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On Monday Aberystwyth University and the Royal Veterinary College pledged to develop a joint training programme.
The venture will create a hub tailored to the needs of the Welsh farming and animal health industries.
Cabinet Secretary for Environment Lesley Griffiths said the move was "excellent news for Welsh farmers and the veterinary profession".
"Veterinary education for Wales has long been a topic of discussion and this is an ambition now being realised," she said.
"This collaboration between Aberystwyth University and the Royal Veterinary College will provide a much needed hub of veterinary expertise right in the heart of our longest established university."
Wales does not currently have any provision for veterinary education and the programme will focus on farming and livestock science, increasing the number of professionals in veterinary medicine.
Farmers' unions have said there are not enough vets to deal with sick farm animals in Wales. | Plans to bring a dedicated vet school to Wales have moved a step closer. | 36516178 |
An estimated 63,000 people now live with the disease.
Approximately 10,000 more people have been living with cancer since 2010, a figure that represents an 18% rise over the last five years.
The increase is due to improvements in survival and detection, and a growing and ageing population.
The number of men with prostate cancer has seen the biggest rise of 27% over the last five years.
Macmillan Cancer Support's general manager in Northern Ireland, Heather Monteverde, warned that care for cancer patients must be adapted.
"Without a complete transformation of the way people are supported after their treatment ends, there is no way patients will get the after-care they so desperately need, whether that's practical help at home, financial advice, or even emotional support," she said.
"Our existing health and social care structures were not set up to deal with the needs of such a huge number of people who have survived cancer, but who often continue to require considerable support," she added.
The charity has been working with the Health and Social Care Board, Public Health Agency and Northern Ireland Cancer Network to advocate individually tailored patient care.
A Transforming Cancer Follow Up (TCFU) programme, which cost ??1.3m, has been used as a template by all five health trusts in Northern Ireland as a new model for breast cancer follow-up treatment.
The scheme includes access to a clinical nurse specialist, an additional treatment summary and an invitation to a health and well-being event. | A record number of people living in Northern Ireland have been diagnosed with cancer, according to figures released by Macmillan Cancer Support. | 30685793 |
The Mail on Sunday claimed Listen Ltd staff used high-pressure fundraising techniques.
The Fundraising Standards Board (FRSB) said it was "deeply concerned" about claims in the story.
Listen Ltd said it trained employees in accordance with regulators' requirements and would investigate.
But other charities have also said they will probe the issues raised in the Mail on Sunday article.
Tim Hunter, Oxfam's director of fundraising, said: "We take the allegations contained in the article very seriously and have suspended all operations with both Listen Ltd and Street Academy, pending a thorough investigation.
"Oxfam carries out regular quality checks of fundraising calls on our behalf and insists on high standards of training and monitoring."
Campbell Robb, Shelter's chief executive, said street fundraising was an important income source.
He added: "We take any accusation of bad practice amongst street fundraisers employed by the Street Academy seriously, and undertake regular mystery shopping to make sure that they adhere to our strict code of practice and that of the Institute of Fundraising at all times.
"We will fully investigate this incident and take necessary action to make sure that we continue to maintain our high standards."
The FRSB said: "We are deeply concerned about the allegations that the Mail on Sunday has made. It is critical that fundraisers treat the public with respect, openness and honesty at all times.
"The FRSB will investigate these claims to establish whether any breach of fundraising standards has taken place." | Charity Oxfam has suspended operations with a call centre and a street fundraising organisation after allegations in a Sunday newspaper. | 33042245 |
The company, which has 31 branches across northern England, also said it planned to close two stores in Lancashire later this year.
Booths retail director Paul Minett said the "tough decisions" would enable the firm to have a "profitable future".
The firm said it was opening a new store in St Anne's and redeveloping its branch in Poulton-le-Fylde.
A new store will also open in Burscough, Lancashire, in July.
Mr Minett added the firm wanted a simplified management structure based on an estate of "profitable, vibrant stores".
The Preston-based retailer said it anticipated that the majority of employees at the closure-threatened stores in Ansdell in Lytham and Marton in Blackpool would be able to secure positions at the new branches.
However, due to an overall reduction in staff operating hours, it would be consulting with employees.
Recently-opened stores at Hale Barns in Greater Manchester and Barrowford in Lancashire had created about 400 positions, it added.
The company, owned by the Booth family since 1847, currently has 31 stores in Lancashire, Yorkshire, Cumbria, Cheshire and Greater Manchester. | Supermarket firm Booths has announced it is cutting 100 management jobs as part of restructuring plans. | 32433478 |
The Fire and Rescue Service said the alert was raised just before 07:00 GMT on Tuesday.
About 50 firefighters, including crews from the city and specialist teams from Belfast, worked to bring the fire under control. It has now been extinguished.
There were no reports of any injuries. | There has been a fire in the cabin of a ship at Lisahally Port, just outside Londonderry. | 35407422 |
He basically has four options. Win more Hispanics, more African Americans, more women or more working class voters who might previously have voted Democrat.
Of those groups the first two are probably a lost cause. He has said too many incendiary things about Hispanics and black Americans seem to be firmly in Hillary Clinton's camp.
That leaves women - and he will try to reach them, although we don't yet know whether he can overcome his popularity deficit with women voters.
But, curiously perhaps, the easiest place for Donald Trump to rack up a few more votes is in white, working-class communities where people who once voted Democrat like the sound of the New York billionaire.
We went to Revere, Massachusetts, to meet some of them. | If Donald Trump wants to win the White House in November he will have to find support in communities he hasn't done very well with so far. | 36318958 |
The rally, organised by feminist groups, was attended by representatives of all the main political parties.
Activists dressed in black lay on the ground to remember hundreds of women murdered over the years in what they described as "sexist terrorism".
They said laws against domestic abuse should be extended to include all violence against women.
One estimate put the number of those who took part in Saturday's march at more than 20,000, the BBC's Tom Burridge in Madrid reports.
Trade unions and non-governmental organisations from across Spain also joined the event. Some participants reportedly flew in from the Balearic and Canary islands.
"I think it's important that people like me demonstrate today, because I'm an example of a woman who's been able to get out of domestic violence," participant Olga Aranza was quoted as saying by the Associated Press television.
"And that means that all abused women can also get out violence and that they deserve a better life. You really can get out," she added.
A survey carried out by the European Union last year estimated that 13 million woman in Europe experienced physical violence in 2013.
But statistics and surveys suggest the problem is less prevalent in Spain than other European countries, our correspondent says.
But he adds that violence against women is high in the public's conscience in Spain, and the rally has succeeded in reasserting the issue on the political agenda - only six week's before an unpredictable general election. | Tens of thousands of people have marched in the Spanish capital Madrid to condemn violence against women. | 34756378 |
The Wildlife Trust said despite puffins being at risk of extinction in the UK, Skomer was still the best place to see them in southern Britain.
It added this was due to monitoring of numbers and breeding success.
Its puffin monitoring this year counted more than 21,000 on Skomer - up 3,000 from last year.
"The only impact we have seen locally that may be attributable to climate change is the effect of heavy storm events causing increased mortality, events such as these may be increasing in frequency," a spokesman said. | Pembrokeshire's Skomer Island has not seen the same decline in puffin numbers as elsewhere in the UK and northern Europe, a wildlife charity has said. | 34669480 |
Konta had hoped to become the first British woman to play in a Wimbledon singles final since 1977.
But Williams couldn't be beaten. The American won 6-4 6-2 on Centre Court and will now face Spain's Garbine Muguruza.
Williams is the oldest Grand Slam singles finalist since Martina Navratilova finished runner-up at Wimbledon in 1994. | Johanna Konta's dream of a playing in a Wimbledon final ended as she was beaten in straight sets by five-time champion Venus Williams in the semi-final. | 40600792 |
Shula Coward was in the foyer after the Ariana Grande concert when Salman Abedi detonated the bomb which killed 22 people on 22 May.
She said she instinctively grabbed her 11-year-old daughter Acacia and her friend and they ran.
"There was a bang, then firecracker noises, lights flashing and smoke... and it went very quiet," she added.
Ms Coward said her daughter's friend was crying so she took her hand and they ran for the exit.
She told BBC Radio Manchester: "We stopped for a spilt second when it was quiet. I remember looking up at the ceiling and you could see like all black pieces coming down.
"I realised straight away. I saw my daughter being lifted up the air and land on the floor.
"I reached forward and dragged her up off the floor. I didn't even look to see if she was injured.
"As we reached the exit door I could see my daughter was slowing up and she said 'I can't run anymore, my leg is really hurting'.
"I realised then she had been injured."
Ms Coward said it was like being in a "war zone" with people being stretchered out and others frantically searching for their loved ones.
The bolt from the bomb imbedded in her daughter Acacia's knee but the force of the blast pushed it two inches down into her leg, damaging an artery.
Acacia is now recovering at home and the netball fan was cheered up by a surprise visit from some of the members of her favourite team Manchester Thunder. | A woman who was caught up in the Manchester Arena attack says she felt like she was in a "war zone". | 40091531 |
Ethem Orhon, 67, is accused of attacking the women in a Sainsbury's car park in Hampton, London, on 20 May,
Kingston Crown Court heard he had been arrested for possession of a knife on 19 May and was bailed two hours before the alleged assaults.
Mr Orhon, of Hampton, denies two counts of attempted murder.
He has also pleaded not guilty to two counts of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
The prosecution says Suzanna Brand, 53, Janet Morsy, 63, Jean Sullivan, 68, and Charandasi Chandiramani, 71, were entirely innocent and selected at random in the car park in south-west London.
The court heard they had suffered appalling injuries after Mr Orhon attacked them with a Leatherman knife, which was shown to the jury.
Ms Brand was stabbed 12 times, including in her back and side that led to two collapsed lungs and laceration to her liver.
Ms Morsy was heard pleading "please don't" shortly before Mr Orhon stabbed her three times. She lost a litre of blood in the attack.
The jury heard that Mr Orhon did not say a word during the attacks, but was eventually stopped by police officers who had to draw their Tasers before he surrendered.
The prosecution said Mr Orhon felt he had been mistreated by the police and that this was his motive for the attacks.
It said the trial would hear of the "true bravery" of members of the public who tried to help, including two school children who may have prevented further attacks by distracting him and calling the police.
The trial continues. | A man attacked four women at random in a "stabbing spree" after what he believed was mistreatment by the police, a court has heard. | 37824651 |
Referee Nicola Rizzoli took no action over the challenge by PSV Eindoven's Hector Moreno on Shaw, 20, last month.
"We certainly reminded our referees to be very, very careful with this matter," Collina said.
"Nobody reacted because what was perceived, even by players on the field of play, was the ball was played."
Italian Collina, widely regarded as football's top official before retiring in 2005, added: "This is the thought of many: if the ball is played, it is not even a foul.
"We need to make people aware that if you want to protect the safety of the player, even challenges on the ball but risky in terms of endangering safety of an opponent can be punished, should be punished."
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Once play got back under way, Moreno went on to score as PSV came from behind to beat Manchester United 2-1 in the Champions League Group B encounter.
The Mexico defender later apologised after Shaw suffered a broken tibia and fibula which has left him a doubt for Euro 2016, which starts in June.
When Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey suffered a similar injury against Stoke in 2010, he was ruled out for nine months.
Collina added players also had a responsibility to "be careful" when making challenges.
"We would like to convince them that getting the football is not everything," he said.
"If a player hits the ball and then endangers the opponent, he is convinced that the job was done correctly." | The tackle which broke Manchester United left-back Luke Shaw's leg should have been punished, believes Uefa referees' chief Pierluigi Collina. | 34479812 |
The sale has beaten the previous record for work sold at auction by the artist which was almost £1.4m.
The work entitled Curved Form (Bryher II) set a new world record price for a work by the artist, said auction house Christie's.
