Media playback is unsupported on your device 1 July 2015 Last updated at 06:46 BST Sally Holland said children needed to be protected from the impact of Westminster austerity measures. She said too many children in Wales were being denied a decent childhood. Ms Holland and the commissioners for England, Scotland and Northern Ireland said in a report to the United Nations they were alarmed at how welfare changes had increased child poverty. They said under current policies figures were expected to rise, with 4.7m children projected to be living in poverty by 2020. Figures released last week showed a third of children in Wales lived in poverty - defined as such when in a household with an income below 60% of the UK average of Â£453 a week. The charity Barnardo's welcomed the report, and said millions of children were being failed.

Summary: The UK government must stop making cuts to benefits or more children will be "pushed into poverty", the children's commissioner for Wales has said.


The award was created in 2011 by BBC Radio 1 presenter Huw Stephens and promoter John Rostron. This year's shortlist includes a mix of established artists and emerging stars, with songs that embrace a range of genres, sounds and influences. Past winners of the prize include Gwenno and Gruff Rhys. The 2016 shortlist of artists and their albums: 9Bach - Anian Alun Gaffey - Alun Gaffey Cate Le Bon - Crab Day Climbing Trees - Borders Datblygu - Porwr Trallod Meilyr Jones - 2013 Plu - Tir a Golau Right Hand Left Hand - Right Hand Left Hand Simon Love - It Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time Skindred - Volume Swnami - Swnami The Anchoress - Confessions of a Romance Novelist The winner will be chosen by a panel of industry experts including musician Amy Wadge, Dwynwen Morgan from BBC Radio Cymru and critic Lowri Cooke. The winner will be announced on 24 November at The Depot in Cardiff. Mr Rostron, from the Welsh Music Prize, said: "So many great albums are being released from Wales at the moment - it's a really good time to be listening to new music and finding some new favourites."

Summary: A shortlist of 12 artists has been announced for the Welsh Music Prize 2016.


Flanker Davies, 25, was a key player as Team GB claimed a silver medal in the rugby sevens in Rio. New Zealander Pivac credited Davies with a key moment in helping GB beat Argentina in a tense quarter-final, and expects him to be pressing for a first Wales 15-a-side cap. "He's always been knocking on the door, he's there or thereabouts," said Pivac. "There are three or four good sevens (openside flankers) in Wales - it would depend on the style of game that you play. "James suits an open style of game with a lot of running and a lot of ball movement. "So if that's the way Wales are going, he's suited. But he's not the only one in that position that can do that." Davies was selected for the Olympics after being omitted from Wales' squad for the summer tour of New Zealand. After receiving his medal in Rio, the player jokingly thanked Wales coach Warren Gatland for not selecting him. Media playback is not supported on this device Pivac has coached at World-level sevens but says he has not dealt with an Olympic medallist in the past. He said Davies would be given a break before returning to training, but was looking forward to seeing him "because he's a character at the best of times." Team-mate Scott Williams expects the flanker - younger brother of Scarlets and Wales centre Jonathan Davies - to turn up for his first training session wearing the medal. Asked the region were proud of Davies' achievement, Pivac replied: "Immensely so." "It's the first rugby sevens at the Olympics, the biggest stage. "When you listen to all the successful GB athletes each night, talking about how proud they are and how their families are so proud of them - they want to make their country proud and James is no exception. "He played a big part in that." Pivac added Davies' strengths as a 15-a-side player had made him a key player for GB sevens team particularly in their nail-biting 5-0 sudden death win against Argentina. "I think it's his 15-a-side skills, the ones that he's very good at, transferred well into sevens," Pivac said. "His work at the breakdown is what he's known for in 15s and he was exceptional in gaining turnovers for his team in Rio - either straight turnovers or holding-on penalties against the opposition. "His defence under the goal-posts against Argentina in the quarter-final allowed the side to get into the medals."

Summary: Scarlets coach Wayne Pivac says the region are "immensely proud" of Olympic silver medallist James Davies.


Nicholas Eggington was found guilty of two counts of indecent assault and two counts of gross indecency against a male child between 1992 and 1993. The 58-year-old, who taught at the Cheam School in Hampshire, was placed on the sex offenders' register for life. He is also subject to a sexual harm prevention order. Winchester Crown Court heard Eggington, from Nottingham, worked at the school in Headley between 1987 and 1993. Following sentencing on Friday, a Hampshire Police spokesman said the victim had shown "courage" during the "difficult investigation".

Summary: A teacher has been jailed for three years for sexually abusing a boy at a preparatory school.


Main, 23, scored once in 14 appearances for Rovers this season. He started his career at Darlington before moving to Middlesbrough in June 2011 and joining Doncaster in July 2014. Main could make his debut for the Latics, who are five points adrift of safety in League One, in Tuesday's trip to Blackpool. Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page.

Summary: Oldham Athletic have signed Doncaster Rovers striker Curtis Main on loan until the end of the season.


Six of the nine people confirmed to have the infection in the past month are linked to a person who contracted it at the Green Gathering festival in Chepstow, Monmouthshire. Since the start of July, measles cases have been confirmed in Swansea, Neath Port Talbot, Pembrokeshire and Powys. People have been advised to get the MMR vaccine. All cases have links to festivals in England and Wales and Public Health Wales has warned people they should not attend big events without checking they and their children have had the vaccination. Measles is a highly contagious viral disease that can cause complications and can even prove fatal. Measles - what to look for:

Summary: An outbreak of measles has been confirmed in Carmarthenshire, Public Health Wales has said.


Staff are dealing with an "internal incident" involving a male inmate overlooking the perimeter wall. A prison service spokesman said: "A prisoner at HMP Cardiff has climbed an internal fence. Staff are working to ensure he comes down with no injuries." A prison officer was standing on Adam Street monitoring the inmate at the jail in the Adamstown area of the city. Four men were arrested in Cardiff prison in June after an explosive device "erupted". Officers also had to deal with an "isolated incident" on Christmas Day 2016, a week after four prisoners barricaded themselves into a cell.

Summary: An "incident is ongoing" at Cardiff prison, the Ministry of Justice have confirmed.


Tevez, 31, started his career at Boca before leaving in 2004 and returns to Argentina after nine years in Europe. Former Manchester United, Manchester City and West Ham forward Tevez struck 20 Serie A goals last season and had been linked with Liverpool, Atletico Madrid and Paris St-Germain. Juventus had already replaced Tevez with Mario Mandzukic from Atletico. Boca Juniors confirmed the transfer while Tevez was on the bench for the Copa America quarter-final against Colombia. Shortly after the announcement was made, Tevez came on to score the winning penalty in a shootout to send Argentina into the last four. Boca president Daniel Angelici said: "It is a day of joy and great satisfaction. The return of Carlos Tevez in an extraordinary moment of his career is fantastic news for all partners and supporters of Boca and Argentine football. The presence of Carlos will give another leap in quality to the great squad we have." Tevez, who has won three league titles in England and two in Italy, scored 38 goals in 110 games during his first spell at Boca, where he won the league in 2003 and was voted South American Player of the Year for three straight seasons. He left for Brazilian side Corinthians before the 2005 season, and moved to West Ham the following year. Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page.

Summary: Argentina striker Carlos Tevez has completed his move back to Boca Juniors from Italian champions Juventus.


IS said they were killed in revenge for Turkish killing of Muslims. Turkey launched a campaign against IS in northern Syria in August and is currently fighting IS around the group's stronghold of al-Bab. The video has not been independently verified. There has so far been no comment from Turkey. The Turkish army previously reported losing contact with two soldiers in northern Syria last month but it is unclear whether either are the men in the video. At least one of the purported victims appears to have been captured by the group as far back as September 2015. Turkish officials did not immediately respond to the publication of the video late on Thursday. IS released the video through a number of its online accounts and through the messaging app Telegram. It showed the two men, dressed in camouflage, caged in open countryside. The pair, collared and chained, were taken from the cage and made declarations to camera before being killed. Several reports suggested that Turkey had limited access to social media sites such as Twitter and YouTube following the release of the footage. However, many users reported no interruption. Earlier this week, 16 Turkish soldiers were killed near al-Bab, in the biggest loss for Turkish forces fighting the IS group in the region.

Summary: So-called Islamic State (IS) has released a video online which claims to show two captured Turkish soldiers being burned alive.


They are signed by "composer Mark Jones" and are posted from Lancashire. Raffaele Hairdressing manageress Clare Harper said she was "bewildered" by the first one but had now received four, which she has framed. She said they had become a talking point with customers, though her husband had asked if any of them "looked like they had a crush on her". "I'm waiting for the next one coming, I'm practically on the doorstep now," she said. The mystery author has been posting poems, written on black card in silver pen, around the country for more than five years. He has sent five to a salon in Penygroes in Gwynedd and seven over three years to a salon in Lancashire. There are reports of poems being sent to Yeovil Town and Hednesford Town football clubs, churches and salons in the north-east of England and hotels in Aberystwyth and Machynlleth in Mid Wales, among others. They appear to be love poems and each include the phrase "keep your chin up, keep smiling". Some recipients have attempted to find the poet but with no success.

Summary: A Hartlepool hair salon has joined a growing collection of businesses around the country being sent mystery poems.


The decision came after the governor of Rio de Janeiro state, Sergio Cabral, asked President Dilma Rousseff for government support ahead of the football World Cup in June. On Thursday, three police bases in the city were attacked by suspected gangs. Four police officers have been killed since February in similar attacks. The attacks on police in Brazil's second largest city have heightened concerns about law and order ahead of the World Cup, which begins on 12 June. Seven World Cup matches, including the final, will be played in Rio. Mr Cabral discussed the violence with President Rousseff in the capital, Brasilia, after Thursday's unrest in the northern Rio favela, or shanty town, of Manguinhos. Police vehicles were set on fire and the police unit's commander was shot in the leg. Rio's authorities have been trying to rid the city's favelas of drug dealers. "It is clear that criminals want to weaken our policy of pacification and take back territories which were in criminal hands for decades," Mr Cabral said ahead of his meeting. "The state will not back down. The public may be sure we shall act," the governor said. The authorities in Brasilia did not give say how many federal troops would be sent to Rio or when they would be deployed. Rio police have installed more than 30 bases in favelas in the past five years to drive out drug gangs. Correspondents say murders have declined and the number of shootouts has dropped, but residents have often accused the police of using heavy-handed tactics. The BBC's Julia Carneiro in Rio says the recent deaths among the security forces have prompted some groups to express solidarity with police and their families. Rio de Janeiro is to host South America's first Olympic Games in 2016 as well as this year's World Cup.

