Firefighters have extinguished a blaze at Japan's famous Tsukiji fish market - the largest in the world and a top tourist attraction.

The 80-year-old Tokyo market is known for its tuna auctions which supply many of the capital's top sushi restaurants.
Smoke could be seen billowing from shops on the outskirts of the market on Thursday, as dozens of fire engines tackled the flames.
The fire was out by Thursday night and there were no reports of injuries.
Tsukiji's interior industrial market - where the famous tuna auctions take place - was undamaged and the area was open to tourists as usual.
The blaze broke out at about 16:50 local time (07:50 GMT), Japanese broadcaster NHK said, in the outer region of the market and close to the surrounding area's narrow streets.
The area is home to many sushi restaurants and shops, some of which have been evacuated, NHK reports.
The cause of the fire is not yet known. The blaze seems to have affected several old wooden buildings.
The market was constructed in 1935, in the aftermath of the great Kanto earthquake of 1923, and built largely from corrugated iron sheds.
Today, it is a sprawling, busy market, but is seen by many as rundown and overcrowded.
Nonetheless, its enormous volume and variety of produce means it receives tens of thousands of tourist visitors each year.
The market is due to be moved by the end of 2017.
Efforts to move the market to a more modern location have been met with resistance by many of the workers, some of whom have been in the family business for generations.
Tokyo's governor, Yuriko Koike, has previously said the market needs to be rebuilt because of its age - and the associated risk of it being vulnerable to earthquakes, which are not uncommon in Japan.


Six-time Australian Open champion Serena Williams progressed to the second round with a straight-set win over Swiss teenager Belinda Bencic.

The American, 35, won 6-4 6-3 in one hour and 19 minutes against the 19-year-old in Melbourne on Tuesday.
World number two Williams, who is targeting a 23rd career Grand Slam title, said she "has nothing to lose".
"Every match I'm playing for fun. I get to travel the world and do what I do best - play tennis," she added.
Williams will face Lucie Safarova in the second round after the 29-year-old Czech beat Belgium's Yanina Wickmayer 3-6 7-6 (9-7) 6-1.
Fifth seed Karolina Pliskova, who beat Williams in last year's US Open semi-final, is through after a 6-2 6-0 victory over Spain's Sara Sorribes Tormo.
"Even when you're not playing your best, somehow you have to win," said the 24-year-old.
"I know I can be dangerous deep in the tournament, quarters and semis, and when there are big players I can beat them."


Kuwait has filed a lawsuit in a Swiss court seeking $1bn (Â£670m) in damages from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) over the suspension of its Olympic committee.

The IOC and world football governing body Fifa suspended Kuwait in October citing domestic laws that permit government interference in sports.
But Kuwait says the IOC ban was imposed without proper investigation.
It says it may not be allowed to take part in the Rio Olympics in August.
"It's totally unacceptable that Kuwait is treated in this unfair way and  barred from international sports activities without any appropriate probe being conducted," Information Minister Sheikh Salman al-Humoud Al-Sabah  was quoted by the official Kuna news agency as saying on Wednesday.
"From the very beginning Kuwait did it its utmost to prevent the IOC suspension and showed a sincere desire to co-operate, but all to no avail.
"We sent a UN-sponsored delegation to Geneva to explain to the sports body that the Kuwaiti government by no means intervenes in sports activities."
The minister complained that Kuwait had been left in "an embarrassing position" in sports circles where it was viewed as an "outlaw".
Sheikh Salman added that he hoped recent parliamentary amendments to the country's sports laws would create "a common vision" .
But critics say the changes are more likely to prolong the IOC and Fifa bans because the government still has the power to dissolve sports clubs and federations, as well as Kuwait's Olympic Committee.
Sixteen other international sporting federations have blacklisted Kuwait in addition to the IOC and Fifa, correspondents say.


Huddersfield Town have signed Leicester City defender Ben Chilwell on loan until 3 January.

The 18-year-old made his debut for the Foxes in the League Cup defeat by Hull City on 27 October.
Chilwell is an England Under-20 international and was called into the Under-21 squad for the first time this month.
He could make his debut for Huddersfield in Saturday's trip to Yorkshire rivals Sheffield Wednesday.


A database of statues commemorating sportsmen and women from around the world has gone live.

The University of Sheffield's digital archive features information about more than 350 statues of players, managers and fans from 56 different countries.
The Sporting Statues database also details the sculptor, when the artwork was unveiled and a location map.
The most frequently portrayed person, with six statues, is Brazilian footballer, PelÃ©.
Dr Chris Stride led the three-year project which went live earlier.
He said: "The earliest footballer statue identified, an anonymous player, can be found in Copenhagen, Denmark, and was sculpted in 1903.
"However, almost 95% of football statues have been created since 1990, and over half in the last decade, showing it to be a largely modern phenomenon.
"Statues are also being erected by towns, cities and commercial organisations, who are seeking reflected glory and identity from their local sporting heritage."
In addition to showcasing the known faces of sport, the database also indentifies 125 statues of anonymous players.


A campaign has begun to give the Olympic champion Mary Rand the freedom of the city of Wells.

Rand became the first British female athlete to win a track and field Olympics gold medal, in the long jump at the Tokyo Games of 1964.
She was born and grew up in the cathedral city in Somerset.
Campaign organiser Tony Williams said: "I feel that the council let her down in 64 - they should have given her the freedom of the city then."
Rand broke the long jump record in winning gold in Tokyo.
At the same Games, she also won a silver medal in the pentathlon and took bronze in the 100m relay.
She said: "It would mean everything to me, you know being born in Wells and to have such a great honour bestowed on me, I would be absolutely honoured."
Wells City Council, which would be responsible for handing out the honour, said it had received the application and would consider it.
The last person to be awarded the freedom of Wells, in 2008, was one of the few surviving World War I veterans, Harry Patch. He died the following year aged 111.


Amid concerns over an increase in Islamophobic content on social media following the recent Paris attacks, BBC Asian Network has been hearing from Muslims about their experience of being the target of anti-Islamic sentiment online.

Activist Akeela Ahmed says she uses Twitter to campaign on equality issues. Her profile picture shows her in her hijab.
"If I tweet something to do with women's rights, I'll get tweets usually from men saying, 'How can you tweet that when you've got that thing on your head?' They're talking about my hijab.
"Post-Paris, the abuse increased and it was a lot worse," she says, referring to negative comments posted online following the attack on the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, in which gunmen said they were killing in the name of Islam.
"One particular person was quite specific in their threats and wanting to kill Muslims. Normally, I'm not threatened by it, but on this occasion I was."
That Twitter account has been taken down. But there are concerns that some Islamophobic content remains online.
Campaigners from the organisation Tell Mama, which monitors hate against Muslims online, sent Asian Network some examples.
"When events like Paris happen, what seems to happen is that people on social media sites have bigger discussions,"says Bharath Ganesh.
"The language we've seen is extremely derogatory towards Muslims.
"Hashtags like #killallmuslims appear. Some Muslims used that hashtag to highlight anti-Islamic sentiments online."
Akeela says she understands where the anger stems from.
"As we see more terrorist incidents globally, many people feel anger about terror attacks and they go online and use their medium to vent their anger. But, as a result, there is an increase in anti-Muslim sentiment generally.
"On Facebook, it's a problem too. There are some groups who promote anti-Muslim sentiments. It's about dealing responsibly with these issues."
Facebook and Twitter both urge users to report anti-Islamic content. The Attorney General, Jeremy Wright - the government's legal adviser - has signalled he would like to meet with both firms to see what more can be done in this area.
Maaiysa Valli, a BBC journalist, was tweeting in a personal capacity when she used the #NotInMyName hashtag that Muslims have been using to distance themselves from extremists.
The photo was retweeted more than 400 times, with one response describing her as an "uneducated animal".
She says: "I got a few comments to start with that were saying things like, 'You shouldn't be following this religion.'
"Then Maajid Nawaz - the chairman of the Quilliam Foundation - retweeted it. He has more than 30,000 followers, and I got so many notifications."
She blocked and reported a number of users, and says the experience has made her aware of "how brave people can be behind a keyboard".
A number of accounts which targeted her have been disabled.
Mehdi Hasan is the political director of the Huffington Post UK, and says he has had death threats online.
"It's pretty depressing. The number one issue that drives people up the wall on Twitter seems to be Islam. It's become so regular, you become immune to it. It's mainly anonymous people full of hatred.
"As a Muslim journalist in the public eye, it doesn't matter what you write about, all roads lead back to your faith.
"On the one hand, I expect abuse when I write about terrorism or the halal meat hysteria.
"What I don't understand is how everything is related back to Islam - for instance, even if I interview a politician about austerity, people will say, 'Oh, it's because you're a Muslim you're writing that.'"
In a statement, Twitter said: "We review all reported content against our rules which include a ban on targeted abuse and direct, specific threats of violence against others."
Meanwhile, a Facebook spokesperson said: "We take hate speech seriously and remove any content reported to us that directly attacks others based on their race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, disability or medical condition.
"With a diverse global community of more than a billion people, we occasionally see people post content which, whilst not against our rules, some people may find offensive."
Facebook also spoke about the power of counter speech, which involves people challenging other users online.
It added: "We aim to strike the right balance between giving people the freedom to express themselves and maintaining a safe and trusted environment."
Akeela says that she hopes Twitter and Facebook do more to tackle Islamophobic abuse online: "Ordinary Muslims are getting abuse for expressing their views.
"I worked for a Muslim youth charity for a number of years, and have received Islamophobic abuse online for a while. But it has got worse."
You can listen to BBC Asian Network's original report by clicking on this link.


A "low-key" investment event organised by the US state department for Belfast and Londonderry has been postponed.

But US sources have refused to comment on a claim by Sinn FÃ©in Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness that the move is because of the UK's decision to leave the EU.
He disclosed it had been postponed at a Sinn FÃ©in meeting in Derry.
Sources say the conference would have involved between 20 to 25 people, including potential investors.
It is understood Mr McGuinness was told of the postponement at a meeting in Belfast on Wednesday with US officials, including the US Secretary of State John Kerry's personal representative to Northern Ireland, Senator Gary Hart.
Before last month's referendum President Barack Obama warned that Britain would go to the "back of the queue" for trade deals with the US if it voted to leave the European Union.
It is hoped the event will now go ahead next spring instead.


