Thirteen years, in the case of Muhammad Idrees. In 1999, Mr Idrees left his wife and four young sons in Pakistan's port city of Karachi to attend to his sick father in the Indian city of Kanpur. He was born in India, and had moved to Pakistan and become its citizen after he married a cousin in Karachi. His father died soon after he reached Kanpur. In the chaos and grief that followed this personal loss, Mr Idrees overstayed for three days and his visa ran out. So did his luck. When he went to the authorities in Kanpur to seek a visa extension, they suspected him of spying for Pakistan and put him behind the bars. It took 10 years for a court to exonerate him of the charge, fine him 500 rupees ($9.17; £5.68) for overstaying and order his repatriation. Justice delayed is justice denied, and in the case of Mr Idrees, even justice delivered did not turn out to be liberating. For 13 years in all, he has been trying to return home without success. According to India's Ministry of External Affairs, Mr Idrees travelled to India on a Pakistani passport (number G057703), issued in Karachi, on 10 May 1999. To add to his woes, his passport expired in 2003. But Pakistan denies he is a citizen, and believes he has separated from his wife and has been disowned by his family. "Our interior ministry told us that he's not a Pakistani citizen. To our knowledge he's separated from his wife and his in-laws. They disown him. We have communicated this to Indian authorities," Manzoor Ali Memon, spokesperson of Pakistan's High Commission in India, told me. Today, at 40, Muhammad Idrees is a nowhere man, a victim of unkind fate and hostile borders. I met him in Kanpur, a fume-choked industrial city in Uttar Pradesh, on a balmy morning recently to listen to his heart-rending story. Mr Idrees is a frail man with a gaunt face and intense eyes. He's dressed in white shirt and trousers and his only possession, a cloth bag, is slung around his neck. It contains some fraying papers, a comb, a tooth brush, a tube of tooth paste, a towel and some fading family pictures. We walk to the relative solitude of the banks of the Ganges and sit down. Mr Idrees catches his breath, looks into the distance and begins talking in a clear, low voice. He says he spends his waking hours clinging onto memories of time spent with his family back home in Karachi, where he ran a small business selling leather goods. It feels like an eternity, he says. "I would take my wife and our four children on my motorbike for a drive down the windswept seaside in Karachi. We would laugh and chat. We would stop to have ice creams. Just like any other family." This was before his world turned black. It was before, he says, two nations and their strange, intractable ways, conspired to deny him from returning home. "India should have sorted out my case

Summary: What price can a man end up paying up for the crime of overstaying in a foreign land for three days?


Relatives of Kailash Chander, ex-mayor of Leamington Spa who is assisting police with inquiries, said the crash was "beyond anyone's imagination". Passenger Rowan Fitzgerald, seven, died when the bus crashed into Sainsbury's on Trinity Street on Saturday. Pedestrian Dora Hancox, in her 70s and from Nuneaton, was also killed. Mr Chander has not been arrested in connection with the crash. When the crash happened Rowan, of Leamington Spa, was on the upper deck with his grandparents and his cousin, an eight-year-old girl, who was seriously hurt. She remains in a stable condition at Birmingham Children's Hospital. Five other people required hospital treatment. A statement issued by unnamed relatives of Mr Chander said: "Being a grandfather himself, he is devastated to the core by what has happened. "He is a very quiet man, and a caring and devoted person. He has strong ties with the local community and has spent most of his life helping and thinking of others." The relatives said they would "only ask that the privacy of the families is respected at this tragic time" and the police "are given space to complete their investigation". "We want to express our deepest and most sincere condolences to those involved, particularly the families who have lost their loved ones," it concluded. A friend of the driver, Baldev Singh Sandhar, said: "He is such a good character. He always helps people. He never likes to see any people suffering from anything." A former colleague of Mr Chander, who was mayor in 2008, said he had been left "deeply traumatised". Rowan was a pupil at St Anthony's Catholic Primary School where pupils are being supported by staff. Head teacher Jane McSharry said he was "the most beautiful little soul". She said: "Rowan was a perfect, kind, unassuming, gorgeous little boy, with a smile to melt any heart. "He loved to learn, but he also loved to play. So he loved his sport, he loved his football." Insp Paul Bennett said as the families of Rowan and Ms Hancox "struggle to come to terms with their loss, they have chosen at this time not to release any images of their loved ones or to provide any words of tribute". "They have also asked for the media to respect their privacy as they grieve." The bus company, Stagecoach Midlands, said: "No driver we employ is allowed behind the wheel of our buses without us being satisfied that they are fully qualified, safe and meet all necessary legal requirements. In this case, our driver has many years' experience and has also passed a mandatory annual medical. "Both our driver and our company are co-operating fully in helping police determine the full circumstances involved. Police have not yet completed their investigation and it is inappropriate to speculate in advance of their inquiries being concluded." Almas Fatima from Pleck, Walsall, said her two daughters, aged 12 and 14, were not able to sleep after they saw the crash and narrowly missed being hit. "I just remember a bus coming towards us and we survived. That's the only thing we

Summary: The family of a 77-year-old bus driver whose vehicle crashed into a Coventry supermarket, killing two people, say he is "devastated to the core".


Mark Boleat said London would remain a leading financial hub, with only a few banking jobs likely to move. Urging speedy trade talks, he added: "We would hope that the negotiations go quickly and go well." The triggering of Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty last month began the two year countdown to the UK's EU exit. Before the referendum, the financial services sector largely backed the Remain campaign, warning that quitting the bloc could spur an exodus of City jobs. The City of London, the council that covers London's financial centre, itself backed EU membership. Since then, banks including Goldman Sachs, HSBC and UBS have said they will move some jobs out of London as a result of Brexit. The historic insurance market Lloyd's of London has announced plans to open a Brussels subsidiary in early 2019. But in an interview with the AFP news agency, Mr Boleat said that while a few people would be moved, "no one is going to say 'we are closing down in London'". "Banks have had contingency plans since before the Brexit referendum in some cases," he said. "They have known there is a possibility that Britain will not be in the single market - that has now been confirmed." He said banks would need to "restructure what they are doing - perhaps cease doing a few things, in some cases build up business elsewhere in the European Union. They are getting on and doing that." Mr Boleat also said it was important the UK reached an early agreement over the terms of its exit from the bloc and on the rights of EU nationals. That would minimise disruption to "business and consumers in this country - and in Europe," he said. On Friday, the Bank of England governor warned of sector-wide consequences if the UK left without a trade deal. Mark Carney said the "vast majority" of City firms already had contingency plans in place. However, he said some financial firms still needed to prepare in case of a "more extreme" outcome. The Bank has written to the UK's biggest financial firms, urging them to plan for "all eventualities" from the UK leaving the bloc.

Summary: The outlook for the UK financial sector has improved since Brexit was triggered, the policy chief for the City of London Corporation has said.


Wales led after an hour of the first Test before losing 39-21, and succumbed 36-22 in the second after being level 10-10 at the break. That extended New Zealand's winning run against Wales to 28 games since 1953. "We just switch off for five-10 minutes and before you know it, New Zealand have pulled away," said Williams. "But there are encouraging signs that we are playing a more expansive game." Wales' efforts have had the former Cardiff Blues and Pontypridd player "on the edge of his seat". But the former Wales captain and British and Irish Lions tourist has been disappointed that his country have not been able to beat an All Blacks team in transition following high-profile retirements. After the 2015 World Cup, the All Blacks lost record-breaking flanker and captain Richie McCaw, fly-half Dan Carter and midfield pair Ma'a Nonu and Conrad Smith. "There are two schools of thought at the moment in Wales," said Williams. "One, 'yes we've gone toe-to-toe with the All Blacks and played some great rugby'. "And the other one is, 'well we've failed again' because they are a team in transition. I don't care how good the players are … I'm a little bit disappointed. "Whenever you take 700 caps of experience out of a squad, it's got to leave a dent and traditionally they are slow in June. "On the flip side, you look at our squad - it was the most experienced that's ever left these shores. We didn't have injury worries so I thought this was our opportunity." The All Blacks have made five starting changes for the third Test, with coach Steve Hansen hoping the risk will have its rewards. Flanker Elliott Dixon makes his debut at blind-side flanker in place of Jerome Kaino, while George Moala takes over at centre from injured Malakai Fekitoa. Fly-half Beauden Barrett makes only his eighth All Blacks start in 38 appearances as he takes over from Aaron Cruden, who was injured in the second Test. Barrett has scored 26 points, including three tries in four appearances against Wales. Two of those tries came in a 15-point haul as New Zealand beat Wales 34-16 in Cardiff in 2014 in his previous start against Warren Gatland's side. Barrett crossed for his third try against Wales in Wellington last weekend. Charlie Faumuina takes over from Owen Franks at prop and Julian Savea returns on the wing in place of Waisake Naholo, who drops to the bench. Injury has forced out veteran Wales prop Gethin Jenkins as well as lock Bradley Davies. Rob Evans is back at loose-head prop, while Gatland brings in Tomas Francis at tight-head as Samson Lee is relegated to replacement duty. Gatland, a leading candidate to return to New Zealand as British and Irish Lions coach in 2017, wants his team to stop 'shooting themselves in the foot'. If so, Williams, who was coached by Gatland and Hansen in a 100-cap Wales career says the Dunedin encounter "could well be" the one in which his countrymen end 63 years of hurt. Referee: Jerome Garces

Summary: Former flanker Martyn Williams hopes Wales can avoid the pitfalls of their two previous defeats by New Zealand in the third and final Test on Saturday.