Summary: The government in Brazil says it will send federal troops to Rio de Janeiro to help deal with a spate of violent attacks targeting the city's police.


The 26-year-old had been scheduled to play Louisa Chirico of the United States in round three on Wednesday, but pulled out during the warm-ups. Belarusian Azarenka said she will have medical tests before deciding whether to play in Rome before the French Open, which starts on 22 May. Her departure means the top five seeds are out of the Spanish tournament. Agnieszka Radwanska, Angelique Kerber and Garbine Muguruza exited in previous rounds while fifth seed Petra Kvitova lost 6-3 6-4 to Australia's Daria Gavrilova on Wednesday. Azarenka, who had recently won titles at Indian Wells and Miami, said she "tweaked'' her back during her opening Madrid match against Laura Robson and that the pain persisted during her second round victory over Alize Cornet. She follows world number world 13 Lucie Safarova - who had to withdraw earlier in the week with food poisoning - and British number one Johanna Konta who retired in the first round with a respiratory illness. The men's event also lost Roger Federer - the world number three another player out with a back injury. Never want to miss the latest tennis news? You can now add this sport and all the other sports and teams you follow to your personalised My Sport home.

Summary: Fourth seed Victoria Azarenka has joined the list of Madrid Open withdrawals with a back injury.


Resuming on 43-1 after there was no play in the first session, debutant Eddie Byrom (43) and Adam Hose (48) put on 77 to take the score to 102-1. But Holland then dismissed Byrom, James Hildreth, Tom Abell and Steven Davies in a remarkable four-over spell of 4-8. He ran out Lewis Gregory before Gareth Berg (3-26) claimed two wickets, then rain forced an early close at 135-8. Somerset came into the day in a commanding position, having triggered a similar collapse from Hampshire with the pink ball under the floodlights in their first innings. However, the poor middle-order batting that has undermined their County Championship season came back to haunt them, meaning a first win of the season is now very unlikely. Opener Byrom, who had looked otherwise solid, chipped USA-born Australian Holland to mid-on and Hildreth went lbw for two before Abell and Davies feathered edges to Lewis McManus, both without scoring. Gregory was run out by Holland when he slipped trying to run a quick single, leaving Berg to pin Hose lbw and have Craig Overton caught at mid-wicket before rain prevented any play in the final session. Ian Holland told BBC Radio Solent: "It was a strange session of cricket. Obviously they had the momentum early and they got a decent partnership but we got a load of wickets in a hurry, so it's a decent end for us. "It puts us in a strong position. You never know. There are still 96 overs, maybe more, left in the game. "It is nice to contribute and come in and do well. I don't want to come in and be deadweight. The pink ball has been good to me. It seems to do bits in periods of the game and then flatten out. You are never out of the game." Somerset director of cricket Matt Maynard told BBC Radio Bristol: "It was so good to see Adam Hose and Eddie Byrom batting well and getting into a good position, then Holland came on and nipped it around under the lights and caused problems. "It was nibbling a little bit more. When you come in under those conditions it is tricky. He had a couple of decent balls out there. None of our boys gave their wicket away. "Eddie Byrom has impressed full stop. I liked the look of him in the academy and he is now getting his game. He knows his strengths in this form of the game and he showed that with the balls he left. I feel chuffed for the lad."

Summary: Ian Holland took 4-16 as Somerset collapsed, losing seven wickets for 33 runs against Hampshire on day three.


One of Afghanistan's largest cities, it has long been a strategically important transport hub for the north of the country. Kunduz is linked by highways to Kabul in the south, with Mazar-e-Sharif in the west and with Tajikistan in the north. But it has always held symbolic significance for the Taliban because it was a key northern stronghold before 2001. Kunduz is considered a gateway to Afghanistan's northern provinces and shares a border with Tajikistan, Afghanistan's Central Asian neighbour. The border with Tajikistan is porous, and it is used for the smuggling of Afghan opium and heroin to Central Asia, which finally finds its way to Europe. Any side controlling Kunduz would not only influence the surrounding areas, but could also control one of the most important drug smuggling routes in the region. Security for the region - which was a flagship project for the German army - was transferred to Afghan forces in 2013. But Kunduz has many other problems: bad governance as well as incompetence and intimidation by some local officials have alienated many in the province. It has long been at the frontline of a determined campaign by the Taliban to reclaim it. In May last year the BBC's David Loyn reported from there as fighting between government forces and the Taliban unfolded. The Taliban already control huge chunks of the province's rural areas, where the majority of the population lives. The insurgents have intensified their fighting in the province over the past two years. A BBC reporter visited the city after it was back in government hands following its September 2015 capture. He found shock, a jail emptied of prisoners and many residents fearful of a Taliban return. The battle for the city saw one of the worst incidents in the recent Afghan war when a Medecins sans Frontieres hospital was hit by a US air strike. The city is estimated to have about 300,000 residents but those numbers are likely to be fluid because fighting has prompted many to flee the city. Tens of thousands of people were displaced, living in shelters, spread across large tracts of countryside. Although the insurgents were pushed back, they always had numbers in the region and many observers believed it was only a matter of time before a determined assault was attempted. BBC Afghan's Dawood Azami and Inayatulhaq Yasini contributed to this report.

Summary: The brief militant seizure of Kunduz in 2015 was one of the Afghan government's worst setbacks since Taliban forces were ousted in 2001.


Ferdos Rabani, 48, currently at HMP Marshgate but formerly of Sheffield, was sentenced at the city's crown court. Rabani, who is also known as Joshua Abdul, was found guilty of rape in November, said South Yorkshire Police. In April 2016, he approached a 34-year-old woman, offered her a lift home before he drove to a remote area and raped her. Rabani had offered her cigarettes, believed to have been drugged to make her drowsy, before the attack. Several weeks afterwards the woman came forward to report to police what had happened. PC Jess Hawley said: "Rabani could clearly see that the victim was vulnerable. "He preyed on her and took advantage of her, leaving her incredibly traumatised by what happened."

Summary: A man who raped a "vulnerable" woman has been jailed for 24 years.


Earlier, the government announced 21 locations for enterprise zones in England in an effort to boost economic growth. Gloucestershire's bid focused on Gloucester and Cinderford. But Communities Minister Bob Neill said the county could still benefit from other job-creating projects. "It's no disgrace to Gloucestershire at all, they did hard work, I know that," he said. "And what I'd say to them is do not be discouraged. "We are working with local enterprise partnerships and local councils beyond the enterprise zone projects, for example giving councils the ability to discount business rates to attract businesses into the area, giving the ability to set up simplified planning regimes." Plans for 21 nationwide zones were first set out in March's Budget. Zones have been confirmed for sites in Cheshire, Cornwall, Gosport, Norfolk, Hereford, Kent and Oxfordshire. Other locations include Essex, Suffolk, Northampton, Leicestershire, Cambridgeshire and the Humber Estuary. Ministers said 30,000 new jobs would be created by 2015 by giving cheaper business rates, super-fast broadband and lower levels of planning control.

Summary: Gloucestershire's failure to secure an "enterprise zone" for the county is not a reflection on local businesses, the government has said.


The programme was started after a number of attacks and attempted rapes. A police official said women and children were being taught basic judo and how to punch and kick. Police say there are around 100,000 people in camps in Kathmandu following the devastating earthquake in April. "When we visited these temporary shelters we found there had been violence against women and children," said Tara Devi Thapa, deputy superintendent of police in the Kathmandu Valley. "We thought it was a good idea to give them a skill so they can use it and benefit," she said. Ms Thapa said around 70 women and girls in one camp in the Boudha area of the city were being taught how to do judo holds as well as how to kick and punch. She said there had been a high demand from earthquake victims to learn how to defend themselves, and the police were considering offering the programme in all camps in the capital. "We expect the amount of violence women and children face to increase as time goes on," said Ms Thapa. "We think the shelters could be targeted by criminal and trafficking gangs," she said. Hundreds of thousands of people were made homeless by the 7.8 magnitude quake and resulting aftershocks. Many of these people face a long stay in temporary shelters before they can rebuild their homes.

Summary: The Nepalese police say they are giving self-defence classes to women and children earthquake survivors who are living in temporary shelters in the capital Kathmandu.


