Former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has been handed a jail sentence and barred from office after being found guilty of tax fraud.

The Milan court sentenced him to four years but later cut it to one year because of an amnesty law.
Mr Berlusconi condemned the sentence as "intolerable judicial harassment". He will remain free pending appeals.
He and others were accused of buying US film rights at inflated prices via two offshore companies under his control.
It is the first time Mr Berlusconi - who has faced a number of trials - has been convicted of any crime concerning his business activities.
He has in the past either been cleared, or cases have run beyond the judicial time limit.
In 1997 he received a suspended sentence for false book-keeping but that conviction was reversed on appeal.
By David WilleyBBC News, Rome
Silvio Berlusconi is down but not out as a result of his conviction and sentencing for tax fraud.
But the verdict had an immediate effect on his personal fortunes. Shares in his flagship Mediaset TV company slumped by 3% on the Milan stockmarket.
Mr Berlusconi's active political career can however be considered terminated by the successful conviction.
He had already announced earlier in the week that he was stepping down as leader of his Freedom Party and will not be offering himself for re-election as prime minister in next year's general election.
The Italian media mogul has spent the greater part of the past two decades drawing up legislation designed to ensure his impunity in various current criminal cases in which he has been charged with crimes of corruption.
It is ironic that the reduction in his sentence from four years to one year is due to an amnesty decision by a rival centre-left government in 2006, aimed at reducing Italy's prison population.
In the case for which he was sentenced on Friday, prosecutors argued that part of the money declared for the purchase of film rights was skimmed off to create illegal slush funds, reducing tax liabilities for Mr Berlusconi's Mediaset group.
The court handed Mr Berlusconi a longer sentence than the three years and eight months requested by prosecutors. However, it later announced that the sentence would be cut to one year due to a 2006 amnesty law aimed at reducing prison overcrowding.
It ordered him and his co-defendants to pay 10m euros (Â£8m) in damages and banned him from holding public office for three years.
Both the jail term and the ban would only take effect if the sentence is upheld by a higher court, Italian news agency Ansa reported.
"It is a political, incredible and intolerable judgement," Mr Berlusconi said on Italia 1 - one of the TV stations he owns.
"It is without any doubt a political verdict just as all the cases invented against me are political."
In all, 11 people were on trial.
Three were acquitted including Mediaset chairman Fedele Confalonieri, a close associate of Mr Berlusconi, and four were cleared because the statute of limitations had run out.
The three others convicted alongside the former prime minister included Hollywood producer Frank Agrama, who received a three-year sentence.
The trial began six years ago and has been subject to repeated delays, in part because of an immunity law that protected Mr Berlusconi while he was prime minister.
Q&A: Silvio Berlusconi on trial
The BBC's David Willey in Rome says Mr Berlusconi is unlikely ever to serve his sentence as the conviction first has to be confirmed by two successive courts of appeal.
The appeals could take years, he adds.
In February a court threw out a corruption case against him after the statute of limitations had expired.
He is also currently on trial charged with paying for sex with an underage girl and trying to cover it up. He denies any wrongdoing.
Mr Berlusconi, 76, has dominated Italian politics for most of the past 20 years.
He was forced to resign as the prime minister of a centre-right coalition last November, and recently said he had no plans to stand again in elections due next year.
He has repeatedly claimed that he is a victim of persecution by a left-wing judiciary.
Mr Berlusconi is not the first Italian prime minister to be convicted of a crime.
Bettino Craxi, a socialist who helped Mr Berlusconi to build his media empire, fled the country in 1994 to avoid imprisonment in a corruption trial and died in exile in Tunisia.


Middlesbrough defender George Friend will be out for approximately four weeks after fracturing a shoulder.

Friend, 28, was withdrawn during the 1-0 defeat by Nottingham Forest on 23 January after landing awkwardly.
Former Doncaster and Wolves full-back Friend has missed just one league game this season, scoring once.
Boro are already without centre-back Ben Gibson with a hip injury, who can also play wide, while full-back James Husband is on loan at Huddersfield.


A nurse has admitted stealing cash, medication and jewellery from cancer patients recovering from life-saving surgery.

Jacqueline Perry, 49,  admitted nine counts of theft from semi-conscious patients at Swansea's Morriston Hospital.
Swansea Crown Court heard Perry, of Morriston, stole while working at the hospital between November 2014 and January 2015.
She will be sentenced in May.
An earlier hearing at Swansea Magistrates' Court heard Perry stole a 22 carat gold wedding ring belonging to 89-year-old Nancy Thomas.
The cancer sufferer also lost two other gold rings of "sentimental value," with all three collectively worth Â£1,800.
Perry also stole a gold ring from a patient recovering from surgery for stomach cancer and wallets containing small amounts of cash from chronically ill patients.


