Jume Tahir, 74, was reportedly stabbed after he led early morning prayers at the Id Kah mosque on Wednesday. His killing came two days after dozens of people were reportedly killed or injured in clashes with police in Yarkant county, in the same prefecture. The reasons for his death remain unclear. But the BBC's Damian Grammaticas in Beijing says Mr Tahir, who was from Xinjiang's mainly Muslim Uighur ethnic minority, was a vocal and public supporter of Chinese policies in the region. Radio Free Asia quoted an unnamed shopowner near Id Kah as saying he saw a body lying in a pool of blood front of the mosque in the morning and police clearing a huge crowd that had gathered. He was told the body was that of Mr Tahir. A hasty burial was conducted by the late afternoon and the funeral procession was heavily guarded by military and police, according to The Los Angeles Times . Shortly after his death, police sealed off roads in and out of Kashgar and cut internet and text messaging links to other parts of China. Those restrictions have since been lifted. Mr Tahir was appointed imam of the 600-year-old mosque by China's ruling Communist Party. Some say he was deeply unpopular among many Uighurs who disliked the fact that he praised Communist Party policies while preaching in his mosque. He had also echoed the official government line that blamed the rising level of violence in Xinjiang on Uighur separatists and extremists, says our correspondent. On Monday, a knife-wielding gang attacked a police station and government offices triggering clashes that killed "dozens" of Uighur and Han Chinese civilians, according to state media outlet Xinhua. But activists disputed this account and said that local Uighurs were protesting against a Chinese crackdown on the observance of Ramadan, which ended on Monday. Reports surfaced earlier this month that some government departments in Xinjiang were banning Muslim staff from fasting during Ramadan, and several university students told the BBC that they were being forced to have meals with professors. There has been an upsurge in Xinjiang-linked violence that authorities have attributed to Uighur separatists. In May at least 31 people were killed when two cars crashed through an Urumqi market and explosives were thrown. In March, a mass stabbing at Kunming railway station killed 29 people. In response Chinese authorities have launched a year-long security campaign which includes increased police and troop presence in key cities and towns in Xinjiang. Scores of people have been arrested, and some sentenced to lengthy jail terms or death.

Summary: The imam of China's largest mosque - in the city of Kashgar in Xinjiang - has been killed in what appears to be a targeted assassination.


Fatbergs are caused when cooking fat, oil and grease are poured down drains and become tangled up with waste items like baby wipes and sanitary products. The blockage is in a sewer beneath the Dublin Road in Belfast. Northern Ireland Water said crews have already removed "a couple of hundred tonnes" of grease from the sewer. The firm said cooking fat is a "significant" problem in the area as it houses several fast food outlets. The company's networks sewerage manager, Gavin McCready, warned restaurant owners that fatbergs could have some very unpleasant side-effects. "These fat blockages can not only result in out-of-sewer flooding, but odour problems and the risk of rat infestations both near and beyond your premises." Mr McCready also said it was adding unnecessary costs to the businesses and the public purse. "While most businesses use grease traps and bin their waste correctly, those that don't are contributing to a massive fatberg in the sewers around the area. "Our team has been on the site, working over a number of Sunday mornings, clearing the fat that has solidified. "This is labour intensive work that can only be done early in the morning before the traffic builds up." In the last two years NI Water has spent over Â£5m clearing blockages from the sewer system. The company said up to 80% of blockages were caused by fat, oil and grease and other inappropriate items being flushed into drains. The items get stuck together and form a ball, which can build up over time to block sewer pipes. Earlier this month, NI Water spent five hours clearing a fatberg from a drain in Newry, County Down. The blockage was at Buttercrane Quay in the city centre. In August 2013, Britain's biggest ever fatberg was removed from a London sewer. Thames Water said the lump found under a street in Kingston upon Thames was the size of a bus.

Summary: An operation to remove a "massive fatberg" from a Belfast sewer has been ongoing for the last six Sundays and is expected to take several more.


Burton's Foods, which owns and bakes brands such as Jammie Dodgers and Wagon Wheels, said it was closing its site in Moreton after a business review. The company said it would invest Â£7m at its manufacturing sites in Edinburgh and Llantarnam, South Wales. It also plans to consolidate its Knowlsey multi-site distribution operations in a single location. Burton's Foods intends to phase down production from March before completing the closure later in 2011. Chief executive Ben Clarke said: "Today's announcements recognise the need to transform our supply chain. "The proposed job losses are deeply regrettable, but, along with the new Â£25m investment we are making in our UK manufacturing capability, will help deliver sustainable profitable growth for the company in a highly competitive and challenging market." Angela Eagle, Labour MP for Wallasey, said it was a "huge blow to the community". "This is the largest private sector employer in the constituency and they have decided to close this plant at a time when the job market is deeply depressed, leaving 342 families struggling after Christmas. "I will pledge to work during the consultation to persuade them to change this decision." She added: "Over the years we have given endless support to the plant, injecting public money to keep it going and secure those jobs, and it is a devastating blow that they turn around today and do this to Morton." Wirral Council leader Councillor Jeff Green said: "I am incredibly disappointed by this proposal and will be seeking an urgent meeting with Burton's to examine and discuss the reason behind their decision. "I also wish to investigate whatever opportunities there are to continue to work with the company to secure jobs in Wirral and the future of the site." The Unite union's national officer Jennie Formby said: "Burton's has been part of the Wirral for generations, providing stable employment for families across the community. "So we will fight with all our power to save this plant because closure is not an option. It will devastate this community." Edinburgh MSP David McLetchie has welcomed the announcement of further investment at Burton's Sighthill factory, which has more than 600 permanent and 250 agency staff. Mr McLetchie said: "This is great news for the Sighthill workers as well as a huge relief, because when Burton's announced this review of its facilities across the UK back in October there was a distinct possibility that Sighthill could be closed or seriously run down." Burton's Foods, which makes branded and own-label biscuits and snacks, is the second largest biscuit supplier in the UK. As well as Wagon Wheels and Jammie Dodgers, it also makes Cadbury's chocolate biscuits including the Crunchie, Turkish Delight and Caramel biscuit ranges.

Summary: A biscuit manufacturer is to close its Wirral factory, with the loss of 342 jobs.


Labour's Clive Lewis, who is standing in Norwich South, made the comment in an interview with the New Statesman. He had been asked if he was taking victory in the marginal seat for granted. He said he was "sincerely sorry" if anyone had been offended by the comment. Mr Lewis, who worked for BBC Look East as a reporter, had told the magazine: "I mean, in the multiverse there's still three universes in a hundred where there's a Green MP in Norwich, so anything could happen. "I could be caught with my pants down behind a goat with Ed Miliband at the other end - well, hopefully that won't happen." In 2010, Labour's Charles Clarke lost the seat to the Liberal Democrats' Simon Wright who had a majority of 310 votes. Regarding his New Statesman interview, Mr Lewis said: "On occasion we all have the ability to get carried away with language and colourful metaphors. "If anyone was genuinely offended then I'm sincerely sorry for that." Mr Lewis is standing against independent Cengiz Ceker, UKIP's Stephen Emmens, Lesley Grahame from the Green Party, David Peel of Class War, Conservative Lisa Townsend and Liberal Democrat Simon Wright.

Summary: An election candidate has apologised for joking that he "could be caught with my pants down behind a goat with Ed Miliband at the other end".


Charlotte Caldwell has campaigned and raised funds for her five-year-old son, Billy, who has severe epilepsy. When he was just six-months-old, Ms Caldwell was told by a doctor at the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children that he would not survive. She refused to give up hope and took him to Chicago for life-saving treatment. She raised hundreds of thousands of pounds and when the money ran out, she asked Health Minister Michael McGimpsey to fund similar care at a private facility in Oxford. They left Chicago but when they got to Oxford, the minister appeared to do a U-turn and the funding stopped. While Ms Caldwell challenged the turnaround, she borrowed Â£30,000 from the bank and from family members to continue the treatment. Now the Department has changed its mind again and has agreed to send Billy back to Oxford. Ms Caldwell feels the minister should refund the money already spent. "I feel that he has a responsibility to Billy, and at least let us be able to pay back to the bank and to my family the money that was borrowed," she said. Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness has supported the family. "I would hope that both he and others who will be responding to this request will be compassionate and will recognise that this family has been through a very difficult ordeal over many years," he said. "The reality is that the child has recorded enormous progress." Mr McGimpsey declined to be interviewed, saying he could not comment on patient care plans because of confidentiality. Ms Caldwell said: "I'm completely puzzled and bewildered why we have had to go through this because it's Billy's life at the end of the day and we're just trying to give him the best possible start in life."

Summary: The mother of a Castlederg boy is asking the Department of Health to refund money she spent funding his health care in England.


Francis Cadell's depiction of ''George Street and Charlotte Square'' was whitewashed over and the canvas was reused by the son of another colourist, Samuel Peploe. The Scottish Gallery in Edinburgh discovered the missing Cadell during conservation. It is estimated that the painting could sell for more than Â£50,000. The Scottish Colourists were four post-impressionist painters, Peploe and Cadell, along with John Leslie Hunter and John Duncan Fergusson. They absorbed and reworked the strong and vibrant colours of contemporary French painting into a distinctive Scottish idiom during the 1920s and 1930s. The lost Cadell work was painted around 1909 from his studio at 112 George Street, Edinburgh, and looks across the street to Charlotte Square. When the artist died in 1937, his sister Jean Percival Clark, well-known as the actress Jean Cadell, came up to Edinburgh to sort out his affairs. She was helped by Denis Peploe, son of Samuel, who was a student at Edinburgh College of Art. She gifted him some of her brother's art material and included among the canvases, probably including "George Street and Charlotte Square", taken off its stretcher, turned and re-stretched ready to be used again. It is not known why Cadell abandoned the painting, which is finished and bears a strong signature. Years later, Denis Peploe painted his own picture, Begonias, a still life on a trestle table and whitewashed over the Cadell exposed on the other side. The Scottish Gallery acquired the Denis Peploe and in the process of conservation discovered the Cadell on the reverse. Denis's son, Guy, who is director of the Scottish Gallery, told BBC Scotland that he had bought the painting at auction and was shocked when he got a call from the picture conservator. "He said 'I think there's something interesting on the other side of the picture'. "I said go-ahead take it off its stretcher and see what we can see. He called back a few minutes later and said 'bottom left hand corner, signature FCB Cadell.' "I think I choked on my morning roll." Tommy Zyw from the Scottish Gallery said: "It is heard of to have paintings on either side of a canvas. "Occasionally if an artist is struggling, he flips it over and tries again. "But in this case this is quite unusual to have two paintings by two different artists - linked by a family friendship."

