Play workshops in Caerphilly and Conwy will benefit, along with a new nursery in Wrexham and clubs in Cardiff. It will also pay for staff training and places at centres which provide care for children with autistic spectrum disorder in Pembrokeshire. The Welsh government said it would help address gaps in childcare provision. It comes a few months after the Family and Childcare Trust claimed just 5% of Wales' 22 councils had sufficient out-of-school activities for 12-to-14-year-olds. Its report said Welsh councils also lagged behind those in England and Scotland in having enough holiday childcare and said finding decent, affordable care for school-age children was "down to luck" for many families. Announcing the funding, Communities Minister Lesley Griffiths said childcare played a central role in improving children's well-being and reducing inequalities. It also ensures parents can work and do further training, she said.

Summary: Centres which provide out-of-school childcare for families across Wales are to share £400,000 from the Welsh government.


Riot police and horses were called to Korenmarkt, the city's bar district, where opposition fans had been drinking together peacefully. Some onlookers said the incidents came after provocation from supporters of Vitesse's Dutch rivals Feyenoord. No problems were reported in the Saints fan zone in nearby Jansplaats. A Southampton spokesperson said: "Southampton Football Club are aware of an incident away from the official fan zone in Arnhem. "Fifty Dutch fans have been arrested, three English. Visiting fans are being provided with buses to the stadium. "We are continuing to liaise with local police and will take relevant action against those involved." Southampton won the game 2-0 thanks to goals from Graziano Pelle and Sadio Mane, securing a 5-0 aggregate victory.

Summary: Police made 53 arrests, including three English fans, after supporters clashed before Southampton's Europa League win at Vitesse Arnhem.


The Serb, a six-time champion in Beijing, last played in the US Open final on 12 September, when he was beaten by Stan Wawrinka. Djokovic is next scheduled to play at the Shanghai Masters from 10 October. Find out how to get into tennis in our special guide. "I am extremely disappointed not to be able to compete at the China Open this year," said the Australian and French Open champion. "I'm still recovering from my elbow injury and have been advised not to play until my condition improves. "I will continue with my rehabilitation and hope to be able to return to the ATP Tour as soon as possible." Andy Murray, Rafael Nadal and Angelique Kerber are among those scheduled to feature in the combined ATP/WTA event in Beijing.

Summary: World number one Novak Djokovic has withdrawn from next week's China Open in Beijing because of an elbow injury.


The FTSE 100 fell 101.04 points to close at 5,861.27 - a loss of 1.69% The pound remained at seven-year lows. Against the dollar, sterling lost a further 0.54% to $1.33946. Against the euro it fell 0.64% to â‚¬1.2642. The pound has lost 5% against the dollar in a week. House builders were among the top gainers, with Persimmon up 2.27%. Barratt was up 1.69% after it reported a 40% gain in half year profits. Miners continued their losing run for a second day with Anglo American, Glencore, Antofagasta and BHP Billiton all falling between 5-10%. BHP Billiton had posted a huge annual loss on Tuesday. Shares in the LSE were down 3.73% after Tuesday's 13.7% rise, which was prompted by news of a possible merger with Germany's Deutsche Boerse. On the commodities markets, Brent crude rose 1.2% to $33.67 a barrel.

Summary: (Close): Shares and the pound both saw falls on Wednesday amid uncertainty over the global economy and the UK's position in Europe.


World number one Mark Selby was beaten 5-4 by Zhou Yuelong, despite being 4-3 up, while number two John Higgins suffered a 5-2 defeat by Tom Ford. Judd Trump lost 5-3 to Graeme Dott, Alan McManus thrashed Ding Junhui 5-0, Luca Brecel saw off Marco Fu 5-2 and Mark Davis beat Barry Hawkins 5-3. Five-time world champion Ronnie O'Sullivan defeated Dave Gilbert 5-3. O'Sullivan had fallen 2-0 down, but a brilliant 130 break set him on his way to victory. Scotland's Higgins won the invitational event last year, but the tournament has been upgraded to ranking status this year.

Summary: The world's top six players were all knocked out in a remarkable second round at the China Championship.


Media playback is not supported on this device The 31-year-old, an Olympic downhill gold medallist in 2010 and world champion in 2009, finished the 2.6km course in one minute and 37.1 seconds. Canada's Larisa Yurkiw was second, 0.28 seconds behind, with Swiss Lara Gut third, 0.67 seconds off the pace. The victory sees Vonn surpass Austrian Annemarie Moser-Proell's record of 36. It was Vonn's 74th win on the World Cup circuit overall, edging her closer to the record of 86 set by Sweden's Ingemar Stenmark. Gut retains the overall lead in World Cup standings, with 810 points compared with Vonn's 800, but that margin could narrow again on Sunday in the Super-G, scheduled for 10:30 GMT.

Summary: American Lindsey Vonn set a new record for women's World Cup downhill victories with her 37th such win in Cortina, Italy.


The former The Only Way Is Essex star thanked fans for their "lovely messages" on Twitter after she rolled the car on Wednesday evening. The 24-year-old's tweet added: "God was definitely watching down on me." Police told Newsbeat they had been called to Woodford New Road, E18, at 22:00 BST "following reports of an over-turned car". A spokesman added: "At this early stage it is believed that the vehicle was in collision with some traffic lights. "There are no reported injuries at this time and enquiries are continuing." They also said there have been no arrests. The reality TV show star's brother tweeted: "Love my sister so much so glad she is ok." Amy appeared first appeared in Towie in 2010. Since leaving the show in 2011, she has gone on to launch her own boutique, clothing line and perfume. Follow @BBCNewsbeat on Twitter and Radio1Newsbeat on YouTube

Summary: Amy Childs had said she's "lucky to be alive" after flipping her Range Rover onto its roof.


Gertie the Jack Russell was left stranded on a rock after chasing a flock of birds into the sea in Sunderland on Wednesday afternoon. RNLI lifeguard Joe Wilson rescued her after the water came up to her chest and she was too scared to swim back. Mr Wilson said Gertie was "stressed and shaking" when he reached her but she seemed "very happy" to see him. She was not injured in the incident. Mr Wilson added: "Gertie had raced into the sea and had become so distracted by chasing birds that she got caught out by the tide. "Our charity's lifeguards assist with animal rescues to prevent owners from putting themselves in danger. We were very happy to get Gertie's paws back on dry land and offered her owners some friendly safety advice about tide times."

Summary: A dog had to be rescued by a lifeguard after becoming stranded at sea - off a beach called Cats and Dogs beach.


Kerryanne Clarke, 38, transferred money from Elmwood Construction Services Ltd into her own accounts in more than 360 transactions. The former bookkeeper made "duplicate" payments at the property development company based at Eagle Street in Glasgow between 2010 and 2014. As a result, 92 employees were made redundant around Christmas 2014. At Glasgow Sheriff Court, Sheriff Paul Crozier jailed Clarke for three years, reduced from four "standing the gravity of this offence". Defence lawyer Ryan Sloan said the company had since gone into liquidation. He told the court Clarke was a mother of two young children and had a drug problem.

Summary: A woman who admitted embezzling more than £370,000 from her employer has been jailed for three years.


Jordan Gibbins, 17, from Lonmay, near Fraserburgh, was alone in a Honda Civic when it crashed one-and-a-half miles south of Fraserburgh at about 03:10. The road was closed for several hours following the accident for investigation work. Police said they wanted to speak to anyone who might have seen his grey-coloured car prior to the crash. Sgt Rob Warnock said: "First and foremost, my thoughts are obviously with the family and friends of this young man at this tragic time. "I would appeal for anyone who might have seen the vehicle described in the moments leading up to the collision, or has any information about the incident itself, to contact police as we launch an investigation into what happened."

Summary: A teenage driver who died in a one-vehicle accident on the A90 in Aberdeenshire has been named by police.


Josh Hanson, 21, from Kingsbury, was stabbed in the neck at the RE bar in Eastcote, Hillingdon, on 11 October. The Met said up to 40 people were in the bar at the time when the road planner was killed. A man, 24, was arrested on suspicion of perverting the course of justice and assisting an offender after arriving at the airport on a UK-bound flight. The force said it was continuing to hunt for Shane O'Brien, 27, of Ladbroke Grove, in connection with the murder and had put up a Â£10,000 reward for information leading to his arrest and prosecution. Mr O'Brien has links to the Ruislip area, but officers said he could be anywhere in the country and should not be approached.

Summary: A man has been arrested at Gatwick Airport in connection with a murder seen by customers at a London bar.


The company said wheat flour had been "inadvertently introduced" into its gluten-free oat flour used to make original and Honey Nut Cheerios at its factory in Lodi, California. The affected boxes were produced during two weeks in July. The company introduced gluten-free Cheerios earlier this year. "We sincerely apologise to the gluten-free community and to anyone who may have been affected," said Jim Murphy, head of General Mills' cereal business. The company said it did yet know what the recall would cost. JP Morgan estimated it affected about 1% of Cheerios' annual production. "We are not sure how costly the recall will be," the broker said. "Our biggest concern is over reputational risk, because the new gluten-free Cheerios just launched."

Summary: US food giant General Mills has said it is recalling 1.8 million boxes of gluten-free Cheerios that may, in fact, contain traces of gluten.


The Premier League side have decided they need Barrow back in the squad to fill the void left by Nathan Dyer's loan move to Leicester City. Gambia international Barrow, 22, made five appearances for Championship side Blackburn after joining on a three-month loan in August. He won his second cap for Gambia in Sunday's African Cup of Nations 1-0 defeat by Cameroon. A loan spell at Nottingham Forest was also cut short last season after injuries to Wayne Routledge and Jefferson Montero.

Summary: Swansea City have recalled Modou Barrow from his loan at Blackburn Rovers.


The 51-year-old is the first managerial departure in the Premier League and English Football League this season. Orient are 14th in the table after suffering back-to-back defeats, having won three of their nine league games. Hessenthaler signed a one-year deal in the summer after taking charge for the final five games of last season. Former Dover and Gillingham boss Hessenthaler was the seventh Orient manager since Italian businessman Francesco Becchetti bought the east London club in the summer of 2014. The O's finished eighth last season, just six points outside the play-off places. Hessenthaler was previously assistant to Ian Hendon and then Kevin Nolan at the Matchroom Stadium, and was initially appointed on a caretaker basis in April after former West Ham midfielder Nolan departed. Assistant manager Andy Edwards, 45, will take charge of the side for Tuesday's home match against Plymouth Argyle.

