Over the course of the weekend, more than 2,000 acts will play on the festival's stages - but all eyes will be on the main headliners: Radiohead, Foo Fighters and Ed Sheeran. All three spoke to Radio 1's Annie Mac this week, discussing their hopes and fears for the festival. Here's what they had to say, and a look at their history at Glastonbury. Radiohead are headlining Glastonbury for the third time, 20 years after they first topped the bill. That show, played just two weeks after the release of OK Computer, was named the best gig of all time by Q Magazine but Thom Yorke recently revealed he nearly walked off stage in frustration after the band's monitors blew up, leaving them unable to hear each other. "I just went over to Ed [O'Brien, guitarist] and said, 'I'm off mate, see you later,'" he told BBC 6 Music. "He turned around and went, 'If you do, you'll probably live the rest of your life regretting it.' I went, 'Good point.'" In the intervening years, Radiohead have done more than any other band to push the boundaries of rock music, stretching dark, brooding electronics over Yorke's keening vocals. Their most recent album, A Moon Shaped Pool, rekindled their relationship with melody, and is bound to form the core of their set on Friday night. Annie Mac: How are you all feeling about this? Ed O'Brien: To be honest, a little nervous. A few days ago we were doing the setlist for a show in Denmark and we all fessed up: We had the Glastonbury tingles. You know, that anticipation and slight nerves. It means a lot. It's a huge one. What does it feel like to stand on that stage and look out to 100,000 people? The first time we played it in '97, it felt like we were looking out upon this scene of devastation. The rain was horrendous. But the interesting thing is, when it's really right, it doesn't feel like there's a divide. There's a feeling of the band and the audience experiencing this thing together. Can you tell us anything at all about what you'll be doing on Friday night? There won't be any sort of guest appearances! I thought that Coldplay with Barry Gibb last year was brilliant [but] we're not that kind of band. What advice would you give to people who are virgin Glastonbury headliners? It's all about humility. For me, the bands who don't do it on that stage - or anywhere in Glastonbury - are the ones who turn up with their shades on, and it's all about them. You've got to remember, you're just closing the night. You're not headlining, you're one part of this huge, great, amazing beautiful festival. You're providing maybe two hours of soundtrack to people's enjoyment and experience at that moment. You've got to leave your ego and shades at the gate. Foo Fighters were all set to headline Glastonbury two years ago when Dave Grohl fell off stage and broke his leg in Gothenburg, Sweden. With two

Summary: After two days of build-up, Glastonbury kicks off in earnest on Friday when the Manchester Camerata open the Pyramid Stage, playing orchestrally-enhanced versions of club classics.


Morocco start their Group C campaign against DR Congo on Monday, then face Togo on 20 January and take on Ivory Coast four days later. Rherras, 23, and Cameroon midfielder Arnaud Djoum, 27, will miss Hearts' Scottish Cup meeting with Raith Rovers on 22 January. Cameroon are in Group A with Burkina Faso, Guinea-Bissau and hosts Gabon. Djoum has five international caps while Rherras made his Morocco debut in August. Scottish Premiership clubs are currently on their winter break and Hearts' next league fixture is away to Celtic on 29 January.

Summary: Hearts left-back Faycal Rherras has been given a late call-up to Morocco's Africa Cup of Nations squad.


The American, 34, reached her 88th career final by beating Poland's Agnieszka Radwanska 6-4 7-6 (7-1). It took 2012 champion Azarenka just over two hours to see off Karolina Pliskova, with the 26-year-old Belarusian winning 7-6 1-6 6-2. "This year has been great. It feels so great to be supported," said Williams, twice a winner of the tournament. "It's been a great comeback here in Indian Wells. I'm excited about that." Williams won seven games in a row to take the first set and go 3-0 up in the second, before seven successive points clinched victory in the tie-break. She has won 23 of her 24 matches at Indian Wells, taking a self-imposed 14-year exile from the event amidst allegations of racial abuse from fans after sister Venus withdrew minutes before their semi-final in 2001. "I had a lot of support, I heard a lot of 'go Serenas' and that was kind of cool," added Williams, who won the tournament in 1999 and 2001.

Summary: World number one Serena Williams will face Victoria Azarenka in Sunday's BNP Paribas Open final at Indian Wells.


You are less likely, perhaps, to think of Bach, Haydn, Chopin and Rachmaninov. But for one native Easter Islander, these long-dead European composers are a daily inspiration. Mahani Teave started playing classical music as a young girl growing up on the South Pacific island, one of the most isolated places on earth. But within a year her piano teacher had left. The only piano on the island fell into disrepair and Teave's career looked to be heading the same way. But her mother had other plans. She moved the entire family more than 3,700km (2,300 miles) to the Chilean mainland so her daughter could continue to play. Teave completed university and went on to study music in the United States and Germany, where she is now based. Aged 29, she is regarded as one of the region's finest pianists. Teave describes her childhood as idyllic. "I was in complete contact with nature, swimming in the ocean, climbing trees, running freely. I wish everyone could enjoy that kind of childhood." But on an island with a population of fewer than 5,000 people, it was culturally limited. "There was really no chance to develop," she recalls. "When the piano teacher arrived, her idea was to retire, but then this child turns up and says to her, 'I want to learn piano, please teach me!' So that's how I started. I'd go and practise with her for hours every day. "When the teacher left, my mum said it was just too cruel, to allow children to dream but then not be able to fulfil them. That's when we moved to mainland Chile." Teave says she used to find it difficult to reconcile her Polynesian roots with her love of European classical music. "They were two completely different worlds," she says. "But the more I travelled I came to realise that we're all one people, with the same feelings and the same problems. And it's the same with music. It's about different ways of expressing the same feelings." Two decades after she first sat down at a piano, Teave is trying to ensure that the next generation of Easter Island children have things easier than she did. She has started a music school on the island and has persuaded people to donate instruments. Piano classes started in April and violin classes in June. "The idea is to add cello, guitar and ukulele lessons," she says. "One very generous gentleman has kindly offered to donate a grand piano." The school has teachers but their salaries are only guaranteed until later in the year. Teave is trying to ensure funding does not dry up. "It's been shown that youth orchestras have a real impact on society. If you're in an orchestra you learn to respect the conductor, to listen to your fellow musicians, to work together. And those are important values. "The alcoholism rate on Easter Island is really high, and one wonders why. I think it's because of the amount of talent and energy that ends up wasted and going nowhere." Teave is currently playing a series

Summary: Think of the remote Chilean outpost of Easter Island and you are likely to think of the giant stone statues that are dotted around the island and whose origins are shrouded in mystery.


The proposed panel would be chaired by former police ombudsman Nuala O'Loan. They want the panel to examine all documents and papers relating to the deaths. Eleven people were killed during an Army operation in Ballymurphy in August 1971 to arrest people suspected of paramilitary activity. The seven-strong panel would also include Prof Phil Scraton, author of the independent Hillsborough report into the deaths of 96 football fans in 1989, and civil rights lawyer Gareth Pierce. The relatives said the panel should report within 12-18 months, and should be funded by the British and Irish governments. Its work would reflect the terms of reference of the government-funded Hillsborough Independent Panel. In a statement the families said "they have amassed strong evidence that all who died were killed unlawfully and in breach of Article 2 of the European Convention of Human Rights. "The case raises serious questions regarding human rights abuses committed by the British Army and of a culture of impunity in the north of Ireland in which members of the security forces routinely were above the law." The families have criticised the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) investigation into the killings at the time. They have also expressed no confidence into the review of the deaths currently being conducted by the Historical Enquires team (HET). Members of the Parachute Regiment claimed they opened fire after being shot at by republicans during Operation Demetrius in 1971. A Catholic priest and a mother-of-eight were among those killed. After an application from the families the attorney general directed the coroner to re-open inquests into the deaths in November 2011.

Summary: The families of 11 people killed by the Army in west Belfast more than 40 years ago have called for an independent panel to investigate the deaths.


El Diario de Juarez has become known for its strong reporting from the deadly streets of Ciudad Juarez. But the killing of a 21-year-old photographer last week prompted the newspaper to run a front-page editorial asking: "What do you want from us?" Rights groups say journalists are regularly being targeted by drug gangs. The Committee to Protect Journalists, a US-based advocacy group, says more than 30 journalists have been killed in Mexico since 2006. Many of those killed were reporting on crime or corruption, the group says, adding that the climate of fear has led to a widespread culture of self-censorship among fearful media workers. El Diario's editorial, published on its front page on Sunday, was its second since Luis Carlos Santiago, 21, was shot in Ciudad Juarez on 17 September. He later died of his injuries, although an intern who was also shot, Carlos Sanchez, survived the attack. "The loss of two reporters from this publishing house in less than two years represents an irreparable sorrow for all of us who work here, and, in particular, for their families," the newspaper said. Describing the drug lords as the "de facto authorities" within Ciudad Juarez, the newspaper asked the cartels: "We ask you to explain what you want from us, what we should try to publish or not publish, so we know what to expect." It highlighted the lack of progress in the investigation into the 2008 death of Armando Rodriguez, shot dead outside his home in view of his family. But the editorial insisted it was not "a surrender", saying instead that it had simply become "impossible to do our job in these conditions". Speaking to BBC World Service an editor at El Diario, Gerardo Rodriguez, said there was a war going on in Mexico that the journalists did not ask for. He expressed anger at the lack of progress in the official investigation into Mr Rodriguez's death and criticised the government as well as the cartels. "We are looking for a peace agreement. No story is worth the life of anyone anymore." The newspaper had not decided to stop publishing stories on the drug war, Mr Rodriguez said, but would consider doing so if the answer that came from the cartels indicated that was their wish. Describing El Diario as a "very aggressive" organisation that "searches for the truth", he conceded that the paper might have to scale back its work if the violence did not stop. "We may consider stopping in exchange for the lives of our reporters." Carlos Lauria, of the Committee to Protect Journalists, said El Diario's decision was a cause for regret. "Even in one of the places where violence is worst... El Diario was still doing a lot of good reporting on crime," he told the Associated Press, describing the paper's move as "an indication that the situation is out of control". Ciudad Juarez is one of the deadliest flashpoints in Mexico's drug battles, which have seen violence rise sharply in the country's north in recent weeks. Opposition groups say a government crackdown on cartels,

Summary: A Mexican newspaper in the heartland of the country's drug war has asked cartels for guidance on whether it should publish stories on the conflict.