Jesper Hart-Hansen was also banned from driving for four-and-a-half years. He will have to pass an extended test if he ever wants to drive in the UK again. The 50-year-old, from Denmark, admitted causing a head-on crash on the A85 near Comrie in January last year. Lorna Elliot, 50, was seriously hurt in the collision. Perth Sheriff Court heard how Hart-Hansen momentarily forgot he was not in his native Denmark and turned out of his holiday home onto the wrong side of the road. He managed to drive for nearly a mile on the wrong side of the road before causing a head-on crash with the first vehicle he encountered on the A85. Sheriff Lindsay Foulis told him he was imposing a significant fine because it was not practical to give him any other community-based work order as he lived outwith the UK. Hart-Hansen's case made Scottish legal history as he became the first person to be convicted of a new offence of causing injury through dangerous driving. Ms Elliot, from Oban, was off work for a year as a result of her injuries. Financial investor and former Ebay executive Hart-Hansen, from Lyngby, Denmark, admitted causing serious injury by driving dangerously near Dunira Estate on 25 January last year. Fiscal depute Sue Ruta said his rented Vauxhall Astra smashed into Mrs Elliot's Seat Ibiza on a sweeping bend and left her with a number of broken bones and other injuries. "He stated to the police that he had been driving on the right hand side of the road due to the fact he had forgotten what country he was in," she added. Solicitor David Duncan, defending, said: "His only explanation can be that it was his usual process to select that lane when entering a roadway. "Unfortunately for Mrs Elliot hers is the first car he encounters. My client made a mistake when he entered the carriageway. He made a critical mistake at the outset of the journey which released a chain of events."

Summary: A tourist who left a woman seriously injured after forgetting to drive on the left side of the road has been fined £8,000.


Travellers to Paris and Brussels were deterred after major terror attacks in November 2015 and March 2016 and numbers fell by 4% to 10 million. Eurostar, whose main shareholder is the French national rail operator, SNCF, made a profit of 31m euros in 2015. It said 2016 had been "a difficult year". Revenues were down 3% at Â£794m. But the company said there had been a pick-up in business at the end of last year which had continued into 2017. Last year, Eurostar said it would cut some of its services from December as it introduced longer trains. The new e320 trains introduced earlier in 2016 have around 20% more seats than the previous model, and are used for most services between London and Paris.

Summary: The channel tunnel train service Eurostar said it made an operating loss of 28m euros (Â£25m, $30m) in 2016 following a drop in passenger numbers.


Ms Allred spoke at a press conference alongside three women who said they had been abused by Mr Cosby. Mr Cosby, 77, is facing a series of renewed allegations that he drugged and sexually assaulted over a dozen women. His lawyers describe the claims as "discredited" and "defamatory". Mr Cosby has had television shows cancelled and some appearances dropped in recent weeks amid the allegations. Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, Ms Allred said many of the alleged victims had contacted her to determine what legal rights they had. "Unfortunately, I had to tell them it was too late for them to file a lawsuit against Bill Cosby because of the statute of limitations - for most women it is simply too late to have their day in court," she told reporters. The women's rights lawyer presented two courses of action to, in her words, "determine whether Bill Cosby is a saint or a sexual predator". Firstly, she suggested Mr Cosby waive the statute of limitations to allow the alleged victims to present their claims and for him to present his defence. The second option, she said, would be for Mr Cosby to place $100m (Â£64m) in a fund, from which a panel of retired judges would decide what compensation would be appropriate if a woman's claim was found to have merit. Three women then gave accounts of the alleged attacks, with two saying they had been drugged before being assaulted. When asked how many women had contacted her to make a claim, Ms Allred said: "I literally have lost count." The press conference came a day after another woman filed a lawsuit against Mr Cosby over allegations of sexual assault when she was under-age - said to be the first such claim to come to light. Judy Huth says she was 15 when she was molested by the comedian at the Playboy Mansion in Los Angeles. As she was minor at the time, her case can still be heard. Earlier this week, Bill Cosby resigned from the board of trustees of Temple University in Philadelphia, where he was once a student, amid the allegations. Several broadcasters have also shelved projects with Mr Cosby, including NBC and Netflix. Two of his performances scheduled for the weekend at a venue in the north of New York were cancelled on Wednesday, AP reports. Nearly half of the audience of the show in Tarrytown had reportedly requested refunds. In 2005 a woman who accused Cosby of drugging and sexually assaulting her brought a lawsuit against him, but the case was settled out of court.

Summary: Lawyer Gloria Allred has urged US comedian Bill Cosby to waive the statute of limitations to allow women alleging he sexually abused them to "obtain justice".


The Public Accounts Committee said the new Personal Independence Payment scheme had been "rushed" through, with a "shocking" impact on claimants. "Many" faced six-month delays, with terminally ill people waiting a month on average for the payment, it said. Ministers defended the system and said the MPs' figures were out of date. Minister for Disabled People Mike Penning said the new PIP system ensured "support goes to those who need it most". He insisted the report was "based on old statistics", adding: "I have introduced a faster process for people with terminal illnesses, with clearance times reducing to our target of 10 days. "And a higher proportion of people are getting the highest rate of financial support for daily living under Personal Independence Payment than DLA." New claims for the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) - which replaces the Disability Living Allowance (DLA) - began in April 2013. They are worth between Â£21 and Â£134 a week. Most people applying for PIP have a face-to-face assessment to determine eligibility, which have been carried out by the private contractors Atos Healthcare and Capita Business Services. In its report, the cross-party committee accused Atos of providing "incorrect and potentially misleading" information about its capabilities when bidding for the contract to conduct assessments for the government. The company said it completely refuted the claim. The Department for Work and Pensions began processing new claims for PIP in northern England in 2013, but had only made 360 decisions when the scheme was introduced nationwide in June. Reassessment of the existing 1.7 million DLA claimants began in October, but was effectively paused after a backlog of some 780,000 claims built up. Committee chairwoman and Labour MP Margaret Hodge said: "The implementation of the Personal Independence Payment has been nothing short of a fiasco. "The Department for Work and Pensions has let down some of the most vulnerable people in our society, many of whom have had to wait more than six months for their claims to be decided. "The department's failure to pilot the scheme meant that the most basic assumptions, such as how long assessments would take and how many would require face-to-face consultations, had not been fully tested and proved to be wrong." She continued that this had resulted in "significant delays, a backlog of claims and unnecessary distress for claimants who have been unable to access the support they need to live, and in some cases work, independently". "The personal stories we heard were shocking," Mrs Hodge added. In one case, a claimant required hospital intervention as a result of the stress caused by the delays. Elsewhere, claimants had been forced to turn to food banks, loans and charitable donations to support the extra costs of living associated with their disability, the MPs said. The committee also found the average waiting time for terminally ill people to receive a decision was 28 days - 180% longer than originally expected. Claimants had also endured an "unacceptable" standard of service, with assessors failing to turn up at centres or cancelling home visits at the last minute. "We

Summary: Changes to benefits for sick and disabled people have led to a "fiasco", causing unnecessary distress to thousands of people, MPs have warned.


The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said the economy grew by 0.4% in the quarter, compared with an earlier estimate of 0.3%. Growth was boosted by a better performance from the construction industry than previously estimated. On an annual basis, the economy grew by 2.9% from the first quarter of 2014, up from a previous estimate of 2.4%. The latest revision is the third estimate for the period. For 2014 as a whole, economic growth was revised up to 3% from 2.8%. The ONS figures showed household disposable income grew by 4.5% year-on-year, the fastest annual pace since the second quarter of 2001. Earlier this month, the ONS said construction output in the UK was 0.2% lower in the first quarter, rather than 1.1% lower as previously estimated. "The slight upward revision to growth in the first quarter of 2015 is down largely to the recently announced new methods to measure construction output," ONS chief economist Joe Grice said. Quarterly growth in services output was left unrevised at 0.4%. Howard Archer, chief UK and European economist at IHS Global Insight, forecast economic growth would accelerate in the three months to June as the uncertainty caused by the general election in May subsided. He said he expected the economy to grow by 0.7% in the second quarter and by 2.5% over the course of the year.

Summary: The UK economy grew faster than previously estimated in the first three months of the year, figures have shown.


Priority has been given to secondary pupils in fourth, fifth and sixth year who are just three weeks away from sitting key exams. All primary pupils are due to return by next week but uncertainty remains over arrangements for S1-S3 pupils. A total of 17 schools in the city did not reopen after the Easter break. About 7,600 pupils were affected by the closures with five secondaries, ten primaries and two additional support needs schools shut due to concerns over structural issues. All of the schools, which are about 10 years old, were constructed under the same public private partnership contract. The council said on Tuesday evening it hoped to have all pupils back in "places of education" by next Tuesday - Monday 18 April is a bank holiday in the city. Senior pupils from four of the high schools, as well as children from two primaries were due to return to classes on Wednesday morning. Some will go back to their own classrooms but others will transfer to alternative schools where they will be taught by their own teachers. The arrangements put in place by the City of Edinburgh Council will see: About 2,300 S1 to S3 pupils still do not know when they will return to class. The council has said it will give further details on that later this week. The problems were first uncovered in January when a wall at Oxgangs Primary collapsed during high winds. Further closures were prompted on Friday after workers repairing serious structural issues at the primary found "further serious defects" with the building. The city council has said urgent work would need to be carried out on at least four of the schools: two high schools Gracemount and Craigmount, and two primaries - Oxgangs and St Peter's. The initial problem was discovered with wall ties, which hold the outer and inner walls together, at Oxgangs Primary School. An additional issue on Friday was then found with head ties, which hold the top of the walls to the steel roof frame, at all four schools. Concerns had been raised about the need to accommodate senior pupils who are due to sit exams soon and have coursework and assessments to complete. With about 5,000 pupils facing a third day off school on Wednesday, parents were also continuing to express anger and frustration at the cost and hassle involved in arranging extra childcare. Offers of support to the council to accommodate pupils affected have come from organisations including Hibernian Football Club, the Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh University and NHS Lothian.

