Worcestershire maintained their fine start to the season as they bowled out Northamptonshire for 238 on the first day of their County Championship Division Two match at Wantage Road.

Looking to build on their three straight wins, skipper Joe Leach led from the front again, taking 3-36.
Jack Shantry (3-54), Ed Barnard and Josh Tongue shared the other wickets.
After Brett D'Oliveira went for 35, fellow opener Daryl Mitchell's unbeaten 52 helped the visitors close on 108-2.
Fresh from their 243-run opening stand to set up last week's innings win against Derbyshire, the pair this time put on 75 before Nathan Buck removed D'Oliveira's middle stump, then Rory Kleinveldt pinned Tom Fell leg before wicket for a six-ball duck.
Worcestershire, who have a five-game Championship winning streak going back to last season, have won their last four meetings with Northants.
New captain Leach, who took career-best match figures of 10-122 when the two sides met at New Road in April, now has 25 wickets for the season - from only seven innings.
Following an uncontested toss on a cloudless day in Northampton, the home side were playing their first game of Championship cricket since that match finished on 21 April, prior to the One-Day Cup break.
Northants captain Alex Wakely told BBC Radio Northampton:
"It's a pretty disappointing day. They bowled really well this morning, in partnerships and dried the scoreboard.
"We were probably going to bat anyway because it looked like a bat first pitch.
"We bowled poorly to start with but we did put some runs on the board and now we've got to come backpon day two and try to stay in the game."
Worcestershire assistant coach Matt Mason told BBC Hereford & Worcester:
"It was a really good day for us. We had a lot of discussion about what we should do. The pitch had a lot of dead grass but we took the brave decision to bowl first.
"The ball seemed to go through periods of doing something. The key was just sticking to our plans and we got our rewards.
"The guys bowled very very well and then, to bat like we have, we've put ourselves in a great position."


The civic centre in Plymouth has been sold to Urban Splash for an undisclosed figure.

The 15-storey building, opened by the Queen in 1962, was formerly the city's council offices.
Having fallen into disrepair, it was due to be demolished.
The BBC revealed in 2013 the Grade II listed building was going to be turned into a four-star hotel. Urban Splash has yet to announce its plan for the building.
Urban Splash Director Nathan Cornish said it was a unique building "set within the context of a famous post-war masterplan".
He added: "We're delighted. It is a tough building and it is very early days, but we're very excited about the challenge of another iconic and listed building to tackle in Plymouth."
Plymouth City Council previously said the building was extremely expensive to maintain and not really serving the needs of the organisation.
However, that plan to demolish the building was quashed after English Heritage granted listed status in 2007.
Councillor Mark Lowry, member for finance and assets, said Urban Splash had a fantastic track record of breathing new life into difficult buildings.
He said: "As a council it would have cost around Â£30m to restore the building - now the private sector is taking on the civic, we can redirect our energies and resources into creating jobs and homes for Plymouth."
There are still some council staff working at the civic centre but Mr Lowry said the plan was for them all to be out by autumn.


Kyle Bartley scored his first goal for Leeds to hand them their first home win since the middle of April.

The on-loan Swansea defender headed home a free-kick to deny bottom-placed Blackburn their second successive draw.
Substitute Chris Wood had put Leeds ahead when he tapped home Hadi Sacko's right-wing cross from close range.
But Marvin Emnes equalised from the edge of the area with his first Rovers goal after good work by Ben Marshall and Craig Conway down the left.
There was little hint of the excitement to come during a first half which was only notable for a long injury stoppage after a clash between Leeds goalkeeper Rob Green and Blackburn's Sam Gallagher.
Wood changed all that only five minutes after coming on when he gave Leeds the lead with his fourth goal of the season.
Blackburn, rooted to the bottom of the Championship table and without a win, equalised thanks to a spectacular finish from deadline-day signing Emnes.
But poor marking allowed Bartley to snatch the winner and earn Leeds their first home victory in five games.
Leeds United manager Garry Monk: "We've had a frustrating few games here at Elland Road where we've been disappointed. The character tonight was excellent, that's what stood out for me.
"As well as other things. Some good quality football, good style, the way we've played. Even without the ball I thought we were excellent.
"But the character shone through, that sheer will to win. It was right there to the very end."
Blackburn Rovers manager Owen Coyle: "I'm keeping very calm because I witnessed the same performance you did at 1-0.
"We picked ourselves up, scored a wonderful goal and had two fantastic chances to get in front and win the game.
"Rob Green has made two unbelievable saves at that point. Whether he should have been on the pitch, I think that's a big debate.
"If that's not endangering an opponent when I've got Sam Gallagher in my dressing room with stitches in his head, then I don't know what is."
Match ends, Leeds United 2, Blackburn Rovers 1.
Second Half ends, Leeds United 2, Blackburn Rovers 1.
Corner,  Leeds United. Conceded by Derrick Williams.
Corner,  Leeds United. Conceded by Craig Conway.
Ben Marshall (Blackburn Rovers) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Hadi Sacko (Leeds United) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Ben Marshall (Blackburn Rovers).
Attempt missed. Hadi Sacko (Leeds United) right footed shot from the right side of the six yard box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Pablo Hernández.
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Delay in match Stuart Dallas (Leeds United) because of an injury.
Corner,  Blackburn Rovers. Conceded by Pontus Jansson.
Corner,  Blackburn Rovers. Conceded by Pontus Jansson.
Corner,  Blackburn Rovers. Conceded by Pontus Jansson.
Corner,  Blackburn Rovers. Conceded by Hadi Sacko.
Corner,  Blackburn Rovers. Conceded by Pontus Jansson.
Attempt missed. Craig Conway (Blackburn Rovers) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Liam Feeney with a cross.
Goal!  Leeds United 2, Blackburn Rovers 1. Kyle Bartley (Leeds United) header from the centre of the box to the top right corner. Assisted by Alex Mowatt with a cross following a set piece situation.
Chris Wood (Leeds United) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Darragh Lenihan (Blackburn Rovers).
Corner,  Blackburn Rovers. Conceded by Robert Green.
Attempt saved. Sam Gallagher (Blackburn Rovers) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal.
Attempt saved. Marvin Emnes (Blackburn Rovers) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Ben Marshall.
Substitution, Leeds United. Alex Mowatt replaces Eunan O'Kane because of an injury.
Corry Evans (Blackburn Rovers) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Kalvin Phillips (Leeds United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Corry Evans (Blackburn Rovers).
Luke Ayling (Leeds United) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by Luke Ayling (Leeds United).
Craig Conway (Blackburn Rovers) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Offside, Blackburn Rovers. Corry Evans tries a through ball, but Sam Gallagher is caught offside.
Offside, Leeds United. Pontus Jansson tries a through ball, but Chris Wood is caught offside.
Goal!  Leeds United 1, Blackburn Rovers 1. Marvin Emnes (Blackburn Rovers) right footed shot from outside the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Craig Conway.
Substitution, Blackburn Rovers. Darragh Lenihan replaces Tommie Hoban because of an injury.
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Delay in match Tommie Hoban (Blackburn Rovers) because of an injury.
Substitution, Blackburn Rovers. Liam Feeney replaces Hope Akpan.
Attempt missed. Corry Evans (Blackburn Rovers) left footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the left following a corner.
Corner,  Blackburn Rovers. Conceded by Luke Ayling.
Attempt blocked. Craig Conway (Blackburn Rovers) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Ben Marshall.
Attempt blocked. Sam Gallagher (Blackburn Rovers) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Hope Akpan.


Mohammad Azharullah took five wickets to bowl out Durham and leave Northants needing 161 to win on the final day.

Cameron Steel's maiden first-class hundred (128) and contributions from Paul Collingwood (54) and Ryan Pringle (47 not out) helped Durham make 376.
But Azharullah's 5-72 set up a fourth-innings chase of 205 for Northants to pick up a third win of the season.
The visitors lost Max Holden third ball, but Rob Newton and Alex Wakeley made it to stumps safely on 44-1.
Durham began day three 94 runs behind on 78-1, losing three quick wickets as Rory Kleinveldt (2-103) dismissed Barry McCarthy and Graham Clark to leave them 98-4.
Steel responded, hitting 14 fours and two sixes before Collingwood and Pringle gave Division Two's bottom side a total to try and defend against unbeaten Northants on day four.


A fatal accident inquiry into the death of a schoolgirl has heard teachers tell of the moments after a wall collapsed and crushed her to death.

Keane Wallis-Bennett, 12, was fatally injured at Edinburgh's Liberton High School in April 2014.
In a statement read to the inquiry, PE teacher Kerry Sweeney said she heard a bang from a girls' changing room.
She said she heard pupils shouting and saw panic on their faces. She described how she found a wall on top of Keane.
She said she was lifeless, not conscious or breathing.
Both Ms Sweeney and head of PE Stuart Robertson said no-one had previously reported any problems with the modesty wall.
Ms Sweeny told the police she had gone to the changing rooms to tell pupils that, because of the weather conditions, they would not be playing football.
"As I entered the gym I heard a bang. There were a lot of girls in the changing room and I assumed someone had dropped something.
"I heard girls shouting 'Miss Sweeney, Miss Sweeney' and from the panic in their voices I knew something had happened". She said the wall was about six feet high. "When I went in I saw the wall had collapsed.
"I think there were three girls standing on the far side. I looked down and I saw a pair of legs, but I could not see her face it was covered by a piece of concrete about a metre square.
"I managed to lift it up and tried to get it away from her head. I tried to move it with my hands, but I could not, it was so heavy."
Another teacher, Nicole Christie, arrived and Ms Sweeney said they managed to lift the block onto its side.
She said: "I saw it was Keane.
"There was a lot of blood. She was lying on her back and her hair was matted across her face.
"She was lifeless. I could only hear a very, very weak gurgle."
Keane, she said, was unconscious and not breathing.
The school nurse arrived, told the girls to get out, and Ms Sweeney ran to the school office and dialled 999 for an ambulance.
She told the police she had never heard of the wall moving and added that if she had she would have taken action. She had, she said, never seen pupils kicking or pushing the wall.
Mr Robertson told the police the school nurse had come running past him carrying a first aid kit and asked him: "Where's this incident?"
Mr Robertson said some pupils were standing outside the changing area, sobbing and crying. "I realised it was not an innocuous incident and I was not prepared for what I saw in the changing room. I could not make sense of what I was seeing."
Mr Robertson said the wall had fallen and broken into pieces, like a jigsaw. He saw a girl on the floor on her back with Ms Christie crouched down beside her.
The girl, he said, had blood on her face and her mouth was open. The nurse was trying to get a response from the girl and Mr Robertson said he heard her saying "Come on Keane".
Following a police investigation, it was decided no-one would face criminal charges.
However, an inquiry was ordered to establish the full circumstances surrounding the incident.
In her opening remarks on Monday, Sheriff Principal Mhairi Stephen said the two-week inquiry would focus on why the wall collapsed, why it collapsed when it did and the property maintenance regime at the school.
The inquiry at Edinburgh Sheriff Court continues.