The New York real estate mogul has posted a consistently commanding lead in presidential preference polls in the state, which holds its primary election just two weeks after Iowa and New Hampshire. He's made more than a dozen trips there, drawing crowds in the thousands, while the gatherings of his competitors pull in hundreds at best. In fact, across the South - in states like Mississippi, Florida, Texas, Georgia and North Carolina - Mr Trump has been immensely popular. Last August, the candidate gave a speech at a football stadium in Mobile, Alabama, that drew an estimated crowd of 30,000 - orders of magnitude above what any other Republican has tallied. It all makes for a rather unusual attraction, given that Southerners can look askance at brash Northerners like Trump, whom they often derisively refer to as Yankees. Four years ago, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich - from neighbouring Georgia - shocked eventual nominee Mitt Romney with a double-digit win in South Carolina. In 2008, Mike Huckabee - a former governor of Arkansas - dominated the Deep South, taking five states. Rudy Giuliani, the last New Yorker to mount a serious campaign for the Republican nomination, was trounced in South Carolina and Florida, and killed his campaign before the other Southern states voted. But as Donald Trump stood in a packed basketball arena on Friday in Rock Hill, South Carolina - the state where the first shots of the US Civil War were fired - it appeared clear that the New York businessman's appeal transcends accents and upbringing. "He'll take the South," said Thomas Goodson of Harksville, South Carolina. "No doubt about it." He added that he found the candidate's New York bluntness refreshing. "He tells you like it is, and it hits you right, square between the eyes." Goodson was one of a crowd of more than 6,000 cheering for Mr Trump that night, and the candidate basked in the adoration. "South Carolina is a special place," Mr Trump said to cheers. "They're all saying how well I do in South Carolina, like, beyond any place. I want to just thank you." He pointed to one man standing near the front of the stage. "This guy, he's been to 10 of my rallies," he said. "He's like a brother to me, this one." Mr Trump spoke for nearly an hour - despite repeated interruptions from protesters - with his usual string of derisive comments about his political opponents and calls for a strong US foreign policy, a border wall with Mexico and a temporary prohibition of Muslims entering the country. "They say my tone isn't nice," he said. "They're killing us all over the world. Who the hell cares? We've got to have a tough tone." Patty Teter of York, South Carolina, said that she didn't find Mr Trump's tough tone, delivered in his sharp New York accent, at all disagreeable. "Contrary to popular belief, Southerners are a lot tougher than we look," she said, adding that Mr Trump's carnival-style rally - complete with popcorn concessions and souvenir vendors - was

Summary: When Donald Trump takes the stage at the Republican debate in Charleston, South Carolina, on Thursday night, he'll have an unlikely home field advantage.


The church at Tabgha is built where Christians believe Jesus performed the miracle of the loaves and fishes, also known as the Feeding of the 5,000. Hebrew graffiti found on a wall is thought to indicate the attack may have been the work of Jewish extremists. Police detained 16 teenagers for questioning but later released them. Spokeswoman Luba Samri told the AFP news agency that they were freed "with no conditions attached, after being interviewed and giving statements". The BBC's Kevin Connolly in Jerusalem says Tabgha is a sacred site to the many thousands of Christian pilgrims who visit the Holy Land every year. The arson attack on the Church of the Multiplication of the Loaves and Fishes caused extensive damage to a book shop and other buildings at the complex but did not destroy the 5th Century mosaic floors which are its key archaeological feature. Two people who had been staying at the complex were also taken to hospital suffering from smoke inhalation. A verse from a Hebrew prayer denouncing the worship of "idols" was found spray-painted in red on a wall of the church. Our correspondents say the graffiti will suggest to many that the attack is part of a sporadic campaign by a small group of right-wing Jewish extremists against non-Jewish targets in Israel, but police said it was too early to tell. "The torching of the church is a cowardly and despicable act which contradicts Israel's basic values," Internal Security Minister Gilad Erdan said in a statement. The Israeli pressure group, Rabbis for Human Rights, says there have been 43 hate crime attacks on churches, mosques and monasteries in Israel and the occupied West Bank since 2009, Reuters news agency reports.

Summary: Arsonists are believed to have started a fire which has damaged a Roman Catholic church on the Sea of Galilee in northern Israel, police say.


Media playback is not supported on this device The Reds said goodbye to captain Gerrard with a 6-1 thrashing at Stoke to finish sixth in the Premier League. "I've always said if the owners want me to go, then I go," said Rodgers, who has won two of his last nine games. "For everybody connected with Liverpool, we are all embarrassed by that result." It was the first time in 52 years the Reds had let in six goals in the league but Rodgers, 42, insisted he still has "a lot to offer the club", despite winning no silverware during his three years in charge. Media playback is not supported on this device Liverpool must also now go through two qualifying rounds if they are to compete in the group stage of next season's Europa League. "A lot has happened this year which has made the job difficult," added Rodgers, who guided the Reds to second place last season. "Last season, when things were working well, we had the support of everyone but performances like today do not help that and I fully understand that. "The fans deserve an apology. They were angry at half-time - and rightly so - because that was awful, absolutely awful. "They have every right to be angry and frustrated and of course I take full responsibility for that as the manager." Rodgers faces a big rebuilding job in the summer and, as well as Gerrard joining LA Galaxy, there is speculation about the future of young forward Raheem Sterling. Rodgers dropped Sterling, 20, to the bench at the Britannia Stadium and Liverpool found themselves trailing 5-0 at the interval after a terrible display. All five goals came in the space of 23 minutes from Mame Biram Diouf, twice, Jonathan Walters, former Liverpool midfielder Charlie Adam and Steven Nzonzi. Gerrard marked his farewell with a consolation goal but there was still time for ex-Liverpool striker Peter Crouch to head a sixth for Stoke five minutes after coming on as a substitute. Asked about his rebuilding plans, Rodgers added: "There's an awful lot of work to do and the job is to now go and fix that, and make sure we come back with a motivation greater than ever to push on next season. "We've finished the season in sixth, which is where we deserve to finish. "We have to now start, today, on the climb to get back up again."

Summary: Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers accepted his future at the club is in doubt after Steven Gerrard's final match ended in a humiliating defeat.


Media playback is not supported on this device The 29-year-old scored a single yuko to beat Graf 1-0 in the first bronze medal match in the weight category. Conway had earlier beaten world champion Gevrise Emane of France but was beaten by Colombia's Yuri Alvear for the right to fight for gold. The Bristol-born judoka won bronze for Scotland at the 2014 Commonwealth Games. "It hasn't sunk in," she told BBC Sport. "I knew if I was going to come away with a medal I would have to put in my best performances. "I'm not from Brazil but the crowd have been awesome. I just want to thank everyone." Find out how to get into judo with our special guide. Conway suffered shoulder ligament damage during her second-round defeat at London 2012 and had to have surgery. "This has been my dream since London," she added. "I can't put it into words." Great Britain's Gemma Gibbons, who won judo silver at London 2012, tweeted: "She's only gone and done it. "Absolutely amazing from Sally Conway. Our Olympic medallist Miss Conway." Japan's Haruka Tachimoto beat Colombia's Yuri Alvear by ippon to win the gold medal and Germany's Laura Vargas Koch defeated Spain's Maria Bernabeu by wazari to win the other bronze medal contest. Subscribe to the BBC Sport newsletter to get our pick of news, features and video sent to your inbox.

Summary: Briton Sally Conway defeated Austria's Bernadette Graf to win the -70kg judo bronze medal.


Sebastian Prodl is suspended while Christian Kabasele, Craig Cathcart and Younes Kaboul are all out injured. Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany should be fit despite being substituted during the 3-1 win over West Brom. John Stones has also recovered from a groin strain and could replace Nicolas Otamendi in defence. Steve Wilson: "Pep Guardiola's been saying some interesting things this week. Firstly that his side's performance this season would have got him sacked at the kind of club he's been accustomed to working at. "Then he asked an interviewer to give him one good reason to think that the English league is anything special compared to Spain, Italy and Germany. "I'm certainly not saying that Guardiola is wrong - just that it's odd that he was willing to say this stuff. You might interpret it as a pointed signal to those he works with at City to up their game if they want to get to his level. "Speaking of managers, Walter Mazzarri has been told to pack his bags with Watford issuing a statement remarkable only for its brevity. "The Hornets are on their longest losing streak in nine years - should they lose again on Sunday it will be their longest for 44 years. Enough said." Twitter: @Wilsonfooty Watford head coach Walter Mazzarri: "I would like to thank the main characters of this season - the players and the fans. "Our fans have always been extraordinary with their participation and with their fantastic passion for the whole season. "Also I thank the players, who have always given 200 per cent of what they had, always going further and pushing their limits." Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola: "It's a crucial game for us absolutely - a final. It's in our hands. We have to go there and win. We have won three in a row but we still have 95, 96 minutes to fight. "Watford have had a good season. They are safe. We have to be careful. "We are going to make changes [in the summer]." I had been wondering for a while what was going to happen to Watford boss Walter Mazzarri, and it was no surprise when it was announced this week that he will be leaving. I think the Hornets will play well in his farewell game but I still think Manchester City will get the win they need to secure third place. Prediction: 0-3 Lawro's prediction v rock band Royal Blood. Head-to-head Watford Manchester City SAM (Sports Analytics Machine) is a super-computer created by @ProfIanMcHale at the University of Salford that is used to predict the outcome of football matches.

