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The ex-Reading defender denied fraudulent trading charges relating to the Sodje Sports Foundation - a charity to raise money for Nigerian sport.
Mr Sodje, 37, is jointly charged with elder brothers Efe, 44, Bright, 50 and Stephen, 42.
Appearing at the Old Bailey earlier, all four denied the offence.
The charge relates to offences which allegedly took place between 2008 and 2014.
Sam, from Kent, Efe and Bright, of Greater Manchester, and Stephen, from Bexley, are due to stand trial in July.
They were all released on bail. | Former Premier League footballer Sam Sodje has appeared in court alongside three brothers accused of charity fraud. | 38295789 |
Voges was forced to retire hurt on 86 after suffering the injury while batting during the County Championship draw with Somerset on 4 June.
Middlesex hope to have the Australian back for their T20 Blast game against Hampshire at Lord's on 3 August.
The 37-year-old has scored 230 runs in four first-class games this season at an average of 57.50.
"Losing Adam is naturally a blow as he contributes significantly to everything we do," director of cricket Angus Fraser said.
"His absence, however, does give opportunities to other players who are desperate to play in the first XI.
"In the past we have coped well without an overseas player and I expect us to do so now."
Defending county champions Middlesex are sixth in the Division One table, having drawn all four of their matches this season.
Voges retired from international cricket in February with a Test batting average of 61.87 from 31 innings, second only to Australian great Sir Donald Bradman's career average of 99.94 from 52 Tests. | Middlesex batsman Adam Voges will be out until August after suffering a torn calf muscle in his right leg. | 40202028 |
Seven photographs taken in the Norfolk countryside by photographer Josh Olins will appear in the June edition.
In her first sitting for a magazine, the duchess is seen looking relaxed and wearing casual clothes.
The shoot was in collaboration with the National Portrait Gallery, where two images are being displayed in the Vogue 100: A Century of Style exhibition.
The duchess, who has a keen interest in photography, has been patron of the National Portrait Gallery since 2012.
Nicholas Cullinan, director of the National Portrait Gallery, said: "Josh has captured the duchess exactly as she is - full of life, with a great sense of humour, thoughtful and intelligent, and in fact, very beautiful."
He said the images also encapsulated what Vogue had done over the past 100 years - "to pair the best photographers with the great personalities of the day, in order to reflect broader shifts in culture and society".
Alexandra Shulman, editor-in-chief of British Vogue, said: "To be able to publish a photographic shoot with the Duchess of Cambridge has been one of my greatest ambitions for the magazine."
The collaboration for the June edition had resulted in "a true celebration of our centenary as well as a fitting tribute to a young woman whose interest in both photography and the countryside is well known", she said.
Other royal portraits to have featured in the fashion magazine include Diana, Princess of Wales - who graced the cover four times - and Princess Anne.
The duchess is to visit the exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery on Wednesday, Kensington Palace said. | The Duchess of Cambridge will feature on the cover of British Vogue to mark the magazine's centenary. | 36177725 |
The injured pedestrian - a young man - is thought to have been walking with a group of people from a graduation ceremony at the Caird Hall.
The incident took place on High Street at about 18:00.
The man's injuries are believed not to be life-threatening. The driver of the taxi is thought to be uninjured. | A pedestrian has been struck by a taxi in Dundee after it mounted the pavement. | 40375560 |
The think tank said the city's 1,536 schools needed to save £360m in the first year if the government's National Funding Formula (NFF) plan goes ahead.
The amount is the equivalent of 12,857 qualified teachers, on an average salary of £28,000.
The government said London was the highest funded part of the country.
It added that under the plans, which are under consultation, inner-city schools would be allocated 30% more money per pupil than the national average.
But London Councils, which represents the city's 32 boroughs and the City, said no school would gain enough funding from the NFF to compensate for increased cost pressures from inflation, higher pension contributions and national insurance.
Ministers said the new formula was needed to tackle uneven levels of funding across England, with the best funded areas getting more than £6,300 per pupil per year, while the worst-funded averaging £4,200.
It said the funding cut was on top of National Audit Office figures which showed England schools faced an eight per cent real-terms cut per pupil by 2019-20 because it wider cost pressures.
In a statement, London Councils said: "At a time when UK schools are seen as underperforming by international standards, and when businesses based in London are facing massive uncertainty about recruiting skilled staff, there is an urgent need to invest in schools in London and across the rest of the country."
It added: "Without the right qualifications and skills, London's children will be unable to access jobs and contribute to the national economy. Over 60% of jobs in inner London require a degree and around 45% of jobs in the rest of the capital require a degree." | About 70% of London schools could face budget cuts under government plans to change how they are funded, according to London Councils. | 38663542 |
His 110 means he has scored 323 runs in a week after an unbeaten 93 against Glamorgan in the One-Day Cup and 120 not out against Kent in the T20 Blast.
Tim Murtagh (2-85) reduced Surrey to 23-2 inside the first six overs, before Rory Burns (88) aided the recovery.
Burns and Roy put on a 118-run fourth wicket stand as Surrey closed on 384-8.
Roy's century was a fine retort against Division One leaders Middlesex, who dismissed the England limited-overs opener for a first-ball duck in the One-Day Cup on Tuesday.
After paceman Murtagh removed both Zafar Ansari and Dominic Sibley early on, Surrey's slump continued as James Franklin trapped Aaron Finch (37) to leave them 70-3.
Burns helped turn their fortunes around as he hit 15 fours in his 127-ball knock as the visitors seized the initiative.
Roy hit 16 fours himself as Surrey edged close to the 400 mark by the end of the first day's play, with Ben Foakes unbeaten on 53. | Jason Roy continued his fine form with a second century in six days as Surrey made a strong start with the bat against Middlesex at Lord's. | 36976757 |
Media playback is unsupported on your device
2 November 2014 Last updated at 10:11 GMT
The BBC's Ireland correspondent, Chris Buckler, reports . | As the UK considers greater devolution in the aftermath of Scotland's independence referendum, should a troubled Northern Ireland Assembly push for more powers over its own affairs? | 29849936 |
Taylor, 25, joined County in May from Macclesfield, but has yet to start in the league.
The move has left Newport with only one goalkeeper in Joe Day, but manager John Sheridan is confident he will quickly fill the vacancy.
"Rhys is too good a goalkeeper to be kept on the bench and not playing football," said Sheridan.
"Financially it might enable me to bring someone else in, to try and fill in a different area."
On Saturday Newport host fourth-placed Northampton Town hoping to win their third game in a row for the first time since last December, 2014.
The Exiles are also seeking their first home win since March.
Taylor's move means County are currently without a second goalkeeper.
Sheridan added: "Rhys' move to Wrexham happened quickly... but we'll definitely have a keeper by the middle of next week.
"It's only one game. I'm not really worried."
Sheridan also confirmed that defender Janoi Donacien has extended his loan spell from Aston Villa until January.
Donacien has featured in all four games since the Irishman replaced Terry Butcher as manager at the beginning of October.
Meanwhile Newport have no injury concerns ahead of Saturday's game. | Newport County goalkeeper Rhys Taylor has joined Wrexham on loan until January. | 34672766 |
The Derbyshire club, who play in the eighth-tier Northern Premier League Division One North, have lost all 19 league and cup games this season.
New Mills have conceded 68 goals while three managers have left since June.
"It's tough but we've got a new squad and the players are starting to gel," Millers boss Garry Brown told BBC Radio 5 live's Non League Football Show.
Former Norwich City midfielder Keith Briggs took over from Roy Soule, who stepped down in June, but resigned after just 23 days for a job with Sheffield United's academy.
Andy Fearn was put in charge in July and appointed former Manchester City striker Shaun Goater as his assistant.
But Fearn and Goater lasted just nine league and cup games before resigning after a 7-1 home defeat to Prescot Cables.
Brown, who has overseen 10 league and cup defeats, added: "There's been a lot of changes to the squad and there's only three players still here from when we took over in September.
"There's no budget, it's petrol money these lads are playing for."
All is not lost for the Millers, who are bottom of the table, 10 points behind Harrogate Railway Athletic, the next team above them.
Brown, along with Paul Williams (his assistant at New Mills) and Lee Gregory, last season led Manchester team Wythenshawe Town to an astonishing 39 wins from 39 games played.
Bashley, who play in the Southern League Division One South & West, are also without a point after losing all 14 league games this season.
But they did manage a win in the FA Trophy preliminary round. | If Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho thought he was having a bad time, he should spare a thought for New Mills. | 34692356 |
The referendum will take place on 10 March, but Bath Conservative MP Ben Howlett said he was concerned about a "lack of awareness" about the issue.
Mr Howlett also said he is worried about the public's level of engagement.
Bath and North East Somerset Council said the referendum had been publicised in press releases and tweets.
It also said it was the subject of a two-page article in the winter edition of the council magazine which was distributed to all households in the region.
A further news release and polling cards will also be sent out to all households this week, the authority added.
Supporters of the referendum say Bath needs a mayor to give local government more visibility.
Directly elected mayors were created by the Local Government Act 2000 as one option for local government, as long as the idea was backed in a referendum.
Mr Howlett said he was "personally concerned" that an elected mayor was not appropriate for an area "as diverse" as Bath and North East Somerset, and that it could "lead to an increase in the cost of local politics".
"The level of misinformation on this issue is worrying - many people seem to still believe this is about a mayor of Bath and not understanding it would cover all of Bath and North East Somerset.
"I hope in the coming weeks more information will be forthcoming to enable residents to make an informed decision," he added. | An MP has criticised "the level of misinformation" about a referendum on an elected mayor for Bath and North East Somerset. | 35474878 |
The New Zealander made only one unenforced switch, bringing in Rhys Webb for Gareth Davies at scrum-half.
Sam Warburton, Alun Wyn Jones and Alex Cuthbert miss out with injuries.
"We wanted to give the players a chance to sort of put behind us a disappointing first half from last week," said Gatland.
Flanker Justin Tipuric, second row Luke Charteris and Hallam Amos are drafted in to the team in place of the injured players.
Dan Lydiate will captain the side in the absence of Warburton and regular stand-in Jones.
Gatland said he had shown faith in players who had performed well in earlier matches, a fact he acknowledged was hard on hooker Ken Owens who makes his fourth appearance on the bench in this Six Nations championship.
"He's unlucky, really unlucky," he added.
"We felt that [hooker] Scott Baldwin has gone pretty well throughout the campaign.
"Ken has been brilliant for us coming off the bench and I know that's a tag he doesn't want to keep, but he is unlucky not to get a start."
Scarlets hooker Owens had made 38 appearances for Wales, but started in only eight of those games.
Wales go into the match against Italy knowing a win will secure second place in the championship for the first time since it was expended to include six countries.
Lydiate will lead Wales for the first time in a Test match, having previously led them in a midweek match against EP Kings on the summer tour of South Africa in 2014.
He said it was a "personal honour for me and my family" and added his captaincy style was unsophisticated.
"I wouldn't ask someone to do something that I wouldn't do myself, so I'll throw myself in front of a bus so that's what I expect everyone else to do," he said.
"There are plenty of leaders and a wealth of experience in the team." | Wales coach Warren Gatland resisted making more changes to his team against Italy to give his men a chance to make up for their poor start at Twickenham. | 35814821 |
Then playing for Walsall, the 24-year-old won his first senior cap for Wales in their defeat by Ukraine in March, giving him the chance to rub shoulders with the duo.
Injury dashed his hopes of joining them at Euro 2016, however.
"They constantly want to improve and get better so that's something every footballer should apply to their game," Bradshaw told BBC Radio Wales.
Media playback is not supported on this device
Wales have been buoyed by the success of Arsenal midfielder Ramsey and Real Madrid forward Bale in 2016 as they reached the semi-finals of the European Championships, their first international tournament for 58 years.
Bradshaw, who has scored three goals in 19 appearances for the Tykes this season, puts the success of the pair down to two factors.
"You watch them train and you watch them play and you try to pick their brains about how they managed to get to that level," he said.
"A lot of it is natural ability and natural talent, but the thing that strikes me is their hunger; their hunger to want to improve even though Gareth's playing for Real Madrid and he's a massive part of his country's team."
Bradshaw says he was "gutted" to miss out on Wales' memorable Euro 2016 campaign after a calf injury ruled him out of contention.
The former Aberystwyth Town player has since concentrated on boosting his future Wales hopes by performing well for his new club Barnsley.
"It was incredibly frustrating, with hindsight as well, at how well the lads did," he said.
"I was incredibly proud of the boys and how impressive they were at the Euros. I was gutted, but that's football. Unfortunately that was part and parcel of the game.
"But I picked my head up and managed to get a move to the Championship and I'm just trying to improve. It hurt for a while. It took for the majority of that summer for me to get over it.
"I was watching all the games and cheering the lads on from afar, but it was invaluable experience for me to go away to Portugal although I didn't manage to train that much because of the injury, it's all experience that I've enjoyed and hopefully I can put it into good use in the future and hopefully one day I'll get an opportunity again." | Barnsley striker Tom Bradshaw says every footballer can learn from the examples set by Wales stars Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey. | 38354236 |
The trailer concludes with a shot of Vader and the sound of his trademark heavy breathing.
Felicity Jones stars in Gareth Edwards' film as the leader of a Rebel mission to steal the plans for the Death Star.
The film is set before the time of the first Star Wars film A New Hope, released in 1977, and does not form part of the main series.
The two-minute promo, which is different from the one shown at last month's Star Wars Celebration event in London, begins with new character Saw Gerrera (Forest Whitaker) telling Jyn Erso (Jones) that "the world is coming undone".
"Imperial flags reign across the galaxy," his voice continues over a shot of an Empire vessel floating above a desert landscape.
The trailer goes on to show Jyn and Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) being told about the mission for which they have been selected.
Subsequent scenes feature a new robot character voiced by Alan Tudyk, a blind warrior played by Hong Kong action star Donnie Yen, and an Imperial Walker being struck by a missile.