Summary: A lost painting by one of the Scottish Colourists has been discovered on the reverse of another artwork.


He was convicted of contesting crimes against humanity. The former Front National chief was convicted of the same charge in 2012 after saying France's Nazi occupation had been "not particularly inhumane". France has strict laws against Holocaust denial. Mr Le Pen told a journalist his remarks "corresponded to my thought that the gas chambers were a detail of the history of war". Asked if "millions of deaths" could be called "point of detail", Mr Le Pen said: "It is not a million deaths, it is the gas chambers. I'm talking about specific things. I have not talked about the number of dead. I spoke of a system. I said it was a detail of the history of warfare." As well as remarks about the Holocaust, Mr Le Pen said in 2014 that the Ebola virus could solve Europe's "immigration problem". He was expelled from the party he founded last year by his daughter Marine Le Pen, the current leader, over his extreme beliefs. In 2015, Ms Le Pen was acquitted of inciting hatred after comparing French Muslims to the Nazis who occupied France during the war.

Summary: Former French far-right leader Jean-Marie Le Pen has been fined 30,000 euros (Â£24,000; $34,000) for calling the Nazi gas chambers a "detail" of World War Two.


Warnock, 68, has a meeting with chairman Mehmet Dalman next week to discuss his future. But having steered Cardiff away from the Championship relegation zone during his five-month reign, Warnock says he feels "refreshed". "I might even do a couple [of years] whatever the situation," he said. After back-to-back wins on the road against Leeds and Derby, on Saturday Warnock will cross swords with Rotherham, who he saved from relegation last season during a 16-game spell from February until June. The Millers were keen to keep Warnock last summer and he admits he was close to staying with them. "Rotherham actually gave me that zest back," he said. "If I am honest I might have let my heart rule my head at times. If we had agreed terms straight away I think I might have stayed." Now Warnock feels similarly revitalised having taken over at Cardiff in October. "It's given me the belief in what I do really. I have been a manager 37 years, that is a long time - more than a lot of my lads have ever been born," he said. "To still have that enthusiasm and that desire to want to put one over people or managers or clubs. That is what I thrive on. "The biggest thing is for Cardiff fans to go home having seen a performance or effort of their team and to be talking about the club again in the good sense rather than a negative sense." Warnock said Cardiff chairman Dalman would provide him with financial details on what funds could be available this summer at a meeting in the next few days. "We need to know what we can do to be able to bring the three or four players in because we don't have that many players out of contract really, so it is not as straightforward to thin my squad or to do things," Warnock added. "So its going to be difficult in the next few months to put things in place. "It is nice to be wanted. The biggest thing coming here was the reaction of the Cardiff fans to me taking over, it was fantastic. "It would have to be something extreme I have not thought about to take me away from that."

Summary: Manager Neil Warnock has delivered the strongest indication yet he is keen to stay at Cardiff City and mount a promotion challenge next season.


He was friends with a leader of the 1916 Easter Rising, the Irish rebellion against British rule, but died fighting for Britain in Passchendaele. Monday marks 100 years since his death. He brought his words to war in a way that has not only endured a century since his death, but has inspired others to artistic creativity. "Shortly after he died, Michael Head, who was a young musician, set four of his poems to music," said John Graham, chair of the Inniskillings Museum Trustees. "Ivor Gurney, another war poet and musician, set one of them to music and down through the years, he has inspired poetry in others, not least of which is Seamus Heaney." Heaney wrote In Memoriam Francis Ledwidge. Ledwidge himself was known as the poet of the blackbirds, because of his love of nature. He was born in Slane in County Meath, the eighth of nine children. The family was poverty-stricken and their situation only became worse when Ledwidge's father died prematurely. But their mother worked hard to keep her children in school, believing in the value of an education. Eventually, the children went out to work, but the artistic flame burned bright in young Francis. He wrote poems from the age of seven and became a published poet in his early teens. He had the support and backing of Lord Dunsany, a well-known society and literary figure in Dublin. With his support, the young man found himself living an almost double life. "It's a story which has caught the imagination on so many levels," John said. "The poor boy who could write poetry was picked up by the local lord and mentored, and introduced to the very smartest of Dublin society. "He would be off cycling around Meath, working on the roads, then in the evening he would be in Slane Castle, reciting his poetry at very elegant soirÃ©es." Lord Dunsany rated Ledwidge's work so highly he helped prepare and publish all three of the young poet's collections. The first was published the year before he was killed, the last compiled after his death in Passchendaele on service with 5th Battalion, the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers. "He probably is one of our most famous soldiers," said Natasha Martin from the Inniskillings Museum in Enniskillen. "For somebody who was not a commissioned officer, to have a name like Francis Ledwidge with the regiment of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers is a fantastic honour." Inspired by Lord Dunsany's past as an Inniskilling, Ledwidge enlisted after war broke out in 1914. He served in Gallipoli, the Balkans and in France on the Western Front. During the Balkan campaign in 1915, he was invalided home with a back injury. While he was still recovering, the Easter Rising took place. Ledwidge was good friends with Thomas McDonagh, one of the leaders of the rebellion and a fellow poet. When McDonagh was executed for his part, Ledwidge wrote what has become arguably his most famous poem, Lament for Thomas McDonagh. Despite his background as an ardent patriot and nationalist, Ledwidge returned to the front when his

Summary: Francis Ledwidge was an unusual war poet - a British soldier, an Irish nationalist and a man of peasant background.


Wholesale prices have dropped and motoring organisations have suggested this merits reduced pump prices. Tesco and Morrisons are cutting prices by 2p a litre on Friday, and Asda and Sainsbury's said they would reduce prices by up to 2p a litre on Saturday. But drivers are being warned that prices can vary in different areas. The average UK price for a litre of unleaded petrol was 118.83p on Thursday, and 120.88p for a litre of diesel, according to the latest figures from Experian Catalist. Ten days earlier, the average unleaded price was 120p a litre, and diesel cost 122.06p. The oil price and wholesale prices fell sharply at the start of March, and motoring organisations have argued that this should have been feeding through to another 2p cut per litre in prices at the pumps. The RAC said motorists could feel "aggrieved" that prices had not fallen further, earlier. Asda said it had dropped prices twice in two weeks, and had a national price cap to ensure motorists were dealt with equitably. Morrisons said it had also made a second cut in two weeks. Tesco is dropping petrol and diesel prices by 2p a litre over the course of Friday afternoon at all its outlets, followed by Sainsbury's on Saturday. Luke Bosdet, of the AA, said that there was general concern that so-called supermarket fuel price wars did not actually benefit all drivers across the country. He claimed prices fell the most in areas where there were a range of supermarkets located close to each other. In other areas with less competition, the same cuts were not as likely to be seen. "We would urge motorists to look around to find a better price. There are petrol price apps that can help," he said.

Summary: Motorists will see an acceleration in fuel price cuts over the weekend as supermarkets take up to 2p off a litre of petrol and diesel.


29 May 2016 Last updated at 00:05 BST It lasted 300 days and as many as 800,000 troops were killed, wounded or went missing.

Summary: France is commemorating the 100th anniversary of The Battle of Verdun, World War One's longest battle.


Shark attacks; a plane crash; and surreal interludes that delve deep into a dog's subconscious mind - no plotline is off-limits for Australia's longest running soap. But although for devoted fans the likes of Karl Kennedy and Harold Bishop are the real stars of Ramsay Street, Neighbours has proved a steppingstone to profitable global stardom. Although it's never been confirmed many believe Crowe based his gladiatorial Maximus Decimus Meridius, on Kenny Larkin - the mulleted, ex-con who appeared on Ramsay Street for four episodes back in 1987. Minogue's love of music can be traced back to her days spent under over a car bonnet as Erinsborough's resident mechanic. The pint-sized pop star found fame dressed in dungarees and sporting a huge perm as Charlene Mitchell in 1986. When her character married Scott Robinson (Jason Donovan) in 1988, 20 million people tuned in to watch in the UK alone. We reckon Miley first set eyes on her ex when he was playing Josh Taylor back in 2007. Josh was involved in a classic soap love triangle. He fell in love with Bridget Parker, who was also being chased by Declan Napier. So, in a bid to win dear Bridget's heart he roped in Margot Robbie (more on her later) to make her jealous. Her performance in The Wolf of Wall Street saw her working with Leonardo DiCaprio, Jonah Hill and director Martin Scorsese. But it was as Donna Freedman that Margot Robbie made her name. Donna experimented with her sexuality, tried to track her biological father and then 'conveniently' went to study fashion in New York just before her Hollywood career took off. A 1990s pin-up, Spencer's Billy Kennedy adorned the walls of many a teenage bedroom. For six years he broke hearts and hung out with best-mate Toadie, before ditching Australia to play a young doctor alongside Hugh Lawrie in hit TV series House. Proving soap stars can not only make it to Hollywood, but have the staying power to stick around too, Guy Pearce is arguably Ramsay Street's most successful export. The Hurt Locker, LA Confidential and The King's Speech are amongst the titles in his impressive back catalogue. His training for such prestigious roles? Playing Mike Young - the son of an abusive father who went on to train as a teacher and have an affair with one of his pupils. Classic soap stuff. Holly Candy (formerly Valance) starred as Flick Scully from 1999 to 2005. Towards the end of the stint on the street she managed to rip the Scully family apart by bedding her sister's fiancÃ©e. With their differences irreconcilable, Flick left the soap to follow in the footsteps of Kylie and pursue that well worn path to pop stardom. It didn't quite work out, with a charity single Kiss Kiss about as good as it got. Delta did manage a credible pop career. She'd already signed a record deal with Sony when she started playing Nina Tucker in 2002 and went on to achieve multi-platinum-selling status, with eight number one singles and three number one albums in

Summary: For 30 years the residents of Erinsborough's premier cul-de-sac have kept us entertained in that awkward half-an-hour before dinner.