A "selfless and brave" grandfather who died while trying to rescue two teenage girls from the sea was a strong swimmer originally from Gwynedd who knew the beach he was on, his family have said.

Richard Guest, 74, and another person, went into the sea in Tywyn, Gwynedd, at about 15:45 BST on Saturday but had to be recovered by coastguards.
He was pronounced dead at Bronglais Hospital in Aberystwyth.
Mr Guest, who lived in Walsall, West Midlands, was on holiday with his wife.
He and Margaret Guest, 71, had been walking their dog on the beach when the girls got into trouble after getting caught in a rip tide.
A statement issued by his family said: "One of the girls came out of the water unaided but the other girl was still in distress.
"He was about 40 yards out from the shore and was seen holding one of the girls up out of the water in his arms by the time Aberdovey coastguard arrived and managed to save the girl."
Mr Guest was airlifted by the Welsh Air Ambulance Service to Aberystwyth.
His daughter Ceri Donovan said: "We cannot imagine life without him. He was loved by so many people.
"Dad was brought up in Bethel, near Caernarfon, north Wales, and attended Ysgol Syr Hugh Owen.
"He was a strong swimmer and was used to swimming on that particular part of the beach. It was just like him to do something so selfless and brave."
Mr Guest, who had two children and four grandchildren, had worked as a bank manager at the former Midland Bank and a financial manager. He had played for Handsworth rugby club where he remained a keen supporter.
Mrs Donovan added: "He was an active man who loved the outdoors, and was at his happiest in Tywyn with his family.
"At the end of the day, he was a family man. He was a great father and a much-loved grandfather. We will miss him terribly."
Scores of tributes were posted on the Love Tywyn Facebook page, describing Mr Guest as brave, kind man and a "true hero".


Liz Kendall has told the BBC's Sunday Politics she wants to replace Ed Miliband as Labour leader.

The shadow care minister told the Sunday Times a "fundamentally new approach" was needed after the defeat.
Yvette Cooper, Andy Burnham and Chuka Umunna are expected to join the race but backbencher Dan Jarvis has ruled himself out.
The ruling National Executive Committee will meet early next week to agree a timetable for the leadership contest.
Mr Miliband said he was "truly sorry" for a showing which left Labour with 232 MPs, sustaining heavy losses at the hands of the SNP in Scotland and failing to make significant gains elsewhere.
Prime Minister David Cameron has promised to lead a government for "one nation" after his party won its first majority since 1992 with 331 seats.
In other election developments:
BBC political correspondent Iain Watson said Mr Burnham, the shadow health secretary, and Mr Umunna, the shadow business secretary, were believed to be taking soundings before declaring their bids to become leader.
Ms Cooper, the shadow home secretary, and former soldier Dan Jarvis are also likely to consider a bid, he added.
In a Sunday Times interview, Ms Kendall, the MP for Leicester West, followed Tottenham MP David Lammy in saying she would be interested in being leader.
"I think we lost because people didn't trust us on the economy. People didn't think we understood their lives, shared their values and aspirations," she said.
She added that "we don't just need a new face. We need a fundamentally new approach".
Asked on the Sunday Politics if she would be running for the Labour leadership, she said: "Yes."
Mr Umunna used an article in the Observer to say Labour had talked "too little about those creating wealth and doing the right thing".
He said: "We talked about the bottom and top of society, about the minimum wage and zero-hour contracts, about mansions and non-doms. But we had too little to say to the majority of people in the middle."
And former Prime Minister Tony Blair told the Observer Labour needed to occupy the centre ground in order to win again.
"The Labour party has to be for ambition as well as compassion and care," he said.
"Hard-working families don't just want us celebrating their hard work; they want to know that by hard work and effort they can rise up, achieve. They want to be better off and they need to know we don't just tolerate that, we support it."
Elsewhere, Mr Lammy, who is putting together a bid to be Labour's candidate for Mayor of London in 2016, said it was "absolutely time" for a new generation to "step up to a leadership role".
Labour's election rules
MPs wishing to stand as leader and deputy leader have to be nominated by 15% of their colleagues in the Parliamentary Labour Party to be eligible to stand.
As Labour now has 232 MPs, this means prospective candidates must get at least 35 signatures.
Under rules agreed last year, all Labour Party members, registered supporters and affiliated supporters - including union members - will be allowed a maximum of one vote each on a one member, one vote system.
When the election is held, they will be asked to rank candidates in order of preference.
If no candidate gets 50% of all votes cast, the votes will be added up and the candidate with the fewest votes eliminated. Their second preference votes will then be redistributed until one candidate has 50% of all votes cast.
Who's in the running to replace Ed Miliband?
But former Home Secretary Alan Johnson has ruled himself out, saying the new leader faces a "10-year task" to rebuild Labour.
He urged the party not to rush into a contest without a full analysis of what went wrong.
Mr Johnson said Mr Miliband had run a "decent campaign" but he was alarmed that the party had been unable to recapture seats in the south of England it held between 1997 and 2010, such as Hastings and Thanet South.
Labour, he suggested, had lost contact with Middle England.
On Twitter, Jon Trickett, a member of Mr Miliband's shadow Cabinet, said people still blamed his party for "mistakes" during the New Labour era, especially the invasion of Iraq.
Mr Trickett called for a "clean break" and said there was a perception that Labour and other parties were run by a "metropolitan elite".
The party's deputy leader Harriet Harman, who has said she will not stand again, is to serve as acting leader until contests for the two top spots take place later this summer.
Tom Watson, the party's former deputy chairman, has said he will consider running for the role, and shadow Commons leader Angela Eagle is believed to be considering putting herself forward.
Mr Lammy, who is regarded as being on the right of the party, was a minister under Tony Blair and Gordon Brown having first entered Parliament in 2000.
He gained a national profile for his response to the shooting of Mark Duggan in his constituency in August 2011, which sparked riots across London and other cities.
Asked whether he had been approached by colleagues to run, he said: "They want me to step up for something.
"I think the question is whether that is here in London or the country at large. My passion instinctively is for London."
In 2014, Labour changed the rules for future contests to move to a "one member, one vote" system of party members, affiliated trade union supporters and registered supporters.
Full results service


A film based on Sir Terry Pratchett's comic fantasy The Wee Free Men is being developed by The Jim Henson Company.

The book tells of a young witch's adventures with the NacMac Feegles, a fierce clan of kilted sheep-stealing, sword-wielding, six-inch-high blue men.
The characters are known as "pictsies", a name based on the Picts, tribes that were dominant in Dark Age Scotland.
Sir Terry's daughter Rhianna Pratchett is adapting the novel for the feature film.
She is an award-winning scriptwriter for videogames, comics, film and TV - and won the Women in Games Hall of Fame award in 2013.
The Wee Free Men was the first in a series of the late author's Discworld novels.
Adapting the book for cinema has been a long-time ambition of Sir Terry's daughter.
She said: "I've loved the Jim Henson Company's work all my life, so it's a great honour to team up with them and bring Wee Free Men to the big screen."
Brian Henson, chairman of The Jim Henson Company, said: "As a family owned company, we fully understand the importance of legacy properties.
"The Discworld series is a richly developed world with devoted fans, myself included, and there is no-one better than Rhianna to bring Terry's beloved project to life on the big screen."
Sir Terry died aged 66, eight years after being diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. He wrote more than 70 books during his career.
He also introduced a BBC documentary entitled Terry Pratchett - Choosing to Die, which won an award at the Scottish Baftas.


Japanese shares ended higher despite a key quarterly survey showing business confidence among big manufacturers worsened in the third quarter.

The Bank of Japan's Tankan survey's headline index fell three points to plus 12, which was below expectations as business sentiment worsened for the first time in three quarters.
Investors are betting on more stimulus from the central bank on the back of this data, analysts said.
The Nikkei closed up 1.9% at 17,722.42.
The survey comes just a day after data showed that Japanese factory output shrank by 0.5% in August from July, and retail sales also fell short of expectations.
Chris Weston, market strategist at trading firm IG, said the weak outlook from Japanese firms will only "add fuel" to calls for more easing from the central bank.
"Yesterday's poor industrial production numbers have some traders talking about a negative print in the third quarter GDP [gross domestic product] report," he said in a note on Thursday.
A second quarter of contraction would put the world's third largest economy in a technical recession.
China's official manufacturing purchasing managers' index (PMI) was at 49.8 in September, picking up from 49.7 in August and beating expectations.
The vast sector, however, did shrink for the second consecutive month.
A number below 50 indicates factory activity contracted, while one above shows expansion.
Chinese markets are closed for public holidays until 7 October.
But Australian shares made gains after the better-than-expected data as China is the country's biggest trading partner.
The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index closed up 1.8% to 5,111.10 points.
Shares of copper miner Oz Minerals jumped over 20% after news that US equity firm KKR bought a 10% stake in the miner despite falling commodity prices.
South Korea's Kopsi index also finished up 0.8% to 1,979.32 after data showed that factory output in August was stronger than expected as consumption grew.
The industrial output index rose by a seasonally adjusted 0.4% in August from July, after a revised 0.3% fall in the previous month.


New research from Swansea University challenges the idea that older people are dangerous drivers.