Summary: More than 2,000 pupils whose schools in Edinburgh have been closed because of safety concerns are due to return to classrooms later.


Net profit rose to $335m (Â£196m) for the period, up from $222m a year ago, EA has also benefitted from the launch of gaming consoles, which has driven up demand for its video game titles. However, the firm said it was delaying the launch of its title Battlefield Hardline from October to early 2015. It said it was looking to make improvements to the game based on user suggestions and feedback on the test version. Andrew Wilson, chief executive of the firm, said in a statement the firm was "testing and implementing several new features that will help to make Battlefield Hardline a game that players can enjoy for many years to come". The firm also reported that its revenue from gaming on mobile devices, including smartphones and tablets, rose 18% to $120m during the period. A large part of that growth was driven by the so-called "freemium" model - which offers free content but then charges users for additional digital goods. EA said $105m of its mobile revenue during the period "comprised of digital extra content and advertising revenue, reflecting the shift to the freemium business model". That was up 39% from a year ago. "We continue to view mobile as a business with tremendous opportunity as the market is experiencing significant global growth in smartphones and tablets," Blake Jorgensen, chief financial officer of the firm said. Meanwhile, its full game PC and console downloads were up 90% from a year ago to $71m.

Summary: US video game publisher Electronic Arts (EA) has reported a 51% jump in profit for the April-to-June quarter, boosted by strong sales of titles like Titanfall and FIFA 2014.


The bodies of the state's first mental institution - called the Insane Asylum - stretch across 20 acres of campus where administrators want to build. Officials predict that it may cost up to $21m (Â£16m) to exhume and rebury each body - more than $3,000 for each. The campus medical centre, where the bodies have been discovered, is looking at cheaper alternatives. The university hopes to bring the total cost down by handling the exhumations in-house, the Clarion-Ledger newspaper reports. They predict that it can be done for $400,000 per year over the next eight years. They also hope to create a memorial and laboratory where students can study the patients' remains, as well as remnants of clothes and wood unearthed in the process. A group of academics have formed a consortium dedicated to studying the remains. "We have inherited these patients," said Ralph Didlake, who oversees the campus Center for Bioethics and Medical Humanities. "We want to show them care and respectful management," he told the Clarion-Ledger. "It would be a unique resource for Mississippi," Molly Zuckerman, a professor of anthropology, told the newspaper. "It would make Mississippi a national centre on historical records relating to health in the pre-modern period, particularly those being institutionalised." The Insane Asylum was completed in 1855 and operated until 1935. Before then, patients with mental illnesses were often kept chained in jails and attics of homes. According to records, of the 1,376 patients admitted between 1855 and 1877, more than one in five died. After the US Civil War the facility expanded dramatically, eventually housing about 6,000 patients during its peak. The first coffins were discovered by the university in 2013 while constructing a road near campus. In 2014 officials found more than 1,000 coffins while building a parking garage.

Summary: The remains of at least 7,000 people may be buried beneath the University of Mississippi, officials estimate.


The star told a Cannes press conference she likes to make "bold" choices, as if she were at the start of her career. Kidman said while she doesn't have to work, she does so because of her passion for cinema. The star of The Killing of the Sacred Deer, in competition at Cannes, said her young children will be banned from seeing the dark psychological thriller. Kidman has two grown-up children from her marriage to Tom Cruise and two younger daughters with her current husband singer Keith Urban. "My (younger) children have very little understanding of what me or my husband do. Their lives are obviously far more important!" She added: "I'm at that stage in my life where I still try to act as if I'm 21 and starting my career. "At this stage of my life, I'm just trying to stay very bold and open and try things and support film-makers I believe in." The Killing of the Sacred Deer features an eminent surgeon Steven Murphy - played by Colin Farrell - who adopts a teenager into his family. Things start to go horribly wrong when the boy turns against Murphy. Kidman plays ophthalmologist Anna Murphy, who is married to Steven. It's directed by Yorgos Lanthimos, the Greek filmmaker behind indie hit The Lobster, which won the Jury Prize at Cannes two years ago. Farrell also starred in that film. Kidman said she was "hypnotised" by Lanthimos' script. She has four projects showing at the festival this year, but said: "That's a confluence of events - that's not something I was aware would be happening." Her other Cannes showings are in The Beguiled and How to Talk to Girls at Parties, as well as the second series of TV drama Top of the Lake, from Jane Campion. She singled out Campion for praise, saying she had been a friend of hers since the age of 14 and that "she discovered me, basically." 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: Oscar winner Nicole Kidman says she still acts like she's 21 when it comes to acting roles.


Ms Sturgeon, 46, who has no children, revealed that she had a miscarriage while she was deputy first minister. She said she hoped allowing the details to be written about in a new book would challenge assumptions made about women. "Sometimes... having a baby just doesn't happen - no matter how much we might want it to," she added. In the book, Scottish National Party Leaders, Ms Sturgeon spoke about how she lost the baby when she was 40, shortly before the 2011 Scottish parliamentary election campaign period. Ms Sturgeon, who is married to SNP chief executive Peter Murrell, was in the early stages of her pregnancy and preparing to share the news when the miscarriage occurred. She told author Mandy Rhodes that instead of dealing with her grief at home on 3 January 2011 she attended the 40th anniversary of the Ibrox disaster, in which 66 Rangers football supporters were crushed to death. In a statement released following the publication of extracts from the book in the Sunday Times magazine, the first minister said: "This was obviously a painful experience for Peter and I and while Mandy has known about it for some time, she has always respected our decision not to talk about it publicly. "I gave her the go ahead to make reference to it now in the hope that it might challenge some of the assumptions and judgements that are still made about women - especially in politics - who don't have children. "There are many reasons why women don't have children. Some of us simply don't want to, some of us worry about the impact on our career - and there is still so much to do, through better childcare, more progressive working practices and more enlightened attitudes, to make sure we don't feel we have to choose. "And sometimes, for whatever reason, having a baby just doesn't happen - no matter how much we might want it to. She added: "For me, as for many women, all of these things have been true at different times of my life - the point is that judgements and assumptions shouldn't be made about what are personal choices and experiences." On Sunday morning, Ms Sturgeon also tweeted: "Thanks for all your kind messages this morning. @PeterMurrell & I really appreciate it." In extracts from the book in The Sunday Times Magazine, Ms Sturgeon said she was uncertain if she could have been a mother as well as leading Scotland's devolved government. She said: "If the miscarriage hadn't happened, would I be sitting here as first minister right now? It's just an unanswerable question. I just don't know. "I've thought about it but I don't know the answer. I'd like to think 'yes', because I could have shown that having a child wasn't a barrier to all of this, but in truth I don't know." Miscarriage Source: NHS Choices

Summary: Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has spoken for the first time about her "painful experience" of losing a baby in 2011.


And with economic wobbles around the world - like here in China - George Osborne dramatically warned today that he might have to make further spending cuts when he stands at the despatch box on 16 March. It's just been confirmed that the size of the British economy is smaller than had been thought, and Britain is - however mildly - very likely to be affected by the slowdown in other countries. The chancellor wants to keep to his self-imposed rule of getting the books into surplus by the end of the Parliament. He could relax that rule and slow down the pace of the cuts but that's not what appears to be on his agenda. Instead, it seems he'd rather find the money somewhere. He wouldn't say where he'd look for cuts, but you can assume departments ministers have already pledged to protect will be safe from further austerity. That of course means potentially tighter squeezes elsewhere. Mr Osborne ruled out significant tax rises and don't anticipate that he is looking to make dramatic increases to the level of cuts. He said his first target will be further efficiencies in Whitehall. But there is no sign whatsoever that the chancellor and this government will be able to leave behind the spending squeeze that defined so much of their early years in charge.

Summary: If coping with internal struggles over the European Union wasn't enough, the government has a Budget to contend with within the next three weeks.


The 36-year-old, who has won 94 caps for his country, leaves Munster after 270 competitive appearances in 17 seasons for the Irish province. "Donncha has tremendous know-how at the highest level," boss Dean Ryan said. "To bring in someone with such international and European experience is a real coup for the club." O'Callaghan, who also made four appearances for the British & Irish Lions in 2009, has played in three consecutive World Cups for Ireland and helped to win the Six Nations Grand Slam in 2009. He has also picked up two Heineken Cup winners' medals, along with two Magners League titles, for Munster. "I'm very grateful to Munster for all that they've done for me," he said. "But now I'm hungry for my new challenge. "I watched the Bristol game where Warriors turned it around in the last seven minutes at the end of last season, and that was really impressive." There may be more new signings at Sixways before the new Premiership season kicks off at home to Northampton on Friday, 16 October. Experienced Springbok centre Wynand Olivier is also reportedly set to sign on a two-year deal following his release by Montpellier.

Summary: Worcester Warriors have made their 11th pre-season signing by bringing in vastly experienced Munster and Ireland lock forward Donncha O'Callaghan.