Summary: Leyton Orient have sacked manager Andy Hessenthaler after just five months in charge, the League Two club have confirmed.


It happened shortly after 17:00 GMT at a ground-floor flat on the corner of Ardoyne Road and Glenbryn Drive. The fire, which caused significant damage, is believed to have started in a bedroom of the flat, but it is unclear how it was started. Police cordoned off the area around the property and forensic officers examined it on Friday night. A neighbour on the first floor had to escape through an upstairs window. It is understood she was treated for minor injuries. Neighbours also reported seeing four people running away from the flat at the time the fire was reported. It is not clear if the ground-floor property was occupied when the fire took place. In a separate, unconnected incident, a 52-year-old man was rescued from a fire at a house on Reid Street off the Cregagh Road in east Belfast. Both fires are now under control.

Summary: Police are treating a fire at a property in north Belfast as suspected arson.


LAD Media, which provides financial data, must pay £50,000 after messages about debt relief schemes triggered more than 150 complaints. The law says marketing texts can only be sent with the recipient's consent. The Information Commissioner's Office said the firm "did not comply with the law". LAD Media said the messages were sent on its behalf by another company. According to the law, organisations buying data for marketing - or those who commission other firms to carry out marketing for them - must still ensure they comply with the law. This means checking that personal details have been obtained fairly and lawfully, and that the people have given the necessary consent to receive the texts. The firm, based in Bury, Greater Manchester, said it obtained people's details from a third-party data supplier.

Summary: A firm that sent nearly 400,000 unsolicited spam texts has been fined.


Susan Jackson Associates wants to set up a university for the Channel Islands, based in Guernsey. The island's government has said, while it would bring economic benefits, the impact of such a large influx of students could not be underestimated. But Susan Jackson said the extra numbers would dovetail with tourists. "It's actually scarcely more than the annual population variation through the normal annual economic cycle," she told BBC News. She said the islands already cater for thousands of holidaymakers during the summer months, so were well equipped to deal with students during an academic year which would run from October to June. "Our university would be contra-cyclical to the tourism industry as it will be mainly a nine month - non summer - industry." The States of Guernsey will be asked to support the principle of a Channel Island university at its meeting next month.

Summary: Guernsey could cope with an influx of up to 2,000 students and staff, the organisation behind plans for a university has insisted.


Diez, ranked 108 places below the Briton at 192 in the world, won 3-6 6-1 6-2 to claim his first victory in the main draw of an ATP tournament. Edmund, 21, was playing for the first time since winning both singles rubbers in Britain's Davis Cup win over Serbia. Meanwhile, Naomi Broady progressed but Heather Watson went out in the women's event, which takes place in Montreal. British number three Broady, ranked 84, defeated Puerto Rico's Monica Puig 3-6 6-4 6-2 and faces French Open champion Garbine Muguruza next. World number 67 Watson was beaten 7-5 6-3 by 2011 US Open champion Sam Stosur. Serena Williams, Andy Murray, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal have all pulled out of the tournament, with Angelique Kerber and Novak Djokovic the top seeds. You can now add tennis alerts in the BBC Sport app - simply head to the menu and My Alerts section

Summary: Kyle Edmund suffered a surprise defeat by Canadian wildcard Steven Diez in the Rogers Cup first round in Toronto.


Dempsey only took up the role in May after eight years as chairman, during which time he led Jersey from amateur rugby union to the professional game. The news comes just days after the Reds admitted financial problems. Chairman Mark Morgan said: "To lose someone of Bill's great experience is a disappointing development for the club, but I respect his decision." On Wednesday, Jersey announced that they were selling assets - such as the clubhouse and pitches - for £1.5m to survive. Morgan added: "I would like to thank him for the major contribution he's made. "I hope that he will still be a familiar and regular face at St Peter on matchdays and at other club events." Jersey are eighth in the Championship table having lost five of this season's eight games.

Summary: Bill Dempsey has resigned from his position as director of professional rugby at Championship club Jersey.


David Peach-Miles, of Newent, stole the money from St John the Baptist Church in Ruardean in the Forest of Dean between April 2015 and February 2016. Peach-Miles was jailed for 16 months in November at Gloucester Crown Court. The judge ordered the 37-year-old to forfeit £1 as he has no assets but said he would be liable to confiscation if he acquired money in the future. Prosecutor Phillip Warren said the £1 nominal sum and any future money confiscated under the Proceeds of Crime Act, would be paid as compensation to the Ruardean Parochial Church Council. Peach-Miles had taken over as treasurer in March 2016 and had full access to the online accounts. Within weeks of being in the job, he began to steal money for the next 10 months. His theft was only discovered when a number of payments failed to clear.

Summary: A treasurer who stole £32,000 from his church to fund his gambling habit has been ordered to pay back £1.


The 23-year-old seamer, who was booed on his return for Pakistan in January after serving a five-year ban for spot-fixing, finished with figures of 3-27. Amir removed Dwayne Bravo, Zohaib Khan and Kevon Cooper in the second game of the inaugural Twenty20 tournament. Karachi chased 126 to win by seven wickets with 4.1 overs to spare after Chris Gayle made six in Lahore's 125-8. Amir was released from prison in 2012 after serving half of a six-month sentence for his part in a spot-fixing scam also involving Pakistan team-mates Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif against England at Lord's in 2010.

Summary: Mohammad Amir took a hat-trick for Karachi Kings in their Pakistan Super League victory over Lahore Qalandars.


Krul ruptured an anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee during the Netherlands' 2-1 Euro 2016 qualifying win in Kazakhstan on Saturday. The 27-year-old will return to Tyneside for further treatment, his club said. He posted on Twitter: "I'm devastated the scan has confirmed my biggest fear . . . My recovery and hard work starts now to fully recover." Krul has played all eight Premier League games this season for Newcastle, who are bottom of the table and without a win. Back-up goalkeeper Freddie Woodman has been recalled from a loan spell at League Two club Crawley Town.

Summary: Newcastle goalkeeper Tim Krul has been ruled out for the rest of the season with a severe knee injury.


The unnamed man was driving a Ford Mondeo when the crash occurred at about 01:00 GMT on Manchester Road in Burnley. He died at the scene. The 48-year-old taxi driver suffered serious chest and leg injuries and was taken to hospital. His two female passengers, aged 58 and 38, also received head injuries. A third car, which was parked and unattended, was also damaged. Lancashire Police said an investigation was under way and appealed for witnesses.

Summary: A 19-year-old driver has died after a collision with a taxi.


Fowler sank a four-foot birdie putt on the final hole at Bethpage Black, while Australia's Adam Scott was the big mover with a 65 to go seven under. Scotland's Martin Laird is three shots off the pace after a 69, with Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy two under (71). Olympic gold medallist Justin Rose of England is level par after a 70. "It's nice to finally see some putts go in," Fowler said after a bogey-free round. "With a few putts going in, it frees up the rest of your game. I've been swinging well for a long time, and I've been waiting for the putter to catch up." The Barclays is the first of four FedEx Cup play-off events, with the overall winner earning $10m (£7.6m). We've launched a new BBC Sport newsletter, bringing all the best stories, features and video right to your inbox. You can sign up here.

Summary: Rickie Fowler shot a three-under 68 to lead by one from fellow American Patrick Reed after three rounds of The Barclays tournament in New York.


The 69-year-old, who also broke a leg and wrist at St Sunday Crag, was taken to hospital by helicopter after initial treatment at the valley bottom. He is expected to make a full recovery, following treatment at Newcastle's Royal Victoria Infirmary. Mike Blakey, of Patterdale Mountain Rescue, said it was "remarkable given the distance he has fallen". He also thanked a passing police officer and emergency medical technician who helped the man on Saturday at about 16:00 BST.

Summary: A man suffered serious head injuries when he fell 300ft (90m) in the Lake District.


A grant of £10.4m (€12.4m) will be spent on a rail "chord" at Ipswich to allow freight trains to travel directly from Felixstowe to the Midlands. This will create a link to the west coast mainline near Birmingham. Grants also will help deepen ship channels off the Suffolk coast and contribute towards port cranes. Vicky Ford, MEP for the East of England, said it would help to get freight off the A14 and onto the railway. "I have been supporting upgrades for the freight rail links from Felixstowe to Nuneaton route since 2008," she said. "Getting the money back from Brussels also frees up the UK's own funds which can then be used for more smaller-scale, local projects." Siim Kallas, European Commission vice-president for transport, said: "Seaports like Felixstowe are vital gateways. "We need to keep them and better connect them to Europe's major transport networks."

Summary: Rail links from east coast ports to the rest of England are to benefit from a further £12m (€14.8m) of grants from the European Union.


Seven-time Grand Slam winner McEnroe joined Raonic's team in May, and the 25-year-old has since reached the final at Queen's and Wimbledon. Piatti, who has worked with the Canadian since 2013, said McEnroe's influence was "good for everybody". "John has great experience, he loves this game, he loves to work in a team and everybody wants him," he said. "Milos wants that, and I hope he will continue that relationship with him." Raonic praised McEnroe after his Wimbledon defeat by Andy Murray, saying the American had encouraged him to show more emotion on court. "I think we'll probably try to find an extent that it can work, he can help me, and try to make the most of it," he said.

Summary: Wimbledon finalist Milos Raonic is keen to continue working with John McEnroe, according to coach Riccardo Piatti.


Club security staff became concerned about the light aircraft, which made a "sharp turn" and flew "erratically" while the team was playing Brighton. The club and The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) hope supporters will have captured footage of the plane. It is alleged the plane breached CAA guidelines by flying so low. A club spokesman said: "The context of this appeal is that this plane was spotted flying erratically over the ground a few days after the Paris bombings." He added: "This caused a potentially serious safety issue at the game and, as part of the investigation, the CAA is seeking video or still photographic evidence from anyone who may have witnessed the incident. "The CAA said that if they have footage or stills they should be able to calculate the plane's height."

Summary: Football fans have been asked to share footage of a plane which flew at low altitude over Burnley's stadium nine days after November's Paris bombings.


The cake, which was still in its original box, was sold online by an American auction house. The box contains a card from the 1981 wedding, which reads: "With best wishes from Their Royal Highnesses, the Prince & Princess of Wales." A spokesman from Nate D Sanders Auctions in Los Angeles said the buyer was a private collector. Sam Heller said there was a dedicated group of royal cake collectors. Some have bought cakes dating back to the days of Queen Victoria, who married in 1840, he said. In April, a slice of cake from the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's wedding sold at auction for £420.