Summary: Watford could be without up to six central defenders, with Adrian Mariappa (knee) and Miguel Britos (calf) facing late fitness tests.


Private equity firm ECI Partners will take a majority stake in the business, which sells a bicycle range developed in conjunction with Olympic gold medallist Sir Chris Hoy. It is being sold by Active Private Equity, which bought its controlling interest in the then family-owned company for about £35m in 2008. At the time Crawley-based Evans had 31 outlets and annual sales of some £44m. It now has 56 shops and sales have risen by more than 300% under Active's ownership. The company has more than 1,000 employees, including 250 mechanics. Nick Evans, partner at Active Private Equity, said: "Evans Cycles of today remains true to its independent bike store roots, run by cycling enthusiasts for cycling enthusiasts." Evans began in 1921 when FW Evans opened the first store in Kennington, south London. It was sold by his widow in 1950 to Joe Smith, whose son Gary Smith went on to expand the business. The management, including chief executive Nick Wilkinson, will retain a stake in the company. "Today's announcement marks the start to an exciting new phase in our journey," he said. "It will enable us to deliver our brand promise in new ways and to more people." ECI was set up in 1976 by the Bank of England to invest in small companies that faced liquidity issues but has been a partnership for many years. Its first management buyout came in 1981 with telecommunications company Ansafone. It has also invested in companies including Café Rouge, National Express, Bloomsbury Publishing and Chubb. George Moss, partner at ECI, said: "As consumers look to lead increasingly healthy lifestyles and their shopping habits become ever more sophisticated, we believe Evans is well placed for further growth." Participation in cycling expanded by 27% between 2006 and 2014, Sport England found. The UK bicycle market was worth just over £950m last year, according to Mintel, and is set to be worth about £1.3bn by 2019. The market research firm said that Halfords was the clear market leader in the UK bicycle market, in terms of both sales and volume. Michael Oliver, senior leisure and media analyst at Mintel, said: "Rising average selling prices reflect recognition on the part of consumers that they get what they pay for and an increasing proportion of them understand that it is worth paying more for a quality bicycle."

Summary: Evans Cycles has been sold in a deal thought to value the retailer at £100m.


Cleveland Police used anti-terror powers as part of an investigation into alleged leaking of confidential material to newspapers in 2012. However, the force claimed it was justified in secretly monitoring the phones of two former officers. Mark Dias and Steve Matthews claim they were targeted after challenging misconduct by fellow officers. The decision over whether the force's covert techniques used against its former employees were lawful will be made in the new year, following an Investigatory Powers Tribunal. At the hearing in London, Judge Sir Michael Burton said although he reserved judgement until 2017, it was clear what his decision would be. He said the force should start thinking about compensation for the two officers. Cleveland Police claimed it was justified in using the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (RIPA) - which has since been replaced. In a four-month period the force monitored over a million minutes of telephone data, the tribunal heard. Mr Matthews, the former head of Cleveland's Police Federation, said: "I honestly think they were trying to stitch me up." If anyone criticised the force "they would be jumped on and, as part of that campaign, I was singled out", he said. Mr Dias said the force monitored his phone calls, emails and activity. The officers' legal team said the "force's casual disregard for the legal framework beggared belief".

Summary: A police force has admitted to unlawfully accessing the private phone records of journalists and a solicitor.


Five others were injured in Monday evening's blast at the Eagle Fireworks factory in Sangli district. It was not immediately clear how the fire started. Accidental explosions are common at Indian fireworks factories, which provide fireworks for weddings, festivals and other ceremonies. In 2012, 34 people were killed and 30 others injured in a massive blaze at a fireworks factory in the southern Tamil Nadu state. The BBC Hindi's Devidas Deshpande in Pune says that the latest explosion in Kavathe Ekand village was so powerful that it was heard at least five kilometres away, and the debris of the factory was scattered far and wide. The mother and the son of the factory owner were among the dead, while his brother and three workers were seriously injured. The village has many households making firecrackers for local religious festivals and such incidents have been reported before. Some 25 people have been killed in at least six such incidents in the village in the past few years, our correspondent says.

Summary: At least nine people have been killed in an explosion at a fireworks factory in the western Indian state of Maharashtra, police say.


The blaze in Crumpets Farm Drive, Lytchett Matravers, started at about 11:00 GMT. Acetylene cylinders were believed to be inside the property and a 70m (230ft) cordon was put in place. Dorset Fire Service said the A350, which was partially closed, had now reopened. An investigation has started. Residents whose properties were not affected returned home at 18:00.

Summary: Fifteen residents, including a baby, were evacuated from their homes after a fire broke out in a nearby garage in Dorset.


Typhoon Nida hit Hong Kong on Tuesday with high winds and torrential rain, forcing schools, businesses and transport services to shut. But the storm was reported to be weakening as it moved to the mainland. Guangzhou in Guangdong province issued a red alert, its highest weather warning, and people have been advised to stockpile food and essentials. The southern cities of Zhuhai and Shanwei are also on red alert, with transport, industry and public services largely grinding to a halt. Nida, which earlier passed over the Philippines, is set to be the strongest typhoon in the region since 1983, one official told Chinese state media, warning it could bring severe flooding. In Hong Kong, thousands of workers were evacuated from an offshore oil platform and from a series of tunnels and bridges being built to link the territory with two other cities. Hundreds of people took refuge in government shelters in the city, amid torrential rain and gusts of over 150km/h (93mph). Although Hong Kong officials ended their rainstorm alert at midday on Tuesday, they warned residents there was still a risk of flooding in low-lying areas. Southern China is hit by heavy rains every monsoon season, but this year has been particularly bad. In July, Typhoon Nepartak killed dozens of people in Fujian province and forced hundreds of thousands of Chinese people from their homes. It also caused deaths and damage in Taiwan.

Summary: Large areas of southern China are on emergency alert as a powerful typhoon batters the region.


The Kitchener memorial in Orkney is among those in line for financial assistance. The monument, which sits on an exposed cliff edge, and faces extensive weathering - is getting £30,000. Memorials in Helensburgh, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Huntly, Tullibody and Keiss have also received War Memorials Trust funding. The recipients are: Frances Moreton, the director of War Memorials Trust, said: "The charity is delighted at the level of interest in this scheme and the enthusiasm of people across the country to do something about the condition of their memorials. "There are still plenty of funds available for the right projects so get in touch to see if we can help your local war memorial."

Summary: Grants totalling £190,000 have been offered to restore 21 First World War memorials across Scotland.


Inspectors said the "innovative and radical" work with prisoners' children at HMP Parc, Bridgend, was "probably the best we have seen". It opened a 60-bed family interventions unit in 2010. The Prison Officers Association (POA) said more staff and resources would help continue the work. Prison inspectors reported on two unannounced visits they made at G4S-run Parc prison late in 2015 and early this year. They found its work with families encouraged prisoner involvement with the lives of their child. The family interventions unit at the privately-run prison, one of the largest in Wales and England, provides a range of programmes and activities for inmates aimed at helping them to maintain and improve their family relationships. The prison has also worked with Barnardo's Cymru for about 10 years with the aim of making a visit to the jail less challenging for the children of fathers inside. Inspectors said: "A prison analysis suggested that 69% of prisoners at Parc received regular visits compared with an average of 48% across the rest of England and Wales." HMP Parc, which is also a young offenders' institution, houses more than 1,600 prisoners. BBC Radio Wales current affairs programme Eye on Wales was given access to one intervention - a nursery rhyme session for fathers with young children hosted by the prison's charity-sector partner. The men on the Rhyme Time session are inside for a range of offences including violence and drugs. One of them told the programme: "My daughter was born while I was here, so I haven't had the chance to get a bond with her apart from being on groups like this. "Through all these visits, the bond has come. Looking to when you actually get out the gates, from me never seeing my daughter on the outside, ever, I know she already knows that I'm her father and someone special in her life." The head of the prison's family interventions programme, Corin Morgan-Armstrong, said: "It's about reducing reoffending and it's about improving the future outcomes of these children, most of whom will have negative, pre-determined outcomes because of their parental situation." Prisons Minister Mr Selous said: "It's important we remember that the families of prisoners have done nothing wrong; partners, wives and children in particular. "The evidence is that if prisoners manage to maintain strong family relationships they commit less crime when they come out. "Parc has led the way but we really need to embed this as best practice across all prisons in Wales and England." Mark Fairhurst, of the POA, said: "We welcome any new ideas in to how we can rehabilitate offenders and improve everybody's life, but that comes at a cost and the cost is resource, investment and staff training. " Eye on Wales is on BBC Radio Wales at 12:30 BST on Sunday, 12 June

Summary: Using family bonds to promote the rehabilitation of fathers in jail is an idea that should be run in all prisons, minister Andrew Selous has said.


Recent online leaks showed some officials were receiving over 100 times more than an average public sector worker on about $400 (Â£305) a month. The cap for government officials is now set for $2,630 and $5,250 for those in the mixed state-private sector. Public anger has already led to the sacking of several bank directors. One of them was paid about $60,000 a month, according to leaked payslips. However, it was not clear whether it was the director's monthly salary or total earnings, including a bonus. Any payment beyond the new limits would now be seen as "a violation and crime", government spokesman Mohammad Bagher Nobakht said on Tuesday. The row has also given conservative critics of President Hassan Rouhani new ammunition to attack him ahead of his likely bid for re-election next year.

Summary: The Iranian government says it will cap salaries of public officials after a row over the high level of pay of some employees.


The Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Agency (Rura) said it had received complaints from the public of incitement, hatred, revisionism and genocide denial. At least 800,000 ethnic Tutsis and moderate Hutus died in the genocide. The BBC has denied that any part of the programme constitutes a "denial of the genocide against the Tutsi". On Wednesday, Rwandan MPs approved a resolution calling on the government to ban the BBC and to charge the documentary-makers with genocide denial, which is a crime in the country. Those killed in the genocide are generally believed to be mostly members of the minority ethnic Tutsi group, and Hutus opposed to the mass slaughter. The BBC programme Rwanda, The Untold Story, includes interviews with US-based researchers who say most of those killed may have been Hutus, killed by members of the then-rebel Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF), which has been in power since 1994. The programme also included interviews with former aides of RPF leader President Paul Kagame, accusing him of plotting to shoot down the presidential plane - the act seen as triggering the slaughter. He has consistently denied previous such accusations. Rura said it had established a commission of inquiry to investigate the allegations it had received about the programme, after which further action may be taken. The cabinet is meeting next week to discuss parliament's recommendations. The BBC broadcasts affected by the suspension are produced by the BBC Great Lakes service, which was initially set up in the aftermath of the genocide as a lifeline service. Its first broadcast - BBC Gahuzamiryango, meaning "the unifier of families" - was a 15-minute transmission aimed at bringing together families who had been separated.

Summary: Rwanda has suspended BBC broadcasts in the Kinyarwanda language with immediate effect because of a film questioning official accounts of the 1994 genocide.


15 June 2013 Last updated at 17:21 BST Tafwyl is a free family festival in the grounds of Cardiff Castle, featuring music, sport and craft activities, as well as cookery and literature. Around 10,000 people were attending. Rhys, who is also due to start filming a BBC Wales drama from Monday, said holding the festival in the city helped to break down potential barriers to the Welsh language. Education Minister Leighton Andrews also said it had an important role to play in showing off the language and its growth in the city.

Summary: Actor Matthew Rhys, the star of Cold War drama series The Americans, returned to his home city Cardiff to open a Welsh language festival.


A group of employees from the Northern Ireland Public Service Alliance (Nipsa) union are in dispute with their employer over pay and job grading. The grievance involves 12 higher executive officers (HEOs) at Nispa offices in Belfast and Londonderry. In a statement, Nipsa said it was "committed to resolving this dispute". Nipsa employees are not permitted to become members of the union they work for, but the staff involved are members of another trade union, Unite. Unite representative Kevin Kelly said it was a long-standing dispute and he accused Nipsa's governing general council of a "failure to practice a standard of industrial relations that they would expect of their officials". "My members are disgusted that their employer, who routinely challenges poor industrial relations practice across Northern Ireland, is acting in a manner which no employer would dare," Mr Kelly said. "This dispute is resolvable if the will of the employer existed. "It is therefore with reluctance and sadness that our members have been forced to take the ultimate action left open to them, that is the withdrawal of their labour". The affected Nipsa employees are to hold a one-day strike on Friday 30 October and will then begin a work-to-rule protest from Monday 2 November. Nipsa general secretary Brian Campfield said: "Nipsa is aware of the concerns of this group of its staff and has been involved in negotiations with their trade union, Unite, about how the issues in contention can be resolved to the satisfaction of both parties. "Nipsa has advised Unite that it is committed to resolving this dispute and is presently engaged in further work which will hopefully settle any outstanding matters."

Summary: Trade union staff are to take strike action against their own organisation, claiming it has been "acting in a manner which no employer would dare".


But two leading Scottish butchers have said they are happy to make changes to their traditional Scottish recipes to make it suitable for the US market. They are looking into adapted haggis recipes which do not include ingredients - such as sheep lung - which are not allowed across the pond. Alternative cuts of meat have been suggested to get around the American rules which prevent haggis imports. Butcher Simon Howie said he could see no problem with adapting his haggis recipe for the US market. He suggested replacing the sheep lung that the recipe calls for with lamb shoulder or flank meat to make it suitable. Mr Howie, who is the world's largest producer of haggis, said this would change the texture slightly but the taste would be broadly similar. James Macsween, of Macsween of Edinburgh, said they had already started adapting the recipe using only approved ingredients in anticipation of a change in US law. Haggis imports have been outlawed in the US since 1971. The country's food standards agency prohibits sheep lungs - one of the key ingredients - in food products. Sheep lungs are "considered an inedible item" in the US, a spokesman for the country's Food Safety and Inspection Service has previously said. Recipes for haggis can vary, but it is often comprised of offal - often a mixture made from the sheep's "pluck" - liver, heart and lungs - minced with spices, suet, onions and oatmeal which is soaked in stock then stuffed inside a sheep's stomach bag. The stuffed stomach is then boiled, and often served with neeps 'n' tatties - or mashed swede and potatoes. James Macsween, managing director of Macsween of Edinburgh, said lifting the ban on haggis imports to the US was a "massive opportunity" for the Scottish haggis industry. The US export market would be roughly equivalent to half of the UK sales, Mr Howie estimated. "We are ready to launch Macsween haggis in the US if there is a change in the current situation by the FDA," said Mr Macsween. Richard Lochhead, the rural affairs secretary, told the BBC: "Tens of millions of Americans want to enjoy Scotland's national dish. "If we managed to get into that market that would create jobs back here in Scotland and millions of pounds to the Scottish economy." Any changes to the recipe would only be for the US market, according to Simon Howie. The Perthshire-based butcher added: "Haggis is eaten by a large proportion of the Americans who visit Scotland so it makes sense to get the product on the shelves of their home supermarkets. "Haggis is always a talking point."

Summary: Haggis imports have been outlawed in the US for more than 40 years.


Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson said the Federal Protective Service will enhance its presence at various sites in Washington DC and elsewhere. The action has been described as a precautionary step to safeguard US government personnel and facilities. It comes one week after a gunman opened fire in Ottawa, killing a soldier. "The reasons for this action are self-evident: the continued public calls by terrorist organisations for attacks on the homeland and elsewhere, including against law enforcement and other government officials, and the acts of violence targeted at government personnel and installations in Canada," Mr Johnson wrote in a statement on Tuesday. "Given world events, prudence dictates a heightened vigilance." The homeland security chief did not provide details as to which of the more than 9,500 federal US facilities will see additional security, claiming such information is "law-enforcement sensitive". The announcement comes just hours after Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper spoke at a funeral for Cpl Nathan Cirillo, 24, killed by gunman Michael Zehaf-Bibeau last week. "May time ease the searing pain of today," Mr Harper told mourners. Cirillo was standing guard unarmed at Canada's war memorial when Zehaf-Bibeau, 32, opened fire. The gunman then entered Canada's parliament and fired dozens of shots before being killed by Sergeant-at-Arms Kevin Vickers. The Canadian authorities earlier said the gunman was radicalised but had no ties to Middle Eastern Islamist extremists.

Summary: The US has announced bolstered security measures at government buildings across the nation in the wake of an attack on Canadian parliament.


Victoria and South Australia are experiencing higher than expected numbers of mice, the CSIRO said. The agency characterises a mouse plague as more than 1,000 mice per hectare (2,471 per acre). If conditions bring enough food, the population could hit that number within months, researcher Steve Henry said. "We had a terrific spring this year which lead to record crops," Mr Henry told the BBC. "Those conditions that lead to great crops are also really favourable for mice." The CSIRO could not give a current figure for mice per hectare, but said data from traps and anecdotal evidence pointed to a population spike. About five mice per hectare would be considered normal, Mr Henry said. Mouse plagues regularly occur only in Australia's grain belts and a province in north-west China, the CSIRO said. Victoria and South Australia occupy a large part of the Murray-Darling Basin, a fertile region accounting for almost 40% of Australia's agricultural income, according to the government. Outbreaks of mice create a significant financial hit to farmers who are forced to buy costly bait and often re-sow crops. Mr Henry said outbreaks also led to stress in rural communities. "It's the fact that they are invading people's houses, they're in their vehicles, everywhere they turn around there's a mouse," he said. "People in the cities are aghast when they have a mouse in the house. These people in the country, they're jamming up every crack in their house with steel wool to stop the mice from getting in." Mice were introduced to Australia by European settlers. They have few natural predators and face little competition from native wildlife.

Summary: Australia's science agency has warned that spring rains have created ideal conditions for a mouse plague in the country's breadbasket.


The government in Havana says those to be freed include inmates due for conditional release next year, as well as a number of foreign prisoners. Those found guilty of crimes against state security will not be eligible, seemingly ruling out several high-profile political prisoners. The Pope will make a three-day visit to the island next week. According to Cuba's state-run newspaper Granma, prisoners were chosen for early release depending on the severity of their crimes, amount of time served, and good behaviour. Among those to be freed are a number of inmates over 60, prisoners under 20 years old with no prior criminal records and inmates with chronic health conditions. No prisoners with sentences for murder, other violent crimes or drug trafficking will be released, the paper said. Pope Francis is expected to meet with Fidel Castro if the former Cuban leader's health allows. The 78-year-old Argentine pontiff is credited with helping bring about last December's diplomatic thaw after the decades-old enmity between communist Cuba and the US. He was directly involved in organising a series of secret diplomatic meetings between the two sides. The Roman Catholic Church has maintained relations with Havana since the revolution and Pope Francis himself is no stranger to Cuba. He was there during Pope Benedict XVI's visit in 2012 and is the author of a book on Cuba.

Summary: Cuba has said it will release more than 3,500 prisoners in a goodwill gesture ahead of a visit by Pope Francis.