The piece is part of the Single Form series, which Barbara Hepworth worked on throughout her career.
The work which was signed, dated and numbered 'Barbara Hepworth 1961 1/7' was created at her studio in St Ives, Cornwall.
It had been estimated to sell for between £1m- £1.5m.
The sculpture had come from the collection of the late Leopold de Rothschild who acquired it in 1965 from Gimpel Fils, London.
The second secretary general of the United Nations, Dag Hammarskjöld, who died in 1961 had been a great admirer of the sculptor's work.
He had wanted her produce work for the new United Nations building in New York.
In 1961, when the United Nations commissioned Hepworth to make a sculpture in his memory, she began with Curved Form (Bryher II).
In 1964 she delivered her largest ever sculpture, Single Form, to the United Nations.
Barbara Hepworth moved to St Ives with her husband Ben Nicholson in 1939.
She became a leading light in the town's famous artistic community during its post-war period of international prominence.
Following her death in 1975, her studio was transformed into the Barbara Hepworth Museum. | Work created by famous sculptor Barbara Hepworth more than 50 years ago has sold at auction for £2.4m. | 23266137 |
The 33-year-old sustained the injury in the 42-9 defeat by Montpellier in the European Challenge Cup last weekend.
"Thanks to Mike Hayton for fixing my finger. He did a great job. On to rehab now," the uncapped Englishman tweeted.
Dickson, who moved to the Twickenham Stoop from Bedford Blues in 2009, has scored one try in 11 appearances for Quins this season.
With first-choice scrum-half Danny Care in the England squad for the Six Nations, Tito Tebaldi will make his first Premiership start for Harlequins against Newcastle on Sunday. | Harlequins scrum-half Karl Dickson will be out for up to 10 weeks after having surgery on a hand injury. | 35439221 |
A 27-year-old Polish man was taken to hospital after he was discovered at a property in Boston on Saturday.
The men, aged 25 and 32, of Larkspur Croft, were charged with grievous bodily harm and false imprisonment. The 32-year-old was also charged with possession of a firearm.
They appeared at Lincoln Magistrates' Court on Wednesday and were remanded.
They will next appear at Lincoln Crown Court on 29 June.
Three other arrested men remain on police bail until August.
The injured man is recovering in hospital. | Two men have been charged after a man was found with gunshot wounds in Lincolnshire. | 33180026 |
Care worker Saima Khan, 34, was found with serious injuries in Overstone Road on 23 May and died at the scene.
Police said a woman from Luton was arrested shortly before 09:00 BST and remains in police custody.
Mrs Khan's husband, Hafeez Rehman, said their children had been deprived of their mother and the family's hearts had been "torn apart". | A 26-year-old woman has been arrested on suspicion of murdering a mother-of-four who was killed at her Luton home. | 36417338 |
"I want to qualify at the Europeans next week," Adams told BBC Sport. "To think that I could be European, world and Olympic champion in the same year is absolutely epic.
"It's that little piece of history that is my motivation."
The tournament begins on Saturday, with Great Britain sending 13 athletes.
There are 36 qualification places for the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro available - 30 for men and six for women.
Female boxers who miss out have a second chance to qualify at the World Championships in Astana, Kazakhstan in May.
"I want to do it first time round, I don't want to mess about," Adams added.
Full Great Britain squad for European Olympic qualifier:
Men: Galal Yafai, Muhammad Ali, Qais Ashfaq, Joe Cordina, Pat McCormack, Cyrus Pattinson, Antony Fowler, Joshua Buatsi, Lawrence Okolie, Joe Joyce.
Women: Nicola Adams, Chantelle Cameron, Savannah Marshall. | Nicola Adams says she is aiming for a unique treble of titles ahead of the European Olympic qualifiers in Samsun, Turkey. | 36001152 |
Varela, 24, got the artwork on Monday - before Saturday's German Cup final - and his arm suffered an inflammation.
"The club cannot tolerate that a player would defy instructions," said sporting director Fredi Bobic.
"We'd been thinking about a loan extension. But that won't happen. He'll be suspended with immediate effect."
The Uruguayan, who joined United in 2013, has only made 10 competitive appearances for the Bundesliga side since joining them on a year-long loan last summer.
However, he had featured in the past five league and cup games.
Eintracht play Borussia Dortmund in the DFB-Pokal final at Berlin's Olympiastadion. | Guillermo Varela has been suspended by his loan club Eintracht Frankfurt and told to go back to Manchester United after getting a tattoo against orders. | 40030761 |
The injured bird was found by a member of the public at Monks Pond, between Glasbury and Painscastle in Hay-on-Wye, at about 11:00 GMT on Wednesday.
It was taken to the vets but, due to the extent of its injuries, had to be put down.
Dyfed-Powys Police believe it was shot with a pellet gun. Sgt Craig Morgan said the treatment of the swan was "absolutely appalling".
He added: "Officers in Hay-on-Wye are carrying out enquiries. I would urge any member of our community who knows who is responsible to please come forward." | Police are investigating after a swan was shot 21 times in the head in Powys. | 38188101 |
Petersen, 35, has been with the county for two years and has the option to extend his stay in 2017.
He has scored 1,134 Championship runs this season, second only to 19-year-old Haseeb Hameed.
Ashley Giles' side need 11 points from next week's game against Warwickshire to ensure Division One survival. | Former South Africa batsman Alviro Petersen will miss Lancashire's final Championship game of the season and is returning home for personal reasons. | 37375778 |
The explosion occurred in the early afternoon on a desert road, about 20km (12 miles) from the city of Samarra, security sources told the BBC.
The explosives-filled vehicle was being escorted from the insurgents' compound to a main road when it blew up.
The area around the mainly Sunni city of Samarra, in Salah al-Din province, has long been an insurgent stronghold.
The head of the local Sunni pro-government militia, or Sahwa, told the AFP news agency that the insurgents had been filming a propaganda video of the would-be suicide attacker at the time of Monday's explosion.
Meanwhile, a police officer told the Associated Press that security forces rushed to the area after hearing the sound of the explosion and arrested 12 wounded and another 10 suspected insurgents trying to flee.
In a separate development, the speaker of parliament, Osama al-Nujaifi - Iraq's most senior Sunni Arab politician - survived an assassination attempt in the northern city of Mosul, officials told AFP.
One of Mr Nujaifi's bodyguards was wounded when a roadside bomb exploded beside his convoy, police and medics said.
There has been a surge in sectarian violence across Iraq in the past year, reaching levels not seen since 2007.
The United Nations says at least 618 civilians and 115 members of the security forces were killed in attacks last month.
However, its figures do not include casualties resulting from the continuing fighting in Anbar, where Sunni militants linked to al-Qaeda have taken control of parts of the cities of Falluja and Ramadi. | At least 21 insurgents have been killed in central Iraq after a car bomb was detonated accidentally, officials say. | 26123074 |
The 22-year-old woman was subjected to repeated attacks in locations across Queensland, police say.
The ordeal ended on Sunday when police made a routine stop of a vehicle being driven by the woman, and noticed she had serious facial injuries.
An Australian man was arrested after being discovered in a storage alcove at the back of the vehicle, police said.
Authorities allege the pair met three months ago and agreed to go on a road trip that led to the backpacker being held against her will. Police say she was attacked repeatedly between 2 January and 5 March.
The woman appeared distressed when the vehicle was pulled over on the Warrego Highway at Mitchell, 560km (350 miles) north-west of Brisbane, police said.
She was treated for injuries including facial fractures, bruising and cuts to her body.
The 22-year-old man, from the northern city of Cairns, is facing charges including four counts of rape, eight counts of assault occasioning bodily harm, four counts of strangulation and two counts of deprivation of liberty.
He is also facing charges of causing damage, possessing drugs and drug equipment, and obstructing police.
The man faced the Roma Magistrates Court on Monday and will reappear at a later date.
Police have urged anyone with information to come forward. | A British backpacker was allegedly raped, assaulted and choked during a two-month hostage ordeal in Australia. | 39188092 |
The Aft Island for HMS Prince of Wales left BAE Systems' shipyard in Glasgow for the Fife base earlier this month, 10 weeks ahead of schedule.
The section was then taken 1,335 miles around the south of England and up the east of Scotland on a barge to Rosyth.
The ship will now be assembled at the Babcock Rosyth facilities.
HMS Prince of Wales is the second of the new Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers to be built for the UK after the 65,000-tonne HMS Queen Elizabeth.
They are the largest British warships ever constructed and can be used for a range of military activity from war fighting to providing humanitarian aid and disaster relief.
The ships have been constructed in blocks at yards across the UK and are being put together at Rosyth.
They are said to be the first aircraft carriers in the world to use an innovative twin-island design.
The Aft Island is responsible for the ship's mission systems and acts as an aircraft control tower.
The Aircraft Carrier Alliance welcomed the final section of the carrier to the Babcock Rosyth facilities on Sunday morning. | The final 750-tonne section of the Royal Navy's second flagship aircraft carrier has arrived at Rosyth after a journey of more than 1,300 miles. | 35145267 |
Twelve fire crews were sent to Cecil Jones Academy in Southend after the blaze broke out at 16:30 BST.
Essex Fire and Rescue Service said the fire had spread from the roof of the two-storey building to a classroom below.
Divisional officer Neil Fenwick said crews were initially hampered by a failure in the water supply.
He said: "Unfortunately the fire had developed quite quickly to the point where the fire was dropping down to the first floor.
"The water supply failed twice which meant we had to withdraw staff from the building who were attacking the fire internally.
"Once we secured water from the local swimming pool next door and an additional water resource we had to increase our attendance."
It is not yet known how the fire started and an investigation is set to take place.
Mr Fenwick said crews would remain overnight to dampen down and to salvage equipment and ensure the school could "be up and running as soon as possible". | Firefighters had to use water from a nearby swimming pool to bring a blaze at a school in Essex under control. | 37170763 |
A selection of photos from across the African continent this week: | Photos courtesy of AFP and Reuters. | 36675775 |
Exeter had the better chances in a poor first half, with Lee Holmes twice having curling shots saved by Morecambe goalkeeper Barry Roche.
Morecambe led late on when Kevin Ellison fired in past Bobby Olejnik from 10 yards.
With full-time approaching, Adam Dugdale handled in the box and Jayden Stockley sent Roche the wrong way from the spot to equalise for Exeter. | Exeter snatched a point after late drama in their game against Morecambe. | 36118468 |
The law allows the authorities to prosecute foreign non-governmental organisations (NGOs) or firms designated as "undesirable" on national security grounds.
Individuals working for NGOs could face fines or up to six years in prison.
Critics say it is a Kremlin move aimed at stifling dissent.
The definition of "undesirable" is open to interpretation, but the Interfax news agency said it would apply to organisations deemed to pose a threat to the "foundations of Russia's constitutional order, defensive capacity and security".
NGOs linked to politics in Russia already face restrictions under a 2012 law requiring them to register as "foreign agents".
Supporters of the new bill say it is essential to prevent Russia from outside interference, amid ongoing tensions due to Russia's involvement in Ukraine.
But there was concern from Western governments and NGOs about the implications.
The US state department said it was "deeply troubled" by the law.
"We are concerned this new power will further restrict the work of civil society in Russia and is a further example of the Russian government's growing crackdown on independent voices and intentional steps to isolate the Russian people from the world," spokeswoman Marie Harf said in a statement.
Britain's Minister for Europe, David Lidington, said it was "yet another example of the Russian authorities' harassment of NGOs and those who work with them in Russia".
Amnesty International said the bill would "squeeze the life" from civil society, while Human Rights Watch (HRW) warned it would be locals who would be worst-hit.
"We are often asked - is this draft law aimed against international rights groups like yours?" said Hugh Williamson, HRW's Europe and Central Asia Director.