The South Stream pipeline, financed by Russia's state gas giant Gazprom, would ship gas to western Europe via the Balkans, thus avoiding Ukraine. But the European Commission says the pipeline may break EU competition rules and asked Bulgaria to suspend work. Serbia's prime minister has denied his country has also halted building work. Reports on Sunday had quoted Serbian ministers as saying the work was on hold until the EU, Russia and Bulgaria resolved their dispute. But speaking on Monday, Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic said no such decision had been made. Serbia is in talks with the EU on joining the bloc. Bulgaria is already an EU member state. Construction work on the South Stream pipeline began in Bulgaria in October 2013. It is intended to deliver Russian gas to southern Europe without passing through Ukraine and if built, it would deliver 63 billion cubic metres of natural gas a year. The project was initiated amid disagreements between Gazprom and Ukraine and Belarus over the pricing of Russian gas, which led to gas supplies to some parts of Europe being cut off. It took on added significance following the upheaval in Ukraine. But the European Commission says Bulgaria may have broken EU public procurement laws by choosing local and Russian bidders for its part of the pipeline, and earlier this month, asked Bulgaria to stop work. On Monday, Russia's EU envoy Vladimir Chizhov said the move by Brussels was a "creeping shift to economic sanctions against Russia". "It is hard to shake off the feeling that the European Commission's blocking of the start of work on the construction of Bulgaria's key section of South Stream has been done for purely political purposes," Russia's Itar-Tass news agency quoted him as saying. Bulgaria has previously said it is being targeted by Brussels as a means of retaliating against Russia over the situation in Ukraine. Bulgarian Energy Minister Dragomir Stoynev said on Sunday that the project remained "irreversible and important for both Europe and Bulgaria" and that he was sure a solution would be found. The EU and the US have imposed sanctions on a number of Russian individuals and companies following Moscow's intervention in Ukraine and its annexing of the Crimean peninsula, but Gazprom has not been targeted. The firm supplies 30% of Europe's gas - some 15% via Ukraine - and has warned exports will be affected if sanctions are expanded. Meanwhile, Gazprom has also threatened to cut supplies to Ukraine over an unpaid gas bill that it puts at more than $2bn (Â£1.2bn). This too would affect European supplies.

Summary: Russia has accused the European Union of imposing "creeping" economic sanctions following Bulgaria's decision to halt construction of a gas pipeline.


Liberal Democrat Robin Bradburn had lost his seat on Milton Keynes Council before details of Nadeem Ahmed Kiani's convictions emerged in August 2014. But Milton Keynes Taxi Association said he should not have been selected as a candidate in Bradwell. Mr Bradburn has refused to comment on his role in the affair. The council revoked Kiani's licence last year after it was revealed he had been given a private hire licence by the licensing committee in 2011. A second committee lifted a suspension on his licence in 2012, despite Thames Valley Police having written to the authority giving more details of Kiani's convictions for raping and assaulting prostitutes in London, in 1994. Councillors Stuart Burke and Gladstone McKenzie resigned from the council's licensing committee as a result. Labour's Mr McKenzie has also stood down from the council. Subhan Shafiq, who had vouched for Kiani as a friend in 2011, resigned as mayor in August. He then quit as a councillor when the council released a report into the affair in November. Mr Bradburn had sat on both of the committees, before he lost his seat in the Bradwell ward in May 2014, three months before the scandal broke. As a result, he escaped much of the media inquiries that followed. When asked by the BBC if he would like to comment as to why he had allowed Kiani a licence, he said: "Not at the moment, no." The council's report revealed Mr Bradburn told investigators "everyone is saying [Kiani] was a risk but he has not done anything in the 14 years since his release". He also told the council he was "confident the right decisions were made. So were the other members, but their leaders told them to apologise". But Dennis Edwards, chairman of the taxi association said it was "unacceptable" Mr Bradburn was standing for election again. He said: "What he did was appalling. Why would anyone want to vote for someone who put them at risk?" Cari Mitchell, of the English Collective of Prostitutes, condemned Mr Bradburn's decision to give Kiani a taxi licence. She said: "It is this blatant devaluing of sex workers lives which makes us vulnerable to violence." Mr Bradburn will stand in Bradwell against Rachel Cadger from the Green Party, Conservative Max Chaudhry, Labour's Rachel Pallett, Katie Simpson from the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition and UKIP's Cathy Kitchiner. Lib Dem Mr Burke is seeking re-election in Shenley Brook End ward, where he will stand against Labour's Binta Bah-Pokawa, Conservative Hiten Ganatra, the Green's Michael Gurner and Geoffrey Winter of UKIP.

Summary: A former councillor who stood by his decision to allow a serial rapist to get a licence to drive a taxi is standing for election.


When operational, the Â£10bn nuclear plant is expected to create 850 permanent jobs and should start generating power by 2025. But in a draft letter, the council has criticised Horizon for the lack of detail in its final consultation. Horizon said it was "surprised and disappointed" by the council's response. In the letter, the council's chief executive expressed concern at a decrease in proposed local employment during the building phase. Dr Gwynne Jones also said there was "an objectionable lack of detail" on proposals to house 4,000 building workers on site. The letter called for "immediate" investment in education to ensure that local young people will be employed at the proposed power station. It suggested that, due to the lack of detail, the legality of the process could be in doubt. "The council remains committed to working with Horizon and other key stakeholders but... not at any cost nor with promises of 'jam tomorrow'," the letter added. A third and final consultation into the power station plans has been held and Horizon hopes to submit a planning application, known as a development consent order, later this year. Responding to the council's comment, Horizon's Richard Foxhall said: "They have been made aware of what we intended to consult on before May 2017. They agreed with the content of what we do in the consultation. Of course, what we've consulted on is what to change since last year, not necessarily on the whole project. "However we do look forward to working with the council. This isn't the end of the game as far as input." He added there was no question of the company's consultation process being illegal.

Summary: The company behind Wylfa Newydd has been told Anglesey council will not support the scheme "at any cost".


Waterloo Bridge, built between 1937 and 1945, has Grade II listed status. Historian Christine Wall uncovered new evidence of the largely forgotten contribution by women. Information about how women worked on the design and build is now included on the bridge's listing on the National Heritage List for England. A campaign by heritage minster Tracey Crouch, to recognise the role of women in building historic places, led to the recognition as part of her #builtbywomen push. The move could lead to further recognition of the role of women on the 400,000-strong list of England's protected buildings and sites. Ms Crouch said: "This is a wonderful opportunity to ensure our great female engineers are properly recognised. "This project will show the remarkable achievements of the women who broke conventions to help build Britain and inspire the next generation of female engineers, architects and builders." Emily Gee at Historic England said women had "always" been involved in engineering, through patronage, design, labour, craftsmanship, alteration and decoration. She said: "These roles have historically been overlooked, but as important research, understanding and awareness reveals their hands, it can illuminate many fascinating and inspiring stories." The move marks National Women in Engineering Day.

Summary: The role by women in building Waterloo Bridge during World War Two has been officially recognised for the first time as part of its listed status.


The 29-year-old's feat - a rare "hat-trick" for any goalkeeper - was key in the Terrors' 3-1 away win at East End Park on Saturday. "I think judging the run-ups is a massive thing these days," said United's summer signing from Rangers. "You can kind of sound out players the way they're going with their run-up." Grimsby Town's Walter Scott saved three penalties in one match in 1909, while Manchester United's Gary Bailey did likewise in 1980 and Huddersfield Town's Matt Glennon in 2007. But a spokesman for the Guinness Book of Records suggests that Bell's chances of being featured because all three saves took place in one half is likely to be thwarted as it only recognises achievements in a country's top league. Bell insisted that, while he has enjoyed the personal publicity, his priority was three points as United chase Scottish Championship leaders Hibernian. "It was an incredible game," he told BBC Scotland. "You don't expect to face three penalties, especially in one half. "It's nice getting positive media attention, but it was a vital three points for us. We've been up and down this season, so we're hoping that can kick-start our season." The score was 0-0 when Bell palmed away Gavin Reilly's first attempt and he then managed to block less convincing efforts from Nicky Clark and Paul McMullan to cancel out Simon Murray's opening goal. "The first penalty I managed to get a good hand to," he recalled. "I was actually going to my left-hand side and Gavin Reilly put it down the middle and I managed to put it away. "In the build up to the second penalty, I actually got injured making a one-on-one save on Gavin Reilly, so I managed to dust myself down and saved Nicky Clark's penalty and then the third one just put the icing on the cake. "I think, with the third penalty, the run up was always going to go one side, so you do your homework on those kinds of things." Bell, who has one Scotland cap, was a team-mate of Clark's until the summer, when they were both released by Rangers after their title win and promotion. "He was a bit gobsmacked and texted me later on that night just saying 'well done'," said Bell when asked about Clark's response to his save. "Obviously he was gutted with the result for Dunfermline, but he was delighted for me saving three penalties in one game. "I knew Nicky's favoured side, but then it's a game of poker because he knows that I know his side, so I had to go with the way he normally goes and he did go that way and thankfully I went early enough because he put enough power on it to get it in the corner." Despite the victory, Ray McKinnon's side remain in fourth place, seven points adrift of Hibs. "I was just delighted with the way the game went and that we managed to get the three points, which was vitally important for us," added Bell. "We've brought 10 new players

Summary: Studying his opponents' penalty style and run-ups helped Dundee United's Cammy Bell save three spot-kicks in one half against Dunfermline Athletic.