A GP has been given a warning for not acting adequately over concerns raised about starved schoolboy Daniel Pelka.

Daniel, four, was starved and beaten for months before he died in March 2012 at his Coventry home. His mother and her partner were jailed for his murder.
Dr Mohammad Pathan did not provide a "safety net" when teachers raised concerns over Daniel's appearance and weight.
He was found guilty of misconduct last month but remains fit to practise.
The Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service said the warning, imposed on Wednesday, would last for five years.
The panel ruled: "On 25 January 2012 the deputy head teacher of Patient A [Daniel] telephoned you to raise concerns regarding Patient A's loss of weight, appearance and behaviour concerning food.
"Following receipt of the telephone call you failed to act adequately and attach sufficient weight to the information provided during the telephone call and you also failed to take adequate account of other information available to you, including Patient A not attending for some or all of follow-up treatment for a fractured humerus.
"By doing so you failed to put in place a 'safety net' to safeguard the interests of a child at risk."
Dr Pathan had denied he was aware of some concerns.
Daniel's mother Magdelena Luczak and her partner Mariusz Krezolek were jailed for a minimum of 30 years each in 2013.


More than 100 workers in the US have lost their jobs after taking part in last week's Day Without Immigrants protest, US media say.

Dozens of people, including construction workers and restaurant staff, reported being fired after staying at home on Thursday.
The protest aimed to highlight the contribution of immigrants in the US.
One employer told CNN his staff would have to "pay the price" of standing up for what they believed in.
Jim Serowski, of JVS Masonry in Commerce City, Colorado, said he had no regrets after sacking about 30 bricklayers.
"They were warned, 'if you do this you're hurting the company, and if you go against the team you're not a member of the team'," he was quoted as saying.
The exact number of workers fired is not clear, however US outlets reported a series of sackings. Among those who said they had lost their jobs were 12 restaurant workers in Tulsa, Oklahoma, who spoke to Fox News and 18 employees at a commercial painting company in Nolensville, Tennessee, according to NBC.
Businesses and schools across the US faced widespread disruption on Thursday as workers and students took part in a strike over President Donald Trump's hard-line stance on immigration.
In a news conference last week, Mr Trump said he would publish a new executive order after the US courts stymied his previous attempt to bar the entry of immigrants from seven mostly Muslim countries.
The Associated Press quoted a senior administration official on Monday as saying the new order would target people from the same countries - Iran, Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Somalia, Sudan and Libya.
Rallies took place in various US cities, including New York's Times Square, over the weekend to support Muslim Americans and to protest against Mr Trump's policies.
In Boston, hundreds of scientists took to the streets on Sunday over the president's approach to issues such as climate change.
Thousands of people are expected to attend further demonstrations on Monday to coincide with the US Presidents' Day holiday, with Mr Trump expected to return to Washington from his Mar-a-Lago beach retreat in Florida.


The Isle of Man has given £50,000 to charities helping refugees from Burundi and South Sudan.

The International Development Committee (IDC) said the money would help some of Africa's "most vulnerable" people.
The cash will be split evenly between Action Aid - who are working with refugees from Burundi - and Medair, who are working in South Sudan.
Both charities will use the money to offer water, healthcare and emergency shelters.
The ongoing constitutional crisis in Burundi, where there is violent conflict between supporters of the government and opposition, has resulted in thousands of people seeking refuge in neighbouring countries.
South Sudan gained independence from Sudan in July 2011 and, according to the IDC, continues to be "besieged by conflict".
IDC Chairman Phil Gawne said: "Through these donations the Isle of Man is helping to provide vital assistance to a large number of vulnerable displaced people in areas overwhelmed by conflict."
10.4m population
50 years - life expectancy for a man
2nd poorest country in the world
85% are Hutu, 14% Tutsi
300,000 died in civil war


Leyton Orient president Francesco Becchetti has been given a six-match stadium ban and fined £40,000 by the Football Association for aiming a kick at assistant boss Andy Hessenthaler.

He was charged after television pictures captured the incident after the win over Portsmouth on 26 December.
An independent regulatory commission decided on Friday the 49-year-old was guilty of a charge of violent conduct.
Becchetti, who requested a personal hearing, can appeal against the ruling.
The Italian, who bought the O's in summer 2014, had accepted his actions were improper but strongly denied it was violent conduct.
"Mr Becchetti is deeply disappointed with the decision that has been taken by the Football Association Regulatory Commission, which he does not believe reflects the events on Boxing Day," said a club statement.
"Mr Becchetti will consider an appeal upon reviewing the written reasons of the panel."


Scott Brash, part of Team GB's Olympic gold-medal winning showjumping team at London 2012, will miss the Rio Games.

The Scot, 30, was set to be in the British line-up to defend the title in Brazil but has been ruled out after his top two rides picked up injuries.
Hello Sanctos and Hello M'Lady picked up minor injuries at the start of the season and will not be fit for Rio.
Brash was the top-ranked showjumper in the world last year and is still GB's leading rider in the global standings.


A head teacher has resigned from a West Sussex primary school, saying "factory farming" children was failing to prepare them for the future.

Kit Messenger will leave Manor Field Primary in Burgess Hill at the end of the summer term, after 16 years.
In a letter to governors, she cited the narrowing curriculum and government plans for all schools to be academies.
The governors said they were saddened but supported the reasons for her resignation.
Ms Messenger said she no longer felt able to achieve her vision for children at Manor Field in the current educational climate.
"The narrowing of the curriculum has increased significantly over the past two years ... the pressure to focus only on reading, writing and mathematics has become untenable," she said.
"I have increasingly felt that we are 'factory farming' our children and failing to prepare them adequately for a successful future.
"The recent announcement that all schools should become academies has further strengthened my believe that now is the time to leave a career that has been central to my life for 23 years."
The school's chair of governors Margaret Foote said a new head would be appointed from January, with the deputy  becoming acting head until then.
"Because of the strong structures in leadership the governing body are confident the school will continue to run efficiently and effectively," she said in a statement.
West Sussex County Council said it was writing to the government to express its concerns regarding the White Paper.
"In particular we feel there is not a strong enough voice for the parent and child in the approach," it said in a statement.
"We believe families are entitled to a choice and that one-size does not fit all.
"Above all we think educational matters should be decided on locally and not nationally."
The Department for Education has not yet commented on Ms Messenger's resignation.
Education Secretary Nicky Morgan has previously defended the academies programme announced in the March budget, saying schools are more likely to produce better results if turned into academies as they use expertise to improve bad performing institutions.


A missing Wolverhampton hotelier could have been kidnapped in India, his family have said.

Media playback is unsupported on your device
28 May 2015 Last updated at 05:08 BST
Ranjit Power was reported missing on 14 May, a week after he went to India on business.
His daughter Emma Power said: "I'm trying my very, very best to not think the worst."
BBC Midlands Today's Giles Latcham reports.


British weightlifting champion Zhila Panjavi has been banned from all sport for four years for taking steroids.

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The 24-year-old, who defended her British title in the 58kg category in June, tested positive for a metabolite of stanozolol at the same competition.
She contested the charge on the grounds that the positive test came from taking medication for a swollen foot.
Head of UK Anti-Doping Nicole Sapstead said Panjavi had "stolen the dreams of those she competed against".
Sapstead added: "Zhila Panjavi was one of Britain's leading weightlifting talents, with a bright future ahead of her in the sport. As a result of her own choices, that future has been taken away and Panjavi now faces a lengthy ban from the sport."
The independent National Anti-Doping Panel was not satisfied with Panjavi's explanation for the positive test and she is banned until 7 July 2020.
However, her father and coach Kazem insisted she had not doped and had been made a scapegoat.
"Last year during her holiday in Iran she fell ill and our doctor treated her with medication. We provided the doctor's letter and medication note to Ukad," said Kazem, who himself competed at the 1992 Olympics.
"I feel Ukad want to make an example out of her for others as the findings from the testing do not match and/or consider all the points from her solicitor."


An oil sketch by Sir Thomas Lawrence which has never been seen in public, has been bought by a museum in Bath.

Sir Lawrence's 1791 "first sketch" of Arthur Atherley - for one of his most celebrated portraits - has been held in a private collection for 150 years.
About £420,000 was raised by Holbourne Museum to acquire the work, which is due to go on display from 28 January.
Jennifer Scott, from the gallery, said: "It's the biggest acquisition the museum has made to date."
The 2ft (60cm) tall work was purchased with the help of the Art Fund and Heritage Lottery Fund, among others, and public donations of more than £60,000.
Featuring a 19-year-old Atherley, who had recently left Eton College, the study was the "first sketch from life" for a three-quarter length portrait now held at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.
The artist, who lived and worked in Bath in his teens, exhibited Atherley's finished portrait at the Royal Academy in 1792.
The preliminary study is thought to have remained in Lawrence's studio until his death, before being sold in 1860 for £30.
Ms Scott, the gallery's director, said raising the funds had been a "fantastic achievement" but acquiring the work had been a "once in a lifetime opportunity".
"We specialize in 18th Century portraiture and we didn't have anything by Sir Lawrence, which hasn't felt right," she said,
"But the response has been overwhelming, enabling us to raise this large amount in a short time period.
"It is a reflection of both the quality of the painting itself, and the relevance of an outstanding early Lawrence portrait coming to the South West."


