Brownhill met Ms Taylor on a night out and later set fire to her home. He admitted he strangled Ms Taylor after trying to rape her and that he knew the boy was asleep in the property when he started the fire. He is described as 5ft 8in tall, bald, and has a green right eye and a blue left eye. Officers believe he may be wearing a brown jacket and black boots. The force have appealed for anyone who sees him to contact them immediately by dialling 999. Officers said anyone with information on his whereabouts should call 101.

Summary: A convicted murderer has absconded from an open prison in Lincolnshire.


"For all its faults", it said, "another Lib-Con Coalition would both prolong recovery and give our kingdom a better chance of continued existence". But it hoped it would be "much less conservative, and much more liberal". The Guardian has backed Labour and the Sun the Conservatives - with its sister paper the Scottish Sun backing the SNP. Other papers which have declared support for a specific party so far include the Mirror, which is backing Labour, and the Financial Times, which called for another Conservative-led administration. The Independent said it was not telling its readers how to vote but it said it believed democracy was precious and must be revitalised. It said the Greens had been a "disappointment", while UKIP were against "globalisation and modernity, both of which we welcome". "The SNP is an agent of change, with impressive leaders in both Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon. But they are a wrecking ball poised to hit Westminster and, unlike us, want to abolish Britain," it said. It said Ed Miliband had had an impressive campaign, but criticised him on various policies - and warned of any partnership between Labour and the SNP. "For all his talk of no deals with the SNP, Miliband is bound to rely on that party to get his legislative programme through," it said. "This would be a disaster for the country, unleashing justified fury in England at the decisive influence of MPs who - unlike this title - do not wish the union to exist." On the Conservatives, it criticised areas such as "excessive austerity" but said the economy "is now growing reasonably well". "Many of the good things the coalition has done are owed to the Liberal Democrats," it said. It particularly picked out "raising the income tax threshold, the pupil premium, early years learning and apprenticeships" as areas where the Lib Dems had been a force for progress. It concluded: "For all its faults, another Lib-Con coalition would both prolong recovery and give our kingdom a better chance of continued existence. "This title casts no vote. "But we prize strong, effective government, consider nationalism guilty until proven innocent, and say that if the present coalition is to get another chance, we hope it is much less conservative, and much more liberal. " The Sun - Conservatives Scottish Sun - SNP Mirror - Labour Express - owner Richard Desmond has given Â£1m to UKIP Financial Times - has called for tactical voting to produce another coalition between the Conservatives and Lib Dems The Guardian - Labour Daily Mail - backed the Conservatives in 2010 - as did the Mail on Sunday Telegraph - both daily and Sunday editions backed the Conservatives in 2010 Observer - backed the Liberal Democrats in 2010 The Times - backed the Conservatives in 2010 Independent on Sunday - said it is not advising readers how to vote in 2015 The best of BBC News' Election 2015 specials

Summary: The Independent newspaper has given its backing to another coalition of the Conservative and Liberal Democrat parties after the general election.


Chanel's creative director accused Streep of rejecting one of his dresses because she found a different designer who was willing to pay her. He has since said he "misunderstood" - but that has not calmed Streep's ire. "I do not take this lightly, and Mr Lagerfeld's generic 'statement' of regret for this 'controversy' was not an apology," she said. She also criticised fashion website WWD, which originally reported his quotes. "He lied, they printed the lie, and I am still waiting," she said in a statement. The dispute began when WWD published an interview in which Lagerfeld said he had started work on a dress for Streep to wear to Sunday's Academy Awards. But he claimed he was then told by one of the actress's representatives: "Don't continue the dress. We found somebody who will pay us." Referring to Streep, he said: "A genius actress, but cheapness also, no?" The designer later issued a statement admitting he had "misunderstood that Ms Streep may have chosen another designer due to remuneration" and said he regretted the controversy. However, Streep, who has her 20th Oscar nomination this year for Florence Foster Jenkins, hit back. She said Lagerfeld "defamed me, my stylist and the illustrious designer whose dress I chose to wear, in an important industry publication". Her statement added: "The story was picked up globally, and continues, globally, to overwhelm my appearance at the Oscars, on the occasion of my record-breaking 20th nomination, and to eclipse this honour in the eyes of the media, my colleagues and the audience." Follow us on Facebook, on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, or on Instagram at bbcnewsents. If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news@bbc.co.uk.

Summary: Meryl Streep's choice of dress for the Oscars has sparked a bitter row between the star and designer Karl Lagerfeld.