Actress Alyssa Milano, screenwriter Max Landis and DJ Edith Bowman are among those to welcome the new promo on Twitter.
US publication Entertainment Weekly, meanwhile, has assembled a frame-by-frame analysis.
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story will be released in the UK on 16 December.
Follow us on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, on Instagram at bbcnewsents, or email entertainment.news@bbc.co.uk. | A new trailer for Star Wars spin-off Rogue One has been released, offering fans a fleeting glimpse of Darth Vader. | 37057299 |
A spokesman for the governor in Nangahar province said an Afghan commando had opened fire on the US troops during a joint operation in Achin. He was shot dead in return fire.
Another US soldier was reportedly wounded in the attack.
A spokesman for the Taliban said it had carried out the attack.
Islamic State militants also operate in the area.
Earlier, at least two Afghan policemen were killed by US forces in a so-called friendly fire incident in southern Afghanistan.
The deaths are said to have occurred when a US aircraft returned fire during a joint operation in the restive province of Helmand.
It is reported to be the first friendly fire incident in Helmand since US Marines returned there in May.
Taliban insurgents have made widespread gains in the province.
In a statement, the US military apologised for the incident and said that an investigation had been launched.
It happened as police were on patrol in volatile Nad Ali district. The dead were members of the Afghan Border Police.
Afghan officials told AFP news agency that the policemen were patrolling too close to a Taliban base prior to the attack. They say a number of militants were also killed in the strike.
In recent months, the Taliban have captured several districts in Helmand and put provincial capital Lashkar Gah under pressure.
The arrival of hundreds of US Marines - following the withdrawal of US troops three years ago - is part of the Nato-led effort to train and assist Afghan forces. They include special forces who conduct separate counter-terrorism operations.
Air strikes by US warplanes have risen significantly over the last few months as President Donald Trump and other foreign leaders come under pressure to commit more troops.
Afghanistan has been hit by numerous violent attacks in recent weeks with the launch of the Taliban's spring offensive, including a massive bomb attack in the capital, Kabul, that killed more than 150 people. | Three US special forces soldiers have been shot dead by an Afghan colleague during an operation in eastern Afghanistan, US officials say. | 40232491 |
Cathay is one of the world's biggest cargo airlines, and its decision is expected to have a sizeable impact.
Previously, the airline had said it would only transport shark fin that was sustainably sourced.
Shark fin is considered a delicacy in Chinese cuisine and is often served as a soup at upmarket banquets.
More than 70 million sharks are killed every year, according to WWF figures. Large numbers are exported to Hong Kong, where they are consumed or further exported to mainland China.
"On the issue of shark's fin, with immediate effect we are happy to agree to ban the carriage," Cathay Pacific said in a statement on Wednesday.
It said it had not approved any shark fin shipments over the last year, pointing out that it had turned down 15 shipment requests for shark-related products.
Early reports said the ban extended to all shark products on cargo and passenger flights, but the airline told the BBC it currently applied to shark fin only,
Cathay said it would continue to review its policy.
Marine conservationists hailed Cathay's decision, with one proclaiming that it would make Hong Kong "proud".
"More Hong Kong businesses need to follow the lead," Hong Kong-based conservationist Sharon Kwok told AFP.
Government data cited by the South China Morning Post shows that shark fin imports to Hong Kong dropped by 42% between 2010 and 2015 to 5,717 tonnes.
During this period there was also a significant decline in imports by air.
Cathay now joins airlines including British Airways, American Airlines, Qantas, Singapore Airlines and Emirates in banning shark fin. | Hong Kong-based airline Cathay Pacific has announced a ban on shipments of shark fin in a move that has been welcomed by conservationists. | 36597220 |
Chester have also made their first summer signing, Solihull Moors striker Harry White, 22, who scored 12 goals in 2016-17, scoring in both of the Midlanders' two wins over City.
Shaw, 30, will combine his playing duties with helping boss Jon McCarthy.
Chester have also made an offer to coach Chris Iwelumo to remain.
The club are hopeful that the 38-year-old much-travelled Scot will continue to combine his coaching role with his media work.
On Monday, Chester announced six players would leave but offered deals to Sam Hughes and James Alabi.
The club lost their last six league games of the season to finish two points outside the relegation zone. | Chester midfielder Tom Shaw has been appointed player-assistant manager at the National League side after signing a new contract at Bumpers Lane. | 39779449 |
The 5,500-year-old Neolithic axe was found during archaeological surveys ahead of a multi-billion euro tunnel project.
The axe seems to have been jammed into what was once the seabed, perhaps as part of a ritual offering.
The lack of oxygen in the clay ground helped preserve the wooden handle.
The find was made in Rodbyhavn on the Danish island of Lolland, which is to be connected to the German island of Fehmarn via the tunnel link.
"Finding a hafted [handle-bearing] axe as well preserved as this one is quite amazing," said Soren Anker Sorensen, an archaeologist at the Museum Lolland-Falster in Denmark.
Archaeologists have found other similarly well preserved organic material in the area during their excavations.
These include upright wooden stakes, a paddle, bows and other axe shafts.
Axes were vital tools for Stone Age people, who used them for working wood. However, they also played an important role during the introduction of farming to Europe, when the majority of the land was covered by dense forests.
The archaeologists suggest that the Neolithic communities of south Lolland may have been using the coast as an offering area.
Earlier this month, archaeologists working on the Fehmarn Belt Tunnel scheme announced that they had uncovered 5,000-year-old footprints along the edge of an ancient fish trap excavated at Rodbyhavn. | Archaeologists in Denmark have uncovered an incredibly rare find: a stone age axe held within its wooden handle. | 30197084 |
Trouble is, the aspen tree itself doesn't like to produce seeds which makes life very difficult for everyone.
But last year I visited Shropshire company Forestart and helped them out with their plans to get their aspens in a seed producing mood.
Forestart harvests a billion wild tree seeds every year to grow into new trees for planting.
You can read a blogpost about their plans here, but here's the general gist.
Aspen trees usually reproduce by sending up suckers, thin plants that are clones of the parent tree.
That's no good for Forestart who need seeds to grow new aspens.
The last time aspens in Scotland flowered and produced seeds was twenty years ago.
So Robert Lee from Forestart had a plan. I helped him remove a ring of bark around each of his aspen trees.
Not all the way around as that would kill the tree, but a strip about an inch wide round most of the trunk.
The idea was to simulate a beaver attack on the tree, stressing the tree out and forcing it to produce flowers and then seeds.
Well this week I returned to see if the experiment had worked and an amazing sight greeted me, eight aspen trees all covered in catkins. It's something that you very rarely see in nature.
Robert explained to me I'd missed the very best display and a windy day had rather done for the flowers on the male trees but overall it was a remarkable thing to see.
It's also really good news for Robert as if all goes to plan he and his team will be able to gather a huge volume of aspen seeds later in the year.
Can we be sure it was our intervention that made the difference?
Well yes, as Robert cut the bark so that some trees had branches below the exposed part of the tree.
Those branches had no flowers, no catkins, while the rest of the tree was laden.
It's not totally clear why this worked, it could be the stress as Robert first though or it might be the ring of removed bark blocks the goodness in the aspen leaves from returning to the roots and instead keeps it all in the tree canopy which in turn leads to an eruption of flowers.
The trees themselves are healing nicely and while this won't be an annual event it is something Forestart could repeat in the future.
Meaning more chances for people who want to plant this most wonderful of our native trees.
The only slight cloud on the horizon is if the whole effort is too successful, we get a lot of seeds and the local bird population treat the aspen seeds as a very expensive lunch.
Fingers crossed the siskins find something else to eat instead! | Aspens are one of our most beautiful native trees and there's a huge demand for seeds to grow new ones for planting. | 39386676 |
The hyperbaric chamber, which treats divers with "the bends", was operated by St John's Ambulance on a donation basis until it broke in April 2014.
The health department replaced it in 2015, but says it needs to "balance the books".
Diving instructor Steve Bougourd said he was "gobsmacked".
"I'm just worried that this kind of cost will put people off of actually going to the [hospital] and notifying them if they suspect a problem," he said.
"We may find it's going to be very expensive to get out divers insured."
In the UK hyperbaric oxygen treatment is covered by the NHS, but Guernsey has its own health care system.
Source: NHS
Assistant director at Guernsey's health and social care department (HSC) Ed Freestone said renting the chamber was costing the government £60,000 a year.
He said the department would not make a profit from the new charges, which were based on "the average usage that we could identify over the previous few years".
In addition to paying for the training of staff and the maintenance of a 24 hour service, the department had to fund plans to buy its own chamber for about £250,000, Mr Freestone said.
Commercial divers already pay a £150 notification fee to dive which raises about £10,000 a year, according to HSC.
It is a legal requirement to provide a hyperbaric chamber facility for commercial diving activity to take place within Guernsey's 12-mile limit. | Divers in Guernsey will be hit with a £30,000 charge if they require treatment for decompression sickness, the government has confirmed. | 36587997 |
The International Cricket Council said the 29-year-old is "required to undergo testing within 14 days".
Eranga, who has taken 53 wickets at an average of 37.47 in 18 Tests, can bowl until the results are known.
He had match figures of 0-104 as England won by nine wickets to take a 2-0 lead in the three-Test series.
The final match at Lord's starts on 9 June. | Sri Lanka seamer Shaminda Eranga was reported for a suspect bowling action in the second-Test defeat by England at Chester-le-Street. | 36415378 |
IS "fired at everything that moved" after entering on Thursday, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
A separate IS attack on the north-eastern city of Hassakeh has displaced 60,000 people, the UN says.
Kobane became a symbol of Kurdish resistance in January after an IS siege lasting several months was repelled.
IS launched an apparent two-pronged offensive on Thursday after Kurdish fighters from the Popular Protection Units (YPG) cut off one of the militants' major supply routes near Raqqa.
Raqqa is the de facto capital of the IS "caliphate", whose creation IS announced a year ago after it captured large swathes of northern and western Iraq and parts of Syria.
"According to medical sources and Kobane residents, 120 civilians were executed by IS in their homes or killed by the group's rockets or snipers," said Rami Abdel Rahman, who heads the UK-based Observatory.
He said women and children were among the bodies found inside houses and on the streets of the town, which is close to the border with Turkey.
He described it as one of the biggest massacres by the group in the country since its offensive began last summer.
The militants took the town by surprise when they launched their attack on Thursday, five months after IS was removed by Kurdish fighters backed by US-led coalition strikes.
The attack at dawn on Thursday began when militants detonated a car bomb, followed by two more bombings.
Reports said some of the militants may have hidden themselves among returning refugees and disguised themselves by wearing Kurdish militia uniforms.
In a nearby village, IS reportedly shot dead at least 20 civilians, including women and children.
Activists say clashes between some IS militants and the Kurdish YPG forces are continuing in the town.
Separately on Friday, the UN said an estimated 50,000 people had been displaced within the city of Hassakeh after another IS offensive there. Another 10,000 have fled northwards towards a town near the Turkish border, it added.
Hassakeh, about 270km (180 miles) east of Kobane, has been under the control of both government forces and Kurdish fighters, and IS militants have been trying to capture it for months.
Overall, in four years of armed conflict in Syria, more than 200,000 people have lost their lives and more than 11 million others have been forced from their homes. | Islamic State (IS) militants have killed more than 120 civilians since launching a fresh attack on the Syrian border town of Kobane, activists say. | 33285699 |
The 21-year-old made seven appearances for the Hammers and netted his only goal for them in a Europa League qualification round match against Andorran side FC Lustrains last season.
Lee had two loan spells in League One last term, with Blackpool and then Colchester United.
He scored twice for the U's but was unable to save them from relegation.
The length of Lee's contract with the promoted Tykes has not been revealed.
Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page. | Barnsley have signed striker Elliot Lee from Premier League club West Ham United for an undisclosed fee. | 36625078 |
Energy Minister Fergus Ewing refused permission for the 21-turbine Rowantree development near Oxton last May.
He said the decision was based on "unacceptable environmental impacts".
RWE Innogy UK has submitted scoping plans to Scottish Borders Council for a wind farm of up to 11 turbines in the same location.
The proposed development on land north-east and east of Burnhouse Mains farmhouse, between Stow and Fountainhall, will be known as Longmuir Rigg wind farm.
A letter lodged with the council states that RWE's new plans for the site take into account the Scottish government's concerns about the Rowantree development.
In the correspondence, project manager Christopher McPake states: "It has sought to reduce or negate the identified significant environmental effects of cumulative noise as well as effects upon landscape character and visual receptors."
It lays out plans to build between nine and 11 turbines, no more than 130m (426ft) high. | Plans have been lodged for a wind farm in the Scottish Borders less than a year after the Scottish government rejected a scheme for the same site. | 32148433 |
Eastmond, capped six times, previously played for St Helens and the England rugby league team before switching codes to join Bath in 2011.
The 27-year-old made 72 top-flight appearances for Bath, scoring 16 tries, including two last season.
"Kyle has already shown his international class and still has plenty of potential to fulfil," Wasps director of rugby Dai Young said.
Wasps have not disclosed the details of Eastmond's contract at the Ricoh Arena. He had agreed a new deal at Bath in January.
Eastmond, whose last international appearance for England came against South Africa in November 2014, becomes Wasps' 12th signing ahead of the 2016-17 season.
"Kyle is one of the most exciting centres in the Premiership," Young told the club website.
"We're really looking forward to adding his talents to an already impressive group of backs at the club." | Wasps have signed England centre Kyle Eastmond from Premiership rivals Bath. | 36874874 |
Mr Mallon said businesswoman Christine Bell and councillor Len Junier had criticised him and his fellow councillors for selling land at Acklam Hall for development.
They referred to it as "dodgy" on Twitter and at a council meeting.
Mayor Mallon said they now had to provide evidence of the claims.