A 72-year-old woman has been charged after a suspicious package was delivered to a police station in Fife.

The item prompted the temporary closure of Levenmouth police station in Sea Road, Methil, on 17 January.
It reopened after officers established that the package was of "no risk to the public".
Police said the pensioner was expected to appear in court at a later date.


England's Ben Stokes said he felt "under pressure" before his record-breaking double century on day two of the second Test against South Africa.

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The 24-year-old hit 258 in Cape Town, reaching 200 off 163 balls, the fastest double century by an Englishman and the second fastest ever.
Stokes had made only one fifty in his previous 13 innings.
"I haven't really done much for a while so it was nice to kick on and make a big score," he said.
"I probably won't play like this ever again in my life, but I've done it once so at least I can say that."
After his innings at Newlands, Stokes added: "I normally say 'crikey' when I get to 30, to be honest, so I kept on looking at the scoreboard."
Stokes, whose 11 sixes was the most by an England batsman in a Test innings, hit 130 runs in the morning session as the tourists flayed South Africa before eventually declaring on 629-6.
When he was finally dismissed, Stokes had made the highest ever score by a Test number six, beating the 250 of Doug Walters for Australia against New Zealand in 1977.
Stokes was eventually run out after sharing a Test record sixth-wicket stand of 399 with Jonny Bairstow, who made his maiden Test century.
When England reached 600, Stokes said captain Alastair Cook asked him if he wanted to delay the declaration so he could chase a triple century.
"I said it doesn't really matter because I'm just trying to hit every ball for six anyway," revealed Stokes.
Listen - the moment Stokes reaches his double century
Listen - "Stokes batted like Gilchrist and Sobers"
Jonathan Agnew column: England lucky to have Stokes
Bairstow, the England wicketkeeper, made an unbeaten 150 to register a maiden century in his 22nd Test.
"It's probably the best day of my life," he said. "It's been a little while coming and I'm delighted to get over the line.
"It's fantastic, not only for myself, but my family as well."
Bairstow is the son of former England wicketkeeper David, who took his own life in 1998 at the age of 46.
"I was thinking of my dad and my grandpa, who passed away last year," said the 26-year-old.
"My mum was up there in one of the boxes, my sister as well. It's a special day for all the family... both here and up there."
South Africa moved to 141-2 at the close at Newlands, with captain Hashim Amla 64 not out and AB de Villiers, who was dropped by Joe Root, unbeaten on 25.
"We're massive favourites at the moment, we're so many runs ahead," said Stokes.
"De Villiers and Amla are the two big wickets, so we'll be looking to get them early tomorrow.
"It will be a big ask on a nice wicket, but we know that, once we get them, they can have a fragile tail with not many runs under their belts."
"It was a very intense show from Stokes and a crazy day of cricket," said Proteas opening batsman Dean Elgar.
"We tried various game plans against them, but it was one of those days where nothing went right.
"All you can do is take your cap off at the end of the battle.
"We were a little shell-shocked the way things were going."


US Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has apologised for her recent criticism of presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump.

Justice Ginsburg said she regretted her remarks and they were "ill-advised".
"Judges should avoid commenting on a candidate for public office. In the future I will be more circumspect," she said in a statement.
The liberal judge, 83, came under fire after she called Mr Trump a "faker" in an interview with CNN.
"He has no consistency about him. He says whatever comes into his head at the moment. He really has an ego," she told CNN.
On Wednesday, Mr Trump called on the top judge to retire after making "very dumb political statements" about him.
Justice Ginsburg also recently told the New York Times she could not imagine a Trump presidency, joking that she would move to New Zealand if he should win in November.
"I can't imagine what this place would be - I can't imagine what the country would be - with Donald Trump as our president," she said.
Mr Trump hit back, telling the New York Times her comments were  "highly inappropriate" and a "disgrace to the court".
Critics on both the right and left said Justice Ginsburg may have risked her legacy to insult Mr Trump and could undermine the credibility of the Supreme Court.
Mr Trump, who has never held political office, pulled off a stunning win in the primary contests by beating 16 other Republicans, including seasoned governors, senators and congressmen.
He is expected to unveil his running mate on Friday and next week he will be formally named as the Republican nominee at the party's annual convention in Cleveland.


National League side Bromley have signed winger David Martin following his departure from Whitehawk.

The 31-year-old helped the Hawks reach the National League South play-offs last season.
Martin previously had spells with Crystal Palace, Millwall, Derby, Southend, Luton and Stevenage.
"David will be a key member of the squad for us this season. He has plenty of league experience," Ravens manager Neil Smith told the club website.
Bromley have not disclosed the length of Martin's deal.
Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page.


The whistleblowing organisation Wikileaks has become closely embroiled in the story of Edward Snowden - the US intelligence leaker accused of espionage in the US who is currently believed to be seeking a safe haven from the transit zone of Moscow airport.

The affair has given fresh prominence to an organisation whose profile had waned since its headline-grabbing release in 2010 of hundreds of thousands of US state department diplomatic cables along with secret documents relating to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Its reputation has been dented by allegations of sex crimes levelled at its founder Julian Assange - who has now spent a year inside the Ecuadorean embassy in London, avoiding attempts to extradite him to Sweden.
He claims the allegations are part of a witch-hunt against him by the US, where there is an ongoing investigation into Wikileaks and Mr Assange by the US justice department.
The assistance Wikileaks has given Mr Snowden has thrust it back onto the front pages and its representatives back into the TV studios.
According to Elias Groll of Foreign Policy magazine, the two parties were not associated at the start of this saga - as evidenced by the fact that Mr Snowden took his revelations to the Guardian newspaper, bypassing Wikileaks "when this is Wikileaks' natural territory".
So how has Wikileaks assisted Mr Snowden, and how do their interests coincide?
Edward Snowden was first publicly identified by the UK's Guardian newspaper as the source of leaks about US surveillance programmes on 9 June, at which point he had been in Hong Kong for three weeks since fleeing from his Hawaii home.
Wikileaks' involvement in the affair first began to be reported more than a week later, when it emerged that it had made an ultimately unsuccessful bid to secure asylum for him in Iceland.
Wikileaks spokesman Kristinn Hrafnsson told the BBC on 24 June that "we have been helping him on two fronts: on one side, our legal team has been in contact and consultation and advising his legal team - for obvious reasons our legal team has vast knowledge in matters of extradition so it's quite natural that they could assist in many ways.
"Secondly we have been a go-between, carrying messages from Mr Snowden and his team to officials and governments."
Mr Assange claimed he had helped secure a refugee document of passage from the Ecuadorean government after the US revoked his passport, though Quito has since denied authorising any such document.
It is unclear whether Mr Snowden used an Ecuadorean document, authorised or unauthorised, to enable his passage to Moscow - where, Mr Assange confirms, Wikileaks has paid for Mr Snowden's plane tickets, lodging and legal counsel.
Wikileaks confirms that Sarah Harrison - a member of the Wikileaks legal team - "assisted Mr Snowden with his lawful departure from Hong Kong" and is "escorting him at all times" while in Russia.
Ms Harrison, who is still thought to be with Mr Snowden in Moscow, is - London's Evening Standard claims - Julian Assange's "powerful lieutenant and his principal link to the outside world from his room in the Ecuadorean embassy in Knightsbridge".
Baltasar Garzon, the former campaigning Spanish judge and now Wikileaks' legal director, is heading a team advising Mr Snowden on strategies to keep out of the grasp of the US. In a recent tweet, Wikileaks said it had hired a US attorney to represent him in the longer term.
Since Mr Snowden left Hong Kong and disappeared from public view, key Wikileaks figures have taken to the airwaves to explain why he should be hailed and not hounded for his disclosures.
So Wikileaks' best and brightest have been at the heart of efforts to protect Mr Snowden - why?
Asked whether he felt "any feeling of satisfaction or vengeance" at helping Mr Snowden thwart the US government, Mr Assange replied: "I have personal sympathy with Mr Snowden, having lived through a very similar experience, but the Wikileaks organisation more broadly exists to defend the practical rights of whistleblowers to bring their information to the public."
There may be other benefits from Wikileaks' association with Mr Snowden, in the face of a boycott from major financial companies and dwindling public sympathy because of Mr Assange's personal travails.
It has issued multiple appeals for donations since Mr Snowden flew to Moscow, though the BBC has been unable to obtain any comment on how successful those have been.
For Mr Groll, association with Mr Snowden can only be a boon for Mr Assange. "Assange hasn't been much of a success lately - before he was a valiant fighter for transparency, now he's holed up in an embassy.... But now he's riding to the rescue."
The association is a riskier one for Mr Snowden, he says.
"The dangers for Snowden is that he ends up being discredited - Assange is a hate figure in the US... so by associating with him, he's risking his reputation.
"Of course, he doesn't have much choice. We've seen an immense smear campaign against Snowden and Assange - and this is another way they can tarnish [Snowden's] credibility."
Wikileaks has confirmed that "there are more revelations to be expected" from Mr Snowden - but it remains to be seen whether, in light of the assistance he has received from them, Mr Snowden will change tack and release the new information through his new allies.


Jane Horrocks, Jim Broadbent and Fearne Cotton are to provide voices for the new series of Teletubbies.

Absolutely Fabulous star Horrocks will voice the "tubby phone" - a mobile-style gadget aimed at bringing the revamped show into the modern day.
Actor Broadbent and former BBC Radio 1 DJ Cotton will also be heard coming through voice trumpets which pop out of the ground.
The series is due to air on CBeebies later this year.
Eric And Ernie actor Daniel Rigby will narrate the new show, while Sunshine On Leith actress Antonia Thomas will lend her voice to the opening and closing lines.
Producers said the series would feature the same characters and style as the original show, which ran from 1997 to 2001, but with a "refreshed and contemporary look".
"I am very excited to be playing the tubby phone in the new series," Horrocks said.
"The series has a whole new feel to it. I think it's hilarious and it will appeal to adults as much as it does children."
The actress is no stranger to voicing children's television - she has previously worked on Little Princess and Fifi and the Flowertots.
Oscar winner Broadbent, who provided voices on animated films Arthur Christmas and Postman Pat: The Movie, said: "Teletubbies is truly a British institution and it's very exciting to be involved in bringing this global hit back to our TV screens."
Cotton added: "Teletubbies holds a special place in my heart so I'm honoured to be part of this well-loved TV show.
"As a mum, I am sure the new series will enthral a whole new generation of children across Britain and I will certainly be watching with my kids."
The original Teletubbies series was watched by around one billion children in more than 120 countries in 45 languages.