Summary: A 33-year-old slice of cake from Prince Charles and Princess Diana's wedding has been sold for $1,375 (£828).


Brown Clee in Ditton Priors and Clunbury closed on Wednesday, Shropshire Council announced. However, both schools said they had now reopened and pupils had returned to class. The Met Office has a yellow weather warning in place for Shropshire. It predicted more wintry showers later, which may be heavy at times, with a risk of hail and thunder. The council said: "As far as we know, all schools are back open today after the snow yesterday."

Summary: Two primary schools in Shropshire which closed due to snow have now reopened.


The 20-year-old is yet to make his debut for the Toffees but has been included in five matchday squads for the Premier League side. "I want to come here and develop myself under a good manager," he told BBC Radio Sheffield. "Everton want to see me playing regular games at a good level and I think this is going to help me push on." Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page.

Summary: Barnsley have signed Everton midfielder Joe Williams on a season-long loan deal.


The 328ft (100m) Leah and its crew of 10 got into difficulty a mile (1.6km) north east of Stroma at about 07:45. The ship's anchors failed to hold it against the tide and it started drifting. Wick and Thurso lifeboat crews were alerted at about 08:00. The Leah's crew managed to restart the engines and resume their journey to Straumsvik in Iceland. Thurso and Wick lifeboats reached the cargo ship when it was still adrift about two miles (3km) south east of Duncansby Head. The sea conditions were challenging with 6-9ft (2-3m) swell, a force six north-westerly wind and heavy showers. The lifeboat crews were stood down at 10:30.

Summary: Two lifeboats were launched after a cargo ship broke down in the Pentland Firth between Caithness and Orkney.


The Wanlip site currently uses equipment from the 1960s to treat sewage sludge and produce gas which provides power for the site. Local residents will be able to view the plans at an open exhibition at Wanlip Village Hall on 23 April. A planning application will be submitted in late May or early June this year. The replacement of the old Wanlip digestion plant is a "key strategy for efficiently dealing with sewage sludge" and improving renewable gas production, a Severn Trent Spokesman said. Dale Collison, project manager for Severn Trent Water, said: "Severn Trent can generate a form of clean energy by harnessing the methane that is created when sewage sludge breaks down." The methane gas from millions of litres of sewage from the Wanlip site is converted into electricity.

Summary: Severn Trent have announced plans for a £45m upgrade of a sewage treatment works near a Leicestershire village.


Mr Clifford, 72, of Hersham, Surrey, is accused of committing the offence between October 1981 and May 1982 at his Mayfair offices in New Bond Street. The trial, which is expected to last a week, has been set for 1 February. Mr Clifford will next appear at Southwark Crown Court for a plea hearing on 19 October. He was arrested as part of the Operation Yewtree investigation and indicated at an earlier hearing that he would plead not guilty to the charge. The Metropolitan Police operation was launched in the wake of the Jimmy Savile scandal and is investigating historical allegations of sexual abuse.

Summary: Former celebrity publicist Max Clifford is to stand trial in February accused of indecently assaulting a 17-year-old girl.


He was with a family member when he was hit by a silver Toyota Prius on Monday night at Hyde Park Gate, police said. His mother was pushing him in a pram when he was hit by a cab in rush hour, the London Evening Standard reports. The baby, who has not yet been formally identified, died in hospital at 21:50 GMT, and post-mortem tests will follow. The car driver stopped at the scene but was not arrested. Anyone who saw the collision at about 18:10 GMT is asked to contact the Met Police.

Summary: A one-year-old boy died after he was hit by a car in central London.


Sergio Boscariol and defender Lucas Manuel Leiva have been suspended from football after they were involved in a fight inside Gimnasia's VIP box after Sunday's top-flight game. The bans were given by the government of the Buenos Aires province. The Argentine FA suspended 15 players after a brawl in January's friendly. Gimnasia are seventh in Zone A of the first division with 10 points from seven matches and Estudiantes are third in Zone B with 13 points. The winners of the two zones meet in the final in May. Have you added the new Top Story alerts in the BBC Sport app? Simply head to the menu in the app - and don't forget you can also add score alerts for the Six Nations, your football team and more.

Summary: Violence has marred yet another clash between long-standing Argentine rivals Gimnasia and Estudiantes, this time involving a club director and player.


The 20-year-old, the son of former Hammers, Newcastle and England midfielder Rob Lee, had a loan spell at Luton's League Two rivals Southend United earlier this season. But he was injured just 95 minutes into a training session with the Shrimpers and returned to Upton Park. Lee has made two substitute appearances for West Ham and was on loan at Colchester United last season. Southend boss Phil Brown had wanted Lee to return to Roots Hall, but he has instead joined their fellow promotion contenders.

Summary: Luton Town have signed West Ham striker Elliot Lee on loan until 24 March.


The actor will play the main character Newt Scamander a 'magizoologist' who lived in New York, 70 years before Harry's story begins, and will follow his adventures as he looks for magical creatures. The new film is based on the short book written by J K Rowling, and it will also be the first film she has helped to write. Eddie Redmayne has won an Oscar for his acting in films, and the Director for the new magical film said he: "couldn't be more excited about the prospect of working with [Eddie]". "Eddie is a fearless actor, brimming with invention, wit and humanity". The film won't be released until 18th November 2016, which is two days before the 15th anniversary of the first Harry Potter book, The Philosophers stone.

Summary: Eddie Redmayne has been confirmed as the lead role in the new Harry Potter spin-off film, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.


The 34-year-old was a free agent after leaving Pompey at the end of last season and links up with his former boss Paul Cook at the Latics. "His experience, commitment and quality has already started rubbing off on the squad," Cook told Wigan's website. "He's a player who trains as he plays, at 100%, and he will make a significant contribution on and off the field." Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page.

Summary: Wigan Athletic have signed former Portsmouth forward Noel Hunt on a one-year deal.


Hounslow Borough Council met on Thursday to consider a rugby licence for the Lionel Road site. Brentford hope to leave their Griffin Park home and move to the 20,000-capacity stadium in August 2019. "The council's decision is very encouraging news for London Irish," Irish chief executive Bob Casey said. RFU Championship club Irish play their home games at Reading's Madejski Stadium, and are contracted to groundshare until the 2025-26 season. But a get-out clause can allow the deal to break early, so they can move to west London. Negotiations were opened in September with the council. "The ability for a professional rugby club to also play at the new Brentford Community Stadium has always been a desire of the football club," Casey said. "London Irish share common values and a community ethos with Brentford FC, which augers well for a future commercial relationship."

Summary: London Irish's return to the capital appears a step closer after their application to play at Brentford FC's proposed new stadium was approved.


The towers, dubbed "Swan Heights", have been recommended for refusal by officers at Reading Borough Council. Developers Lochailort's plans propose 352 apartments of varying sizes along with office, retail and leisure space. Members of the council's planning committee are set to debate the application on 29 April. Plans for the site next to Reading railway station and along Kings Meadow Road were submitted last month and a public consultation closed soon after. The towers could be as high as 28-storeys, standing between 285ft to 321ft (87m to 98m) in height. Officers noted the plans failed to allow space for a proposed mass transport link system between the railway station and nearby Thames Valley Business Park. A failure to provide affordable housing and space for HGVs to load and unload were also noted as reasons to refuse the application.

Summary: Three town centre skyscrapers on a former car dealership would appear "alien" and "foreboding" to the area, council planning officers have said.


The 31-year-old, who requires reconstructive surgery on his big toe, is likely to miss England's autumn international series. The injury forced Haskell out of the third Test against Australia in June as Eddie Jones' side completed a 3-0 series whitewash. Haskell, who has 70 caps, was named man of the series. "We're all really disappointed for James and we are all wishing him a speedy recovery," said Wasps director of rugby Dai Young. "James' performances with England, both in the 3-0 series win over Australia and in England's Six Nations Grand Slam success, have been hugely impressive. "Everyone at Wasps knows how hard James works to make those performances happen, and we know he'll be working just as hard to come back in the best shape possible."

Summary: England and Wasps flanker James Haskell could be out for up to six months with a foot injury.


Bates hit 119 not out off 72 balls, surpassing the previous highest score of 91 by Dane van Niekerk for Loughborough against Surrey in 2016. Vipers' 180-2 was also the highest team total in the tournament's history. Lightning were 134 all out in reply, Bates adding to her earlier hundred by taking 3-15 with the ball. She also took a brilliant catch to dismiss Beth Langston, but it was with the bat that she starred, reaching her century off 63 balls and hitting 15 fours and four sixes. Her efforts helped defending champions Vipers record their second win in two group outings, while Lightning have lost their first two group games.

Summary: New Zealand's Suzie Bates scored the first century in Women's Super League history in Southern Vipers' win over Loughborough Lightning at Derby.


The bid of £23m up front plus £7m in add-ons follows a previous offer of £25m, which was turned down. Benteke, 25, has fallen out of favour at Liverpool since boss Jurgen Klopp took over last October, starting only eight league games. He joined the Reds for £32.5m in July 2015 under former boss Brendan Rodgers and has scored 10 goals. Benteke has indicated he will seek to leave if not in Klopp's plans. Palace sold winger Yannick Bolasie for £25m to Premier League rivals Everton on Monday.

Summary: Liverpool have rejected an offer worth £30m from Crystal Palace for striker Christian Benteke.


The show at the Fonda Theatre marked next month's reissue of the 1971 LP that includes Brown Sugar and Wild Horses. The audience on Wednesday included Jack Nicholson, Bruce Willis, Harry Styles, Leonard Cohen and Patricia Arquette. The concert at the 1,300-capacity venue sold out instantly. "So this is our first show of our tour,'' Sir Mick Jagger told the crowd, according to the Associated Press. "Tonight we're doing something we've never done before... we're going to do the whole of Sticky Fingers." The Stones played for an hour and a half, and used its encore to pay tribute to the blues guitar legend BB King, who died last week. "He was one of our favourite guitarists," Sir Mick said, "a wonderful guy who played with us on a number of occasions." The Stones kick off their North American Zip Code tour in San Diego on Sunday.

Summary: The Rolling Stones have played a surprise gig in Los Angeles during which they performed the entire Sticky Fingers album.