The last week of Yvette Cooper's leadership campaign isn't exactly how she predicted it. She has spent more time in Parliament than on the stump. As shadow home secretary she has been leading her party's response to the refugee crisis - initially calling on the government to do more, and now pressing for some of those families who have already fled to Europe to be resettled here. This has helped, rather than harmed, her leadership chances but has also meant more conventional campaigning has had to be discarded. "I tend to respond most strongly to the most serious issues but I'm trying to keep this apart from the leadership contest, and trying to get cross party agreement to an appropriate response to the refugee crisis," she tells me. While I met her rivals "on the road" at rallies and meetings, we meet in her parliamentary office. She was on the front bench for David Cameron's statement on Monday, then was granted her own emergency debate on the crisis on Tuesday, and had sat alongside Harriet Harman - for whom she worked when Labour was in opposition in the 1990s - for her last Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday. She still hopes to be taking over from her old boss when Labour's new leader is announced on Saturday but her team admits it will be an uphill struggle. She seems to be ending the campaign strongly, but has she left it too late? "The next week will define the next ten years' she declares. "My message now is look, we lost in 2015, it's really hard to win general elections -we need the best chance of doing so and a lot of people who depend on us will be let down if we veer away from the challenges of the future and look back to our party's history." Translated, that is please don't back Jeremy Corbyn. But she admits that her campaign got off to a slow start. "Some people were planning their leadership campaigns for a long time. I wasn't. "We were doing things from scratch. In the first month of the campaign I found it hard to come out of the shadow of the general election which we were so devastated at losing. I would go to meetings and people were just on the floor." But, she says, she has been consistent throughout her campaign in arguing for high quality manufacturing jobs, doubling investment in science, and for free childcare. So what brought her into politics in the first place? "My dad (Tony) was a full time trade unionist. My mother came from a mining community so it was a Labour family but we didn't talk about party politics - we talked about issues and ideas. "I first got involved campaigning against Section 28 (Conservative legislation that banned promotion of homosexuality a a 'pretended family relationship' in schools in England) -and I went with my Dad on the People's March for Jobs when I was 12 or 13." She was born in 1969 so her teenage years were spent under Margaret

Summary: In the fourth of a series of in-depth profiles of the Labour leadership candidates, Iain Watson catches up with Yvette Cooper.


Media playback is not supported on this device GB's Abbie Brown opened the scoring after just 15 seconds before Fiji's Litia Naiqato finished off a stunning team move to level. But Alice Richardson and Joanne Watmore gave Team GB a 19-7 half-time lead, and Brown sealed the win with her second. Australia and Canada will play in the second semi-final on Monday. Great Britain earlier beat a strong Canada side 22-0 in their final group game. Find out how to get into rugby union with our special guide. And Brown said that Sunday's improvement came because the team had "settled" after feeling nerves on the first day. "It is an Olympics, the nerves are going to hit," she said. "We have shown everyone today with Canada and Fiji, we have done ourselves justice." Britain's semi-final will get underway at 19:00 BST on Monday, with the final following at 23:00. Day-by-day guide to what's on Media playback is not supported on this device

Summary: Great Britain women will face New Zealand in the semi-finals of the Olympic rugby sevens after beating Fiji 26-7 in the last eight at Rio 2016.


Shirley Taylor said the bees took residence in her Nissan car parked outside her front door in Watt Street, on Sunday. Chairman of the Beverley Beekeepers' Association, Chris Coulson, has been trying to lure the swarm out of the vehicle since. He said it was not clear what had attracted the bees to the vehicle and it could take a while to clear them. Mrs Taylor said the bees had arrived on Sunday when she received a message from a neighbour warning her to be careful of her car when she got home. "I just went indoors and closed all the windows and the neighbours did as well," she said. "It has been a bit of a hair-raising experience. "There were thousands all over the place and I have been stung and my daughter and granddaughter also got stung. "It is like Nightmare on Watt Street." Mrs Taylor said: "I did ask 'why pick on my car?' but my husband, who is a bit of a joker, said it was because of all the Bee Gees CDs in the car." Mr Coulson said bees usually swarm when their hives get too large and a colony breaks away to form a new one. However, he said he had never seen such a large swarm descend on a car before. "These cars have all kind of recesses and the bees seem to have gone into every one they could find. "We are trying to make them fly. In the box on top of the car we have young bees, some eggs and things like that and the bees in the car will hopefully try to cover those to make sure they don't die." He said he hoped they could remove the bees and find them a "more acceptable" new home.

Summary: A swarm of up to 20,000 bees has taken over a car in Hull.


A small group of people ran on to the M4 spur road and laid down in front of oncoming traffic on Saturday, causing temporary disruption. People aged between 21 and 67 have been charged with wilful obstruction of the highway, according to the Met Police. They have all been bailed to appear at Ealing Magistrates' Court on 22 December. Among the accused are seven Londoners. They are: Isabelle Anderson, 30, of Stratford; Madeleine Allis-Petersen, 24, of Ealing; Joanne Louise Bodimeade, 28, of Lambeth; Alexis Delage, 25, of Lewisham; Sophia Lysaczanko, 28, of Haringey; Tom Venner-Woodcock, 29, of Southwark; and Tess Lotter, 30, of Camden. The others charged are: Antoine Thalmann, 25, and Henry Owen, 23, both of Oxford; Simon Bramwell, 44, of Stroud, Gloucestershire; Ian Bray, 49, of Kirklees, West Yorkshire; Graham Lewis, 53, of Wells, Somerset; Thomas Harford, 26, and Margaret Charnley, 67, both of Bristol; and Sibi Moore, 21, of Sidmouth, Devon.