Uruguay has become the second country in Latin America, after communist Cuba, to legalise abortion for all women.

With a 17-14 majority, the Uruguayan Senate approved legislation that allows women to have an abortion in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.
The measure has divided opinion in the predominantly Roman Catholic country.
Pro-choice and anti-abortion campaigners criticised the compromise that sealed the deal set to be signed into law by President Jose Mujica.
The proposal had already been approved by the lower house of Congress and the Senate, but politicians from both sides of the debate agreed further changes and held another vote.
Pro-choice campaigners say many lives will be saved with the end of clandestine, high-risk terminations.
"With this law, we are joining the ranks of developed countries that have largely adopted a stance to liberalise, recognising the failure of criminal laws to avoid abortions," said government Senator Luis Gallo.
Pro-choice campaigners reject changes to the proposal that forces women to justify before a panel of experts why they wish a termination.
After that, they will need to wait for several days - a period of reflection - before being able to state their final decision.
Anti-abortion politicians said the government should have adopted measures to encourage adoptions, rather than change the law.
"Abortion is not a medical act. It does not seek to protect and preserve a patient's health," said opposition Senator Alfredo Solari.
Abortion is legal and available on request in Cuba.
Abortion is also allowed up to the 12th week of pregnancy in many Mexican states and in the area of the capital, Mexico City.
In other Latin American countries, it is only allowed in cases of rape or health risk for the woman.


Egypt's election commission has reinstated former Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq as a candidate in the country's forthcoming presidential election.

The commission had barred Mr Shafiq on Tuesday under a law that prevents senior officials from the era of President Hosni Mubarak from standing.
However, on Wednesday the commission upheld Mr Shafiq's appeal.
Mr Shafiq was the last prime minister to serve under Mr Mubarak, who was ousted by protests in February 2011.
"The decision to accept my client's appeal proves that the electoral committee functions as an independent body according to the rule of law," Shafiq's lawyer, Shawqi Sayyid, said, according to Reuters.
The law under which Mr Shafiq was originally disqualified bars from the presidency anyone who served in senior positions in government and the former ruling National Democratic Party under President Mubarak.
The law had been rushed through the Islamist-dominated parliament and ratified by the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (Scaf) on Tuesday.
However, in his appeal Mr Shafiq challenged the measure's constitutionality and the commission has now referred the law to Egypt's Supreme Constitutional Court.
The commission is due to announce the final list of candidates on Thursday.
Mr Mubarak's former vice-president and spy chief, Omar Suleiman, has also been disqualified for different reasons, along with two Islamists - Khairat al-Shater of the Muslim Brotherhood and Salafist Hazem Abu Ismail.
The front-runners among those left in the race are considered to be former Foreign Minister Amr Moussa, the independent moderate Islamist Abdel Moneim Aboul Fotouh and Mohammed Mursi, the chairman of the Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party (FJP).
The first round of voting is scheduled on 23 and 24 May, after which there is expected to be a run-off between the top two candidates in June.
The ruling Scaf, which assumed presidential powers after Hosni Mubarak was overthrown, is due to hand over to the new president on 1 July.


Ryan Giggs says managing Manchester United or Wales would be the "pinnacle" of any future career as a manager.

The Old Trafford and Wales legend would also consider managing a Championship club provided it matches his "ambitions and vision".
"Managing your national team is the pinnacle or the club that you played for. For me Manchester United - that's the pinnacle," he said.
"Whether it happens or not, I don't know, but you'd always be open to it."
The 42-year-old former winger has been on what he called a sabbatical since ending a 29-year association with United in June following the appointment of Jose Mourinho as manager.
He had been interim manager at Old Trafford and was assistant to Louis van Gaal before Mourinho replaced the Dutchman.
Giggs added: "As a player I was a winner and I want to be the same as a manager, whether it be dropping down to the Championship, whether it be in the Premier League - I've got no preference," he told BBC Wales.
"It has to be the right club and have the same ambitions and visions as I do."
He was recently linked with the Swansea City job that American Bob Bradley has filled following Francesco Guidolin's sacking, but said "a few things" prevented him taking over at Liberty Stadium.
Under current manager Chris Coleman, Wales reached their first major championships since 1958 and progressed to the semi-finals of Euro 2016.
Coleman signed a fresh deal with the Football Association of Wales in May this year and has said he will move on when their 2018 World Cup campaign concludes.
Giggs believes Coleman could still conceivably stay longer: "That could change [his mind]. He could stay on, we never know.
"Whoever takes over if Chris decides to leave after two years will be inheriting a team that has been the most successful in Wales for the last 50 years."


Most countries in the world are facing a serious public health problem as a result of malnutrition, a report warns.

The Global Nutrition Report said every nation except China had crossed a "malnutrition red line", suffering from too much or too little nutrition.
Globally, malnutrition led to "11% of GDP being squandered as a result of lives lost, less learning, less earning and days lost to illness," it added.
The findings follow on from last year's Nutrition from Growth summit in London.
At the 2013 gathering, 96 signatories made "significant and public commitments to nutrition-related actions" and this report was an assessment of the work that still needed to be done and the progress made.
"Malnutrition is an invisible thing, unless it is very extreme," explained Lawrence Haddad, co-chairman of the independent expert group that compiled the report.
"This invisibility stops action happening but it does not stop bad things happening to the children, " he told BBC News.
"It does not stop preventing the children's brains from developing; it does not stop their immune systems from not developing.
"It is a silent crisis and we are trying to raise the awareness of the extent of malnutrition and the damage it does."
The UN World Food Programme estimates that poor nutrition causes nearly half of deaths in children aged under five - 3.1 million children each year.
Dr Haddad, a senior research fellow for the International Food Policy Research Institute, highlighted three areas that the report focused on.
"The first thing we did was to say that we were not just going to focus on undernutrition, which is closely related to hunger, but also overnutrition and obesity," he explained. "Malnutrition just means bad nutrition."
The second thing we did was focus on not just the outcomes, we also focused on the drivers. We looked at underlying factors, such as sanitation, water quality, food security, spending on nutrition and women's status etc.
"The third thing we did was to look at a very specific set of commitments that were made in the 2013 summit that David Cameron hosted in London."
Global problem
The expert group's assessment on global nutrition drew a number of conclusions.
Nutrition disorders can be caused by an insufficient intake of food or of certain nutrients, by an inability of the body to absorb and use nutrients, or by overconsumption of certain foods.
Examples include obesity caused by excess energy intake, anaemia caused by insufficient intake of iron, and impaired sight because of inadequate intake of vitamin A.
Nutrition disorders can be particularly serious in children, since they interfere with growth and development.
(Source: World Health Organization)
"First of all, it is really interesting when you put all the data together you find out that nearly every country in the world has crossed a red line on nutrition in terms of it being a serious public health issue," Dr Haddad observed.
"In fact, the only country that has not is China... [but] they are very close to crossing a red line and that data is four to five years old.
He added: "Often you read that it is just a problem that happens in Asia and Africa but, actually, every country in the world is grappling with malnutrition."
"The second big headline is almost half of the countries are grappling with more than one type of malnutrition. About half of the countries in the world are not just grappling with the undernutrition problem but also the overnutrition problem as well.
"Countries like the UK dealt with the undernutrition problem, then there was a bit of a respite but then had to start dealing with overnutrition.
"But about half of the countries in the world are dealing with both of these things at the same time, so that makes dealing with it rather overwhelming and complex."
But he added: "We say that you cannot ignore this anymore and you have got to start strategising around the double burden of over- and under-nutrition."
Last year's meeting in London, nations set a number of targets to be achieved by 2020, including:
Data deficit
Despite the 2013 summit in London raising awareness of the issue of malnutrition, the report's authors found that while global targets were being missed, there was "a lot of very spectacular progress within countries".
Dr Haddad explained: "One of the big messages is that just because globally we are off-track, do not get discouraged because there is some very significant progress being made by very significant countries, such as Bangladesh, Ethiopia, India.
"This is fantastic and if those countries are joined by some other countries then we can easily be back on to achieving global targets."
However, he lamented the quality of the available data: "We say that the state of the data regarding nutrition is terrible.
"We could only find three countries where we could actually find data that properly showed how much was being spent on nutrition.
"Accountability in the nutrition sector is weak because the data is not very good. It is not about naming and shaming, it is about what needs to be done in order to improve accountability."


Star Wars actor John Boyega is to star in the sequel to Pacific Rim, playing the son of the character whom Idris Elba played in its 2013 predecessor.

Boyega, 24, confirmed his involvement on Twitter, saying he was both "very excited" and "so happy" to be on board as both an actor and producer.
Steven S DeKnight will direct Pacific Rim: Maelstrom, which will follow on from Guillermo del Toro's original.
Del Toro said he "couldn't think of a better man for the job (than Boyega)".
"I am very proud and happy to welcome John into a fantastic sandbox," said the Mexican film-maker, who is also among the new film's producers.
"The Pacific Rim universe will be reinforced with him as a leading man as it continues to be a multicultural, multi-layered world."
Elba played officer Stacker Pentecost in the original film, which told of a war between giant monsters and the giant robots man builds to defeat them.
Fellow Londoner Boyega is best known for his role as stormtrooper Finn in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, a sequel to which is currently in production.
DeKnight is best known as the creator of the US TV series Spartacus.
Legendary Pictures will produce Maelstrom with Upper Room Productions, the company Boyega set up earlier this year with agent Femi Oguns.


Leicester manager Claudio Ranieri says he is "very, very angry" his team cannot replicate their Champions League form in the Premier League.