The All-Party group on International Development (APGID) has launched a toilet twinning initiative. As a result, two toilets have been twinned with two newly built latrines in Uganda - funded by MLAs. SDLP MLA Claire Hanna, who chairs the group, explained the idea behind the unusual concept. "In Northern Ireland we generally take the availability of toilets for granted but, in many parts of the world, a lack of adequate water and sanitation leads to disease and can prevent girls, in particular, from accessing education," she said. "By twinning these toilets we hope to remind MLAs, staff and visitors to the building of this need around the world," she added.

Summary: You may have heard of towns across the world being twinned with each other but Stormont has gone one step further.


Michelin said the £20m investment in two production lines would also "provide improved working conditions". The plant on Campbell Road, which has 1,000 workers, opened in 1927 and is the UK headquarters for the French company. The funding has been supported by the government under the Grant for Business Investment. Michelin's new Remix truck tyre retreading operation at the site was visited by Business Minister Mark Prisk. He said: "This investment is helping to protect over 400 skilled jobs."

Summary: The first tyres have rolled off a new production line at Stoke-on-Trent's Michelin factory.


Ex chief superintendant Gary Davies was alleged to have assaulted three women in busy train carriages travelling between Taunton and Bristol between December 2015 and May 2016. The 54-year-old left the Avon and Somerset force in 2012. Mr Davies, of Shoreditch Road, Taunton, denied all charges and was cleared by a jury at Bristol Crown Court on Friday. He argued the touching happened due to overcrowding on the trains.

Summary: A former police boss has been cleared of five counts of sexual assault.


The Devolution (Further Powers) Committee suggested last week that the UK government plan required "extensive redrafting". The debate comes six days after Prime Minister David Cameron met First Minister Nicola Sturgeon. He said he wanted a "really strong" Scottish Parliament. Mr Cameron added that his priority was to see the Smith Commission recommendations implemented "in full". The day after the people of Scotland voted "No" in the Scottish independence referendum, Lord Smith of Kelvin was appointed to head up a cross-party group tasked with looking at more powers for Holyrood. The commission recommended that the parliament should have control over Ms Sturgeon said the Smith Commission proposals were "a good starting point" but did not go far enough. She wanted the parliament to be given powers over business taxes, employment law, the minimum wage and additional powers over welfare.

Summary: MSPs are to debate a Holyrood report that says the plan for new Scottish Parliament powers falls short of what has been recommended.


British Transport Police (BTP) said the incident happened on the Glenfinnan Viaduct in Lochaber on 21 March. The driver also reported narrowly missing a man who had been standing on the railway with a camera tripod in the same incident. The Glenfinnan Viaduct has featured in scenes for Harry Potter films. The steam train was crossing the viaduct as it travelled between Fort William and Mallaig. Matt O'Neill, of BTP in Inverness, said: "There may be some iconic scenery and wonderful vistas in this part of the world. "While we don't want to spoil anyone's pleasure, people must be aware that trespassing on the railway line remains a criminal offence and the potential consequences do not bear thinking about." BTP said it had also found out that local people were using the line between Edderton and Ardgay in Sutherland as a shortcut.

Summary: A steam train driver was forced to brake on a well-known Highland viaduct after spotting two older women standing dangerously close to the line.


It is understood the deal for the 31-year-old could be worth up to £5m, depending on add-on clauses. The Scotland international made 280 appearances for the Bluebirds after arriving from Norwich City on a free transfer in 2009. He is the first senior player to join the Tigers since they secured promotion back to the Premier League in May. Cardiff executive director Ken Choo said that the club were "saddened to see him go", but added that "we felt it would be wrong to stand in the way of him moving back to the Premier League." Marshall could make his Hull debut against Burnley on 10 September. Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page.

Summary: Hull City have signed goalkeeper David Marshall from Cardiff City on a three-year contract for an undisclosed fee.


Preston capitalised on Keanu Marsh-Brown's early straight red, with first-half headers from Tom Clarke and Joe Garner before Gallagher slotted home. The hosts had Stuart Beavon sent off, but on-loan forward Gallagher struck twice to complete his hat-trick. Garner's low effort then competed the rout for the Lilywhites. Despite Beavon's red card for a challenge on Andy Yiadom, good work after the break by Lee Holmes helped Gallagher to his second, before the former Scotland international beat the offside trap for his third. Preston striker Paul Gallagher told BBC Radio Lancashire: "I'm over the moon. Ten months is a long time to be not playing and last week I was over the moon just to be playing. "To get a hat-trick and be in the next round of the FA Cup - I'm speechless. "I'll enjoy tonight and then we'll wait and see who we get in the next round."

Summary: Paul Gallagher's hat-trick helped Preston thrash Barnet in an FA Cup first-round game which saw both teams finish with 10 men.


Ryan Devaney, 27, is accused of biting the baby, who cannot be named for legal reasons, and putting a blanket over his head. Mr Devaney is also accused of pushing him on the body or otherwise causing him to fall to the ground, shaking him and inflicting blunt force trauma. He is also accused of assaulting a woman and having extreme pornography. Mr Devaney, from Dundee, denies all of the charges against him. The offence is alleged to have taken place in a house in Dundee, an Asda car park in the city and a house in Angus on various occasions in 2015. Defence counsel Louise Arrol said: "Special defences have been lodged." A trial was set for 31 May at the High Court in Edinburgh.

Summary: A man accused of the attempted murder of an 11-month-old baby boy will go on trial in May.


Haroon Ahmed, 26, from Derby, was arrested at an address in the Nottingham area on Monday morning. Ahmed is serving a sentence at HMP Dovegate prison, in Staffordshire, for a robbery committed in 2008. Burton-upon-Trent Magistrates's Court remanded Ahmed in custody to appear at Stafford Crown Court on 29 June. His brother, Majeed Ahmed, 25, of Clarence Road in Derby, has been charged with assisting a prisoner in escaping from prison.

Summary: A prisoner has been charged with escaping from lawful custody, police said.


Marion Coutts' The Iceberg beat five other titles to receive the £30,000 Wellcome Book Prize, given annually to works that "showcase the breadth and depth of our encounters with medicine". Coutts' memoir charts the last 18 months in the life of Tom Lubbock. Chief art critic of the Independent, he died in 2011 of a tumour that robbed him of the ability to write or speak. Published last July, The Iceberg was previously been shortlisted for the Samuel Johnson Prize for Non-Fiction and the Costa Biography Award. Author Bill Bryson, chairman of the Wellcome judging panel, called it a "wise, moving and beautifully constructed" book that "stays with you for a long time after". Coutts is an artist, writer and lecturer who wrote the introduction to her late husband's own memoir, Until Further Notice, I am Alive.

Summary: A memoir by the widow of a man who died of a brain tumour has won a prize for new books about health or illness.


The Surinam-born 36-year-old, who ended a 10-year stint at AC Milan this summer, has won the Champions League four times with three different clubs. Botafogo say his contract is the most lucrative deal ever handed out to a foreign player in Brazil. "It is the biggest contract for a foreigner made by a Brazilian football club," said a Botafogo statement. Seedorf, who has won 87 caps for his county and was part of the BBC's punditry team for this summer's European Championship, had been linked with a move to the Premier League but has opted for Brazil instead. Rio de Janeiro-based Botafogo sit eighth in the Brazilian league with three wins from six matches.

Summary: Netherlands legend Clarence Seedorf has left AC Milan to join Brazilian side Botafogo in a record two-year deal.


Cardiff Crown Court heard Vincent Hamlyn was seen "jostling for pole position" in a "form of race" before the crash. Kevin Morgan, 60, died after colliding with Dr Hamlyn's BMW Z4 on the A449 in Newport on 21 June, 2014. Dr Hamlyn, 33, an anaesthetist from Chepstow, Monmouthshire, denies causing death by dangerous driving. The court heard Dr Hamlyn told police in an interview: "There was no intention to race anyone." He added: "I would not say I headed towards the carriageway aggressively, but it was swiftly, I headed off as I normally would toward an open 70 mph road." Mr Morgan, from Cwmbran, Torfaen, died from "catastrophic" head injuries, the court heard. The prosecution claims both men had been "gunning" their engines at traffic lights, before speeding off in a race. The trial continues.

Summary: A driver accused of causing a motorcyclist's death had no intention of racing him, a jury has been told.


Carlton Alexander, 23, died after being found at a property on Brightmeadow Close in Breightmet, Bolton, early on Sunday morning. Ross Ashcroft, 31, of Leonard Street, Bolton, has been charged with murder and possession of an offensive weapon. He has been remanded into custody to appear before Bolton Magistrates' Court later. Stephen Nambwe, 21, of High Street, Bolton, has been charged with affray and possession of an offensive weapon and will also appear before the court. Three other men arrested in connection with Mr Alexander's death have been released without charge.

Summary: A man has been charged with murder following a stabbing in Greater Manchester.


The 25-year-old has been with the club since November 2014 after joining from Kidderminster Harriers. The news was confirmed by United owner Darryl Eales at the club's AGM, who revealed a new deal had been offered to Dunkley six months ago. Eales also told the meeting he believes out-of-contract striker Chris Maguire wants to stay at the club. Shareholders were told in a Q&A after the formal business of the meeting had concluded that United would try and resist selling more than one player this summer. Maguire's retention may hinge on whether United can recruit forward Conor McAleny from Everton, who scored 10 goals during a loan spell at the end of last season.

Summary: Oxford United defender Chey Dunkley has rejected a contract offer from the club and become a free agent.


The 35-year-old defender, capped twice by England, has made 627 professional appearances since his debut for Charlton Athletic in 1997. Konchesky's clubs also included West Ham, Fulham and Liverpool among others, before he left Leicester City for League One Gillingham in the summer. He has only featured twice since Ady Pennock became Gills boss in January. Isthmian League Premier Division Billericay have recently been taken over by multi-millionaire Glenn Tamplin, who said shortly after completing a deal for the club that he was "comfortable" investing £10,000 a week.

Summary: Seventh-tier side Billericay Town have signed left-back Paul Konchesky from Gillingham, BBC Essex reports.


The council said a Â£350,000 reduction in ground maintenance money would have a "visible" impact. But a new contractor is "behind schedule" and this exacerbated things. Powys is the second local authority to experience issues with grass cutting after Gwynedd council was criticised earlier this month. Under new arrangements, municipal areas should be cut 10 times a year and highway verges once in rural areas and three times in urban areas. "The consequence of budget cuts of the scale faced by the service was always going to be visible in our communities," councillor John Brunt said. But he said a new contract had seen work fall "behind schedule" and "below the standard anticipated". "We have raised the issue with the company at the highest level and have been assured that urgent action will be taken," he said.