The unit at Glenfield Hospital was threatened with closure in 2012 with the nearest service in Birmingham. A series of changes have now been proposed by NHS England following a national review into children's heart services across the country. University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust said the changes would see the unit move to Leicester Royal Infirmary. On Thursday, NHS England unanimously agreed the proposals and indicated it expected the new system to be up and running in hospitals by April 2016. Presenting the review, Ian Dodge at NHS England, said it had been "conclusive, open and transparent and rigorous". He said: "Our analysis shows these proposals are affordable and deliverable, bearing in mind existing workforce constraints. "These are national standards and we expect national standards to continue to apply." Rob Sissons, health correspondent, BBC East Midlands Today At one time this unit was going to shut and it would have been the end of services in Leicester. Now there is talk of it surviving but it will need collaboration between Glenfield and other units up and down the country. The recommendations passed this morning mean they will have to go from two surgeons to four and they will have to build up their case load. It won't be a walk in the park but the hospital says they think the service can survive. Kate Shields from University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust said the review would push them to provide excellent services for children and their families. "We have worked for a really long time to show that we can sustain heart services in Leicester and we are now at the point where we feel that we have been listened to," she said. She added the trust was already working on the proposals submitted by NHS England. The hospital wants to move all children's heart unit onto one site at the LRI in the next three years and increase the number of procedures it carries out within the next five years.

Summary: Children's heart services in Leicester have been secured after a new vision was approved by a national board.


John Whittingdale was speaking on BBC One's The Andrew Marr Show after launching a debate on what types of programmes the BBC should make. Of Strictly, he said: "The BBC took a risk. It paid off well and it has achieved a mass audience. "And that seems to me admirable if you can do all those things." The government published a Green Paper on the future of the BBC on Thursday, including the question of whether the corporation should be "chasing ratings" or delivering "distinctive, quality" programmes that are unavailable on other channels. That has led to some suggestions that the BBC could stop showing Saturday night light entertainment programmes. Asked about the difference between Strictly and the BBC's long-running Generation Game, Mr Whittingdale said: "Saturday night has always been a time when families sit around the television and we traditionally have had light entertainment shows. "In many ways, Strictly Come Dancing is the successor to The Generation Game. "But Strictly was perhaps, at first sight of the commissioning editor, not necessarily a show which was going to be as successful as it has proved to be. "So I think the BBC took a risk. It paid off well and it has achieved a mass audience. And that seems to me admirable if you can do all those things. "But, of course, in the age when you and I were sitting watching The Generation Game, the amount of choice available was extremely limited. "At that time there were probably only about three channels, whereas now you've got 50, 60, 70 to choose from." Before becoming culture secretary, Mr Whittingdale had told the Guardian newspaper that it was "debatable" whether there was a public service argument for the BBC making Strictly. The show should certainly not compete for viewers with X Factor on ITV, he told the paper. On Sunday, Mr Whittingdale told Andrew Marr he was a "huge admirer" of the BBC. But he said he was "a little surprised that the BBC expressed such disappointment at the Green Paper". He said the document was "just a series of questions with no answers as yet decided". Almost 30 celebrities, including Daniel Craig and Dame Judi Dench, have signed a letter warning against creating "a diminished BBC". But some of the signatories have revealed that they were asked to sign by BBC executives. Conservative MP Andrew Bridgend told the Sunday Express the BBC's director of television Danny Cohen should resign over the matter because it broke the BBC's lobbying guidelines. In his interview on Sunday, Mr Whittingdale did not refer to the row but said he "fully agreed with" most of the letter's contents. He added: "I admire the BBC. The last thing I want to do is undermine the BBC."

Summary: Strictly Come Dancing is an "admirable" example of where the BBC took a risk on a show that was not guaranteed to be a hit, the culture secretary has said.


The first minister will say Wales needs two Labour governments to ensure the economy works "for everyone". The party says it will deliver tidal lagoons, rail electrification and the Wylfa Newydd Nuclear Plant. It will also create a Development Bank of Wales, if in power in Cardiff and London. The party says it will ensure the level of funding Wales currently receives from the European Union continues beyond Brexit. Welsh Labour has so far been attempting to run a largely separate election campaign, fronted by First Minister Carwyn Jones rather than UK leader Jeremy Corbyn. At a launch for the campaign in Cardiff two weeks ago, Mr Jones made no reference to Mr Corbyn, and three of the five pledges unveiled related to the work of the Labour-run Welsh Government in Cardiff Bay, rather than issues under Westminster control. Speaking at the launch in the Delyn constituency in north Wales later today, Mr Jones will say: "Our manifesto is an ambitious, comprehensive plan of what Welsh Labour can do, together, working in the assembly and Westminster." He will add: "Working in partnership, Welsh Labour will commit to protecting the funding that would have come to Wales through the EU. "That money will be spent in Wales, and on Welsh priorities, and not stashed away in Whitehall as the Tories now threaten." The first minister will say a Labour government at Westminster would ensure an "estimated Â£1.5bn extra" will come to Wales every year. The general election manifesto says Welsh Labour will also work with a UK Labour government to abolish the Severn bridges tolls and hand over responsibility for policing from Whitehall to the Welsh Assembly.

Summary: Welsh Labour is promising a "real partnership" with a Labour government in Westminster as it launches its manifesto on Monday.


Official data do not include emissions from making imported goods but both sets of researchers say they should. The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences reports 26% of global emissions come from producing goods for trade. The Carbon Trust found such "embedded" CO2 could negate domestic carbon cuts planned in the UK up to 2025. Researchers want all nations to publish their data on embedded emissions. Glen Peters of research group Cicero, lead authors of the PNAS report, told BBC News: "There is a degree of delusion about emissions cuts in developed nations. They are not really cuts at all if countries are simply buying in products they used to manufacture. "We really need all countries to be developing and publishing the full extent of their emissions, whether they are produced domestically or outsourced through traded goods." The issue of embedded (or outsourced) carbon emissions has been recognised for several years, and the methodology to track emissions pathways is developing. Cicero produced a trade-linked global database for CO2 emissions covering 113 countries and 57 economic sectors from 1990 to 2008. It found that emissions from producing exported goods increased from 4.3Gt (gigatonnes) of CO2 in 1990 (20% of global emissions) to 7.8Gt of CO2 in 2008 (26%). Most developed countries increased their consumption-based emissions faster than their territorial emissions - particularly from goods such cars and clothes. The Carbon Trust research confirms that the UK has increased emissions since 1990 rather than decreasing them, as politicians typically claim. What may alarm ministers even more is a projection that the radical CO2 cuts planned by government into the 2020s may be offset by ever-increasing levels of CO2 in imports. Dr Peters said: "Publishing this sort of data is the first step. The next step - what to do about it - is more difficult. "It raises questions about consumption patterns, and whether countries should consider border taxes on imports from countries with no controls on CO2 emissionsâ€¦ though this is controversial and will be some way down the line." A UK think tank, the Public Interest Research Centre (Pirc), has been discovering how uncomfortable this issue is proving for rich nations. A succession of Freedom of Information requests reveals a degree of frustration among some British civil servants that the UK insists on basing its emissions calculations solely on domestic emissions. One piece of government correspondence reveals: "While technological efficiency has improved the CO2 impacts of our products since 1992, the rise in UK consumption has outstripped the improvements achieved. "The government needs to be cautious about over-claiming on its achievements in decoupling economic growth from environmental degradation." Ministers are well aware of the issue, but insist that the UK should stick to reporting domestic emissions, as these form the basis for international climate negotiations. They also point out that emissions data from major exporters like China is notoriously opaque, and that the methodology for calculating outsourced emissions is unreliable. They say all this creates even greater pressure for the UK to persuade China to cut its own emissions. Guy Shrubsole, from

Summary: The extent of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions "hidden" in imported goods is growing, according to two studies.


The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority said there appeared to be no "material" reason to alter its proposal, first put forward in 2013. Unless "new evidence" emerged, MPs' pay will rise from £67,060 to £74,000. David Cameron opposes the move but has said he will not block the increase, saying MPs' pay is a matter for Ipsa. Ipsa was handed control of decisions over MPs' pay and expenses in the wake of the 2009 expenses scandal. It does not need to get the agreement of Parliament to bring in the changes. The UK's 650 MPs are currently paid £67,060. Their pay would rise to £74,000 under Ipsa's final plans. The PM has previously urged the watchdog to scrap the above-inflation increase, which was initially proposed to address complaints that pay had fallen behind the rest of the public sector. But in its final consultation on the proposals, Ipsa restated its intention to press ahead with the increase, saying there appeared to be no "material" reason to change the recommendations. Unless "new and compelling evidence" emerged by the end of June the pay rise - to be backdated to 8 May - would be confirmed, it said. Ipsa said that due to cuts in pensions and expenses - such as a ban on claiming for evening meals - the overall package of changes would not cost taxpayers "a penny more". Ministers are set to benefit from the increase to MPs' pay - as only the government element of their salaries has been frozen for five years under plans announced by David Cameron in the wake of the Conservatives' election victory. Commenting on the final proposals, the PM's spokeswoman said: "Throughout this process and debate, the prime minister has been absolutely clear that he doesn't agree with the proposed increase. "But ultimately it is up to Ipsa as an independent body to decide MPs' pay and it is for them to make their determination." She added that Mr Cameron's focus was on areas where he had the power to bring down the cost of politics, including proposals for boundary changes to reduce the number of MPs at Westminster. A Labour Party spokesman said: "It would feel wrong if Ipsa proposed an increase in MPs' take-home pay at a time when so many people are struggling." Meanwhile, TaxPayers' Alliance chief executive Jonathan Isaby said the pay rise was "inappropriate", and criticised the watchdog as "out of touch" and "not fit for purpose". "Ipsa spent £70,000 on a consultation which showed the public believed the current pay level to be broadly fair, yet have ignored the findings. MPs shouldn't be divorced from the same pay restraint as everywhere else in the public sector," he said. GMB union general secretary Paul Kenny said: "We trust that none of the MPs accepting this pay rise as public servants will have the audacity to oppose the recommendations of pay review bodies or decent pay rises for public sector workers." Labour MP John Mann said the decision showed "Westminster still doesn't get it". He added: "At a time when the chancellor

Summary: MPs are set to receive a £7,000 pay rise after the body responsible for setting their pay and expenses stuck by its recommendation for a 10% increase.