"But in fact, there is little doubt that its primary targets are Russian activists and Russian independent organisations." | The Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a bill which allows foreign organisations to be banned from operating in the country. | 32860526 |
Germany has 250 soldiers and several planes at the base in southern Turkey, from where they carry out operations against so-called Islamic State (IS).
But ties between Berlin and Ankara have been strained by a German parliamentary vote to label as genocide the 1915 killing of Armenians by Ottoman Turks.
Turkey has not commented on why it has not approved the German plans.
The visit had been expected to take place in July.
"The Turkish authorities at the moment are not approving the travel plans," a German defence ministry spokesman said.
"There is no written statement on the reason." He added that the delegation, headed by deputy defence minister Ralf Brauksiepe and including other members of parliament, still hoped the trip could go ahead.
Last week, Germany's defence ministry said it was finalising an agreement with Turkey on building new housing and aircraft facilities for the German troops at Incirlik.
The latest sign of troubled relations between the two Nato allies comes three weeks after the German parliament's declaration about genocide.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan denounced the vote, recalled his ambassador from Berlin and said he was considering further action in response. | Turkey is blocking plans by a senior German delegation to visit the Incirlik air base, German officials have said. | 36599454 |
Inu has scored two tries in nine games this term for Catalans, who are second in the Super League table.
The 29-year-old joined the club from French rugby union side Stade Francais in June 2015.
"He is a strong player mentally and will come back stronger," head coach Laurent Frayssinous said. | Catalans Dragons centre Krisnan Inu will miss the rest of the season after rupturing ligaments in his knee in Saturday's 42-32 win over Salford. | 36143706 |
Police received a report of a black Citroen C4 Picasso on fire at Towerview Crescent at 22:30 GMT on Monday.
The vehicle's window was smashed and a petrol bomb was thrown inside. Two masked men were seen in the area at the time.
Police say they are treating the incident as a hate crime.
Sinn Féin's leader in the north Michelle O'Neill has condemned the attack.
"This is an attack on the democratic process but it will not deter the local candidate or anyone else in Sinn Féin," she said.
"There are clearly those who are intent on turning this into a brutal campaign and sectarianising the election."
North Down DUP Assembly Candidates Alex Easton and Gordon Dunne condemned the attack.
"There is no place for this type of activity and such an attack is undermining the democratic system," they said.
"Any attack on a property or on an individual is wrong, regardless of who owns the property." | A Sinn Féin election agent's car has been set on fire during a petrol bomb attack in Bangor, County Down. | 39037640 |
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31 March 2014 Last updated at 19:32 BST
Louise Brookes' brother, Andrew, was among the 96 Liverpool fans who died in the tragedy in 1989. He was 26.
Ms Brookes, from Bromsgrove, has been campaigning for 25 years.
She said she will continue to fight until she discovers the truth of what happened to her brother. | As fresh inquests into the Hillsborough disaster get under way, the sister of one Midlands victim says she is hopeful the truth of what happened will finally be uncovered. | 26819520 |
The number claiming jobless-related benefits in Northern Ireland in November fell by 800 to 31,900.
Northern Ireland's unemployment rate is down slightly (6.1%), but remains above the UK average (5.2%).
However, the production output of Northern Ireland companies has decreased again.
The index of production - which mostly measures the performance of the manufacturing sector - fell by 2.1% in the three months to September.
It is the second consecutive quarter of decline, while the UK as a whole is showing slight growth.
But the Enterprise, Trade and Investment minister Jonathan Bell pointed out there is still improvement compared to a year ago.
"The economic output figures suggest growth over the year and it is important we continue to build on recent progress in the labour market," he said.
Mr Bell welcomed the fall in the unemployment figures.
"At 6.1%, the Northern Ireland unemployment rate continues to compare very favourably to the rates for the European Union (9.3%) and the Republic of Ireland (9.4%)," he added. | Unemployment in Northern Ireland continues to fall, but other data on the economy is not so positive. | 35109880 |
It followed the discovery of a suspicious object in Manor Close in the early hours of Saturday morning.
Army bomb experts examined the object and said it was a "viable device".
Police did not give any more details on what was found but said it had been taken away for further examination.
Sinn Féin councillor Mary Doyle said it was her understanding that it was a pipe bomb.
"Apart from the danger of this device exploding and causing death or serious injury we have seen disruption to local residents on one of the coldest nights of the year," she said.
"People, including children and elderly were distressed at the disruption caused by this device.
"The people behind it have been rejected by the local community and need to desist from these activities immediately." | A number of residents who were forced to leave their homes because of a security alert in north Belfast have been allowed to return. | 35082649 |
James McLelland, 67, of Eyemouth, allowed his pet to be covered in fleas, skin conditions, sores and suffer a loss of hair over a six-month period.
The Scottish SPCA was alerted by someone who spotted terrier Trixie constantly scratching itself.
As well as the five-year ban, McLelland was also fined £300.
At Jedburgh Sheriff Court, he admitted a charge of causing the dog unnecessary suffering between February and August.
Scottish SPCA Insp Stephanie McCrossan said the dog had been in a lot of pain due to a long-standing and untreated skin condition and was also suffering from hair loss due to fleas.
"We would expect any animal owner to have sought immediate veterinary treatment for a condition that could have been easily prevented," she said.
"We welcome the fact that McLelland has been dealt with by the court and the sentence handed down. We hope he will give serious consideration about his suitability to care for other animals in the future.
"Trixie has now received the proper medication and treatment and has made a full recovery. She will be joining her new family this weekend." | A pensioner has been banned from keeping animals for five years after "one of the worst cases" of dog neglect witnessed by inspectors. | 38169614 |
The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) said "extensive" checks took place throughout the race's 21 stages.
In January, the UCI began using a new system to scan for hidden motors.
More than 10,000 bikes have since been tested, with Belgian Femke van den Driessche the only cyclist found guilty. She was banned for six years.
The UCI found the 19-year-old's spare bike at January's Cyclo-cross World Championships contained a motor.
Van den Driessche was fined 20,000 Swiss francs (£14,000) and ordered to pay legal costs.
UCI president Brian Cookson said the 3,773 tests undertaken at the Tour de France showed an "absolute commitment to leave no stone unturned".
He added: "We will continue to test bikes heavily throughout the rest of the season, and do everything in our power to make sure this form of cheating stays out of our sport."
Media playback is not supported on this device | Cycling's governing body carried out more than 3,750 tests for "technological fraud" during the Tour de France - all of which found nothing. | 36909177 |
Ecclestone had wanted double points at the final three races of the season but the teams, who he called "bloody idiots", did not go for the plan.
"I'm not going to propose the three races again," he told the Independent.
"I'm going to let them get on with it. I don't know what we're going to do next year."
Briton Lewis Hamilton leads the drivers' standings by 17 points from Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg going into the last race of the campaign in Abu Dhabi on 23 November.
If Rosberg wins, Hamilton will need to finish second to take the title. Under the old system, sixth would have been enough.
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff said: "It would put a big shadow over the championship if it was turned by a technical issue."
However, Ecclestone accused the teams of thinking about the "short term" in not agreeing to his original plan of double points for three races.
"One race is stupid but imagine if it was the last three races," he said. "It means that somebody would have to have a 150-point advantage minimum to be sure they will win.
"The teams have not accepted it because they are bloody idiots. They are all mechanics. They think of their team in the short term." | F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone doubts if the "stupid" scenario of double points being awarded at the final race of the season will continue next year. | 30066873 |
The two sides had sparred for the whole match until the defender advanced to bring Stones manager Jay Saunders a gleeful moment in his 300th match in charge.
In a fascinating tussle, Ben Greenhalgh nearly scored an outrageous second-minute opener for the visitors when he bent in a cross that hit the upright.
And Tom Murphy fired a shot over as the away side threatened.
But Kenny Davis could have made it a very different day for the Wood when he nodded an effort against the crossbar.
Report supplied by the Press Association.
Match ends, Boreham Wood 0, Maidstone United 1.
Second Half ends, Boreham Wood 0, Maidstone United 1.
Goal! Boreham Wood 0, Maidstone United 1. Kevin Lokko (Maidstone United).
Dumebi Dumaka (Maidstone United) is shown the yellow card.
Substitution, Boreham Wood. Morgan Ferrier replaces Angelo Balanta.
Substitution, Maidstone United. Dan Sweeney replaces Jack Evans.
Substitution, Maidstone United. Dumebi Dumaka replaces Ben Greenhalgh.
Substitution, Maidstone United. Bobby-Joe Taylor replaces Anthony Acheampong.
Ben Greenhalgh (Maidstone United) is shown the yellow card.
Second Half begins Boreham Wood 0, Maidstone United 0.
First Half ends, Boreham Wood 0, Maidstone United 0.
Substitution, Boreham Wood. Conor Clifford replaces Jordan Chiedozie.
First Half begins.
Lineups are announced and players are warming up. | Kevin Lokko consigned Boreham Wood to a painful home defeat with a stoppage-time winner for Maidstone at Meadow Park. | 37151415 |
Cpl Liam Riley was killed in Helmand Province attempting to rescue his friend L/Cpl Graham Shaw following an explosion in February 2010.
The steel statue has been installed next to a bench in his home village of Killamarsh.
His mother, Cheryl Routledge, said she was delighted with how the statue looked.
She said: "We're so chuffed with it. I'll be able to drive home from work and he's going to be standing there at the at the side of the road welcoming me home."
Cpl Riley, 21, and L/Cpl Shaw, 27, from Huddersfield, were on patrol with 3rd Battalion, The Yorkshire Regiment, when they stood on improvised explosive devices.
Prince Harry, who trained alongside him in Canada, described him as "a legend" after learning of his death.
His statue, which sits alongside the Trans Pennine Trail on Forge Lane, forms part of a national public art installation by cycling charity Sustrans, funded by the Big Lottery Fund.
It will stand between statues of Sheffield boxer Clinton Woods and Rotherham-born Colin Savage who has campaigned to make the countryside more accessible.
Sustrans has already organised similar installations along public paths in Hastings, Northampton and Port Talbot. | A statue has been unveiled in honour of a Derbyshire soldier who died trying to save a colleague in Afghanistan. | 17365280 |
Anya believes Scotland came out of the Euro qualifiers with credit, though finished fourth behind Germany, Poland and the Republic of Ireland in Group D.
"I think you have to be positive about anything you do," said the 28-year-old.
"We have got a good average age for the group, we've got our experience and we've got our youth."
Scotland will face England, Slovakia, Slovenia, Lithuania and Malta in Group F qualifying for the World Cup finals in Russia. They kick off their campaign with a match away to Malta on 4 September.
"I think it is vitally important that we go in there and believe that we can qualify," said the Watford winger.
"Before this recent campaign I don't really think people believed in us as much as we believed in ourselves.
"We came out of it with a bit of credit for the previous campaign and generally the thought is we can qualify for 2018."
Scotland are in friendly action this week, first away to Czech Republic on Thursday before a home game against Denmark at Hampden on Tuesday. | Ikechi Anya says performances in the Euro 2016 campaign mean expectations are now higher as Scotland prepare for the 2018 World Cup qualifiers. | 35869534 |
John Bainbridge, 54, was arrested by Nottinghamshire Police officers on Saturday.
The offence is alleged to have taken place in Vernon Road, Basford, in May 1986.
Mr Bainbridge, of Beckett Street, Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire, is accused of one count of rape and is due before Nottingham Magistrates' Court on Monday. | A man has been charged with the rape of a woman in Nottingham 30 years ago. | 36570364 |
James Rushe, 55, of Moore, Cheshire, and Mark Fishwick, 47, of Penwortham, Preston, were both sentenced to six years at Liverpool Crown Court for conspiracy to supply a controlled drug.
Rushe is a former director of Northwich Victoria Football Club and Fishwick owns Penwortham MOT Centre.
Police said 14 others involved in the drugs plot had been jailed previously.