Summary: Urgent action has been promised after budget cuts and problems with a contractor left grass in many areas of Powys uncut.


The proposals to overhaul education provision in Jedburgh emerged earlier this year. They would see Parkside and Howdenburn primaries and Jedburgh Grammar shut and replaced by a new campus for children aged two to 18 at Hartrigge Park. The latest consultation event is being held in the Grammar School's assembly hall from noon until 19:00. Scottish Borders Council has said the campus would have state-of-the-art classrooms and learning spaces, the very best IT infrastructure and first-class leisure and dining provision, as well as the very best sporting and PE facilities. The project could be approved later this year with the new Jedburgh campus operational by 2020.

Summary: Plans to merge two primaries and a secondary in a Borders town are set to receive further scrutiny.


Tweed admitted four offences including assault by beating and criminal damage at Chelmsford Magistrates' Court. The 27-year-old, from Buckhurst Hill, Essex, was given a community order, 100 hours of unpaid work and told to pay compensation to the staff member. He was also ordered to pay Â£2.50 to McDonald's to cover damage to cups and napkins at an outlet in the city. During an appearance at the same court in January, prosecutor Phil Pearson said Mr Tweed had been to the McDonald's outlet in Boreham at around 03:30 BST on 9 October while "under the influence of alcohol". Mr Pearson said Tweed started to become disorderly and began throwing cups, napkins and other items around with his friends. Tweed married Big Brother contestant Jade Goody, 27, days before she died from cervical cancer in March 2009.

Summary: Jack Tweed, the widower of reality TV star Jade Goody, has been sentenced for assaulting a McDonald's staff member.


The visitors declared their first innings on 150-1 before the start of play with the captains eyeing a result. Harry Finch (74 not out) and Luke Wells (44 not out) scored quickly as Sussex declared on 142-1, a lead of 320. Gloucestershire were toiling at 88-5 but Taylor (69 not out) and Noema-Barnett (37 not out) saw out the match. They finished some 109 runs short of the winning line, on 212-6, to deny Sussex fourth win in five County Championship games. Visiting opener Cameron Bancroft took his maiden first-class wicket in a Sussex innings which was all about building runs for a chase, but a result did not materialise.

Summary: An unbeaten 95-run partnership between Jack Taylor and Kieran Noema-Barnett guided Gloucestershire to a draw against Sussex at Hove in Division Two.


McIlroy withdrew from last week's Abu Dhabi Championship when a scan revealed a stress fracture after he had played in the South Africa Open. The Northern Irishman, 27, is continuing to undergo rehabilitation. The European Tour announced McIlroy's withdrawal from the event where he won his first professional title in 2009. McIlroy complained about back pain during the South African event, at which he lost in a play-off to England's Graeme Storm. The four-time major winner played in Johannesburg with his back taped up and having taken anti-inflammatory tablets. Former world number one Tiger Woods is scheduled to be in the field in Dubai. McIlroy's withdrawal from next week's European Tour event will be regarded as a further setback to his preparations for the Masters in April, when he will aim to complete the career Grand Slam.

Summary: World number two Rory McIlroy has pulled out of next week's Dubai Desert Classic as he continues to recover from a rib injury.


Tom McKeon was giving evidence at an inquiry probing claims of child abuse in the care system dating back to 1945. Allegations of physical abuse made by former residents against some former staff there have been denied. Mr McKeon said he only ever saw one incident where a teacher pushed a pupil against a wall. Mr McKeon, who founded Les Chenes in the 1970s and worked there for ten years, said he had reprimanded the member of staff at the time and warned him such behaviour risked assault charges. He moved on to other education jobs in the 1980s, then was head of education in Jersey from 1997 until he retired in 2007. Les Chenes closed in 2003. Mr McKeon told the inquiry in later years it could not treat teenagers being sent there with "deep psychological problems".

Summary: A secure school for troubled teens "crumbled" as drugs took hold in Jersey, according to a former education department director.


The New Zealander, who led Clermont Auvergne to the Top 14 title in 2010 during an eight-year spell at the club, will replace South African Jake White. Cotter's spell as Scotland coach will end next June when Glasgow coach Gregor Townsend takes over the national job. White's Montpellier contract expires at the same time, with the club confirming the change on their website. "The arrival of Vern Cotter for the 2017-2018 season should help to write a new chapter in the history of MHR [Montpellier] and continue to make it grow," a statement said. White led Montpellier to victory in the European Challenge Cup last season, and they are currently third in the Top 14. Cotter, meanwhile is preparing for Scotland's autumn Tests against Australia, Argentina and Georgia. It was announced in August that Townsend will replace Cotter as Scotland boss in June 2017.

Summary: Scotland head coach Vern Cotter will return to the French Top 14 with Montpellier next season.


Kevin Allen posted a picture of the draft script to Tin Town on his Facebook page, saying: "Some of us had to work over Christmas and New Year." He commented that filming was due to take place in June, potentially in the Llanelli area. Twin Town actor Rhys Ifans said in December that there was a "juicy Welsh movie" in the pipeline. Set in Swansea, Twin Town was released 20 years ago this April. Mr Allen, who grew up in the city, previously said he wanted to revisit some of the film's characters.

Summary: A long-awaited sequel to the cult Welsh film Twin Town is in the making, the director has said.


Resuming on 434-1, Dickson (318) and Joe Denly (182) took their second-wicket stand to 382, the biggest partnership in the county's history. Dickson set a post-war Kent record before being dismissed by Max Holden (2-59) as the hosts declared on 701-7 - their second-highest first-class total. Northants closed on 180-1. Ben Duckett (101 not out) put on 113 for the first wicket with Rob Newton (57), but the visitors still require 371 more to avoid the follow-on. Earlier, Dickson fell 14 short of equalling Bill Ashdown's Kent record of 332 against Essex in 1934, but did pass current Kent coach Matt Walker's highest post-war innings of 275 not out in 1996 against Somerset.

Summary: Sean Dickson hit the second-highest total in Kent's history on day two of their County Championship second division game against Northants.


The West Somerset Council-run facility closed in 2008 after attempts to find a buyer for the pool failed. A meeting of the council's planning committee voted to approve Lidl's blueprint for the 2,264 sq m site with 100 parking spaces. The supermarket said the single-storey Seaward Way complex would provide up to 32 new jobs for the town. Those against had argued the town "did not need another supermarket" and the Lidl store would have a "significant adverse impact" on other shops in the area. At present the site is a mix of hard standing and grassed areas. Previously it had been used as a temporary coach park. Also approved at Thursday night's meeting were plans for eight semi-detached homes and nine "affordable" flats at Ellicombe Meadow, Minehead.

Summary: Plans for a supermarket on the site of the former Aquasplash pool in Minehead have been given the go-ahead.


The former Pakistan international, who turns 41 this month, took nine wickets in the T20 Blast for Surrey last season at an average of 26.22. He will join up with the county in May and be available for selection in all T20 Blast games. "To be given the opportunity to coach as well as play is something I'm very excited about," he said. Mahmood will oversee the likes of Aaron Finch, Kumar Sangakkara and Dwayne Bravo in his coaching role, who are all set to play for Surrey at various stages of the season. In one of his appearances for Surrey last season, he hit a six off the final ball to seal a four-wicket win against Gloucestershire at The Oval. "Being able to tap into his wealth of cricket knowledge and experience will be a big asset for the club," director of cricket Alec Stewart said.

Summary: All-rounder Azhar Mahmood is to return to Surrey for the forthcoming season as the county's T20 player-coach.


Bangor-based Cor Glanaethwy will be part of an international mass choir presenting the US premiere of Welsh composer Sir Karl Jenkins' Cantata Memoria. It was written to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Aberfan disaster. Choir director Cefin Roberts said it would be an emotional performance. On 21 October 1966, a mountain of coal waste slid down into a school and houses in the Welsh village, killing 144 people, including 116 children. "Now, 50 years on, singing about this... is quite emotional for everyone involved, even the youngsters in the choir, even the young people that had not heard of Aberfan," said Mr Roberts. A total of 70 members of the choir have made the trip to New York to join other choirs in performing the piece on Sunday.

Summary: A Gwynedd choir which reached the final of the Britain's Got Talent TV show in 2015 is performing at New York's Carnegie Hall.


It is the first time in South East Asia that the disease has been linked to the condition, which causes abnormally small brains and heads. Several countries in the region have reported Zika cases. The virus is transmitted by the Aedes mosquito which also spreads dengue and chikungunya. The current outbreak of the disease was first detected in Brazil last year. Cases have recently been reported across South East Asia. Zika outbreak: What you need to know "To summarise we have found two cases of small heads linked to Zika, the first cases in Thailand," said Prasert Thongcharoen, from the Department of Disease Control. The WHO said these were first cases of Zika-linked microcephaly in South East Asia. Thailand has confirmed about 350 cases of Zika since January - including 25 pregnant women - one of the highest numbers in the region.

Summary: Thai health officials have confirmed two cases of microcephaly, a severe birth defect linked to the Zika virus.


The 28-year-old joined the club from Wakefield in 2012 after two previous loan spells. Dean, who began his career at St Helens, scored eight tries in his 27 appearances last term as Widnes reached the play-offs for the first time. "Retaining a player like Chris is fantastic for the club," head coach Denis Betts told the club website. "Chris is the type of player that all great clubs are built on. To secure a player of his quality will only add to the strength of the team."

Summary: Widnes Vikings centre Chris Dean has signed a new two-year contract with the Super League side.


Murtagh has joined Wood after making 113 appearances for Woking, having joined the Surrey side on a permanent deal from Mansfield in 2014. He has also previously played for Cambridge, Wycombe and Macclesfield. Wells, 32, made 97 appearances for Stevenage after joining from Braintree, before being released this summer. "It all fitted in nicely and I will be doing a bit of coaching in the academy as well which helped," said Wells, who also has the option to extend his contract by a further year. "I will also be able to start the college course that I wanted to with the days off that I will get, so I will be doing something that I love, while still playing football."

Summary: Boreham Wood have signed Woking midfielder Keiran Murtagh on a two-year deal and former Stevenage defender Dean Wells on a one-year contract.