Analysis of data on vehicle accidents showed that drivers aged 70 are involved in 3-4 times fewer accidents than 17-21 year old men.
By observing older drivers, the study found that most mistakes made occurred on right turns and overtaking.
Young men are more likely to be involved in incidents resulting from driving too fast and losing control.
The research findings were outlined at the British Science Festival in Swansea.
Charles Musselwhite, associate professor of gerontology at Swansea University's Centre for Innovative Ageing, found that dangerous driving is not generally an issue for older people.
While the elderly are more likely to be involved in an accident than the safest-driving cohort in their 40s, they are less likely than very young drivers to be involved in accidents.
Older drivers tended to make mistakes when they felt under pressure from other road users, the study found.
The most accident-prone age group, by a substantial margin, is young men. Indeed, 17 to 21 year-olds are three to four times more likely to have an accident than 70 year-olds.
There is an increase in accidents among the over-75 age group, which Prof Musselwhite puts down to increasing physical frailty.
Older and younger drivers are also involved in different types of accident. While young men are more likely to be involved in single vehicle incidents, usually caused by speeding and losing control, older people tend to have smaller impact collisions.
Older women are more likely to have small accidents when doing tight manoeuvres. Older people are also more likely to be involved in accidents involving other older drivers, suggesting they make similar errors.
However, Prof Musselwhite said that older drivers compensate for their declining powers by driving more carefully, slowing down, leaving larger gaps, and choosing better weather and quieter times to go out in the car.
He also noted that this may change as people work and live longer.
Road safety concerns have prompted discussion about re-testing older drivers, but such programmes have been conducted in other countries like Australia and Denmark without improving results.
The question of whether and under what circumstances older people should face losing their licence is complicated. Prof Musselwhite argues that officials should implement more rigorous testing, especially eye tests, and extra monitoring of the effects of prescription drugs.
The solution right now is a market-based one: at some point it becomes so expensive for old people to insure their cars that they have no choice but to give up driving.
Clearly there are issues when conditions such as dementia or other health problems affect cognitive skills, but Prof Musselwhite says that denying old people a licence should not be taken lightly.
They often need to drive when public transport is not convenient and shops have moved from villages to out-of-town locations.
There is also a psychological need. Older people told Prof Musselwhite that driving was of great importance for them, comparing losing their licence to losing a limb.
Older people say they need to drive for the feeling of freedom and mobility, to feel useful and have a role in the family. Taking away driving licences can lead to depression and loss of mobility.
Rather that urging restrictions on older drivers, Prof Musselwhite said that "a lot of existing infrastructure doesn't work all that well for the elderly". He suggested that dedicated filter arrows for right turns across traffic, or wider lanes, could help. But he noted that this might inhibit traffic flow, or even encourage young drivers to drive faster.
There are numerous problems for older pedestrians as well. For instance the average speed that someone needs to cross the road is set at 4.7km/h. In separate studies, 86% of old people did not walk that fast, rising to 94% for older women.
As mobility and freedom of movement are closely linked to physical and mental wellbeing in older people, Prof Musselwhite said driverless cars are a promising development for future elderly cohorts.


A £220m bid to expand London City Airport has been turned down by the mayor after more than 1,000 people objected to it.

Boris Johnson has instructed Newham Council to refuse the application on noise grounds.
The airport sought permission to create more parking spaces and build new taxiways for larger planes.
Planning permission was granted by the council in February but was subject to the mayor's approval.
The council had said permission included conditions to help limit the noise disturbance, such as imposing flight restrictions, erecting a noise barrier and funding soundproofing packages for residents.
'Perplexed'
However a spokesman for the mayor said he believed the scheme would have lead to an "unacceptable increase in noise for East Londoners" without benefitting the city.
He said the mayor was also unwilling to expose East London to an increase in noise on the basis that he had already argued it would be unacceptable for West London if Heathrow Airport were expanded.
The mayor believed the "only long-term option" to balance the airport capacity issue with residents' quality of life, was to build a new hub to the east of of the city, he added.
London City Airport said it was "perplexed and disappointed" by the mayor's decision.
It said expansion would have increased London's airport capacity, created up to 1,500 jobs, and attracted a further £750m for the UK economy.
John Stewart, chairman of HACAN East that campaigned against the expansion plans, said the group "salutes" the mayor's decision.
"The airport is paying the price for being so cavalier about noise," he said.


Online consumer groups have criticised industry plans to block websites that stream copyrighted material for free.

It follows a meeting last week between communications minister Ed Vaizey, internet service providers and copyright holders.
Digital campaigners, The Open Rights Group (ORG) is angry that its request to attend the meeting was turned down.
It called for more public debate on the issue and said it was "unacceptable" for policy to be formed this way.
Web blocking is seen as a way to combat the increasing amount of copyrighted material that is being streamed for free online.
The ORG said that it has learnt that part of the discussion was about setting up a "council" that could be given the power to decide which websites were blocked.
Jim Killock, executive director of the ORG is a vocal campaigner against the measures being proposed.
He said: "It is unacceptable for trade groups and the government to conduct policy in this way. Censorship proposals must be discussed in public."
He added: "Many of us will oppose any censorship that impacts directly and widely on free expression."
There are no details of how the "councils" would be made up, but consumer group Consumer Focus, who was at the meeting, warned that it would be inappropriate for right holders to decide which UK websites should be blocked.
The plans come in the wake of the Digital Economy Act (DEA) which mandates some anti-piracy action and obliges ISPs to work with rights holders to identify persistent pirates.
The group of copyright holders behind the plans, titled as Addressing Websites That Are Substantially Focused on Infringement, included the Publishers Association, the BPI, the Football Association Premier League and the Motion Picture Alliance.
If the proposals get the go-ahead it could allow the Premier League to block access to live streams of its football matches.
Consumer Focus argued in the case of streamed football games, blocking would be a "disproportionate" response.
"We believe that the first step to address this problem is to assess whether consumers' evident demand for streaming football games online is met by legal services."
In response to the criticism, a spokesperson from the Department for Culture Media and Sport issued a statement: "The government hosted a useful discussion between ISPs and rights holders on issues around industry proposals for a site blocking scheme to help tackle online copyright infringement.
"Consumer representatives were invited and Consumer Focus attended the meeting."


A woman who found an intruder in her home in west Belfast on Friday has urged others to be extra vigilant about security in the run up to Christmas.

Therese Kearney had just put her 10-month-old baby to bed, when she heard another person in the house at about 20:30 GMT.
Assuming it was her husband returning early from a Christmas party, she went to her hallway, where she found a teenage boy of around 16 years old.
The boy fled, taking her car keys.
However, unable to start the automatic car, he and another male ran from the house.
Appealing to others to keep their doors locked, even when inside the house, Mrs Kearney said: "It's hard to believe teenagers or anyone would have the nerve to just walk into your house, with the lights and TV on, and attempt to rob you.
"If it wasn't for the baby gate, I'd say he would have gone up the stairs.
"Unfortunately, we had the car and house key on a hook beside the door - which I'll never do again. I saw the keys missing and went out to the car when they'd gone.
"I could see the house keys sitting in the car but couldn't see the car keys. Then the police came and they actually found them still in the ignition.
"I'm just relieved they didn't take it."
Police also found a lighter in the car, which has been removed for forensic examination.
Although shaken by the incident, the County Armagh woman, who has only recently moved to Belfast, said she feels she had a "lucky escape".
"It could have been so much worse and I'm thankful that they didn't get anything, but it's an awful feeling to have someone just walk into your house like that, thinking that they can just lift your property.
"For an elderly or vulnerable person, that kind of experience can be really traumatic.
"Even for us, to have been left without a car, especially in the weeks before Christmas, would have caused us a huge amount of stress, financially and practically."
Mrs Kearney said she was told by police that there has been a spate of burglaries in Belfast in recent days.
The mother-of-one's home was not the only one in west Belfast to be targeted - two men were arrested after a separate burglary in Stockmans Court on Friday night.
On Saturday night, officers on patrol in the Divis area arrested an 18-year-old man for burglary.
"They said there've been a lot of break-ins, probably because houses are full of presents at this time of year, so I just want to warn others to keep their doors locked.
"Even when you're in the house, keep them locked and in the door so that you can unlock it quickly in the case of a fire, and never ever put your car keys beside the door like we did.
"These people don't think of the consequences for the people they're robbing - they're only thinking of themselves."


A new law in Brazil has come into force under which employers can be fined if they fail to register their domestic workers.

It is part of new measures to provide basic protection for some seven million domestic workers long excluded from Brazil's stringent labour laws.
Employers can now be reported and fined several hundred dollars each time they break part of the code.
A constitutional amendment limits domestic workers to a 44-hour week.
It defined other rights as well - basic entitlements such as an eight-hour working day, the right to the minimum wage, a lunch break, social security and severance pay.
Most of these changes have been implemented, but there are still challenges around the government severance fund into which employers have to pay  8% of their employee's total salary each month.
If the employee is fired without just cause, the employer has to pay a lump sum worth 40% of the pot, plus an added 10% for the government.
Discussions are continuing around how many months' pay workers will be entitled to if they are made redundant.
The regulation of working hours has had a big impact.
The new legislation has led to many families employing more people to do alternate shifts and some employers are doing more work themselves.
But there are other factors too affecting the domestic worker labour market.
The number of women choosing to go into domestic service is shrinking.
This is because of better access to education and job opportunities particularly in the poor north-east of the country from where many people travelled in search of work.
Domestic workers are asking for higher wages so for many in the middle class the live-in maid is no longer feasible.
People are employing staff by the day and more household chores are being done by middle-class men and women who are also now buying more household appliances.
Brazil has around 7m maids according to the International Labour Organisation, more than any other country in the world.


Exams are set to go ahead as planned at a secondary school which was evacuated due to a chemical leak.

The emergency services were called to Boclair Academy in Bearsden on Friday morning after a "strange smell" was detected in the building.
East Dunbartonshire Council said all pupils were safe and had been taken to nearby Killermont Primary School.
Boclair Academy was later declared safe after a leak from emergency lighting was identified as the source.
After the evacuation, arrangements had been made for pupils to sit their National 5 Modern Studies exam at Bearsden Academy.
However, the council later said the exam would take place as originally planned at Boclair Academy.
The school is expected to open again as usual on Monday.


Kirk Douglas has been honoured by the World Jewish Congress, a month ahead of his 100th birthday.