They were investigated by the North West regional organised crime unit, Titan, during a 12-month operation that led to the seizure of highly pure class A and B drugs.
Fishwick was arrested at his home in June 2015 on suspicion of conspiracy to supply cocaine.
Rushe was arrested in August after text messages were discovered between the pair discussing large cash payments.
Det Supt Jason Hudson, of Titan, said: "James Rushe and Mark Fishwick are common criminals who thought that by being businessmen they could get away with being involved in large-scale drug dealing. They were wrong." | Two men who were involved in a conspiracy to supply drugs worth £5m have been jailed. | 36743563 |
The blaze started in the roof of Wythenshawe Hall at about 03:30 GMT, Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) said.
More than 50 firefighters tackled the "serious blaze" at the Tudor hall.
Five fire engines are still at the scene as an investigation is under way into the cause.
The timber-framed hall was built in 1540 and was home to the Tatton family for about 400 years.
Warren Pickstone, from GMFRS, said: "We are doing everything we can to save as much of this building as we can.
"The fire is in the roof and is difficult to access but we have specialist resources at the scene and we are doing our best."
He said the historic clock tower was also on fire, adding: "So far we believe we have lost the roof and the first floor."
The hall was donated to local people in 1926 and was previously run as a museum and art gallery.
Source: Friends of Wythenshawe Hall | Fire has badly damaged a 16th Century hall in Manchester destroying the roof and causing extensive damage to an upper floor. | 35809417 |
The 71-year-old from Kent, who also created album covers for Asia and Uriah Heep, is the subject of an exhibition at the Manx Museum in Douglas.
Dean said he liked the juxtaposition between post being delivered and his "inaccessible" worlds.
Isle of Man Post said he had "inspired generations to become artists".
The Islands and Bridges collection includes a painting inspired by the Isle of Man, titled Meeting Place, which has been produced exclusively for the stamp issue.
The other images are taken from Uriah Heep, Blind Owl and Yes albums, including an image from 1973's Tales of Topographic Oceans.
The artist, who has sold more than 60 million copies of his images worldwide, said his paintings were "landscapes that are mostly inaccessible".
"Stamps are the means of paying for the passage of messages from place to place; I love the purposefulness of that," he said.
He added that in creating Meeting Place, he had been inspired by the "unique history and landscape" of the Isle of Man, which he said was "a gem".
"It is an island between two countries both with an ancient history, but the Isle of Man has retained its own identity, myths and history.
"It is a small island, but within its shores are varied landscapes of great beauty."
Former Yes keyboard player Rick Wakeman said Dean was a "very special artist", adding that there was "always something new to discover in his work". | The "other-worldly scenes" of artist Roger Dean, best known for his work with the rock band Yes, have been used for stamps on the Isle of Man. | 37173355 |
The opposition has been calling for his resignation over allegations that his wife owned an offshore company in Panama.
Mr Muscat and his wife, Michelle, deny the claims. A magisterial inquiry is under way.
He said "truth is on my side" but that he wanted to protect Malta from uncertainty.
The current scandal erupted earlier this month when the blogger Daphne Caruna Galizia made the claims, which she based on documents from the so-called Panama Papers, a leak of millions of files from the offshore law firm Mossack Fonseca.
Panama Papers: What happened next?
Panama Papers: What is the scandal about?
How assets are hidden and taxes dodged
"Everybody knows about the attacks made in the past few days on me and my family. I have nothing to fear because truth is on my side and I am clean," Mr Muscat said on Monday.
"My duty, however, is not just to protect myself but also to safeguard my country... We cannot allow uncertainty to slow the rhythm of Malta's economic miracle," he said.
The country is enjoying record low unemployment and economic growth of more than 3.5 percent.
But anti-corruption protesters took to the streets against Mr Muscat's government last week.
Opposition leader Simon Busuttil said on Monday that Mr Muscat was "the dirty past of four corrupt years," local media reported.
The Panama Papers last year revealed that both Malta's energy minister and the government's chief of staff had opened offshore companies in Panama.
Malta currently holds the rotating presidency of the European Union. | Malta's Prime Minister Joseph Muscat has called a snap general election for 3 June, a year before his term ends. | 39771645 |
Jeremy Swift, who played butler Septimus Spratt, told ITV's Lorraine that the cast had been sent a script - but that it had since "disappeared".
He went on: "It's supposed to be happening - filming - this year, but it hasn't been locked down yet."
The period TV drama, which was a hit around the world, ended at Christmas 2015 after six series.
There has been much speculation about a movie version.
Swift said: "There is a film script which we've all been sent but it disappeared in a Mission Impossible-stylee from our emails. With a little puff."
He said "logistics" were causing a problem with filming and that Downton's success had meant that some cast members had "flown off into the world" to work on other projects.
"It's just getting everybody in that same space and time," he added. "I think there is a huge appetite for it."
Carnival Films, which produces the drama, has already confirmed that a script for a potential movie is in development.
It told the BBC on Monday: "There are still no firm plans about when a film might go into production. When the future plans are certain we will of course make an announcement at the relevant time."
In April 2016, Downton creator Julian Fellowes said he was already thinking about a plot for a film adaptation to avoid being "caught on the hop" if it was given the go-ahead.
Downton Abbey received a special Bafta tribute in 2015. It is the most nominated non-US show in the history of the Emmy Awards and was shown in more than 250 territories worldwide.
Follow us on Facebook, on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, or on Instagram at bbcnewsents. If you have a story suggestion email [email protected]. | A big screen version of Downton Abbey could be filmed this year, one of its cast members has said. | 39326666 |
Henry Peverill, 72, had his lifelong collection taken during a burglary at his Banbury home in March 2014.
The watches surfaced in August when a man tried to sell them to a Cash Converters shop in Coventry.
Police seized the timepieces and later arrested and charged a 28-year-old man with handling stolen goods.
Officers were able to trace the watches back to Mr Peverill after a faint "OX" postcode was revealed on one of the watches using ultra-violet equipment.
Scott Sheldon, a builder from Whoberley, Coventry, was given a 16-week prison sentence suspended for 12 months after he pleaded guilty to handling stolen goods at Coventry Magistrates' Court. | An Oxfordshire man has been reunited with his stolen collection of over 100 pocket watches after they turned up in a pawnbrokers in the West Midlands. | 33901790 |
Ebanks-Landell, 23, who came off after just 19 minutes against Boro, could be out for up to 12 weeks after surgery.
"He's fractured a metatarsal. That's effectively his season finished," head coach Kenny Jackett told BBC WM.
"I feel for him as he's been looking for that breakthrough. And he's picked it up at just the wrong time."
Jackett added: "This is his longest run in the team. It's come when he was looking to push on, build on what he's done and get the experience he needs to progress."
Injury-hit Wolves are still without Mike Williamson, but they do have fellow defender Kortney Hause available as a ready-made replacement.
Media playback is not supported on this device
"Mike Williamson won't be back for these next two games, against Bristol City and Birmingham City on Sunday," said Jackett. "But Kortney came on as a sub on the left side the other night. And that's his natural position.
"He's used to Danny Batth as they played together earlier in the season. He's had a game and a half back and is ready to step in. "
Ebanks-Landell's broken fifth metatarsal is the latest long-term addition to the club's injury list, Wolves having also lost Nouha Dicko (knee), Razak Boukari (knee), Dave Edwards (metatarsal) and Jordan Graham (knee), as well as James Henry (hamstring) and Mike Williamson (hip) with muscle injuries.
However, Poland international forward Michal Zyro is expected to be available for selection, probably on the bench, to face Bristol City on Tuesday night, a little ahead of schedule after six weeks out following a calf problem.
"Michal Zyro we'd expect to be available for selection," said Jackett.
Kenny Jackett was talking to BBC WM's Rob Gurney. | Wolves defender Ethan Ebanks-Landell will be out for the rest of the season after breaking a bone in his foot in Friday's defeat by Middlesbrough. | 35744881 |
Noye, 69, was convicted of murdering 21-year Stephen Cameron in an attack on the M25 in Kent in 1996.
Afterwards Noye went on the run and was arrested in Spain two years later.
In September 2015 the parole board refused to order his release but recommended he be transferred to an open prison, which was rejected by the then Justice Secretary Michael Gove.
Noye had argued Mr Gove's decision was "unlawful and irrational".
The challenge had been contested by the current Justice Secretary Liz Truss who said there was "nothing irrational" about Mr Gove's decision.
Mr Justice Lavender over-ruled the former justice secretary saying: "It will be for the current Secretary of State to take a fresh decision whether or not to transfer the claimant to an open prison." | Road rage killer Kenneth Noye has won a High Court battle to be moved to an open prison. | 39076542 |
Media playback is not supported on this device
The special test is an event in its own right but also a qualifier for the showpiece freestyle test, set to music.
Dujardin scored 86.120%, well clear of Germany's Helen Langehanenberg who recorded 84.468% for second.
"It was a great ride. I had no team members to worry about, I thought I'd just go for everything," said Dujardin.
Dujardin and Valegro had already been instrumental in securing Britain team silver in Normandy on Tuesday, which also guarantees Britain's place at the Rio 2016 Olympics.
Their score in Wednesday's special was the highest ever achieved by a horse and rider in that event at a World Equestrian Games - despite a bowel movement from Valegro mid-routine.
"I made three expensive mistakes - he needed to go to the toilet at the wrong time," admitted Dujardin, 29.
"That does happen but it's a bit easier if you're cantering or doing something else, not walking and trying to go into piaffe. That's not the easiest move - it was just unfortunate.
"The crowd were very hard to deal with. All I could hear were gasps, whether I did a good thing or a bad thing. I could hear the crowd the whole time in my head and it was very hard to concentrate."
Fellow British rider Carl Hester and Nip Tuck, an inexperienced horse making large strides in terms of performance, will join Dujardin in Friday's freestyle having finished 12th, as will Michael Eilberg and Half Moon Delphi in 13th.
"I love the freestyle and absolutely love my new music. I'm hoping I can pull it off here," Dujardin told BBC Sport. | Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro won the dressage Grand Prix Special at the World Equestrian Games, setting up a bid for freestyle gold on Friday. | 28956323 |
Finn McManus was presented with custom-made boxing gloves during RTÉ's The Late Late Show on Friday night.
The Dublin boy had written to the 24-year-old after he controversially lost a quarter-final bantamweight bout against Russia's Vladimir Nikitin.
As well as words of comfort, Finn also offered Conlan his school medal.
The message was sent direct to Conlan via Facebook and then shared widely when it was posted on Twitter by Finn's uncle.
At the time, Conlan responded on Twitter, describing it as a "very warming message" and promising a gift for his young fan.
The London 2012 bronze medallist and reigning world champion certainly came good on his promise and gave Finn boxing gloves bearing both their names.
After watching Conlon's defeat in Rio, Finn asked his mother if he could donate his medal to him, and got his big sister, nine-year-old Lily, to write the letter on his behalf.
Their mother then sent a photo of Finn's medal and Lily's handwritten letter by private message to Conlan on Facebook.
However, she said a "social media storm" began after her brother shared her message on Twitter.
Conlan made headlines himself at Rio 2016 after his expletive-ridden tirade against the judges who gave decided against him at the Olympics.
His controversial defeat completed a disappointing Games for Ireland's eight-strong boxing team.
The fighter was expected to turn professional after Rio and he confirmed this to Late Show host Ryan Tubridy. He said he was currently in negotiations with promoters. | The five-year-old fan whose letter to Michael Conlan went viral during the Rio Olympics has been given his own prize by the Belfast boxer. | 37267180 |
A total of 15.9 million people saw Candice Brown win the contest on BBC One in October - 850,000 more than saw Nadiya Hussain win last year's final.
It is the highest audience since the London 2012 Olympics and Euro 2012.
If sporting events are excluded, it is the highest since 17.7 million watched Matt Cardle win The X Factor in 2010.