The 4-6 favourite powered to victory by three and a quarter lengths from 20-1 chance Massaat. It was a convincing victory for the colt, owned by the Coolmore Stud team, with Emotionless a disappointment for the rival Godolphin stable. Jockey Ryan Moore indicated Air Force Blue was probably the best two-year-old horse he had ever ridden. Meanwhile, 50-1 outsider Grumeti, trained by Alan King, won the Cesarewitch Handicap in a photo finish from Oriental Fox. Winning rider Adam Beschizza was completing a 764-1 autumn double, having won the Cambridgeshire Handicap on Third Time Lucky. Air Force Blue is now favourite for next year's 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket, at odds ranging from 6-4 to evens. "Probably at this stage, I'm struggling to think of any better [juvenile] I've ridden. He felt like there's more to come," said Moore.

Summary: Favourite Air Force Blue scored a stirring win in the Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket for trainer Aidan O'Brien.


It happened at Thomas Russell Park where it is understood she has been living with her young child for a number of years. Police said a 30-year-old man had been arrested by officers investigating the incident, which was reported on Friday. SDLP MP Margaret Ritchie said she hoped the woman would "fully recover from her injuries". She said people in the area "were in a state of shock" and "appalled" at what had happened. Ms Ritchie added that those people she had spoken to wanted to pass on their "sympathy and support" to the woman.

Summary: A woman is critically ill in hospital following an incident at a house in Downpatrick, County Down.


A statement from the central bank said it had revoked its licence. It was accused in the US of, among other things, money laundering and facilitating the payment of thousands of dollars from a financier of the Lebanese Hezbollah Islamist militants. In its defence, the bank said it had boosted anti-money laundering measures. FBME was set up in Cyprus before moving its headquarters to Tanzania in 2003. The US Treasury's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) had made the original accusations of the links with Hezbollah. FBME was placed under the management of Tanzania's central bank in 2014 following the FinCEN allegations, Reuters news agency reports. The bank then mounted a legal challenge against the allegations saying that it had complied with regulations. A US court however ruled in favour of FinCEN in April, allowing it to shut the bank out of accessing the US financial system.

Summary: Tanzania has shut down one of the country's largest banking institutions, FBME, following charges of aiding the finance of terrorism by US authorities.


It is the highest honour that the city can bestow on an individual, and was first awarded in 1886. In 2008, councils set out to formalise who could be recognised with the title, demanding that recipients must fulfil at least one of the following criteria: Unlike freeman honours awarded in cities such as London, the Cardiff title is purely honorary, without any special privileges. In London, being given the freedom of the city historically bestowed the right to herd sheep over London bridge, to go about the city with a drawn sword, and if convicted of a capital offence, to be hung with a silken rope. In addition to individuals receiving freedom of the city, several organisations have also been recognised:

Summary: Dame Shirley Bassey becomes only the 61st person to receive the honour of the Freedom of the City of Cardiff.


GWR said a power failure earlier had caused a signalling systems failure between Bath Spa and Bristol Temple Meads stations. It has affected services between Swindon and Bristol Temple Meads and Westbury and Bristol Temple Meads. A spokesman said the firm was "unable to source replacement road transport" and advised customers not to travel. Several trains were cancelled, and one person reported on social media that "hundreds" of passengers had been "left stranded" in Bristol until Sunday. Another passenger said they had been told by staff to go home because no replacement buses were available at Westbury. Network Rail said engineers were working to repair damage to the railway's signalling system. GWR said disruption was expected until the end of the day.

Summary: Hundreds of rail passengers have been "left stranded" after a power cut on a main line in the west of England.


A man was hit when the Isuzu D-Max Fury vehicle was "deliberately" driven at people on Well Street at about 23:20 BST on Sunday. Police say it was a "targeted attack" but "not terror-related". The man who was struck left the scene in a BMW and the truck chased him for a short time. The car window was smashed but the man was not seriously injured. Ch Insp Gareth Parkin, of Greater Manchester Police (GMP), appealed for witnesses. "This was the city centre and there were lots of people in the area who would have witnessed the commotion," he said.

Summary: A pick-up truck was driven at pedestrians in Manchester city centre, police have said.


The hosts were bowled out for 161 in Colombo with two wickets apiece for Laura Marsh, Alex Hartley and stand-in skipper Danielle Hazell. England started their response well with opener Tammy Beaumont hitting 78 from 79 balls. And they easily reached their target with just over 20 overs remaining. Captain Heather Knight and fast bowler Katherine Brunt missed the game with hamstring and thigh injuries respectively and will be reassessed before the final match of the series on Thursday but Hazell was pleased to have helped guide her side to victory. "The girls put in a really good performance," she said afterwards. "I'm proud to have captained the team today and if it comes my way again, I'll be happy to do it." England clinched qualification for the 2017 Women's World Cup by winning the second match of the series on Saturday.

Summary: England's women wrapped up a five-wicket win over Sri Lanka to take an unassailable 3-0 lead in their four-match series.


Dozens of people in paramilitary-style uniform attended Peggy O'Hara's funeral in the city in July. Her son was an INLA member who died on hunger strike. Police said a 53-year-old man was arrested in the city on Saturday. A number of other people have been questioned as part of the police investigation. Mrs O'Hara's son, Patsy, was one of 10 republican prisoners who died on hunger strike in the Maze Prison in 1981. He was a senior member of the Irish National Liberation Army (INLA) - a republican paramilitary group believed to have been responsible for more than 120 murders from its formation in 1975 until its ceasefire in 1998.

Summary: A man has been arrested by police in Londonderry investigating paramilitary displays during the wake and funeral of a veteran republican.


The brilliant seven-year-old, trained by Willie Mullins, was typically dominant in the four-runner contest to record a 14th straight win. Jockey Ruby Walsh had no concerns as the 1-14 favourite pulled well clear of runner-up Realt Mor. Douvan remains a 4-11 chance for the big Cheltenham race in March. "He sauntered along at the front at his own speed and won as he liked," Walsh told At The Races. "He just has a huge amount of natural ability. You don't have to do anything. You just sit there." Douvan has only been beaten once, in his first hurdle race, and is now unbeaten in nine contests over fences.

Summary: Douvan comfortably won the Tied Cottage Chase at Punchestown to cement his position as favourite for Cheltenham's Queen Mother Champion Chase.


John Gerrard Wynne, 61, of Exmouth, Devon, was walking with his 26-year-old daughter on 3,000ft (100m) Tryfan when he fell on Sunday. They were descending down the South Gully when they decided to turn around but Mr Wynne slipped. He is believed to have fallen more than 200ft (60m). He was airlifted to hospital in Bangor where he died. Chris Lloyd, of Ogwen Valley mountain rescue team, said the pair had been walking in the area over the weekend when they took a wrong path down the mountain. An inquest is expected to be held into Mr Wynne's death.

Summary: A man who died after falling a "considerable" distance while walking in Snowdonia has been named.


The victim, aged 56, was knocked to the ground from behind and suffered a head injury in the attack on Stoke Road on Monday evening. Christopher Rode, 30, of Granville Avenue, Slough, is also accused of causing grievous bodily harm with intent, making threats to kill and an unrelated cannabis possession charge. He is due to appear before Slough Magistrates' Court later.

Summary: A man has been charged with raping a woman at Slough Cemetery.


There will be radio commentary on BBC Radio 5 live and BBC Radio 5 live sports extra throughout the event, as well as a live text page for each evening session to bring you the medals as they happen. All times BST Live coverage - 19:30-22:15, BBC Radio 5 live sports extra Live text - 19:00-22:00 Live coverage - 19:45-22:00, BBC Radio 5 live sports extra Live text - 19:00-22:00 Live coverage - 19:30-22:30, BBC Radio 5 live sports extra Live text - 19:00-22:00 Live coverage - 20:00-22:00, BBC Radio 5 live Live text - 19:00-22:00 Live coverage - 19:00-22:00, BBC Radio 5 live Live text - 19:00-22:00

Summary: The World Para-athletics Championships come to the London Stadium between 14 and 23 July.


Guangdong was hardest hit, reporting 36 deaths after days of heavy rain, said the Ministry of Civil Affairs. Six people had died in Jiangxi, added the ministry. And further bad weather is forecast for Guangdong later on Saturday, with warnings of heavy wind and rain causing more flooding in the next few days. Teams of relief workers have been sent to oversee the recovery efforts in the hardest hit areas, officials said. Heavy rainstorms in Guangdong reportedly caused widespread flooding in the province's mountainous areas and affected nine cities including the provincial capital, Guangzhou. Nearly 900,000 people had been affected across the state, with floods destroying 2,675 houses, China's Xinhua News Agency reported.

Summary: Flooding and landslides across nine southern Chinese provinces have killed more than 50 people and left 14 missing, officials say.


The 28-year-old man was riding his bike on the A944, about two miles east of Alford in Aberdeenshire, when his bike was struck by a silver Renault Clio. The incident happened near the Mill of Bandley junction at 04:30 on Christmas Eve. Police said the cyclist was taken to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, where he is still receiving treatment. Sgt Rob Warnock, from the Road Policing Unit, said: "Inquiries into the circumstances of the incident are at an early stage and I am appealing to anyone who witnessed the incident or came across it or saw the silver Renault Clio or the male cyclist prior to the incident to contact Police Scotland on 101.''

Summary: A cyclist is being treated for serious injuries after being hit by a car in the early hours of the morning.


Harrad and 20-year-old Evans have signed deals until January having spent pre-season training with the National League side. Ex-Notts County player Harrad was a free agent after finishing the 2015-16 season at Torquay, who were keen to re-sign the 31-year-old. Evans had been on trial following his release from Championship club Fulham. The Dragons are also finalising a deal to sign Nottingham Forest striker Gerry McDonagh on a month's loan. McDonagh, 18, has appeared once for Forest's first team, coming on as a substitute against Cardiff City in August 2015.

Summary: Wrexham have signed former Burton Albion striker Shaun Harrad and Wales Under-21 full-back Jordan Evans.


The Sherlock actor and Harry Potter star are among 11 non-academics who have accepted the appointments at Lady Margaret Hall. Pet Shop Boys frontman Neil Tennant and film director Beeban Kidron have also accepted the fellowship role. Visiting fellows are encouraged to attend debates and perform at the college in the three-year role. College principal Alan Rusbridger said: "At a minimum we'd like them to drop in occasionally at college, eat with us and meet informally with a variety of the LMH community. "We'd like them to do one thing a bit more structured: it could be a conversation or debate, a performance, a lecture or seminar, a form of outreach - or something we haven't thought of. "We can imagine fascinating interactions or collaborations between them." Other appointees include Thames Valley Police chief constable Francis Habgood, former children's laureate Malorie Blackman and high court judge Rabinder Singh.

Summary: Screen stars Benedict Cumberbatch and Emma Watson have become visiting fellows at Oxford University.