Actor Michael Douglas accepted the inaugural Teddy Kollek Award for the Advancement of Jewish Culture on his father's behalf, saying he would be "so proud and so humbled".
Vice President Joe Biden also received an award at a dinner held at New York's Pierre Hotel on Wednesday.
Douglas was born Issur Danielovitch in New York on 9 December 1916.
His parents were Jewish immigrants who came to America from a part of the former Russian Empire that is now Belarus.
Kirk Douglas was seen last month at a charity event in Los Angeles in aid of the Motion Picture and Television Fund.
Kollek, the mayor of Jerusalem from 1965 to 1993, was a long-time friend of the Spartacus and Paths of Glory star.
Follow us on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, on Instagram at bbcnewsents, or if you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news@bbc.co.uk.


As Zimbabwe's economy has gone from bad to worse to disastrous in recent years, Robert Mugabe's political and physical demise has been predicted many times but he has always confounded his many critics - so far at least.

While his critics said that at 89, he was too old to seek re-election in 2013, he countered that he might seek two more terms, taking him to the verge of his century.
Before the 2008 elections, he said: "If you lose an election and are rejected by the people, it is time to leave politics."
But after coming second to Morgan Tsvangirai, Mr Mugabe displayed more characteristic defiance, swearing that "only God" could remove him from office.
And just to be sure, violence was unleashed to preserve his grip on power.
In order to protect his supporters, Mr Tsvangirai pulled out of the second round and although Mr Mugabe was forced to share power with his long-time rival, he remains president of the country he has governed since 1980.
The key to understanding Mr Mugabe is the 1970s guerrilla war where he made his name.
At the time, he was seen as a revolutionary hero, fighting white minority rule for the freedom of his people - this is why many African leaders remain reluctant to criticise him.
Since Zimbabwe's independence, most of the world has moved on - but his outlook remains the same.
The heroic socialist forces of Zanu-PF are still fighting the twin evils of capitalism and colonialism.
Any critics are dismissed as "traitors and sell-outs" - a throwback to the guerrilla war, when such labels could be a death sentence.
He blamed Zimbabwe's economic problems on a plot by Western countries, led by the UK, to oust him because of his seizure of white-owned farms.
His critics firmly blame him, saying he has shown no understanding of how a modern economy works.
He has always concentrated on the question of how to share the national cake, rather than how to make it grow bigger.
Mr Mugabe once famously said that a country could never go bankrupt - with the world's fastest-shrinking economy and annual inflation of 231m% in July 2008, he was determined to test his theory to the limit.
Professor Tony Hawkins of the University of Zimbabwe once observed that with Zimbabwe's leader: "Whenever economics gets in the way of politics, politics wins every time."
In 2000, faced with a strong opposition for the first time, he wrecked what was one of Africa's most diversified economies in a bid to retain political control.
He seized the white-owned farms which were the economy's backbone and scared off donors but in purely political terms, Mr Mugabe has outsmarted his enemies - he is still in power.
At any cost
After he suffered his first electoral defeat, in a 2000 referendum, Mr Mugabe unleashed his personal militia - the self-styled war veterans - who used violence and murder as an electoral strategy.
Eight years later, a similar pattern was followed after Mr Mugabe lost the first round of a presidential election.
When needed, all the levers of state - the security forces, civil service, state-owned media - which are mostly controlled by Zanu-PF members, are used in the service of the ruling party.
The man who fought for one-man, one-vote introduced a requirement that potential voters prove their residence with utility bills, which the young, unemployed opposition core electorate were unlikely to have.
One of the undoubted achievements of the former teacher's 33 years in power was the expansion of education. Zimbabwe recently had the highest literacy rate in Africa at 90% of the population.
The now deceased political scientist Masipula Sithole once said that by expanding education, the president was "digging his own grave".
The young beneficiaries were able to analyse Zimbabwe's problems for themselves and most blamed government corruption and mismanagement for the lack of jobs and rising prices.
Cartoon figure
Mr Mugabe may well believe it would be easier to rule a country of subservient subsistence farmers than a well-educated, industrialised workforce.
He claims to be fighting on behalf of the rural poor but much of the land he confiscated has ended up in the hands of his cronies.
Archbishop Desmond Tutu says that Zimbabwe's long-time president has become a cartoon figure of the archetypal African dictator.
During the 2002 presidential campaign, he started wearing brightly coloured shirts emblazoned with his face - a style copied from many of Africa's notorious rulers.
For the preceding 20 years, this conservative man was only seen in public with either a stiff suit and tie or safari suit.
Many Zimbabweans, and others, are asking why he does not just put his feet up and enjoy his remaining years with his young family.
His second wife, Grace, 40 years his junior, says that he wakes up at 04:00 for his daily exercises.
Mr Mugabe was 73 when she gave birth to their third child, Chatunga.
He professes to be a staunch Catholic, and worshippers at Harare's Catholic Cathedral are occasionally swamped by security guards as he turns up for Sunday Mass.
However, Mr Mugabe's beliefs did not prevent him from having two children by Grace, then his secretary, while his popular Ghanaian first wife, Sally, was dying from cancer.
'King'
Although predictions of Mr Mugabe's demise have always proved premature, the increasing strain of recent years has obviously taken its toll and his once-impeccable presentation now looks a little worn.
In 2011, a US diplomatic cable released by Wikileaks suggested that he was suffering from prostate cancer.
But if nothing else, Mr Mugabe is an extremely proud man.
He will only step down when his "revolution" is complete.
He says this means the redistribution of white-owned land but he also wants to hand-pick his successor, who must of course come from within the ranks of his Zanu-PF party.
This would also ensure a peaceful old age, with no investigation into his time in office.
There have occasionally been widespread predictions that either Zanu-PF or Zimbabwe's neighbours would finally stand up to Mr Mugabe but in the event, both groups remain loyal to him.
One of Mr Mugabe's closest associates, Didymus Mutasa, once told the BBC that in Zimbabwean culture, kings are only replaced when they die "and Mugabe is our king".


Two convicted murderers who attacked another murderer in Shotts Prison have been told they will serve another jail term of six years and three months.

Daryl Brady, 29, and Darren Smith, 25, admitted slashing Sean Kergan, 27, in the exercise yard on 14 May 2015.
The High Court in Glasgow heard claims of "bad blood" between Brady and Kergan over an alleged earlier attack.
Brady is currently serving a minimum of 16 years, Smith a minimum of 19 years and Kergan a minimum of 13 years.
Brady and Smith were told the new sentence would begin after they had served the minimum part of their life terms.
Jailing them, judge Lord Burns said: "This was a vicious and obviously planned assault with improvised weapons.
"You both have a violent history and are clearly dangerous young men."
Brady was jailed for life in 2008 after stabbing to death father-of-one Brian McWilliams in Glasgow's Govanhill area.
Smith was jailed in 2010 after stabbing George Mathieson through the heart in Cambuslang, South Lanarkshire.
Kergan was jailed for the murder of Stephen Daly in Glasgow's Sighthill area in 2005.


Northumberland County Council has been given planning permission for a new HQ.

The current County Hall in Morpeth dates from 1981, but needs to be substantially refurbished.
The authority said it would be more cost-effective to sell off the land, and build a new £40m HQ in Ashington.
Council Leader Grant Davey said the proposals had been "well received by residents from the town and wider area".
The overall economic benefit to the north east could be as high as £93m, he said.


To say that Sears is a household name in US retail is an understatement.

The 130-year-old company operates one of America's best-known department store brands, Sears, Roebuck & Company, along with the ubiquitous Kmart chain, and was America's largest retail company until 1989.
But the firm has recently found itself in a crisis as it struggles to turn a profit as Americans increasingly shop online rather than in shopping centres.
In January, the company behind the group said it was selling off a major subsidiary and shutting more than 100 stores in an attempt to bolster its finances.
Some analysts believe that, short of a miracle, Sears Holdings will go under within the next few years.
So how did things go so wrong, and can the business do anything to turn itself around?
Sears began life as a catalogue company in 1886 and over the next century grew to become a retail behemoth, selling everything from appliances and clothes to car repairs.
But its sales have fallen from $53bn in 2006 to just $25.1bn in 2015 and it is losing more than $1bn a year.
Neil Saunders, chief executive of Conlumino, a retail research agency in New York, says the firm's "biggest problem" is that the US retail landscape has changed dramatically.
"One of the fundamentals is that people shop more online and less in malls, which is where Sears' stores are usually located," he tells the BBC.
"The second problem is that Sears hasn't invested in its retail outlets for a long time - that includes its staff, new products and innovation."
This has come at a time of unprecedented competition from online shopping giants such as Amazon.
But while peers like JC Penney and Macy's have tried to stay fresh, Sears has not kept up, says Mr Saunders.
"Shoppers have changed drastically in the past several years and now demand so much more from retailers across the board, from both a digital and physical perspective," adds Tiffany Hogan, an expert on US retail at Kantar Retail.
"Sears has great name recognition in the US and was strong for so long, but has not capitalised on that name to the fullest to keep the chain relevant."
Sears Holdings' chief executive, Eddie Lampert, says the firm is in the midst of a "long-term transformation" to succeed both online and through its stores.
He is also banking on the company's rewards programme, Shop Your Way, where frequent buyers accumulate points for their Sears and Kmart purchases and turn them into coupons and discounts.
However, none of this has made the firm profitable and it is heavily in debt.
In response, Sears has put forward a turnaround plan involving selling off its Craftsman tool brand for around $900m, closing 150 stores, and borrowing hundreds of millions from Mr Lampert's hedge fund ESL, which is also Sears' biggest investor.
Shares in the firm picked up on the news but have since eased back; analysts do not seem convinced, either.
Moody's Christina Boni says the company had been supporting itself by selling off assets, "but obviously that can't last forever".
Matt McGinley from the investment bank Evercore ISI told Bloomberg earlier in January: "I don't think there is any viable path to any sort of profitability."
Sears Holdings will not comment on "rumour and speculation" about its future, but tells the BBC: "We believe that we have the resources to fund our transformation and meet all of our financial obligations."
If, as some expect, the firm does go under it could have wider repercussions.
"Even with just the 150 stores Sears has confirmed it will close, the local impacts [in the US] could be significant as Sears will leave a large footprint that US malls have to fill with alternative businesses," Ms Hogan says.
Yet Sears is not alone in its struggles, she says: "Across the landscape we're seeing retailers struggle with 'keeping up with the Jones's'... Women's clothing store chain the Limited just closed its doors, and a handful of other mall-based retailers are likely to follow in the next couple of years."
Ms Boni says that closures might be no bad thing, though.
"The US is currently 'over-stored', so we are beginning to see a flush out with store closures across many competitors.
"To that end it's a natural part of the cycle, and the long-term effect of stores shuttering isn't necessarily a bad thing."