Summary: Fifteen people have been charged after campaigners against airport expansion staged a protest near Heathrow Airport.


The little girl sustained two injuries in 2013 - a bite mark to her face aged nine months, and a fracture to her upper arm when she was 13 months old. A Crown Court judge branded the offences by her 30-year-old father as "appalling". He was given a 12-month prison sentence which will be followed by two years on licence upon his release. The 30-year-old man, who lives in the Ards Peninsula, was found guilty of two charges - being cruel to a child and causing her grievous bodily harm. He told the court he could not cope with parenting, and claimed that the more his daughter cried, the more stressed he became. Belfast Crown Court heard that the child's father has Asperger's Syndrome, which the judge accepted may have impacted on how he dealt with stress. However, the judge said that whilst his condition may be relevant to explain some of his behaviour, the offences were serious and as such attracted a custodial sentence. Also appearing in court was the child's mother, who was made the subject of a two-year probation order after she admitted a single charge of child cruelty. The judge said that she failed, as a mother, to protect her child from the risk of harm posed by her partner, given she was aware of the first incident where her daughter's face was injured. Neither the child's mother nor her father can be named in order to protect the identity of the little girl, who the court heard is now living with a family member and is "thriving." The court also heard that the couple broke up sometime between the first and second assault as the father still had access to his daughter. The judge told the 30-year-old: "Such appalling offences against a helpless and vulnerable baby cannot be treated lightly." During sentencing on Friday, it emerged that the father has had no contact with his daughter since the second assault and is unlikely to do so, while the child's mother has limited access.

Summary: A man who assaulted his baby daughter on two separate occasions in the family home in west Belfast has been jailed.


The 16 part-time service personnel have been training alongside about 100 regular troops at the Army Medical Services Training Centre near York. The reservists, from all three armed services, trained in a mock-up field hospital in preparation for flying to Sierra Leone on 20 December. More than 6,000 people have died in the current Ebola epidemic in West Africa. The UK reservists were joined by Canadian military personnel and Danish health workers for their nine-day training at Strensall Barracks. They will take over from clinicians attached to 22 Field Hospital, who have been in country since October, manning a 12-bed facility reserved to treat health workers with the Ebola virus. Armed Forces Minister Mark Francois said UK forces had "already played a leading role supporting the UK's efforts to tackle Ebola". "During my visit to Sierra Leone last month, I witnessed the impressive contribution the military has provided to the fight against Ebola thus far; by treating infected healthcare workers, providing protective equipment training at the Ebola Training Academy, assisting in the build of six treatment units and providing logistical support," he said. The number of UK military personnel in Sierra Leone will remain at about 800. The Ministry of Defence said the UK had built facilities in the country for about 700 beds for Ebola patients. Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone are the countries worst affected by the current outbreak, which was identified as Ebola in March 2014.

Summary: British military reservists are to join regular troops in Sierra Leone to help tackle the Ebola outbreak.


Cavendish, 30, is looking for more qualification points at the event in Germany from 28-29 August in order to compete for GB in the omnium in Rio. Coach co-ordinator Iain Dyer said: "He made a very promising start back on the track in Derby and he'll be looking to continue building on that form." Cavendish won the Madison with Bradley Wiggins at the Derby Revolution.

Summary: Mark Cavendish will continue his bid to gain a track place at the 2016 Olympics by riding at the Dudenhofen GP.


From this autumn, the leading UK independent school is going to provide classes in leadership to Chinese students, using live online tuition. The school has formed a partnership with a technology firm to create a company called EtonX. The school, in Berkshire, says any income raised by the international project will be used for bursaries to cover pupils' fees. Percy Harrison, director of information technology at Eton College, says the school would be able to reach a wider number of pupils, without setting up an overseas campus. He said there were risks to the "brand" of independent schools setting up overseas "franchises", but the online venture would allow Eton to provide lessons for students in China without losing control of the quality. The EtonX project will see pupils in China learning from a mixture of interactive content produced at Eton, with one-to-one online teaching from tutors in the UK. The cost, about Â£700 per pupil, will be paid by Chinese parents as an optional extra, like a music lesson. Teachers from Eton have been to the schools in China to talk to their counterparts in Chinese classrooms. At the launch, the project is expected to involve "less than a dozen" schools in China. The lessons, aimed at China's aspirational middle-class families, will teach secondary pupils a "modern leadership programme", taught in English and focusing on communication skills and how to work collaboratively. The aim is to give Chinese students skills for a modern international workplace, which will help them think beyond a school system with a high level of rote learning. Mr Harrison said the project would carry Eton's "DNA" in terms of the school's emphasis on developing leadership. The project is being run with education-technology company Eighteen70 . Its founder, Simon Walsh, said he wanted to "humanise" digital education through individual online tuition. Such online courses have been mainly associated with universities - and the EtonX brand is reminiscent of online projects by US universities, such as HarvardX and MITx. Former pupils at the school include Prince William and Prime Minister David Cameron.