This year's Bake Off was the last full series to be on the BBC, although the corporation will screen two Christmas specials before the show moves to Channel 4.
The figures highlight why Channel 4 has paid a reported £25m per year for the rights.
The channel has not broken the 10 million mark since 2002 and the most-watched programme on Channel 4 so far this year is an episode of Gogglebox, which pulled in 5.8 million viewers in February.
But Channel 4 will need to win over Bake Off fans after hosts Sue Perkins and Mel Giedroyc left and one of the judges, Mary Berry, also decided to stay with the BBC.
Her judging partner Paul Hollywood will move with Bake Off to Channel 4. Programme makers Love Productions are yet to reveal who else will front the show.
Brown, 31, beat fellow finalists Andrew Smyth and Jane Beedle to be crowned winner of the seventh series of the amateur baking contest.
Source: Press Association/Barb
Follow us on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, on Instagram at bbcnewsents, or if you have a story suggestion email [email protected]. | The final of this year's Great British Bake Off was the most watched TV programme in the UK since 2012, confirmed ratings figures show. | 37897727 |
The leader of the Hobos, Gregory "Bowlegs" Chester and alleged hitman Paris Poe were among those found guilty of racketeering conspiracy.
Prosecutors alleged the conspiracy involved nine murders in a decade punctuated by ruthless violence.
The verdict comes amid continuing concern at Chicago's murder rate.
Officials say 762 people were killed in Chicago last year, far more than any other US city, with much of the violence attributed to gangs.
Among the most vicious killings was that of government informant Keith Daniels, who was shot dead in front of his step-children and fiancee three years ago.
The court heard how Poe, wearing a mask and dress in black, shot Daniels more than dozen times outside his apartment.
Poe was also alleged to have robbed NBA player Bobby Simmons at gunpoint outside a nightclub, making off with a $200,000 (£162,000) diamond and gold necklace.
Prosecutors described how the gang gloried in extreme violence on Chicago's South Side, including the use of a hot iron to torture robbery victims.
All six will be sentenced later this year and face possible life sentences. | Six senior members of a notorious Chicago gang accused of murder, robbery and drug dealing have been convicted by a US federal jury. | 38513728 |
Konta, 25, lost 6-4 6-3 to Slovakian qualifier and world number 121 Kristina Kucova on Friday in Montreal, Canada.
A win for Konta, ranked 147th last June, would have made her the first British woman since Jo Durie in September 1984 to make the WTA top 10.
Kucova, 26, will play American 10th seed Madison Keys in the semi-final.
Romanian Simona Halep and Australian Open champion Angelique Kerber of Germany will meet in the other semi-final.
The surprise defeat for Konta comes a week after she claimed her first WTA Tour title in California, and in a year that has seen her reach a Grand Slam semi-final in Australia.
She had won seven matches in a row before meeting Kucova, having gone on a 16-match winning streak during the North American hard-court season in 2015.
Kucova said: "I cannot believe it - I'm so happy. There is no secret to my success. I feel so good here. I get so much energy from the crowd." | Johanna Konta missed a chance to become the first British woman to break into the world's top 10 for 32 years with a Rogers Cup quarter-final defeat. | 36929254 |
The patent, belonging to a firm called eDekka, related to "methods of storing information" which included the use of labels - but the judge said this could apply to routine activities.
The US patent system allows companies to acquire the rights to inventions and demand money for their use, without making products of their own.
Critics call it "patent trolling".
However, in the case of eDekka against online retailer 3balls.com judge Rodney Gilstrap ruled that "the claimed idea represents routine tasks that could be performed by a human" and was therefore not worth protection by patent law.
The District of East Texas has traditionally been favourable towards patent claimants, in part because of its rules on swift litigation processes, which can put pressure on defendants to settle disputes quickly, according to the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF).
However, Judge Gilstrap's ruling on the 3balls case last month also included all other defendants facing similar legal action from the firm regarding the same patent.
"US judges, even in the notoriously troll-friendly Eastern District of Texas, increasingly invalidate patents for claiming monopolies on abstract ideas," patent expert Florian Muller told the BBC.
EDekka, which has no online presence, is one of the most prolific filers of patent lawsuits.
In 2014, it filed more than 100 allegations of patent misuse.
The new ruling means its patent, number 6,266,674 is, in effect, wiped out. | A judge in East Texas has wiped out 168 patent cases relating to a single patent and filed by the same company. | 34423929 |
Several crossings were cancelled on Sunday and Monday after the Ben-my-Chree experienced engine problems.
The Steam Packet Company said it successfully completed its first return crossing to Heysham and four more sailings are scheduled for Tuesday.
The Ben-my-Chree has been part of the company's fleet for 18 years.
A spokesman said the problem had been caused by a "failed cylinder head-securing stud on one of the two main engines". | Sailings between the Isle of Man and Lancashire have resumed after repairs were carried out to a ferry which suffered a mechanical failure. | 39556135 |
Bamber, 54, is serving a whole life term for killing five members of his family in Essex in 1985.
His supporters say documents they believe police withheld under "public interest immunity" should be released.
Essex Police said there had "never been anything to suggest he was wrongly convicted".
Bamber has always denied killing his adoptive parents, his sister and her six-year-old twin sons at a farmhouse in Tolleshunt D'Arcy.
He claims his schizophrenic sister Sheila Caffell shot her family before turning the gun on herself.
Those who believe he is innocent say documents, including handwritten logs, statements, photographs and medical records they claim were withheld under "public interest immunity" principles, should be disclosed.
The principles can be invoked by police when material could be considered capable of undermining the case for the prosecution.
"As 30 years have now elapsed since the tragedy took place, there is no beneficial reason for withholding the documents and photographs by refusing disclosure under public interest immunity or for any other reason," campaigners wrote.
"The public have a right to insist that they are released to his defence counsel forthwith so that a fresh appeal can be lodged on Jeremy's behalf."
An Essex Police spokeswoman said the force had "no comment to make on these claims given that Jeremy Bamber's conviction has been subject to several appeals and reviews by the Criminal Cases Review Commission, and there has never been anything to suggest he was wrongly convicted". | Campaigners fighting for the release of convicted murderer Jeremy Bamber have started a petition asking for documents relating to his case to be released. | 33936959 |
Gillian Miller and Mark Walkingshaw were stunned when son Tom was born on 31 March at Borders General Hospital in Melrose.
That was exactly the same delivery date as his brother Louie, 11, and one-year-old sister Aila.
Now the couple are planning to celebrate next year's triple birthday, and their wedding, on a family honeymoon in the Caribbean.
Ms Miller, 34, a hairdresser from Longformacus in Berwickshire, said: "When Aila was about to be born Louie really didn't want to share his birthday. But that all changed when he saw her.
"And when he found out I was pregnant with Tom he told me that he really wanted Tom to have the same birthday as them."
Mr Walkingshaw, 35, who is on paternity leave from his offshore job said: "We have no idea why it happened like this but what's even more amazing is that both were due on the same date, 24 March, and were both later dates on 31 March."
A spokesperson for William Hill bookmakers said the odds of three siblings sharing the same birthday was in the region of 50,000-1 against. | Three siblings have defied odds of 50,000-1 to share the same birthday. | 32255791 |
Stephanie Booth, 70, was found by her husband, David, at their smallholding in Llangar, Corwen, on 18 September.
They had formerly run hotels in the area and, in 2008, she starred in a BBC series about the industry called Hotel Stephanie.
The coroner adjourned the inquest until March, saying the Health and Safety Executive was investigating her death.
The hearing was told Mr Booth, 72, went looking for his wife when she failed to return home.
She had been driving their tractor mower when the incident occurred at the smallholding where they ran an animal rescue centre. | A Denbighshire businesswoman died of crush injuries in a tractor accident, a post-mortem examination has found. | 37477883 |
A selection of photos from Africa and about Africans this week: | Images courtesy of AP, AFP, EPA and Reuters | 37797915 |
A Dell computer, diagnostic equipment, brake testers, tools, trolley jacks and battery chargers were taken from Sidlaw Commercial Vehicles Ltd in Perrie Street.
A white Ford Transit van was also stolen but was traced by officers about a mile away in Brownhill Road.
The theft took place some time between 01:00 Sunday and 07:00 on Tuesday. | Thousands of pounds worth of equipment has been stolen in a raid on a Dundee vehicle repair business. | 38506320 |
According to the Manx constabulary, 11 break-ins and attempted break-ins were reported last weekend, the majority around the Douglas area.
Det Insp David Dobbie said: "This is alarming and unprecedented - officers are working longer shifts and extra patrols are being deployed."
Police said homeowners should remain vigilant and secure their properties.
There have been 22 domestic burglaries on unsecured properties since September. | An "unprecedented" spate of burglaries over the past few days "may be linked", Isle of Man police said. | 30795818 |
Mitch Claydon caused havoc in the afternoon session on day two with a hostile three-wicket spell as Glamorgan slumped to 137-6.
But Wagg (83) and Meschede (78) launched a counter-attack, adding 160 for the seventh wicket.
Claydon completed his five-wicket haul late in the innings, before Kent reached 10-0 at the close.
There were also five victims for Kent wicketkeeper Adam Rouse, a late call-up.
The partnership between Wagg and Meschede was a record for Glamorgan's seventh wicket against Kent, beating the previous mark of 107 between Arthur Francis and Eifion Jones in 1982.
Meanwhile, David Lloyd provided a Championship rarity as he got off the mark with a hooked six off Claydon with the first ball he faced.
Glamorgan all-rounder Graham Wagg told BBC Wales Sport:
"We were under pressure with six down but they went off their strategy of line and length, and it did give us a few scoring options- we had to put the bad ball away, and Meschy (Craig Meschede) played really well.
"Disappointed not to get three figures, it was quite a loose shot, but at the start of the day we would have bitten their hand off to be in this position.
"There's plenty in that wicket, plenty of seam movement, and I think if we bowl as partnerships, there's ten wickets to be taken." | Graham Wagg and Craig Meschede salvaged Glamorgan's innings as they reached a respectable score of 351 against Kent. | 36576957 |
13 March 2017 Last updated at 00:20 GMT
More than 68% of parents who participated in a poll, commissioned by the Lullaby Trust charity, are unsure of the basic steps they can take to lower the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (Sids).
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, often referred to as cot death, is when a baby dies suddenly and unexpectedly and the cause of death remains unexplained after a post mortem has been carried out.
James and his mum Catherine showed the BBC the best way to put a baby to sleep.
Video Journalist: Hannah Gelbart | Most parents still don't know how best to put their babies to sleep, a new survey has shown. | 39237718 |
Keiron Lavery, 20, from Meadowbrook in the Tullygally area, made the calls between May 2013 and January this year.
He also admitted two counts of placing an article with intent to cause a bomb hoax in the Craigavon areas.
He was sentenced to 34 months, half of which will be served in prison and half on supervised licence upon his release.
Belfast Crown Court was told Lavery had asked to be moved from Hydebank Young Offenders Centre to the dissident republican wing of Maghaberry Prison after he was attacked in his cell by three inmates.
Passing sentence, a judge said the cost of policing Lavery's offending amounted to almost £30,000.
He said due to the threat posed to police officers by dissident republicans, he could not dismiss the hoax calls as "pranks", especially given Lavery's interests in dissident republican activity.
However, he told Lavery: "It is clear you are a suggestible person and you may not have had the ability to resist suggestions made to you by other more sinister elements." | A Craigavon man has been jailed after he admitted making 16 hoax bomb calls on seven separate occasions. | 30300243 |
He had already headed against the post before Robbie McCrorie nodded home Brian Gilmour's corner.
Cowden keeper Alin Roman made a string of fine saves, but Stevenson fired home a right-footed effort and Craig Moore headed the third.
Declan Hughes fired Cowden's reply from just outside the box before Stevenson drilled home his second.