Resuming on 142-9 after a rain-hit day one, Derbyshire added just eight runs as Ben Cotton fell to Steve Magoffin. Sussex's openers made a 113 partnership before Chris Nash (65) was bowled by Wayne Madsen (2-65), but Joyce (106), Wells (104 not out) and Ross Taylor (54) helped the hosts build a big lead. Matt Machan was out to the final ball of the day as Sussex closed on 342-4.

Summary: Sussex built a commanding first-innings lead over Derbyshire on day two at Hove as Ed Joyce and Luke Wells made tons.


The biscuits were taken from Burton's Food Ltd on Ty Coch Way in Cwmbran, Torfaen, on 17 June. The man, from Liverpool, has been charged with theft and allowing himself to be carried in a motor vehicle which had been taken without the owner's consent. He appeared at Newport Magistrates' Court on Thursday. The empty trailer was found in Warrington and vehicles used in the theft have since been seized by police.

Summary: A 24-year-old man has appeared in court charged with the theft of a trailer containing £20,000 worth of biscuits.


Britain's terror threat level is "severe", but Prime Minister David Cameron said it would reviewed. Police said there would be strengthened policing at UK ports, and more officers at public events in the coming days. It comes as Briton Nick Alexander, from Colchester, was named as among the 129 people killed in Friday's attacks. The 36-year-old died in the attack at the Bataclan concert hall, where he is thought to have been selling merchandise. Read all the latest updates on the Paris attacks His family described him as "generous, funny and fiercely loyal". Friends of Mr Alexander also paid tribute to him on social media. Joe Trohman, lead guitarist of the rock band Fall Out Boy described him as a "great guy". The Bishop of Chelmsford, the Right Reverend Stephen Cottrell, said he was praying for Mr Alexander's family and had sent a message of support to their local church. A government source said there were fears a "handful" of other British people had been killed. An unspecified number are being treated in hospitals. The Bataclan concert hall suffered the deadliest attack during the wave of violence in Paris, which involved gunmen and suicide bombers. More than 80 people are believed to have died at the concert hall. The US band Eagles of Death Metal were playing a gig when attackers burst into the venue and opened fire, but the band themselves survived unscathed. Michael O'Connor, from South Shields, was at the concert hall when the gunmen attacked. The 30-year-old lay on top of his girlfriend to protect her as other audience members were shot and killed. Both escaped unharmed after playing dead. "What they want to do is to terrify us," he told BBC Radio 5 live's Stephen Nolan show. "We can't let them win and these people just, they're just monsters, they're just, they don't represent anything, they're not Muslims, they're not, they're just animals. "How can you walk in there, I mean, I'm 30 years old, I was probably the oldest, one of the oldest people in the gig. It was full of teenagers and, you know, people in their early 20s going to see a band." Paris hit by 'three teams of attackers' Paris attacks: What we know England v France friendly to go ahead In pictures: UK shows support In other developments: So-called Islamic State (IS) has said it carried out the attacks, and Mr Cameron said it showed the threat from the group was "evolving", with a "new degree of planning and co-ordination and a greater ambition for mass-casualty attacks". He added that the group's "aim is clear: it is to divide us and to destroy our way of life. "So, more than ever, we should come together and stand united and carry on with the way of life that we love." French President Francois Hollande said the attacks were an "act of war" by IS. Talks about the security threat are expected later after leaders, including David Cameron, from the G20 countries meet in Turkey.

Summary: Home Secretary Theresa May will chair a Cobra meeting later to discuss the UK government's response to the attacks in Paris.


Gest, who is a former husband of singer Liza Minnelli, died at the Four Seasons hotel in Canary Wharf. His friend and ex-bodyguard Imad Handi confirmed the news in a statement. American Gest was best known in the UK for his appearances on I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! and Celebrity Big Brother. Showbiz world pays tribute to Gest He had planned to tour the UK in July with his latest show, called the David Gest Is Not Dead But Alive With Soul Tour! Several singers were due to appear on the tour, including Dina Carroll and Freda Payne. It was named after the mix-up on this year's Celebrity Big Brother, when Angie Bowie informed Tiffany Pollard that David - meaning her ex-husband Bowie - had died during their time on the reality show. Pollard broke down in tears believing Gest, who was ill in bed at the time, had died. Gest stayed in the Celebrity Big Brother house for 13 days but left the series on medical grounds. In 2007 he was admitted to hospital with chest pains and respiratory problems. One of the biggest successes during his career was producing the highest-rated special in US music history - 2001's Michael Jackson: 30th Anniversary Celebration. He was perhaps best known for his marriage to Minnelli. They were married in 2002 and officially divorced in 2007. He was also a childhood friend of Jackson and his brother Tito. Gest's name-dropping anecdotes and raucous tales of showbiz friendships during his appearances on reality TV shows won him legions of fans in the UK. He finished fourth in ITV's I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here in 2006, and later became a judge on talent show Grease Is The Word. In 2011, Sir Cliff Richard worked with Gest on his album Soulicious. Gest helped develop the concept of the album, which saw Sir Cliff collaborate with soul singers including Roberta Flack and Candi Staton. He later produced and directed the Soulicious tour. Mr Handi, who confirmed the news of Gest's death, described him as a "huge talent". "David was truly larger than life. He was not just a huge talent and a dear friend but a showbiz icon. "I know he will be missed by millions of fans around the world, and particularly in Britain, who came to love his charm and blistering one-liners." A Metropolitan Police statement said: "Police were called at 10:17 on Tuesday 12 April to the Four Seasons hotel, in Westferry Circus to reports of an unexplained death of a man in his 60s. "London Ambulance Service were called to the scene. Life was pronounced extinct at the hotel. A post-mortem will be held in due course. Next of kin are in the process of being informed." Police have said there appear to be no suspicious circumstances. Gest was born on May 11 1953 in Los Angeles, California. He worked as a music video and television producer and last year he toured the UK with David Gest's (I've Had) The Time Of My Life Tour - which

Summary: Entertainer, producer and reality television star David Gest has died in a London hotel aged 62, a statement from his friend says.


The Tunisian electoral commission had asked for the delay, saying it needed more time to prepare a credible vote. The country's interim Prime Minister Beji Caid Essebsi said the vote will now take place on 23 October 2011. Critics say that elections should go ahead soon to bring an end to the instability following the overthrow of President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali. But many recently formed political parties say they need more time to prepare. Last month, the electoral commission sought a delay, saying that it needed more time to organise the vote, including putting three million Tunisians into the electoral database and ensuring hundreds of thousands of others get valid identity cards. Reputation "There are parties who did not agree, even the government did not agree, but our mission is to hold free and transparent elections," said Mr Essebsi, adding that Tunisia and its revolution "have a reputation that we must protect". The date was the result of several weeks of negotiations between political groups to establish a date for the first election since the popular uprising which brought about the fall of Mr Ben Ali, forced to cede power on 14 January after 23 years in power. Mr Essebsi said that Tunisia's fledgling experiment with democracy - which triggered a series of pro-democracy revolts across the Middle East - was being closely observed. "The world is watching us. Tunisia today has an extraordinary image because its revolution happened peacefully, without weapons," he said, adding: "The wind of freedom has blown through other countries... but we will be the only ones to succeed in putting into place a democratic government." October's vote is for a constituent assembly to write a new constitution that would pave the way for legislative and presidential elections. The new assembly will decide whether the country gets a presidential or parliamentary system, and whether a separation of religion and state becomes law. Under Mr Ben Ali's 23-year rule, a single party - now officially dissolved - controlled the country and opposition parties in parliament were largely symbolic. Since his overthrow a total of some 81 new parties have been officially registered.

Summary: Tunisia's interim government has said elections, due to be held in July, will be postponed for three months.


The Grammy award-winning artist said in a statement that he was choosing to "make a political stand". He said reports of summary executions in the Philippines were "unacceptable to anyone who loves the rule of law". President Rodrigo Duterte has vowed to eradicate drugs and urged citizens to kill dealers who resist arrest. He was elected in May. In his previous role as mayor of Davao city, Mr Duterte built a reputation for blunt speaking and supporting the extrajudicial killings of suspected criminals. James Taylor, 68, was scheduled to have played in the capital Manila next February. "I don't think of my music as being particularly political but sometimes one is called upon to make a political stand," he said in a Facebook post. "For a sovereign nation to prosecute and punish, under the law, those responsible for the illegal trade in drugs is, of course, understandable, even commendable; but recent reports from the Philippines... are deeply concerning and unacceptable to anyone who loves the rule of law." Fans reacted with disappointment, but many praised the singer for his "integrity in adopting a principled stand". "Thank you for your stand. I will miss seeing you perform but it's a small price to pay for standing up for one's principles," said Allan Victorino. Another Facebook user Patricia Lyons, said: "We all need to take a stand, speak out and act on our truth." But supporters of President Duterte criticised Taylor's "boycott" of their country. "It's not our loss if he decided to cancel the Manila leg of his tour, it's his. James Taylor has missed the opportunity to perform before thousands of Filipinos, given the fact that he's now in the twilight of his career," said Wendell Sotto. "Only fans will benefit from James Taylor's concert but good governance will benefit our entire nation," said Rendell Bata.

Summary: US singer James Taylor has cancelled an upcoming concert in the Philippines over reports of extrajudicial killings in the country's war on drugs.