Riyad Mahrez's goal secured a 1-0 win over FC Copenhagen on Tuesday to leave the Foxes one victory from qualifying for the Champions League last 16.
But the English champions, unbeaten in Europe with three wins in three, are 13th domestically after four losses.
Ranieri said it is a "psychological" problem and the league is his priority.
Leicester are only the fifth Champions League debutants - after AC Milan, Paris St-Germain, Juventus and Malaga - to win their opening three games.
"I'm very proud of the side from one side but from another, when I think of the Premier League, I am very, very angry," said Ranieri, 64.
"In my career this has happened. When you are in the big competition for the first time you grow and then you lose something when you go back into your own competition.
"When you play in the Champions League you are switched on, very, very smart and focused on every situation. You use up a lot of mental energy in the Champions League.
"We want to change this though because the Premier League is our priority."
Leicester have already lost more games in the Premier League this season than they did in their title campaign - and conceded 14 goals.
But in Europe, the Foxes have become only the third team to begin a Champions League campaign with three straight clean sheets, and they can secure a place in the last 16 with a win in Denmark on 2 November, having already guaranteed at least a Europa League spot.
"It is good to go into the Europa League but we are in the Champions League and we go step by step," added Ranieri.
"We have to stay calm now and change our mentality in the Premier League because we have Crystal Palace coming up - a tough, tough match."
Phil McNulty, BBC Sport's chief football writer
When Leicester's thoughts turned to their first Champions League campaign, qualification from Group G would have been regarded as a major success for manager Claudio Ranieri and his players.
But the Foxes may just fancy their chances of taking the dream journey a step further.
Topping the group would make life a lot easier in the last-16 draw as it vastly increases the chances of drawing beatable opponents when all logic - something, admittedly, they defied last season - suggests they would struggle against Europe's elite.
The King Power Stadium is a compact and atmospheric arena, swirling with noise, that is perfectly designed for European nights and making even the most illustrious sides uncomfortable.
If Leicester can keep up this form, and the likes of Riyad Mahrez, Jamie Vardy and Islam Slimani can provide the threat to supplement the defensive resilience that won the Premier League, then there may be plenty of sides they can trouble."
Read Phil McNulty's report from the King Power Stadium
Leicester City will not face Uefa charges after FC Copenhagen fans let off flares before Tuesday's Champions League game at the King Power Stadium.
European football's governing body has opened disciplinary proceedings against the Danish champions for supporters in the away end "setting off fireworks".
Uefa holds host clubs responsible for security inside and around the stadium, "unless they can prove that they have not been negligent".
Uefa's control, ethics and disciplinary body will deal with Copenhagen's case on 17 November.


David Cameron is starting a tour of European capitals as a bill paving the way for the UK's EU referendum is launched in the House of Commons.

The prime minister will attempt to persuade the Dutch, French, Polish and German premiers to back his changes to the UK's EU membership.
The EU Referendum Bill will confirm the question to be put to voters: "Should the United Kingdom remain a member of the European Union?"
The vote will take place by 2017.
The referendum bill was announced as part of a packed legislative programme in the Queen's Speech, which also included an increase in free childcare, an income tax freeze and the right-to-buy for housing association tenants.
BBC political editor Nick Robinson said the EU debate was "where the prime minister's focus is", adding that the answer to the referendum question "will decide whether this Queen's Speech is still being talked about in 100 years' time".
Downing Street said the draft law's first reading in the Commons was a "concrete step towards settling the debate about the UK's membership of the EU".
Mr Cameron has pledged to renegotiate the UK's relationship with the EU before holding the referendum, and has vowed to visit all 27 other member states ahead of a summit in June.
First up are Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte and French President Francois Hollande, followed by Polish Prime Minister Ewa Kopa and German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
Mr Cameron has called for changes to EU migrants' welfare entitlement, while some Conservatives also want the primacy of British law to be reaffirmed.
The PM has hinted he could vote to leave the EU if his requests are not granted, saying he "rules nothing out".
Downing Street said the choice put to voters "should not be on the basis of the status quo but on a reformed relationship with the EU that the PM is determined to deliver".
But some member states have questioned the need for any change to EU treaties, and ruled out any watering down of the key principle of freedom of movement.
David Cameron is starting renegotiation of the terms of Britain's EU membership ahead of a referendum. Here is some further reading on what it all means:
The UK and the EU: Better off in or out?
What Britain wants from Europe
Q&A: The UK's planned EU referendum
Timeline: EU referendum debate
Why Germany is David Cameron's new best friend
Responding to the Queen's Speech, Labour's acting leader Harriet Harman said her party would back the referendum bill.
Outgoing Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg warned against complacency and called for Mr Cameron to lead the bid for Britain to stay in the EU with conviction.
UKIP leader Nigel Farage said the wording of the referendum question was "simple, straightforward" and "unambiguous".
He added: "However, that Cameron is opting to give the pro-EU side the positive 'Yes' suggests strongly that his negotiations are so much fudge.
"He has already decided which way he wants the answer to be given, without a single power repatriated."


Britain's Andy Murray defeated Juan Monaco 2-6 6-3 6-0 at the Shenzhen Open to reach his first final since winning Wimbledon last year.

The Scot, 27, levelled after a poor first set before racing through the decider against the Argentine.
He will face Tommy Robredo in Sunday's final in China after the Spaniard earlier beat Santiago Giraldo 6-1 6-4.
"Tommy will be a very tough opponent. I will need to play a really good match if I want to win," said Murray.
It will be their first meeting since the Briton defeated him in the third round at SW19 last year.
Murray's semi-final victory boosts his hopes of qualifying for the ATP World Tour Finals at the 02 Arena in November.
The Briton, currently ranked 11th in the world, will rise above Grigor Dimitrov into 10th place in the race to qualify for the finals if he wins the tournament.
He served 10 aces and converted six of nine break points in a performance that improved significantly as the match wore on.
In hot and humid conditions, Murray fell a double-break behind at 4-1 as repeated errors, particularly off the forehand side, handed easy points to his 30-year-old opponent, who is ranked 97th in the world.
A backhand that clipped the outside of the line allowed Murray to retrieve one of those breaks, but he immediately gave up his serve again, a limp forehand slapped into the net all too typical of his play.
When another backhand sailed long, the Scot had lost the opening set in only half an hour.
A lucky net cord and Monaco double fault allowed Murray to break first in the second set but another errant forehand conceded the advantage straight away.
At 3-3 and break point down, Murray was in a precarious position but a swinging second serve allowed him to avert danger and he pounced on a poor Monaco drop shot to break for 5-3 before serving out the set.
The second seed was in inspired form in the decider, winning it to love with his forehand now drawing gasps from the crowd as it repeatedly found the target and proved too powerful for Monaco to handle.
"The turning point was when we were 3-3 in the second set," said Murray. "But before that he was dominating the match."
Japanese world number eight and US Open runner-up Kei Nishikori made it into his second consecutive final, beating Finland's Jarkko Nieminen 6-3 4-6 6-2 in the semi-final of the Malaysian Open in Kuala Lumpur. He'll play fourth seed Julien Benneteau, of France, who knocked out the second seeded Latvian Ernests Gulbis 6-4 6-4.


Sam Allardyce is to carry on as manager at West Ham United, the Premier League club has announced.

The statement on the future of the 59-year-old, in charge since June 2011, ends speculation about Allardyce's role at Upton Park.
Allardyce led the Hammers to 13th in the Premier League table, but has faced criticism from some supporters.
"The club have made clear that they want to see progression on the pitch," says a club statement.
West Ham's announcement follows an end-of-season meeting between Allardyce and the club's board.
They considered the former Bolton, Newcastle and Blackburn manager's plans for next season before making the announcement.
The statement said that Allardyce has agreed to recruit a new attacking coach "to ensure the team provides more entertainment next season".
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It added that the club expects a top 10 finish in the table.
The statement continued: "After listening to feedback from supporters, the board have insisted on improvements to the set-up of the playing and backroom staff to ensure the team provides more entertainment next season.
"The manager has agreed to recruit a new attacking coach to complement the existing coaching set-up as well as an overhaul of the club's scouting and recruitment operation.
"That will see the board have a greater involvement in the players who are signed, as the board will once again be investing considerable funds into the club this summer.
"The club have made clear that they want to see progression on the pitch and at least a top 10 finish as a result."
Allardyce took charge at Upton Park three years ago after the Hammers had been relegated from the Premier League under Avram Grant.
He led West Ham to promotion via the Championship play-offs in his first season before securing 10th place in 2012-13.
But after a four-match winning run in February, the Hammers finished the 2013-14 campaign with eight defeats in 11 games.
Some fans vented their displeasure at Allardyce during the 1-0 defeat by West Brom on 26 April.
"We are absolutely committed to taking West Ham United to new heights and we want to see the club continue on an upward trajectory next season," said West Ham joint-chairmen David Sullivan and David Gold.
"The 2014-15 campaign is crucial to our future and we are confident that Sam has the passion, experience and determination to make sure it is a success."


The "whistleblower" behind a series of corruption allegations involving Fifa executive committee members and Qatar's 2022 World Cup bid has told the BBC she fabricated the claims.