Summary: Eton College is going to launch online lessons for schools in China.


Europe's largest economy grew by 0.2% between July and September, half the 0.4% rate seen in the previous three months. This was slower than economists had expected and well below the 0.7% rate recorded in the first quarter. "The development of foreign trade had a downward effect on growth," said Germany's Federal Statistics Office. "Exports were slightly down while imports were slightly up compared with the second quarter of 2016. "Positive impulses on the quarter came mainly from domestic demand," the statistics body added. "Both household and state spending managed to increase further." Some analysts said that the uncertainty caused by Britain's vote to leave the European Union may have counteracted solid domestic activity. "Brexit meets solid domestic economy. This is probably the best description of the German economic performance during the third quarter," ING Bank economist Carsten Brzeski told Reuters. He added that there was a threat to the economy from Donald Trump's US election victory if he followed through with campaign pledges to limit foreign imports. "If Germany's single most important trading partner, the US, really moves towards more protectionism, this would definitely leave its mark on German growth." Signs of slowing economies also emerged in other European countries, with GDP growth coming in below forecast for Norway, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary. Italy bucked the trend, however, reporting slightly faster-than-expected growth of 0.3% in the third quarter, after having stagnated in the second quarter. The slowdown in Germany's growth rate means the country grew more slowly than the eurozone as a whole in the third quarter, with the 19-nation bloc expanding at a rate of 0.3%, according to latest estimates. Howard Archer, chief European and UK economist at IHS Global Insight, said he expected eurozone GDP growth to pick up to 0.4% in the fourth quarter, given recent upbeat survey data. He predicted the eurozone would grow by 1.6% in 2016 as a while, but thought growth could slow to 1.3% next year "as it is likely to be increasingly hampered by political uncertainties". "The political environment could be increasingly problematic for eurozone growth over the coming months, especially given that the UK's Brexit vote in June and November's election of Donald Trump as US President fuels concern over potential political shocks in the eurozone," Mr Archer said. "General elections are due 2017 in the Netherlands (in March), France (in April/May) and Germany (around September), and the Renzi government is looking vulnerable in Italy, particularly over constitutional reform."

Summary: Germany's economic growth slowed in the third quarter of the year, dented by weaker exports, figures have shown.


The 23-year-old from Birmingham won 6-7 (3-7) 6-4 6-2 in the third round of qualifying at Flushing Meadows. James Ward and Elena Baltacha had earlier fallen at the final hurdle with agonising defeats. It was always in me but it was just putting it all together and I'm pretty proud of that Defending champion Andy Murray, 30th seed Laura Robson and world number 77 Heather Watson qualified directly. Evans has been in the best form of his career in 2013, helping Britain to a remarkable Davis Cup win over Russia, and reaching the third round at Queen's Club and two Challenger finals in North America over the summer. And he capped that run by qualifying for a Grand Slam for the first time under the floodlights of Court Eight at Flushing Meadows at just after 8pm local time on Friday. "I'm pretty proud of my efforts, not just here but I've been [in North America] now nearly six weeks, so to lose first round then final, final and to qualify is pretty good," he said. "I'd never been in the last round of qualifying before but I knew I was better than the guy - it was just getting it out there. I should have really won the first set but I'm pretty happy with how I came back and in the end it was pretty straightforward. "It was always in me but it was just putting it all together and I'm pretty proud of that. I need to just carry on and hopefully I'll get a decent draw in the main draw and try to win a few matches." Evans surged into an early 4-1 lead against Menendez-Maceiras, ranked five places lower at 184, but was broken from 40-0 and went on to drop the opening set in a tie-break. The Briton had been the better player for much of the set, however, and continued in that vein as he broke to love in game three of the second and closed out the set with cross-court forehand winner. It a came down to a decider and it was one-way traffic as Evans powered on, building a 5-1 lead and closing out the win on his third match point, with Davis Cup team-mates Colin Fleming and Jamie Murray among the vocal courtside supporters. Evans will play Japan's 11th seed Kei Nishikori in the first round next week. Ward, the British number two, had earlier led by a break in the final set but lost 6-3 3-6 6-4 to India's Somdev Devvarman. The 26-year-old was visibly upset as he made his way off Court Seven after seeing a great chance to qualify at the US Open for the first time slip by. Ward, ranked 175th, looked to have turned things around after battling back from a set and a break down, reeling off six straight games to lead 2-0 in the decider. Devvarman, 28, remained a tough opponent to break down, however, and the world number 113's steadier game ultimately won the day as he broke back in game six and clinched victory

Summary: Dan Evans gave Britain a fourth player in the main draw of the US Open with a superb qualifying win over Spain's Adrian Menendez-Maceiras.