Hacking through the jungle with machetes, they lead us to a camp abandoned just two weeks earlier by the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), the rebel group commanded by Kony, who claims to be fighting to install a government in Uganda based on the Biblical 10 Commandments. A rebel defector led the Ugandan army to the camp, which would have housed between 50-60 fighters, including women and children. Among the children was a five-year-old boy, said to be Kony's son, and his mother Doreen Abango. She was abducted by the LRA aged 13, and had managed to escape only 10 days earlier. "I started walking at night with my child… I did not leave any tracks that could be used to follow me, because I knew if I was found I would be killed," she said. 'Strange child' Few in northern Uganda escaped unscathed from Kony's war, including his own family. His older sister Gabriela Lakot still lives in Odek, northern Uganda, where Kony was born. "As soon as Kony was born he stood on his own two feet," she says. "Everyone was astonished and wondrous saying: 'This child is strange.' "God has brought a curse on this family - that was my mother's lament. Kony brought so much trouble on us up to now. Everyone hates us." Gabriela also blames her brother for the death of her son. "My first born was shot by the Ugandan army when he was with Kony. All that is his fault," she said. Kony's rebels have terrorised swathes of South Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo and the Central African Republic over the years. It is estimated by the Ugandan army that there are only 450 members of the LRA left. Caesar Achellam, a senior LRA commander, was captured in May this year. He says Kony will never surrender because of indictments in the International Criminal Court (ICC). "Kony is afraid, he is really afraid. He is afraid of the accusations against him in The Hague," he said. Kony is wanted by the ICC for war crimes including rape, the murder of civilians and forcibly recruiting children to serve in his Lord's Resistance Army. 'Die like Hitler' Kony's global notoriety increased earlier this year because of the internet video Kony 2012, which has been watched tens of millions of times since it was posted online by the US advocacy group Invisible Children. Then available in the UK on the BBC iPlayer The Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni is clear that more foreign support is needed to bring Kony to justice. He said: "We are now an international mission. It is not a domestic mission and we cannot be an international mission on domestic resources. It is up to the international community to help." An African Union force of 5,000 troops from the four countries most affected by the LRA was due to begin operations in March, but it has not happened yet. Ugandan minister Betty Bigombe is one of many African leaders who have tried and failed to talk Kony into making peace. According to Ms Bigombe, Kony

Summary: Deep in the jungle of the Central African Republic, about 2,000 Ugandan troops are spearheading the campaign to catch Joseph Kony.


It was back in the early 1980s that Mr Gardner, then aged 27, and his toddler son were homeless for a year in San Francisco. Enrolled on a low-paid trainee scheme at a stock brokerage, he didn't have enough money to raise the deposit to rent an apartment. So Mr Gardner, who was estranged from his partner, and Chris Jr would instead sleep wherever they could. In addition to the toilet at a railway station, they'd bed down in parks, at a church shelter, or under his desk at work after everyone else had gone home. They ate in soup kitchens, and what little money he had was spent on putting his son in day nursery so he could go to work. Despite this adversity, Mr Gardner thrived in his job. A natural at selling stocks and shares, at the end of his training period his firm, Dean Witter Reynolds (DWR), made him a full employee. Finally able to rent a home for himself and his son, his career then rapidly ascended into the stratosphere, and in 1987 he opened his own investment firm, Gardner Rich. Today Mr Gardner, 62, is worth an estimated $60m (Â£48m), travels the world as a motivational speaker, and sponsors a number of homeless charities and organisations that combat violence against women. Add the fact that Mr Gardner had a very troubled childhood, and served time in prison immediately before the internship at DWR, and you can understand why Hollywood came calling when he was writing his best-selling autobiography The Pursuit of Happyness (the misspelling is deliberate). The movie of the same name was released in 2006, and Will Smith was nominated for a Best Actor Oscar for his portrayal of Mr Gardner. Looking back on his life, Mr Gardner tells the BBC that he "wouldn't change anything". "I went through pain as a child so my children wouldn't have to," he says. "I made a decision as a five-year-old boy that my kids will know who their father is. "The rest of my destiny came forward because I made the right choices." Born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Mr Gardner never knew his real father. Instead he was brought up in poverty by his mother Bettye Jean and a physically abusive, alcoholic stepfather. There was also a period spent in a foster home after his mother, in a fit of despair, tried to kill her partner. Despite the woes of his childhood, Mr Gardner says his mum was an inspiration. "I have one of those old-fashioned mothers who told me every single day, 'Son, you can do or be anything that you want to do or be.' "And I believed it, I bought into it 100%." He adds that one day as a child he was watching a college basketball game on TV when he commented that one of the players would make a million dollars. "My mum said, 'Son, one day it will be you who'll make a million dollars.' Until she said those words the thought had never entered my mind." The million dollars didn't arrive

Summary: When Chris Gardner and his young son were sleeping rough on the floor of a public toilet, he could never have dreamt that his life story would be turned into a hit Hollywood movie.


She is one of only two women on the Bank's nine-member Monetary Policy Committee, which sets interest rates. Ms Shafik will step down at the end of February. She joined the Bank as deputy governor for markets and banking in August 2014 after stints at the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. Bank of England governor Mark Carney said Threadneedle Street would say "farewell to Minouche with gratitude and regret". "She helped drive vital reforms on the domestic and international stages, perhaps most prominently in the successful completion of the Fair and Effective Markets Review, which she co-chaired," he said. "She has overseen a transformation in how we manage our balance sheet and is modernising our high-value payments system. This has been alongside the invaluable insight she brings to all three main policy committees of the Bank and the inspirational leadership she gives to her colleagues. In her work and by her example, she leaves an important legacy." Ms Shafik said it had been a privilege to work at the Bank of England and that it was impossible to resist the chance to run the LSE. "I have especially enjoyed connecting the dots and the people across the Bank's monetary, macro-prudential and micro-prudential policy responsibilities," she said. "I leave the Bank with a deep appreciation for its work and much admiration of its staff." The LSE is familiar territory for the former IMF deputy managing director as she earned a Master's in Economics at the school, which is part of the University of London. Ms Shafik, who was born in Egypt and emigrated to the US with her family at the age of four, is the first woman to run the LSE on a permanent basis and its 16th director. Prof Julia Black will continue to run the LSE until the new director starts in September 2017 after a post-Bank cooling-off period. US academic Craig Calhoun said in February he was leaving before the end of his five-year term as LSE director to run the Berggruen Institute, a political and philosophical think tank set up by billionaire investor Nicolas Berggruen. Ms Shafik previously held academic appointments at the Wharton Business School of the University of Pennsylvania and Georgetown University's economics department. She was made a Dame Commander of the British Empire in the Queen's Birthday Honour's list last year. The Treasury, which is responsible for recruiting a successor, will advertise the deputy governor role in the coming months. The Bank of England has another three deputy governors: Ben Broadbent (monetary policy), Sam Woods (prudential regulation) and Sir Jon Cunliffe (financial stability).

Summary: Minouche Shafik, one of the Bank of England's deputy governors, is leaving to become the director of the London School of Economics.


The staff at Brickkiln Waste Limited on Heather Road were told on Friday that the company was going into administration. It is understood Brickkiln has been involved in a dispute with Derry City and Strabane District Council over payment for contracts. Brickkiln recently had its licence temporarily suspended by the Northern Ireland Environment Agency. This was because of breaches at its waste site in Maydown. In a statement, Derry City and Strabane District Council said that following the Northern Ireland Environment Agency's (NIEA) suspension of the company's waste acceptance services on 10 July, it had been working closely with Brickkiln, the NIEA and other councils to "assist in resolving ongoing waste processing issues". "Prior to this cessation of service, council was forced to suspend payment to the company as Brickkiln had failed to fulfil contractual obligations as set down in contract specification," the statement added. "Where invoices have been received by council demonstrating that the company has met their agreed terms, these invoices have been paid in full. "Council is legally obliged to adhere to all legislation in terms of the appropriate management of waste and is committed to working with the company, the NIEA, and other councils to resolve the matter." Earlier this month, 10 appliances and almost 50 firefighters were involved in tackling a fire at the Heather Road site.

Summary: Fifty workers at a Londonderry waste firm have lost their jobs.


In a survey commissioned by the Army, almost 40% of servicewomen said they had received unwanted comments of a sexual nature in the past year. The report, based on a survey of 7,000 soldiers, found 13% of women had had "a particularly upsetting experience". About 3% of those who were very upset made a formal written complaint. Nearly half did not make a formal complaint because they were concerned about the consequences, such as being labelled a troublemaker and the effect it might have on their career. Sir Nick said he was "disappointed" by the figures. "But they do provide me with a baseline from which I can move forward and change the Army's culture," he told the BBC. He said he wanted the Army to be a "modern, inclusive" employer and the change would come from the top down, with the launch of a new code of leadership in September. He also said he would ensure the complaints process was "good and sound", so "all people feel they can complain if it is necessary to complain". According to government statistics, over the past few years the proportion of women in the UK forces has been rising across all three services; the Royal Navy, the Army and the Royal Air Force. In July 2014, there were 15,780 women serving across the armed forces - or 10% of the total number of personnel. The fact the head of the Army commissioned this survey suggests he knows he has a problem. One that he wants to tackle to change the Army's culture and make it more inclusive. General Sir Nick Carter has already made clear he needs to attract more women, as well as people from the ethnic minorities. To meet his recruitment targets the British army must be seen as an attractive career, open to all. Later this year he'll bring together the Army's leadership to set out a new code of conduct and to modernise the Army's values to better reflect society. The culture change won't be easy. Women currently make up about 10% of the Army's ranks. Muslims account for less than 1% of the Army's strength. But barriers are slowly being broken down. Last week the Army appointed its first female two star general. Next year it'll decide whether to lift the ban on women serving in the infantry. The Army-commissioned report found servicewomen were more likely to experience a range of "unwanted, targeted sexualised behaviours" than servicemen, with the exception of being sent sexually explicit material. Junior soldiers were, in some cases, four times more likely than senior officers to experience the behaviours, the report said, and the most at-risk group was junior-ranking women. Among the report's findings: It also found that 44% of respondents believed sexual harassment was a problem in some parts of the Army, but the majority were positive about how well the Army tried to prevent it and manage it when it did happen. Service personnel asked for a more effective complaints system and stronger sanctions against those who sexually harassed others. The report recommended

Summary: Army chief General Sir Nick Carter says the level of sexual harassment being faced by female soldiers is "totally unacceptable".


The 23-year-old arrived on trial with the Dingwall club last month following his release from Go Ahead Eagles in the second tier of Dutch football. Having started his career at NAC Breda, he will provide competition for Liam Boyce, Brian Graham and Craig Curran. Curran has not featured since suffering a head injury in late August. Boyce is the Staggies' leading scorer with 11 goals, while Graham has netted once during the current campaign.