A Welsh tourist was shot three times during a terrorist attack on a Tunisian beach, using his body as a human shield, his fiancee has said.

Saera Wilson said gas engineer Mathew James, 30, from Trehafod, near Pontypridd, was trying to protect her when the gunmen opened fire.
Ms Wilson, 26, said Mr James was hit in the shoulder, chest and hip.
At least 37 people, including five Britons, have been killed in the attack in the town of Sousse.
Speaking from the hospital where Mr James, known as Sas, is being treated, Ms Wilson said: "He took a bullet for me. I owe him my life because he threw himself in front of me when the shooting started.
"He was covered in blood from the shots, but he just told me to run away.
"He told me: 'I love you babe. But just go - tell our children that their daddy loves them'.
"It was the bravest thing I've ever known. But I just had to leave him under the sunbed because the shooting just kept on coming.
"I ran back, past bodies on the beach to reach our hotel. It was chaos - there was a body in the hotel pool and it was just full of blood.
"You just can't explain how terrible it was. It was chaos with screaming and gunshots. I'm just so glad Mathew is alive because so many other people are dead."
She said they had left their two children, Tegan, six, and Kaden, 14 months, at home with their family when they jetted out to Sousse on 21 June for a two week break.
When she got back to their hotel, she said, she hid in a cupboard to stay safe until it became quieter.
Ms Wilson said she kept speaking to people until she found out he was at the hospital.
"I've been to the hospital intensive care and I'm just staying here on a chair now. His pelvis was shattered by the bullet and he also had a heart attack.
"But he is alive. I'm just praying we can get out of here as soon as we can."
Several other tourists from Wales have also been caught up in the attacks.
Amanda Roberts, from Swansea, is staying in the Royal Kenz hotel with her family, which is next door to the affected Imperial Marhaba Hotel in the Port El Kantaoui district.
They were on the beach when the attack took place and she told the BBC: "Someone said 'run for your life'."
"We just concentrated on getting back to our hotel safely," she added.
"We originally heard a muffled sound and saw police on horseback. Scuffles took place, people jumping over walls and there was a sound of gun fire."
She said they left everything, grabbed onto each other and "ran for our lives, there were literally hundreds of people in the same position".
"We are now in our hotel room but no-one from Thomson [the family's holiday company] has been in touch to give us any information.
"Also, my family has sustained injuries to our feet. Luckily we were able to receive treatment from a doctor."
She said her own feet were so severely burnt from running on hot concrete to the hotel she was unable to stand, which made her feel more vulnerable.
"We're feeling very shaken but at least we're still alive," she said.
Chris Spiteri, 29, from Cardiff, said he was deeply worried about his 25-year-old cousin Lena Tanti, also from Cardiff, who is currently in Tunisia.
"She's on holiday with her friend and I've tried calling her but her phone is dead," he said. "I've Whatsapped her but I haven't heard back.
"I don't know what hotel or anything she's staying in but I'm really worried and I just want to know she's ok."
Kelsie Collins, from Pontypridd, is also on holiday in Sousse with her family and has described scenes of confusion and fear.
The 24-year-old, who is staying at the Sahara Beach Resort near the seafront, said her family had been told to stay in their hotel room.
"There's mostly Brits here in the hotel, but nobody is really saying anything to each other, everyone's confused and in shock", she said.
Her grandmother, Mavis Collins, spoke of her relief at hearing the family is safe.
Stacey Webb, 23, from Barry, said she was locked in a bathroom with seven others following the shooting.
"I have never been more scared in my life but I hope God is with me", she said.
Tunisia has been on high alert since March when militants killed 22 people, mainly foreign tourists, in an attack on a museum in the capital Tunis.
A suicide bomber blew himself up in a failed attack on the beach in Sousse in October 2013.
A spokeswoman for Thomson and First Choice said: "We are working closely with our teams in Tunisia and the relevant authorities to determine exactly what has happened and provide assistance to those affected."
The UK Foreign Office said it is investigating whether any of the dead are British.
Prime Minister David Cameron said he offered "our solidarity in fighting this evil of terrorism".
Wales' First Minister Carwyn Jones tweeted: "Horrific news coming out of Tunisia and France - my thoughts are with everyone affected."
Are you in Sousse or do you know of any Welsh tourists out there? Cal: 02920 322 236 or email: newsonline.wales@bbc.co.uk


Bayern Munich returned to the top of the table as Arjen Robben scored one and set up another against Mainz on his 150th appearance in the Bundesliga.

Jhon Cordoba shot past Manuel Neuer to give the hosts a surprise early lead before Robert Lewandowski equalised after being set up by Robben.
Robben headed home from Thomas Muller's cross to give Bayern the lead before a Lewandowski free-kick made it 3-1.
Bayern move above RB Leipzig on goal difference.
Both teams are on 30 points, but Bayern have played one game more.
Leipzig will re-establish a three-point lead if they beat eighth-placed Schalke at home on Saturday (17:30 GMT).
Champions Bayern had 10 shots in the opening 45 minutes against Mainz, and scored with two of their four attempts on goal.
Muller wasted a great chance to net his first Bundesliga goal of the season when the score was 1-1.
The 2014 World Cup winner has now gone more than 15 hours without a league goal.
Match ends, 1. FSV Mainz 05 1, FC Bayern München 3.
Second Half ends, 1. FSV Mainz 05 1, FC Bayern München 3.
Attempt missed. Stefan Bell (1. FSV Mainz 05) header from the centre of the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Daniel Brosinski.
Foul by Douglas Costa (FC Bayern München).
Giulio Donati (1. FSV Mainz 05) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Goal!  1. FSV Mainz 05 1, FC Bayern München 3. Robert Lewandowski (FC Bayern München) from a free kick with a right footed shot to the top left corner.
Leon Balogun (1. FSV Mainz 05) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Robert Lewandowski (FC Bayern München) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Leon Balogun (1. FSV Mainz 05).
Javi Martínez (FC Bayern München) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Karim Onisiwo (1. FSV Mainz 05).
Corner,  FC Bayern München. Conceded by Stefan Bell.
Attempt blocked. Arjen Robben (FC Bayern München) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Douglas Costa.
Substitution, FC Bayern München. Renato Sanches replaces Thomas Müller.
Stefan Bell (1. FSV Mainz 05) is shown the yellow card.
Robert Lewandowski (FC Bayern München) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Stefan Bell (1. FSV Mainz 05).
Jhon Córdoba (1. FSV Mainz 05) is shown the yellow card.
Philipp Lahm (FC Bayern München) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Jhon Córdoba (1. FSV Mainz 05).
Robert Lewandowski (FC Bayern München) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Stefan Bell (1. FSV Mainz 05).
Substitution, 1. FSV Mainz 05. Pablo De Blasis replaces André Ramalho.
Philipp Lahm (FC Bayern München) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Daniel Brosinski (1. FSV Mainz 05).
Attempt blocked. Mats Hummels (FC Bayern München) header from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Douglas Costa with a cross.
Corner,  FC Bayern München. Conceded by Levin Öztunali.
Attempt saved. Danny Latza (1. FSV Mainz 05) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Jhon Córdoba.
Foul by Robert Lewandowski (FC Bayern München).
Leon Balogun (1. FSV Mainz 05) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution, FC Bayern München. Arturo Vidal replaces Joshua Kimmich.
Robert Lewandowski (FC Bayern München) is shown the yellow card.
Foul by Robert Lewandowski (FC Bayern München).
Leon Balogun (1. FSV Mainz 05) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Attempt missed. Levin Öztunali (1. FSV Mainz 05) right footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the left following a corner.
Corner,  1. FSV Mainz 05. Conceded by Douglas Costa.
Substitution, 1. FSV Mainz 05. Danny Latza replaces Fabian Frei.
Attempt saved. Karim Onisiwo (1. FSV Mainz 05) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Daniel Brosinski.
Substitution, FC Bayern München. Douglas Costa replaces Franck Ribéry.
Hand ball by Levin Öztunali (1. FSV Mainz 05).


The first black footballer to play for Liverpool has said he turned down an MBE because it was "against my values".

Howard Gayle told the Victoria Derbyshire programme that the honour - Member of the British Empire - should have its name altered so that there is no reference to "Empire".
Mr Gayle, 58, was offered the MBE earlier this year because of his work in combating racism in football.
He also said clubs should do more to deal with homophobia in the game.
Mr Gayle, 58, started his professional career with his hometown club Liverpool in 1977, moving on to Fulham, Newcastle United, Birmingham City, Sunderland, Stoke City, Blackburn Rovers and Halifax Town while he also won three caps for England Under-21s.
He was offered the MBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours this summer for his work with Kick It Out, football's equality organisation, at clubs and in the wider community.
He told Victoria Derbyshire he was "really surprised" that his decision had become a big story, adding of the award:  "It was against my values.
"If they want to be inclusive and accepting of black people around the UK and the Commonwealth, then they need to change the title of it - as it's an exclusive club being an MBE or OBE or one of those gongs.
"A lot of people around the world contacted me to say they accepted my decision and that the title of MBE did rankle."
King George V created the MBE, as well as the CBE and OBE, during World War One to reward outstanding contributions by civilians and military personnel working in support of the armed forces.
They are now given for prominent national or regional roles and to those making distinguished or notable contributions in their own specific areas of activity. The MBE, in particular, can be given for achievement or service in the community.
Mr Gayle is best known for his outstanding performance for Liverpool in the semi-final of the 1981 European Cup away to Bayern Munich, when he came on for the injured Kenny Dalglish.
Discussing his early career, he said racist comments then were "just the norm and a thing that was accepted and wasn't challenged" and that governments of the time had been "backward" in trying to eradicate such attitudes.
But nowadays football "does more than any other entity in eradicating it", he added.
However, the game had more to do in removing other forms of prejudice, he said.
"Homophobia is an issue and it's something we tackle in our programmes," Mr Gayle said. "A lot of people still live in the dark ages and think sexuality is part of a choice and that they choose that path of gay or straight.
"We try to get the message out that it doesn't really matter."
The Victoria Derbyshire programme is broadcast on weekdays between 09:00 and 11:00 on BBC Two and the BBC News channel.