Media playback is not supported on this device Story of the match: Gotze demonstrated perfect technique and commendable calm to chest down Andre Schurrle's pass and sweep in a left-foot finish with the prospect of a penalty shootout only seven minutes away. Argentina, with skipper Lionel Messi looking subdued despite flashes of his talent, could not respond and Germany claimed their first World Cup since they beat the same opponents in Rome 24 years ago. The success means Joachim Low's side have become the first European team to win the trophy in South America. Gonzalo Higuain wasted Argentina's best chance in the first half while Germany defender Benedikt Howedes hit the post with a header seconds before half-time. Germany had to regroup after losing key midfielder Sami Khedira to injury in the warm-up - and his replacement Christoph Kramer to a blow to the head before half-time - but they shrugged off these setbacks to write another triumphant chapter in their sporting history. Argentina's fans were the vast majority of a crowd that created a vibrant atmosphere inside the Maracana - although Germany were well represented and had the support of many yellow-clad Brazil supporters who still turned up despite seeing their hopes of watching the hosts in the World Cup final dashed by that stunning semi-final beating at the hands of Germany. German supporters stayed in their places more than an hour after the final whistle as the victorious side indulged in lengthy celebrations of a win that vindicated the rebuilding plan put in place when they suffered the humiliation of going out of Euro 2004 at the group stage, which resulted in then coach Rudi Voller's resignation. Germany had reached the semi-finals of the previous two World Cups but have now managed the crowning achievement for coach Low, who not only brought the trophy back to Germany, but also ended Europe's grim record in this tournament on South American soil. Argentina failed to have a shot on target in the entire game and four-time world player of the year Messi looked an increasingly jaded figure as the game went on. The Barcelona star never stopped striving to carry his team over the line in the manner achieved by his great predecessor Diego Maradona, who inspired them to their last World Cup when they beat Germany in Mexico City in 1986. For Germany this completes the transition for a group of emerging players such as Golden Glove winner Manuel Neuer, midfield man Mesut Ozil, defender Mats Hummels, captain Philipp Lahm, Thomas Muller, Toni Kroos and even the injured Khedira. After destroying hosts Brazil 7-1 in Tuesday's semi-final in Belo Horizonte, this was a game that required different qualities such as resilience and concentration - but Germany were never found wanting and their ecstatic celebrations at the end were in contrast to the tears of the Argentines. And ominously, 22-year-old match-winner Gotze symbolises the next generation of Germany players that coach Low declared would dominate for years to come when he addressed the media 24 hours before this final. For now, though,

Summary: Germany were crowned world champions for the fourth time as Mario Gotze's extra-time winner beat Argentina in the 2014 World Cup final.


This has been a gruelling week for the primates of the Anglican Communion: 39 of them in total meeting for a make or break gathering, spending several days living, eating, praying and negotiating together in Canterbury over the future of the world's third biggest Christian grouping. The meeting saw high stakes diplomacy by the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby and his team, as the already fissiparous Communion threatened to split apart over the issue of same sex marriage. The primates were kept well away from the glare of the media as the delicate talks got under way. This was in the knowledge that comments in the public domain could prompt a walkout by the most traditionalist nations, who are part of Global Anglican Future (GAFCON) - a potential rival leadership should the Anglican Communion divide on this issue. Their resolution was leaked on Thursday. It shows that they have agreed that by recognising same-sex marriage, the Episcopal Church in the US departed fundamentally from the faith and teaching of the Anglican Communion on the doctrine of marriage. The church will now be suspended from participating in the life and work of the Anglican Communion. The resolution stated that there were no victors and no vanquished. But LGBTi Christians and others are bitterly disappointed by the result and had hoped to see more support from the more liberal churches. In the end, though, it seems that the Anglican Communion as a whole valued unity over diversity. And there was clear strength of feeling at the meeting that for the vast majority of Anglicans represented there, marriage remains between a man and a woman, for life - even if secular societies in the west have moved rapidly over the past few years towards recognising equal or same sex marriage after years of similarly heated debate over the issue. So what does the resolution mean? It is clearly a shot across the bows for any other Anglican churches that may be thinking about changing doctrine unilaterally. The Anglican Church of Canada, for example, takes a similar position on homosexuality to the Episcopal Church, though it has not yet formally endorsed services of same sex marriage. Many of the provinces represented in Canterbury this week are having their own discussions about sexuality and whether to bless same sex unions in the future. This is an issue that will not go away, even if the primates would like it to. The Church of England itself is holding shared conversations on sexuality, in which LGBTi supporters and opponents are meant to share their views (although some participants have been critical of the reality). In the end, the action taken over the Episcopal Church will not have a major impact on its congregations. However, it will make many LGBTi supporters and those in favour of equality for all congregants question the Anglican Communion's claim to represent a loving church. Although the deal represents a major achievement in keeping the Communion together, it remains extremely fragile. And quite what walking together at a distance means in practice will be tested

Summary: As Anglican leaders bar a liberal US branch from decision-making for allowing same-sex marriage, the BBC's religious affairs correspondent Caroline Wyatt considers what this means for the Anglican Church.


The proposals for Walton Breck Road in north Liverpool form the latest phase of a £260m regeneration of the area. If approved, derelict buildings would be demolished or rebuilt and the road would be narrowed to make the area more pedestrian friendly. Liverpool's deputy mayor Ann O'Byrne said the "ambitious" plan would "make a massive difference to the area". "People come to visit Anfield every day of the week and we want to make sure it's as inviting as possible," she said. The work, which would be carried out in phases over the next three to four years, would see the building of new homes, office spaces and a hotel as well as community and landscaped areas. The Anfield regeneration scheme was announced in 2013 as a joint venture between Liverpool City Council, Your Housing Group and Liverpool Football Club. It has already seen the football club expand the main stand to accommodate an extra 8,500 fans. Brian Cronin, from Your Housing Group, said: "We envisage a mixture of traditional properties with some more modern properties, just to give the area a different feel." Residents are being asked to give their feedback when the plans go on display in Stanley Park from Monday.

Summary: Plans to rebuild a high street next to Liverpool FC's stadium in Anfield have been revealed by the city council.


But in recent years it, like many other seaside towns, has struggled. The advent of cheap flights abroad and a recession meant the County Antrim town was forced to reinvent itself from its 1950s heyday. And while the weather this year has been as unstable as the political landscape, neither seem to be putting tourists off spending money, with more visitors from the Republic of Ireland providing a welcome revenue stream. Visitors to the north coast traditionally come from other parts of Northern Ireland, said Naldo Morelli, managing director of Morelli's Ice Cream. "But this year, I suppose with Brexit and the pound weakening a little bit we've noticed more customers from the Republic of Ireland, so that helps too," he said. "The Northern Ireland public are very used to having four seasons in one day, so thankfully for us they eat ice cream no matter the weather." Portrush's reinvention seems to be doing the trick for traders. "Business is up 5% to 10% across the board, certainly the restaurants have been busy," said Ian Donaghey, the president of the Causeway Chamber of Commerce. While the weather is not always kind, this is sometimes actually good for local businesses, added Mr Donaghey. "If the weather is too good it keeps people on the beaches and they don't spend money in the town," he said. "What some of the traders would tell you is that they like a sunny morning and a drizzly afternoon because it drives them into Barry's [amusement arcade] and the restaurants and bars." Portrush's much loved amusements and bucket-and-spade shops are still there, but now their neighbours are trendy coffee shops, restaurants and bars. The town may not have completely shaken off its traditional image, but those who visit do not seem to mind. Business owners hope a mixture of nostalgia and new attractions will keep people visiting the north coast for the rest of this summer season, and for many years to come. It seems that come rain or shine, holidaymakers will always have a soft spot for Portrush.

Summary: The beauty of Northern Ireland's north coast made Portrush the go-to choice for family holidays for decades.


Replacement cost profit between July and September was $1.23bn (Â£802m), compared with $2.38bn a year earlier. Total revenue was $55.9bn against $94.8bn a year ago. The oil price dipped below $50 a barrel in the quarter, while it was above $100 for much of the same period last year. Prices have dropped due to oversupply and weaker demand. On an underlying basis, profit for the third quarter was $1.8bn, down from $3bn a year earlier but higher than analysts' estimates of $1.2bn. BP shares opened almost 2% higher, but by mid-afternoon were down 1% on the day. Replacement cost profit is a standard measure used in the oil industry that takes into account the price of oil. Reflecting the tougher environment across the industry, the company's capital expenditure for the period fell to $4.3bn, down from $5.3bn. BP continued to rein in spending estimates for 2015, which it now expects to be about $19bn compared with the $24bn-$26bn forecast a year ago. The company also announced that the total cost of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010 would reach $55bn, higher than previous estimates. Earlier this month, the company said it had agreed to pay $20bn to settle claims in the US. To meet these costs, it is selling off assets, and expects to divest $10bn this year, with another $3bn-$5bn in 2016. BP also said it was maintaining its dividend at 10 cents a share. Analysis: Kamal Ahmed, BBC business editor Low oil prices are not all bad news for integrated oil companies. Yes, life upstream (the exploration and production part of the business) might be tougher because the business is not being paid as much for every barrel of oil it produces. But, for the downstream business (that's refined oil products such as fuel, lubricants and petrochemicals for making things like paint and plastic bottles) a low oil price can be a veritable boon. That's because the input costs - essentially the low oil price - are down and therefore the profit margin can be boosted. Read more from Kamal Despite the company's immediate troubles, analysts said there was some reason for optimism. "Refining margins are better than expected, the company remains a cash generating machine and costs are being attacked aggressively to suit the difficult backdrop," said Richard Hunter at Hargreaves Lansdown stockbrokers. "BP's longer term outlook remains positive." Oil prices have fallen sharply due to increased supply from US shale producers and lower demand, in part due to the slowdown in the Chinese economy. The major oil producers of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, known as Opec, would normally cut production to support prices, but they have decided to keep pumping to try and flush out US shale producers which, they hope, will be unable to withstand a sustained period of low prices. "BP has successfully adapted to changing circumstances many times in its history and, in a hard time for the entire industry, I believe we will once again successfully take on today's challenges," said BP chief executive Bob

Summary: Oil giant BP has reported a fall in profits due to lower oil and gas prices.