The legislation is essential for the implementation of an EU-Turkey deal aimed at easing the uncontrolled mass movement of people into Europe. On Monday, Turkey is due to receive its first migrants returned from Greece. But there are warnings of a lack of preparation on both sides, while aid agencies are concerned migrants may be mistreated in Turkey. Greece had to amend its laws for the deal to be possible and the bill was passed by 169 members of the 300-seat parliament. Last year, more than one million migrants and refugees arrived in the EU by boat from Turkey to Greece, and Athens has struggled to cope. Tens of thousands have been stranded in Greece after northern counties closed their borders. Under the EU-Turkey deal, migrants arriving illegally in Greece are expected to be sent back to Turkey from 4 April if they do not apply for asylum or if their claim is rejected. In return, Turkey will receive aid and political concessions. Two days before the first migrants are due back here in Turkey there is little sign of any preparation. A field near the western town of Dikili has reportedly been earmarked for a registration centre but it remains empty. Residents here have called a protest on Saturday against planned refugee camps. Local officials are trying to calm tempers by suggesting those sent back here would only stay temporarily in Dikili before being sent to other areas of Turkey. Meanwhile, boats are still attempting to cross - 160 migrants were caught by the Turkish coastguard near Dikili on Friday. Many more actually reached the Greek island of Lesbos. The UN has called on Turkey and Greece to ensure safeguards are in place before returns begin, warning of "serious gaps" on both sides. A report from Amnesty International says Turkey has been illegally forcing thousands of refugees back to Syria. "In their desperation to seal their borders, EU leaders have wilfully ignored the simplest of facts: Turkey is not a safe country for Syrian refugees and is getting less safe by the day," said John Dalhuisen of the group. Turkey is yet to respond to the Amnesty report but has denied sending back any refugees against their will. The country has taken in 2.7 million Syrian refugees since the civil war began five years ago. Many live in camps near the border between the two countries. The Turkey-EU statement in full Meanwhile on the Greek island of Chios migrants broke out of a detention centre in protest against their planned deportation under the EU-Turkey plan. Eight people were hospitalised on Thursday in a brawl between migrants at the port of Piraeus near Athens, where thousands are living in dire conditions. Most of the migrants there are from Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan, and for weeks they have slept in tents or blankets out in the open with poor sanitation and little food. A note on terminology: The BBC uses the term migrant to refer to all people on the move who have yet to complete the legal process of claiming asylum. This

Summary: The Greek parliament has passed a law allowing migrants arriving in the country to be returned to Turkey.


Further alleged offences were reported relating to the suspect but "no robust direction" was given to the investigation lasting over six months. Chief Constable Chris Eyre said it "actually demonstrates positive work". HM Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) reviewed child protection at the force last August. HMIC, which independently assesses police forces, said it took more than six months for Nottinghamshire Police to arrest the 21-year-old man regarding his sexual relationship with a 14-year-old girl. Zoë Billingham, of HMIC, said: "During this period, two further offences relating to the suspect, involving the exchange of indecent images with other teenage children, were reported to other forces. More on this and other stories in Nottinghamshire "We found examples of poor supervision of investigations leading to unacceptable delays, which can leave opportunities for perpetrators to continue offending." In response to the finding, Mr Eyre said: "When a victim would not engage with us we did not give up and continued to pursue the offender over a series of weeks until we could build up enough evidence to arrest him." The watchdog also found that "potential evidence was lost" in the case of a 10-year-old girl who had been groomed online, due to officers not having specialist training and delays. Mr Eyre said: "There are some cases where it is completely appropriate for non-specialist staff to deal with offences which relate to child protection matters, with the help and advice of specialists. "All officers have been provided with online training and regular updates about child sexual exploitation." The initial HMIC inspection in September 2014 revealed a 16-year-old girl in police custody went without food or water for almost two days, prompting the follow-up review. Ms Billingham said: "The force still has not reduced the number of children being detained unnecessarily in police custody overnight when they should have been transferred to alternative accommodation. This still needs to improve." Mr Eyre said it was the "responsibility of the local authority to find suitable alternative accommodation" for the children. The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) said the report uncovered "deeply concerning issues that need to be addressed". "There have been serious delays in dealing with cases that led to potentially vital evidence being lost and a suspect possibly going on to re-offend," a spokesperson said. "Police need to make sure that they act on recommendations to ensure every child in Nottinghamshire is protected."

Summary: A suspected sex offender may have groomed teenagers before being arrested owing to "significant delays" by Nottinghamshire Police, a report found.


Helen Hinks, of Talybont, and her son William, aged three, discovered the boat while walking along Borth beach. It had been launched by youngsters at St Andrew's School of Math and Science in Charleston, South Carolina, in May 2015 as part of a school project. Ms Hinks said it was "magical" to find the boat nine months later, while the school said it was "over the moon". The boat, named the Carolina Dreamer, had been fitted with a GPS tracker and had sailed for less than a week before washing up on Bermuda. There, it was relaunched and although initially heading towards Ireland, it made a detour towards the west Wales coast - a journey of about 4,000 miles. Pupils at St Andrew's had contacted Welsh harbour masters and marinas in the hope it had been sighted and rescued. Explaining the moment they found the boat, Ms Hinks said: "I was waiting to pick my two daughters up from school and normally take my little boy to the beach if the weather's nice. "We were looking across the waves when it literally sailed right to us. It was magical." Ms Hinks said she did not realise the significance of the boat until seeing media reports a week later. "When we contacted the school they were really excited. My children's school is hoping to relaunch it back to America," she said. On hearing the news, St Andrew's pupil Paris said: "When I heard somebody had found our boat...I jumped up and down" while Dhyeya said: "Thank you for saving our boat, we appreciate it". Fourth grade teacher Amy McMahon said: "We cannot tell you how excited and elated we are to hear that our beloved boat has been recovered and has found its way to a nearby school. "We are over the moon."

Summary: A toy boat set sail by American school pupils has been found thousands of miles away by a family in Ceredigion.


The duration of Ireland fly-half Johnny Sexton's absence was a theme for coach Joe Schmidt, while England counterpart Eddie Jones' - sporting a shiner of his own - updated the media on his host of walking wounded. Scotland's Vern Cotter rued the absence of props WP Nel and Alasdair Dickinson, while Wales' Rob Howley is without first-choice forwards Luke Charteris and Taulupe Faletau. Media playback is not supported on this device v Scotland, Edinburgh, Sat, 14:25 GMT, BBC One Henderson & O'Brien in Ireland team Sexton will miss Saturday's meeting with Scotland with a tight calf, but Schmidt raised the prospect that the 63-cap Leinster fly-half could also miss Ireland's second match against Italy on 11 February. "Realistically, Johnny is an outside chance for Italy. He's probably played about 82 minutes in the last eight test matches," said Schmidt. "In the three Six Nations I have been involved in, Johnny has dominated the number 10 position so we're still hopeful that he can come back in and do that for us." Paddy Jackson, who deputised for Sexton in Ireland's autumn Test win over Australia, has been given another chance to stake his claim, while flanker Sean O'Brien is fit again at openside. v France, Twickenham, Sat, 16:50 GMT Daly starts on wing ahead of Nowell Before taking on the England role, Jones had suggested that flanker Chris Robshaw was short of international class. But, with Robshaw out for the tournament with a shoulder injury, Jones admits Maro Itoje, who has been switched to six from the second row, has a tough task to match up to the Harlequin in the opening match against France. "Itoje has got big shoes to fill," said Jones. "Chris Robshaw has been one of our integral players with his work-rate but Maro has trained well in that position and we believe he can make a really good fist of it. Prop Joe Marler, meanwhile, has claimed that drinking two pints of milk a day is behind his rapid recovery from a leg fracture that was expected to rule him out of the team's first two fixtures. "Your mum always says milk is really good for you and you don't really believe it until you need it because you've got a broken leg, so I just drank loads of it," he said. "I drank two pints a day and it's something I'll keep doing because it's really tasty." Media playback is not supported on this device v Ireland, Edinburgh, Sat, 14:25 GMT, BBC One Strauss in Scotland team to play Ireland Cotter is keen to keep his Scotland players' feet on the ground after winning four out of five of their matches since last year's Six Nations and coming within a point of Australia in their solitary defeat. "Can we win the whole thing? I think the trap is every year that Scotland get talked up," said the New Zealander. "We are realistic. We know which teams are ranked ahead of us, we know what the rugby hierarchy is at the moment. It's up to us to change

Summary: As the start of the Six Nations nears, the respective coaches spent as much time talking about who wouldn't feature in the opening weekend as would.


Dr Steve Forman, who has played with David Bowie and Pink Floyd, could not extend his visa due to salary restrictions. Dr Forman has taught at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (RCS) in Glasgow for four years. He is currently appealing against the Home Office decision. The UK government website states that the "appropriate salary rate" for an experienced higher education teaching professional who wishes a visa to remain in the UK is Â£31,200. Dr Forman said he could not meet this minimum salary requirements for a Tier 2 visa. He therefore applied for leave outside of the rules under Article 8 of the European Convention of Human Rights, which states that everyone has the right to respect for their private and family life. The Home Office said that Dr Forman could not demonstrate the requirements needed to stay in the UK. Dr Forman's film score credits include ET and Pretty Woman and he has recorded with The Beach Boys, David Bowie and Fleetwood Mac. He said: "I would like to see the UK Border Agency look at the value gained and the value lost from me leaving Scotland when I am contributing full-time to society on many different levels. "I am in the community playing traditional music with some of the finest musicians I have ever heard. I would like to stay involved with life and I would like to do this in Scotland where I live, where my friends are and where my family is." A change.org petition for the reinstatement of Steve Forman's work visa has attracted nearly 1,500 signatures since it was started on Tuesday morning. He has been in the UK for more than seven years and has taught at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (RCS) for four years. His position there has been suspended pending confirmation of his status. A Scottish government spokesman said: "The talent and expertise of people such as Steve Forman make a welcome contribution to developing Scotland's future musical talent. The Scottish government is aware of Mr Forman's situation and we are liaising with the Home Office on this case. "This case reinforces existing Scottish government concerns that immigration policy in the UK is inflexible and does not address Scotland's particular economic and demographic needs." Dr Forman's solicitor Fraser Latta described the case as "truly exceptional" and said that the Home Office had "clearly failed to give proper consideration to his individual rights and the rights of the community which he is a valued member of". He said it was indicative of the current immigration system where a talented and respected person can be disregarded rather than cherished. A spokesperson for RCS said: "Steve Forman will be sorely missed by staff and the students. He is a well-respected teacher and an expert in his area. "We have been very supportive of Steve. We have done our utmost to support him through this for some time now. The UK Border Agency made a decision on his eligibility to stay in the UK and we have to abide by that." A Home Office spokesperson

Summary: The Scottish government has called on the Home Office to reconsider the case of an American percussionist who is at risk of being deported from Scotland.