Thousands of Syrian refugees are pouring into neighbouring countries as fighting between government forces and rebels intensifies.

The UN refugee agency says up to 30,000 people are reported to have crossed into Lebanon over the past 48 hours.
The UN Security Council agreed on Friday to extend its observer mission in Syria for a "final" 30 days.
Meanwhile, clashes have continued in Damascus, with the military repelling a rebel assault in the Midan area.
State media announced on Friday that Midan had been "cleaned" of "terrorists". Rebels said they had withdrawn from the area after coming under bombardment.
Journalists were allowed into Midan on Friday, and pictures showed dust-covered corpses lying in the streets, with tanks and burnt-out cars littering the area.
Activists said fierce fighting was also taking place in Syria's second city, Aleppo.
In other developments:
The UN refugee agency (UNHCR) said on Friday that between 8,500 and 30,000 Syrian refugees had crossed into Lebanon in the previous 48 hours.
One of the busiest crossing points is said to be at Masnaa, the main road link between the capitals of Beirut and Damascus.
By Lyse DoucetBBC News, Masnaa border crossing, Lebanon
In the middle of the day, in the scorching heat of a Lebanese summer, a flood of Syrians has slowed to a trickle crossing the border.
Lebanese border guards said 18,000 crossed in the past 48 hours.
Yesterday, as fighting escalated in Damascus, the queue of vehicles waiting to enter stretched into the distance. Today the traffic is still a mix of expensive limousines and large, poorer, families on foot, dragging suitcases.
In an extended family of seven adults and five children, an anxious mother spoke of their fear.
"The children were very scared of loud explosions and shooting. We were prisoners in our home. We didn't know who to trust - the Free Syrian Army or the government," she said.
And then the family cheered at the sight of a pickup arriving to take them to the house of a grandfather in Lebanon.
Many are believed to be fleeing the recent eruption of violence in Damascus.
The UNHCR says there are already 26,900 registered Syrian refugees in Lebanon, although activists say the real figure is much higher.
A UNHCR spokesman told AFP news agency that about 2,500 people had arrived in Jordan over the past four days, adding to the 35,000 registered Syrian refugees already there.
A spokesman described it as "a steady flow".
About 140,000 Syrians are believed to have fled to Jordan since the uprising against President Assad began in March last year. The Jordanian government is building several refugee camps for them.
Reports also suggested that more than 3,000 Syrians had crossed into Iraq in the past 24 hours.
Some Iraqis, who were returning from Syria, have told the BBC they had been forced to flee their homes near Damascus because of sectarian violence and intimidation. They said they had been targeted by the rebel Free Syrian Army.
BBC Caucasus correspondent Damien McGuinness says that Armenia is seeing an influx of ethnic Armenians who have lived in Syria for generations, but the government is accused of not doing enough to help them.
Refugees have been staging protests outside the Armenian parliament, saying they have received no help with housing or jobs, he adds.
Reports say thousands of refugees are also continuing to cross Syria's northern border with Turkey where more than 40,000 are already registered with aid agencies.
As the fighting continued, rebels managed to seize control of several border posts late on Thursday.
The rebels attacked crossings both on the southern frontier with Iraq and the northern border with Turkey.
Government forces have been trying to retake some of the areas since, and it is unclear who is in control of the borders.
Russia's envoy to France, Alexander Orlov, sparked a row by saying that Mr Assad had, in effect, agreed to step down last month at a conference in Geneva which had planned for a democratic transition.
His comments triggered an angry response from Syria, where the information ministry said the claims were completely baseless.
Meanwhile, the UN Security Council unanimously voted on Friday to renew the mandate for its observer mission in Syria for a "final" 30 days, while leaving open the possibility of an extension.
The vote came after hours of intense negotiations among council members.
Russia had threatened to veto the UK-drafted resolution, but Russian ambassador Vitaly Churkin finally backed a revised text.
The resolution will end the observer mission in 30 days. The mandate could then be renewed, but only if Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and the Security Council are able to confirm that both sides are abiding by the terms of the UN-backed ceasefire plan.
Britain's UN ambassador, Mark Lyall Grant, said after the vote: "We have said clearly that it is a final extension unless there is a change in the dynamic on the ground and in particular that there should be a cessation of use of heavy weapons and that there should be a sufficient reduction in the violence to enable UNSMIS [the observer mission] to carry out its mandate."
On Thursday, Russia and China vetoed a resolution on Syria for the third time in nine months.
Under the Western-backed motion, Damascus would have been threatened with non-military sanctions under Chapter Seven of the UN Charter if it failed to move troops and heavy weapons from populated areas.


"If this secret left-wing plan to take over the Labour Party comes to pass, our electoral existence is in peril."

Tom Watson did not mince his words when he spoke to me on Monday morning.
But was he really more concerned about the future of his party - or the future of his union, the now-inappropriately named Unite? Both are, in fact, currently inextricably linked.
Mr Watson had been personally close to the union's general secretary Len McCluskey - they are former flatmates.
But relations deteriorated when Labour's deputy leader failed to convince Mr McCluskey to persuade Jeremy Corbyn to agree a date when he would stand down as party leader last summer, after eight out of 10 of his MPs declared no confidence  in him.
So there is now political and personal animosity.
Mr McCluskey is up for re-election at the end of next month and those close to Mr Watson see an opportunity to weaken both him and the current party leader.
Mr McCluskey's main opponent is the West Midlands organiser Gerard Coyne, who is politically to his right.
Mr Watson is backing the challenger in part because Unite, under its current leadership, has generously funded Mr Corbyn's two leadership campaigns -  and a change at the top might put a block on cheques to any aspiring left-wing replacement.
Mr Coyne's initial pitch was that the union was too focused on Westminster politics under Mr McCluskey and not enough on members' interests.
But some of Mr Corbyn's critics at Westminster argued that the Coyne campaign had had too subtle a message to gain prominent media coverage - and the contest should be recast as a proxy battle for Labour's future.
So this weekend Mr Watson was gifted strong ammunition to launch a campaign of "shock and awe" to get party and union members to sit up and take notice.
Jon Lansman set up Momentum to maintain the spirit of the first Corbyn leadership campaign, harnessing the energies of those who came into Labour to change both the party and the country.
But the recording of his remarks to a local group in Richmond, obtained by the Observer, suggested that he was rather more interested in changing Labour than changing the government - he talked of how an early election would "disrupt our plans" but "what we need to do next is a number of things to change the nature of the Labour Party".
Even better for Mr Watson was the suggestion that the link forged between the current Unite general secretary and Momentum was going to become stronger and tighter.
Mr Lansman opined that "assuming Len McCluskey wins the general secretaryship...Unite will affiliate to Momentum and will fully participate in Momentum".
Mr Watson has suggested that Mr McCluskey would rather fund a left-wing faction inside Labour than the party itself. He believes this revelation might encourage more moderate members of Unite to turn out and vote to change their general secretary.
The acting Unite leader Gail Cartmail told me that there were no plans to affiliate to Momentum and Mr Watson had not checked his story before going public.
But with or without union funding, just what is the "hard-left plot" that Mr Watson believes will destroy Labour?
First, Momentum wants to see Labour's leadership rules changed.
Currently a candidate for the leadership requires the support of 15% of MPs and MEPs before the wider, left-wing membership gets a chance to vote for them. Mr Corbyn only succeeded in getting on to the ballot in 2015 because some of those to his right 'lent' support to broaden the debate.
Those MPs who regarded their actions subsequently as a huge mistake will not make the same one twice. Mr Lansman is heard emphasising how "crucial" it is that the 15% threshold is reduced should Mr Corbyn stand down.
At this September's Labour conference, it is almost certain delegates will be given the option to reduce that threshold from 15% to only 5% - a much smaller hurdle for a left-wing candidate to overcome.
Mr Lansman is recorded saying "we really need to win that vote" and "we have to work to get delegates to that conference".
But internal groups such as Labour First and Progress  - put simply, Brownites and Blairites and those who were once called "modernisers"  - are working together in many local constituencies to select delegates sympathetic to them.
Like Mr Watson, their view is that if Mr Corbyn was simply replaced by someone with similar politics, Labour would have missed an opportunity to appeal to a wider electorate who believe the party is now too left wing.
The only way to stop the changes is to get more anti-Corbyn delegates to Labour's conference this autumn than those who support the leadership.
So Mr Watson's apocalyptic warnings are, in part, aimed to sound a klaxon that the longer-standing but demoralised moderate party members will hear.
Equally, perhaps the reason that Mr Lansman was so honest about Momentum's intentions was to encourage left-wing, newer Labour members who would prefer to be on demonstrations to attend the rather tedious party meetings that nominate conference delegates.
Secondly, Mr Watson believes that Momentum will seek to depose MPs and councillors who it regards as hostile or right wing or both.
Momentum says that it is entitled to put forward its views and it is up to local members to decide who they would like to represent them. And far from hatching "secret" plans, Mr Lansman made his remarks at a meeting that was open to the wider public.
It is perfectly possible, of course, that Mr McCluskey wins the union leadership contest and Momentum members fail to get the leadership changes it wants.
So the armed impasse between Corbyn supporters and opponents could continue, very possibly, to the party's electoral detriment.
Already sources close to the leadership are warning that Mr Watson's intervention means "we are really worried about our local election prospects" in the spring because he has highlighted divisions.
"They were going to be tough enough to begin with but this stuff from Watson put the elections in real jeopardy," they say.
So if there are poor results, the anti-Corbyn camp would use this as further evidence of the leadership's failures. But leadership supporters are getting their retaliation in first by trying to shift the blame to the deputy leader's door.
At the end of a shadow cabinet "away day" on Monday afternoon, Messrs Corbyn and Watson issued a statement saying they had had "robust and constructive" discussions.
But there may have been more of the former - and a bit less of the latter.