The airline did not operate 331 flights after cancelling 248 on Wednesday. Some passengers have been stranded in European cities after Easter breaks, prompting Easyjet to operate five "rescue" flights on Friday. The flights will bring three parties of schoolchildren back to the UK. The additional flights will run from Luton to Paris, Paris to Barcelona, Barcelona to Luton, Gatwick to Madrid, and Marrakech to Gatwick. Easyjet says it will put larger aircraft on routes that have been most affected to allow more passengers to get home. A spokesman said the "unnecessary" strike had caused "considerable and disproportionate disruption for passengers and airlines across Europe". Rival low-cost airline Ryanair said it had been forced to cancel more than 500 flights over the last two days. "We again call on the EU [European Union] and French authorities to act now and prevent thousands of travellers being held to ransom by these French [air traffic control] workers," the Irish airline said. Johanna Booth, from Liverpool, has been stuck in Barcelona after two Ryanair flights were cancelled due to the industrial action. "We have a four-month-old baby and his formula milk has ran out and he is not drinking much of the other variety, so I am concerned," she told the BBC. "The support we have received from Ryanair has been minimal." Air France said it was operating one-in-four flights to and from Orly airport in Paris, about 40% to and from cities in the rest of France, and 50% of medium-haul flights to and from Paris-Charles de Gaulle airport. No long-haul Air France flights were affected on Thursday. Air traffic controllers are planning further industrial action from 16 to 18 April and from 29 April to 2 May 2 - both key holiday periods. Roger Rousseau, head of the SNCTA union that represents French air traffic controllers, said: "We can assure our passengers that we are doing everything possible to limit the inconvenience of this strike on them." Among the issues upsetting members is that the retirement age will be raised from 57 to 59.

Summary: Easyjet has cancelled hundreds of flights as the second day of strike action by French air traffic controllers took its toll.


In it, she plays Apple marketing executive Joanna Hoffman, the right-hand woman to the charismatic but deeply flawed genius at the centre of the film, played by Michael Fassbender. "Thank you! I was trying to tidy away empty boxes that had been holding Christmas decorations that I just put up. It's the story of my life. A journalist said earlier: 'So how did you prepare for this day, did you get up early?' And I said: 'Yeah, I got up early and took the kids to school.' But I'm so thrilled, I can't tell you." It doesn't get any easier. People think: 'Oh you're dab hand at this, it must be water off a duck's back." It bloody isn't! I think it gets more tense because 20 years ago when I was nominated for Sense and Sensibility, one wasn't as aware of who was the frontrunner was and what was causing some buzz. If you didn't want to read about it, you just didn't read about it - so you didn't have to hear about it. But now, however hard one tries, it permeates into the ether with the internet. Things have really changed, so I have been much more aware of the comings and goings of this season that I would normally like to be - and it's made me quite sick. It's fantastic. I'm so delighted to be nominated for something that really means as great deal to me and I'm proud to be a part of. The whole experience has been a highlight of my career and this role was not without its challenges, so to be acknowledged really feels terrific. I'm so thrilled for him. That makes me breathe the biggest sigh of relief because just watching him and working with him for three months was great. We barely drew breath - particularly him. It was just mesmerising what he was pulling off and so it's great to se him recognised. He's so deserving of this month. No, but I do have a little trick which I will share with you. One of the most stressful moments of an awards ceremony is not before you start getting ready - it's not even while you're getting ready. It's the moment sitting in the car between getting ready and the red carpet. That moment is agony because you're sitting in a dress you don't want to crease, or it's slightly uncomfortable and you don't want to rip it. But I have managed to eradicate that moment in my my life by getting ready in same venue as the ceremony and then all you gave to do is walk down stairs. It's the funniest thing in the world. A few years ago when I was nominated for Mildred Pierce I arrived at the venue and people were vacuuming the red carpet. I walked down the red carpet in my flip flops stepping over Hoovers, it was hysterical. The paparazzi only see the film star version of Kate Winslet - the real one doesn't look anything like that. They did kind of

Summary: Kate Winslet has landed her 11th Golden Globe nomination for the Danny Boyle film Steve Jobs.


Premiership Aberdeen 4-0 Ross County Celtic 2-0 Motherwell Heart of Midlothian 2-0 Dundee Partick Thistle 2-2 Hamilton Academical St Johnstone 0-1 Kilmarnock Championship Dumbarton 0-3 Ayr United Falkirk 2-1 Dunfermline Athletic Queen of the South 0-5 Greenock Morton Raith Rovers 0-0 Hibernian St Mirren 0-2 Dundee United Inverness Caledonian Thistle 0-1 Rangers

Summary: Match reports from Saturday's Scottish Premiership and Championship games.


The former Italy goalkeeper, 56, replaced Kenny Jackett on 30 July, shortly after Chinese conglomerate Fosun International bought the club. Despite significant investment in the playing squad in August, Wolves have won only four of 14 league games and are 18th in the Championship. Zenga's assistant, Stefano Cusin, has also left Molineux. First-team coach Rob Edwards has been placed in temporary charge and will prepare the team for Saturday's game at Blackburn. A 1-0 home defeat by Leeds on 22 October was Wolves' fourth loss in five league matches, although midfielder Dave Edwards told BBC WM 95.6 after the game that Zenga retained the backing of his playing squad. Nine Championship clubs appointed new managers before the start of the 2016-17 season, but Zenga's departure from Wolves means only four of them remain in their posts. Roberto di Matteo, Paul Trollope, Nigel Pearson and Alan Stubbs left Aston Villa, Cardiff, Derby and Rotherham respectively in October. Rob Gurney, BBC WM 95.6 The cut-throat, "success yesterday" culture of football in the modern era is perfectly illustrated here, with Zenga given less than three months to prove himself. His training methods were clearly popular with the players, but equally some of his personnel decisions were deemed curious. Integrating a huge number of new players, however technically proficient, was not going to be easy, but owners Fosun have decided that someone else can do better in the pursuit of the boundless riches of the Premier League. Zenga's passion and commitment was clear. He was often an adversarial interviewee, steadfastly believing that he was right and the inquisitor was wrong. Ultimately his employers decided he was wrong. And so to the next…

Summary: Championship club Wolves have parted company with head coach Walter Zenga after just 87 days in charge.


The Public Accounts Committee criticised the Department for Transport (DfT) for buying stock itself for the Intercity Express programme and the Thameslink project. The MPs also said it was "extremely disappointing" that the Thameslink carriages would not be built in the UK. The DfT said the schemes would "bring enormous benefits to passengers". The committee said the government had decided to lead on the procurement on the two schemes, "despite having no previous experience of doing so". The contracts are to supply, finance and maintain the new carriages. Previously, this would be done by the train operating companies, the report said. But in this instance, the DfT had decided to intervene because of the "massive scale and complexity of both procurements". A Hitachi-led consortium is supplying 866 new carriages for the Intercity Express programme, which will replace ageing trains on the Great Western and East Coast lines. In the other contract, German company Siemens is supplying 1,140 new Thameslink coaches to provide improved capacity on cross-London rail routes. The combined cost of the two contracts is about £10.5bn. The report said that by buying the trains directly, the DfT had taken on the risk of passenger forecasts being wrong. "If demand proves to be lower than forecast, taxpayers would have to cover the costs of any financial shortfall," it said. "These two major projects also demonstrate yet again that the department has limited capacity and capability to manage large-scale procurements, and that it remains overly reliant on consultants." The MPs welcomed Hitachi's decision to build 592 carriages in County Durham, creating a reported 900 new jobs, but committee chairwoman Margaret Hodge added: "It is extremely disappointing that Siemens will not also be manufacturing the Thameslink carriages in the UK, when the £2.8bn contract is funded by the UK taxpayer and farepayer." The MPs said the government should be "more assertive" in asking for information from contractors in this area. Siemens is building the 1,140 carriages in Germany, but claims up to 2,000 jobs will be created in the UK supply chain. Mick Cash, general secretary of the RMT transport union, said: "The companies using these trains get to privatise the profits while the public get to shoulder over £10bn of risks. It is an absolute disgrace." A DfT spokesman said: "Successive governments have considered how best to deliver these orders and have come to the same conclusion, that government should lead with expert support and advice from the train operating companies. "IEP and Thameslink are making excellent progress and are on track to deliver very good value for taxpayers and improved services for passengers. They are also creating thousands of new jobs across the UK rail industry."

Summary: Taxpayers have been left "bearing all the risk" from purchases of new trains worth £10.5bn, MPs say.


Charlie Clift, 56, was last seen buying outdoor clothing on Tuesday 30 January in Fort William town centre. Highland and Islands Police said they were increasingly concerned about Mr Clift's welfare. Lochaber Insp Andrew Bilton said they were asking hikers to keep an eye out for him. He said: "Given the lack of contact from Mr Clift and the decline in weather conditions, his family, friends and officers are understandably increasingly concerned for Mr Clift's welfare."

Summary: Police are searching for a man from south Wales who went missing while hiking in Scotland.


The man, who is 22 years old, is charged with procuring the drugs for his co-defendant, a 21-year-old woman. The woman is charged with taking two drugs which are commonly used to bring about a miscarriage or abortion. At Belfast magistrates court on Monday, there was an application to adjourn the case. The man's solicitor said there had had been a lot of unacceptable delay in the case and that it was quite stressful for his client. The case was adjourned until 23 January. In Northern Ireland, unlike the rest of the UK, abortion is only allowed if a woman's life is at risk or if there is a permanent or serious risk to her physical or mental health.

Summary: A solicitor for a man accused of procuring drugs intended to cause an abortion has protested about delays in dealing with the case.


Agents arrested more than 150 people on sex-trafficking charges in dozens of cities including Atlanta, Denver and Seattle. The youngest victim found was 12 years old, the FBI said. The FBI targeted hotels, casinos and lorry stops to find underage victims. The majority of the teens found were girls. Agents also found three boys and three transgender teens. The FBI worked with local police departments and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children to help the teenage victims to find shelter and get medical attention. The agencies want to ensure the teenagers do not return to prostitution. "When kids are treated as a commodity in seedy hotels and on dark roadsides, we must rescue them from their nightmare and severely punish those responsible for that horror," FBI Director James Comey said in a statement. The raids involved about 500 local police departments from across the country. A similar FBI-led campaign carried out last year uncovered about 160 teenagers working as prostitutes.