Mr Gunnlaugsson, his wife and other Icelandic ministers were named in the Panama Papers. He had said no rules had been broken but was accused of concealing millions of dollars worth of family assets. Icelandic readers have been sharing their views on the current political situation and how the protest may have played a part. "I am shocked at how he chose to resign. He should have done that a long time ago. He didn't speak to his governmental department beforehand. The way he did it was entirely unacceptable. "My gut feeling is that there is something very rotten in Iceland. "Monday's protests were definitely something that Iceland has never seen before and the current situation is entirely unprecedented in Icelandic politics. "I was inside looking out of the window and was startled by the egg thrown at the window, but the protest was 99% peaceful. "I heard there could have been 22,000 at the protests. That would be 6% of the whole population - one of the largest protests we have had. "It was a good atmosphere. I have never seen Iceland react in this way before. "People are hurt and disappointed by Gunnlaugsson - it is not what they voted for. "Even people who are loyal to the government are baffled - they have no words. "One of the reasons why the government got a big following was that they said they'll take a strong hold of the economy. "But the normal Icelander lost everything - their jobs, their homes, their future." "I'm not surprised he has resigned. It was obvious this would happen eventually. I'm happy about it. "He did the right thing but it should have been sooner. I hope they call for snap elections now. We won't stop protesting until we get that. "The protests definitely put more pressure on Gunnlaugsson and everyone else in the coalition. "It showed that we as a nation were not going to back down. "There is definitely excitement and changes in the air here in Iceland." "The prime minister, the finance minister, and the interior minister have all been named in the Panama Papers. "I feel a mixture of anger, shame and betrayal - it's the same feeling I had during the financial crisis. "Recently, Sigmundur Gunnlaugsson and the finance minister talked about the Icelandic Kronur being stable. "But they keep their money elsewhere like they don't trust the system with their own money. "In Iceland our welfare system is horrible - they are trying to privatise the hospitals and healthcare system because there's no money in the budget. "If everyone paid their taxes we would have a good welfare system. "The taxes go up on food but don't raise them for rich people. "There's almost a divide in our country." "Like half the nation, I've been watching TV live. It's been disrupting my work! "Sigmundur Gunnlaugsson suggested his vice-chairman of the party would take over as PM. In my opinion that's not a good move. "His resignation is like a scapegoat to allow the government to survive. "It's obvious that

Summary: Sigmundur Gunnlaugsson has resigned as prime minister of Iceland after leaks from Panama law firm Mossack Fonseca showed he owned an offshore company with his wife.


The Bears face must-win games in their final group matches in the T20 Blast and One-Day Cup to keep alive hopes of making the quarter-finals in both. "There's no reason why it should be inconsistent, we know what we're meant to be doing," Brown, 46, told BBC WM. "Under pressure, we're failing to deliver what we're supposed to." Warwickshire's four-wicket defeat by Durham, who chased down 293 to win, leaves the third-placed Bears needing to beat current leaders Yorkshire on Monday to stay in the hunt for the last eight. Before then, they go to Old Trafford on Friday knowing victory over Lancashire in their last T20 Blast game is vital to their chances of making the knockout stages. Brown is confident the high-stakes nature of the next two matches will bring out the best in his side. "We are a decent side - we're struggling a the moment as we're struggling to get the same team out on the park twice," Brown said. "The guys who come in should be proficient at executing under pressure - that's what we haven't done and that's what we need to do in these two games. "We know we've got to win them and it's exciting to be part of." All-rounder Keith Barker is set to return after injury at Old Trafford, while former England batsman Jonathan Trott could make a comeback against Yorkshire following a back problem.

Summary: Warwickshire director of cricket Dougie Brown admits he cannot explain why his side's white-ball cricket has been inconsistent this season.


The cases were re-opened after officers heard tapes seized from the American university, the BBC understands. The murders being re-examined are those of John Benedict Devine in July 1989 and John Joseph O'Hara in April 1991. No-one has ever been charged in connection with the two murders. It is the first time loyalist killings have been investigated as a result of details in the Boston tapes. Police say the two men were killed simply because of their religion. Mr Devine, a 37-year-old father-of-three, was shot in front of his 13-year-old son at his home in Fallswater Street in west Belfast. Mr O'Hara, a father-of-five, was working as a taxi driver when he was shot in Dunluce Avenue in south Belfast in April 1991. Police have said they have new information that could help them to catch the killers. "As a result of information we have recently received, we believe we are now in a position to progress both of these investigations. "However, we need the help of the public," said Det Insp Neil McGuinness. The Police Service of Northern Ireland will not comment on the nature of the new information. But the BBC believes the decision to re-open these cases was taken after detectives listened to tapes seized from Boston College in recent months. Dozens of former paramilitaries, most of them republican, gave interviews to university researchers compiling an oral history of the Troubles. They did so on the understanding that the tapes would not be made public until after their deaths. But police took legal action and were granted permission to access some of the recordings. It is understood police believe information contained on some of the seized tapes could help them identify those responsible for these two killings. Detectives are now trying to find other supporting evidence. They have appealed to anyone with information about the killings to come forward.

Summary: Police are re-investigating the murders of two Catholics because of information from interviews about the Troubles by former loyalist paramilitaries for a history project by Boston College.


It is the second ATP Tour semi-final of the 22-year-old Briton's career and the fifth seed will face Ryan Harrison for a place in Sunday's final. The world number 45 was a break down in the first set when play was interrupted to give a fan medical help, but hit back to win nine of the last 10 games. Harrison thrashed Christopher Eubanks 6-1 6-2 in their quarter-final. American fourth seed Harrison said: "Kyle's been coming out. He was playing some amazing tennis at the end of last year and has shown some highlights of that throughout this year as well."

Summary: Kyle Edmund defeated top seed Jack Sock 6-4 6-1 to reach the last four of the 2017 Atlanta Open.


However, it seems that is not so as new collections of pictures continue to emerge. Two such bodies of work stood out for me recently. Both comprise portraits of people on the street from a similar time, the late 1970s and early 80s, which are now far enough away to seem like ancient history to the generation now picking up cameras for the first time. Christine Osinski's series, Summer Days Staten Island, was taken when she moved with her husband to what is known as New York's "forgotten borough" in 1982 after years of living in Manhattan. The move was enforced to some extent by rising rent prices and this led them to purchase an older property on the island. Wanting to get to know the area and her new neighbours, she began exploring with her camera, later saying: "It was an adventure first and became a project much, much later." The portraits are direct, the clothes unmistakably of the time and even the poses seem naive, taken in the pre-selfie, self-worship era of today. They remind us what a talented photographer can do with a simple dark box, a lens and some film. At around the same time on this side of "the pond", another American photographer, Al Vandenberg, was chronicling life on the streets of London. Perhaps best known for his art direction of The Beatles' Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band album cover, Vandenberg had studied with some of the biggest names in the business, like Bruce Davidson, Alexey Brodovitch and Richard Avedon, before moving to London, living off the King's Road, in 1965. There he built a successful career before giving it up to head back to New York, from where he hitchhiked through parts of the US and Canada, before returning to the UK in 1974. It was at this time he began taking portraits of Londoners, the results as compelling at Osinki's. The faces stare back at the lens with an assurance that can only be found in the young. Vandenberg walked the streets of London to make these pictures, freed from commercial ties and having to produce work on demand. He wrote that once he stopped using his photographs for advertising consumer goods he had "no visible means of support". "A lot of people believed in my art and gave me several helping hands and a great deal of support. It seemed that when I stopped making money I gained many friends," he added. He was in a good place and that comes through in the open nature of the work. This is perhaps best summed up by Martin Barnes, senior curator of photographs at the Victoria and Albert Museum, who writes in a book of the work published by Stanley / Barker: "Vandenberg had an unconscious knack of being alert to the nostalgia of the future." Technically the two approaches were very different, with Osinski using a large format 5x4 camera and Vandenberg an Olympus OM1 - the entire project shot with one lens and Kodak Tri-X film with it all printed on Agfa

Summary: The role of photography has changed in recent years and, given the amount published daily to the web, you might begin to think you'd seen everything worth looking at - especially images from the past.


"The company confirmed that it received a subpoena from the SEC in the fourth quarter of 2015," said Valeant spokeswoman Laurie Little. Valeant, which has been struggling to maintain investor confidence amid mounting scandals, said the SEC probe was one of "several ongoing investigations". The firm's shares closed down 18%. The statement comes a day after the company announced the return of its chief executive J. Michael Pearson from medical leave. It also said it would postpone the release of its fourth quarter earnings and scrap its previous financial forecast. The company also cancelled a planned call with investors. The investigation is separate from one involving the purchase of Salix Pharmaceuticals that was made public last year. Ms Little said: "Valeant confirms that it has several ongoing investigations, including investigations by the US Attorney's Offices for Massachusetts and the Southern District of New York, the SEC, and Congress." The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is separately already investigating whether Salix Pharmaceuticals - which Valeant purchased in 2015 - misled investors about its inventory levels in 2014. Valeant is also under scrutiny for its connection to speciality pharmacy chain Philidor RX Services. Valeant cut ties with the pharmacy in October, after it was accused of using the pharmacy to falsify sales to boost prices.

Summary: Valeant Pharmaceuticals is being investigated by the Securities and Exchange Commission, it has confirmed.


The Ministry of Justice said a number of prison staff were being investigated. An HMP Chelmsford inmate's girlfriend told The Sun they were allowed into a shower room at Broomfield Hospital where they had sex. Chelmsford MP Sir Simon Burns raised concerns about the issue in September and said there should be sackings. In a letter to Sir Simon, the prisons minister Andrew Selous said a full investigation had been conducted. "A number of prison officers will be required to attend a disciplinary hearing which will consider the appropriate action that should be taken against them," he said. "Explicit instructions are also being put in place at the prison that make clear to staff the expected standards of supervision that are required during the time a prisoner is at a hospital. "I hope this letter has been able to reassure you that, whilst it appears that there was an unfortunate lapse in supervision on this occasion, steps are being taken to robustly address the matter and avoid any such repetition." Sir Simon said: "It was a very unfortunate incident which was totally unacceptable. "I welcome the update from the minister and the assurances that measures have been put in place to ensure this does not happen again."

Summary: Officers are facing disciplinary action over claims a prisoner had sex during a hospital visit, the BBC has learned.


The World War Two cipher machine was bought at a flea market by a cryptography professor, who apparently recognised its true worth. It was sold to an online bidder in Bucharest, Romania, on Tuesday. Enigma machines were used to carry coded military communications during the war. First developed in Germany in the 1920s, the codes created by the electromechanical encryption devices were eventually cracked by mathematician Alan Turing and his team at Bletchley Park. Bucharest auction house Artmark put this particular Enigma machine on sale with a starting price of €9,000. Cristian Gavrila, the collectible consignment manager at Artmark, told Reuters: "The collector bought it from a flea market. He's a cryptography professor and... he knew very well what he was buying." However, the eventual sale price fell far short of the record amount for an Enigma machine at auction, after one sold at Christie's in New York for $547,500 last month.