The independent mayor said: "You have two people here who claim the sale of Acklam Hall was dodgy.
"What those people have got to do now is produce the evidence of malpractice, corruption, or criminality and I will give you a cast iron guarantee they will not be able to produce one shred of evidence.
"Now they've actually got to put up or shut up."
Mr Junier (Independent), who has asked the Secretary of State to investigate the sale of the land, said: "This was all about me having a duty to ask questions and raise concerns wherever they exist.
"All I want to know is did the taxpayers get the best deal possible for that land?"
The hall was valued at about £1m some years ago but Middlesbrough Council has refused to say how much it was sold for.
Critics said the 32 acres of land was worth more more than £20m.
Ms Bell told the BBC she had raised a matter of concern which had not yet been resolved and now awaits the outcome with interest. | Middlesbrough Mayor Ray Mallon has referred himself to his council's standards committee in response to accusations a land sale was "dodgy". | 30704751 |
The US Commerce Department said the economy grew at an annualised pace of 1.4% in the January-to-March period.
The rate was an upward revision from the previous estimate of 1.2%, which itself was an increase from the original reading of 0.7%.
However, it still marks a slowdown from the final quarter of 2016, when the economy grew at a rate of 2.1%.
The latest growth figure was helped by an increased estimate for growth in consumer spending, which was revised up to a rate of 1.1% from 0.6%.
"The economy is expanding at a solid, if unspectacular pace," said Gus Faucher, chief economist at PNC Financial Services.
Growth estimates in the first quarter are often weak, a quirk some say is due to the difficulty of measuring the effect of seasonal changes.
Thursday's update bolsters the perspective of the Federal Reserve, which increased interest rates in June.
Policymakers at the time said they did not believe the slowdown in the first quarter was the start of a trend, pointing to one-off factors, including a relatively mild winter.
Stronger-than-expected trade figures published Wednesday also led some to predict better growth in the second quarter.
Even so, many say growth for the year is all but certain to fall short of the 3% goal outlined by US President Donald Trump. Mr Faucher forecasts growth around 2.2% for the year.
The International Monetary Fund this week cut its forecast for US economic growth, in part citing uncertainty over the chances for tax reform and infrastructure spending, policies that many say could provide an economic boost. | The US economy grew at a faster pace than previously thought in the first three months of the year. | 40445714 |
The Salomon Glen Coe Skyline was one of six races in the 2015 Skyrunning UK calendar.
The other events include races in the Lake District in England and Mourne Mountains in Northern Ireland.
It has been announced that it will be part of the 2016 Skyrunner World Series, which will start in Norway.
Other events in the series will be held in China, the USA, Italy, France, Spain, Switzerland and Andorra.
The Glen Coe event will be held on 18 September.
Joe Symonds, who lives in Glasgow, won the men's race and was first overall in August's inaugural event. He finished the course in a time of seven hours, 36 minutes and 21 seconds.
Sweden's Emelie Forsberg won the women's event and was placed second overall with her time of seven hours, 44 minutes and 19 seconds. | An endurance race held in Glen Coe for the first time this year will form part of an international mountain running competition next year. | 34996515 |
Michael Bryn Jones, 39, from Llandudno, disappeared on 3 April 2016 after going to the door of the Hergest psychiatric unit at Ysbyty Gwynedd, Bangor.
He was found hanging in woodland on 21 June.
Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB) said it has already changed its procedures.
An inquest into Mr Jones' death heard he had been a patient at the Hergest unit until a few days before his disappearance and continued to suffer anxiety and paranoia after he left hospital.
He turned up at the unit in the early hours of 3 April and was sent to the accident and emergency department but left without booking in or speaking to anyone.
Robat Hughes, the senior nurse who spoke to Mr Jones at the unit, told the inquest he regretted not asking him whether he was already having treatment.
"He came to the door and asked to see a doctor, but I said there was no doctor there as she'd gone home sick. I said that if he went to accident and emergency then there were doctors there," he said.
"He was relaxed and calm. I didn't know if he was using mental health services and I didn't ask.
"I should have asked if he'd been having treatment. It has been something I've thought about a lot since."
Dr Stuart Porter, a consultant psychiatrist who reviewed the incident, said: "Somebody should have taken Michael Bryn Jones to accident and emergency. It's also good practice to follow that up with a phone call."
In a statement, BCUHB said it offered "sincere condolences" to Mr Jones' family and "fully accepted" the coroner's findings.
"We have carried out our own thorough investigation, in conjunction with Michael's family, and as a result we have made changes to service provision," it added.
Recording a conclusion of suicide, coroner Nicola Jones said: "There should have been more effort to persuade [Mr Jones] to come into the Hergest unit for a full assessment of his condition.
"He went to that unit looking for help, and he didn't get it." | A man who went missing after going to hospital with mental health problems should have been given more help, a coroner has said. | 39953806 |
Wholesale prices have dropped and motoring organisations have suggested this merits reduced pump prices.
Tesco and Morrisons are cutting prices by 2p a litre on Friday, and Asda and Sainsbury's said they would reduce prices by up to 2p a litre on Saturday.
But drivers are being warned that prices can vary in different areas.
The average UK price for a litre of unleaded petrol was 118.83p on Thursday, and 120.88p for a litre of diesel, according to the latest figures from Experian Catalist.
Ten days earlier, the average unleaded price was 120p a litre, and diesel cost 122.06p.
The oil price and wholesale prices fell sharply at the start of March, and motoring organisations have argued that this should have been feeding through to another 2p cut per litre in prices at the pumps.
The RAC said motorists could feel "aggrieved" that prices had not fallen further, earlier.
Asda said it had dropped prices twice in two weeks, and had a national price cap to ensure motorists were dealt with equitably. Morrisons said it had also made a second cut in two weeks.
Tesco is dropping petrol and diesel prices by 2p a litre over the course of Friday afternoon at all its outlets, followed by Sainsbury's on Saturday.
Luke Bosdet, of the AA, said that there was general concern that so-called supermarket fuel price wars did not actually benefit all drivers across the country.
He claimed prices fell the most in areas where there were a range of supermarkets located close to each other. In other areas with less competition, the same cuts were not as likely to be seen.
"We would urge motorists to look around to find a better price. There are petrol price apps that can help," he said. | Motorists will see an acceleration in fuel price cuts over the weekend as supermarkets take up to 2p off a litre of petrol and diesel. | 39383896 |
More than 5,500 people signed a petition against plans to build a five-metre embankment along the waterfront.
However, the council has admitted that there will never be a consensus on any flood protection proposal.
A report to a meeting of Dumfries and Galloway Council's environment committee next week will attempt to find a way forward.
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Chairman Colin Smyth said: "What we are now able to do is focus on what I think is the biggest issue as far as the public is concerned. In the draft proposal, the height of the embankment and the walls were simply too high and the public did not support that.
"What we now need to do is make sure that we find a solution that deals with the flooding, regenerates the Whitesands, solves the car parking issues, but also reduces the height of any proposed flood protection scheme."
Water from the River Nith regularly spills over into the Whitesands, flooding a major town centre car park and nearby business premises.
Campaigners against the £15m proposal to build an embankment claimed it would have a detrimental effect on the town's main beauty spots.
They also raised concerns that the move would lead to the loss of about 200 waterfront car parking spaces.
David Slater, a local businessman who has been one of the project's most vocal objectors, said: "However many other consultations they do now, public opinion will not change at this stage.
"It will be interesting to see how they can agree with the public to reduce the height of the bunds. There has to be better ideas because we can't put that in our town."
Earlier this year MSPs called for the row over the flood protection plans to be brought to a "positive conclusion". | Senior councillors in Dumfries have pledged to find a compromise solution to the Whitesands flooding problem. | 34138088 |
The towns of Virginia Water and Cobham, in Surrey, have become Britain's first million pound towns - where average house prices are more than £1m.
Beaconsfield in Buckinghamshire is also in the millionaire's club, according to research by Lloyds Bank.
They are the first towns outside London where prices have hit seven figures.
The research was based on data from the Land Registry for the first half of 2015.
Prices in Virginia Water - home to the likes of Sir Cliff Richard and Sir Bruce Forsyth - average no less than £1.169m, making it Britain's most expensive town outside the capital.
No wonder that the town's famous golf course, Wentworth, feels able to charge joining fees of £125,000. That is on top of the annual membership fee of £16,000.
Cobham - familiar to Chelsea footballers and their WAGS - has average prices of £1.043m.
And anyone wanting to buy in Beaconsfield can expect to pay £1.003m.
"We're seeing the emergence of towns where the average price is at least £1 million," said Sarah Deaves, private banking director at Lloyds Bank.
"Whilst there are several London neighbourhoods where prices are already at this elevated level, outside of the capital this is a first."
However the figures also show a sharp slow-down in the number of homes sold for more than £1m.
In the first half of 2015 there were 5,599 such sales, down from 6,303 in 2014. That amounts to an 11% fall.
One reason for that is the change in Stamp Duty rates, introduced in December 2014.
The buyer of a £1m house will now pay £43,750 in Stamp Duty, up from £40,000 previously. | One has a golf course that charges £125,000 to become a member, and the other has a post office said to stock bottles of Bollinger and Dom Perignon. | 34616758 |
Wiltshire Police said it happened just before 1800 BST on Wednesday at the junction with High Street in Codford.
The motorbike was travelling south towards Salisbury when it was in collision with the car, police said.
The motorcycle rider was a 49-year-old man and the car driver was a 61-year-old man. Both were local, and were pronounced dead at the scene.
The road was closed for six hours while police carried out an investigation. | A motorcyclist and a car driver have been killed in a crash on the A36 near Warminster. | 33633200 |
The hoard, which includes silver pennies dating back to the 10th and 11th centuries, was discovered by Walter Hanks in Llandwrog in March.
National Museum Wales said some of the coins were made under the ruler Sihtric Anlafsson and were a type rarely found on the British mainland.
It said they were likely to have been hidden or lost between 1020 and 1030.
Dr Mark Redknap, of the department of history and archaeology at National Museum Wales, said the mixed nature of the collection showed bullion played an active role in the 11th Century economy and gave an idea of the wealth of Gwynedd at the time.
The museum now hopes to buy the coins and put them on display. | Viking coins and ingots found by a metal detectorist in Gwynedd have been declared treasure by a coroner. | 34067126 |
The Dons turned down an undisclosed bid for the 29-year-old, who has made 22 appearances this season, on Friday.
"It's one of those things. You put a value on a player and that's what happens," Warnock told BBC Radio Wales Sport.
"We are just weighing up two or three other players at the moment to see what we're going to do."
He continued: "We try to keep away from the last-minute deadline but I'm afraid it's always there. There's a possibility that we might make another offer."
Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes says he has told Cardiff to "be serious" with regard to the fee if they wish to pursue their interest in Hayes.
Meanwhile, Warnock revealed he was in talks to bring a Premier League goalkeeper to the Cardiff City Stadium, and said he would not have sanctioned former keeper David Marshall's move to Hull City last summer.
"If I had been here all season I would have desperately gone out of my way to make sure he didn't leave," he added.
"We lost two goalkeepers on the last day [of the transfer window] and didn't recruit anybody, which has really snookered me really.
"I've been looking to get a permanent goalkeeper in now, I've made two offers for players which have both been turned town and now I'm trying to get somebody on loan from the Premier League." | Cardiff City boss Neil Warnock says the club may make another offer for Aberdeen winger Jonny Hayes. | 38642269 |
The back-row forward, a product of the Chiefs' academy, has spent time on a dual registration deal at Championship side Cornish Pirates this year.
Simmonds, 22, will make his first Premiership appearance for Exeter against Wasps on Sunday.
"He has shown an awful lot of very, very good qualities," said head coach Rob Baxter. | Exeter Chiefs forward Sam Simmonds has signed a new two-year deal with the Premiership club. | 38949694 |
Scotland's National Action Plan for Human Rights has been developed after four years of research by the Scottish Human Rights Commission.
The plan aims to improve human rights protection in Scotland.
The commission's evidence suggests basic rights are not consistently promoted, respected or protected in people's every day lives.
The Scottish government, the NHS, Amnesty International and various other organisations including trade unions and local authorities were involved in creating the action plan.
Areas of concern when drawing up the document included: care, disability rights, health, criminal justice and business.
Commitments have been made by the bodies behind the plan to integrate human rights more closely into their work.
Commission chair Professor Alan Miller said: "Today, International Human Rights Day, Scotland is taking a big step towards building a country where everyone can live a life of human dignity.
"The Scottish Parliament has human rights at its heart, it created the Scottish Human Rights Commission and today Scotland's first National Action Plan for Human Rights is launched as the next step on Scotland's journey to progressively realise internationally agreed human rights for the benefit of everyone."
Although this is the first human rights action plan in the UK, they do exist in other countries, such as Sweden, Spain, New Zealand and Australia.
Nils Muiznieks, the Council of Europe's Commissioner for Human Rights said: "Scotland's National Action Plan for Human Rights is a bold venture which aims to bring human rights home in people's everyday life.
"It signals a strong commitment to internationally agreed human rights standards which is particularly significant in the current context of economic crisis and austerity."
Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: "The plan is an important milestone in our journey to create a Scotland which acts as a beacon of progress internationally.
"We will continue to work with the Scottish Human Rights Commission to make rights a reality for all in Scotland, in keeping with the importance this Government has long attached to human dignity, equality and fairness and the pursuit of social justice." | A human rights action plan has been launched in Scotland, in a move described as a "UK first". | 25319265 |
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. | Argentina striker Carlos Tevez has completed his move back to Boca Juniors from Italian champions Juventus. | 33297155 |
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A day before turning 43, the oldest rider in the event beat Russian Olga Zabelinskaya, who returned from a doping ban last year, by 5.55 seconds.
Dutch rider Anna van der Breggen, winner of the road race, took bronze.
Great Britain's Emma Pooley, who, like Armstrong, came out of retirement to compete in Rio, finished 14th.