Ayr move to within two points of second-top Peterhead with a game in hand. | Ryan Stevenson hit a brace as Ayr United kept their play-off charge on track with a demolition of Cowdenbeath. | 35270861 |
Dawson Willcock was diagnosed with hepatoblastoma, a rare form of liver cancer, in January but chemotherapy has failed to help him.
A charity box, containing a "considerable amount" of cash to pay for treatment in the US has been stolen from a play centre in Sutton-In-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire.
Police have released CCTV images following the theft.
Dawson's mother Wendy, 41, said she was so disappointed.
"I don't know how much they got away with, but whatever that amount was there is nothing they could spend that money on that is more valuable and more important than the life of a 21-month-old.
"Nothing. They can't buy anything more precious than that."
Dawson's parents, from Sutton-in-Ashfield, are hoping to raise £500,000 to take him to the US.
A break-in happened at Jimmy Beans Children's Play and Party Centre in the early hours of 22 June. Money was also stolen from the till and another charity box.
Police said "a considerable amount" of money was in the two collection boxes.
Officers describe the offenders as white males, aged 16 to 22 years, of slim build and 5ft 8ins to 5ft 10ins tall. They were wearing dark clothing and face coverings, with one also wearing a dark baseball cap.
Sgt Geoff Brown, the officer in the case, said: "Stealing is a despicable crime but to steal from a charity is utterly heartless. There was a considerable amount of money in the collection boxes.
"We are determined to trace the persons responsible and are urging anybody with any information to report it to us as soon as possible." | Cash donated for a 21-month-old child's cancer treatment has been stolen. | 40386884 |
Annual growth in consumer credit hit 6.6% last month, the British Bankers' Association (BBA) said, despite weaker sales in the shops than in November.
The BBA, which represents the major High Street banks, said this was driven by demand for cheap personal loans.
The Bank of England has vowed to keep an eye on personal debt levels.
In November, Bank of England governor Mark Carney said: "We are going to remain vigilant around the issue, because we have seen this shift."
The net increase in consumer credit was £330m in December, the BBA figures show.
However, the BBA said that uncertainty regarding the economic and political climate in 2017 could lead to consumers having a more safety-first approach.
"Overall, we've seen high levels of consumer and business borrowing, although there are early indications that 2017 could see softer demand for credit from business and households, as they anticipate future interest rate rises and wait for further clarity on Brexit," said Rebecca Harding, the BBA's chief economist.
Analysts at Capital Economics said recently that there was no need to panic over household debts.
The cost of servicing debts compared to household income was still low and manageable, it said. Interest rates would have to rise significantly to raise this cost to the levels seen in 2008.
Separate figures from the Council of Mortgage Lenders estimated that gross mortgage lending reached £20.4bn in December.
This is 4% lower than November and 4% higher than December 2015. It brought the estimated total for the year to £246bn, a 12% increase on the previous year and the highest annual gross lending figure since 2008. | Borrowing on credit cards, loans and overdrafts rose in December, figures from banks show, amid concern over personal debt levels. | 38756147 |
Politicians have no power to enforce a break-up, but the landmark vote sends a clear message to European regulators to get tough on the net giant.
US politicians and trade bodies have voiced their dismay at the vote.
The ultimate decision will rest with EU competition commissioner Margrethe Vestager.
She has inherited the anti-competitive case lodged by Google's rivals in 2010.
Google has around 90% market share for search in Europe and rivals asked the commission to investigate four areas:
Predecessor Joaquin Almunia tried and failed to settle the case. A series of concessions made by Google were rejected, leading Mr Almunia to suggest that the only option was a fine. This could be up to $5bn.
The Commission has never before ordered the break-up of any company, and many believe it is unlikely to do so now.
But politicians are desperate to find a solution to the long-running anti-competitive dispute with Google.
The motion brought by Andreas Schwab, a German Christian Democrat, and Spanish liberal Ramon Tremosa stated that the best way to resolve the row with the net giant was to separate search engines from other commercial services thereby ensuring a level playing field for rivals in Europe. | The European Parliament has voted in favour of breaking Google up, as a solution to complaints that it favours its own services in search results. | 30228279 |
The animal, a pet of the current owner, was pictured resting its head on a sofa in the brochure for the property off Britannia Road.
It proved popular on social media sites, with some people asking whether the pig was included in the sale.
Estate agents Keystone said the house sold for more than the asking price of £100,000.
Jonathan Webb, director of Keystone, said his firm started advertising the house in mid-August and sold the house within 10 days.
He said: "We went with the strategy of not showing Pog in the pictures.
"The vendor's very happy and Pog's off to pastures new."
Estate agents Connells said the photo including the pig was put up on its website "in error and has since been removed". The house was up for sale with several estate agents. | A photo of a pig resting in the living room has not put off potential buyers of a one-bedroom house in Ipswich. | 29035219 |
The Millers have paid an undisclosed fee for the 22-year-old who made 21 appearances for Celtic in three years.
Playing mainly as a right-back, Fisher began his career at Farnborough before moving to the Glasgow club in 2013.
He made 23 appearances while on loan at St Johnstone last season, as they finished fourth in the Premiership.
Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page. | Championship side Rotherham United have signed defender Darnell Fisher on a three-year deal from reigning Scottish Premiership champions Celtic. | 37039479 |
The Aberdeen-based oilfield services firm reported revenue down by 16% to $4.9bn (£3.96bn).
Profit before tax and exceptional items fell from $338m to $233m (£271m to £187m).
The company, which is based out of both Aberdeen and Houston, Texas, has cut its payroll across the 40 countries by 36% over the past two years.
After cutting $114m (£91m) from its costs in 2015, it cut a further $95m (£76m) last year.
The figures reflect a second very tough year for the oil and gas sector, in which Wood Group is a major player in providing a wide range of oilfield engineering services.
Under chief executive Robin Watson, it has been re-organised and management streamlined into a more unified international structure. That process accounts for some of the exceptional costs.
The major part of the exceptional costs, $89m (£71m), was for the reduced book value of EthosEnergy, a company specialising in rotating equipment, set up as a joint venture by Wood Group and Siemens in 2014.
Wood Group is now considering whether to sell its share.
In 2015, Wood Group saw revenue fall 23%, while earnings before interest, tax and depreciation were down 14%.
Chairman Ian Marchant said: "Indications for 2017 suggest the potential for some modest increase in spending from 2016 levels, reflecting a recovery in North American onshore spending, largely offset by further reductions elsewhere for a third successive year."
Robin Watson said Wood Group is cautious about the near term, and that pricing is going to continue to have downward pressure.
He added: "Overall, the oil & gas market continues to present challenges in 2017. We anticipate modest recovery only in markets such as US onshore and greenfield offshore projects."
The Wood Group share price fell by 8% following the full-year results announcement. | Oil services provider Wood Group has reported a sharp drop in profits, revenue and its staff levels in 2016. | 39039433 |
Sarah Harmon, 22, from Presteigne, has spoken to politicians to offer recommendations to improve treatment.
She said a "one size fits all" approach of offering Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) did not suit everyone.
The Welsh government said it had worked with health boards to improve access to psychological therapies.
Ms Harmon said: "I'm fed up with hearing that CBT is the answer to everything. Borderline personality disorder doesn't respond to CBT but I've been offered it four times.
"You swing between extreme emotions and there doesn't seem to be a middle ground.
"It makes you quite sensitive to things and it can be hard to manage. When you feel something it's so intense, you just don't know what do with it."
Ms Harmon applied for one of the 20 spaces in her area for dialectical behaviour therapy, which was specifically developed to treat her disorder, but was unsuccessful.
"I felt like it was my only chance to get better and it was gone," she said.
But she kept applying and began receiving the therapy this year.
"I'm calling on ministers to make change happen. Above all, young people are the experts of our own experience, we know what works, so let us be part of the discussion, the re-design of services and future interventions," Ms Harmon added.
The Welsh government said it spends more on mental health services than any other part of the NHS, including on dialectical behaviour therapy.
Personality disorders are conditions that can cause a range of distressing symptoms and patterns of abnormal behaviour, including:
Source: NHS Choices | A woman from Powys who has borderline personality disorder has called on the Welsh government to tailor mental health services towards individuals. | 34553484 |
One panel was about harassment in gaming, while the other was about the "integrity of gaming journalism".
The panels were cancelled following threats of violence.
Both issues have been linked to a furore that sprang out of the controversial GamerGate campaign.
GamerGate is the name of a campaign whose supporters allege that close ties between some video games journalists and those working in the gaming industry itself have given rise to conflicts of interest.
The movement became embroiled with a wider debate over claims of sexism in gaming, and gave rise to violent threats being posted online.
However, GamerGate supporters say they themselves were among the victims of abuse.
The festival hopes the new event will bring together representatives from both panels - but some say they have security concerns over the presence of GamerGate supporters.
Organisers of the Level Up: Overcoming Harassment in Games panel are concerned about a single event hosting representatives of rival factions.
Randi Harper said she would not confirm her attendance.
"While we fully support GamerGate being a part of SXSW Gaming, adding them to the summit creates a safety concern for many of the people who are currently scheduled to be participating," she said.
The organisers of SXSW have been criticised for cancelling the original events and have admitted that their decision was "a mistake".
"By cancelling two sessions we sent an unintended message that SXSW not only tolerates online harassment but condones it, and for that we are truly sorry," wrote Hugh Forest, interactive festival director.
"It is clear that online harassment is a problem that requires more than two panel discussions to address." | The organisers of the South by South West (SXSW) festival have confirmed they will run an all-day event on the theme of online harassment, after cancelling two gaming panel sessions. | 34698654 |
Head coach Eddie Jones picked the Sale Sharks fly-half, 27, as part of a 26-man squad for the camp in Brighton.
Northampton's Teimana Harrison, Sale's Mike Haley and Bath's Charlie Ewels are among the uncapped players chosen.
Players from Saracens, Exeter, Wasps and Leicester - who are in the Premiership semi-finals - will not attend the 17-19 May camp.
Those involved in the Premiership final on Saturday, 28 May are also unlikely to feature when England host Wales at Twickenham a day later.
Joe Marler is named in the training squad, meaning the Harlequins forward could face Samson Lee for the first time since he was banned for calling the Wales prop "Gypsy boy" in March.
England will then travel to Australia for a three-match Test series in June.
"There's lots of hard work to be done if we are going to play with the intensity needed to beat southern hemisphere teams," said Jones.
England squad, forwards: Dave Attwood, Kieran Brookes, Jack Clifford, Charlie Ewels, Dylan Hartley, Teimana Harrison, Paul Hill, Matt Kvesic, Courtney Lawes, Joe Marler, Chris Robshaw, Kyle Sinckler, Tommy Taylor.
Backs: Mike Brown, Luther Burrell, Danny Care, Danny Cipriani, Ollie Devoto, George Ford, Jonathan Joseph, Mike Haley, Alex Lewington, Semesa Rokoduguni, Anthony Watson, Marland Yarde, Micky Young.
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 alerts for your rugby union team, cricket scores, football and more. | Danny Cipriani has been selected in a three-day England training camp that also includes eight uncapped players. | 36242484 |
The king fired his civil service minister and put him under investigation for abuse of office.
He also named his son Prince Khalid as new ambassador to the US.
His decrees saw a new national security centre created under the Royal Court.
The king also ordered two months extra salary be paid to frontline military personnel taking part in Saudi-led operations in Yemen.
Prince Khalid, the new ambassador in Washington, is a fighter pilot who has trained in the US and carried out air strikes against the so-called Islamic State (IS) group in Syria.
The decree said the pay cuts for ministers and government employees - the first in the country, where about two-thirds of working Saudis are employed in the public sector - had been in response to falling oil prices, which sank to a low of $28 (£21) a barrel last January.
The price of oil has since risen to about $52 a barrel and ministers said budgetary performance had been better than expected in the first quarter of this year.