Summary: A 100 euros typewriter has sold for 45,000 euros (£40,000; $51,500) at auction, after it was discovered it was actually a German Wehrmacht Enigma I.


The denial comes after the Mail on Sunday reported that the former British prime minister met the president's son-in-law and key adviser, Jared Kushner, at the White House last week. The paper claims the meetings were to discuss working for Mr Trump. Mr Blair's office said the story was an "invention" and that he continues to work for peace "in a private capacity". After he left Downing Street in 2007, Mr Blair took the role of Middle East envoy for the Quartet Group, made up of the European Union, US, Russia and United Nations. His spokesman said: "Mr Blair has made no such 'pitch' to be the president's Middle East envoy. "Neither has he had any discussions about taking such a role or any role working for the new president. He has been working on the peace process for 10 years. "He continues to do so. He does so in a private capacity. He will continue to do it in that way. Period." Mr Blair launched a campaign last month to try to persuade the British people to change their minds about leaving the European Union, following the Brexit referendum held last year.

Summary: Tony Blair has not pitched to become a Middle East envoy for US President Donald Trump, a spokesman has said.


Edinho is a retired footballer who played goalkeeper for Pele's old club, Santos, in the 1990s. He was first arrested in 2005 and has served a sentence for drug trafficking offences and links with a notorious drug dealer in the city of Santos. He admits he had a drug problem but denies the trafficking charges. The ruling was issued by a judge in the nearby coastal city of Praia Grande, in Sao Paulo state. Brazilian media have not been able to contact Edinho, whose real name is Edson Cholbi do Nascimento, but they say he is expected to appeal. Edinho, 43, works as a goalkeeping coach at Santos. Pele, or Edson Arantes do Nascimento, played all his professional career in Brazil for Santos. Playing for Brazil, he won the World Cup in 1958, 1962 and 1970 and was acclaimed as the greatest footballer of his generation. He retired in 1974, but made a comeback a year later for New York Cosmos. Edinho is Pele's third son from his first marriage. He was five when Pele was signed to play for Cosmos and the family moved to New York. When he returned to Brazil he decided to pursue a career in professional football - as a goalkeeper, much to his father's surprise. He was Santos' goalkeeper in 1995 when the team reached the Brazilian league final, losing the title to Botafogo. His detention and alleged involvement with drug gangs took most people in Brazil by surprise. Pele, now 73, went to visit his son several times in jail. "God willing, justice will be done. There is not a shred of evidence against my son," he said in 2006. Edinho said that his father was his idol. Four other people have also been convicted for many laundering, including a man accused of controlling much of the drug trafficking in the region - Ronaldo Duarte Barsotti, known as Naldinho.

Summary: The son of the Brazilian football legend Pele has been sentenced to 33 years in jail for laundering money raised from drug trafficking.


Amber Rudd argued revealing secret documents at the inquest in Surrey would damage public interest. The inquest will have to decide whether Alexander Perepilichnyy died of natural causes or was unlawfully killed. He collapsed outside his Weybridge home in 2012. Traces of a chemical linked to plant poison were found in his stomach. Claims have been made at pre-inquest hearings that he could have been deliberately killed for helping to uncover a major fraud. The claims have come from financial firms Hermitage Capital Management and Legal & General. Mr Justice Cranston said: "According to information provided by Mr Perepilichnyy to Swiss prosecutors before his death, Hermitage was used by senior Russian officials to perpetrate a multi-million dollar tax fraud against the Russian Treasury and Hermitage. "Legal and General's interest is that it issued a substantial life insurance policy to Mr Perepilichnyy shortly before his death. "Both Hermitage and Legal and General have suggested that Mr Perepilichnyy might have been murdered, possibly by agents of the Russian State." Surrey coroner Richard Travers had asked the home secretary and the foreign secretary to produce relevant material, but some of it was sensitive and Mr Travers did not have security clearance to view it, the High Court heard. "Consequently, he decided that he was not in a position to decide the Secretary of State's application that it not be publicly disclosed and ordered the Secretary of State to make an application for public interest immunity (PII) to the High Court," the judge said. He said he had "no hesitation" in finding the balance came down in favour of non-disclosure and ruled the Home Secretary was entitled to a PII certificate. There were no cogent reasons for rejecting her view "that there would be real and significant damage to national security from disclosure", he added. The ruling means the public, Mr Perepilichnyy's family, and family lawyers without clearance will be denied access to the documents. The judge also said Mr Travers's position was "untenable" because he did not have the necessary clearance and a replacement would have to be found. The replacement coroner would need to keep the PII question under review, and consider "whether a public inquiry is needed", he added. The inquest opened in 2014, but has been hit by a series of delays. There have been 12 pre-inquest reviews and about 5,000 pages of documents gathered. One hearing heard Mr Perepilichny's death had parallels with the murder of former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko. A full hearing is expected to take place in March.

Summary: Sensitive material will not be disclosed at an inquest into the death of a Russian whistleblower after the home secretary won a High Court order.


The President says it's unlikely that power companies will switch back to coal, regardless of Mr Trump's plans to boost production. Mr Trump has also said he wants the US to pull out of the Paris climate agreement. But President Obama says this would see the US lose its "seat at the table". The President's views appeared in a policy forum article in the highly regarded research journal, Science. The editors believe it is the first time that a sitting President has written such a feature. In the article, the President argues that a "massive scientific record" shows that climate change is "real and cannot be ignored". Mr Obama also details the reasons he believes the trend towards a low-carbon economy is now "irreversible". He points to the fact that between 2008 and 2015 the US economy grew by 10% while emissions of CO2 fell by almost the same amount. Mr Obama says that US businesses have increasingly seen the financial benefits from cutting carbon through greater energy efficiency. Citing the examples of corporations like General Motors and Alcoa, the President says the US consumed 2.5% less energy in 2015 than in 2008 while the economy was now a tenth bigger. There would be a huge financial penalty if economies don't reduce their emissions, Mr Obama writes. If CO2 continues to rise then global temperatures could go up by 4 degrees C by the end of this century, and that could cost the world economy 4% of GDP. In US terms that would equate to the loss of federal revenue of between $340bn and $690bn every year. Pointedly, Mr Obama says that 2.2 million Americans now work in jobs connected to energy efficiency - double the 1.1 million that work in fossil fuel production and electricity generation. Thanks to hydraulic fracturing, gas has emerged as a transformative energy source, now accounting for 33% of US electricity production. Despite Mr Trump's plans to revive the coal industry by cutting red tape, "it is unlikely that utilities will change course and choose to build coal-fired power plants, which would be more expensive than natural gas plants, regardless of any near-term changes in federal policy." Even states that supported Donald Trump in the presidential election had moved heavily to renewables. Iowa generated 32% of their electricity in 2015 from wind, up from 8% in 2008. On the Paris climate agreement, Mr Obama said this was a "fundamental shift in the diplomatic landscape which has already yielded substantial dividends". Pulling out of the agreement, as Mr Trump has mulled doing, would see the United States lose its seat at the table, and be unable to hold other countries to their commitments, the President wrote. Continued participation in the Paris process, Mr Obama said, would yield great benefit for the American people and the international community. However, the outgoing president was careful to offer an olive branch of sorts to President-elect Trump. Mr Obama argued that the targets that the US signed up to in the Paris agreement could be achieved in many different ways and "this

Summary: Renewable energy sources will continue to grow in the US despite the antipathy of the incoming Trump administration, says President Obama.


Two days before polling day, Emmanuel Macron let slip on French radio that he had someone in mind for prime minister should he win Sunday's vote. He did not say who it was, simply tantalising listeners with a vague reference to "someone with experience of politics, and the skills to lead a parliamentary majority". But such is the secrecy around his plan for government that it was enough to send the French papers into a spin. It is a taboo subject even within his campaign team, according to the daily newspaper Le Monde. "It's like sailors who refuse to say the word 'rabbit' in case it brings bad luck," one unnamed staffer told the paper. On one level, his reticence is understandable. Forming a government is a delicate business at the best of times and for Mr Macron it is delicate in ways previous presidents can only imagine. First there is the tension between the poetry of campaign and the prose of government. It was Mr Macron's promise of renewal and change that won him his place in the Elysée Palace. He has promised fresh faces from outside politics, an overhaul of the established political system and a new kind morality in political life. His En Marche! (English: On The Move) movement has the feel of a start-up, with the average age said to be around 30. But he is also going to need experience, particularly in areas such as security. Alexis Kohler, 43: Special adviser and likely to be Mr Macron's secretary general at the Elysée. Joined a shipping company after working as chief-of-staff for Mr Macron while in government Brigitte Trogneux, 64: President-elect's wife initially helped rewrite his speeches but is said to seek role as a "bridge" to the president Ismaël Emelien, 29: Right-hand man and longtime friend, head of communications and strategic adviser, ex-colleague in economy ministry Jean Pisani-Ferry, 65: Economics professor and government adviser, in charge of Macron economic programme and big ideas. Founded Brussels-based Bruegel think tank Sophie Gagnant-Ferracci, 40: Head of campaign team. Highly experienced corporate lawyer and longstanding friend of president-elect through her husband, economist Marc Ferracci François Bayrou, 65: Political heavyweight, head of centrist Democratic Movement party; his backing boosted Macron candidacy in February "The young technocrats that surround Macron are impatient for their go," says Pierre Haski, former deputy editor at the left-wing newspaper Libération. "They think the oldies have made a mess of things… [but] Emmanuel Macron needs to find a balance between the traditional big beasts of the main parties and the newcomers. It can't just be the younger generation." Balancing the expectations of sweeping change with the demands of government will not be easy, especially as he is likely to face a politically diverse cabinet - and probably a divided parliament too. And that is the second challenge for Mr Macron: the unique blend of left and right that he promised in his campaign means that his cabinet will need to contain not just a mix of fresh faces and old hands, but a mix of figures from the

Summary: Emmanuel Macron has gone from political newcomer to French president in just a few years He has promised a new approach to politics but what exactly will his government look like?