Find out how to get into cycling with our special guide.
Pooley, 33, told BBC Radio 5 live she "struggled with the blustery crosswind" on the hilly 29,7km course.
"The weather was a bit different to what we expected," she said. "I had to ditch my visor halfway round because it got steamed up.
"Some people are just better at cornering in the wet, I guess."
Armstrong became the first person to win the same road cycling event at three Olympics.
Having won the time trial at Beijing 2008, she retired in 2009 to start a family before returning to win gold at London 2012 and retiring again.
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Subscribe to the BBC Sport newsletter to get our pick of news, features and video sent to your inbox. | American Kristin Armstrong won the Olympic women's road time trial for the third time in succession with victory in Rio. | 36686888 |
The double reception was first proposed by the SDLP at the end of last year, to celebrate both teams reaching the finals of the Euro 2016 competition.
Unionists objected, saying the council had already held a civic reception for the Northern Ireland team in November.
Unionist amendments to expand the invite to other UK teams were defeated.
An amendment put forward by Ulster Unionist councillor Jim Rodgers to invite all four teams from England, Wales, Northern Ireland the Republic of Ireland was defeated by 33 votes to 20.
Unionist councillors also proposed sending letters of congratulation to all teams from the British Isles who qualified for the Euro 2016 finals, but this amendment was also voted down. | Belfast City Council has voted to invite both the Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland football teams to a civic reception at Belfast City Hall. | 35237389 |
20 July 2016 Last updated at 08:43 BST
Better education, the availability of drugs that fight the spread of the virus and the prevention of HIV transmission to newborn babies have all played a role.
But it is proving stubborn to get rid of.
As South Africa hosts a major HIV-Aids conference, the BBC's Karen Allen has been to one of the country's HIV hot spots in KwaZulu-Natal. | Remarkable progress has been made in reducing the rate of growth in new HIV infections - the virus that causes Aids. | 36843112 |
Their quartet of Marcus Hellner, Lars Nelson, Johan Olsson and Daniel Richardson led from start to finish and completed the course in one hour 28 minutes 42 seconds.
The battle for silver and bronze was won by Russia - who were watched by President Vladimir Putin.
The bronze was taken by France - their first medal in the event.
A day after their women's team came from behind to earn a narrow relay victory, Sweden's anchor Hellner skied alone for the entire fourth leg and grabbed a Swedish flag to wave as he entered the stadium and proceeded unchallenged down the final straight.
Hellner started the final leg with a 14-second lead over Russia's Maxim Vylegzhanin and quickly extended the gap, eventually winning by 27.3 seconds.
It was another disappointing day for Norway, who had fallen a minute behind by the second exchange and ended up fourth, a day after their heavily favoured women also failed to get a medal. | Defending champions Sweden took gold in the men's cross country 4x10km relay at the Winter Olympics in Sochi. | 26054651 |
The project, called Historical Dances in an Antique Setting, is the work of Argentine artist Pablo Bronstein.
Three classically-trained dancers will be seen weaving up and down the Duveen Galleries "striking elegant and refined poses".
The free installation opens on Tuesday with live performances from 1100-1700. It runs until 9 October.
Bronstein's work also features two large-scale architectural structures which are overlaid with images of Tate Britain's exterior architecture.
The effect is described as "visually turning the gallery inside out".
"Grand architecture is one of the things I'm most interested in, so it was a rare opportunity to be able to create work in such a unique setting as the Duveen Galleries," Bronstein said.
"The commission also presented a perfect and challenging opportunity to work with performance on a large scale."
Tate Britain director Alex Farquharson said: "Pablo Bronstein's work consistently makes for deliciously jarring encounters between past and present, and between art and society. It's fantastic to see his work come to life in the aesthetic and institutional grandeur of Tate Britain's Duveen Galleries." | A trio of dancers are to perform inside Tate Britain as part of the London gallery's latest commission. | 36130881 |
A application has been submitted to extend the Advanced Manufacturing and Research Centre Campus (AMRC) on the site of the old Sheffield Airport.
The centre is already home to a number of high technology companies, including a £110m Rolls Royce jet engine factory.
If approved, the new site would be developed over the next 10 years.
Located on the Rotherham and Sheffield border, the site closed to commercial flying in 2008, although it is still the base for South Yorkshire Police's helicopter.
The business park, which is home to a training centre and a nuclear research facility, opened in 2012.
A new £43m "flexible factory" is being built in a partnership between the University of Sheffield and companies including Boeing.
As well as new research facilities, offices and workspaces would be also be built.
James Newman, chairman of the Sheffield City Region Local Enterprise Partnership, said he hoped the expansion would encourage more businesses to invest in the area.
"They will be right in the nerve centre of advanced manufacturing," he said.
"All around them will be people doing top research in nuclear, in aerospace and in other high-tech industries."
"If we can bring high-tech jobs then that's what we want." | Plans to expand a University of Sheffield research centre could create more than 1,800 new jobs, it has been claimed. | 32536141 |
The man tried to drive through Walcot Lane ford, in Pershore, on Saturday morning, the ambulance service said.
"The elderly man driving had managed to get himself out of the vehicle and was treated at the scene by medics for being cold and wet," a spokesman said.
He said the man was "extremely fortunate" he escaped quickly and urged other drivers to avoid flooded roads.
Fire crews helped rescue the man and his vehicle.
Several flood alerts are in place in Worcestershire. But previous flood warnings, which urge for immediate action as flooding is expected, have been lifted. | A driver was taken to hospital after his car became "completely submerged" in a ford. | 35019996 |
The 3kg (6.6lb) dog is set to become part of a search-and-rescue team used for disasters such as earthquakes.
Its small size means it will be able to squeeze into places too narrow for dogs such as German Shepherds.
Chihuahuas, named after a Mexican state, are one of the the smallest breeds of dog.
"It's quite rare for us to have a chihuahua work as a police dog," said a police spokeswoman in Nara, western Japan.
"We would like it to work hard by taking advantage of its small size."
Momo, aged seven, will begin work in January. | A chihuahua named Momo (Peach) has passed the exam to become a dog in the police force in western Japan, in what seems to be a first. | 11804083 |
Caretaker manager Paul Warne has been in charge of the Millers since Kenny Jackett's departure on 28 November.
"Paul Warne, Matt Hamshaw and John Breckin will remain in control of the first team throughout the Christmas period," said a club statement.
"The club will continue to work towards a position where we can announce a more permanent solution in early January."
Rotherham, who are bottom of the table and have lost 13 of their past 15 matches, host 23rd-placed Wigan on Boxing Day and 21st-placed Burton three days later.
The statement added: "Paul Warne and his staff will work closely with our new head of recruitment Jamie Johnson to indentify, and move for, targets ahead of the upcoming January transfer window."
Warne has said that he does not want the job on a full-time basis.
Former Wolverhampton Wanderers boss Jackett was in charge of the Millers for 39 days before offering his resignation.
Rotherham have had five permanent managers and three caretakers since the start of last season, with Neil Redfearn, Neil Warnock, Alan Stubbs and Jackett all having spells in the job following Steve Evans' departure in September 2015.
Eric Black was placed in temporary charge after Evans left, while Nicky Eaden was appointed caretaker-manager when Redfearn was sacked in February - although Warnock was appointed before the former Birmingham and Wigan defender had the chance to lead the team in a game. | Championship strugglers Rotherham United aim to name a permanent first-team boss in "early January". | 38411271 |
Baroness Morgan said Labour is in a serious situation if it cannot reconnect with working class communities.
She said there "probably was an element" of Labour's Remain campaign starting too late.
"A lot of us were exhausted", she told BBC Radio Wales.
Senior Welsh Labour sources have privately said they were wary of talking about Brexit before the assembly election in case it drove Eurosceptic supporters towards UKIP.
Plaid leader no longer ruling out coalition with Labour
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Asked if Labour's Remain campaign started too late, she told the Eye on Wales programme: "I think there probably was an element of that.
"And don't forget in Wales we had the assembly elections where people were not talking about the European Union. We were focused absolutely on those assembly elections."
She added: "I think it was a mistake not to be talking about the European referendum in those assembly elections."
Wales voted 52.5% to 47.5% for Brexit. Only five counting areas voted to Remain.
The strongest Leave votes were in Torfaen (60%) and Blaenau Gwent (62%) - two traditional Labour strongholds in the south Wales valleys.
The Welsh government has a programme to "re-energise" communities that voted to Leave, much of which would have been funded by EU money, Baroness Morgan said.
"The question for us now is how on Earth do we reorganise the economy without that European funding?" she asked.
"Unless we find a way to reconnect with that working class element within our communities then I think the Labour party is in a serious situation in future".
Labour won 29 seats at May's assembly election - a better result than many expected - but lost 7.6% of its share of the vote on the constituency ballot.
Earlier, on BBC Sunday Politics Wales, Baroness Morgan said Carwyn Jones was "absolutely, without question" the right man to lead Welsh Labour. | It was a mistake for Labour to avoid talking about the EU referendum during the assembly election campaign, one of the party's AMs has said. | 36634782 |
The 41-year-old has recorded 696 home runs, putting him fourth on the Major League Baseball all-time list.
He was given a 162-game ban for doping in January 2014, meaning he missed the entire 2014 season.
Rodriguez's final game will be at Yankee Stadium against the Tampa Bay Rays and he will then take on an advisor role at the club.
He helped the Yankees win the World Series in 2009 and was voted the American League's Most Valuable Player in 2003, 2005 and 2007.
"This is a tough day. I love this game and I love this team and today I am saying goodbye to both," Rodriguez said.
"This is also a proud day. I was 18 when I broke into the big leagues and I never thought I would play for 22 years.
"No player ends their career the way they want to, we all want to keep playing forever but it doesn't work that way. Accepting the end gracefully is part of being a professional athlete.
"I want to thank the fans for letting me play the game I love." | New York Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez has announced he will retire from the sport on Friday. | 37004586 |
A tumultuous year in senior management, continuing into the start of this year, required revisions to the accounts.
Several directors left and the chief executive, who is scheduled to leave, is no longer receiving a bonus.
The accounts do not give detail of what went wrong, though the boardroom rows were well publicised in the media.
However, the report to Companies House indicates the company has lost out from the drop in energy prices, buying its fuel in advance of the sharp drop in oil market.
In a statement with the accounts, the directors stated: "The group has faced significant operating and cost pressures.
"We anticipate that these cost pressures will remain in 2015 and we will remain proactive in seeking to mitigate the impact of these cost pressures".
Lothian Buses revenue in 2014 was up by 2.3% to £135m. Pre-tax profits fell from £11.7m to £10.1m.
The company is owned mainly by City of Edinburgh Council, with small stakes held by neighbouring Lothian councils.
It owns more than 650 buses, and carries more than two million passengers each week. The numbers transported were up in 2014 by 2.6% to a total of 118 million. | Lothian Buses, which dominates Edinburgh public transport, including trams and tourist tours, has reported a drop in profits during last year. | 34012102 |
However, Inverness Caledonian Thistle and Greenock Morton were knocked out despite winning and finishing second in their groups.
Inverness beat Forfar 2-1 and Morton were 5-0 winners over Edinburgh City.
Elsewhere, St Mirren beat Airdrieonians 5-0, Falkirk defeated Brechin City 3-0, Motherwell edged Berwick Rangers 1-0 and Raith Rovers beat Cowdenbeath 2-0.
Falkirk, Motherwell and Thistle's group rivals Livingston had already secured second-round places as group winners while St Mirren, Airdrie, Brechin, Berwick, Raith and Cowden were unable to go through before playing their final group games.
In Group H, Premiership Partick Thistle were kept out by League One Stranraer until the 87th minute when Elliott struck from inside the box.
Thistle had beaten St Mirren 5-0 last Saturday and the Buddies recovered from that loss by putting five goals past Airdrieonians in Paisley.
Former Aberdeen striker Cammy Smith and ex-Hearts forward Gavin Reilly each scored twice for Jack Ross' side and Lewis Morgan got their fifth.
In Group A, top side Falkirk went ahead through Lee Miller's strike with Joe McKee and Alex Harris also on target against Brechin City.
Inverness CT went behind against Forfar Athletic when Marc Scott shot home but strikes in quick succession by George Oakley and John Baird turned the match in the Highlanders' favour.
In Group F, Motherwell had to wait until the 82nd minute to get in front of visitors Berwick Rangers, Elliott Frear netting after goalkeeper Robby McCrorie palmed out Chris Cadden's cross.
And at Cappielow, Bob McHugh and Robert Thomson got two each and Jai Quitongo also netted for Greenock Morton against Edinburgh City.
In Group C, Raith Rovers scored twice in the first half against Cowdenbeath, Lewis Vaughan and Liam Buchanan on target. | Partick Thistle beat Stranraer to progress in the League Cup as one of the best first-round group runners-up. | 40763690 |
The 2015 winner has raced just twice since that victory and missed the King George VI Chase on Boxing Day.
"I'm afraid it's not going to happen, which is a real shame," said Bradstock, the wife of trainer Mark.
"When you have a horse like this you must not take any risks and there is no point going there half-baked."
She added: "He has just niggled the bone - he is still walking at the moment, but we must not take a risk as these niggling things can turn into fractures.
"We will not rush him and we will make sure he is fine before he comes back."
Bradstock said she hoped to see the 10-year-old race at the Punchestown Gold Cup in Ireland on 26 April but could not guarantee he would make the Bowl Chase at Aintree on 6 April.
Coneygree last raced after a year out with a hock injury at Haydock in November, impressing as runner-up to Cue Card.
"He ran a great race at Haydock, but he might have been feeling this coming on," said Bradstock.
"He has no miles on the clock and I'm hoping he can become a veteran record-breaker and a novice record-breaker.