The veteran left-winger got almost 60% of more than 400,000 votes cast, trouncing his rivals Andy Burnham, Yvette Cooper and Liz Kendall. He immediately faced an exodus of shadow cabinet members - but senior figures including Ed Miliband urged the party's MPs to get behind him. Mr Corbyn was a 200-1 outsider when the three-month contest began. But he was swept to victory on a wave of enthusiasm for his anti-austerity message and promise to scrap Britain's nuclear weapons and renationalise the railways and major utilities. He told BBC News he had been a "bit surprised" by the scale of his victory but his campaign had showed "politics can change and we have changed it". He will now select his shadow cabinet. Labour has confirmed Rosie Winterton will return as chief whip, but a string of existing cabinet members including Ms Cooper, Tristram Hunt and Rachel Reeves, have all ruled themselves out of serving on the front bench. He has hinted that he wants to change the format of Prime Minister's Questions - he faces David Cameron across the dispatch box for the first time on Wednesday - suggesting other Labour MPs might get a turn. And on Saturday night, he emailed party members asking them to submit questions the weekly exchange. "I want to be your voice," he wrote. The Islington North MP won on the first round of voting in the leadership contest, taking 251,417 of the 422,664 votes cast - against 19% for Mr Burnham, 17% for Ms Cooper and 4.5% for Ms Kendall. Former minister and Gordon Brown ally Tom Watson was elected deputy leader. Corbyn supporters chanted "Jez we did" as he took to the stage, putting on his glasses to deliver his acceptance speech. The left-winger, who has spent his entire 32-year career in the Commons on the backbenches, promised to fight for a more tolerant and inclusive Britain - and to tackle "grotesque levels of inequality in our society". He said the leadership campaign "showed our party and our movement, passionate, democratic, diverse, united and absolutely determined in our quest for a decent and better society that is possible for all". "They are fed up with the inequality, the injustice, the unnecessary poverty. All those issues have brought people in, in a spirit of hope and optimism." He said his campaign had given the lie to claims that young Britons were apathetic about politics, showing instead that they were "a very political generation that were turned off by the way in which politics was being conducted - we have to, and must, change that". Mr Corbyn added: "The fightback now of our party gathers speed and gathers pace." His first act as leader was to attend a "refugees welcome here" rally, joining tens of thousands of people marching through central London in support of the rights of refugees. Addressing cheering crowds in Parliament Square, he delivered an impassioned plea to the government to recognise its legal obligations to refugees from Syria and elsewhere and to find "peaceful solutions to the world's problems". "Open your your

Summary: Jeremy Corbyn has promised to lead a Labour "fightback" after being elected the party's new leader by a landslide.


There were 108 inward investment projects counted in the 2015-16 financial year. In the previous two years, there were 122 and 119. The number of jobs created was well below a proportionate share of the British jobs, at 4,200. The British numbers had another strong showing in both projects and jobs supported. Foreign investment in the UK reached more than 2,200 projects, up 11%. This Whitehall report says nearly 83,000 jobs were created that way, down slightly, but the second highest since the data began. The projects counted in these figures included new factories and branch offices, expansion of existing plants, and firms being taken over. The sectors most affected were in finance, professional services, and manufacturing. Although London dominates, with 889 projects attracted last year, Scotland is rated as being attractive to foreign investors. In a separate annual survey by the business consultancy EY, it has recently come second, after London. It has been helped by the experience built up in Scottish Enterprise and the government agency Scottish Development International. By contrast, in recent years, English regions' efforts have had to adapt to the dismantling of regional development agencies. They may now be catching up. Northern England saw 228 new projects in 2015-16, a rise of 24%, linked to 10,700 jobs. Wales secured 97 projects, with 5,400 jobs attached. Commenting on the most recent figures, International Trade Secretary Dr Liam Fox said they show "the UK continues to be the place to do business". He added: "We've broadened our reach with emerging markets across the world to cement our position as the number one destination in Europe for investment. "This continued vote of confidence in the UK will help attract foreign investment to create jobs, security and opportunities for people across the UK." The UK government report does not say why Scotland's share of projects and jobs created has fallen. But among possible explanations: the competition from England is getting tougher, the slump in oil and gas has hit Scottish numbers, and investors may be discouraged by political uncertainty. We never know how many potential projects go elsewhere, because it's very rare for a foreign company to announce which options it has rejected. With political and economic uncertainty resulting from the European Union referendum, a key test of the UK government and its trade secretary Dr Liam Fox will be how well inward investment performs in 2016-17 and beyond. One of the main reasons given for locating factories and offices in the UK has been its access to the European Union's single market, and it is far from clear whether that will be retained after the UK leaves.

Summary: Scotland's share of inward investment projects has fallen, according to the latest figures from the new UK Department for International Trade.


The protests led to the departure of the country's former ruler, President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, and sparked the wider Arab Spring across North Africa and the Middle East. However, despite the removal of President Ben Ali, economic reforms in Tunisia since 2011 have stalled due to continuing political unrest, which dragged on until the end of last year. Yet with a moderate, interim government of independent figures appointed in December, and the country's new constitution being agreed in January, there is now renewed optimism that pro-business changes will be forthcoming, to enable entrepreneurship and small businesses to flourish. The sense of confidence has been strengthened by backing from the World Bank, which last month awarded Tunisia loans totalling $1.2bn (Â£719m) to help drive economic and political reform. The World Bank said that this figure included $750m "in support of government reforms to level the economic playing field and promote growth and job creation", and $100m to increase lending to small and medium-sized companies. For most Tunisian entrepreneurs, reforms to make their jobs easier cannot come quickly enough. Ramzi el Fekih, 46, says the key to helping new businesses launch and grow in Tunisia is a better judicial system. Mr el Fekih is chief executive of Viamobile, a mobile phone banking and payments app. He launched the business in Tunisia in 2009 after returning to the country following 25 years working abroad, including 20 years in the mobile phone technology sector in California. "The biggest difference between working here and in California is the lack of trust," says Mr el Fekih. "People try to protect themselves, because they have been had before, but it becomes very constraining." "There is so much control, that we can't move, but what we need is a judicial system that punishes people who don't follow the law." Mr el Fekih says he would also like to see much less regulation and bureaucracy, complaining that it took him two years to get Viamobile approved by the country's central bank. But despite his frustrations, he says he has no regrets about to returning to his homeland. "I really believe that there is a huge potential in Tunisia and Tunisian entrepreneurs," he says. Mr el Fekih is hoping that now, with the new constitution in place, the Tunisian state will move fast on reforms. His analogy is borrowed from the world of mobile technology. "What politicians can do is design an easy and accessible operating system, so entrepreneurs can follow and create applications," he says. "Now is the time." For fellow entrepreneur Zied Jallouli, 29, the big problem for start-ups in Tunisia is securing financial backing. "Raising funds here for a big idea is really, really tough," says Mr Jallouli, shaking his head. He and his business partner have created a smartphone app called Disrupt CK, which they claim can help people to buy clothes or other consumer goods similar to those they see in a film or TV show. Mr Jallouli says you simply point your smartphone at the television, press the app button, and it will produce

Summary: Three years ago thousands of Tunisians protested on the streets, demanding, among other things, more economic opportunity.


The 66-year-old republican from County Louth denies nine tax evasion charges. The prosecution's case is that he had significant dealings in relation to cattle and land and received farming grants, but failed to make tax returns. A court in Dublin heard a third day of closing submissions on Tuesday. Mr Murphy's defence barrister told the Special Criminal Court that "fair analysis" of the evidence should lead to the conclusion it was the accused's brother, Patrick Murphy, who ran the farming operation and controlled the finances. "I am suggesting that the person in charge of this farming enterprise was Patrick Murphy; that the profiteer was Patrick Murphy; that the chargeable person was Patrick Murphy," the barrister said. "I am not suggesting that Thomas Murphy was not about the farm. But there is a big difference between growing up in a farming environment and being about the place doing bits and bobs and being the chargeable person, being the actual farmer in charge." The three judges in the non-jury trial were told the case has been built on hearsay evidence and that key financial documents found inside Patrick Murphy's house had effectively been "buried" because they "didn't suit". "When you scratch below the surface the reasonable doubt lurks just below the surface, and so does Patrick Murphy," the defence lawyer said. It was also claimed the state was seeking to "galvanise" the suggestion Thomas Murphy received a farming income. "It simply isn't there," the lawyer said. The inclusion of "business drawings" for items like food, presents, watch repairs, boots and tickets to Paris should also deposit doubt in the minds of the judges, the barrister said. "That's the height of the prosecution case. It reached the stage that it was utterly ludicrous," he added. Allegations that Mr Murphy, of Ballybinaby, Hackballscross, had access to large sources of cash were also rejected. The trial continues.

Summary: The case against Thomas "Slab" Murphy is based on "utterly ludicrous" documentation which attempts to link him to a non-existent farming income, his defence barrister has said.