The attackers were driving dozens of four-wheel drive vehicles when they swept into the hunters' camp at dawn on Wednesday, officials said. They struck near Layyah, 190km (118 miles) from regional capital, Samawa. A wide-scale search has been launched for the attackers, police say. The Qatari foreign ministry released a statement saying it was working with the Iraqi government "at the highest security and political levels... to find out the details of the Qatari citizens' abduction and work on their release as soon as possible". It said they had been hunting with official Iraqi permission - though Iraq's interior ministry accused the hunters of failing to abide by its instructions to remain inside secured areas. The aim of the abduction was "to achieve political and media goals", the interior ministry said. The remote area where the incident took place is highly tribal in nature and a Shia region, reports the BBC's Jim Muir in Beirut. The Shia political parties which dominate the Iraqi government are highly critical of Qatar's role in supporting Sunni rebels in Syria - so this is bound to be a serious diplomatic incident, he says. Iraq is one of several countries frequented by Gulf Arab huntsmen and falconers as they search for prey that either does not exist in their own countries or which has been almost hunted to extinction there. Their favoured prey is the Asian houbara bustard, akin to a small turkey, and to find it and other similar species Gulf hunters often travel to Morocco, Iraq, Pakistan and Afghanistan. They take with them their prized falcons, typically peregrines, sakers and lanners, which are expertly trained to home in on their quarry at high speed. According to a former CIA officer, in 1998 a CIA-run sniper team in Afghanistan observed Osama Bin Laden and his al-Qaeda followers gathered at a camp near Kandahar but they were ordered to take no action for risk of harming the Emirati hunters who were with them. Other Gulf hunting expeditions have even extended as far as the Central African Republic in search of big game. Two Iraqi officers providing security for the party were also taken by the gunmen but later released, officials said. No details were provided on which members of the Qatari royal family were among those held. Wealthy practitioners of the ancient sport of falconry from various Gulf states often travel to the area at this time of year. The hunters had been escorted by Iraqi security forces but they decided not to engage a large number of gunmen, a police colonel from Samawa - the capital of Muthanna governorate - told Reuters. "We are talking about at least 100 gunmen armed with light and medium weapons," he said. More than 12 years after the US-led invasion and occupation, Iraq is still plagued by violent crime and militant attacks. In September, 16 Turkish construction workers were freed a month after being kidnapped in the capital, Baghdad, apparently by Shia Muslim militants. Falconry was an important skill for Bedouin hunters in the harsh deserts of Arabia and Syria

Summary: Gunmen have kidnapped at least 27 Qatari hunters - including members of the ruling family - in a desert area of Iraq near the Saudi border, say police and the local governor.


On Wednesday, the 25-year-old admitted an online banking fraud, in which a woman lost more than £2,000. However BBC Essex understands that is unrelated to his situation at Southend. "We will not allow any matter to bring the club into disrepute. We will take a balanced view and come to a decision once all of the information is understood," chairman Ron Martin said. "I have supported Nile, along with (manager) Phil Brown and the other players," Martin added. "We all would like to see him succeed on and off the pitch, both as player and person." Southend say they will consider their options, but claim they are unlikely to release any more information until next week.

Summary: Southend United say striker Nile Ranger is facing suspension by the League One club after a "breach of discipline".


Loughborough's Ama Agbeze captains the side in the Championship section of the tournament between 12 and 15 May. The Roses, who plan to go full-time from June this year, will face Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland. Gibraltar, Ireland, Israel, Malta, Switzerland, as well as teams from Grenada and USA, will compete in the competition's Challenge section. England Roses: Helen Housby, Ella Clarke, Kadeen Corbin, Ellie Cardwell, Laura Malcolm (VC), Sophia Candappa, Hannah Joseph, Natalie Haythornthwaite, Jodie Gibson, Ama Agbeze (C), Sam Cook, Leah Kennedy. Reserves: Eboni Beckford Chambers, Rebekah Airey, George Fisher, Gabrielle Marshall, Jess Shaw, Sara Bayman.

Summary: England have named a 12-strong squad for the Netball Europe competition in Newcastle next month.


Media playback is not supported on this device Rose, 36, held a two-shot lead with five holes to go but lost when Garcia birdied the first extra hole on Sunday. He had a one-shot lead on the 17th but made bogey and both parred the last. "I feel it is a tournament I can still do well in, said Rose. "It's a course you can get to know and be competitive here for a long, long time." Rose, who has finished tied second, 10th and second in his last three Masters, was referring to 57-year-old American Fred Couples, winner of the Green Jacket in 1992, who has had six top-20 finishes in his last seven appearances. "I see myself having many more chances to come," the world number 14 told BBC Sport. Rose claimed his only major win at the US Open in 2013 but was in the clubhouse at Merion as contender Phil Mickelson finished his round. At Augusta, where he has now finished in the top 10 on five occasions, he was alongside Garcia in the final pairing as the pair wrestled to land the first major of the season. Rose fought back after Garcia had taken a three-shot lead early on and appeared to have control with five to play, only for the Spaniard to follow birdie on 14 with what was his first eagle at Augusta in 452 holes, ending a wait dating back to 2011. Both men missed putts for birdie when at nine under par on 18 before Garcia landed his first major in the play-off. "I felt in control all day," added Rose. "Sometimes the rub of the green is for you and sometimes it isn't. I hit a really good putt on 18 in regulation and thought it was going in. "I am really happy for Sergio. I would love to be wearing the Green Jacket but if it wasn't me I am glad it is him. "We have been friends for a long time and playing golf against each other since we were 14 years old. We will get up and he will be happy for a month and then golf will take over, I will be unhappy for a month and golf will take over for me."

Summary: Masters runner-up Justin Rose believes he will have "many more chances" to win at Augusta National in the wake of his play-off defeat by Sergio Garcia.


Konta, 25, was chasing the biggest title of her career but unravelled against the Polish number three seed after a battling first-set display. The 11th seed, who has made the world top 10, fought back from 4-2 but could not make it 5-5 after missing a volley. "I'm very pleased with this week, it was pretty spectacular," said Konta. "I'm really enjoying my journey and looking forward to matches like this against players like Agnieszka," she added. Media playback is not supported on this device Konta became the first British woman for 32 years to make the world top 10 after reaching the final. The last British woman to achieve that before her was Jo Durie in 1984. Relive finals day at the China Open In the men's final, Andy Murray secured his fifth singles title of 2016 - and 40th of his career - by beating Grigor Dimitrov 6-4 7-6 (7-2). After dropping her serve twice in each set, Konta tried to even the scoreline in the second, pushing Radwanska to two break points in the sixth game. However, Radwanska shot a forehand down the line to save her service game. Konta held the next with a forehand drop shot, only for her opponent to then serve for the title, firing her only ace of the match. BBC tennis correspondent Russell Fuller Konta was well beaten in the end by the world number three, but will officially be a top-10 player on Monday morning and now has a very good chance of qualifying for the season-ending championships in Singapore. Konta has moved into the eighth and final qualifying position, but has only a 10-point advantage over ninth-placed Slovak Dominika Cibulkova. There are two qualifying weeks remaining, with Konta now heading to Hong Kong, where she has drawn fellow Britain Naomi Broady in the first round.

Summary: British number one Johanna Konta was overpowered 6-4 6-2 by world number three Agnieszka Radwanska in the final of the China Open.


Estate agent George Low, 22, from Dartford, was killed near a nightclub in Ayia Napa in Cyprus on 14 August. Speaking after Mr Low's funeral, Ben Barker, 22, said: "I'm up and about and moving. I'm unbelievably lucky to have survived what I did." "I wish that some of that luck could have been with George as well," he said. More than 300 people attended Mr Low's funeral in Darenth, Dartford, including friends who had been in Ayia Napa with him when he was killed. Mr Barker said Mr Low would "never be forgotten". "It's overwhelming the number of people here showing their love for George." Speaking after the funeral service, Mr Barker said: "He would have loved the amount of attention he was getting, without a doubt." Jason Woods, who was also in Ayia Napa with Mr Low and Mr Barker, said: "He would have been pleased to see everyone come out together to show support to his family and friends. "You always knew when you around him that everyone loved him." Mr Barker suffered stab wounds to his back in the deadly attack in Grigori Axfentiou Street. Arrest warrants were issued for Mehmet Akpinar, 22, and Sali Ahmet, 42, who fled to the Turkish-controlled north and were arrested for an unrelated offence. Deputy police chief George Economou said no-one had been handed back from northern Cyprus for many years.

Summary: A British holidaymaker who survived a stabbing in which his friend was killed has said he is lucky to be alive.


Jane Hutt's comments came after a lengthy row over Scottish tax and funding arrangements was settled. She called for an independent review of Wales' funding arrangements amid the promise of power to vary income tax. Welsh ministers fear the UK Treasury could cut the block grant before Welsh taxes are sufficient to cover the gap. Control of two other taxes - stamp duty land tax and landfill tax - passes to Wales in 2018. Ms Hutt said: "Crucial talks lie ahead for us as we seek to establish a fair fiscal framework for Wales which takes into account the properties of our tax bases, our devolved responsibilities and assigns the appropriate risk to the Welsh Government." She said some of the methods suggested by the UK government for adjusting the block grant in Scotland were contrary to the principle of "no detriment", outlined by the Smith Commission on devolution in Scotland. "Those methods, if applied to the devolved taxes in Wales, would have significant implications for our future investment in public services in Wales," said Ms Hutt. "The Welsh government would not be able to accept those terms and this was not the basis upon which the Assembly agreed the devolution of stamp duty land tax and landfill tax to Wales." An independent body is to review the fiscal framework in Scotland, and Ms Hutt called for a similar arrangement for Wales. A report from the Wales Governance Centre on Wednesday urged ministers to avoid a repeat of the year-long row over plans to devolve income tax powers to Scotland.