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Phaedra Al Majid, a former international media officer for Qatar 2022, said she wanted to exact revenge after losing her campaign job.
She decided to go public after she said her "lies had gone too far".
Al Majid has now signed a legal affidavit retracting the allegations.
Fifa has also confirmed that it has received an email from Al Majid withdrawing the allegations.
"Fifa can confirm receipt of an email from a person claiming to have made allegations related to the Qatar 2022 bid process and now retracting these allegations," said a statement.
My intentions were to make a few headlines, I never expected that my lies would be carried on and discussed in parliament
Originally made anonymously to journalists, Al Majid's claims became the subject of an inquiry by the parliamentary select committee for culture, media and sport.
She says she is deeply sorry for the trouble she has caused World Cup officials in Qatar and the three Fifa executive committee members she accused of accepting bribes.
"I was very upset after I left the bid and wanted to basically hurt the bid back," she said.
"My intentions were to make a few headlines, I never expected that my lies would be carried on and discussed in parliament.
"It just went too far. I never expected it to come to this point. There was never anything suspicious or any wrongdoing on Qatar's part.
"I cannot tell you how sorry I am. I have hurt reputations of three members of the Fifa exco, I have hurt their reputation, and more importantly I have hurt my colleagues on the Qatar bid."
Al Majid originally said African Football Confederation president Issa Hayatou, Ivory Coast Fifa member Jacques Anomua and Nigeria's suspended exco official Amos Adamu were paid $1.5m to vote for Qatar.
The allegations were denied by all three men but were made public under parliamentary privilege when the Sunday Times submitted evidence from their investigation into Fifa to the select committee in May.
She was then invited to back up her claims in a meeting with Fifa president Sepp Blatter. But no meeting ever took place.
Al Majid also says she "tampered" with a Qatar 2022 bid strategy document which she then leaked to journalists.
She insists she was placed under no pressure or paid any money by Qatar 2022 to change her story. Officials on a new supreme committee for the World Cup, now overseeing preparations for the tournament, have told the BBC Al Majid first made contact with them on 5 June and that they didn't place her under any pressure or pay her to retract her story.
However, it must be stated that the BBC only interviewed Al Majid after being put in touch with her by Qatar bid officials, during research for a special report on the Qatar 2022 World Cup due to be broadcast on BBC2's Newsnight on Monday.
Her decision to retract her story could be embarrassing for the select committee who last week published a report on the 2018 and 2022 World Cup bids in which the MPs accused Fifa of treating corruption allegations with an "approach bordering on contempt".


Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger should sell "overindulged" star players Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil after agreeing to extend his stay at the club, says ex-defender Martin Keown.

The Frenchman has signed a two-year deal and says his side can challenge for the Premier League title next term.
Forward Sanchez and midfielder Ozil are entering the final year of their deals.
"If they have to say cheerio to those two players, then that is the right decision," Keown told BBC Radio 5 live.
Chile striker Sanchez scored 24 goals and provided 10 assists for the Gunners last season while Germany player Ozil netted eight goals and laid on nine assists. Wenger's side finished fifth in the league, missing out on Champions League football for the first time in 20 years.
The north London club went out of this year's competition at the last-16 stage following a 10-2 aggregate defeat by Bayern Munich.
Sanchez has reportedly been offered a new £300,000-a-week contract, while Ozil has reportedly refused to sign a £250,000-a-week deal.
"They have been overindulged at times this season and they let Arsenal down in the period when they lost twice to Bayern Munich, conceding 10 goals. That is the level of the problem," said Keown, who played more than 300 games for Arsenal.
"The manager needs to make some really tough decisions now. Sanchez's contract needs to get 100% secured. Is that going to happen? Will Ozil leave?
"I am sure both players want to go elsewhere because they want to win the Champions League, win the Premier League and maybe they do not feel it can be done at Arsenal. The club is bigger than two individuals."
Wenger has said his side are "two players" off challenging for the title, and the club are expected to spend at least £100m on new players in the upcoming transfer window - which opens on 1 July - having also spent about that figure last summer.
Ex-captain Tony Adams, who played more than 500 games in a one-club career at Arsenal, feels the current group of players are not good enough to challenge for major honours.
"Maybe he thinks they can win the league in the next two years or get back into the Champions League. Looking at this squad, I don't think they can," Adams told BBC Wiltshire.
"But I can understand the frustration of the fans that want a league title and want to be competitive.
"We need to start being competitive and seen as number one by number one players instead of number four players on the pecking list."
Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov owns a 30% stake in the club and had a £1bn bid to wrest control from majority shareholder Stan Kroenke rejected.
He issued a statement on Wednesday which called on the board to support Wenger.
"He has a great opportunity to deliver the success that the fans deserve and the legacy that his long contribution merits. However, without the right support there remains a real risk that his legacy will be tarnished," he added.
Adams added he does not want Wenger's job to "end in tears".
"I just do not want it to all fall apart in the next two years and Arsene is seen as a villain, a bad man for Arsenal. that would be wrong. He has been so brilliant for the club," he said.
Wenger joined the club in 1996 and has won three league titles - the last in their unbeaten season of 2003-04 - and seven FA Cup titles - a record for any manager.
But last season saw regular protests from some supporters, who called for him to end his long tenure at the club.
Arsenal Supporters' Trust spokesperson Tim Payton told BBC Sport that fans have "a right to a voice". Arsenal Fan TV presenter Robbie Lyle says the atmosphere at Emirates Stadium could become "toxic" again next season if they lose back-to-back games.
Keown added: "Whether the fans want this decision or not, they have to get behind the manger. You cannot have a situation like last season, where there was a really difficult environment for the players to go in to.
"Coming off the bus there were people hurling abuse, all the 'Wenger Out' placards. It is time now they got behind the manager for the next two years and if that is going to be the send-off, then that is what he deserves."


Wales is edging closer to independence, a senior Welsh Tory MP has claimed, amid plans for further devolution.

New powers over energy, transport and running the assembly will be outlined in a draft Wales Bill on Tuesday.
Monmouth MP David Davies said he was worried that devolution "is always a one-way street".
"No-one is talking about taking powers away from the Welsh government in areas where it is performing badly, such as health or education," he said.
The draft bill will outline a "reserved powers" model which lists all the policy areas where Westminster remains responsible, with the rest assumed to be devolved.
Welsh Secretary Stephen Crabb has denied claims that the bill could weaken the assembly, and rejected calls by First Minister Carwyn Jones to delay publication for further cross-party talks.


The death of a man whose body was found in mysterious circumstances on Saddleworth Moor will be examined at an inquest later.

David Lytton, 67, from London, was discovered at Dove Stone Reservoir in Greater Manchester on 12 December 2015.
It took police more than a year to establish his identity and a "provisional" cause of death was given as "strychnine poisoning".
A full inquest is scheduled to begin at Heywood Coroner's Court at 14:00 GMT.
The death sparked worldwide interest as a police investigation was launched to identify the body of the man, first nicknamed Neil Dovestones by mortuary workers at Royal Oldham Hospital.
It was discovered Mr Lytton had lived in Pakistan for 10 years and had flown to London Heathrow, two days before his body was found.
He had no wallet, phone or documents and was identified from photos from a passenger list and picked up on CCTV in London.
His identity was eventually confirmed as a result of a DNA match with a relative in January.
It later emerged he had changed his name from David Lautenberg, the name he was born with in 1948.
Police believe he took his own life.
Det Sgt John Coleman described the case as "unlike anything I have ever known" in 20 years as a police officer.
Speaking after Mr Lytton's identity was finally established, he said: "Possibly the biggest question still remains, which is why a man with no obvious connection to Saddleworth chose to head there after returning from Pakistan."
The mystery gave rise to a number of theories about Mr Lytton's death, which were later discounted.
There was speculation he could have been making a final journey to the site of a plane crash in 1949 which killed his family, while a man from Northern Ireland contacted police to say he could be missing Hugh Toner, from Newry, who disappeared in 1994.


Champions Juventus continued their winning start to the Serie A season with a 1-0 victory at Lazio.

Germany midfielder Sami Khedira scored for the second successive week with a low drive in the second half.
Gonzalo Higuain, signed for £75.3m in the summer, came off the bench moments before Khedira's goal.
Lazio, who had won their opening game of the season last week, wore a message of remembrance for the victims of the earthquake that hit Italy on Wednesday.
The death toll from the quake currently stands at 290.
Match ends, Lazio 0, Juventus 1.
Second Half ends, Lazio 0, Juventus 1.
Attempt saved. Marko Pjaca (Juventus) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Alex Sandro.
Attempt missed. Felipe Anderson (Lazio) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right.
Foul by Bastos (Lazio).
Marko Pjaca (Juventus) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution, Juventus. Marko Pjaca replaces Paulo Dybala.
Corner,  Juventus. Conceded by Stefan Radu.
Attempt saved. Marco Parolo (Lazio) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Ciro Immobile.
Foul by Marco Parolo (Lazio).
Alex Sandro (Juventus) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt missed. Paulo Dybala (Juventus) left footed shot from more than 35 yards misses to the left. Assisted by Sami Khedira.
Corner,  Lazio. Conceded by Medhi Benatia.
Attempt blocked. Patric (Lazio) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Attempt blocked. Ciro Immobile (Lazio) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Patric.
Attempt blocked. Mario Lemina (Juventus) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Alex Sandro.
Substitution, Juventus. Stephan Lichtsteiner replaces Dani Alves.
Substitution, Lazio. Filip Djordjevic replaces Dusan Basta.
Foul by Marco Parolo (Lazio).
Kwadwo Asamoah (Juventus) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt missed. Medhi Benatia (Juventus) header from the right side of the six yard box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Paulo Dybala with a cross following a set piece situation.
Kwadwo Asamoah (Juventus) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Marco Parolo (Lazio).
Goal!  Lazio 0, Juventus 1. Sami Khedira (Juventus) right footed shot from the right side of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Paulo Dybala.
Substitution, Juventus. Gonzalo Higuaín replaces Mario Mandzukic.
Foul by Sergej Milinkovic-Savic (Lazio).
Kwadwo Asamoah (Juventus) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt blocked. Sergej Milinkovic-Savic (Lazio) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Ciro Immobile.
Substitution, Lazio. Patric replaces Jordan Lukaku.
Attempt missed. Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus) header from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Dani Alves with a cross following a corner.
Corner,  Juventus. Conceded by Felipe Anderson.
Mario Lemina (Juventus) is shown the yellow card.
Corner,  Lazio. Conceded by Giorgio Chiellini.
Substitution, Lazio. Sergej Milinkovic-Savic replaces Senad Lulic.
Offside, Juventus. Medhi Benatia tries a through ball, but Dani Alves is caught offside.
Attempt missed. Paulo Dybala (Juventus) left footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right.
Attempt saved. Mario Mandzukic (Juventus) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the top right corner. Assisted by Alex Sandro with a cross.
Attempt missed. Sami Khedira (Juventus) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Mario Mandzukic.
Hand ball by Dusan Basta (Lazio).
Senad Lulic (Lazio) wins a free kick in the attacking half.


Goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel has returned to training with Leicester City after breaking his hand in November and could be available for Saturday's game at Stoke City.

Schmeichel, 30, injured his right hand during the goalless draw with FC Copenhagen in the Champions League on 2 November but finished the game.
Leicester have won just two of their eight league and cup games since.
"Kasper trained very well today," said Foxes boss Claudio Ranieri on Thursday.
"I will check on him tomorrow [Friday]. He feels good. The hand is OK."
Denmark international Schmeichel signed a new five-year deal with Premier League champions Leicester in August.
He played in all 38 of the Foxes' league fixtures last season, keeping 15 clean sheets.
Schmeichel has made more than 200 appearances for Leicester since arriving from Leeds United in 2011, having started his career at Manchester City.
Ron-Robert Zieler is Leicester's back-up keeper.


If the main parties are still unclear about how this election might go then what about prospective voters?

Have they managed to read a manifesto or even one of the leaflets pushed through the letterbox?
As part of BBC Radio Lancashire's "Set Out Your Stall" tour, we've been going along to 16 markets - one in each of Lancashire's constituencies - to ask people to tell us what the biggest issues are for them.
This week we're in Nelson.
In other areas, the National Health Service and immigration have been mentioned more than any other topics.
In the case of the health service, many of our visitors expressed most concern over the way the main parties have been arguing about it, rather than the quality of care provided.
The Pendle constituency is one of the key election seats in the county, one which has attracted a great deal of attention from Labour and the Tories.
The seat was taken from Labour by the Conservatives five years ago. Andrew Stephenson won it for the Tories in 2010, defeating Labour by 3,585 votes on a 6.6% swing.
Lining up against him in the red corner this time will be Azhar Ali, a cabinet member on Lancashire County Council in charge of public health.
If he wins the seat he could become the first Asian MP in Lancashire.
The Liberal Democrats were 8,417 votes behind the Conservatives five years ago. Is there any way their candidate Graham Roach can paint this part of Lancashire yellow?
Mick Waddington is standing for UKIP while Laura Fisk represents the Green Party.
Some of the county's biggest political hitters will gather at the Ace centre in Nelson on Friday for our latest election debate.
Joining Mr Ali and Ms Fisk will be Rob Loughenbury, who is standing for the Conservatives in Chorley; the Liberal Democrats' Gordon Birtwhistle - who will be hoping to retain Burnley for his party - and UKIP's Matthew Atkins, who will be contesting Lancaster and Fleetwood.
As well as the NHS and immigration, the panel will also be asked about welfare and benefits, housing and education.


A fire at a storage site in Torfaen has destroyed 18 touring caravans and left 13 others with heat damage.

Crews from Cwmbran, New Inn, Maindee and Aberbargoed were called to the outbreak off Avondale Road, Cwmbran, at 00:50 BST on Wednesday.
It took firefighters over an hour to bring the blaze under control.
South Wales Fire Service has confirmed that a large quantity of gas cylinders were involved in the fire.
Officers from the fire crime unit will be at the site on Wednesday morning to collect the cylinders.
The fire is understood to have started accidentally.


Lewis Hamilton says he will carry Jules Bianchi in his thoughts for the rest of his career, following the Frenchman's death last week.

Bianchi succumbed to head injuries suffered in last year's Japanese Grand Prix. Hamilton was one of many current drivers who attended his funeral.
The world champion said: "I will be carrying Jules with me in my prayers for the rest of my driving days.
"I know he'd want us to race as hard as he did, and so I will."
Bianchi's funeral in Nice was also attended by Hamilton's Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg, four-time champion Sebastian Vettel, 2009 champion Jenson Button, Williams driver Felipe Massa and a host of others.
Media playback is not supported on this device
It  took place only three days before the drivers take to the track in Friday practice for this weekend's Hungarian Grand Prix, the final race before Formula 1's four-week summer break.
Hamilton now intends to carry a tribute to Bianchi on his car or helmet during the race weekend.
Hamilton said: "Saying goodbye to Jules was incredibly hard for everyone.
"For myself, I wish I had known him better. But from what I knew of him, he was a kind heart with a great spirit and a bright future.
"Now our sport embarks on a tough road ahead. We have been shown once more the dangers of our sport, that these should be respected and we drivers must commit ourselves to the chance that those dangers are there when we step into the car.
"We have made great progress for safety thus far and I know that governing body the FIA will continue to make steps forward to improve even further."
Rosberg added: "It has been a very emotional week. The drivers paid our final respects to Jules and said farewell. He was a very talented driver and a good guy.
"My thoughts in these days are with his family and close friends.
"Everyone will be sharing the same feelings in the paddock this week - but we must race on and race hard for Jules as he would have wanted to be doing himself."
Hamilton later asked his followers on social media to design a tribute for Bianchi which he can display on his helmet or car this weekend. He tweeted: "I need your help. I want to make a sticker in loving memory of Jules. Send me ideas and see the winning hashtag on my car/helmet this wknd."


The half-brother of a teenage father-to-be has appeared in court accused of his murder.

Jazzie Francis Watson, known as AJ, is accused of killing 17-year-old Shamus Mcnama in an incident on Stothard Road, Lockleaze, Bristol, at the weekend.
Mr Mcnama died from knife wounds in hospital on Sunday.
Mr Watson, 19, spoke only to confirm his name, address and date of birth. He will next appear at Bristol Crown Court on Wednesday.
Mr Mcnama was due to become a father according to tributes left close to his home.
Hundreds of floral tributes have been left at the scene, including a note and a picture of a scan of an unborn baby.
A note attached to the scan reads: "RIP Daddy. I never got to meet you taken too soon, but will always be a part of me and in my heart forever. Love from your beautiful baby girl."
About Â£5,000 has already been raised online for Mr Mcnama's funeral.
He is believed to have attended Orchard School and Filton High School before starting an apprenticeship at South Gloucestershire and Stroud College.


A "money back" recycling scheme, in which used drinks containers are exchanged for cash, could be re-introduced in Northern Ireland.

Northern Ireland's Environment Minister Mark H Durkan said it could help to reduce litter and boost recycling.
He said a deposit scheme, where the public received 10p for each glass bottle they returned, had operated in Northern Ireland in the past.
The minister is awaiting the results of similar pilot projects in Scotland.
Over the last two years, the Scottish government has been exploring how a Deposit Return System (DRS) for drinks bottles and cans could work within its jurisdiction.
It asked Zero Waste Scotland to commission a feasibility study, the results of which was published last month.
The Scottish research found there were no major obstacles to a DRS recycling scheme, but industry leaders issued a warning about the potential costs to businesses.
Mr Durkan has now asked his own officials in Stormont's Department of Environment to begin work on a feasibility study in Northern Ireland.
"It's something I've been thinking about since I actually took up my ministerial role nearly two years ago now," Mr Durkan told BBC Radio Foyle.
"I'm always keen to explore ideas about how we move towards a zero waste society, which is my ultimate ambition and I believe that's an ambition which should be shared by all of us."
Mr Durkan said he believed the ending of the previous cash-back bottle recycling scheme in Northern Ireland was cost-driven, because "advances in production" methods had reduced the price of manufacturing drinks containers.
However, he said the public and businesses were now more aware that cheaper production methods could mean long-term costs for the environment.
"We, as a society, have changed a lot over the years," the minister said.
"We haven't always changed for the better and I think it's important that we do everything we can to change for the better again, and if that means going back to go forward, I'm certainly prepared to do that.
"We know a lot more about recycling now, we know a lot more about the damage the practices we have been carrying out over decades and centuries have been doing to the environment."
In a statement, Mr Durkan's department said the proposed system would accept the "broadest range of materials and the suggested deposit would be between 10p and 20p, depending on volume".
"Deposits would be returned manually by retailers or through automated reverse vending machines," it added.


In case you missed it, here's a round-up of this week's parenting and family news from the BBC.

That is a question many parents have been asking themselves this week following a warning from the Children's Commissioner for England that the internet is "not designed for children".
Anne Longfield's Growing Up Digital report found that young people are not prepared for what they are signing up to on the internet and are frequently giving away personal information.
Even more worrying is the risk of online grooming. A video from Leicestershire police about murdered schoolgirl Kayleigh Haywood has gone viral.  It shows how easily some young people can be fooled by strangers who contact them on social media.
If you want to know more about what you can do to protect your child online, BBC iWonder has this advice.
There is plenty of information about how to deal with cyberbullies, but far less about what to do if you find out that your own child is the source.
The BBC took advice from experts and a mother who found out her daughter had been cyberbullying her school friends.
A viral video showing a two-year-old boy saving his twin brother from a falling chest of drawers has been a shocking reminder of how important it is for parents to ensure all furniture is secure against the wall.
The singer gave birth to a baby boy named Eissa Al Mana.
Janet Jackson is not alone in having a child later in life. The rate of babies born to women aged 45 and over in England is up by more than a third in six years.
But what is it like in a family with a big age gap between parents and kids? Here are some of your experiences.
The six handwritten letters sold for Â£15,100. One candid letter from Diana to ex-Buckingham Palace steward Cyril Dickman, revealed Prince Harry was "constantly in trouble at school".
A criminologist currently leading one of the biggest studies of domestic homicide in the UK believes family killings are on the increase.
Dr Jane Monckton-Smith says that in 95% of cases the killer will be a man and usually the head of the household.
The Victoria Derbyshire programme has spoken to some of the people whose lives have been destroyed by these kind of attacks. You can watch the full film on domestic homicide here.
Join the conversation - find us on Facebook


An atrocity affecting as many people as the Manchester Arena bomb did would have left a nation in shock whenever it happened.