For the past decade or so, I have been writing stories about the return of trains to the Borders but, of course, the struggle started long before that. Indeed, you could argue that the battle really began back in 1969 - or even earlier - when the Waverley line through the region was closed. On the night when the final train set off from Edinburgh there was a demonstration in Galashiels station. There were also protests at Melrose and Hawick. Despite the opposition, the sound of a train pulling up at a station would be absent from the Scottish Borders for the next four decades and more. There were regular rumbles of discontent in between times and they started to take more solid form at the end of the 20th century. In 1999, the Campaign for Borders Rail was formally launched at a Burns Supper in Melrose Station. It subsequently gathered thousands of signatures on a petition pressing for a route to the region to be reopened. And, in 2000, an independent study concluded that the reopening of the Borders rail link could be financially viable. The gears of progress were slowly clicking into motion and, five years later, a Holyrood committee supported the case for reopening the line. Then, in 2006, the bill was approved which would pave the way for work to finally begin. At that time a Â£155m price tag was attached to the project with a forecast opening in 2011. However, there were soon problems in meeting both that deadline and budget and it emerged that both would be missed. By 2008, the estimated costs had risen to between Â£235m and Â£295m and the opening date was pushed back two years. Work officially started in 2010 but there were still a few twists and turns in store. Three groups were selected to submit tenders for the work but as companies dropped out of the process that plan had to be scrapped. Instead, the Scottish government decided that Network Rail could take the project forward. Despite these apparent setbacks, the major clearance and constructions works continued along the length of the line from Tweedbank to Edinburgh. All along the route, there were now clear indications that transport between the capital and the Borders was being transformed as stations, bridges and new road layouts slotted into place. And, although the completion deadline was once again put back to 2015, the reality of the scale of the scheme was really starting to sink in. Then, last year, a symbolic moment was reached as the track laying began. As machines slowly rolled along the route, it became clear that the decision which had so incensed many people nearly half a century ago would finally be reversed. Some have said it does not go far enough and would like to see the line extended back to Carlisle where it used to reach. Others have concerns about turning south east Scotland into a commuter belt for Edinburgh or question how much effect it will have in more remote parts of the Borders. But what

Summary: It has been a long journey and not always a straightforward one.


Morgan James Francis Hehir, 20, died after an attack at Pool Bank Recreational Park in Nuneaton on Halloween. Miroslav Holan, 23, of Oak Lane, Bradford, previously pleaded guilty to theft at Warwickshire Magistrates Court. He was given a 12 week prison sentence suspended for 12 months on 31 March. Morgan's possessions were never found and his phone contained irreplaceable photographs and memories, said police. The theft "caused further distress to Morgan's family", added Det Sgt Andy Denny of Warwickshire Police. Three men have been charged with Mr Hehir's murder and will go on trial next month.

Summary: A thief who stole a wallet and mobile phone from a man who lay dying from stab wounds has been sentenced.


The approach was made on Tuesday but was quickly turned down by Preston. Cunningham was seen as a possible replacement for Joe Bennett, who has been in talks with Fulham after they triggered his release clause. But Bennett may now stay with the Bluebirds and is weighing up the offer, with the player considering staying at the Cardiff City Stadium. Republic of Ireland international Cunningham has made more than 50 appearances for Preston. Bluebirds manager Neil Warnock confirmed after his side's 2-0 win over Sheffield United that Fulham had made an approach for Bennett. "There is a clause in his contract ... and if they trigger that clause there's not a lot I can do," he said. Warnock would not confirm if Cardiff had made specific offers for players, but added: "There's a few the media have not mentioned that I've been talking to. You'll just have to wait and see."

Summary: Cardiff City have had a bid for Preston North End defender Greg Cunningham turned down.


Seven homes in York - some less than 50 years old - face closure, but two have been scheduled for emptying next year. Grove House on Penleys Grove Street and Oakhaven on Acomb Road are home to 48 residents served by 61 staff. City of York Council promised residents would be offered a range of alternatives including residential or nursing homes, or a place in sheltered housing with extra care provision. A final decision on the closures is expected in October. The authority said: "We recognise that the closure consultation process can be an unsettling and upsetting one and we will be working closely with them, and their families, to make sure they have the support and advice they need. "However, we have to keep the aims of the wider older people's accommodation programme in sight." The council said staff would be offered redeployment, voluntary redundancy or support in finding employment in the private sector. The public sector union, Unison, said the decision was not "unexpected" and it was in talks with the council. Plans to dispose of the care homes have been discussed since 2012. The previous Labour administration had opted to close all its homes and build two specialised units with support for people with dementia and those requiring high dependency care. The scheme was dropped in February when officers decided it was no longer affordable. The current Conservative-Liberal Democrat run authority still plans a phased-closure of all its homes, replacing them with additional sheltered housing places with extra care for people with more complex needs, a new residential home and purchasing additional beds from the private sector.