"He is in very good nick, mentally, and is full of himself." | Former champion Coneygree will not run in the Cheltenham Gold Cup on 17 March due to a "niggling" injury, says assistant trainer Sara Bradstock. | 38559044 |
One hundred tracks by artists including Ben Howard, Kendrick Lamar and SBTRKT have been shortlisted with voting open until 9pm on 27 November.
Lana Del Rey, You Me At Six and Eminem also feature on the list.
Zane will count down from 100 to one between 1 to 4 December.
The 1975, whose track Chocolate topped the poll in 2013, also appear in this year's list with their track Medicine.
Why'd You Only Call Me When You're High? by Arctic Monkeys and Shadow Moses by Bring Me the Horizon completed the top three last year.
Ed Sheeran's Sing and Stay With Me by Sam Smith, which both went to number one in the UK, also appear on this year's shortlist.
Gecko (Overdrive) by Oliver Heldens and Becky Hill and Clean Bandit's Rather Be, which also topped the chart, feature in this year's top 100 too.
Mercury Prize nominees Bombay Bicycle Club, FKA Twigs, Royal Blood, Jungle and Nick Mulvey all appear as well.
Voting for the 100 Hottest Records is limited to one per person, full terms and conditions can be found on the Radio 1 website.
Follow @BBCNewsbeat on Twitter and Radio1Newsbeat on YouTube | Throughout 2014 Zane Lowe has picked his hottest records in the world, and now it's time for you to pick your favourite. | 30087725 |
Deaf and blind people face a situation that is "still grim", according to charities Action on Hearing Loss Cymru, RNIB Cymru and Sense Cymru.
New standards were introduced by the Welsh government over a year ago aimed at ensuring equal access to healthcare.
But the report says little progress has been made.
Richard Williams, director of Action on Hearing Loss Cymru said the charities that authored the report are "really concerned" that people are leaving surgeries and hospitals unclear about what doctors have told them, what medication they need or whether operations have been successful.
New standards were brought in after a BBC Wales investigation in 2013 found health boards were breaching equality laws by not providing accessible services for the deaf and hard of hearing.
But 91 per cent of people surveyed for the report said they were not aware of improvements in the way healthcare providers communicate and share information with them.
Kay Coleman from Swansea began losing her hearing 15 years ago and said she finds it "incredibly difficult" to book a doctor's appointment.
An estimated 500,000 people are affected by hearing loss and 100,000 are living with sight loss in Wales.
In a statement the Welsh government said it is "committed to ensuring the standards are fully implemented" and it is working with relevant bodies "to establish how best to capture and record communication preferences for those with sensory loss to ensure their needs are fully met in every healthcare setting". | The 600,000 people in Wales living with sensory loss are not having their basic healthcare needs met, according to a new report. | 31959069 |
The 48-year-old man suffered a suspected heart attack five minutes into the second half of Kilmarnock's home match against Hibernian.
Paramedics and medical staff from both clubs treated the man until an ambulance arrived at Rugby Park stadium and he was taken to a nearby hospital.
Both managers agreed to abandon the match out of respect for the fan.
The stadium was hushed into silence when medical staff and club doctors attended the stricken fan in the west stand.
The referee then stopped the match with the teams drawing 1-1. Players left the pitch as the gravity of the situation became evident.
Kilmarnock chairman Michael Johnston said: "The length of time the players were off the park was a problem but the overriding factor was respect for the fan and his family.
"He collapsed and was tended to by medical staff of both clubs and was taken to Crosshouse Hospital by ambulance."
He added that he could not reveal any more information about the fan's identity other than to say he was a long-standing season-ticket holder
Later, a Police Scotland spokesman said the man died in hospital.
Kilmarnock manager Kenny Shiels pointed out that it was the third time he had been present at such an incident while manager at the Rugby Park side.
In March 2012, midfielder Liam Kelly's father died following the Ayrshire side's League Cup final win over Celtic.
A month later, an Inverness Caledonian Thistle fan died during that club's visit to Rugby Park. | A man has died in hospital after collapsing half-way through a Scottish Premier League match, police say. | 22423362 |
The on-loan Fleetwood Town striker picked up the accolade after a string of impressive performances for the Ton.
"I'm delighted. To be picked ahead of Hibs or Rangers players who have played so well is a big thing," he said.
The 21-year old has been used in a more advanced midfield role this season to accommodate team-mate Denny Johnstone up front for the Greenock club.
McManus is in his second loan spell at Cappielow. Following last season's League One success, he admits things are a lot more difficult at Championship level.
"I've only been back here since January but I'm enjoying every minute," he continued.
"We've been getting good results and teams like Rangers and Hibs haven't found it easy against us.
"There are better players in this league, better teams.
"I've played more of an attacking midfield role this season and I've tried to fill in for the team more so the gaffer's happy with me.
"I've still got a few goals and a few assists so I'm happy all round. I hope now to just keep it up."
Last month McManus scored once against Alloa in a 2-2 draw and a brace in a 3-2 defeat by Raith Rovers, both matches away from home. | Morton's Declan McManus has won the Ladbrokes Championship player of the month award for February. | 35804311 |
The 19-year-old Dane has made nine Championship appearances this season.
He scored his first career goal in the 2-0 win at Nottingham Forest in February.
Town boss David Wagner told the club website: "We are proud he is our player. He has taken his opportunity in the team recently, showing he can bring his performance to the pitch." | Huddersfield Town midfielder Philip Billing has signed a contract extension until the end of the 2019-20 season. | 35935740 |
Pensions currently rise by the highest of inflation, average earnings or 2.5%.
There have been warnings over the cost of the lock, and the government says it will review it after 2020.
Shadow Treasury minister Rebecca Long-Bailey said this caused "uncertainty and worry", pledging to protect it "throughout the lifetime of the next Parliament", due to end in 2025.
Speaking during Treasury questions in the Commons, Chancellor Philip Hammond said it was responsible for the government to decide which commitments it can afford to keep at a spending review before the end of Parliament.
Attacking Labour's pledge, he added: "I think it tells us everything we need to know about the Opposition - that three-and-a-half years out they're willing to spray around commitments without any idea of what it's going to cost them."
During last week's Autumn Statement Mr Hammond said the triple lock would be maintained until 2020 but suggested it would then be reviewed.
There have been calls for it to be scrapped, including from former pensions minister Baroness Altmann, who said the costs would become "enormous" after 2020, and the previous work and pensions secretary, Stephen Crabb.
Speaking after Treasury Questions, shadow chancellor John McDonnell accused the Conservatives of "abandoning older people" by not guaranteeing to continue the pledge.
He added: "Labour will support the pensions triple lock and instead of cutting taxes for the super-rich and giant corporations will make sure our NHS and social care is properly funded." | Labour says it will keep the "triple lock" protecting the state pension throughout the next Parliament. | 38148520 |
The world champion, who won all three titles from the Russian by a controversial points decision in their first bout, is unbeaten in 32 fights.
The American wobbled Kovalev with a right hand in the eighth and finished him off with a series of body shots.
Kovalev said he was hit by a low blow, adding that he wanted another rematch.
"He's a great fighter, not a lot of people are going to beat him," said 33-year-old Ward, who has 16 knockouts from his 32 bouts.
"But when you are facing a great fighter you have to raise your game to the next level.
"I hurt him with a head shot and I just had to get the right shot in to finish him."
Kovalev started strongly before Ward came back into the fight at the Mandalay Bay Hotel.
Referee Tony Weeks then stopped the fight with 31 seconds in the eighth with Kovalev, 34, kneeling down.
"It was a low blow, again another one," said Kovalev.
"We are boxers. I could still continue. Why stop the fight?" | Andre Ward stopped Sergey Kovalev in the eighth round to win their light-heavyweight rematch in Las Vegas and retain his WBO, WBA and IBF belts. | 40317684 |
The company said PCs and tablets running the software would go on sale on 29 July, at which point the OS would also be offered as a free download to existing users.
The roll-out of the product for smartphones, Xbox games consoles and other kit will follow later.
One expert said the release could prove critical to the Microsoft's fortunes.
Windows 8 - the current iteration - has had a troubled life, with many deciding not to update to its touch-centric user interface.
The company has acknowledged the fact by returning some features dropped from the more popular Windows 7.
"We designed Windows 10 to create a new generation of Windows for the 1.5 billion people using Windows today in 190 countries around the world," wrote Terry Myerson, Microsoft's vice-president of operating systems, on its blog.
"Familiar, yet better than ever, Windows 10 brings back the Start menu you know and love."
He also highlighted new additions, including:
Many company watchers had not expected the launch of the product to happen until later in the year.
One analyst said the release was important as it might be "Microsoft's last chance" to crack the tablet market before Android and iOS became too entrenched, but added that it was unlikely to drive demand for new equipment in the same way earlier Windows updates had done.
"Microsoft and Intel are certainly pushing the two-in-one device strategy [in which laptops transform into tablets], which could result in some sales," said Michael Silver from the tech consultancy Gartner.
"But it's not only the fact that the upgrade is free, but Windows 10 for PCs is designed to run on computers that ran Windows 7 and even do better on less powerful hardware, so it will not spur on sales to the same extent as we've seen in the past." | Microsoft's next generation of its operating system, Windows 10, is due to be released next month. | 32962830 |
The 35-year-old former international stand-off becomes the first French coach of the Perpignan-based club.
Frayssinous replaces Trent Robinson, who has left France for a post at Sydney Roosters in Australia.
Frayssinous is five months the junior of the previous youngest Super League coach, Bradford's Francis Cummins.
Frayssinous had been part of the Dragons' coaching staff and played for them when they made their Super League bow with a 38-30 win against Wigan in 2006.
The former assistant coach of the France national team has signed a two-year deal, with the option of a third season. | Laurent Frayssinous has been appointed the head coach of Catalan Dragons on a two-year contract, and becomes the youngest team boss in Super League. | 19823620 |
Anti-smoking groups say that is too long to wait, but there have been protests by some restaurant owners, who say their business will suffer.
Austrians like order, or "Ordnung" as they say in German. It is hugely frowned upon for a pedestrian to cross the road on a red light. And the streets and underground network of Vienna are kept remarkably clean.
But smoky air in cafes and restaurants has been widely tolerated for years.
"Smoking is a sort of culture, especially in Austria," Margit Schwed told me as she sat in Cafe Ritter in Vienna, with its gilt chandeliers and marble table tops.
"In the typical Vienna Kaffeehaus you take your coffee and your cigarette. I think people like the flair in the coffee houses."
Austria has one of the highest rates of smoking in Europe, particularly among young people: 33% of Austrians smoke regularly, according to a 2012 Eurobarometer study. Only Greeks, Bulgarians and Latvians smoke more.
A survey by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) found that 27% of Austrian 15-year-olds smoke at least once a week, more frequently than any other children in the OECD area.
Several years ago, when many countries had already banned smoking in bars and cafes, Austria first adopted the idea of introducing separate smoking and non-smoking areas.
Small restaurants could choose whether to go smoke-free or not.
Larger restaurants, like Cafe Ritter, were obliged to provide a separate smoking section, sealed off by glass partitions.
The law was heavily criticised by doctors and anti-smoking groups as half-hearted and badly enforced.
Earlier this year, after the death of a prominent anti-smoking journalist from lung cancer, Austria's coalition government of the Social Democrats and the conservative People's Party announced plans to bring in a total ban on smoking in restaurants, cafes and bars by 2018.
"We have finally arrived in Europe with anti-smoking protection," Health Minister Sabine Oberhauser said.
However there were protests from the far-right Freedom Party and from Austria's Chamber of Commerce.
The Chamber of Commerce opposes the ban, because it says restaurants and cafes invested around €100m ($109m; £714m) to install ventilation systems and glass partitions to accommodate the separate smoking areas.
The economy minister, Reinhold Mitterlehner, has said their interests will be taken into account.
At Cafe Ritter, one of the waiters, Michael Schneider, told me the smoking ban should be brought in as soon as possible.
"Working in the smoke is bad for the health of me and my colleagues," he said. | After years of debate, Austria's government has announced plans to introduce a total smoking ban in cafes and restaurants by 2018. | 32919408 |
The 18-year-old scored 88.40 to make history in what was the fifth and the final stop of the World Cup season.
She came ahead of Sweden's Emma Dahlstrom and Swiss Mathilde Gremaud.
Boston-born Atkin, who initially competed for the US before switching to Great Britain aged 15, was making her 15th appearance at a World Cup event.
Atkin will be competing at the Freestyle World Championships in Sierra Nevada, Spain (9-19 March). The event will be live on the BBC Sport website, app, connected TV and red button. | Izzy Atkin became the first British woman to win a World Cup ski slopestyle event as she took gold in Silvaplana, Switzerland. | 39153339 |
The boarding boat at St Davids RNLI Lifeboat Station takes crew to and from its lifeboat.
But the vessel has recently become a regular sunbathing spot for a 7ft (2.13m) long bull seal.
Dai John, St Davids RNLI coxswain, said: "His presence doesn't impact on our ability to save lives at sea at all so he is a welcome visitor."
The boat is currently being kept on a mooring until the charity's new lifeboat station is completed next year. | A volunteer RNLI crew have been given the seal of approval from an unlikely passenger. | 33824754 |
Fees in England are rising again, and it is the first fall in UK applications since fees were last increased in 2012.
The Royal College of Nursing blamed the 23% drop in nursing applications on the removal of bursaries.
Universities Minister Jo Johnson said that despite the overall drop, more 18-year-olds were applying to university.
These Ucas admissions figures, up to the January deadline for courses starting in the autumn, show a 5% drop in UK students and 7% drop in students from the European Union - with a total of about 564,000.
Universities have been warning about the impact of Brexit on their finances if European applications fall and these figures show a significant decline in candidates from the EU.
There has also been a decline in UK students applying - and like the two previous occasions when applications have fallen - this has been when fees are being increased.
The fall in applications in England of 6% has been three times greater than in Scotland at 2%, which remains without tuition fees.
Applications from Wales fell most, by 7%, and Northern Ireland by 5%.