Summary: The FBI has broken up several sex trafficking rings across the US, uncovering more than 100 sexually exploited teenagers in a nationwide operation.


The blasts were heard at around 09:45 local time (07:45 GMT) in the Giza area and were around two minutes apart. Local media report that the bombs targeted police vehicles stationed near a bridge. Armed groups have stepped up their attacks in Egypt since the ousting of President Mohamed Morsi by the military in July last year. A BBC journalist at the scene says there is little obvious damage to the area. The attacks took place in Giza Square, a regular route for marches against the current government. Anti-military protests are expected in parts of the capital later, after Friday prayers. The current government has outlawed the Muslim Brotherhood, declaring it a terrorist organisation. It accuses the movement of supporting attacks against the police and army - a claim the Brotherhood strongly denies. Since Mr Morsi's overthrow, more than 1,000 people have been killed and thousands of members of the Muslim Brotherhood - where the ousted leader hails from - have been detained in a crackdown by the interim authorities.

Summary: Six police officers have been wounded after two bombs went off in Cairo, the Egyptian health ministry says.


A photographer who was able to board the stricken wooden vessel said more than 1,000 migrants had been crammed aboard. They were among at least 28 migrants who died in the area on Tuesday, while some 4,655 people were rescued. The total number rescued over the past two days is more than 10,000, while the death toll is at least 50. Smugglers have taken advantage of calm weather to push more boats out to sea. Aris Messinis, a photographer for the French AFP news agency, said many of the dead aboard one particular boat had suffocated. He said: "It was a wooden vessel and there were about 1,000 people on three levels. I counted 22 bodies and there are still others in the hold." Mr Messinis's graphic images showed the bodies of dead young men and women, piled on top of one another on the deck of a dinghy and in the cramped hold of a wooden boat. On Monday, 6,055 migrants were rescued - one of the highest numbers in a single day - and 22 found dead, Italian and Libyan officials said. One Italian ship rescued about 725 migrants from a single rubber boat, the coastguard said - just one of 20 rescue operations that day. Relatively calm weather is contributing to a surge in the number of people attempting to make the crossing before the cold weather sets in. The surge takes the number of migrants who have arrived in Italy this year to about 142,000 and the death toll to about 3,100, according to the International Organisation for Migration. The majority come from African countries, including Nigeria, Eritrea, Guinea, Gambia, Sudan, Ivory Coast and Somalia. European law says migrants must stay in the country where they first enter the EU. With fewer migrants able to travel into Europe via Greece and the Balkan route, and France, Switzerland and Austria effectively closing their borders, Italy is struggling to deal with the growing numbers landing on its shores. Monday marked three years to the day since 366 migrants died when an overcrowded boat sank off the Italian coast, in a disaster that first drew widespread attention to the plight of those attempting to reach Europe by sea.

Summary: More than 20 migrants are said to have suffocated in the hold of an overloaded boat off the Libyan coast.


India-born Rajat Gupta had leaked boardroom secrets to Raj Rajaratnam, a former hedge fund manager who is serving 11 years in prison. Gupta, 67, was released on Friday, the Press Trust of India said, quoting his record at Federal Bureau of Prisons. The US court has agreed to re-hear his appeal against his 2012 conviction, reports say. Gupta completed the last two months of his jail term at his home in Manhattan, after being released in January from a correctional facility. He was confined to his apartment and was required to wear an ankle bracelet that monitored his movements, the Press Trust of India reports. During the court case, which resulted in Gupta being found guilty in June 2012, the jury heard secret recordings of conversations between him and Rajaratnam. The trial focused on a phone call made to Rajaratnam on 23 September 2008, minutes after Gupta had listened to a private conference call discussing a $5bn (Â£3.4bn) investment in Goldman Sachs by Warren Buffett's company Berkshire Hathaway. The deal was due to be made public after stock markets closed that day. According to phone records, Rajaratnam bought $40m in Goldman Sachs stock moments after the phone call, earning nearly $1m. Apart from the two-year prison term, Gupta was also fined $5m. Gupta, who was born in India and educated at Harvard, also served on the boards of Procter & Gamble, the Rockefeller Foundation and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Summary: A former Goldman Sachs board member has been released after serving a two year sentence for insider trading in the US.


The scheme, introduced by mayor George Ferguson, aims to reduce commuter parking in the city. Spike Island has become the 16th and final area to have parking restrictions introduced. The first one started in Kingsdown five years ago. The policy has led to protests and vandalism of some parking machines. Some business owners have said it has damaged trade. Mr Ferguson said: "The rollout has done what I hoped it would do, with most opposition fading once a scheme goes live, and the majority of residents and traders being pleasantly surprised. "The feedback we're getting is that parking becomes much easier in the residents' parking zones." He added that he would ask for the views of local councillors and neighbourhood partnerships before "reconsidering an extension to the scheme".

Summary: The final residents' parking zone (RPZ) has been introduced in Bristol.


A report from Bristol City Council found vinegar was more expensive and less effective than glyphosate. Contractors were also unwilling to use vinegar as they were afraid of residents' complaints about the smell. But a local councillor says potential health concerns should take a higher priority. The council started a year-long trial in 2016 to see how effective vinegar would be in replacing glyphosate, following pressure from campaigners who fear it can cause cancer. The World Health Organisation and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations have, however, decided that food grown with it is unlikely to cause harm to human health. In the report out this week, the cost of using vinegar was found to be 3.6 times greater than glyphosate, and weeds treated by vinegar would reappear within a month instead of five to six months after being sprayed with the chemical weed-killer. Contractors added they were not willing to recommend the use of vinegar and "were concerned that complaints about its 'smell' would harm their reputation". Councillor Anthony Negus said the trial "must be redone much more rigorously", describing the report as "patchy". "Cost has to be a minor factor. If there is a real risk to health, that trumps everything," he said. Community gardener Karen Sillence called on the council to "mobilise the public to help". "There have to be other ways they haven't tried to clear weeds without using chemicals. I want to see them persevering." A Bristol City Council spokesman said the authority would "now consider our options and continue to keep up to date with relevant research and emerging products and techniques, to see if we can find a better solution".

Summary: Campaigners have urged a city council not to give up on using vinegar instead of controversial chemicals to kill weeds on its streets.


Four people were on board the Irish Coastguard Rescue Helicopter 116 when it went down on 14 March. Cpt Dara Fitzpatrick died after she was rescued from the sea. Police said that the body of another crew member had been found but they could not yet confirm identification. The missing coastguard crew were Cpt Mark Duffy, winch operator Paul Ormsby and winchman Ciaran Smith - it is not yet known which member has been found. Search teams are trying to remove the body of the crew member from the cockpit of the aircraft, but investigators said sea conditions have meant dives to the wreckage on Saturday have been prevented. On Friday the black box recorder from the rescue helicopter was recovered. The chief inspector with the Irish Air Accident Investigation Unit (IAAIU) Jurgen Whyte said: "We're happy to announce we had a positive recovery of the data recorder at 1630 from the seabed just off Blackrock." Mr Whyte said the recorder will be brought to Dublin before being sent to the UK air accident investigation branch where it will be prepared for download, hopefully successfully, by Tuesday or Wednesday of next week. Late on Friday afternoon, searchers began diving at Blackrock island off the coast of Blacksod, County Mayo, where the wreckage of the helicopter was found on Wednesday It was discovered about 60m west of Blackrock island, in waters about 40m deep. R116 lost contact with the Irish Coastguard at about 01:00 on 14 March, as it made its final approach to Blacksod refuelling depot. The crew had been providing communications support to another coastguard helicopter that had been deployed to take an injured fisherman to hospital. The wreckage of R116 was pinpointed after search teams deployed a remotely-operated vehicle (ROV), fitted with an underwater camera.

Summary: The body of a crew member has been located in the wreckage of a rescue helicopter which crashed earlier this month, gardaÃ (Irish police) have confirmed.


Jason Nelson, 32, admits killing Jordan Maguire, 20, at his Luton home, in a "spree of violence" on 26 May 2013 but claims it was done in self-defence. The former resident of Marsh Farm Estate in Luton has pleaded not guilty to murder, rape and sexual assault. A man who saw Mr Maguire stabbed three times said the accused "showed no regrets or remorse" afterwards. Luton Crown Court heard the attacks happened at Mr Maguire's home in Thrales Close between 18:00 and 20:15. The prosecution allege Mr Nelson was in the middle of a spree of violence, having sexually assaulted a 25-year-old woman in the stairway of some flats and then a 60-year-old woman in her flat. Witness Dennis Kamau said he and his girlfriend were looking to buy some cannabis when he came across Mr Nelson near the Nisa store on the estate. He took the pair to Mr Maguire's home where the men entered the house while the woman stayed outside. After the pair agreed to share a deal, they went to the kitchen where Mr Maguire removed a tin from a kitchen cabinet. Mr Kamau said: "The next thing I saw was a knife rise above and attack Jordan. "I saw the knife go into Jordan. Jordan acted all shocked. He stabbed him a second time." Mr Kamau told the jury the victim was then stabbed in the back by Mr Nelson who said "You little pussy" before putting the knife away and riding off on his bike. "I was scared, terrified and shocked," said Mr Kamau. Asked how the accused appeared, he said: "He showed no regrets or remorse." A stab wound to the chest had punctured Mr Maguire's aorta and he was fatally injured. The jury earlier heard Mr Nelson stayed for two weeks with a girlfriend in Ipswich before flying to his native Grenada and was later arrested in Trinidad.