Summary: Elderly people face having to move out of care homes deemed out-of-date.


Ritzy Cinema workers in Brixton get paid a minimum of £8.80 an hour. Bectu is calling for an increase to £9.40 an hour. Union bosses said Picturehouse Entertainment is being "very hard faced" and has refused to negotiate. Picturehouse said pay would rise to £9.10 an hour on 2 September as part of a three-year agreement with Bectu. Balloting began on Tuesday and will end on 30 August. Two years ago staff held 13 strikes over their pay and the minimum wage was raised from £7.53 to £8.40 in January 2015 and then to £8.80 in September. The London living wage has since gone up from £8.80 to £9.40 per hour. Bectu said the company rejected offers to hold talks at the conciliation service Acas. The union also wants Picturehouse to address issues about treatment of new staff, maternity and paternity leave, and night pay. Bectu's assistant general secretary, Luke Crawley, said: "Bectu has tried to talk to Picturehouse but the company are being very hard faced in ignoring our pay claim. "No one wants to go on strike and we would rather settle this by talking but the company has ignored our offer. "Members need to vote yes and send a strong message to the company."

Summary: Staff at a cinema are being balloted by a union calling for the London living wage to be paid.


The Australian navy ship HMAS Maitland and four merchant vessels were involved in rescue operations 75km (45 miles) south-west of Indonesia's Java Island. The search followed a distress call on Wednesday from a vessel which said it had 150 people on board. Indonesian teams had searched the waters, but could not locate the boat. The country's search and rescue agency, Basarnas, sent two boats and a helicopter to the area on Wednesday but found nothing and returned to base. But on Thursday a merchant vessel said it had found six people in the water, and more survivors were rescued during the day. "Three survivors have serious injuries, but are in a stable condition. They are on board HMAS Maitland," the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) said in a statement. It added that merchant vessels APL Bahrain, Gwenolen, AR Carelia and Da Ging Xia were involved in the search. Source: Australian Department of Immigration and Citizenship Captain Manuel Nistorescu from the APL Bahrain ship told the Sydney Morning Herald newspaper that a group of Afghan men he picked up had been in the water for 24 hours. There were also women and children on the missing boat, he added. "They had an engine break and the water was coming, and the pump for pumping out the water was not working and the boat sinks. This is what I understand from them," he said. The number of missing people could not be confirmed, Australia's Home Affairs Minister Jason Clare told reporters. "We have grave fears for a lot more," he said. ''Don't underestimate how difficult this task is; don't underestimate how big the sea that we're searching is.'' Asylum seekers often target Christmas Island, off Australia's northwest coast, to get to the country. They make the journey from Indonesia in boats that are usually overloaded and poorly maintained. In June, a boat with 200 asylum seekers sank near the island - 17 bodies were found and another 70 were feared dead after a three-day search. That was the second boat to sink in a week, reigniting the debate on asylum in parliament. Earlier this month, lawmakers approved the re-opening of offshore processing camps for asylum seekers in Nauru and PNG. The moves are aimed at deterring asylum seekers from making the dangerous journey to Australia by boat, amid an increasing number of arrivals. Australia says it will also increase its intake of refugees to 20,000 a year, from the current 13,750, in line with recommendations by an expert panel.

Summary: Australian and commercial ships plucked 55 people from the sea as a search continued after a boat carrying asylum seekers was believed to have sunk.


The Suffolk Chamber of Commerce said the work could help boost the county's economy by more than £350m a year. In 2013, the government announced a £1.5bn upgrade of the Cambridgeshire section of the road, ruling out initial plans for a toll. Suffolk Coastal MP Therese Coffey said the road was currently "not delivering" a "quick and efficient" route. "Businesses rely on goods coming into the port of Felixstowe being transported in a quick and efficient manner, something the road is not currently delivering on," said the Conservative MP. The twelve sites identified stretch from Exning to Felixstowe, and include the Copdock Interchange. The areas named in a document called No More A14 Delays also includes junctions in Exning, Bury St Edmunds, Ipswich and the Orwell Bridge. It calls for various improvements, such as extra capacity at junctions, better links with other roads, improved parking facilities for lorry drivers, extra lanes and reduced speed limits on the Orwell Bridge. The document states: "An end to congestion on the A14 in Suffolk could generate up to £362m of extra gross value added (GVA) per year, saving the A14 user an average 13 minutes per day in travel time, and creating an additional 7,000 jobs." Jo Churchill, Conservative MP for Bury St Edmunds, said the route was crucial as "nearly 30% of all the UK's container trade passes through Needham Market, Stowmarket and Bury St Edmunds along the A14". Nick Burfield, policy director at Suffolk Chamber, said: "The chamber and our partners are very concerned that, following the success of the 'No Toll Tax on Suffolk' campaign and the proposed Cambridge to Huntingdon improvements, the government may now regard the A14 as 'done'. "This is far from the case." A Department for Transport spokeswoman said: "The government is committed to regularly reviewing the needs of England's strategic road network. "We will be outlining plans for developing the next Road Investment Strategy later in the year, and we want every community affected by heavy traffic to have their chance to get involved."