Coming as it did in the middle of a general election campaign, perhaps led to a more intense debate than usual about what a government should be doing to protect its citizens.
Some criticised the speed with which the political parties returned to their campaigns as they outlined their promises on security, amid an atmosphere of pain and heightened sensitivity.
Many voters locally will undoubtedly feel their visit to the polling booth comes against the backdrop of that devastating attack.
Whether such a tragic event will influence where they put their cross remains to be seen but certainly, much had already changed in politics in Greater Manchester since the last general election.
While the region has always been - and still remains - a Labour stronghold, some of the assumed guarantees of before appeared in doubt.
Whereas once the Conservatives didn't build up much hope of winning here and Labour arguably took its safest seats for granted, there's a new intensity to campaigning from both sides.
Prime Minister Theresa May chose Bolton North East, Labour-held since 1997, as her first campaign visit after announcing the snap general election.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn chose to launch his party's battle bus at Event City in Trafford before embarking on a tour of Greater Manchester seats where, traditionally, no other party would get a look in.
Jittery Labour activists will have been suitably buoyed by Andy Burnham's thumping victory in the metro mayor election.
But the failure of the former Leigh MP to join Mr Corbyn on a rally to celebrate his own victory did nothing to reassure them that this upcoming general election will pan out quite so successfully.
Despite the area's councils feeling the impact of 40% government-imposed austerity cuts, the Tories now see constituencies which have been off limit for decades as suddenly presenting potential rich pickings.
While their prime targets will be Oldham East and Saddleworth, Bury South and Bolton North East, with a decent swing they could pick off a good few more.
Labour are desperate to hold these and need to be taking back places like Bury North and Bolton West if they hope to win nationally.
UKIP voters could play a very significant role during this general election.
They've been a growing force in Greater Manchester in recent years but the EU referendum win appears to have knocked the wind out of them.
They took a veritable beating in the local and regional elections last month, and they're fielding fewer candidates than in 2015.
Largely, this is tactical - in Bury North, UKIP is actively urging people to vote Conservative instead.
The party says it doesn't want to stand in areas where its presence could risk causing any Brexiteers, such as the ardently anti-EU David Nuttall, to lose their seats.
The local election results nationally suggested that UKIP supporters are already switching to the Tories anyway and there are many seats in Greater Manchester where a repeat of that could cause real problems for Labour.
The Green Party is only standing in four seats in Greater Manchester, implicitly trying to boost Labour's chances.
They're avoiding both Bury constituencies in a move they say is aimed at "defending the poorest and most vulnerable members of our community".
In Bury North, the Liberal Democrats are standing but their candidate is also telling people they should really be voting Labour, if they want the Tories out.
However, nationally, the Lib Dems insist they're fighting for every vote and say they remain optimistic that MPs who lost in 2015 could return in seats like Manchester Withington and Cheadle.
Beyond that, we have Simon Danczuk standing as an independent in Rochdale after he was deselected by Labour and George Galloway claiming he can end decades of Labour rule in Manchester Gorton.
This was always going to be an unpredictable election in Greater Manchester. The shocking events at the Manchester Arena only make it more so.


When Narendra Modi won the general elections a year ago, the UK's Financial Times called him "India's first social media prime minister".

Shortly after his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won the elections, Mr Modi tweeted, in a mix of Hindi and English, that "India has won! Good days are coming".
The tweet sparked excitement among his followers and some of his opponents also congratulated him on the microblogging site.
The response was only expected because Mr Modi and his team had used social media in innovative ways to maximise their reach among the young voters during the campaign.
Many publications around the world said that 2014 marked "India's first social media elections".
A year later, the Indian PM appears to have strengthened his social media outreach with new accounts on Instagram, China's Twitter-like service Weibo and Viber chat forum.
He even replied to a recent Dubmash video on one of his speeches.
Mr Modi is among the five most followed politicians on Twitter with 12.5 million followers. Others in the top-five club are US President Barack Obama and Pope Francis.
Looking back at his "social year", it appears that Mr Modi prefers social media over TV, print interviews or press conferences.
Analysts say he did not share good relations with the media during his long tenure as the chief minister of Gujarat state and "his current strategy reflects that".
When opposition parties criticised his government's land acquisition bill, he used Twitter to hit back.
On foreign policy matters, the PM appears to have forged "good personal relations" with world leaders through Twitter diplomacy.
He congratulated British PM David Cameron after he won the elections, tagged US President Barack Obama in tweets and held "Twitter conversations" with Australian PM Tony Abbot and Japanese PM Shinzo Abe.
During his visit to Japan, Mr Modi used Twitter to highlight his close friendship with PM Shinzo Abe. The CNBC called it "Twitter bromance".
He chose Twitter to thank Mr Obama for writing his short profile for Time magazine.
Mr Modi and his team also carefully selected different languages to tweet, often depending on his travel itinerary.
He tweeted in Japanese during his visit to Tokyo, used French when in Paris and wrote in Mandarin while travelling in China.
And it's no secret that he loves selfies. He even convinced an "often rigid" Chinese Premier Li Keqiang for a selfie.
The jury is out on the impact of Mr Modi's global Twitter outreach, but most pundits agree that he has certainly made a mark on "social media diplomacy".
Dr Athar Zafar of the Indian Council of World Affairs, a Delhi-based think tank, says "it's too soon to judge Mr Modi's overall foreign policy".
"His Twitter exchanges with world leaders have certainly established that the Indian PM is modern and social media-savvy. Twitter is great as a 'soft diplomatic tool' but real deals are made on the talking table," he says.
Back at home, he reaches out to millions almost every day.
He uses Twitter to wish people on festivals, exchanges messages with celebrities and even with his cabinet colleagues.
Dr Zafar says Mr Modi and his team keep his social media accounts ticking 24/7 and that allows people to stay connected with the PM.
"This is in stark contrast with previous PM Manmohan Singh who was known for speaking less frequently. So there was an appetite and Mr Modi appears to have filled that gap," he says.
But too much social media presence has its own risks.
Apart from getting tags like Feku (liar) and Gappu (idiot) by his rivals, Mr Modi has also faced Twitter backlash over his "controversial statements".
Speaking at an event in Seoul, Mr Modi recently said Indians liked migrating abroad because they were not happy with their own country.
And the past year also saw what many described as "Modi memes".
His visit to the Terracotta Army museum in Xian sparked humour on Twitter, but he did not respond to the memes.
"That is something Mr Modi lacks, he needs to respond to humour. That could be his challenge for the next year," Dr Zafar adds.


This year saw the release of the biggest leak of documents in history, when the Panama Papers were made public.

Eleven million documents were leaked from one of the world's most secretive companies, Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca. They revealed in detail how parts of the offshore industry work.
We asked you what stories over the last 12 months you wanted to hear more about and in response many of you asked - what happened as a result of the Panama Papers?
So we spoke to the journalists who brought the story to the world.
The first casualty was the Prime Minister of Iceland, Sigmundur Gunnlaugsson, who resigned only days after the leaks showed he and his wife owned an offshore company that he had not declared on entering parliament.
Other world leaders, including Russian President Vladimir Putin and Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, addressed their countries to denounce the leaks and any allegations of being linked to money laundering.
In the UK, it caused political embarrassment for then-Prime Minister David Cameron, who admitted that his family had benefited from a legal offshore fund set up by his late father, Ian.
Authorities in the US and countries in Europe and Asia launched investigations into whether their rules were breached by those named in the leak.
Through it all, Mossack Fonseca has maintained it operates beyond reproach and has never been charged with wrongdoing.
Bastian Obermayer and Frederik Obermaier are the two journalists at the heart of the leaks.
One night in 2014, Mr Obermayer was looking after his sick children when he received a message.
"Interested in data?" it said.
That data turned out to be millions of documents from Mossack Fonseca and the shell companies it sets up for wealthy people. The whistleblowers called themselves John Doe and their identity remains secret.
The journalists received hundreds of files a day and were soon overwhelmed with information from hundreds of thousands of offshore companies. They involved an international journalists' network and teams of reporters from around the world, including the BBC.
Eight months on from the publishing and broadcasting of the Panama Papers, what do they think it has achieved?
"We, together with the International Consortium for Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), did a follow-up," Mr Obermaier told the BBC.
"We found out in 79 countries around the world there have been inquiries, 6,500 taxpayers and companies are being investigated globally and Mossack Fonseca have had to close nine offices. They have even put down their sign boards at their headquarters in Panama."
Mr Obermaier said the Panama Papers had shown how the offshore world could be used to help aid terrorism.
"It is striking for me that Europol found 3,469 probable matches between their own files and the Panama Papers - 116 between them on a project on Islamic terrorism alone."
Mr Obermayer agrees and said the leak had revealed that the offshore world was not only a place for rich people to avoid taxes. He said the Panama Papers showed the secrecy of shell companies could be used to hide criminal activity.
"I wasn't shocked that rich people use offshore to dodge taxes. I was shocked that there were so many crimes. I think the vast amount of offshore companies are used because someone wants to hide something."
Mr Obermayer argues there have been concrete changes as a result of the leak's publication.
"A lot has changed, in Germany. Our finance minister just introduced a new 'Panama Law' (requiring citizens to declare if they are using a shell company) and Panama itself is more open for change now.
"Some countries have announced registers for beneficial owners and others are also arguing for that for the first time ever.
"The pressure on tax havens is as high as never before and the Panama Papers have done that. They have directed the spotlight at the problem.
"But still, what hasn't changed is that the very industry that helps tax dodgers is still alive and kicking. They have huge influence, huge power, huge lobby groups. We don't see the end of offshore - but we do see that offshore is shrinking."
Both journalists argue for a global register of beneficial owners to end tax secrecy. A beneficial owner is the person who has significant control of a company and its profits.
Richard Brooks, Private Eye journalist and author of The Great Tax Robbery is more pessimistic than the Panama Papers journalists.
"Whatever register you have, you would somehow have to police it," he said.
"You need law enforcement having sufficient resources to be able to investigate it. The serious money launderers and criminals would be able to make something up.
"The Panama Papers did give efforts to open up tax havens a bit of a boost, but it was not enough and there is evidence already of some backsliding. Britain's own tax havens, for example, will not open up the ownership of their shell companies to the public.
"We know that these territories are ill-equipped to police any international rules on information exchange imposed on them so, until they are completely transparent, we will be a long way from resolving the tax haven problem."
Attempts to establish transparency are being pushed back. For example, the EU has had to compromise on its plan for a public register of beneficial ownership after resistance from various member states.
The effectiveness of the measures being taken across the world as a result of the Panama Papers is still open to challenge.
Produced by Patrick Evans, UGC & Social News Hub