Nursing had the biggest fall of any individual subject, and Janet Davies, general secretary of the Royal College of Nursing, blamed this on the switch from grants to fees and loans.
"We warned the government the removal of student funding would see a sharp drop in nursing applications. These figures confirm our worst fears," said Ms Davies.
She said the "nursing workforce is in crisis".
But there were drops across other subjects - particularly among older students not applying directly from school.
Among 19-year-olds, numbers were down 9%. And among 25-year-olds, applications were down 23%.
But among 18-year-olds, such as sixth-formers applying from school, numbers have continued to rise to record levels, up to 37% of the age group.
And there could be an upside for those who are seeking places - with universities likely to be competing to attract students.
Ucas chief Mary Curnock Cook said this "tough recruitment environment for universities" would mean "unprecedented choice and opportunity for applicants".
Sorana Vieru, vice-president of the National Union of Students, said the fall in applicants was "disappointing, but not a surprise".
"Uncertainty around increases in tuition fees, loss of maintenance grants and the rising costs of living and studying at university are too much of a risk to some potential students," she said.
Labour's shadow universities minister, Gordon Marsden, said: "We warned the government at Christmas their sneaked-out tuition fee increases and the accompanying increased debts would have damaging impacts on students and their numbers."
Universities Minister Jo Johnson said: "More young people than ever are choosing to go to university, with record application rates for 18-year-olds this year as well as those from disadvantaged backgrounds." | University applications have fallen by 5% - with the decline driven by a drop in European Union students and a sharp fall in nursing applications. | 38827189 |
A metal detectorist found three jugs and a bronze dish in a field in Kelshall near Royston last year, North Hertfordshire District Council said.
A subsequent dig unearthed artefacts from a "cosmopolitan" burial including mosaic glass dishes and cremated bone.
Experts are "clamouring" to study the "unique find," the council said.
The treasure hunter made the initial discoveries, including a complete Roman jug, late last year and council archaeology officer Keith Fitzpatrick-Matthews decided the finds merited further investigation.
Glass bottles and cups, an iron lamp, a box with bronze corner bindings were later uncovered, as well as a bronze coin dating from 174 to 175 AD.
A "major find" were two shattered - but otherwise complete - mosaic glass dishes, which were probably made in Alexandria in Egypt in about 200 AD, the council said.
Mr Fitzpatrick-Matthews said: "After 1800 years, finds like these still impress us with their workmanship."
The artefacts are not currently classed as treasure and are owned by the farmer and the finder but North Hertfordshire Museum Service wants to raise the money to buy them.
The value has not been revealed but is estimated to be "more than £20,000". | "Exceptional" Roman artefacts discovered in a field in Hertfordshire date back to 174 AD, an investigation has found. | 32260914 |
Banks Renewables is behind the project close to Birneyknowe Cottage, south east of Hawick.
Planning officials had advised opposition due to its landscape, visual and cultural impact.
The size of the project means that the final decision on whether it goes ahead lies with the Scottish government.
The company has said the project would provide a £2.5m community benefit fund to support local groups and good causes. | Councillors in the Borders have unanimously agreed to lodge an objection to a 15-turbine wind farm near Bonchester Bridge. | 39185338 |
The conservationists have described it as a major milestone, there are thought to be about 70,000 coins in the hoard.
By the end of the day on Friday the team had removed 55,014 coins, 63 more than the previous largest Roman Cunetio hoard found in Wiltshire.
The team are clearing the coins in view of the public in a special laboratory at La Hougue Bie Museum in Grouville.
The Jersey Heritage team has spent two years removing the coins one by one from the hoard discovered by two metal detector enthusiasts in 2012.
The value of the hoard will not be known until next year when the States will have to decide whether to pay to keep it in the island. | The team removing coins from the Jersey Celtic hoard have gathered more than in any other British hoard to date. | 37329266 |
Conservative MPs cheered as English and Welsh members prepared to give their consent to parts of the Housing and Planning Bill that only apply to their constituencies.
Housing Minister Brandon Lewis said he was "very proud" to be implementing the reforms.
But the SNP said the changes were "driving Scotland out of the door".
They were introduced in response to calls for a stronger voice for English MPs following increased devolution to Scotland.
Where parts of a bill are deemed to only affect England, or England and Wales, a new stage is added to the usual law-making process at which only MPs for English - or English and Welsh - constituencies can vote.
Following the end of the Housing Bill's report stage, Speaker John Bercow suspended the sitting of the Commons for five minutes before finalising which provisions applied to which nations.
After MPs debated the new rules - MPs representing Scottish constituencies were entitled to speak but not to vote - the "consent motion" for England and Wales was agreed without a division.
The Housing Bill, which includes an extension of the right-to-buy for housing association tenants in England, was later approved by all MPs at third reading stage. | New "English votes for English laws" rules have been implemented in the House of Commons for the first time. | 35295404 |
Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron called Labour "careless" for spending European Union (EU) money on ineligible projects and the Conservatives "mean-spirited" to use flood relief money to repay the wrongly used funds.
The government blamed Labour's "mismanagement" of the money.
Labour has been approached for comment.
Local government minister Andrew Percy, revealed in a written statement that £15m EU Solidarity Funding received in respect of the winter 2015-16 floods would be "offset" by the £14.5m repayment.
The UK was "legally obliged" to make the repayment because there had been "ineligible spending under the Labour administration" of 2007 funding.
The remaining £500,000 was "only eligible to reimburse" the government for financial support given to affected areas, he said.
Westmorland and Lonsdale MP Mr Farron said the two parties had "combined to deprive flood-hit areas of much needed funds".
"Labour's overspending has hurt the North and all those affected by last year's floods," he said.
"But it is the Conservative's mean-spiritedness which means they have chosen to use this money to pay the fine, instead of passing this money on to flood-affected areas and paying the fine from Treasury coffers."
In response, Mr Percy said the government had delivered £300m to help flood-hit communities.
"Liberal Democrats are misleading the public by suggesting there's some EU magic money tree," he said. | About £15m of funding intended for UK communities hit by floods last winter will instead be used to cover a "fine" for misspending a previous grant. | 38677399 |
The 19-year-old striker is yet to make a senior appearance for Everton but twice featured in the Premier League club's Under-23 side that played in the EFL Trophy this season.
Southport-born Brewster, an Everton academy player since he was 12, had a previous loan spell at Stockport.
He is available to make his Southport debut against Wrexham on Sunday.
Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page. | Everton teenager Delial Brewster has joined National League side Southport on loan until the end of the season. | 38484274 |
The figures have been released by the States after a question from Reform Jersey chairman, Deputy Sam Mezec.
It came after it was revealed two civil servants spent £13,000 on flights to a mining conference in South Africa.
The latest figures show Mike King and Wayne Gallichan have been to the conference every year since 2013, spending about £40,000 on flights.
A spokesman for the Chief Minister's Department said: "States-wide reviews of travel policy and expenditure are underway.
"The scope of these reviews encompass the travel spend of the whole of the public sector, including all government departments and the individuals within those departments."
Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, Deputy Andrew Lewis, said the procurement system did not seem to be working properly.
"It is designed to save money, time and give a good audit trail. We've looked into it and it seems it does not do any of those three things," he said.
"We need to find out how it is supposed to work and if it is not working how they are going to fix it."
Both men have apologised and are facing an internal investigation.
Other flights booked through the States procurement system have cost more than the £6,442 Mr Gallichan and Mr King spent travelling to South Africa.
Colin Powell, the States Advisor on International Affairs flew to Hong Kong for a ministerial visit in 2011 for £6,852.
The figures show the Chief Minister's Department spent £177,000 on flights costing more than a thousand pounds, with Economic Development spending £141,000 over five years.
Among the pages of flight costs, one was for the Principle Legal Advisor to an anti-corruption conference in 2013 to Panama City. It cost £3,682. | Civil servants splashed out nearly £400,000 on 120 flights over the past five years. | 36043361 |
Local photographer Ron Strathdee captured the phenomenon on Monday at about 23:30 BST.
The glow is usually best seen from northern latitudes like Norway, Alaska, Iceland and northern Scotland.
Mr Strathdee said seeing the Northrn Lights from Manx latitudes was "fairly unusual."
They happen when incoming solar radiation hits the earth's upper atmosphere and excites atoms to a new energy state, emitting energy in the form of light.
The photographer said: "I needed a place that faced north so went to Peel Hill and tried some shots over the castle which worked but half the fishing boats in the Irish Sea were discharging fish at the breakwater with enough floodlights to cover a football match!
"Going round the front of the castle it was pitch dark and it looks straight north which was where the photos were taken." | The Aurora Borealis, better known as the Northern Lights, has been photographed from Peel Castle on the west coast of the Isle of Man. | 34187501 |
The 24-year-old, whose Colchester contract was due to run out this summer, has agreed a deal until 2017.
He has scored 14 times in 29 games for the League One strugglers this season, having started the campaign with a career tally of 25 goals.
"I enjoyed my time at Colchester, but my ultimate goal was to move back up the leagues," he told the club website.
"This is a great opportunity to do that with a team heading in the right direction.
"I got the call on Thursday and I was down here that night, got the medical done, and I was signing Friday morning."
Sears will be competing with Daryl Murphy, David McGoldrick and Noel Hunt for a place in Mick McCarthy's side.
The former England Under-21 international began his career with West Ham and was tipped for big things after scoring the winning goal on his debut for the Hammers, aged 18, in a 2-1 Premier League victory over Blackburn in March 2008.
However, he was unable to establish a regular place in the side and had loan spells at Crystal Palace, Coventry and Scunthorpe, before joining Colchester three years ago.
Promotion-chasing Ipswich, third in the Championship, allowed striker Conor Sammon to end his loan spell from Derby this week to join Rotherham.
Colchester, who are 22nd in League One, must now face a relegation battle without their top scorer.
"We have already made inquiries into the availability of a number of players and we will continue to do that," said boss Tony Humes on the search for a replacement. | Ipswich Town have signed Colchester United striker Freddie Sears for an undisclosed fee. | 30852302 |
It says Tariq al-Harzi was responsible for co-ordinating suicide bombings in Iraq and moving weapons from Libya to Syria.
The US had offered a $3m (£1.9m) reward for the man it called the "emir of suicide bombers".
IS has not commented on the reports of his death.
Harzi was allegedly killed in the northern-eastern Syrian town of Shaddadi on 16 June.
The US Treasury Department had placed him on a sanctions list after designating Harzi as a "global terrorist".
It is thought that he had assisted foreign fighters from the UK, Albania, and Denmark.
He also raised funds for the group, including $2m from a single Qatar-based donor.
A Pentagon spokesman said Harzi's death was a blow to Islamic State.
"His death will impact [IS's] ability to integrate foreign terrorist fighters into the Syrian and Iraqi fight as well as to move people and equipment across the border between Syria and Iraq," Capt Jeff Davis said in a statement.
In June the Pentagon said it had killed Harzi's brother in a drone strike.
Ali al-Harzi was a person of interest in the investigation of the 2012 bombing of the US consulate in Benghazi in Libya. The US says he was killed in a drone strike in the IS stronghold of Mosul in northern Iraq. | A senior member of the Islamic State (IS) group has been killed in an American drone strike in Syria last month, according to the US military. | 33376489 |
The 6ft 4ins midfielder was recommended to the club by former Walsall and Bermuda striker Kyle Lightbourne.
The 18-year-old has been training with the League One Saddlers since appearing in a development squad match in April.
"I've loved it here, the way the club has treated me," he said. "And how the players have welcomed me straight in."
Butterfield will initially work under the vastly experienced John Ward, Walsall's professional development coach.
Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page. | Walsall have completed the signing of Bermudian teenager Kacy Milan Butterfield on a one-year deal, subject to receiving international clearance. | 36527630 |
An estimated 1,000 properties are at risk in Kendal and about 600 in Egremont after river levels rose.
Overnight rain was not as heavy as expected said the Environment Agency, but its 12 severe flood warnings for Cumbria and Lancashire remain in place on Sunday.
People in parts of Kendal and Egremont have been advised to leave and stay with their family or friends.
Police in Cumbria have warned drivers to avoid unnecessary journeys.
BBC reporter Andy Gill, in Grasmere, said many roads in the area had minor flooding.
A severe flood warning indicates a danger to life. Lower level flood warnings and alerts have been issued for large parts of northern England and Wales.
Further heavy rain is expected across Cumbria, other parts of north-west England and south-west Scotland on Sunday.
That rain will fall on already saturated ground, which increases the flood risk.
Reception centres opened at Kendal Town Hall and West Lakes Academy in Egremont throughout Saturday night, but Dave Hughes, chairman of Kendal Mountain Rescue, said not everyone had been willing to leave their homes.
"Some people decided to stay at home. You can understand that people may be reluctant to leave their beds," he said. | Hundreds of homes are under threat of flooding in two Cumbrian towns. | 34825160 |
Thomas Wainwright was on the wrong side of the road and travelling at speeds of up to 95mph in his Maserati hire car, just minutes before the crash.
The 27-year-old ploughed into the Berlingo van driven by Theresa Wade, 29, on Mull in October 2015.
The court heard Wainwright had been drinking cider and whisky for eight and a half hours before the crash.
He will be sentenced next month.
During the trial Wainwright and his passenger, 42-year-old Jerome Lopez, had claimed that Miss Wade had been on the wrong side of the road and caused the accident but the jury did not believe them.
Witnesses from Mull told how Wainwright, who was with Mr Lopez, his mother's partner, had been drinking at a hotel, a pub and a distillery in Tobermory before having another two pints of cider in the Craignure Inn.
As he headed back towards Tobermory on the wrong side of the road his hire car smashed into the van driven by Miss Wade.
The court heard Wainwright was on Mull, along with members of his family, visiting his sick grandmother. He had flown into Edinburgh airport and hired the Maserati.