Summary: Campaigners calling for improvements to the A14 have listed 12 sites they say are in need of improvement.


A fire, started by a spilled oil lamp, swept through Exhall pit near Bedworth on 21 September, 1915, threatening the lives of the 375 men working there. The majority of the men were led to safety through a ventilation shaft by the man in charge underground. A circle of 14 trees, one for each man who died, has been planted around a granite memorial. The memorial, in St. Giles Meadow, was unveiled by the High Sherriff of Warwickshire.

Summary: A memorial has been dedicated to 14 men who died in a Warwickshire mining disaster a century ago.


The 26-year-old, who came through the youth ranks at QPR, had loan spells at AFC Wimbledon, Northampton and Wycombe before joining Oldham in 2011. He has since had spells with Oxford, Slovenian side Domzale, Serbian outfit Red Star Belgrade and Aberdeen. The Antigua & Barbuda international becomes the League One club's second signing of the transfer window. Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page or visit our Premier League tracker here.

Summary: Gillingham have signed forward Josh Parker on a deal until the end of the season following a spell on trial.


Cafodd corff Janet Commins ei ddarganfod gan blant ar gae ysgol yn y dref wedi iddi fynd ar goll ar 7 Ionawr y flwyddyn honno. Roedd Stephen Hough, 58 oed o'r dref, yn gwadu cyhuddiad o'i llofruddio, ac fe'i cafwyd yn ddieuog o hynny gan reithgor yn Llys y Goron Yr Wyddgrug ddydd Iau. Ond barn y rheithgor oedd ei fod yn euog o ddynladdiad yn ogystal â chyhuddiadau o dreisio. Aeth Janet ar goll ar ôl gadael ei thŷ i fynd i nofio, ac mae dyn arall eisoes wedi treulio chwe blynedd dan glo am ei dynladdiad. Fe wnaeth Noel Jones, oedd yn 18 oed ar y pryd, gyfaddef ei lladd a bu yn y carchar am hanner ei ddedfryd o 12 mlynedd. Ond dywedodd wrth y rheithgor yn yr achos yma ei fod wedi cael ei wneud yn "fwch dihangol" gan yr heddlu am ei fod yn sipsi oedd prin yn gallu darllen ac ysgrifennu. Clywodd y llys bod Janet wedi ei lladd yn ystod ymosodiad rhyw, a bod ei chorff wedi cael ei symud yn ddiweddarach i'r man ble cafodd ei ddarganfod. Dywedodd Mark Heywood ar ran yr erlyniad bod y ferch wedi marw o ganlyniad i gael ei thagu yn ystod yr ymosodiad rhyw. Roedd DNA oedd yn cyd-fynd ag un Hough wedi ei ddarganfod ar samplau oedd wedi'u cadw o'r safle be gafodd y corff ei ddarganfod. Clywodd y rheithgor fod y DNA "biliwn gwaith" yn fwy tebygol o fod yn sampl gan Hough nac unrhyw berson arall. Fe fydd Hough yn cael ei ddedfrydu ar ddyddiad i'w bennu.

Summary: Mae dyn wedi ei gael yn euog o dreisio ac o ddynladdiad merch ysgol 15 oed yn Y Fflint yn 1976.