Firefighters in England and Wales will join a one-day strike by public sector workers on 10 July, the Fire Brigades Union has announced.

More than a million council staff, health workers, teachers and civil servants are expected to take industrial action on the same date.
The FBU is involved in a row over pensions and retirement age.
The government said fire authorities had "robust and well-tested plans that include back-up support if needed".
Firefighters have been involved in a series of strikes over the past year but the dispute remains unresolved.
The FBU strike is due to take place between 10:00 and 19:00 BST and will be the 15th in the firefighters' campaign. The union is expected to announce further action later this week.
General secretary Matt Wrack said: "The FBU has wanted to settle our dispute for a long time, but the government at Westminster is simply not listening. We are therefore proud to take strike action alongside our colleagues in other unions on 10 July.
"The fact that this government has united so many workers to take strike action against them is a testament to the failure of their policies. They are destroying our public services and wrecking the lives of millions.
"If they won't listen and won't negotiate, then this is the result and they should face more of the same if necessary."
The FBU has launched a legal challenge against the government's proposals, claiming that reducing the pensions available to firefighters by different amounts depending on when they retire after the age of 55 amounts to age discrimination.
Fire minister Brandon Lewis said public safety would "remain the primary focus".
He added: "The government believes a solution can be reached, but not under the shadow of industrial action, which only serves to damage firefighters' good standing with the public. By calling more strikes during an open consultation the FBU leadership has once again shown it is not serious about finding a resolution.
"The deal on the table is fair and gives firefighters one of the most generous pensions in the public sector. Additionally the proposals protect the earned rights of a higher proportion of members than any other public sector scheme. Nearly three quarters will see no change in their pension age in 2015."
The day of action on 10 July is part of a series of disputes with the government over pay and other issues.
Workers who have already said they will take part include civil servants in the Public and Commercial Services union, council and school support workers in the GMB and Unison, and members of the National Union of Teachers.


The Zimbabwean hunter who led the expedition that killed the famed lion Cecil has failed in his legal bid to have charges against him dropped.

A court ruled that Theo Bronkhorst's application was "devoid of merit".
He denies charges of "failing to prevent an illegal hunt", and is expected to appeal against the ruling.
Last week, Zimbabwe dropped its demand for the US to extradite dentist Walter Palmer, who sparked global outrage for killing the lion in July.
Mr Palmer could not be charged as all his "papers were in order", Environment Minister Oppah Muchinguri said.
Mr Bronkhorst looked dejected and refused to speak to journalists when he came out of the courtroom in the western town of Hwange, the AFP news agency reports.
"We disagree with the ruling with all due respect. It is our intention to apply to the High Court for a review," his lawyer Perpetua Dube is quoted as saying.
Mr Bronkhorst says he had obtained all the permits required to kill an elderly lion that was outside the national park boundaries.
The lion - a favourite at Hwange National Park - was shot by Mr Palmer with a bow and arrow.
He is said to have paid about $50,000 (Â£32,000) to hunt the lion.
What Cecil the lion means to Zimbabwe
Cecil the lion in pictures
How the internet hunted the hunter


Love it, hate it, or never heard of it - there's no denying quinoa has taken the health food world by storm in recent years.

15 December 2016 Last updated at 00:12 GMT
It's something of a superfood, and hails from South America. Or so we thought.
In fact, farmers in Taiwan were also growing it thousands of years ago - and now it's on the comeback.
Produced by Cindy Sui


A trip to Africa before he died had inspired Christian Small to change his name to Christian Njoya Diawara Small.

He felt this was a better reflection of his character because Njoya Diawara means "strong in spirit".
It was a quality his family said he had in abundance.
The 28-year-old's drive and determination had ensured his hurdling talent never went to waste, and in May he won gold in the Middlesex County Championship.
How much further his dedication would have taken him will never be known.
On 7 July, he left his flat in Walthamstow, east London, at 0800 BST on his way to work in Holborn, in advertising sales, but never arrived.
His route would have involved changing to the Piccadilly Line either at Finsbury Park or King's Cross.
Later that day, when he could not be contacted by phone, fears for his safety grew and Christian's sister Tameka, 21, was joined by his friends and his parents in pinning up posters around London.
But the news they had been dreading came when his death was confirmed.
His mother Sheila said any anger felt over the loss of her son should not detract from his aspirations, such as educating young people about Africa or campaigning for fair trade and debt relief.
The tribute to him read out at the inquest into the deaths of all those who died in the bombings spoke of a "respectful, diplomatic, caring and loving" young man who from childhood wanted to look after those younger than himself.
His family said it came as no surprise when he opted to travel to the United States, where as a Camp America summer scheme camp leader, he was mentor and teacher to disadvantaged children from inner city backgrounds.
The statement said: "As a gifted soul, Christian was able to successfully balance sports, academia, a search for identity and strong friendships.
"This gift enabled him to gain a BA (Honours), achieve a personal best in the high hurdles and develop a network of friends from diverse backgrounds."
In the year before he died, Mr Small joined Enfield and Haringey Athletic Club and progressed very quickly.
His coach, Eric Brees, paid tribute to a "popular" member of the team.
His last competition was the London Inter-Club Challenge on 2 July 2005 at the New River Stadium in Haringey, where he finished second in the 110-metre hurdles.
He also loved football - choosing as a child to follow Luton Town Football Club because he could identify with their large selection of high profile black players and he liked the kit colours.
Some of the strong friends that his family spoke of paid tribute to Mr Small in the days after his death.
One, flatmate Vanessa Walters, paid tribute in the Guardian newspaper, writing: "We grew up together. Always slightly too serious for his years, he was thoughtful and earnest - initiating house debates on anything."
But it was Mr Small's trip to west Africa, in which he researched his family origins, that was a journey of self-discovery, of body, heart and mind and prompted his name change.
There, he worked in a small village, and wrote regular emails home, which he later began to turn into a book
In her tributes, his mother said: "Christian, you return now to that Great Source from which we have all come.
"Though you will live forever in our hearts and minds and be with us in spirit, your body now returns to the earth, you voice becomes one with the wind, your tears one with the rain, your laughter one with the waves.
"Christian, we celebrate your life, a flame that lighted the way and touched many with its warmth, so short-lived and yet brilliant.
"Njoya, man of great spirit and determination, we will always love and remember you."


The former Mayor of Rotherham has been charged with indecent assault against a 13-year-old girl.

Barry Dodson, 67, of Cranworth Road, Rotherham, has been released on bail and is due before magistrates in Sheffield, on 18 December.
He allegedly carried out the attack in 1987, South Yorkshire Police said.
Mr Dodson stood down as mayor in June and also resigned from the Labour Party. He remains an independent councillor on Rotherham Council.


A young boy has said one of the accused in the Liam Fee murder trial told him she had "killed his dad" with a type of saw.

The youngster made the statement during a recorded police interview after the two-year-old was found dead at a house near Glenrothes on 22 March 2014.
Rachel Fee, 31, and Nyomi Fee, 28, deny murdering Liam and harming two other boys.
The boy also said he felt "unsafe" with the two accused.
In the interview footage shown to the jury on day 11 of the trial at the High Court in Livingston, the boy claimed he suffered a catalogue of abuse at the hands of the two accused.
He said Nyomi Fee told him she had killed his father with a drill-like saw because she did not like liars.
He added: "I didn't like it. I was thinking I would be dead."
The interviewers, a police officer and social worker, told him his father was still alive.
The boy said he felt unsafe at the Fees' house and was made to take cold showers "for 15 or 20 minutes" if he wet the bed.
He said the showers made him shake and Nyomi Fee told him to "stand still".
He also said he was made to hit the boy the women are accused of falsely blaming for Liam's death 20 times with an action figure, and was told by Nyomi Fee to "whack him really hard".
In previous evidence, he said the other boy was responsible for Liam's death because Nyomi Fee had told him so.
The jury has already been shown a video interview with that boy, who told police he had "strangled" Liam but that the toddler had been sitting up and watching television afterwards
Rachel Fee and Nyomi Fee, who are originally from Ryton, Tyne and Wear, deny a series of mistreatment and neglect charges against two other children, as well as the murder charge.
The trial at the High Court in Livingston continues.


I have interviewed the Indonesian President Joko Widodo three times - first as the governor of Jakarta, then as a presidential candidate and this week as the leader of the world's most populous Muslim country and the biggest economy in South East Asia.

Read more: Indonesia 'needs time' to tackle haze - Joko Widodo
An outsider in Indonesian politics, there were high expectations that he would change the culture of cronyism that has held Indonesia back for so long.
But what a difference a year makes. Mr Widodo has spent the better part of the last 12 months putting out political fires - at times within his own party - and that's meant he's struggled to push through some of his key economic reform plans.
Critics say he has had to kowtow to the grand dame that is the head of his party and is her puppet. At times, he has seemed unable to control his cabinet - which has often contradicted his policies on foreign investment, and on the ease of doing business in Indonesia.
It's also been hard to reconcile his previously loud protestations of being an advocate of democracy with some of the more draconian measures his government has taken, like the executions of foreign drug convicts - that for now appear to have been suspended for this year because of economic priorities - or the detention of foreign journalists on immigration issues.
Although during the interview he appeared to put on a show of confidence about his handling of the economy - currently his administration's biggest headache - he was short on specifics and dismissed concerns that he has disappointed his supporters by saying that Indonesia is a big country and it takes time to fix the many problems it has.
That may be true but overwhelmingly the mood amongst investors and businesses I met in Jakarta was one of exasperation. When will the president stop talking and start acting, many asked me. When I put that to the man himself - he assured me in his calm Javanese manner that his plans to boost infrastructure spending were already under way and showing results.
He expects that by the end of his term Indonesia would be a vastly more improved economy than it is today.
There's a lot at stake - both for Mr Widodo and for the Indonesian economy.
It is the giant in the neighbourhood but consistently punches below its weight. Growth is slowing down after a decade long commodities boom, and without more of an investment in infrastructure and human capital it could slow further.
Mr Widodo will not be unaware that mismanagement of the economy has often been the downfall of presidents who have come before him.
It was after all the 1997/1998 Asian Financial Crisis that saw the Indonesian rupiah tumble and prices soar that - amongst other factors - forced the former dictator and president Suharto to step down.
The Indonesian people are infamously patient and forgiving - but Mr Widodo will need to act quickly and decisively to ensure he doesn't lose their support.