Prosecutor Tim Niven-Smith revealed that Wainwright, who worked as the first officer on the £6.26m yacht MY Mahogany based in the south of France, had a previous conviction for driving while unfit through drink or drugs.
At a court in Nice he was fined 700 euros and given a suspended sentence.
Judge John Morris remanded Wainwright in custody and banned him from driving. | A drink-driver who killed an island vet in a head-on collision has been found guilty of death by dangerous driving. | 39340662 |
The UK financial regulator will hand out the fine to the bank over the issue of inappropriate mortgage advice to customers.
The FCA is expected to release further details of its ruling on Wednesday.
RBS, which is 81% owned by the UK taxpayer, declined to comment.
This latest fine will be another setback for chief executive Ross McEwan, whose troubled bank made a £8.2bn loss last year.
RBS has already been fined £390m for its part in the rate fixing scandal involving the London interbank offered rate (Libor) and has allocated £3.2bn to compensate customers mis-sold loan insurance. | Royal Bank of Scotland is to be fined about £15m by the city watchdog the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), the BBC has learned. | 28945495 |
Spanish official David Fernandez Borbalan ruled out a late Shane Duffy winner and waved away penalty appeals.
West Brom's McClean described the referee as "Austria's 12th man" while O'Neill said the Spanish official was "very poor" in the Aviva Stadium game.
Fifa has begun disciplinary processes.
A Fifa spokesman told the BBC they are probing remarks made by both men and it is understood manager and player have until Friday to respond to the charges.
As well as ruling out Duffy's header, Borbalan also decided against giving the Republic a penalty when Jon Walters went down under a challenge from Stefan Lainer.
"It should count, the referee should have given the goal," the manager said of Duffy's header.
"I personally think it typified the referee's performance.
"The lineman thinks he has given a goal and he's almost up at the halfway line before he is called back."
The Football Association of Ireland declined to make any comment when contacted on Wednesday.
Fifa stated: "We can confirm that disciplinary proceedings have been opened.
"Be informed that two cases were opened: one against James McClean and another one against the coach Martin O'Neill."
A spokesman for the world governing body said there will be no further comment as the matter is ongoing. | Republic of Ireland boss Martin O'Neill and winger James McClean face punishment from Fifa for criticising the referee after the 1-1 draw in their World Cup qualifier with Austria. | 40358908 |
They have until 20:00 local time (19:00 GMT) on Tuesday to leave the southern part of the sprawling camp.
Anyone remaining will be forcibly removed to allow for the makeshift structures there to be razed.
The area has become a cultural hub for many of the migrants. It has shops, a school and religious structures.
The authorities said up to 1,000 people could be affected but volunteers on the ground estimated that at least twice that number lived in the area.
Thousands of migrants from the Middle East and Africa have congregated around Calais in the hope of crossing to the UK. | Hundreds of migrants living in part of a camp in the French port of Calais known as the Jungle have been ordered to leave or face eviction. | 35618389 |
The 0.2% drop in new home construction compared with a 6.1% increase in the previous quarter.
Overall, total construction output fell by 2.1% in the quarter, the Office for National Statistics said, worse than an initial estimate of a 1.8% contraction.
The UK housing market has been slowing over the past few months.
On Thursday, the latest survey from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (Rics) said that the number of new buyers approaching its estate agency members in England and Wales had fallen for the seventh month in a row.
However, a recent survey of the UK construction sector suggested that activity had picked up again in January.
And Howard Archer, an economist at IHS Global Insight, noted that while housebuilding had dipped in the final quarter of 2014, it was still up 18.7% from a year earlier.
"The outlook seems largely decent for the construction sector in 2015, although it will likely expand at a slower rate than in 2014," Mr Archer said.
"Meanwhile, prospects still look relatively bright overall for housebuilding, even if the growth rate is unlikely to regain the heady levels seen earlier in 2014." | The number of houses being built in the UK fell during the final three months of 2014, the first such decline for nearly two years. | 31454124 |
The targeted area is controlled by the so-called Islamic State group and has been under heavy bombardment from government-aligned forces.
Dozens of people are said to have been killed during the combined assaults.
IS members recaptured the city on Sunday, hours after Russian air strikes appeared to have driven them back.
Sources in Hama province reported seeing dead bodies with no visible injuries, according to the UK-based group Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
The death toll was put at at least 40 by one citizens' group in Hama province.
The Syrian government and its Russian backers have previously denied using chemical weapons.
IS was previously driven out of the ancient desert city of Palmyra in March with the support of Russian air strikes, but the jihadist group seized it again in a sudden assault that started last week.
The surprise setback for Syrian government forces came as they and their allies turned their attention to fighting local opposition forces in Aleppo and Damascus.
IS destroyed a number of monuments and beheaded the archaeological director during its 10-month occupation of the Unesco World Heritage site and the adjacent city of Tadmur.
Two 2,000-year-old temples, an arch and funerary towers were left in ruins.
The jihadist group, which has also demolished several pre-Islamic sites in neighbouring Iraq, believes that such structures are idolatrous. | Dozens of people have been killed in air strikes and a suspected gas attack near the Syrian city of Palmyra, monitoring groups say. | 38295309 |
It currently has an outstanding balance of £7.7m to pay between now and 2045 - 30 years after the first trains ran between Tweedbank and Edinburgh.
However, it has now agreed to borrow money to pay off the balance in a move estimated to save about £4.3m.
Council leader David Parker said it would reduce the burden on local tax payers.
He said the local authority had access to very low rates on its borrowing.
"When officers have looked very carefully at the financial issues around it, it makes sense to make that saving," he said.
"That is exactly what we will be doing now.
"For future councils we are reducing the revenue burden on them and making sure that the railway contribution is paid." | Scottish Borders Council has agreed a move to cut the overall cost of its contribution to the Borders Railway. | 38662583 |
The 22-year-old has made 13 appearances for Everton this season.
Everton manager Ronald Koeman last week said the player would be allowed to leave to "get game time".
The Spaniard joined Everton on loan from Barcelona for the 2013-14 season, making the transfer permanent in 2015 for £4.3m.
Milan originally announced the move via their official Twitter account on Friday, but it was quickly deleted.
This site is optimised for modern web browsers, and does not fully support your browser | Everton winger Gerard Deulofeu has joined Italian side AC Milan on loan until the end of the season. | 38723830 |
Premier, the maker of Mr Kipling cakes and Bisto gravy, this week revealed it had rejected two bids from McCormick.
McCormick said in a statement on Thursday that it was now "willing to consider increasing its latest offer".
Meanwhile Japanese noodle maker Nissin Foods has agreed to buy a 17.27% stake in Premier Foods.
Nissin, which Premier describes as a "long-term shareholder", is expected to take a seat on the Premier board.
McCormick, known for its Schwartz spices and Lawry's seasonings, first made a bid of 52p a share last month and then raised it to 60p a share on 14 March.
Premier rejected it "on the basis that it significantly undervalued the company and its prospects".
Now McCormick has said it may be prepared to increase its offer following "limited confirmatory due diligence", i.e. a review of Premier's pensions documentation, current trading and material contracts.
McCormick said "it would be an outstanding custodian for the Premier Foods brands and, can provide benefits for Premier Foods, its pensioners, creditors and other stakeholders, which Premier Foods' current capital structure cannot deliver."
Some shareholders are keen for Premier to seek a higher offer.
David Cumming, head of equities at Standard Life Investments, the fund arm of insurer Standard Life, which controls 7% of Premier, said: "Although we believe the 60p bid indicated by McCormick is too low, we remain open to a bid at a higher level.
"We expect the Premier Foods Board, on behalf of its shareholders, to engage with McCormick and pursue this option to the full."
Premier shares have been on a roller coaster ride this week, soaring 50% on Wednesday following news of the McCormick bid, falling by more than 10% on Thursday on the announcement of the Nissin stake and then recouping nearly all their losses as McCormick said it might be prepared to pay more.
Premier used to be one of the UK's biggest food groups but came unstuck when it expanded too fast, loading itself with debt.
It has since sold off its Hovis bread business to the US-based Gores group, rebuilt its £20m production line at its Mr Kipling bakery in Barnsley and pushed through a £1.1bn refinancing package, which included a £353m rights issue.
It still owns a range of household UK brands such as Ambrosia rice pudding, Oxo stock cubes and Batchelors soups.
Premier is increasing its international operations following a recent co-operation deal with Nissin that allows Premier to distribute its products in the UK, while making its own products more widely available in key overseas markets.
Nissin invented the first instant noodles in 1958 and operates in 19 countries. Its products include Cup Noodles and Top Ramen. | McCormick, the American food flavourings business, has said it may increase its $700m (£494m) bid for the UK's Premier Foods. | 35889281 |
The $100 (£80) Light Phone, a credit-card sized device which can only make and receive calls, received $415,000 (£334,000) from backers on Kickstarter.
Calls made to the owner's smartphone are forwarded to the phone, which has no internet functionality, via an app.
It was delayed by several months as the firm grappled with software issues.
"We've run into a few limitations in our initial user experience goals due to some iOS restrictions," Light Phone said in a statement.
"They are not going to affect the experience of being light, but will make turning on call forwarding a little bit more manual."
The Brooklyn-based company also apologised for missing its June shipping deadline and said the first batch of 1,800 white versions of the device will ship this month.
"We took on the ambitious task of building the software in-house with a small team in order to maintain ultimate control over the experience, however we regret not having methods for projecting accurate timelines," it added.
The phone has been manufactured by Foxconn in China.
Light Phone describes its product as a supplement phone, designed to help people "step away" from the distractions offered by smartphones when convenient.
"The phone is a very casual phone - if you're expecting an urgent call from your pregnant wife you shouldn't bring your Light Phone with you," founder Joe Hollier told the BBC.
It boasts 21 days of battery life and has no camera or contacts book, although users can programme 10 numbers to speed dial.
A black version of the phone will ship in January, the firm added.
The Light Phone contains a 2G micro Sim card for communicating with its "parent" smartphone but some backers are now expressing concerns on Kickstarter that the phone will not work in countries like Australia and Singapore where there are plans to switch off 2G.
Joe Hollier said the firm had contacted backers in affected regions and offered them refunds.
"Most people who launch a Kickstarter campaign set very ambitious targets about when they are going to ship," said analyst Ben Wood from CCS Insight.
"The grim reality is that it's not just about delivering the product, there are lots of things that go around it, like CE marking, regulatory approval and standards testing. It all takes time and costs money.
"A lot of consumer electronics projects find it takes a lot longer to get to market than they anticipated. For hardened Kickstarter enthusiasts this is regarded as the norm this days."
Mr Wood also said Light Phone was entering a competitive marketplace.
"It's an attractive design and a fun idea and will appeal to people who want to disconnect from the constant barrage of social media and everything else," he said.
"I think the challenge they have is there's a huge number of small talk/text phones available out there for very little money." | A crowdfunded handset designed to help people disconnect from their smartphones is due to ship at the end of November after a series of setbacks. | 37987055 |
The UKIP leader tweeted he was "at a standstill for 90 minutes" while heading to Thursday's show in Bradford.
Highways England said the the A1 northbound was closed in Nottinghamshire after a fatal crash.
In 2014, Mr Farage missed a UKIP conference after getting stuck in traffic on the M4, which he blamed on high levels of immigration.
A UKIP spokesman said on Thursday Mr Farage was being driven from his home in Kent to the show, which usually starts filming at about 20:30.
He tweeted at 19:35 GMT: "Now been at a standstill for 90 mins on the A1. #bbcqt doubtful. Damn."
Updates from this story and more from Nottinghamshire
He was replaced on the show by his deputy leader Paul Nuttall, who travelled from Liverpool to face off against Energy Secretary Amber Rudd, Labour's Shabana Mahmood, Lib Dem president Baroness Brinton and political journalist Isabel Oakeshott.
It was the first major televised debate following the announcement of David Cameron's draft EU reform proposals.
Question Time producers tweeted: "We were making plans for @Nigel_Farage - but travel problems mean he'll be replaced by @paulnuttallukip. #bbcqt."
Despite the late line-up change, the show was broadcast at 22:45, starting with a question on Mr Cameron's EU reforms.
Mr Farage blamed his failure to turn up to a reception with supporters in Wales in 2014 on "open-door immigration".
"It took me six hours and 15 minutes to get here - it should have taken three-and-a-half to four," he said at the time.
On the day of the 2010 general election Mr Farage was involved in a plane crash that left him with broken ribs.
Thursday's delays came when the A1 was closed northbound at Coddington following the crash at about 17:30, in which one man was killed. | Nigel Farage missed an appearance on BBC Question Time after getting caught in a traffic jam on the A1. | 35500780 |
The star told a Cannes press conference she likes to make "bold" choices, as if she were at the start of her career.
Kidman said while she doesn't have to work, she does so because of her passion for cinema.
The star of The Killing of the Sacred Deer, in competition at Cannes, said her young children will be banned from seeing the dark psychological thriller.
Kidman has two grown-up children from her marriage to Tom Cruise and two younger daughters with her current husband singer Keith Urban.
"My (younger) children have very little understanding of what me or my husband do. Their lives are obviously far more important!"
She added: "I'm at that stage in my life where I still try to act as if I'm 21 and starting my career.
"At this stage of my life, I'm just trying to stay very bold and open and try things and support film-makers I believe in."
The Killing of the Sacred Deer features an eminent surgeon Steven Murphy - played by Colin Farrell - who adopts a teenager into his family. Things start to go horribly wrong when the boy turns against Murphy.
Kidman plays ophthalmologist Anna Murphy, who is married to Steven.
It's directed by Yorgos Lanthimos, the Greek filmmaker behind indie hit The Lobster, which won the Jury Prize at Cannes two years ago. Farrell also starred in that film.
Kidman said she was "hypnotised" by Lanthimos' script.
She has four projects showing at the festival this year, but said: "That's a confluence of events - that's not something I was aware would be happening."