Summary: Ross County have signed former Netherlands Under-21 striker Alex Schalk until the end of the season, subject to international clearance.


30 October 2013 Last updated at 17:10 GMT Last month, the government made changes so head teachers can no longer allow absence outside school holidays, unless there are exceptional circumstances. It's because of concerns that some kids were missing school for family holidays during term time when it's cheaper. But more than 125,000 people disagree, signing a petition against the move. The petition says: "All children who have a good attendance record should be allowed the opportunity to enjoy quality time with their parents on an annual holiday of up to 10 days once per year." But the government says it's giving schools more freedom to set term dates - which could mean parents could book cheaper holidays. Ricky's got the story.

Summary: Your next holiday might seem like a long way off but there's a row brewing about when schoolkids in England should be able to take them.


Cantona said on Thursday that Deschamps intentionally left two players of African origin, Karim Benzema and Hatem Ben Arfa, out of the squad. "Benzema is a great player. Ben Arfa is a great player," he told the Guardian. "But Deschamps, he has a really French name. Maybe he is the only one in France to have a truly French name." He went on to say: "Ben Arfa is maybe the best player in France today. But they have some origins. I am allowed to think about that." Speaking to French sports newspaper L'Equipe, Deschamps' lawyer called the remarks "unacceptable, slanderous and defamatory" and said his client would sue. Benzema's failure to qualify comes after he was issued a domestic ban for his involvement in an alleged blackmail scandal over a sex tape. France's Prime Minister Manuel Valls said publicly before the selection that the Real Madrid striker "has no place" in the team. Ben Arfa, who plays for Nice and previously played for Newcastle and Hull, is among the reserves for the tournament so could still be called up to cover for injury. Noel Le Graet, the head of the French Football Federation, called Cantona's allegation "ridiculous." Cantona and Deschamps, who are former France teammates, have fallen out numerous times since they played together in the mid-1990s. Cantona has previously called Deschamps a "muppet" and a "vulgar water carrier", a football insult implying Deschamps was good only to pass the ball to others. Cantona was dropped from the French national team in 1995 after he attacked a fan during a Manchester United game with a kung fu-style kick. He never played for France again.

Summary: Lawyers for France's football manager Didier Deschamps say he will sue Eric Cantona for suggesting his Euro 2016 squad selection was racially motivated.


The centre said all 200 tickets to see Brumm, Maja and Brumma were booked within 15 minutes of being made available on Thursday. The bears are 22-month-old siblings and arrived at the centre at the end of November from Kolmarden Zoo in Sweden. Visitors will be able to see them from 4 January. The new arrivals join Star, the centre's resident female bear. Comet, the centre's other European brown bear, died in August aged 30 after a short illness. A Leisure & Culture Dundee spokesman said: "We have been absolutely blown away by the response to the preview. "We are really excited about introducing the bears to visitors in the New Year and early indications suggest they are going to be incredibly popular."

Summary: Staff at Dundee's Camperdown Wildlife Centre said they have been "blown away" by demand for preview tickets to see its three new European brown bears.


The whirlwind, which Australians refer to as a "willy willy", made a surprise appearance at the Earthcore festival in Pyalong, north of Melbourne. Olivier Bonenfant, who shot the footage, told the BBC that partygoers immediately started running towards the column of dust and debris. He uploaded the footage to YouTube, dubbing the incident a "doofnado". "Doof" is an Australian term for a dance party held in the bush. "It looked pretty fun … if I wasn't filming I would have run into the Doofnado too," the 32-year-old Canadian said.

Summary: Revellers at an Australian dance music festival were filmed charging into a powerful dust whirlwind on Saturday.


The crash at Meenaduff, between Buncrana and Clonmany in July 2010 was Ireland's worst ever road accident. Hugh Friel, 66 and seven men, aged between 19 and 23, died in the crash. Shaun Kelly, of Hill Road in Buncrana, had previously pleaded not guilty to charges of dangerous driving. Seven of the victims were travelling in the same car. They were 21-year-old Mark McLaughlin, from Fahan; Paul Doherty and Ciaran Sweeney who were 19 and from Ballyliffin; Patrick McLaughlin, 21, from Burnfoot; 22-year-old Eamonn McDaid and 21-year-old Damien McLaughlin, both from Buncrana, and James McEleney, 23, from Clonmany. Father Michael Sweeney said the end of the court case would "bring a little closure to the families". "It will take years for them to come to terms with their great loss, but this court case has been pending for the last four years," he said. "For them, each time it came up for review, it was like revisiting the scene of the whole bad experience and trauma of the terrible event. Kelly was driving a black Volkswagen Passat with the seven passengers when it collided with the car driven by Mr Friel. He was the only survivor of the crash and sustained serious injuries. He changed his plea as the jury was being sworn in at Letterkenny Circuit Court on Tuesday. Fr Sweeney said: "It was a brave thing for him to do, to plead guilty to dangerous driving, and I feel sorry for him that he has to live with the consequences of that for the rest of his life. "The whole community was totally shocked - it was one funeral after another, and each one of those traumatised the whole community who turned out to support those people."

Summary: A man's guilty plea to causing the deaths of eight men in a road crash in County Donegal has spared their families further trauma, a local priest has said.


A report published last month found at least 1,400 children were abused in the South Yorkshire town from 1997 to 2013. Barnardo's Scotland said child sexual exploitation was a "severe problem". It has urged government and child protection agencies not to be complacent. The charity said Rotherham should be "a wake-up call for Scotland". The Scottish government said it was committed to protecting children and young people's wellbeing. Revelations of child abuse on a massive scale in the English town were revealed in the Jay Report. Now Barnardo's Scotland has published 15 lessons it said must be learned by those involved in protecting children and young people in Scotland. The charity said child sex exploitation (CSE) "is happening across Scotland", with two large-scale police operations to identify victims and target perpetrators, one of which, Operation Dash, was ongoing. Barnardo's called for recognition, at every level, that sex between an adult and a child under 16 was always wrong and that it was not the child's responsibility to say 'No'. Martin Crewe, director of Barnardo's Scotland, said: "We know child sexual exploitation is happening across Scotland. "We know how devastating it can be. We know charities and support agencies are aware of the problem and are working to put the necessary infrastructure in place to tackle child sexual exploitation. "But as part of this process, we all need to heed the warning and learn the lessons from Rotherham if we are to be certain that we are all doing our best to protect children from this horrific form of abuse in Scotland." He added: "If there is one fundamental lesson from Rotherham it is that we cannot be complacent about child sexual exploitation in Scotland." Police Scotland said keeping children safe, particularly those who are vulnerable, was top of its list of priorities. As part of Operation Dash, 22 people have been reported to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service in relation to a range of crimes. Det Ch Supt Lesley Boal said: "CSE is a complex challenging and sensitive area of policing. "Police Scotland works nationally to support the Scottish government's action plan on CSE and we have developed an action plan to compliment this. "In addition at a local level we have created 14 divisional public protection units that work in partnership with local authorities and health through child protection committees to tackle all forms of child abuse including CSE. "Within Police Scotland we have a number of specialist units including the National Rape Task Force, the National Human Trafficking Unit and the National Domestic Abuse Task Force that focus on serious sexual crimes." The Scottish government published updated child protection guidance in May this year. A spokeswoman said: "Child sexual exploitation is an abhorrent crime and can have devastating impact on victims and their families. "We established an expert working group to specifically examine child sexual exploitation and this work contributed to our updated guidance. We also work closely with the experts at the Centre for Excellence for Looked After Children (CELCIS) to shape policies and practices to ensure

Summary: Lessons must be learned in Scotland from the Rotherham child abuse scandal, according to a children's charity.


Episode VII: The Force Awakens will now be released in Britain on 17 December, a day earlier than previously announced. The latest film is the first in a new trilogy for the franchise. It will will run alongside the original three films and prequels that followed them. The Force Awakens will be set 30 years after Return of the Jedi and the trailer sees the return of Han Solo, played by Harrison Ford again, alongside co-pilot Chewbacca. French film fans get to see it before anyone else with the release date in France set for 16 December.

Summary: The UK release date for the new Star Wars film has been brought forward by a day meaning it will be out here a day before it hits cinemas in America.


Fintan Kelly and Karl O'Connell goals helped the Farney County to a 2-10 to 0-5 half-time lead, with Ben Brosnan finding the net soon after the break. Kieran Duffy grabbed Monaghan's third goal as his side bossed the game to book a place in Monday's Round 3B draw. Wexford had three players sent-off in the second half, as well as Kelly. Kelly and Ciaran Lyng were dismissed for two yellow card offences, while Adrian Flynn was flashed a black card four minutes later, with Wexford having used their six substitutes. Substitute John Leacy was shown a straight red card moments later. Monaghan will be joined in Monday morning's qualifier draw by Tipperary, conquerors of Cavan, Carlow, who saw off Leitrim, and Armagh, who saw off Westmeath. The match pitted Wexford manager Seamus McEnaney against his native county, whom he guided to two Ulster finals in 2007 and 2010 during a six-year tenure from 2005 to 2010. In his first season in charge of Wexford, McEnaney saw his side lose to Carlow in the first round of the Leinster SFC, before edging out Limerick by a point in the first round of the qualifiers. Monaghan, who saw off Cavan in Ulster, before losing to Down, made four changes to their starting line-up prior to throw-in, with Dessie Mone, Gavin Doogan, Shane Carey and Dermot Malone replacing Vinny Corey, Darren Hughes, Kieran Duffy and Conor McCarthy. From the outset, the Ulster county appeared determined to ensure that there would be no repeat of their surprise three-point demise to Longford at the same stage of the All-Ireland series last year. Jack McCarron played a part in fashioning both first-half goals, Kelly firing a left-foot strike into the bottom corner in the seventh minute and midfielder O'Connell finding the back of the net in the 26th. A black card for Conor McManus did little to dent Monaghan's superiority as they built up an 11-point advantage at the interval. Brosnan's goal proved a mere consolation as the visitors continued to pile up the points, Duffy's well executed goal a deserved reward for their supremacy throughout. Fifteen players in total got their names on the scoresheet for the victors, Kieran Duffy top-scoring with 1-2 and McCarthy contributing four points. McCarron and Kieran Hughes weighed in with three scores apiece.