Summary: A man who stabbed a drug dealer to death showed no remorse after the knife went in, a jury has heard.


The Fed is expected to keep borrowing costs on hold but its economic commentary will be closely scrutinised for hints about future moves. In Japan, the benchmark Nikkei 225 index closed down 0.8% at 16,974.45. Shares of Japanese consumer electronics firm Sharp slumped nearly 12% on reports a takeover deal may be delayed. According to Reuters, Taiwan's Foxconn - also known as Hon Hai Precision - may postpone its $6bn (Â£4.2bn) purchase of Sharp after receiving "new material information" and is requesting more guidance on its latest quarterly performance. In China, the Shanghai Composite index rose 0.2% to 2,870.43 while Hong Kong's Hang Seng index dropped 0.15% to 20,257.70. In Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 index ended 0.15% higher at 5,119.03 even though falling iron ore prices dragged on mining shares. South Korea's Kospi closed up 0.3% at 1,974.90, despite data showing the unemployment rate hit a five-year high. The rate rose to 4.1% from 3.5% in February, which was higher than economist expectations, due to a contraction in the manufacturing and construction sectors. However, analysts say most global investors are focusing on the outcome of the Fed's meeting. "Another hike is sharply at odds with Fed concerns about increased uncertainty around global/China outlook and market turbulence tightening credit conditions," said Vishnu Varathan from Mizuho Bank. He added that attention was focused on any hints the bank might make about the frequency of interest rate rises this year.

Summary: Asia markets were mixed on Wednesday as investors waited for the outcome of the latest Federal Reserve meeting.


Kent County Council (KCC) is caring for 720 unaccompanied children who have crossed the English Channel to Dover - up from 630 at the start of August. The council is to reopen Appledore former reception centre near Cranbook to house about 40 boys aged 16 or 17. It is also converting a disused care home in Whitstable for under 18s. It comes as the Conservative MP for Tonbridge, Edenbridge and Malling added his voice to calls for the government to do more to help refugees and migrants entering Europe. Tom Tugendhat tweeted: "Our common humanity, demands action at home and abroad." The Red Cross, which works with young migrants in Kent, said the "overwhelming majority" who arrived in Dover from migrant camps in Calais claimed asylum. "I believe the numbers are around 95%," said spokesman Rhys Cutler. Children under 14 who arrive in the UK alone are taken into foster care while older teenagers live in the community as cared-for children. David Slater, chaplain for Eurotunnel and the Port of Dover said some young asylum seekers arrived in Calais after "absolutely horrendous" journeys. "In some cases they are running away from wars, but frequently they are being sent by their family who have clubbed together to get the money to send them because they will then be potentially earning in Europe," he said. "These are children who have got an awful lot of pressure on them." In July, KCC announced it was to convert the disused Ladesfield Care Home in Whitstable to house young migrants. Now it has said it will also bring back into use the Appledore building at Swattenden outdoor education centre to help ease pressure on its children's services. "We need extra capacity as it is not possible to predict the number of unaccompanied asylum-seeking children who will arrive at the border in need of our care," said Councillor Peter Oakford. "Since June this year there has been an unprecedented increase in the number of arrivals. "We have accommodated as many as is possible in our existing provision at Ashford but it reached full capacity several weeks ago." They say a picture is worth 1,000 words and the picture of a Syrian child's body washed up on the beach in Turkey seems to have galvanised the debate over whether the UK should take more asylum seekers. Even Conservative MPs have stepped up the pressure on the government. The MP for Tonbridge and Malling Tom Tugendhat took to Twitter to say that he'd "spoken to many in West Kent who want us to do more" and he agreed with them. He also said our common humanity demands action at home and abroad. The government's line has always been that they are at the forefront of the response to the Syrian crisis, but after growing calls for Britain to do more, the Prime Minister has now said that he felt deeply moved by the sight of that young boy on a beach in Turkey. He said "Britain is a moral nation and we will fulfil our moral responsibilities" but he has

Summary: A former reception centre for asylum-seeker children is being brought back into use following an "unprecedented" surge in the number of young migrants.


Canon Jeremy Pemberton is a chaplain at Lincoln Hospital and has Permission to Officiate and leads occasional services in Nottinghamshire. Gay marriage became legal in England and Wales last month but the move was not supported by the Church of England. The Bishop of Lincoln said Mr Pemberton had been reminded of this policy. Mr Pemberton, who describes himself as activist for LGBT equality in church and workplace, married his long-term partner on Saturday. Supporters on social media predicted he would be the first of many gay clergy to wed. The Bishop of Lincoln, the Right Reverend Christopher Lowson, said: "I am aware that a member of the clergy who works in the Diocese of Lincoln has married a partner of the same sex. "The priest concerned wrote to me in advance to explain his intention and we had a subsequent meeting in which I explained the guidelines of the House of Bishops." Commenting on Twitter last night, Mr Pemberton thanked well wishers but said "Nay-sayers we can talk another timeâ€¦maybe?"

Summary: An Anglican hospital chaplain has become what is believed to be the first member of the clergy in Britain to have a gay marriage.


The authorities moved in early on Tuesday to break up a makeshift protest camp in the city centre. Several others were injured. Protests began almost three weeks ago, after a massive vehicle bomb in the city centre left more than 150 dead. Demonstrators accuse the government of failing to provide security. Pledging an investigation into the overnight violence, Afghan Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah said one person been killed and six wounded. "These kinds of incidents damage the trust between the government and the people," he said. Demonstrators put the number of dead at two. Street clashes broke out after the authorities demolished the camp. Police responded with live rounds, AFP news agency reports. Afghan intelligence officials have blamed the 31 May bomb attack on the Haqqani network, a Taliban affiliate with alleged support from Pakistan. The Taliban and the Haqqani group denied any involvement. Islamabad strongly rejected the claim. The bombing sparked anti-government protests just days later in which four people were killed, as police used tear gas and fired bullets into the air to keep crowds at bay. Three suicide bombers then attacked the funeral at the weekend of one of those killed in the protests, killing at least seven people. The Kabul protest began peacefully the day after the bombing three weeks ago. Demonstrators demanded the execution of Taliban detainees and the sacking of senior security officials. Soon however fierce critics of President Ashraf Ghani, many of them members of Jamiat Islami which has a 50% stake in the government, took over the protest and violence ensued. They wanted the government dismantled altogether. Police called them rioters who wanted to storm the presidential palace. Some members of Jamiat accuse President Ghani of bigotry and favouritism, and of micromanaging the entire government. They want his right hand man, security adviser Hanif Atmar, removed. They had been bottling up their revulsion against the government for bringing Gulbudin Hikmatyar, Jamiat's rival since the 1990s, to Kabul after successfully negotiating a peace deal with him. Jamiat members see his backing of President Ghani as their loss. Many Afghans accuse the government of failing to tackle the militants adequately. More than a third of the country is now said to be outside government control. Earlier this year, a top US commander warned of a "stalemate" in the fight against the Taliban unless more foreign troops were committed. US President Donald Trump is believed to be assessing his options.

Summary: Police in the Afghan capital, Kabul, have opened fire on anti-government protesters, killing at least one person, officials say.


Striker Stamp, 37, will also be available as a player for the east Yorkshire club, who were promoted to the National League via the play-offs. Housham was appointed last week following former manager Billy Heath's decision to switch to FC Halifax Town. Stamp played under Housham at previous club Gainsborough Trinity, "Darryn is a perfect match with Steve and he has that added bonus that he is still a quality striker," joint chairman Steve Forster told the club website.

Summary: North Ferriby United have finalised their management team by appointing Darryn Stamp as assistant to new boss Steve Housham.


I went to the North West of England to talk to Labour campaigners about the shock of the defeat and their view on the way forward. First stop, Bury in Greater Manchester. The former mill town is known for its "world famous" market which attracts bus and coach tours from all over the North West - and drew in a fair few politicians for photo shoots during the general election campaign. You can get good honest northern grub there - pies, black puddings and Lancashire cheese (pictured below) - and while you might think this classic industrial town would be a Labour stronghold, in fact it's been a battleground between Labour and the Conservatives for decades. Not winning the parliamentary seat of Bury North, which contains the town centre, was a huge disappointment for Labour on 8 May. The defeated Labour candidate, James Frith, a small business owner, said: "It was devastating, in every sense, from a national point of view but also because of the sheer toil that we put in. "We lost by 378 votes. We actually bucked the national trend in Bury North but at the count it just wasn't the night to win it." Overall in the north west of England, Labour increased its share of the vote by just over 5% but the loss of a key marginal, Bolton West, and the failure to win target seats such as Bury North and Morecambe and Lunesdale were local signs of a wider story. "The more you start to analyse the results, the bleaker it looks for Labour," says Prof Andrew Russell, head of politics at the University of Manchester. "It's still useful to look at the general election result not really as a national contest but as a series of geographies of the vote. There were lots of battles where you thought the ground war would matter. "What is remarkable is that although there were some successes for Labour in some of those ground battles, the overwhelming story is of unexpectedly bad results." So what went wrong? For one thing, says Prof Russell, the Conservatives' campaign strategy was more sophisticated, and not just in the marginals of the north west of England. "An electoral strategy that picks off the particular voters that might swing the vote in a particular context was the secret of the ground war and the Conservatives were much better at targeting voters with complex stories. "So they would be appealing to Lib Dem waverers in some seats, saying if you vote Lib Dem that might let in Labour and the SNP. In other seats, they were happy for UKIP to take votes off Labour and come up on the blind side. It was a very complex picture." The former MP Julie Hilling is still recovering from the shock of losing her seat of Bolton West to the Conservatives by 800 votes. I caught up with her in Westminster when she returned to pack up her office and her flat. She said two groups of her former constituents had deserted Labour on election day. "We

Summary: Labour is still reeling from its general election disaster, which reduced the party to its lowest number of MPs since 1987, left members battered and bruised and started the search for a new leader.