Unwanted by Tottenham Hotspur, the 31-year-old failed to respond to a call-up following a row over the captaincy ahead of Togo's win over Liberia in June. New captain Serge Akakpo wasted little time in making an impact, scoring after three minutes, before Jonathan Ayite doubled the lead before half-time. Togo lead Group A with six points. However, Tunisia will move ahead on Saturday if they record their second victory in as many games when travelling to Liberia. The game in Monrovia will be the first full international Liberia has hosted since the lifting of a ban imposed because of the Ebola crisis. Liberia, which last hosted an international in May 2014, was declared Ebola-free on Thursday. Tunisia beat Djibouti 8-1 during the opening round of 2017 Nations Cup qualifiers in June.

Summary: Togo won their second straight 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier when triumphing 2-0 in Djibouti but did so without star striker Emmanuel Adebayor.


Police Scotland said the emergency services were alerted to the incident at about 13:00. A coastguard helicopter and lifeboat joined rescue teams looking for the man. A post on the RNLI Montrose Lifeboat Facebook page said it had been stood down at 18:20 "due to failing light".

Summary: A major search is under way for a man believed to have fallen from cliffs at Arbroath in Angus.


He took over on an interim basis when Craig Harrison left for Hartlepool on 26 May after guiding TNS to six consecutive Welsh titles. Steve Evans, who has been assisting Ruscoe, will also be retained. Both stepped up from coaching roles and led TNS in Champions League qualifiers against Europa of Gibraltar and Croatian side Rijeka in June and July. The Saints kick-off their Welsh Premier season away to Bangor City on 11 August. Find out how to get into football with our special guide.

Summary: Scott Ruscoe has been appointed manager of Welsh Premier champions The New Saints on a permanent basis.


This is probably because starch in spuds can trigger a sharp rise in blood sugar levels, they say. Their study in the BMJ tracked more than 21,000 pregnancies. But UK experts say proof is lacking and lots of people need to eat more starchy foods for fibre, as well as fresh fruit and veg. The BMJ study linked high potato consumption to a higher diabetes risk. Swapping a couple of servings a week for other vegetables should counter this, say the authors. UK dietary advice says starchy foods (carbohydrates) such as potatoes should make up about a third of the food people eat. There is no official limit on how much carbohydrate people should consume each week. Foods that contain carbohydrates affect blood sugar. Some - high Glycaemic Index (GI) foods - release the sugar quickly into the bloodstream. Others - low GI foods - release them more steadily. Research suggests eating a low GI diet can help manage diabetes. Pregnancy puts extra demands on the body, and some women develop diabetes at this time. Gestational diabetes, as it is called, usually goes away after the birth but can pose long-term health risks for the mother and baby. The BMJ study set out investigate what might make some women more prone to pregnancy diabetes. The study followed nurses who became pregnant between 1991 and 2001. None of them had any chronic diseases before pregnancy. Every four years, the women were asked to provide information on how often potatoes featured in their diets, and any cases of gestational diabetes were noted. Over the 10-year period, there were 21,693 pregnancies and 854 of these were affected by gestational diabetes. The study took into account other risk factors, such as: It found a 27% increased risk of diabetes during pregnancy in the nurses who typically ate two to four 100g (3.5oz) servings of boiled, mashed, baked potatoes or chips a week. In those who ate more than five portions of potatoes or chips a week, the risk went up by 50%. The researchers estimate that if women swap their potatoes for vegetables or whole grains at least twice a week, they would lower their diabetes risk by 9-12%. Cuilin Zhang, lead study author, from the National Institutes of Health in Maryland, US, said the findings were important. "Gestational diabetes can mean women develop pre-eclampsia during pregnancy and hypertension," she said. "This can adversely affect the foetus, and in the long term the mother may be at high risk of type-2 diabetes." But UK experts stressed there was not enough evidence to warn women off eating lots of potatoes. Dr Emily Burns, of Diabetes UK, said: "This study does not prove that eating potatoes before pregnancy will increase a woman's risk developing gestational diabetes, but it does highlight a potential association between the two. "However, as the researchers acknowledge, these results need to be investigated in a controlled trial setting before we can know more. "What we do know is that women can significantly reduce their risk of developing gestational diabetes by managing their weight through

Summary: Eating potatoes or chips on most days of the week may increase a woman's risk of diabetes during pregnancy, say US researchers.


The total figure was £8.6m, up from £6.8 million in 2013. KPMG's fraud barometer covers major court cases involving sums of more than £100,000. There were 13 such cases in 2014, with the majority being committed against financial institutions by bogus customers. In 2013 more than one third of cases coming to Scottish courts involved employees defrauding their own organisations, but the latest figures show that three quarters of total losses suffered were to con artist customers, mostly through mortgage fraud. Cases coming to court in Scotland in 2014 included: Ken Milliken, KPMG head of forensic, Scotland, said: "Individuals who gave false information to acquire mortgages are now paying the price as banks and then police look to crack down on mortgage fraud. "The numbers do not mean that mortgage fraud is on the increase but rather that investigation and enforcement activity is on the increase. "There are still many embezzlers and other con artists within this year's figures, opportunistically preying on the vulnerable or taking advantage of weaknesses in company controls." He added: "Because there will always be people willing to break the law for their own ends, the fight against fraud will never be won." "Companies cannot afford to be complacent. As individuals, we also need to be wary of that opportunity which seems too good to be true. It is that complacency and gullibility that fraudsters thrive on."

Summary: The amount of money lost in high value fraud cases in Scotland increased last year by more than a quarter, according to accountants KPMG.


United Utilities has been working at the Mancunian Way site over the weekend to assess the collapse. A repair plan is "now in place" to stabilise the hole and make it watertight so engineers can repair the damage. The road will remain closed in both directions while work takes place. A spokesman for Manchester City Council said: "This initial phase of work could take up to 10 days, but until we are completely satisfied that the area is safe the section of the Mancunian Way will remain closed in both directions." A diversion remains in place via London Road, Fairfield Street, A665, Hyde Road and Downing Street. At the weekend, members of the public were warned not to cross a safety cordon as engineering work was being "hindered". About two weeks' worth of rain fell in about six hours in Manchester on Friday before the hole appeared. Tony Griffiths, of United Utilities, told the BBC: "An awful lot of rain fell on Friday - a few days' worth - which washed the ground material beneath the carriageway, causing the highway culvert to fail. Debris washed into the sewer, causing a domino effect leading to the collapse." Mr Griffiths said the hole is still "quite unstable" and needs to be filled in before work can be carried out.

Summary: A busy Manchester road which partly collapsed when a sinkhole appeared is to remain closed for at least 10 days.


Naomi Barrett, 53, went on a spending spree while working for Viscount Petersham at Crimonmogate, Aberdeenshire, between 2015 and 2016. Barrett, of Branscombe, Devon, admitted the offence at Peterhead Sheriff Court. She was ordered to carry out a community payback order with supervision and to repay the money. Barrett had bought kitchen appliances and art works while having access to a company credit card as part of her role. Sheriff Andrew Milligan told her: "You have pled guilty to this serious offence."

Summary: A viscount's former personal assistant who embezzled almost £23,000 has been ordered to repay the money or face going to jail.


Electronics giant Sony, as well as automakers Honda and Toyota cited damage at their plants. The quakes killed at least 41 people and have caused severe destruction to buildings and infrastructure. The suspensions in Kumamoto, a manufacturing hub, could cause supply chain disruptions. Chipmaker Renesas Electronics also said there had been damage to some equipment at its Kumamoto plant, which produces micro-controller chips for cars. Toyota said it would suspend operations at most assembly plants across Japan. The suspension across Toyota's facilities will be done in stages, and will last for about a week. The world's biggest car manufacturer said it had been unable to source parts from some of its suppliers. This includes its affiliate Aisin Seiki which is a key supplier for Toyota. Japan's Nikkei newspaper has reported that Aisin Seiki has been forced to stop producing doors, engines and other parts at its subsidiary in the Kumamoto prefecture, as the area is still experiencing aftershocks. The company is making plans to shift production to other facilities at home and abroad. The staggered suspension across Toyota's plants is expected to lead to a drop in production, by about 50,000 vehicles, the Nikkei said citing industry analysts. Sony said at the weekend it was assessing damage at its factory producing image sensors for smartphones, and that the plant would remain closed. The earthquake in Kumamoto has also affected restaurants and retailers in the area. Supermarket operator Aeon kept all 27 stores in the area shut on Sunday.

Summary: A number of Japanese manufacturers have suspended operations after two powerful earthquakes hit Kumamoto in south-western Japan.


The whales were spotted along a stretch of beach on Monday evening. Locals together with teachers and students of a local college tried to float the whales back out to sea, but they kept returning to the shore. The last time such an incident occurred in Tuticorin, was in 1973 when 147 whales died. "At least 45 whales are dead and about 36 others which were rescued and pushed back into the sea are still in the vicinity of the shore,'' Dr Patterson Edward, director of the Tuticorin-based Sugandhi Devadasan Marine Research Institute, told BBC Hindi's Imran Qureshi. Whale expert Kumaran Sathasivam said it is "very difficult" to rescue stranded whales because they all need to be pushed into the sea at the same time. "Otherwise, they will return to be with the whale that is in distress. The whales emanate a sound that is not audible to human beings and that makes them return to the shore," he said. "Also, because of their weight they are not able to get back into the water and their bodies gets overheated, and they die on the shore. You need to constantly pour water on them because their bodies are covered in a layer of fat." He said it was hard to know if the whales that had been pushed back would survive because there was a strong possibility that they would be too exhausted to swim out to sea.