Summary: Monaghan bounced back from their shock Ulster SFC semi-final defeat by Down with a convincing win over Wexford in Round 2B of the All-Ireland qualifiers.


Kurt Jewson's Facebook post, which also shows his colostomy bag, scars and hormone implants, was shared by more than 185,000 people within four days. The 44-year-old said he had exposed himself in his "tubby, pale & middle aged glory" in the hope "just one other man" might then get symptoms checked. He also wants to alert GPs. The married father, from west Cornwall, wrote: "Why am I posting this? Well, in the summer of 2014 I had blood in my urine. Went to the GP and he said that it was probably just an infection and would clear up. It did. "However, it wasn't an infection. It was a symptom of prostate cancer." Latest updates on this story and more from Cornwall and Devon Mr Jewson said if his GP had done a blood test then, his cancer would have been caught early, but he was not diagnosed until going back more than a year later with repeat symptoms. 1 in 8 men will get prostate cancer at some point in their lives. 1 in 4 black men will get the disease at some point in their lives. 70 - 74 is the average age for men to be diagnosed. 10,000 men die from it every year in the UK. He said he was concerned that more and more younger men are getting the disease, and urged men to visit the Prostate Cancer UK website to learn how to spot the signs. Heather Blake from the charity said: "Kurt's decision to wise men up by this bold action is hugely inspiring. "One in eight men will get the disease at some time and by sharing such a candid image in this generous way he's reached tens of thousands with a message that may well save lives." "More than 200,000 people have already visited our website as a result of his story. Kurt's a total hero," she said. Mr Jewson said of the impact his post had: "I should have tidied the room and put my number one pants on, I should have made a bit more effort... but I just thought 'let's do it' and if we get one person to check themselves and get diagnosed early... then it would have been worth it". He added that his GP had admitted it had been a "missed opportunity" and that he did not wish to name him or the surgery. He has undergone surgery which caused complications, but said his prognosis looked positive.

Summary: A prostate cancer patient has been hailed a "total hero" after a photo of him in his underwear showing his catheter bag went viral.


The Athens General Index opened down about 4%, before recovering to be 1.4% lower. On Monday, the share index had dropped 16% on the first day of trading after a five-week shutdown. Major banks were close to the maximum 30% declines they are allowed in one day, a limit that was hit on Monday. Banks account for about 20% of the Athens index. Falling bank shares were offset by gains in some non-financial shares. Among the shares rising were the gaming group OPAP and some tourism-related shares such as Aegean Airlines. The main share index is down more than 50% from last year's peak. During the height of the Greek debt crisis, the stock exchange was closed for five weeks as part of the programme of capital controls to prevent people taking euros out of the country. Greek investors are still not allowed to use money in their bank accounts to trade on the stock exchange.

Summary: Greek bank shares have fallen sharply for a second day in Athens, but non-financial firms have fared better.


Not many people have made such a leap, but he had the satisfaction of moving up from a tiny, freezing-cold prison cell to the most coveted office in Scotland. His old prison, Calton Jail in Edinburgh, was razed almost to the ground - and one of Scotland's swankiest 1930s buildings took shape above - St Andrew's House on Calton Hill. Woodburn's new office when he arrived in 1947 as Labour Secretary of State for Scotland was a walnut-panelled art-deco marvel to die for. But it didn't begin like that. Arthur Woodburn was born in Edinburgh in 1890, the youngest of eight children. He did not begin World War One as an objector but his job as a clerk at the London Road foundry showed him how the arms trade worked at that time. He was appalled that firms were profiting from misery, making huge fortunes while men were fighting at the front losing their lives. It began to turn Woodburn's views and, anyway, he had his elderly mother to look after and a kidney condition that affected his fitness. Arthur did not go to war when it began but, in 1916, the war came for Arthur. The Military Service Act of January 1916 called up all single men between the ages of 18 and 41 unless they were given an exemption by local military tribunals. Woodburn was 25 and had an easy way out, he was in an exempt occupation that helped the war effort. But this was too easy for a man with such a strict conscience. How could he ask others to risk imprisonment for refusing conscription when he had a get-out-of-jail free card? Woodburn told the authorities in writing that he would resist conscription. He was now a marked man. There were four categories for exemption - obvious ones for ill health, hardship and essential war work, and then the most controversial one: "conscientious objection to the undertaking of combatant service". This last category was really for people who had strong religious objections and it did not cover political objection. Though Woodburn was religious, his anti-war views were deeply rooted in his Independent Labour Party politics, so his chances of escaping call-up were slim. Those slim chances vanished when a Zeppelin bombed Edinburgh the day before his final appeal. Soon Arthur was on the path to Calton Jail, which in his case went via Glencorse Barracks, Wormwood Scrubs and even a short stay in the Tower of London before being sent back to Scotland. Then, as now, trains pulling into Edinburgh Waverley from the east arrived under an impressive set of walls, jutting out of Calton Hill. They are not there to hold the rocks back or to make it look picturesque for the tourists. They were built to stop criminals escaping. A century ago, you would have seen towering above them, not St Andrews House, but the jail Woodburn described as '"the poorhouse of all prisons with the cold chill of a grim fortress". It was famously cold. The food was revolting. According to another conscientious objector it

Summary: Arthur Woodburn rose from being a despised World War One conscientious objector to become Secretary of State for Scotland.


The 33-year-old world number one is this week ending her 14-year boycott of the BNP Paribas Open in California. Her father accused fans of racial abuse after the then-19-year-old was booed and heckled in the 2001 final. And speaking ahead of her return, the American top seed admitted: "I didn't think I would come back." However, Williams, who last month confirmed she would play in the tournament in a Time magazine interview, said the time "felt right" to return. The 19-time Grand Slam winner added: "There's not one thing that said I should come back, that I should come back in 2015. I didn't even know if I would be playing in this year. "I just felt like it was the right time for me to come back here and try to be the best that I can be." Williams beat Belgian Kim Clijsters in a final marred by the behaviour of some fans who heckled her and her family, apparently in response to sister Venus withdrawing injured from the semi-final between the siblings. The watching Venus was also jeered by the crowd at the final. "The whole point of me coming back was not to necessarily focus on what happened 14 years ago," Serena added. Williams meets Romania's Monica Niculescu on Friday.

Summary: Serena Williams says she never believed she would return to Indian Wells after suffering crowd abuse at the tournament as a teenager.


The 27-year-old's deal ties him to Warriors until May 2019, having joined in 2010. Pyrgos, capped 18 times by his country, told Glasgow's website he had spoken with Dave Rennie, who will replace head coach Gregor Townsend next year. "He told me about his vision for the club and his rugby philosophy and it's exciting," said Pyrgos. "To have someone of Dave's quality coming in is brilliant for the club. "I love everything about Glasgow Warriors and the club means a huge amount to me. "This is my seventh year at the Warriors and winning the Pro12 two years ago has been the standout moment. "I'm excited for the future here and we'll be working extremely hard to continue to compete for trophies every season. I believe we have a squad capable of doing that and that's the main reason I wanted to stay." Townsend, who will become Scotland head coach next summer, added: "It's brilliant news for the club that Henry has signed for another two years. "He is one of our leaders and has developed a huge amount in his time at the club. Now he is helping the club continue to improve and evolve on and off the pitch. "There is a lot more to come from him on the playing side and we are really fortunate to have such a high quality group of scrum-halves right now."

Summary: Scotland scrum-half Henry Pyrgos has signed a new two-year contract with Glasgow Warriors.


The first incident happened at Waterloo Close in Hightown at 22:00 BST followed by others nearby. No one was injured. Police are investigating the "extremely serious incident".

Summary: Six cars have been set alight in Wrexham overnight, say North Wales Police.


The killing of some 8,000 Muslim men and boys in July 1995 by Bosnian Serb troops was the worst massacre in Europe since World War Two. A service to bury 136 newly-identified victims will take place on Saturday, 20 years to the day since the massacre began. Another 6,241 victims have already been identified. A truck carrying the newly-identified remains left a mortuary in Visoko, near Sarajevo, early on Thursday. Relatives of the victims cried as coffins were put on board. Among them was Hafiza Tihic, 60, whose father Ramiz was among the victims. "I don't know how he was killed, but I remember the moment when he was separated from us," she told AFP. "I entered a bus and he was put to one side. What did they do to him later? Only they would know," she said, referring to Bosnian Serb forces. Crowds also lined the streets of Sarajevo as the coffins passed through the Bosnian capital. On Wednesday, Russia - an ally of Serbia - vetoed a draft UN resolution that described the killing as a "genocide". Russia's UN Ambassador Vitaly Churkin said adopting it "would be counter-productive, would lead to greater tension in the region".

Summary: The bodies of dozens of victims of the Srebrenica massacre are being taken back to the Bosnian town for burial.