Under the cuts, ministers had their salaries reduced by 20% and housing and car allowances for members of the advisory Shura Council were cut by 15%.
Wage increases for lower-ranking civil servants were suspended, and overtime payments and annual leave capped.
Salaries and allowances accounted for 45% of government spending in 2015, or $128bn (£99bn), and contributed to a record budget deficit of $98bn. | Saudi Arabia's King Salman has reinstated bonuses and special allowances for civil servants and military personnel that had been cut last September as part of austerity measures when oil revenues were low. | 39683592 |
Preuss, 24, a Champions League winner from her time at Frankfurt and a Germany international, joins to replace Rachel Laws after her move to Durham.
Bruinenberg, also 24, has played for Verona in Italy, and is a former Netherlands Under-19 international.
"Both girls have been on our radar," said head coach Carlton Fairweather.
"We are delighted to be bringing in two good quality players who both have experience of playing some of the top teams in Europe in the UEFA Women's Champions League." | Sunderland Ladies have signed FFC Frankfurt goalkeeper Anke Preuss and ASGM Verona midfielder Dominique Bruinenberg for 2017. | 38972010 |
Ernest Kalawa, 24, from Southwark, died from multiple stab wounds after an attack on Haymerle Road, Peckham on 30 December.
Derron Campbell, 23, also of Southwark, was charged on Wednesday. He is due before Camberwell Green magistrates.
Previously Klark Mangal, 21, of Peckham, was charged with Mr Kalawa's murder.
His trial is due to begin on 3 July at the Old Bailey. | A second man has been charged with the murder of a man who was stabbed to death in south London. | 38990008 |
Hamid Nehal Ansari confessed to spying and was jailed for three years by a military court, a prison official, who asked not to be named, told the BBC.
There were no further details, and the military has not officially commented.
Ansari entered Pakistan's Kohat region illegally via Afghanistan in 2012, and was held by the army, media reports said.
His family, who struggled to determine his whereabouts until earlier this year, have told Indian media they believe he entered Pakistan to search for a woman he had befriended online.
Pakistan and India frequently arrest each other's citizens, often accusing them of being spies after they have strayed across the land or maritime border.
The two neighbours have a history of mistrust and have fought three wars. | An Indian national who went missing in Pakistan more than three years ago has been jailed for espionage, reports say. | 35585817 |
Anglo American shares fell 8%. It said it was closing the Drayton mine after a state body recommended that an expansion plan should be blocked.
At the end of trading the FTSE 100 index was 0.3% lower at 6,375.15.
Other mining shares were also lower, following more disappointing economic data from China.
Chinese industrial profits fell 4.6% in October, the fifth month in a row they have fallen.
On the currency markets, the pound fell after figures confirmed that the UK economy grew by 0.5% in the third quarter. That was a slowdown from the rate of 0.7% in the previous quarter, with the trade deficit weighing on growth.
The pound fell more than half a cent against the dollar to $1.5036, and was down half a cent against the euro at €1.4183. | (Close): Mining shares dragged the FTSE 100 down, with Anglo American leading the fall after it said it would shut a coal mine in Australia. | 34941798 |
Its shares fell as much as 17%. On the broader Tokyo exchange, the Nikkei 225 index rose by 0.24%, to 16,914.41.
Earlier, official figures showed that Japanese exports had fallen 6.8% compared with a year earlier.
Imports in turn dropped even more sharply, by 14.9% leaving the country with the highest trade surplus in five years.
In other Asian markets: | Shares in Asia are mixed but Mitsubishi Motors tumble after the carmaker warns of misconduct in fuel economy tests. | 36088833 |
Ward, 22, has suffered with a series of injuries since 2015 and is currently sidelined with a knee problem.
He has established an online magazine, Mantality, which encourages people to open up about their struggles.
"I had depression in 2014 and you don't value anything you do," Ward told BBC Radio Leeds.
"You're in a low mood all the time and you don't value what you say or do. You struggle to get out of the house as much as you do when you have a broken leg.
"It's not spoken about so let's speak about it - let's be honest."
Ward made his senior debut for the Rhinos in 2012 and enjoyed a prolific 2015, becoming Leeds' leading tackler and scoring four tries before injury ruled him out of their Grand Final appearance.
He has missed the start of the 2016 season after having an operation on his knee and is still two months away from being match fit.
The Leeds-born player wants to use his online magazine to give others an insight into the life of a professional sportspeople and the struggles they face.
"I'd be fit, be injured, go through a long period of rehab, play again and win something then get injured again," he added.
"If I can start a trend on people telling you what the real version of being injured is, what adversity means to me and my experience, then so be it." | Leeds Rhinos loose forward Stevie Ward is urging professional sportspeople who are battling depression to "be honest" about their "struggle". | 36326032 |
The 36-year-old was airlifted to hospital after he and an 18-year-old man got into difficulty in the River Garry near Invergarry, south of Loch Ness.
Police Scotland said the older man died in Raigmore Hospital, Inverness, following the incident at around 12.30pm on Thursday
The younger man was discharged. Next of kin have been informed, police added.
Police, ambulance, fire crews, the coastguard and a Royal Navy search and rescue helicopter were involved in the operation to help the pair. | A man has died after falling from a canoe into a Highland river. | 35208798 |
The driver made off and the birds escaped from the boot when Cleveland and Durham Police stopped a vehicle in Horden, Peterlee, on Monday night.
The man was arrested after officers gave chase. It is thought 12 chickens and tools found in the car could have been stolen from a farm.
It is unknown whether all of the fleeing birds were recovered.
The suspect remains in custody. | A dozen chickens were discovered in the back of a car after a police chase in County Durham. | 36080658 |
The 49-year-old was taken to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary last Tuesday after being struck on the leg.
Work on the site at Galashiels was suspended for the remainder of the week but resumed on Monday.
A spokesman for Network Rail said: "In terms of impact on the overall programme, it will be negligible."
He said it was not expected to have any effect on the timetable for delivery of the railway.
The spokesman confirmed that a worker had suffered a serious leg injury while working on the Borders Railway project at about 12:30 on 25 November.
"We are working closely with our main contractor BAM to support our colleague and his family," he said.
"The incident is currently under investigation and it would be inappropriate for Network Rail to comment on the circumstances of the incident further at this time.
"The project team took the voluntary decision to stand the site down for the remainder of the week to allow a full investigation and review to take place. However, our teams returned to work on Monday."
The HSE confirmed it had issued two prohibition notices to prevent contractors from using the equipment involved until safety issues were addressed.
It added that its investigation into the incident was ongoing.
Passenger services are scheduled to start on the line between Edinburgh and Tweedbank by September next year. | Construction at a site on the Borders to Edinburgh rail route was halted after a worker was seriously hurt while unloading sleepers, it has emerged. | 30308024 |
London-born former special forces soldier Tom Leppard lived in a remote bothy on Skye for 20 years until 2008.
His self-made shelter, on a stretch of shoreline near Kyleakin in the south-east of the island, had no electricity or furniture.
Mr Leppard would canoe three miles (4.8km) for his weekly shopping.
Since 2002, he had held the Guinness World Record for most tattooed male senior citizen.
His entry in the records said 99.9% of his body was covered in tattoos of "a leopard-skin design, with all the skin between the dark spots tattooed saffron yellow".
Mr Leppard, whose was in his 80s and real surname was Woodbridge, moved into a one-bedroom house in Broadford on Skye eight years ago, at the age of 73.
He told BBC Scotland at the time that he was "getting too old for that kind of life".
But he also said he had enjoyed his life at the bothy, saying: "I've loved every minute and when you're covered in leopard tattoos you certainly get noticed - I became a bit of a tourist attraction on Skye."
Mr Leppard served 28 years in the armed forces.
After leaving the military, he reportedly spent more than £5,000 on tattoos, choosing leopard spots because of his interest in big cats.
The bothy he built on Skye was constructed using stones and had a roof of plastic sheets. | A man who was known as the Leopard Man of Skye because of his full-body leopard-spot tattoos has died in a nursing home in Inverness. | 36537234 |
The 49-year-old, who was in a Range Rover, suffered head injuries in the incident near junction 6a in Hertfordshire on 16 May.
A Hertfordshire Police spokeswoman said he may have faced prosecution for not wearing a seatbelt.
She added that in relation to the incident "no further action will be taken".
The singer could not be reached for comment.
Michael was airlifted to a specialist trauma centre in London following the accident and spent nearly two weeks in hospital before being discharged.
Hertfordshire Police said officers were unaware of any damage to the Range Rover and confirmed no other vehicles were involved.
The former Wham! star was travelling as a rear seat passenger.
In September 2010, he received an eight-week prison sentence after crashing his Range Rover into a shop in north London.
He was also banned from driving for five years after admitting driving under the influence of drugs and possessing cannabis.
In 2006 he was banned from driving for two years and sentenced to 100 hours of community service after he was convicted of driving while unfit through drugs.
He had been found collapsed in his Mercedes. | Singer George Michael will not face legal action after falling from the rear of a vehicle travelling on the M1. | 22791471 |
Shareholders will receive 0.045 cents (£0.03) per share each quarter, the first dividend since United floated on the US Stock Exchange in 2012.
The Glazer family, which owns 83% of United shares, will receive $24.5m (£15.79m) annually.
"This is rubbing salt into the wound," said Manchester United Supporters' Trust vice-chairman Sean Bones.
"Profits from the club should go back into it."
A United spokesman said the Glazers were committed to investing in the team and that the dividend underlined the club's strong financial position.
United estimate they will save $10m annually in interest payments following a refinancing of their debts this year.
The announcement came on the same day United said they were considering selling a further 24 million "Class A" shares.
In total, there are about 164 million shares in United. Around 83% are Class B shares, which are owned by the Glazer family, while the remainder are Class A shares.
"The Glazer family have already cost us £1bn in interest payments," said Bones. "They are sitting on an asset worth £2bn, which still has debts of over £400m, yet are now milking it for even more. How greedy can you get?"
United spent £113.7m on six new players this summer, recouping £74m, including £44.3m from Paris St-Germain for Angel Di Maria.
United released their financial figures on Thursday, in which they recorded a £38m fall in total revenue in the year to 30 June 2015.
It is estimated they lost £35m through their failure to qualify for last season's Champions League.
They qualified for the 2015-16 competition, but lost their opening group game to PSV Eindhoven on Tuesday.
Asked about financial projections, head of corporate finance Hemen Tseayo said: "We have not changed our assumptions." | A fans' group has criticised Manchester United's decision to pay majority shareholders the Glazers £16m a year. | 34284987 |
The baked portrayal of East Lindsey is on show in the seafront's Compass Gardens.
Skegness Cake Fest was organised in a bid to create "a 100 sqm fully-edible map of the area".
Community groups and individuals were invited to create a baked version of their favourite landmark, building or place in the county out of cake.
Organisers SO Festival said: "We are so excited to present Cake Fest, a giant edible map of East Lindsey.
"One more thing, in case you were wondering - yes, when the map has been completed and suitably admired by the crowds, we'll eat the lot."
Similar Cake Fests have been held in Edinburgh and Stirling in Scotland. | Creators of a giant edible map in Skegness will literally be able to have their cake and eat it later. | 40473749 |
James Cosmo has starred in films including Braveheart, while former Dr Who star Karen Gillan has now turned her hand to directing.
EIFF artistic director Mark Adams said: "We are thrilled to add two Scottish luminaries to our illustrious troop of EIFF honorary patrons."
James Cosmo said: "It's a real honour, and a genuine privilege."
Karen Gillan said of her new role: "I am so thrilled.
"I moved to Edinburgh, from Inverness, when I was 16 to study acting. I developed such a creative connection with the city. So to come back and celebrate Scottish and international filmmaking is an honour." | Actors James Cosmo and Karen Gillan have been named Edinburgh International Film Festival honorary patrons. | 33304851 |
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Madejski stated McDermott "should have been given longer" as new boss Jaap Stam was unveiled on Monday.