The 21-year-old made two appearances for the Tykes this season in the Football League Trophy. He went on loan to Kidderminster last month and scored three goals in seven games after making his debut against the Wood. "Harry really impressed me with his work ethic, strength and commitment," manager Luke Garrard said. "We all know we need goals, we all know our defence is not a problem and with the strike force I now have fit and at my disposal, I'm hoping that they will get the goals that will fire us too survival." Boreham Wood are one place and one point above the National League relegation zone, having been promoted last season.

Summary: Boreham Wood have signed striker Harry White on loan from Barnsley for the rest of the season.


Thousands rallied in Aceh's capital in support of the flag. Indonesia's government has given provincial authorities seven days to change it. The crescent and star on a red and white banner was used by the now defunct Free Aceh Movement. It fought a three-decade-long civil war against the Indonesian state until a peace deal was struck in 2005. Local officials say that under the terms of the accord, they can choose whatever symbol they like. Analysts say this challenge to the government is a direct test of Indonesia's commitment to the peace agreement, which came only after Aceh was devastated by the Asian tsunami of 2004, with the loss of hundreds of thousands of lives.

Summary: A row has broken out in Indonesia after a former separatist flag was adopted as the official emblem of Aceh province.


Two breeding pairs of the birds, which are the largest raptor species in the UK, are both rearing two chicks. NTS said Canna's golden eagles are rearing a single chick. For many years, golden eagle chicks from the Hebridean island were used to reintroduce the birds of preys to parts of Ireland. NTS said Canna is believed to have the highest density of eagles in Scotland. The trust's Dr Richard Luxmoore said: "Canna has proven to be a very productive breeding site for sea eagles and most years since reintroduction we have had two pairs nesting on the island. "It is not so common to have both pairs successfully raise two chicks each so this is great news."

Summary: White-tailed sea eagles have had a successful breeding season on the Isle of Canna, according the island's owners National Trust for Scotland (NTS).


The company has designed three keyboards in different sizes, with 47, 94 and 120 emoji characters. There's a special button on the keyboard which you hold down to use emojis. However these keyboards are only availible in America, and only work with Apple products and Windows 10 at the moment. It's also unclear how future emoji updates would be included on the keyboard or whether you'd have to buy a new one. You can however use emojis on Macs and PC's using Windows already. On a Mac you press Command, Control and the Space Bar and a pop-up should appear with lots of different characters. And on Windows, press the keyboard symbol in the bottom right of the screen and an emoji keyboard will replace the normal alphabetical one.

Summary: An American company has created an Emoji keyboard with shortcuts to the icons on the keys.


City of Edinburgh Council will also spend £7.8m to address the costs from rising school rolls and an extra £2.5m to spend on roads and pavements. Councillors also agreed an updated 2016-20 Business Plan for the council. This year City of Edinburgh Council has a budget of £968m while making savings of £38m. During 2017/18 the council will deliver several key projects, including beginning construction on an additional school in South Edinburgh and a new Meadowbank sports centre. Alasdair Rankin, the City of Edinburgh Council's convener of finance and resources committee, said: "In 2016 we approved a four-year budget framework which drew on feedback and ideas from the public, and this year's budget continues to reflect residents' priorities. "Despite an uncertain financial climate we have set a balanced budget for Edinburgh, as well as securing funds for several major projects throughout the city."

Summary: A £12m refurbishment of North Bridge is part of spending plans for Edinburgh after councillors agreed to put up council tax bills by 3%.


The stadium and training facilities would be built at Kingsford, close to the Aberdeen bypass, near Westhill. The ultimate decision is for Aberdeen City Council in the summer. However, Aberdeenshire's infrastructure services committee - the authority is a consultee - narrowly voted to object to the stadium application after hearing a morning a debate on the issue. Campaigners against the stadium staged a protest at the council's headquarters ahead of the meeting. Concerns have included traffic and parking issues. The club believes the new stadium is vital if it is to achieve a sustainable future.

Summary: Aberdeenshire councillors have objected to Aberdeen Football Club's plans for a new stadium.


The 18-year-old midfielder has been on trial at Deepdale since departing former club Cork City in November. Browne is a Republic of Ireland youth international and has captained his country's Under-19 side. "Alan can play a big role this season. He's got fantastic energy about him, is two-footed and is a goal-scoring midfielder - we think he has a bright future," said manager Simon Grayson.

Summary: Preston North End have signed Alan Browne on an 18-month contract.


The multi-million selling Brit Award-winning musician will take to the stage with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra. She will also be joined by Gary: Tank Commander star Greg McHugh, Britain's Got Talent winners Collabro and Scottish mezzo-soprano Karen Cargill. The event takes place at Glasgow Green on 10 September. The singer, who grew up in St Andrews, said she was looking forward to the "adventure". She added: "It's such a great honour to perform with the BBC SSO as well as a beautiful musical adventure to re-imagine songs in different ways. "There's a deep and rich world to be found in recreating songs with orchestral arrangements and everyone, performers and listeners alike, comes away from it with an expanded creative mind."

Summary: Singer-songwriter KT Tunstall is set to play at the Proms in the Park event in Glasgow next month.


Categories include best game, artistic achievement, technical achievement, game play design and sound and music. The awards ceremony will be held at Cardiff's Tramshed on 18 June. Host and Torchwood star Gareth David Lloyd said: "I've seen a clear growth in the games industry here... and it is clear that there are more companies creating fantastic games across a variety of platforms every year." Best Game Award Artistic Achievement Commendation Technical Achievement Commendation Game Play Design Commendation Sound and Music Commendation

Summary: Bafta Cymru has announced the shortlist for its 2016 gaming awards.


Media playback is not supported on this device Captain Abi Welsford and Leah Wilkinson became joint Wales hockey cap record holders with 139 caps, overtaking Wales legend Anne Ellis' tally of 138. But the duo were denied victory to mark the achievement. Wales finished second behind Belarus in Pool B and will face Russia in Friday's semi-finals. Ryta Batura gave Belarus the lead, before Wilkinson equalised. But 25 seconds before half time Sviatlana Bahushevich scored Belarus' second. Wales' Eloise Laity and Yuliya Mikheichyk exchanged goals before Belarus' Natallia Shtsin sealed victory late on. In the process the visitors ended Wales' 15-match winning run as they booked a final-four encounter against Italy, also on Friday. The four semi-finalists will be bidding to reach Sunday's final.

Summary: Belarus beat Wales 4-2 to deny the hosts top place in their group in the EuroHockey Championships B Division semi-finals in Cardiff.


He becomes the club's first signing following relegation from the Championship this season and has agreed a two-year deal. Yamfam spent the final weeks of the campaign on loan with the Addicks, featuring for the club's Under-18 and Under-21 sides. The 18-year-old is yet to make his senior debut. Yamfam is also Charlton's first signing since Steve Head became chief scout at The Valley earlier this week. The south-east London club have been without a manager since Jose Riga resigned as head coach on 7 May. Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page.

Summary: Managerless Charlton Athletic have signed winger Louis-Michel Yamfam from Stevenage for an undisclosed fee.


The Â£783m vessel, which came into Southampton earlier, is 361m (1,187ft) long and can carry 6,780 passengers. It features 20 restaurants, 23 swimming pools and took more than two-and-a-half years to construct. The 70m (230ft) high cruise ship had its first trial in March when it was guided out to sea from the port of Saint-Nazaire. It will leave Southampton for a four-night cruise to Rotterdam on 22 May. On 26 May it will leave the city again for a three-night cruise to Cherbourg before finally leaving Southampton for its summer base of Barcelona on 29 May. 20 Restaurants 23 Swimming pools 16 Guest decks 52 Trees in park 11,252 Works of art

Summary: The world's largest cruise ship, Harmony of the Seas, has arrived in the UK.


The event in Calne, Wiltshire was judged by an adjudicator after 1,254 people gathered on The Green dressed as shepherds, angels and wise men. They beat the previous record set in Utah, America of 1,039. Organiser Rachel Rounds thanked people for getting involved and said: "It just really goes to show what a community can do together." She organised the attempt for Calne Town Council and the Bible Society and added she was "so proud of the whole town". Guinness adjudicator Jack Brockbank described it as "a fantastic result".

Summary: A town has claimed a new Guinness World Record for the largest live nativity gathering.


Christian Pay, of Millom, was among five people taken ill at Kendal Calling in Cumbria on Friday. He later died and police believe three different types of tablet could be linked to his death. Two men aged 18 and 20, also taken to hospital have been discharged. A 19-year-old man and a 29-year-old woman are still said to be critically ill. Four people have been arrested on suspicion of possession of drugs with intent to supply and bailed, Cumbria Police said. Mr Pay was pronounced dead after being admitted to the Cumberland Infirmary. According to police, drugs seized included a blue tablet with an Adidas logo, a yellow powder believed to be MDMA (ecstasy), an orange oval tablet with a Rolls Royce logo, a green tablet with a white fleck and a plain grey tablet with a white fleck.

Summary: Two men left critically ill after taking drugs at a festival where a man died have recovered, police said.


The would-be thieves smashed through a window at St Mary's Roman Catholic Church, Bridge Street, and used fire extinguishers to break down doors. Father Marc Lyden-Smith said a police officer had smelled urine from a stoup and said he found it "incredible" anyone could do such a thing. He said nothing was taken during the break-in on Thursday. "Our cleaning volunteers came in on Thursday morning and saw the damage," Father Lyden-Smith said. "A police officer noticed there seemed to be urine in the holy water stoup. It is incredible. "It has been cleaned out, of course." He added: "It is disappointing but it is the year of mercy and we have to keep that in our thoughts." Holy water is used by Catholics to make the sign of the cross when they come into church and the stoup is usually by the entrance.

Summary: Vandals have broken into a Sunderland church and urinated in holy water.


The battle in present-day Belgium on 18 June 1815 saw the final defeat of French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte, by Allies including the British, led by the Duke of Wellington, and the Prussians. The university has been obtaining records including books and maps since the end of the battle. It is hosting a public exhibition on 1 May, but prior to that is putting many of its items online for people to see around the world. In this interactive video, you can take a closer look at some of the exhibits and witness how hundreds of years' worth of records are put on to the internet. Production by David Keller, John Galliver and John Lawrence. If you are unable to watch, here is the content included in this interactive video.

Summary: The 200th anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo is being marked with an exhibition of records rarely seen by the public at Cambridge University Library.