Summary: At least 45 whales have died in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu after more than 80 of the animals were stranded on the shore at Tuticorin.


She's messing with our minds. That was the only explanation some could come up with for Melania Trump's latest intervention in the race for the White House. After her last big outing ended in a row over plagiarism, it was assumed that we wouldn't see much of the former model as polling day approached. But with husband Donald buoyant over improving poll numbers, she was sent out on Thursday to try to win over female voters scared away by the allegations about his past behaviour. Speaking in Berwyn, Pennsylvania, Mrs Trump sought to present herself as a proud child of immigrants and a regular Mom of a 10-year-old boy, and her husband as a man who could bring "real change" to America. "He loves this country and he knows how to get things done. He certainly knows how to shake things up, doesn't he?" she said to screams of support from the crowd. Then she announced her big idea if she becomes First Lady - a crusade against cyber-bullying. "Our culture has gotten too mean and too rough, especially for children and teenagers," she opined, seemingly forgetting the pugnacious campaign that her husband has run. "We have to find a better way to talk to each other, to disagree with each other, to respect each other," she added, as Twitter users kicked into gear with their astonishment. One tweet captured the reaction: "Have you seen your husband's tweets over the years?" Not for the first time, Mrs Trump had left the media scratching its head, noted The Washington Post's Callum Borchers. Had she not noticed she is "married to the year's cyber-bully-in-chief"? There were also suggestions that Mrs Trump had borrowed part of her speech from something one of her husband's ex-wives, Marla Maples, had said in 2011. Although the phrase in question was so generic it would be hard to pin another plagiarism charge on her speech writers, no matter how badly some of her husband's critics would like to. Speaking about her childhood in Slovenia, Mrs Trump said: "America meant, if you could dream it, you could become it." Ms Maples, who was married to Mr Trump from 1993 to 1999, had said, of her own upbringing, "I believed if you could dream it, you could become itâ€¦" Mrs Trump's outing is a bit late in the day to have much effect on the race, with more than 33 million people thought to have already cast their votes in states that allow early voting (which is more than half of them). It's particularly hard to glean any nuggets of information from early voting data, but that doesn't stop political nerds from trying. In Nevada, which is proving to be a key battleground state, it appears that early voting may be looking pretty good for the Clinton camp. Although we don't find out who those early voters have voted for, we do know how many registered Democrats and Republicans have cast their ballots - and so far, the Democrats are well ahead. One challenge for Clinton though, is trying to energise

Summary: With just four days to go, Melania Trump makes a rare campaign appearance while everyone tries to make sense of new polls and early voting numbers.


The 34-year-old hooker also told the Australian Broadcasting Corp that he was stepping down as captain immediately. "I think it's the right time to call time on my career at this level," said Moore, who has played 120 Tests. Flanker Michael Hooper is set to take over the captaincy of the Wallabies, according to local media. Moore, who has played in three World Cups since his debut in 2005, said he had been considering the "very tough" decision for months. Injuries "were not a factor", he added. "It has been a big part of my life and it means a lot to me playing for Australia," he told the ABC. "I felt it is the right time to finish the year strongly and then let the next crop of players take the team forward." Moore, the 10th most capped international player of all time, plans to play one more season of Super Rugby with the Queensland Reds before retiring from the sport.

Summary: Wallabies skipper Stephen Moore has announced he will quit international rugby union by the end of the year.


Mr Potts, who started his Tesco career at age 16 and rose to become retail director in the UK and chief executive of its Irish businesses, will take the helm on 16 March. He takes over from Dalton Philips, who said in January he would leave the troubled supermarket after five years in charge. The chain is battling falling sales. It has been criticised for being slow in moving into the convenience store sector and setting up an online operation. Current Morrisons chairman Andrew Higginson was previously the finance director at Tesco and worked with Mr Potts there for 15 years. He said was "delighted" by the appointment. "David is the best retailer I have worked with in 25 years in the industry. Having worked alongside him for 15 years, I know he will bring to Morrisons a focus on the customer, a track record of delivery, flair, talent, and immense energy to his new role," he added. Morrisons is being squeezed between the higher end of the market and the discount supermarkets chains. The Bradford-based company reported a 3.1% drop in like-for-like sales in the six weeks to 4 January, and said it would close 10 loss-making stores this year. Mr Potts will be tasked with returning the company to growth. He said it "was an honour to have been selected".

Summary: Morrisons has named former Tesco director David Potts as its new chief executive.


The fire broke out at the Student Lodge on Player Street on Monday afternoon. Fire group manager David Stevenson said it was proving to be a "very difficult fire to tackle because of a number of hidden voids" in the old building. Students were evacuated on Monday. Residents of nearby terraced housing are now being moved as a precaution. Flames could be seen coming from the roof of the building in Radford earlier. Mr Stevenson said a cordon around the scene had had to be widened because high winds were blowing around debris. The fire is thought to have started between the third and fourth floors. Part of the building is occupied, but about three quarters is still under construction. Builders who were working on the site were evacuated on Monday. Crews from Leicestershire and Derbyshire are also at the scene. The accommodation block is owned by a private landlord.

Summary: About 60 firefighters are still at the scene of a blaze at a student accommodation block in Nottingham's former Player's cigarette factory.


About 50 people attended a protest at Blackpool North after Chad Vickers was fired from his post, the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) said. It added that the police found "no evidence at all" and his removal by Northern Rail was a "farce". The rail operator said it was "confident this dismissal was fair". Adrian Thompson, human resources director for Northern Rail, added: "We never rush to dismiss our staff. Dismissal is always a last resort." The union's general secretary Mick Cash said: "There is no compelling CCTV evidence, the police found no forensic evidence and management could come up with very little in anecdotal evidence to support the decision to dismiss Chad." Northern Rail said it would continue a normal service this weekend despite the 48-hour strike, which started on Saturday midnight.

Summary: Rail staff at a Lancashire station are on strike this weekend after a worker was sacked for allegedly putting hand gel in a supervisor's coffee cup.


They include Kazakhstan's Ilya Ilyin, a four-time world champion who also won gold in the 94kg category at the Beijing Games in 2008. The others are Kazakhstan trio Zulfiya Chinshanlo (53kg), Maiya Maneza (63kg) and Svetlana Podobedova (75kg). If all four are disqualified, Kazakhstan would drop from 12th to 23rd in the 2012 medal standings. Six other lifters who competed at the 2012 Games also tested positive after hundreds of samples were reanalysed. Among them are Russia's Apti Aukhadov, who won silver at 85kgs, Ukraine's Yuliya Kalina, who took bronze at 58kgs, and Belarusian Marina Shkermankova, who won bronze at 69kgs. Completing the group of doping positives are Azerbaijan's Boyanka Kostova and Belarus duo Dzina Sazanavets and Yauheni Zharnasek.

Summary: Four London 2012 Olympic weightlifting champions have tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs.


The visitors' centre was one of the few elements of the County Antrim prison praised in a recent damning report. But the bus that took people between the centre and the prison stopped after the start of a new contract. The Northern Ireland Prison Service said it has arrangements in place to "assist people with mobility issues". Just before Christmas, a private company took over the running of the visitors' centre from the Quaker Service, a family support charity, and the bus service ended. Malcolm McCormick said that has made it difficult for people to visit the jail as it is too far to walk. He had been visiting a friend regularly in the prison, but because of his disabilities he could not drive and had to use public transport. But when he arrived at the visitors' centre at the start of December he was told he would have to make his own way to the prison entrance. "[The prison] is not the right access level for visiting," he said. "They really don't care about people who've got disabilities, or people who have to go visit their loved ones inside." Until December, Mr McCormick chose a train closest to his visit, and then waited at the visitors' centre until his time slot, like many other prison visitors. They were then taken to the main prison in a minibus, which, like the visitors' centre, was run by the Quaker Service. But when the contract for the visitors' centre was awarded to a private company, the provision of a bus was not included in the tender. It is about a quarter of a mile from the centre to the prison, which Mr McCormick said was too far for him and others, "especially people with mobility problems, people with bad sight, or carrying children". He said although a taxi was able to drop him at the main building from the train station, he was not able to wait in the prison building itself and that the visitors' centre was the only place people could wait. Mr McCormick felt his only option was to get a taxi all the way from Belfast, costing him "about forty quid on each visit". The recent report on Maghaberry Prison was damning on almost all fronts, but it did give one area a glowing review. It said: "The welcoming visitors' centre continued to offer good support, including to first-time visitors who were identified. "The bus transporting visitors between the visitors' centre, the searching area and the prison also now provided a service to and from the local Moira train station." Mr McCormick said the prison service needs to do more to help visitors. Raymond McCartney, the deputy chair of the Northern Ireland Assembly's justice committee, said there should be "compassion" shown to prisoners' families and friends visiting the jail. "I think it's an important service - the distance from the visitors' centre to the front gate is considerable," he said. "Recently, when I was in the prison and spoke to the senior managers, they believed a solution could be brought

Summary: A disabled man has said his visits to Maghaberry Prison have become more difficult since changes were made to the visitors' bus service.


Humberside Police advertised for the Â£117,078-a-year senior post on its website. The Chief Constable said it was "vital candidates embraced new technology". But a marketing expert has said the force should not have used "the tactic" for a very "serious role" that commands a degree of respect in the community. Emma Pearson-Kendall, director of Fred Marketing, said: "You would hope in a role this serious people would take it seriously. "I think it would be better maybe if they were saying this [area] was a great place to live and work and all the opportunities here, focusing on that rather than how the applicant looks." Ms Pearson-Kendall said she hoped the selfie was not being used to "discriminate" against any potential candidates. "I wouldn't do it and I probably wouldn't recommend that clients do it," she said. Chief Constable Justine Curran said the force had "invested heavily in new technology in a bid to modernise the way we work". She said: "We currently have a vacancy for a Deputy Chief Constable which is a key role within the force and as such it is vital that potential candidates understand the importance of embracing new technology within Humberside Police at the point of applying for the role. "This is why we have created a recruitment advert that reflects our aims and ambitions as a force by encouraging candidates to get involved from the outset."