Summary: Crucial talks lie ahead to weigh up how the Welsh budget is fairly funded between Whitehall cash and devolved taxes, the finance minister has said.


The crew, from Camborne fire station in Cornwall, were called to a house in Fore Street, Barripper, at about 09:00 GMT. The boy's parents contacted the fire brigade after they tried, but failed, to free him. Cornwall Fire and Rescue said the crew used small tools to free the child, who was unharmed.

Summary: Six firefighters have rescued a young boy whose head was stuck in a toilet trainer seat.


Proud went under 46 seconds for the first time, beating his own record in the men's 4x100m freestyle with 45.97. Aimee Willmott won her fourth medal with 400m individual medley gold. Lizzie Simmonds, who set a British record in the 100m backstroke on the opening night, took gold in the 200m in a season's best 2:00.91, just outside her own British record. Proud, 21, of the Plymouth Leander team, broke Mark Foster's 14-year-old short-course 50m freestyle British record on the opening day, clocked 46.69 in the 100m freestyle and on Sunday added the 50m butterfly with a time of 22.39 seconds. Willmott, 22 - who also won gold in the 200m IM and 400m freestyle, plus silver in the 200m butterfly - captured the 400m title in 4:28.26, an impressive six seconds ahead of the rest of the field. Stockport Metro's Liam Selby took gold in the men's 50m butterfly with a narrow victory in a time of 23.56. Anna Hopkin of Bath University lowered the personal best time she posted in the morning heats to win 50m freestyle gold in 24.44. A superb anchor leg from Rebecca Turner guided the City of Sheffield, also featuring Maya Westlake, Darcy Deakin and Ellie Faulkner, to gold in the women's 4x100 freestyle relay in 7:53.70. Calum Tait finished more than a body length ahead of the next placed swimmer in the men's 200m breaststroke, posting a personal best 2:05.42. The women's 200m freestyle final went down to the final touch but it was Loughborough University's Sophie Smith who touched first to take gold in 1:56.03, only 0.02 seconds outside her lifetime best. In the men's 200m freestyle final, Loughborough University's Adam Barrett won in a season's best 1:43.72.

Summary: Ben Proud claimed his fourth British record of the ASA National Winter Meet on the final day in Sheffield.


The unfortunate moggy was found by Darren Sumner when the vehicle broke down in Reading, Berkshire. Mr Sumner said: "He was warm and scared so I sat and stroked him for about 30 minutes until I coaxed him out." The RSPCA wants to reunite the cat with his owner, thought to be in Tottenham where the van started its journey. The cat, nicknamed Sparky, was unscathed by his ordeal on 28 August. Mr Sumner, who took the cat home overnight, said: "He used a litter tray so I think he's probably someone's pet. "He woke me up at about 3am in the morning for a play. I hope his owners can be found." Sparky, who is thought to be about a year old, was taken to the vet for a check up. He was also scanned to see if he was micro-chipped - which would have revealed details of his owner - but unfortunately no chip was found. Helena Peace, from the RSPCA in Reading, said: "He was traumatised but physically unhurt. He's certainly used up one of his nine lives."

Summary: A cat has been rescued from under the bonnet of a van after travelling about 60 miles in a space behind the heater matrix.


At an earlier hearing, Det Sgt Matt Swash, 41, who is based at March police station, admitted accessing unauthorised information about a colleague on a police computer system. At Cambridge Crown Court, Swash was sentenced to two months in prison, suspended for 12 months. He remains suspended pending internal police misconduct proceedings. Cambridgeshire Police said Swash would face no further action over other charges, including 11 counts of sexual assault and two counts of misconduct in public office.

Summary: A Cambridgeshire police officer has been sentenced for an offence under the Computer Misuse Act.


The former first lady and widow of former President Hafez al-Assad died in hospital, the presidency tweeted. Reports say she was ill for many years and travelled frequently to Germany for treatment before 2012, when she was blacklisted by the EU. Marrying Hafez in 1957, she had five children, three of them still alive. The rise of the Assads She was born into a wealthy family from Syria's Alawite minority from Latakia and rarely appeared in public after her marriage. However, she is believed to have stayed close to Bashar and the other children. She was later reported to have left Syria to join her daughter Bushra in the United Arab Emirates. Bushra moved there after a bomb killed her husband, Deputy Defence Minister Assef Shawkat, in 2012. Mrs Assad is survived by Bashar, Bushra and Bashar's younger brother Maher, a general in the Syrian army. Bashar's older brother Bassel, who had been groomed to take over the presidency, died in a car accident in 1994. The other brother, Majd, died of an unspecified illness in 2009, according to state media.

Summary: The mother of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Anisa, has died at the age of 86 in the capital Damascus, his office announced.


Up to 1,500 staff could be axed by 2017 due to a funding gap of almost Â£70m. Mr Mallon said services would be closed and multimillion-pound projects reviewed in an attempt to stop the town "fraying at the edges". The government said Middlesbrough received more funding than the national average and it should cut wastage. Mr Mallon outlined the financial situation to councillors at a meeting on Wednesday and said he hoped action taken would "reduce substantially" the number of potential job cuts, but the loss of about 1,000 posts was "the best case scenario". He said it was a "real shame" staff would be made redundant but insisted the council was "duty bound" to cut spending. The council has just over 2,500 full-time staff, excluding those in schools. More than Â£32m of the required savings are necessary due to changes in government funding and the authority is facing an increased demand on care services, Mr Mallon said. "By 2018 or 2019, 75% of the council's budget will be spent on helping children and the elderly. "The temperature has been rising for a long time and it's still rising." Ahead of the meeting, Labour group leader Charlie Rooney said the town was being "devastated" by government cuts. Conservative group leader Chris Hobson called on the authority to "start doing things differently". "We've got to start running this council as a business," she said. "We've got to start bringing money in ourselves and thinking about how we can do that." Mr Mallon will announce a list of specific budget proposals next month.

Summary: The loss of 1,000 jobs at Middlesbrough Council over the next three years is the "best case scenario", mayor Ray Mallon has said.


The company has introduced an option to allow you to flag a story as "purposefully fake or deceitful news". This should affect the distribution of that story, making it less likely to appear in your feed - but it won't be taken off Facebook altogether. Hoaxes have tricked users in the past and with 1.35bn currently on Facebook, that's a lot of people to fool. "A post with a link to an article that many people have reported as a hoax or chose to delete will get reduced distribution in the News Feed," Facebook explained. Examples of recent fake stories include dinosaur sightings and research claiming to prove the existence of Santa Claus. Earlier this month users again started posting privacy notices - that's a response to a hoax from two years ago. In the past, Facebook has been criticised for not doing enough to tackle illegitimate accounts; in 2012 the company admitted that more than 80m were likely to be fake. At the time, the company said that "undesirable" accounts included those using fake names which were "intended to be used for purposes that violate our terms of service, such as spamming". About a third of adults in the US now use Facebook to get news updates, according to a 2013 study by the Pew Research Center in collaboration with the John S and James L Knight Foundation. Fans of sites like The Onion should be reassured by Facebook's claim that "satirical" articles, "intended to be humorous, or content that is clearly labelled as satire," will not be affected. Follow @BBCNewsbeat on Twitter, BBCNewsbeat on Instagram and Radio1Newsbeat on YouTube

Summary: Hoaxes and fake stories in your News Feed should be a thing of the past, if Facebook's updated algorithm works.


Mustakim Jaman, 23, of Hudson Road, Southsea, has been charged under section five of the Terrorism Act 2006. He is the brother of Ifthekar Jaman, who was killed in Syria in December. Mr Jaman is due at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Monday. Another brother, Tuhin Shahensha, 26, has also been charged with terrorism offences. Mr Shahensha, also of Hudson Road, appeared in court on Friday accused of planning to fight in Syria. He is due to appear at the Old Bailey on 14 November. The two men, of Hudson Road, Southsea, were arrested along with a number of other people in Hampshire and London on 14 October by the South East Counter Terrorism Unit (SECTU). A 57-year-old man and a 48-year-old woman have been released on bail. A 23-year-old woman from Farnborough and a 29-year-old woman from Greenwich, south-east London, have been released without charge.

Summary: The brother of a Portsmouth man killed while fighting for Islamic State (IS) in Syria has been charged with preparing terrorist acts.


The police report said the girls killed themselves "out of shame" after one of the sisters was seen with a boy. But the girls' parents had accused the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) of "trying to fudge the case". Rights groups and their relatives said many questions remained unanswered. The lower-caste cousins, thought to have been 14 and 15, were found hanged from a mango tree on 28 May 2014 in Uttar Pradesh. The initial reports that the girls had been gang-raped and murdered by a group of men from the same village sparked global outrage. A local post-mortem examination initially confirmed multiple sexual assaults and death due to hanging. But in December, the CBI filed a "closure report" in court, saying investigators had studied "around 40 scientific reports" and "questioned over 200 people" and come to the conclusion that the elder girl had "an intimate relationship" with one of the three men and that the other girl, her younger cousin, was "facilitating the relationship". The girls killed themselves after they were found by a neighbour and because they were afraid of facing their families, the report added. It accused the families of filing a false complaint of rape and murder and requested that the case be closed. The girls' relatives accused the CBI of conducting "a shoddy investigation" and filed a "protest petition" in a local court in Badaun town. On Wednesday, the special court that deals with cases of sexual offences against children rejected the CBI report and also summoned the main suspects in the case to the next date of hearing. A CBI spokesman said they were yet to get the detailed court order and would comment only after studying it, the Indian Express newspaper reported. Three men arrested in connection with the case and two policemen accused of "dereliction of duty" were freed on bail in September.