Sim Bhullar has become the first player of Indian descent to play in the NBA after making his debut for Sacramento Kings.

The 22-year-old came on with 16 seconds remaining in the Kings' 116-111 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The 7ft 5in Canada-born centre signed a 10-day contract to join the Kings' roster and said he hoped he could help grow the game in India.
"It was a great feeling and I'm happy to be kind of an ambassador," he said.
Bhullar added: "Hopefully more kids growing up will see there's a player of Indian descent on the court and we can get a couple more Indian NBA players."


After weeks of speculation, French footballer Paul Pogba has completed a world record transfer to Manchester United from Italian club Juventus.

The initial fee for the 23-year-old is €105m (£89m; $116m), but the figure will rise depending on his success.
The figure stands in stark contrast to other newly-released statistics in Italy.
According to the statistical body Instat, the number of people living in absolutely poverty in Italy has risen to its highest point since 2005, with 7.6% of the population affected.
The figures, released last month, showed that 4.6 million people were now unable to afford goods and services "essential to avoid grave forms of social exclusion".
Italian media said some of the change could be attributed to migrant families, almost a third of whom live in absolute poverty. More than 153,000 migrants arrived in Italy last year.
Back in 1992, when AC Milan broke the world transfer record to sign Gianluigi Lentini, the Vatican condemned the £13m fee, calling it "an offence to the dignity of work".
There's been no comment from the Vatican this time around.
We broke down Italy's poverty levels relative to the cost of Pogba.
Pogba's salary at Old Trafford has not been publicised, but it is believed to be about €12m a year.
When the poverty figures were released last month, Massimiliano Dona, secretary of the National Consumers' Union, called them "a national disgrace" which showed the government had "not done anything to reduce inequalities and help those most in need", La Repubblica reported.
Economy Minister Pier Carlo Padoan told the Ansa news agency the government was committed to bringing more people out of poverty, but it faced the worst financial situation in 20 years.
Prime Minister Matteo Renzi was appointed in 2014 after a promise to bring life back into the economy, but little improvement has been seen.
He is also facing pressure over a referendum he has called for later this year to cut the powers of the Italian Senate as part of a series of planned constitutional reforms.
Mr Renzi has promised to resign if he loses the vote.


Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has praised the decision to release from prison one of the country's main opposition leaders, Leopoldo López.

Mr López has been moved to house arrest after more than three years in jail.
He left a prison near Caracas and was reunited with his family on Saturday.
Mr López was serving a 14-year sentence for inciting violence during anti-government protests in 2014, a charge he has always denied. The Supreme Court said he was released on health grounds.
Mr Maduro said he "respected" and "supported" the Supreme Court's decision but called for "a message of peace and rectification" in the country.
Hours after being freed, Mr López urged supporters to continue protesting in the streets against Mr Maduro.
Venezuela's opposition and international powers have long pressed for his freedom. The head of the Organisation of American States regional bloc, Luis Almagro, said the court's decision offered an opportunity for national reconciliation.
Henrique Capriles, a former opposition presidential candidate, stressed "he must be given his full liberty together with all political prisoners", Reuters reported.
Giving a glimpse of his son's life behind bars, Mr López's father told Spanish radio "a few days ago they had punished him with solitary confinement without light or water for three days".
He said his son was now wearing an electronic tag so that the authorities could keep abreast of his movements.
His wife had complained that she had not been allowed to see him for more than a month, but on Friday she tweeted she had been allowed an hour-long meeting.
In May, a government lawmaker published a video of Mr López in his cell following rumours that he had been poisoned and taken to hospital.
In the video, Mr López - a Harvard-educated former mayor who has been prevented by the government from standing for public office - said he was well and did not know why he was being asked to prove he was still alive.
Venezuela has been experiencing a wave of anti-government protests similar to those over which Mr López was jailed.
The opposition is calling for early elections and the release of opposition politicians jailed in recent years, saying the socialist governments of President Maduro and his predecessor, the late Hugo Chávez, have mismanaged the economy since coming to power in 1999.


Have you ever stood on a beach in Wales and wondered what was on the other side of the ocean?