Summary: A police force recruiting for a new deputy chief constable has requested applicants submit a "selfie" in order to apply for the role.


The Â£28m project includes proposals for a major industrial and commercial development at Exxon Mobil's former site in Bowling. A road would also be built to provide an alternative route in and out of West Dunbartonshire. The outline business case for the project will be presented to West Dunbartonshire Council on Wednesday. The proposals form part of the Glasgow City Region City Deal. The plans would see West Dunbartonshire Council pay Â£3.8m towards the overall cost, with the rest funded by the UK and Scottish governments. The project is expected to support up to 690 full-time jobs and generate about Â£19m each year for the West of Scotland economy. If the outline business case is approved, it will then be presented to the council's City Deal Cabinet in April. Infrastructure work could begin in early 2021 and be completed in early 2024. Richard Cairns, West Dunbartonshire Council's strategic director for regeneration, environment and growth, said: "The presenting of the outline business case to council marks another big step forward for what is a key regeneration priority for West Dunbartonshire. "The future for the Exxon site is an exciting one that we believe will bring about real change for the better in terms of jobs and the economy."

Summary: Plans to redevelop a former oil terminal in West Dunbartonshire could take a step forward this week.


An Irish FA statement said the Linfield manager's ban had been "upheld" but due to "mitigating factors" had been altered to a "two-match suspension". The sanction will now start on 11 April with the other two-match ban suspended for six months. The ban was imposed after Healy's red carding at Portadown on 12 February. Healy was furious after referee Arnold Hunter awarded the Ports a controversial penalty which helped clinch a 2-1 win. Linfield go into Saturday's Seaview contest five points behind the leaders and current champions in the first round of fixtures since the Premiership split.

Summary: David Healy will be in the Linfield dugout for Saturday's crucial Irish Premiership game against Crusaders after having his four-game ban reduced.


Under the deal, Israel has agreed to end all hostilities and targeted killings, while Hamas will stop attacks against Israel and along the border. At least 157 people have died since the flare-up of violence began last week. Both sides continued to fire on each other as the 21:00 (19:00 GMT) ceasefire deadline approached, but no major breaches have been reported. By Jeremy BowenBBC Middle East editor As usual, the talking started before the killing stopped. Since Hamas took over internal control of the Gaza Strip from their Palestinian rivals Fatah in 2007, there have been many spasms of cross-border violence. All have been followed by ceasefires. All have fallen apart, and every time Israel and Hamas blame each other. The reason is that the ceasefires have been, to paraphrase a spokesman for the Israeli prime minister, sticking-plaster solutions. They cover up the fundamental problem which is that Hamas and Israel are in what amounts to a constant state of war. For months on end it can be a cold war, until it runs hot - and deadly - again. There is a strong chance that a new ceasefire will eventually fall apart too, unless it brings with it a major change in the political equation between Israel and the Palestinians, especially those in Gaza. This time round, both sides have been trying to change the rules of the game by attaching conditions to a ceasefire. Israel wanted Hamas not to rearm, and not to fire over the border. Hamas wanted Israel to stop assassinations and to stop the blockade of Gaza. That's the kind of deal that might even work if they made it. But for that to happen, both sides would have to make big concessions to their enemy. Earlier, a bomb exploded on a bus in the Israeli city of Tel Aviv, leaving three people needing surgery and several others with light wounds. Wednesday also saw at least 13 people die in Gaza. Palestinian gunmen fired into the air in Gaza in celebration after the deal was announced. Israeli police said a handful of rockets were fired out of Gaza after the ceasefire but no injuries or damage were reported. Israel has agreed to "stop all hostilities on the Gaza Strip, land, sea and air including incursions and targeting of individuals", the ceasefire deal says. "All Palestinian factions shall stop all hostilities from the Gaza Strip against Israel, including rocket attacks and attacks along the border," it stipulates. Hamas political leader Khaled Meshaal said Israel's offensive had "failed". He also thanked Egypt for brokering the deal, which he said met Hamas's main demands. All the crossings into Gaza would re-open, including those with Egypt, Mr Meshaal said. A statement from the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had agreed to a US suggestion "to give a chance to Egypt's proposal for a ceasefire and so give an opportunity to stabilise the situation and calm it before there will be need to apply greater force". Egyptian Foreign Minister Kamel Amr announced the ceasefire at a news conference

Summary: A ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas movement which governs Gaza has come into effect.


It said the scale of footpath erosion was "threatening Snowdonia's fragile nature". The number of walkers climbing Snowdon has doubled since 2007 and more than four million people visited Snowdonia last year. But the trust said grass species move in when pathways are eroded, strangling some plants. Rhys Thomas, National Trust ranger for Snowdonia, said: "I've been building and rebuilding paths in the area for eight years. "It's tiring, time-consuming and back-breaking work - involving hundreds of hours of volunteer time which requires shifting tonnes of stone by hand, vehicle and helicopter. "But it's vital if we want to protect the delicate upland habitats that make Snowdonia a special place for wildlife." Plants which could be at risk include purple saxifrage, moss campion and roseroot. It is also home to the endangered Snowdon beetle - which in the UK are only found in Snowdonia. The trust is trying to raise Â£250,000 to repair two-and-a-half miles of path. It comes as concerns grow over the amount of litter being left on Snowdon, with some calling for a walker's charge to be introduced. The appeal is supported by Hollywood actor Matthew Rhys, National Trust Wales's Snowdonia Ambassador. Mr Rhys, who is from Cardiff, but has strong family connections to the national park, said he had seen the "trail of destruction left by the eroded paths" during visits to the area. "There's a delicate balance to be struck between man and nature," he added. National Trust Wales looks after almost 58,000 acres of mountain and farmland across the Snowdonia National Park.

Summary: Snowdonia's pathways need to be preserved or plants and wildlife will be lost, National Trust Wales has said.


The 70-year-old will take charge of pre-season after having a tumour removed from his bladder, the Sun on Sunday has reported. Tests later showed that the tumour was not malignant, but Redknapp will have further check-ups every three months. "I could feel it in my body - I knew it wasn't right. This is the first time I've been properly worried," he said. Redknapp took charge of the Championship club in April after Gianfranco Zola resigned, and succeeded in saving them from relegation. The former West Ham and Tottenham boss signed a one-year contract with Birmingham the following month. He told the paper that it was his wife Sandra who urged him to seek medical advice. "They cut it out, took it away, sent it away to make sure it is not malignant and luckily everything was OK. I know I am fortunate," Redknapp said. "They cut it out, there was no other option. Once they did that I was up and about after a couple of days. I am relaxed about it now because what can you do?" Redknapp and the Birmingham squad arrived in Austria on Sunday for a pre-season trip that will see them play friendly matches against German club Union Berlin and Hapoel Ironi Kiryat Shmona from Israel.

Summary: Birmingham City boss Harry Redknapp has been given the all-clear by doctors after emergency cancer surgery.


The New Syrian Army (NSA) said it had captured a number of IS positions on the outskirts of Albu Kamal, after overrunning a nearby military airport. However, a raid into the town launched at dawn is reported to have been repelled by militants. The offensive, which began on Tuesday, is aimed at cutting a key route between IS-controlled areas in Syria and Iraq. The NSA said it was co-ordinating the assault with Iraqi government forces, who were advancing on the border from the other side. Several hundred rebels are reportedly involved in the attack on Albu Kamal, just a few kilometres from the Iraqi border in Deir al-Zour province. The NSA and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based monitoring group, both said on Wednesday morning that the rebels had taken control of Hamdan airport, about 5km (3 miles) north-west of the town. Fighting was continuing between the two sides in agricultural areas around the town, and coalition warplanes were conducting air strikes on IS hideouts in the town, according to the Syrian Observatory. NSA spokesman Mozahem al-Saloum told the Associated Press that airborne fighters had also been dropped onto the southern edge of Albu Kamal. Later on Wednesday, the NSA issued a statement saying its forces had "conducted a deep penetration raid" into Albu Kamal. "At this time fighting is still ongoing, but the NSA maintains control of the desert, the approaches to Albu Kamal, and maintains freedom of manoeuvre," it added. The Reuters news agency cited two rebel sources as saying that the NSA had been forced to retreat to the outskirts after an IS counter-attack. One of the sources said militants had encircled the rebels in a surprise ambush. The rebels had incurred heavy casualties and lost some of their weapons, the source added. As the rebels advanced on Albu Kamal, IS released a video showing militants beheading five young men in the town who they claimed were working with the NSA, the Syrian Observatory said. The NSA was formed about 18 months ago by rebel factions driven out of eastern Syria by IS, which proclaimed the creation of a "caliphate" in June 2014. NSA fighters, who have been trained at US-run camps in Jordan, captured the Tanf border crossing between Syria and Iraq from IS earlier this year. IS is also facing pressure from a US-backed offensive in northern Syria by an alliance of Kurdish and Arab fighters, who have surrounded the town of Manbij and cut a route to the Turkish border from the IS stronghold of Raqqa. In a separate development on Wednesday, at least seven people were killed in a car bomb attack in the Kurdish-controlled northern town of Tal Abyad, near the Turkish border, state media reported.

Summary: US-backed Syrian rebels say they are closing in on a town on the border with Iraq held by so-called Islamic State.