Officers spotted the disturbance as they drove along Bury New Road near HMP Manchester in the Strangeways area of the city at about 15:40 GMT. One man suffered a stab wound to his hip, one has a cut to his head and the other has an arm injury, police said. None of the men's injuries was believed to be life-threatening, said a spokesman for Greater Manchester Police (GMP), whose inquiries are continuing. North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) said three ambulances and one rapid response vehicle were deployed to the incident.

Summary: Three men were taken to hospital after a fight in Manchester city centre.


The 20-year-old played under Latics manager John Sheridan during a loan spell at Plymouth last season, having previously had a stint at Oxford. He has made 11 appearances for the Addicks this term and is available for Saturday's derby against Rochdale. "I really like him as a player and he did really well for me at Plymouth," Sheridan told the club website. "He is a young, very energetic and I just felt we needed a bit of strengthening down the left side." Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page.

Summary: Oldham have signed Charlton full-back Tareiq Holmes-Dennis on a youth loan until the end of the season.


The emergency services were called to the property at Redburn, Bonhill, at about 03:00 on Tuesday. Police said they were trying to establish if there was "any criminality involved" in the blaze. There have been a number of wilful fire-raising incidents in the area recently, but police do not believe they are linked to the latest blaze. Det Insp Andy Doherty, from Clydebank CID, urged anyone who was in the area between 21:30 and 00:30, and who noticed anything suspicious, to get in touch. He said: "Extensive inquiries are under way to establish how the fire started and if there is any criminality involved. "We are aware of a number of recent wilful fire-raisings in the area. However, at this time we do not believe this morning's fire is linked to these other incidents."

Summary: A 44-year-old woman is in a critical condition in hospital after a fire at a house in West Dunbartonshire.


Details of last Friday's incident have only just emerged. Work at the site was halted this Friday afternoon to give all workers a refresher on health and safety. Construction firm Morgan Sindall said it was conducting an internal investigation into the circumstances of the accident. A spokesman for Aberdeen City Council added: "The responsibility for the site and the construction programme, as well as for reporting and investigating incidents, sits with the contractor Morgan Sindall Group. "The health, safety and wellbeing of all those working on projects associated with Aberdeen City Council is of paramount importance to us and we will be kept informed by the contractor." The Â£107m office, leisure and hotel development is due for completion in the summer. Earlier this week, BBC Scotland revealed that only 10% of office space had been taken up for lease.

Summary: A worker was left with a fractured leg and ribs after an accident at the Marischal Square construction site in Aberdeen.


The sanction has been handed out by the independent ethics committee of football's world governing body, Fifa. Details of the case were not provided, with Fifa saying it was "in relation to several international friendly matches played in South Africa in 2010". Kika has denied allegations of match-fixing from 2010. He was one of five senior Safa officials, including the former president Kirsten Nematandani, put on 'special leave' in December 2012 following a Fifa report into match-fixing. He and the others were reinstated in January 2013 but not exonerated from any wrongdoing. A meeting of Safa's executive committee at the time decided the emergency committee went beyond their mandate in suspending the officials. A Safa statement released on Wednesday said it welcomed Fifa's action and stressed Kika was no longer involved in the organisation. It added it was working to "root out misconduct".

Summary: Former South Africa Football Association (Safa) official Lindile Kika has been suspended from all football activity for six years.


A top-five finish would have secured the title for Kent, who could become the first Briton in 38 years to win a grand prix motorcycle world title. The race was won by Miguel Oliveira who is second in the standings, 24 points adrift of 21-year-old Kent. Kent will win the title if he finishes in the top 14 in the final race in Valencia, Spain, on 8 November. "It's a little bit frustrating," said Kent. "It was clear that our bike was too slow, so I wasn't able to pass someone out of the slipstream. "So we now go to Valencia where we need to score two points." Britain's last grand prix motorcycle world champion was Barry Sheene in the 500cc category in 1977. Wiltshire rider Kent made his grand prix debut in the 125cc class at the British Grand Prix five years ago.

Summary: Britain's Danny Kent will have to wait to clinch the Moto3 championship after finishing seventh in Malaysia.


The 29-year-old Northern Irishman, who was in Edinburgh on Friday for talks with Hearts, is available on a free transfer after leaving Norwich City. Hearts expect a response from Lafferty in the next 24 hours. Meanwhile, Hibs are hopeful of keeping John McGinn after rejecting a bid from English Championship side Ipswich Town. McGinn, 22, has been a stand-out performer for the Easter Road side since moving from St Mirren in 2015. The midfielder, who has picked up three Scotland caps, played a key role as Hibs secured promotion to the Premiership last season, winning the Championship player of the year award. Lafferty left Rangers in 2012, joining Swiss side Sion before moving to Italy's Serie A with Palermo. A switch to Norwich followed, and he was subsequently loaned to Turkish side Rizespor and then Birmingham City.

Summary: Hibernian have joined Hearts in the race to sign former Rangers striker Kyle Lafferty, BBC Scotland understands.


The 2015 Cheltenham Gold Cup winner, who returned from a year off the track last month to finish second to Cue Card in the Betfair Chase at Haydock, is said to be "fragile" and "not himself". The Mark Bradstock-trained gelding underperformed in a gallop on Saturday. Bradstock's wife and assistant Sara said: "I know every breath he takes, every step he takes, I know exactly how he is and he's just not feeling good." Bradstock said on Twitter that next year's Gold Cup remains the priority for Coneygree.

Summary: Coneygree will miss the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day.


Martin Trollope-Bellew proposed to fellow Conservative Rosemary Woolley during his final speech as authority chairman. Ms Woolley said she was "caught unawares" and did not answer straight away but said yes after a few minutes' hesitation. The couple have been together for more than 12 years. More on this and other Lincolnshire stories Mr Trollope-Bellew said he thought the council chamber was "an appropriate time and place to do it." His bride-to-be said it "was definitely a shock" and joked that she waited to answer so not to appear too keen. "I did think he ought to wait before I answered," she added.

Summary: A councillor was apparently lost for words after her partner popped the question at a council meeting.


Police were called to the river near Holly Terrace at about 13:30 GMT on Sunday. With the help of North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service, the body of a man was recovered from the water a short time later. Officers are investigating how the man, who has not yet been identified, came to be in the river. In recent years there have been concerns about the number of deaths in the River Ouse and the Foss, also in York. Three people died in the rivers in 2011, including 21-year-old Richard Horrocks, who jumped from a balcony to celebrate his last shift at a bar. York student Megan Roberts, 20, soldier Tyler Pearson, 18 and Ben Clarkson, 22, who was found in the Foss after he went missing, all died in 2014. Soldier Stephen Fry, 20, died in 2015 and student Christian Palmer, 20, died in July 2016.

Summary: A man's body was pulled from the River Ouse in York after it was spotted by a member of the public on New Year's Day.


The French Football Federation said it will not select Benzema, who has not played for Les Bleus since November. He is being investigated for his part in an alleged plot to blackmail France team-mate Mathieu Valbuena. "All I can say is the player is upset and distraught. He wanted to be there," said former France midfielder Zidane. The FFF said its decision to not select Benzema took into account "the ability of players to work towards unity" and that "athletic performance" was important but not an "exclusive criterion". "We all know what a player he is and what he can contribute," added 43-year-old Zidane, who was part of the France team that won the 1998 World Cup on home soil. "You need all your strongest players to go as far in the competition as possible."

Summary: Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema is "distraught" at not being allowed to play for France at Euro 2016, says his club manager Zinedine Zidane.


Wales' Lydiate, 28, collided with team-mate Aaron Jarvis in a 12-7 win over Newport Gwent Dragons on 1 January. But Ospreys have registered scrum-half Rhys Webb in their European squad in place of young wing Dafydd Howells. Webb - who has not played since injuring a foot while playing for Wales on 5 September - is not expected to play against Exeter, but is eligible. Ospreys are hopeful that Webb will return by early February. Fly-half Dan Biggar and hooker Scott Baldwin, who both left the pitch with dead legs during the win over Clermont last Friday, are said to be ready for Sunday's game. However, on Lydiate's fitness, backs coach Gruff Rees said he was "touch and go". "We have to do what's right, despite the magnitude of the game," Rees added. A win against Exeter would secure Ospreys' passage to the quarter-finals.

Summary: Ospreys flanker Dan Lydiate is a doubt for Sunday's crucial Champions Cup Pool Two match against Exeter.


The roof shared by the two semi-detached houses in East Creech, south of Wareham, was in danger of collapsing after being engulfed by flames, the fire service said. A 70-year-old man has been treated by ambulance crews for a chest injury. No other casualties have been reported. Dorset Fire and Rescue said the fire was "deep-seated" and continued to burn throughout the day. The fire was "quite well advanced" before crews were alerted at about 09:00 GMT. They were expected to remain there into the evening. The cause will be investigated but it is not thought to be suspicious, the fire service said.

Summary: Fire has ripped through two thatched cottages in a remote part of Dorset.


Timothy Abbott, 54, from Stafford, claimed more than £58,000 in disability benefits and failed to pay almost £10,000 in Income Tax and National Insurance. He was jailed for eight months after admitting four counts of fraud. Meanwhile his wife Jeanette who admitted fraud totalling £103,000 was given a suspended eight month sentence. Staffordshire County Council said Abbott, who toured the world as a spiritualist medium, was a regular gym member and claimed disability benefits he was not entitled to for five years. A court will decide later in the year how much the couple will have to pay back. Alan White, Staffordshire County Council's cabinet member for health, care and wellbeing welcomed the convictions at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court on Thursday. "It is extremely disappointing to see that someone has shown blatant disregard for others who depend on this money," he said.

Summary: A spiritualist medium who worked out in the gym while illegally claiming disability benefits has been jailed.


Paul McCready, from north Belfast, died in hospital from injuries sustained in an altercation in the Donegall Street area shortly before 01:00 BST. A 30-year-old man was arrested at the scene. Police cordons are in place on Donegall Street and Waring Street, close to the Northern Whig bar. Detectives have appealed for anyone who witnessed the incident to contact them. "We are aware that there would have been quite a number of people in the Donegall Street area at the time that this incident occurred and we are keen to speak with as many witnesses and passers-by as possible," DCI Geoffrey Boyce said. Carál Ní Chuilín, a Sinn Féin MLA for north Belfast, said Mr McCready's death had "shocked local people".

Summary: Police have launched a murder investigation after a 31-year-old man died in an incident in Belfast City Centre in the early hours of Sunday.