Her other Cannes showings are in The Beguiled and How to Talk to Girls at Parties, as well as the second series of TV drama Top of the Lake, from Jane Campion.
She singled out Campion for praise, saying she had been a friend of hers since the age of 14 and that "she discovered me, basically."
Follow us on Facebook, on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, or on Instagram at bbcnewsents. If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news@bbc.co.uk. | Oscar winner Nicole Kidman says she still acts like she's 21 when it comes to acting roles. | 39997766 |
20 July 2016 Last updated at 19:08 BST
The crash happened near Mila's Lake in Colin Glen Forest Park on Tuesday evening. Two youths, aged 15 and 17, have been arrested.
Community safety worker Michael George said there had been a number of initiatives in west Belfast to tackle the issue of scrambler motorcycles. | A community worker has said scrambler motorcycles are a problem in west Belfast, as a woman remains in a critical condition after a collision. | 36850926 |
Michael Young delivered his letter to Ms Sturgeon in person at Holyrood.
His family is campaigning for the NHS to support the use of Translarna, a new drug available in other EU countries.
The drug is currently being assessed by the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC), a process Ms Sturgeon said she could not interfere with.
Michael, from Larbert in Stirlingshire, has Duchenne muscular dystrophy - a severe condition causing irreversible muscle damage. Few born with it survive to their 30th birthday.
He took part in a clinical trial during the development of Translarna, a drug tackling the underlying causes of the disease which has been approved by the EU.
Michael wrote to Ms Sturgeon explaining about his condition and asking for her to "help boys to keep walking".
The first minister said she was able to explain to Michael that the assessment procedure had to be "entirely independent of government".
She also criticised the pharmaceutical firm which developed the drug, PTC Therapeutics, for taking time to submit its proposal to the SMC.
Ms Sturgeon said: "It was an absolute delight to meet Michael today, he's a really impressive and brave young man campaigning not just for himself but for other young boys with Duchenne.
"We were disappointed that the pharmaceutical company took so long to put forward a submission on this drug to the Scottish Medicines Consortium and we have previously urged them to put forward a good quality submission with a fair offering of price.
"This government has taken a number of significant steps to improve access to new treatments for patients with rare conditions."
Robert Meadowcroft, chief executive of Muscular Dystrophy UK, said: "We are delighted that Michael was able to deliver his amazing, heartfelt letter to Nicola Sturgeon in person, an opportunity that doesn't come every day.
"The meeting means a great deal to the Youngs, and other families who live with Duchenne muscular dystrophy across Scotland.
"It is wonderful that the first minister gave up her time in support of Michael, and we hope their meeting will lead to positive discussions with the Scottish Medicines Consortium about Translarna."
The Scottish Medicines Consortium is expected to come to a decision on the use of the drug in March. | A nine-year-old boy with muscular dystrophy has met with First Minister Nicola Sturgeon after he wrote to her campaigning for a new treatment. | 35429669 |
The home side were all out for 249, having been 195-6 overnight, when Jarvis had Charlie Shreck lbw with the first ball after a long hold-up.
Lancashire began their second innings 119 in front, but needing to press on to have a chance of a positive result.
They lost Paul Horton and Karl Brown in reaching stumps on 39-2, a lead of 158.
With so much time lost to the weather, a draw appears the only realistic result unless Lancashire collapse spectacularly on the final morning or skittle Leicestershire after setting them a target.
Having begun play at 12:15 BST, only 13 overs were possible before the players were forced from the field again until 17:30 BST.
Tom Wells was lbw to Jarvis in the first phase of play, but the key wicket of Mark Cosgrove for 79 went to former Leicestershire seamer Nathan Buck, who took 3-64.
Leicestershire seamer Clint McKay:
"The game is moving on quickly and you never know what's going to happen.
"If we can bowl as well as we did last thing, and pick up two or three early wickets, suddenly it's a very different game."
Lancashire director of cricket Ashley Giles:
"There is still a lot to be done, and the first priority for us is to get a few more runs on the board and get a good lead.
"We've not set any targets but there is enough in the pitch for wickets to fall pretty quickly and in clumps.
"I just hope it's a clear day and it could be a fun day, all three results are possible." | Pace bowler Kyle Jarvis claimed 5-69 for Lancashire as they earned a sizeable first-innings lead on a rain-shortened day against Leicestershire. | 32796569 |
Halai has scored 14 tries in 41 games for Wasps since arriving from Auckland Blues in January 2015.
The 29-year-old has started only seven times this season for the Premiership leaders, scoring two tries.
"Frank still has a big part to play for the club as we enter the business end of the season," director of rugby Dai Young told the club website.
"His game-time has been limited this season due to the form of Christian Wade and the development of Josh Bassett, as well as Willie Le Roux coming on board, so it's a really competitive area." | Wasps winger Frank Halai will join French Top 14 side Pau at the end of the Premiership season. | 39291466 |
Labour, Plaid Cymru and the Liberal Democrats opposed new thresholds on when strikes can take place.
The vote against Conservative ministers' Trade Union Bill is not legally binding.
The UK and Welsh governments disagree over whether the assembly's permission is needed before the new rules apply to public sector workers in Wales.
The bill would require at least half of union members to take part in a ballot before a strike can happen.
In public services such as health, education and the fire service, industrial action would need at least 40% of eligible union members to vote in favour.
The Conservatives say the bill should apply to the whole of Britain, but Welsh government ministers say the assembly's consent is needed.
On Tuesday, AMs withheld their approval of the bill by voting down a motion in the Senedd chamber.
Labour has said it will try to overturn the bill if the UK government ignores the assembly' vote and pushes ahead.
If returned to power at May's assembly election, Labour would introduce its own legislation to repeal the bill.
Public Services Minister Leighton Andrews said: "In Wales we have a good record of resolving disputes.
"There was no junior doctors' strike in Wales, there was in England.
"Fire fighters took industrial action in England over pensions, they were not doing so in Wales.
"In contrast, we believe this bill, the Trade Union Bill, will lead to a confrontational relationship between employers and the workforce."
Welsh Conservative leader Andrew RT Davies said he supported the role of trade unions in standing up for members.
But, referring to the general secretary of the Unite union, he said: "Where I will not stand up and support is for Len McCluskey, or his mob, to use you lot [Labour AMs] to live their ambitions."
He added: "Where there is a discrepancy I would suggest is where general secretaries of unions choose to live their political dreams on the back of their members' subs, and that clearly is not acceptable." | Assembly members have voted against UK government proposals to restrict strike ballots in the public sector. | 35412689 |
The 23-year-old carded a final-round five-under-par 67 to finish on 11 under at the Trump National in New Jersey.
Compatriot Choi Hye-Jin was two strokes behind in second, while China's Shanshan Feng, who held a one-shot lead overnight, went round in 75 to finish tied for fourth, five strokes adrift.
A South Korean has won the US Open seven times in the past 10 years.
Park told Fox Sports: "I did not have the best first and second rounds so I wanted to believe in myself in the remaining rounds. Trusting myself definitely helped."
England's Charley Hull finished 11 strokes behind Park on level par, with Scotland's Catriona Matthew a further six shots back. | South Korea's Park Sung-hyun won the US Women's Open by two shots to claim her first LPGA title in her debut season. | 40627394 |
The 33-year-old made 19 appearances for the Seagulls last term after joining on loan in January, helping them finish third, before a play-off semi-final defeat by Sheffield Wednesday.
Sidwell played only four games for Premier League club Stoke last season.
"He knows exactly what the Championship is all about and what it takes to get promoted," manager Chris Hughton said.
"He was excellent for us in the run-in, and was a key figure on and off the pitch as one of the senior members of the squad."
Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page. | Championship side Brighton have signed midfielder Steve Sidwell on a one-year deal following his release by Stoke. | 36503736 |
Whiffin joined the club in 2005 as analyst, progressing to the roles of head of analysis and assistant coach.
The Exiles are yet to confirm their coaching set-up for next season having been relegated to the Championship.
A rugby department review began last month, which included head coach Tom Coventry and assistant coaches Clark Laidlaw and Grant Doorey. | London Irish have parted company with assistant coach Richard Whiffin following Premiership relegation. | 36559086 |
The Long Island Railroad train went off the tracks as it arrived on Wednesday at Brooklyn's busy Atlantic Terminal.
New York's fire department said 103 people had reportedly suffered "non-life-threatening" injuries.
Passengers on the train said there had been a loud bang followed by a jolt that made some people on the train fall down.
The New York governor, Andrew Cuomo, said the train was travelling at a "fairly slow speed" when it failed to stop on time and struck a buffer at the station.
The impact was hard enough, however, to smash some of the train's windows and crease its doors.
Some of the injured were taken away on stretchers, while others were seen sitting near the train holding ice packs to their heads.
The cause of the accident, which happened at about 08:20 local time (13:20 GMT), has not been determined.
The US Federal Railroad Administration said its investigators were heading to the scene.
Last September, a woman died and more than 100 other people were injured when a train derailed during rush hour as it entered the station in Hoboken, New Jersey. An investigation into that incident is yet to be concluded. | More than 100 people were injured when a commuter train derailed during rush hour in New York City, officials say. | 38511124 |
The Anglo-Dutch giant said profits on a current cost of supply measure (CCS) - which strips out price fluctuations - jumped to $3.4bn (£2.6bn) from $1bn last year.
A 55% rise in oil prices in the first quarter of 2017 compared with a year earlier was the main driver of profits.
Excluding one-off items, profits on the CCS measure were $3.86bn, up 136%.
Shell joins rivals BP, Exxon Mobil, Chevron and Total in reporting better-than-expected results.
More than $1bn in cost savings and budget cuts made over the past three years from cost-cuts and assets sales have also helped to increase cash flow and boost profits.
But Shell chief executive Ben van Beurden said the company would be making $25bn worth of investments this year in new oil and gas projects. "We continue to reshape Shell's portfolio and to transform the company," he said in a statement.
Oil and gas production, known as upstream, rose 2% in the quarter to 3.752 million barrels of oil equivalent from 3.905 million in the fourth quarter of 2016. A number of new fields continued to ramp up output, particularly in Brazil and Kazakhstan.
Earnings from refining, marketing and chemicals also rose 20% to $2.5bn.
"We saw notable improvements in upstream and chemicals, which benefited from improved operational performance and better market conditions," Mr van Beurden said.
Investors welcomed the results, marking Shell's shares up 3% at the start of trading.
Energy producers across the world are reaping the benefits of higher oil prices, which have strongly increased their revenues and profits.
Crude has recovered thanks to the Opec oil producers' cartel adhering to a production cut agreed late last year. However, the oil price has eased back recently. | Royal Dutch Shell's profits surged in the first three months of the year on the back of rising oil prices. | 39801988 |
The proposal from Buckinghamshire councils includes a 15-mile (24km) tunnel from the M25 to Wendover.
Current government plans include some tunnels but leaves about eight miles in exposed or partially-covered cuttings.
HS2 said it had "considered" further tunnelling but stood by its plans.
Plans for the HS2 between London and Birmingham and then to Manchester and Leeds have been developed by the government under holding company HS2 Ltd.
It promises to reduce journey times between Birmingham and London from 81 to 49 minutes, and slash the trip to Manchester by an hour, to 68 minutes.
The new Chilterns Long Tunnel Route report, produced by Peter Brett Associates, was commissioned by Chiltern District Council, Aylesbury Vale District Council, Buckinghamshire County Council and the Chilterns Conservation Board to look at alternative proposals.
The group said the planned route through the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) would result in an "adverse and irreversible impact" on the landscape.
HS2 Ltd's proposal includes about 13km (8 miles) in a tunnel from the M25 to Little Missenden and 12km (7.5 miles) on two viaducts, in two green tunnels and either on embankments or in cuttings.
The new plan includes a 24.2km (15 mile) tunnel from the M25 to Wendover, the first 9km (5.5 miles) of which would follow the exact alignment of the government scheme.
The report concluded a long tunnel was "technically feasible", would protect the landscape and "be a better route operationally".
It is the second time the group has proposed a tunnel scheme but it said the latest proposal would have less impact on the countryside.
The cost is estimated at £1.85bn, as opposed to the government's £1.45bn plan, but campaigners said this was "a small price to pay" to "preserve a beautiful and unique part of the countryside".
HS2 spokesman Ben Ruse said the firm was "committed to protecting the environment" and a tunnel through the entire AONB had been "explored and given extensive consideration".
He added: "However, we have clearly set out how the current proposals provide the best balance between route engineering design requirements, cost and the desire to minimise environmental impacts." | Plans for an HS2 tunnel under the Chilterns to protect the area have been announced by campaigners opposing existing proposals for the high-speed rail link. | 32069156 |
Parents Chris Gard and Connie Yates have launched a final legal challenge at the European Court of Human Rights after a Supreme Court challenge failed.
European judges said doctors were required to keep the 10-month-old alive until they had passed judgement.
Specialists at Great Ormond Street believe he has no chance of survival.
Charlie has been in intensive care in hospital since October last year.
His doctors said he cannot hear, move, cry or swallow and that his lungs only go up and down because he is on a machine that does it for him.
Judges in Strasbourg, France, had previously ruled an interim measure to keep him alive should remain in place until midnight on 19 June.
The new extension lasts until a final ruling is made.
A spokesperson said the court "will treat the application with the utmost urgency" but have not indicated when the final judgement will be made.
Charlie's parents, from Bedfont, west London, have raised £1.3m on a crowdfunding site to pay for an experimental treatment in the US.
In April a High Court judge ruled against the trip to America and said Charlie should be allowed to die with dignity.
Three Court of Appeal judges upheld the ruling in May and three Supreme Court justices have dismissed a further challenge by the parents.
Charlie is thought to be one of 16 children in the world to have mitochondrial depletion syndrome, a condition which causes progressive muscle weakness and brain damage. | Terminally-ill baby Charlie Gard must continue to receive life support until judges make a ruling on whether he should undergo a trial treatment. | 40328607 |