Hundreds of Venezuelan opposition supporters have marched in protest to the National Electoral Council (CNE) in the capital Caracas.

They demanded a ruling on whether a recall referendum on removing President Nicolas Maduro can go ahead.
The decision had been expected on Tuesday on whether enough valid signatures had been collected.
The opposition have said the CNE is biased in favour of the government and is dragging its feet.
The CNE said it would meet next Monday for further discussions but did not give a date for a ruling.
Venezuela is going through a dire economic crisis with severe food shortages and recent polls suggest 64% of Venezuelans would vote to remove Mr Maduro from office.
However, there are a series of steps which have to be met before a recall referendum can be held.
So far, the opposition has completed the first step. On 2 May, it handed the CNE a petition with almost two million signatures, many more than the 194,729 needed at this first stage.
The CNE has since been working on step two,  validating the signatures by asking signatories to come forward and be fingerprinted.
On Tuesday, the CNE had been expected to announce the final result of the validation and to set a date for step three, when signatures will have to be collected on a second petition, which, if successful, would trigger the referendum proper.
But by the end of Tuesday, the CNE released a statement (in Spanish) saying it would only meet on 1 August to examine the auditors' report on the validation process.
The opposition has long accused the CNE of siding with the government and using delaying tactics to try and thwart the referendum.
Opposition leaders are anxious to proceed with the referendum as soon as possible because its timing is key to what happens next.
Should it be held before 10 January and go against Mr Maduro, fresh elections will be triggered.
But if the vote were to be held after 10 January - in the last two years of Mr Maduro's mandate - he would be replaced by his vice-president and supporter, Aristobulo Isturiz.
The referendum could also be delayed by legal challenges launched by government supporters.
On Tuesday, government officials asked the electoral authorities to suspend the opposition coalition behind the recall referendum for alleged fraud.
They said that thousands of names on the recall petition belonged to dead people.
It is not clear at this point what effect a possible suspension of the opposition coalition would have on the drive for the recall referendum.


A daily dose of vitamin E could help people with dementia, research suggests.

A study in the journal JAMA found people with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease on high doses of vitamin E had a slower rate of decline than those given a dummy pill.
They were able to carry out everyday tasks for longer and needed less help from carers, say US researchers.
The Alzheimer's Society said the dosage was very high and might not be safe.
In the study, 613 people with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease received either a daily dose of vitamin E, a dementia drug treatment known as memantine, a combination of vitamin E and memantine, or placebo.
Changes in their ability to carry out everyday tasks - such as washing or dressing - were measured over an average of two years.
The study found participants receiving vitamin E had slower functional decline than those receiving placebo, with the annual rate of decline reduced by 19%.
Those on vitamin E (also known as alpha tocopherol) also needed less help from carers.
"These findings suggest that alpha tocopherol is beneficial in mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease by slowing functional decline and decreasing caregiver burden," said a team led by Dr Maurice Dysken of Minneapolis VA Health Care System.
Commenting on the study, Dr Doug Brown, director of research and development at the Alzheimer's Society, said treatments which can help people with dementia carry out everyday tasks are key to enabling those with the condition to live well for as long as possible.
But he said more research was needed to see if vitamin E really does have benefits for people with dementia, and whether it would be safe to be taking such a high dose on a daily basis.
"It is vitally important that people always seek advice from their doctor before considering taking supplements," he said.
"In this instance, the dosage of vitamin E taken by participants was much higher than the recommended daily allowance and was at a level that could be significantly harmful for some."
Dr Eric Karran, director of research at Alzheimer's Research UK, said the trial suggested vitamin E may modestly slow the decline in day-to-day functioning in people with mild to moderate Alzheimer's, but without having an effect on memory and thinking skills.
He said it was too early to recommend vitamin E as a treatment.
"Until the findings from this trial have been replicated, we would not encourage people to take high doses of vitamin E supplements to try to prevent or treat Alzheimer's," he added.
"If people are concerned about their vitamin intake or diet, they should talk to their GP."


A South African judge has delayed to Wednesday her ruling on whether prosecutors can appeal against what they call the "shockingly light" sentence passed on Oscar Pistorius.

The Paralympian athlete was jailed for five years in October for the culpable homicide of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, whom he killed last year.
Prosecutors also want to challenge Pistorius' acquittal on murder charges.
His lawyers opposed the appeal request and said the sentence was not lenient.
The double-amputee sprinter had been charged by the prosecution with the premeditated murder of Ms Steenkamp, a model and law graduate.
He was also acquitted of the lesser murder charge of dolus eventualis by High Court Judge Thokozile Masipa.
In South African law, this charge - also known as common-law murder - applies if the accused knew they might kill someone but still went ahead with their course of action.
Judge Masipa said she would rule on Wednesday whether the prosecution's appeal could go ahead.
Pistorius was not in court on Tuesday when prosecutor Gerrie Nel outlined his case.
The prosecutor told Judge Masipa she had misinterpreted the law when she acquitted Pistorius of murder, and sentenced him to five years in prison.
"The precedent set by this court is shockingly low," Mr Nel said.
However, Pistorius' legal team argued that the prosecution's case was flawed and the judge had correctly applied the law.
"It's incorrect to say it's a light sentence. It's not," defence lawyer Barry Roux said.
Addressing the judge, he added: "Their problem is they don't like your factual finding. They don't appreciate that. You absolutely, correctly applied the law."
Correspondents say it is common in South Africa for the same judge to hear an appeal against their own verdicts.
Judges often grant the request because they are confident they applied the law correctly and their judgement will stand up to scrutiny.
In court - By Pumza Fihlani, BBC News, Pretoria
It may seem like unnecessary legal wrangling but the state believes it has a strong case and wants the Supreme Court of Appeal to help deliver justice for Reeva Steenkamp.
The law makes provision for prosecutors to appeal on a matter of law but not on a factual finding.
If the state's attempt fails, Pistorius could be eligible for parole and house arrest after serving 10 months. This is a prospect prosecutor Gerrie Nel is desperate to avoid.
He wants to undo what he has called a "grossly inappropriate" sentence and believes, if given the chance, a higher court would rule in his favour.
South African criminal lawyer Martin Hood told AFP news agency that he expected Judge Masipa to agree to the prosecution's request because there was "just too much controversy about the judgement".
"It doesn't matter what the outcome of the appeal is. If the appeal is allowed then other judges will be able to comment on the decision, and that's critical," Mr Hood is quoted as saying.
In papers filed with the court in November, Mr Nel said the judge had "erred in over-emphasising the personal circumstances of the accused".
"Not enough emphasis was placed on the horrendous manner in which the deceased died, coupled with the gruesome injuries she sustained when the accused shot and killed her," he added.
The judge, Mr Nel said, had failed to sufficiently consider that Pistorius had fired four shots "through a locked door into a small toilet cubicle from which there was no room to escape".
The prosecution had called for the maximum 15-year sentence for culpable homicide, or manslaughter.
Ms Steenkamp was shot dead at Pistorius' home in Pretoria in the early hours of Valentine's Day last year. He said he feared there was an intruder but he did not intend to kill.
Pistorius is serving the sentence in the hospital wing of Pretoria's Kgosi Mampuru II prison.
He can apply to serve the rest of his sentence under house arrest after 10 months.
Inside Oscar Pistorius's home
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Mr Pistorius said he and Ms Steenkamp had dinner at about 19:00 before going to bed at 21:00. He said he woke in the early hours, spoke briefly to his girlfriend and got up to close the sliding door and curtains.
Judge Thokozile Masipa questioned the reliability of several witnesses who said they heard screams and gunshots between about 03:12 and 03:17, saying most had 'got facts wrong'.
Mr Pistorius said he heard the bathroom window sliding open and believed that an intruder, or intruders, had entered the bathroom through a window which was not fitted with burglar bars.
Mr Pistorius said he grabbed his firearm and told Ms Steenkamp, who he thought was still in bed, to call the police.
The judge said it made no sense that Ms Steenkamp did not hear him scream 'Get out' or call the police, as she had her mobile phone with her.
Mr Pistorius could see the bathroom window was open and toilet door closed. He said he did not know whether the intruders were outside on a ladder or in the toilet.
He had his firearm in front of him, he heard a movement inside the toilet and thought whoever was inside was coming out to attack him.
'Before I knew it, I had fired four shots at the door,' he said.
The judge said she did not accept that Mr Pistorius fired the gun by accident or before he knew what was happening. She said he had armed himself with a lethal weapon and clearly wanted to use it. The other question, she said, was why he fired not one, but four shots before he ran back to the room to try to find Ms Steenkamp.
Mr Pistorius said he went back to the bedroom and noticed that Ms Steenkamp was not there.
Mr Pistorius said this was when he realised she could have been in the toilet and rushed back to the bathroom.
Mr Pistorius said he screamed for help and went back to the bathroom where he found the toilet was locked. He returned to the bedroom, pulled on his prosthetic legs and turned on the lights before bashing in the toilet door with a cricket bat.
When the door panel broke, he found the key and unlocked the door and found Ms Steenkamp slumped on the floor with her head on the toilet bowl. He then carried her downstairs, where he was met by neighbours.
3D animation of the apartment


A man has been arrested on suspicion of kidnapping after a car was stolen with two children inside.

The vehicle was taken after the children's mother left the car in Kempe Road, Enfield, on 2 July.
A girl, 12, managed to get out of the vehicle as the suspect drove off. The baby was found later on a doorstep in Cheshunt.
The car was later found abandoned nearby. A 19-year-old has been arrested on suspicion of kidnap and theft.