"I thought that was a remarkable statement even by Sir John's standards," Howe said.
Ex-Manchester United and Netherlands defender Stam, 43, has joined the Championship club on a two-year deal.
His appointment follows McDermott's dismissal after just six months of his second spell at the club.
Sitting alongside Stam, Madejski said he did not agree to parting company with McDermott following a 17th-place finish last season.
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"I respect the shareholders' decision, although I didn't agree with the decision that Brian shouldn't have stayed longer," the former owner said.
Howe defended the managerial change and stressed the Thai consortium which owns the club are learning from previous decisions.
"We know Sir John has a tendency to be a bit off the wall at times," he told BBC Radio Berkshire.
"But, I think because he wasn't involved in the selection process (to appoint Stam) and isn't involved in the day-to-day running of the club, he probably felt he might want to vent himself.
"He was given a platform to do so. Certainly, I'd have hoped he'd have picked a different forum."
Reading's owners have made three managerial changes since taking over the club in September 2014, dismissing Nigel Adkins, Steve Clarke and McDermott.
"They're going through a bit of a learning curve", Howe added. "They've made decisions they certainly would do differently now with hindsight.
"They're trying very hard to get it right and that's all you can ask." | Reading chief executive Nigel Howe is disappointed chairman Sir John Madejski made public his disagreement with the sacking of former boss Brian McDermott. | 36526554 |
Dr Jasmine Donahaye called for a national debate on why women are not represented as widely as men such as Sir Gareth Edwards, Aneurin Bevan and Tommy Cooper.
She became interested after writing a biography of author Lily Tobias.
There are statues of Queen Victoria in Wrexham and Boudicca in Cardiff City Hall.
Dr Donahaye told BBC Radio Wales' Sunday Supplement there are lots of generic women and angel statues in Welsh towns and cities, but few individuals.
"People who read (Lily Tobias' biography) are taken aback. They ask 'how come we have never heard of her? Why was she lost and fell from view?'"
Cardiff North AM Julie Morgan said the contributions of many women "have been submerged".
She said there is a health board named after "the Welsh Florence Nightingale" Betsi Cadwaladr, but no statue.
Mrs Morgan also said she would like to see statues of the Davies sisters, Gwendoline and Margaret, who contributed their vast art collection to the National Museum of Wales. | Not enough women who have contributed to Welsh culture have been immortalised with statues, according to an author. | 33497685 |
General Motors reported a 5.2% drop in monthly sales, while Ford had an 8.4% decline in sales.
US vehicles sales are expected to be lower in 2016 than the record highs set last year.
Demand is still well above the lows suffered during the 2008-09 financial crisis, but market saturation is creating a slowdown.
GM forecast it would sell 17.3 million vehicles in 2016, down from 17.47 million in 2015.
GM's Chevrolet line of vehicles was the carmaker's best-seller, increasing its US market share by 0.4%.
GM said it hoped for strong sales in the second half of the year.
"We think the industry is well positioned for a sustainable high level of customer demand," said Mustafa Mohatarem, GM's chief economist.
Ford vehicles sales fell to 214,482 in August. The company saw a 2% drop in its truck sales compared to August last year, while its popular F-Series truck saw sales fall 6%.
An uptick in van sales by 13%, however, helped lift Ford's overall figures.
"Vans continue to be a bright spot for Ford - a consistent growth story for us this year," said Mark LaNeve, Ford's vice-president of US marketing, sales and service.
Fiat Chrysler bucked the downward trend reporting a 3% rise in vehicles sales for August. The boost came from strong demand for it Jeep sports utility vehicle and its Ram truck line which both had a 5% growth over last year.
The US division of Volkswagen reported an unsurprising 9% drop in sales as the carmaker continues to struggle with image issues after its emission scandal last year. | US carmakers reported a decline in sales during August after recording surprisingly strong sales in July. | 37249353 |
Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board is consulting on plans to withdraw consultant-led maternity care at one of three district hospitals.
Earlier plans to downgrade services at Glan Clwyd Hospital in Bodelwyddan, Denbighshire, were sent back to the drawing board after public outcry.
The proposed changes stem from a shortage of doctors.
Health bosses still favour downgrading services at the hospital and earlier this month the board agreed to start a fresh public consultation on those plans and others.
Alternatives include withdrawing doctor-led maternity care at hospitals in Bangor or Wrexham, or they could agree to make no changes meaning consultant-led care would remain at all three hospitals.
Those against the plans say expectant mothers who need care from doctors would be put at greater risk by having to travel further for treatment.
The British Medical Association and politicians have also previously criticised the health board for not seeking the views of staff and the public in drawing up its plans.
A final decision is expected in November. | About 500 people have protested in Rhyl against possible changes to hospital maternity services in north Wales. | 34107428 |
Michal Malecki, 31, admitted false imprisonment and wounding after storming into the Bita Pathways centre on Alcester Street in the Digbeth area of Birmingham in August.
One of the women he held hostage needed stitches to her arm after Malecki cut her with scissors.
The siege lasted for nearly five hours.
Updates on this story and more from Birmingham
About 20 members of staff, 100 service users and 10 students in the building were moved from the centre to the nearby Spotted Dog pub while police negotiators tried to persuade Malecki to release the women.
Shortly before he went into the charity he had been reported as "behaving erratically" in a nearby bus station, pushing a till off a counter and trying to smash a display cabinet.
He then went outside and jumped on and rode on the bonnet of a moving car before going into the Pathways centre.
At the time, the chief executive of Pathways, Erica Barnett, said the man "was not connected in any way" to the charity and was "a total stranger off the street."
As well as wounding and false imprisonment, Malecki pleaded guilty to the possession of class B drugs and two counts of common assault. He was jailed for four years and three months.
Det Ch Insp Sean Russell from West Midlands Police, said: "Malecki was responsible for a terrifying attack on staff at a charity he had no connection with. I am satisfied that he has been made to pay for his crimes.
"I hope that his jailing will mean the victims of his crimes can start to move forward knowing their attacker has been brought to justice." | A man who went into a mental health charity and assaulted staff before keeping two women hostage has been jailed for more than four years. | 35136689 |
Brooks played scientist Dr Rudy Wells in the 1970s TV series, as well as roles in The Bionic Woman and Dallas.
Jon Landau, a film producer and friend of Brooks, said he died of natural causes in Los Angeles.
"Marty was the eternal optimist. He only looked at the good things in life," said Landau, the producer of Titanic and Avatar.
Brooks' other credits included The Philco Television Playhouse in the 1950s, Combat! in the 1960s and Knots Landing in the 1990s.
He also played Dr Arthur Bradshaw on the ABC daytime serial General Hospital.
Landau said Brooks was proud of his stage work that included An Enemy of the People and I Am a Camera. | Actor Martin E Brooks, who starred in The Six Million Dollar Man, has died at the age of 90. | 35037993 |
Dosho, 21, drew with Russia's Vorobyova in the final, but won on countback.
That wrapped up a fantastic night for Japan, after Kaori Icho became the first woman to win individual gold medals at four consecutive Olympics.
Elmira Syzdykova of Kazakhstan and Swede Jenny Fransson won -69kg bronzes.
Find out how to get into wrestling with our special guide.
Subscribe to the BBC Sport newsletter to get our pick of news, features and video sent to your inbox. | Sara Dosho made it three Olympic women's freestyle wrestling golds from three for Japan at Rio 2016 as she beat defending champion Nataliya Vorobyova in the -69kg final. | 36690697 |
Vjeran Tomic, 49, is accused of stealing five paintings, including works by Picasso and Matisse, from the Modern Art Museum in May 2010.
The paintings were stolen after an intruder cut through a padlocked gate and broke a window to enter the museum.
Two alleged accomplices are being tried alongside Mr Tomic.
What France's stolen masterpieces tell us
According to French media reports, the museum's alarm system had been waiting for repairs when the pictures were stolen during a night raid.
The theft was only noticed the following morning, as security guards were checking the building before opening the doors to the public.
Among the stolen works were Pablo Picasso's Dove with Green Peas, and Pastoral by Henri Matisse, along with paintings by Georges Braque, Amedeo Modigliani and Ferdinand Leger.
The paintings have never been found.
Mr Tomic, a rock climbing enthusiast, was arrested following an anonymous tip to police. | A man dubbed the "Spiderman burglar" has gone on trial in Paris over a €100m (£85m; $107m) art theft from a museum in the French capital. | 38801497 |
Filipino national Arnel Martinez Raymundo, 48, was convicted of attempted murder and voyeurism at Cardiff Crown Court on Thursday.
After the attack on 12 June, Raymundo, of Grangetown, fled to London before being arrested by police.
Recorder of Cardiff Eleri Rees said he faced "a significant" prison sentence.
A jury unanimously found Raymundo guilty of both charges.
The court heard he stabbed Anna Caladiao, 43, in the back 18 times leaving her with "life-threatening injuries" after she found the footage.
Ms Rees called it "quite a distressing case" .
Raymundo must sign the sex offenders register and a victim impact statement will be sought before sentencing on Friday.
Prosecutor James Wilson said that further charges could also follow after other images were discovered. | A man from Cardiff who repeatedly stabbed his girlfriend following a row over footage he had of a woman in the bath has been found guilty. | 35119258 |
For new side Crick Athletic Colts Ladies, however, the beginning of the 2016-17 campaign has proven to be a steep learning curve.
After 21-0 and 25-0 defeats in their opening two matches, Crick hoped to bounce back when they hosted Corby Town Ladies on Sunday in Northamptonshire Women's and Girl's Football League Division One .
What followed was a resounding 34-0 defeat, although the home side praised their opponents' "spirit and determination" on Twitter.
Secretary of Corby Town Ladies, Sheila Lauder, told BBC Radio Northampton: "In the second half the Crick goalkeeper pulled off some absolutely fantastic saves.
"They're a very new team, very inexperienced, and absolutely all credit to them - their spirit was excellent and they were full of praise for us."
The defeat left Crick bottom of the league after three matches, with a goal difference of -80.
"There were a couple of double hat-tricks in there and I think the defenders had a little bit of a day off," Lauder added.
"It was a good, spirited game and I wouldn't say the score reflected the game itself.
"From our point of view, and what we're trying to achieve, we'd rather see a lesser score against a more experienced team."
BBC Radio Northampton has contacted Crick for comment. | The dawn of a new season brings fresh hope and optimism of what could be in store. | 37407967 |
The Bluebirds failed to take their chances as they lost 1-0 at promotion challengers Brighton in the Championship on Tuesday.
Warnock says it would be "nice" to add up to two new players to his squad, but recruiting a striker is unlikely.
In the meantime, Warnock says he is "quite happy with what we've got".
He added: "I think the club's got to look more for quality strikers, quality signings in the summer, really."
Warnock has hinted he may not stay beyond the end of the season unless owner Vincent Tan backs his recruitment plans for a promotion challenge next season.
Cardiff have won nine league games this season, losing 12 and drawing six. They have won four of their past 10 matches.
They are 16th in the table, level on 33 points with Brentford, who are above them, and Queens Park Rangers, below.
Saturday's trip to Reading is next for Warnock and his players.
The Royals beat Fulham 1-0 at Madejski Stadium on Tuesday while Cardiff were losing to the Seagulls to rise to third.
"It's difficult, but we've got 20 games to get to that magic 50 points and the sooner we get there the better," said Warnock.
"We've got some tough games away from home, but as you've seen at Brighton, I think we can go anywhere and give teams a good game."
Ahead of the trip to Brighton, Warnock said that "all the pressure" would be on them and Reading in those games. | Cardiff City manager Neil Warnock doubts he will sign a new striker before the transfer window closes on 31 January. | 38741643 |
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