It also demonstrates the growing calamity in the country where the conflict moves from phase to phase, but shows no sign of ending. Perhaps at the outset it should be established what we know. There seems no doubt that a chemical incident occurred, and there were Syrian government air attacks in the area. The opposition of course has no air force. The West places the blame squarely on the Assad regime. Russia - one of President Assad's few allies - has a different story. It says an air attack hit a weapons dump, thus releasing the chemical agent. All of the Western experts on chemical warfare contacted by the BBC have been highly sceptical about the Russian claim. As yet there has been no clear analysis of samples from the location of the strike or from the victims. More information will undoubtedly become available. Reports of the first significant use of chemical weapons - including Sarin nerve agent - by the Assad regime in 2013, prompted the international community's first purposeful diplomatic intervention in the Syrian War. The Obama administration had marked down the use of chemical arms as "a red line", which, if crossed, would lead to serious consequences for the Assad regime. In the event, President Obama decided to pull back and avoid military action. The US and Russia came together and brokered a deal under which the Assad regime would give up its chemical arsenal under international inspection. The problem of chemical weapons in Syria appeared to have been resolved. But this was not so. Since then there have been sporadic reports of the further use of chemical weapons both by the Assad regime and so-called Islamic State. These have often involved the use of commercial chemicals like chlorine. But this latest use of what looks to be a nerve agent like Sarin, and the frightful images of the attack, have underscored just how little progress has been made. Between the Ghoutta attack in August 2013 to the incident in Idlib province this week, the situation on the ground in Syria has changed dramatically. Then the Assad regime seemed to have only a tenuous grip on power. The policy of the West and its allies was to see Syria's leader - already branded by some as a war criminal - forced from office. There was still a good deal of talk about a credible "democratic" opposition, which, if given sufficient means, could wrest control of much of the country from the Assad regime and IS alike. Fast forward to today. Such hopes proved illusory. The "democratic" opposition proved to have a very limited military capacity. Many of its most capable elements are closely linked to al-Qaeda: the next major problem that is likely to face the West some way down the line. The Assad regime, bolstered by Iranian military assistance and Russian air power, has more than consolidated its position. And the most successful Western-backed elements of the opposition - the coalition of Kurdish and Arab fighters in northern Syria - may be advancing against IS, but its success

Summary: The response to this latest chemical "attack" in Syria will provide a measure of just how far the international community has come in struggling with the security crisis in Syria.


The officer was taken to hospital where his condition was described as "stable", a Merseyside Police spokesman said. He said the force was investigating an "assault of a member of staff at HMP Altcourse on Wednesday". The BBC understands the attack took place in a transfer area and the inmate was on remand facing serious charges. Director for HMP Altcourse Steve Williams said: "We continue to support the officer and his family."

Summary: A prison officer has had his neck slashed by an inmate at a prison on Merseyside, the BBC understands.


Part of this was unavoidable. The election came close after the March Budget. The new Conservative government wanted to set out a new economic stall and it did so in the July Budget. Then it had a November Spending Review and Autumn Statement. And now this. The Autumn Statement is not meant to be a Budget, but anyone glancing at what it did - a climb down on tax credits, spending cuts, stamp duty increases, an apprenticeship levy and an extension of the Help to Buy scheme - would be hard pressed to tell the difference. Julian McCrae, Deputy Director of think tank the Institute for Government says: "Osborne said that he would have one proper Budget and then the Autumn Statement would 'foreshadow' it. But it's not worked out like that. These things have a dynamic of their own. They grow. In a sense they are unstoppable." And they have reached a prodigious size. Mr McCrae counted 77 measures in Wednesday's Budget, which he thinks is close to a record, although he thinks some of Gordon Brown's Budgets may have come close. He said: "That is a huge amount of work. 77 things that have to be worked through, 77 things that have to be planned and thought out and put into action." Giles Wilkes agrees. He is a former special advisor to Vince Cable, Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills in the Coalition government. He told Radio 4's PM show: "From the policy making point of view, policy gets much, much worse when you have a Budget or an Autumn Statement. "It's a time when the Treasury takes control pretty much of the whole government. Everything gets settled in last minute arguments. "There's a huge appetite for gimmicks and showy things so the more Budgets you have probably the worse your government policy is, so the last twelve months haven't been good from that point of view" Paul Johnson, Director of the Institute of Fiscal Studies thinks the problem is deeply ingrained in government: "There's a problem with the way we make tax and economic policy because it is all done in secret, sprung on us all at once, twice a year. "We have too many of these and we do them in the wrong way." The government has a legal duty to publish two economic forecasts each year. The temptation is that, having done so, it should announce some kind of response. In fact the months since November have seen dramatic changes in the global economic climate with the Office for Budget Responsibility saying the outlook is "materially weaker". The Chinese economy slowed dramatically, and the markets had a wild ride through the first two months of the year. It had a direct effect on government policy - for instance market volatility forced the chancellor to put off the sale of the government's remaining stake in Lloyds Bank. When the economic weather is so unpredictable surely government should respond as and when it can. Mr McCrae doesn't think that is what the Budget is about: "The chancellor

Summary: The main complaint about Wednesday's Budget is not so much its contents, it's that it's effectively the fourth in 12 months.


The budget was passed with a majority of only eight votes - 153 to 145. "This budget is a difficult task for a government that wants to leave its mark with social justice," Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras told lawmakers. He agreed to a batch of economic reforms in August to secure a euro zone bailout of up to €86bn ($93bn; £62bn). His leftist-led government has been under pressure to deliver tangible benefits to its poorest citizens since the agreement. The budget makes €5.7bn in public spending cuts including €1.8bn from pensions and €500m from defence. It also includes tax increases of just over €2bn. Despite the cuts, the budget will still have a greater deficit than the 2015 budget. Earlier this year Greece reluctantly agreed to the strict conditions of its third international bailout in five years. After losing his majority in August as a result, Mr Tsipras called an election and was returned to power in September with 35% of the vote. Representatives of the euro zone, the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund return to Greece on Monday for more talks about pending reforms of the pension and tax systems and public administration. The euro zone has also held out to Greece the possibility of long-term debt relief after a review of progress under the new bailout. However, it has said that relief would come in the form of longer delays before repayments start or finish, not a reduction - or so-called "haircut" - in the amount that has to be repaid.

Summary: Greece's parliament has narrowly approved the 2016 budget that includes sharp spending cuts and some tax increases amid economic recession.


Officials said Mr Guelleh won 87% of Friday's vote, which activists complained was preceded by political repression and curbs on basic freedoms. Mr Guelleh, in power since 1999, begins a fourth five-year term in power. He faced five rivals in the election, but three opposition parties boycotted the poll. The opposition complain of police brutality and media bias under Mr Guelleh's rule. "The people of Djibouti have again entrusted me with the state's highest office," Mr Guelleh, 68, said in a speech on national TV. More on this and other African news stories Djibouti election: What you need to know Djiboutiâ€™s thin-skinned democracy Djibouti's strategic position on the Gulf of Aden means that it is home to US and French military bases. The country is also seen as relatively stable in a region which includes Somalia, where the government does not control the whole country, and Yemen, where there is a civil war. Observers say this explains the muted criticism of President Guelleh from the West. Some 180,000 people were eligible to vote, around a fourth of the population. The opposition were angry that the president rescinded his earlier decision not to seek another term. His main rival, representing the opposition Union for National Salvation (USN) coalition, was Omar Elmi Kaireh, a Djibouti independence hero. He came second, with 7%, according to provisional results announced by Interior Minister Hassan Omar.

Summary: Djibouti's President Ismail Omar Guelleh has won a landslide victory in an election criticised by opposition parties and rights groups.


The company, which is aimed at 16-24 year-olds in particular, said its main womenswear range of dresses and jackets, as well as its new menswear website, also saw strong sales. Pre-tax profits jumped 129% to Â£14.3m in the six months to August. It also benefited from successful marketing campaigns, especially on social media. "We have... stepped up our activity on social media on Facebook Live and on Snapchat and a content drive on Instagram has helped us pass the two-million follower mark in the UK," the company said in its statement. This has been a large part of the company's success, analysts said. While it is still much smaller than rival Asos, Boohoo has been particularly savvy about "communicating with its core 16-24 year-old customers," said retail analyst Kate Ormrod from research firm Verdict. It uses bloggers and "influencers" to showcase its designs. "As the customers mature, keeping them interested will be a challenge," Ms Ormrod added. Asos has 12 million active customers, while Boohoo, which started in 2006, now has 4.5 million active shoppers. The fashion industry as a whole as been trying to attract the lucrative plus-size customers, said Ms Ormrod, and that's something that Boohoo has done well. "They haven't always been offered the most fashionable styles and it's a strongly growing market." The joint chief executives, Mahmud Kamani and Carole Kane, said there was "robust growth across all regions and continued momentum in new customer growth". Revenue rose 38% in the UK, 41% in Europe and 93% in the US. It plans to introduce a new range of children's clothing, as well as a small maternity range.

Summary: Strong sales of plus-size and petite clothes have helped boost profit at online fashion retailer Boohoo.


New government guidance says written parental permission must be obtained to use students' biometric data. Pupils themselves will also be allowed to refuse to participate. Schools can use fingerprinting or face scanning for recording attendance, checking out library books, paying for lunch or accessing school buildings. Last year the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) estimated that about 30% of secondaries in England were using biometric data. The new advice, which is now being consulted on, will come into effect from September 2013. Schools Minister Nick Gibb said the use of biometrics in schools was a sensitive issue and schools should be in no doubt of their responsibilities. "I have heard from many angry parents after they have learned that their children's personal data was being used by schools without their knowledge," said Mr Gibb. "The new legislation gives the power back to parents, as it requires parental consent before the information can be collected. "In the age of the internet, identity and the integrity of biometric data are of increasing importance. Young people need to understand from an early age the sensitivity of such personal data." ASCL said schools and colleges had good reason to invest in biometric systems for canteens and libraries. The association said the system prevented fraud, stopped money being lost and meant students eligible for free school meals could take them up without being stigmatised. Brian Lightman, general secretary of ASCL, said: "It's right that parents give their consent to use biometric data, just as they do for taking photographs. "When the legislation was first proposed, we were looking at a hugely bureaucratic and costly procedure for getting permission which would have been a nightmare for schools. "The government listened to concerns and has streamlined the process considerably so that it is as straightforward as seeking consent to take photos or go on school trips. "This is a sensible way forward that should reassure parents and meet the needs of schools and colleges."

Summary: Schools in England will be banned from taking pupils' fingerprints and using face-recognition technology unless they get permission from parents.


The cyclists pedalled past London landmarks including Big Ben, the London Eye and Piccadilly Circus as part of the World Naked Bike Ride. The riders converged on Hyde Park Corner from six start points. The annual event aimed to highlight the vulnerability of cyclists as road users and to celebrate the human body, organisers said.

Summary: Hundreds of naked cyclists have taken to the streets of London to protest against car culture and oil dependency.