Summary: An Indian court has rejected a federal police report which had ruled that two teenage girls found hanging from a tree in India last year took their own lives and were not gang-raped and murdered.


Lisa Passey and Wayne Dale left son Kian Dale in an upstairs bath seat for at least 13 minutes, Worcester Crown Court was told. Ms Passey was with a friend downstairs and Mr Dale was "socialising" and using his computer". Ms Passey, 28, and Mr Dale, 45, both deny gross negligence manslaughter See more stories from across Herefordshire and Worcestershire here Opening the prosecution, Jonas Hankin QC, said: "When, finally, Wayne Dale went upstairs to the bathroom, baby Kian had drowned." Mr Hankin said that family friend Jeanette Morgan had visited the then-couple's home in Kyreside, Tenbury Wells, Worcestershire, on 26 September 2015. She and Ms Passey "drank coffee together and smoked cigarettes" in the sun on the patio, before Mr Dale joined them, he said. Mr Hankin added: "She asked him to burn a copy of the UB40 album, playing in the kitchen, which he did." After Kian was discovered lifeless in the water, Ms Passey dialled 999 telling the operator her baby had "drowned in the bath", the court heard. The court heard Mr Dale, of no fixed address, told police officers he "had a beer, rolled a cigarette outside and burned a CD" and that he had only left his son for "a couple of minutes". A post-mortem examination found the child's death was consistent with drowning, including what was believed to be soap bubbles in his lungs. Ms Passey, of Tenbury Wells, initially claimed she had not run a bath, but twice changed her account, the prosecutor alleged. The trial continues.

Summary: A couple left their 13-month-old son alone in a bath where he drowned as they entertained a friend, a court heard.


James Botham - the son of former Cardiff rugby player Liam - is in the Wales Under-18 team to play Scotland in Swansea on Friday. Sir Ian, 60, does not find it strange that his grandson will be wearing red. "He was born in Cardiff. He always wanted to play for Wales for as long as I can recall," said the ex-all-rounder. "I'm really looking forward to it. I think it will be wonderful, a great occasion for James and one that I think he's very excited about, as are the family. I've got a red shirt with me." Botham, who took 383 wickets and scored 5,200 runs in Tests for England, will watch James make his debut on at St Helen's - where he played county cricket against Glamorgan for Somerset. James Botham is one of four players making their debuts for Wales, along with Harri Dobbs, Ben Thomas and Dane Blacker. The match is part of a series which culminates in a game against England Under-18s on 6 April. Sir Ian said he had not been tempted to persuade James to switch allegiance. "Never, it's nothing to do with me," he added. "I'm grandad, and grandad is going to come down and watch him and support him every game. Whether he's playing or on the bench it doesn't matter - all the family that can get down here will be here. "And when Wales play England my allegiances would be with my grandson."

Summary: England cricket legend Sir Ian Botham is looking forward to supporting his grandson James when he makes his rugby debut for Wales.


Barry Imray, 35, of no fixed address, is jointly accused of killing Lee Irving, who was found dead near a footpath in Newcastle last year. James Wheatley, 29, from Studdon Walk, also denies Mr Irving's murder. Mr Wheatley's mother, Julie Mills, 51, and his girlfriend, Nicole Lawrence, 22, are accused of "causing or allowing" Mr Irving's death. All four deny the charges against them. Mr Imray told Newcastle Crown Court he had seen Mr Irving with facial injuries a week before his death. When asked by his defence counsel how he felt on finding the 24-year-old apparently lifeless a week later at the house they shared in Kenton Bar, he said he had been "scared". Jamie Hill QC asked Mr Imray if he had "done anything" to Mr Irving, such as hitting him or kicking him, to which he said no. It is alleged Mr Irving, who had learning difficulties, had been sedated by the defendants, rather than taken for medical treatment. The court heard how he had been found about half a mile from the house with 27 rib fractures and a broken nose and jaw. The trial continues.

Summary: A man accused of murder has told a court he is "easily led".


Official figures show the number of district nurses has fallen by 40% in the past decade. However, NHS England says this has been countered by rises in other community staff. The Royal College of Nursing and Queen's Nursing Institute say the situation is adding to the pressure on hospitals. In recent weeks there have been repeated warnings that pressure on hospital emergency departments is unsustainable. Attendances have risen by 50% in the past decade. For more than 150 years, district nurses have been supporting people in their own homes, keeping them out of hospital. They are community team leaders, detecting problems before they become more serious, supporting patients after they are discharged from hospital, and caring for them in their own homes at the end of their lives. Official figures from the Health and Social Care Information Centre indicate that a decade ago there were nearly 13,000 NHS district nurses in England. Last year there were fewer than 7,500. Many of those who remain are approaching retirement age. Royal College of Nursing chief executive Peter Carter says the overall state of community nursing in the health service is "lamentable". "With this huge reduction in the numbers of district nurses, while at the same time the massive growth in the population and more and more people with complex conditions, I have to say unfortunately we really are failing people who deserve so much more." Many district nurses feel overstretched. But for some the job remains hugely rewarding. Janice Jones is a district nurse with Central Surrey Health, a not-for-profit firm providing community healthcare for the NHS. Here, staff satisfaction - at 96% - is much better than the NHS average. "When you're doing your job you get to know your patient and their families and what their problems are. And you build up a relationship which is based on trust and respect, and you feel you're making a difference to their lives." CSH has responded to the spending squeeze by cutting inefficiencies, for example using IT - including mobiles and laptops - to reduce unnecessary journeys and to access and share information. As a result CSH says the nurses have an extra hour each day to spend with patients. He says that is leading to many avoidable hospital admissions, placing additional pressure on ambulance services and A&E units. In a statement, community nursing charity the Queen's Nursing Institute expressed similar worries about the fall in numbers and "the loss of skills and capacity in community nursing teams". "Qualified district nurses are specialist practitioners in community nursing and are absolutely central to patient-centred care in the NHS. High-quality community nursing services are imperative if we are to support people with long-term conditions to stay in their own homes, rather than be admitted to hospital." District nurses told the BBC about their frustrations, including long working hours, having to see more patients in less time, and the burden of form-filling. "Staffing is the number one issue," said one. "If you go to a shop and there aren't enough staff it's not the end of the

Summary: The state of NHS community nursing in England is "lamentable", nursing leaders say.


The Atlantic Airlines cargo flight left Aberdeen on Monday evening, and had been scheduled to fly to East Midlands Airport. But it declared an emergency a short time later and returned to Aberdeen, where it landed safely at about 20:20. It is not yet known what caused the plane to turn back.

Summary: An aircraft has returned safely to Aberdeen International Airport after reporting a problem shortly after taking off.


A wet outfield caused a delayed start and after a failed inspection at 11:30 BST, lunch was taken early. Rain put paid to a planned inspection at 13:00 BST, and the umpires confirmed there would be no play after a further check two hours later. Play will resume on Sunday with Lancashire 123-4, trailing by 57 runs.

Summary: There was frustration for Lancashire and Middlesex as rain prevented any action on day two, with play at Southport abandoned at 15:00 BST.


The independent Legal Aid Committee is examining the existing system and how it can be best provided in the future. Chairman Andrew Swithinbank said their focus is to promote a "fair, equitable and transparent" system. Legal aid gives access to justice for those without the means to pay for it. The first stage of the review will be a public consultation in the Isle of Man which will run until 28 November. Mr Swithinbank said: "The focus of the committee is to promote access to justice in a manner which is fair, equitable, transparent, professional and which uses public resources carefully and effectively. "

Summary: A full review of the Isle of Man's legal aid system will be carried out for the first time in 14 years, the Manx government has said.


The announcement came after a pact was agreed between the Socialists and centre-right Ciudadanos (Citizens). "What has been agreed with Ciudadanos is incompatible with us," said Podemos's Inigo Errejon. It deals a blow to Socialist leader Pedro Sanchez's hopes of becoming PM. Between them, the Socialists and Ciudadanos command only 130 seats in the 350-seat lower house - leaving Mr Sanchez far short of a parliamentary majority. In a vote on 1 March, he will seek the support of deputies in a vote of confidence that the former ruling Popular Party (PP), led by acting Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, has indicated it is likely to oppose. Podemos now appears less likely to offer its support - overtly or tacitly, in the form of abstentions - now it has framed the pact between the Socialists (PSOE) and Ciudadanos as "an invitation to the PP". "For the moment we have failed," Mr Errejon was quoted as saying. "The change [we sought] was not just to remove Mr Rajoy from the Moncloa [prime ministerial residence], but his policies." Earlier, signing a deal based on a five-point plan for constitutional reform, Ciudadanos leader Albert Rivera had urged other parties to come on board. Podemos's radical policies are at odds with the liberal-centrist slant of Ciudadanos, and it had already warned they were unlikely to join forces, but it was not clear that Podemos would withdraw from the negotiating table entirely. Should Mr Sanchez fail to secure an absolute majority on 2 March, he could then aim for a simple majority in a second vote on 5 March. If he fails, the PP may attempt once again to form a coalition - perhaps a "grand coalition" with the Socialists and Ciudadanos. If that fails, a new election would have to be called, probably on 26 June. Mr Rajoy's centre-right PP, which took the greatest number of seats in the election, has already tried to form a coalition without success.

Summary: Spain's anti-austerity party, Podemos, says it is suspending negotiations over forming a government with the Socialists as the country struggles to resolve inconclusive elections.


Police were contacted at about 01:00 BST on Tuesday after the baby had been admitted to Royal Blackburn Hospital. The infant, who had been at a house in Infirmary Street, Blackburn, is in "a very poorly condition", a Lancashire Constabulary spokesman said. A man, 21, and a 17-year-old girl, both from Blackburn, were held on suspicion of wounding with intent. They have been bailed until 6 July. The boy has been transferred to the Manchester Children's Hospital.

Summary: Two people have been arrested after a three-month-old boy was taken to hospital with a bleed to the brain.