Germany had said it is reviewing all arms deals with Turkey, saying it must consider human rights when making export decisions. "You (Germany) do not have the power to smear Turkey," Mr Erdogan said. The German government had warned its citizens they risked "arbitrary" arrest in Turkey. Finance Minister Wolfgang SchÃ¤uble accused the country of acting like Communist East Germany - arresting people and denying them consular help. "People who are travelling to Turkey for private or business reasons are urged to exercise increased caution," the German foreign ministry said on Thursday. But Mr Erdogan described the warning as "baseless and malicious". Frosty relations between the two Nato partners have chilled further in recent days over the Turkish authorities' recent wave of arrests. A German citizen, Peter Steudtner, and Amnesty International's Turkey director, Idil Eser, were among those detained. Responding to German criticism over the rights situation in Turkey, Mr Erdogan claimed that Turkish courts were "more independent" than German ones. "Germany should sort itself out," he added. Turkey has repeatedly accused Germany of harbouring Kurdish militants, as well as suspects wanted over last year's failed coup. Turkey's Deputy Prime Minister Mehmet Simsek meanwhile denied reports that German firms were being investigated over terrorism. "I want to assure the German business community that German companies aren't subject to any investigations for terrorist financing by Turkish authorities," Mr Simsek said. He said his country was committed to improving the investment climate, strengthening the rule of law, enhancing standards of democracy, and converging with European Union standards. Germany's Die Zeit website had reported that Turkey handed Angela Merkel's government a list of 68 German companies and individuals accused of supporting the "terrorist" movement of US-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, who Turkey's president blames for a failed coup against him. Industrial giants BASF and Daimler were reportedly on the list, as well as various small firms. Die Zeit said German officials had dismissed the list as "absurd". Turkey's President Erdogan has been condemned internationally for a huge purge of state institutions after rogue military officers tried to topple him a year ago. More than 50,000 people have been arrested since 15 July, 2016, including more than 170 journalists and many opposition politicians, academics and activists. Turkey's detention of Deniz YÃ¼cel, a German-Turkish journalist with the Berlin daily Die Welt, is another sore point in the two countries' relations. He was arrested in February on terror charges, which he has denied.

Summary: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has told Germany it cannot scare Ankara with threats, in a growing row over the arrest of six human rights activists.


Wreaths placed at the memorial in Crediton, Devon, including one for L/Cpl Jamie Fleming, 21, were left scorched by the fire. Two teenagers - a boy and a girl - were seen running away from the scene towards a park early on Monday morning. L/Cpl Fleming's father said he "could not come to terms" with the attack. Among the wreaths was a family tribute to the soldier, who died in a motorcycle crash earlier this year after serving in Afghanistan. His father Stewart, from Crediton, told BBC News: "As a family we were very angry at the wanton vandalism. "We are still raw over Jamie's death. "I am lost for words." Insp Jane Alford Mole, from Devon and Cornwall Police, said: "The wreaths suffered burn damage and there are a number of scorch marks on the war memorial. "This is a sickening act of mindless vandalism and we are desperate to identify those responsible." The two suspects are described as aged about 14 to 15 years old and were both wearing hooded tops. Local resident Gillian Ponsford, whose two young grandsons laid a wreath at the memorial which bears the names of their great, great uncles, said she was "horrified". She said that wreath had been one of those burnt and described the vandalism as "unbelievable" and "a sad day for Crediton".

Summary: A war memorial in Devon has been burnt in a "sickening act of mindless vandalism", police say.


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Summary: Each day we feature a photograph sent in from across England.


Clive Lewis said it would be "foolish to say never" to the possibility, but that he backed Jeremy Corbyn. Mr Lewis said he was "75% hopeful" Mr Corbyn could lead Labour to victory at the next general election. And he said he was "greatly" annoyed by "mischievous" speculation about his leadership ambitions. Speaking on BBC Radio 5 live's Pienaar's Politics, the Norwich South MP - who quit the shadow cabinet last month rather than vote in favour of the government's Brexit bill - said it was "flattering" to be "touted as a future leader". It was "possible" that some figures close to Mr Corbyn could be behind the speculation, he said. Pressed on whether he wanted to ever lead Labour, he said: "Never say never, I will say that. But at this moment in time we have a twice democratically elected leader, Jeremy Corbyn. "I'm still supportive of Jeremy Corbyn. I will be doing all I can along with the rest of my colleagues in the Labour Party to varying degrees to make sure that he becomes the next prime minister of this country. "There is no ifs, no buts. That's where I am." Asked how confident he was on a scale of one to 100 that Mr Corbyn could lead Labour to a general election victory in 2020, he replied: "I would say I'm 75% hopeful it can happen. "Given ... the situation we find ourselves with Brexit - the chaotic situation - it's constantly moving. It would be a challenge for any leader I think." The Labour leadership came in for renewed criticism after the party lost the seat of Copeland to the Conservatives in last month's by-election. It was the first by-election gain by a governing party since 1982. Speaking on the BBC's Andrew Marr show, shadow chancellor John McDonnell said Mr Corbyn would lead Labour into the 2020 general election. "Of course we are building up a succession for the long term future and we have got some really great young talent coming through but they need more experience before eventually they will succeed," he added. Mr McDonnell also categorically ruled himself out of a future run for the leadership. Asked about his claim of a "soft coup" against Mr Corbyn, he said a "number of people" within the party had been "stirring" ahead of the by-elections in Copeland and Stoke Central. But he said he planned to "have a cup of tea" with arch critic Lord Mandelson. "There will be lots of things we agree upon. There will be some disagreements. But I think the most important thing that we have got is a responsibility to our party but more importantly to the country," he said.

Summary: A Labour MP who quit the frontbench to rebel over Brexit says he will "keep the option open" of one day running for leader.