Finding the answer is not as simple as drawing a straight line on a map, as contrary to the belief of ancient philosophers the Earth is not flat.
Map experts at Esri UK have created an interactive map which shows precisely which countries are directly across the sea from the UK coastline.
Pembroke in Pembrokeshire, for example, faces Antarctica 7,898 miles away.
And if you stand on Barmouth beach in Gwynedd you might be forgiven for thinking you were looking towards Ireland, but you would be facing in the direction of Brazil some 4,447 miles away.
Esri UK cartographer Ben Flanagan explained that traditional 2D maps cannot be used to find out what country is across the sea as they "distort the true nature of the globe".
"Instead you need to factor in the curvature of the Earth," he said.
To calculate which country is across the sea the map draws a geodesic line, which represents the shortest route between two points on the globe.
Almost 2,000 points were plotted around the UK coast.
These were placed every time there was a major change in the direction of the coastline.
At each viewpoint it was assumed the person was facing outwards, perpendicular to the coastline. The software then drew straight lines out from the point until another landfall was reached.
Mr Flanagan said: "The map was created to make people think about the relationship between maps and the globe and used to demonstrate just how many neighbours the UK has directly across the sea."


Five stories from Oxfordshire which people have been clicking on this week

It was one of the most-read stories on the BBC website on Monday.
But in case you missed it, you can still see the note Thames Valley Police officers left after discovering a cannabis plantation near Oxford.
The force said the drugs were "seized and destroyed".
101 Squadron celebrated its 100th birthday this week.
While these days they carry out air-to-air refuelling from their base at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, that not always been the case, as BBC South Today's Brennan Nicholls explained.
Grime artist Stormzy surprised students at Oxford University on Tuesday when he turned up to collect an award.
He arrived at a conference arranged by the university's African and Caribbean Society after he was selected as its Person Of The Year.
The musician tweeted: "Standing proud in a room full of young black Kings & Queens."
It's not often football fans are encouraged to invade the pitch after a game.
But that is what took place following Oxford United's game against Middlesbrough on tour in Portugal.
It first happened on Oxford's 2015 summer tour in Austria and has now become something of a pre-season tradition.
King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia came to Oxford on the last day of their three-day state visit to the UK.
The royals saw some of the treasures held in the Bodleian Library's collections at the Weston Library, including a first edition copy Don Quixote.
They later went on to Divinity School, before stopping at Exeter College, where the king's mother Queen Sofia has been a fellow since 1987.
It seems the visit caught a few people by surprise.


Senegal striker Mame Biram Diouf has played down the quarter-finalists' chances of going on to win the Africa Cup of Nations in Gabon.

The Teranga Lions became the first side to reach the last eight when they beat Zimbabwe 2-0 on Thursday to guarantee they will finish top of Group B.
"It's too early to say (if they can win the title) because we have only played two games," said the Stoke forward.
"But we are really focused and we have a strong team."
Senegal have yet to concede a goal at the tournament, having beaten Tunisia 2-0 in the opener, and have booked their progress to the last eight for the first time since 2006.
That they have done it with a group game to spare suggests they may live up to their potential at these finals - something that has not always been the case.
Senegal have been criticised in the past for appearing to lack cohesion and being too individualistic.
Mentality
Diouf admits they have had to address the issue but believes they are now seeing the benefit of a change in attitude.
"It has been a while since we got through to the through to the next stage. Now we are there and we will keep focusing game by game," Diouf said.
"In the past years our biggest mistake was that everyone wanted to do it on their own. Now we are thinking more as a team and helping each other.
"We now have the mentality where we try to achieve as a team.
"We will go back and work hard before the next game. We know we have already qualified but there are no easy games here.
"For us we have to take it game by game and keep trying our best. Each game is different, we have to adapt. The coach gives us a game plan, and we go out and try to enjoy the game."
Senegal play their final group game on Monday against Algeria, who must win to keep alive their slim hopes of qualifying for the knockout stage.


The international hotels here are starting to empty; the restaurants and bars are bringing their tables in off the streets; and a queasy, quiet sense of dread is coiling itself round Nairobi, as the country waits to see what - beyond the two grenade attacks this week - Kenya's military offensive inside neighbouring Somalia might yet provoke by way of retaliation.

Kenya's government is trying to sound confident. The deputy interior minister assured me that the country was "safe for tourists", and that foreigners have no reason to stay away despite clear threats from the militant Somali group al-Shabab.
Let us hope he is right. Kenya's vital tourism sector has fallen victim in the past to unnecessarily shrill foreign travel advisories.
But Kenya's unexpected military incursion into southern Somalia is a dramatic development for a country that has spent years carefully trying to avoid just such an entanglement.
So was it a mistake? That seems to be the main question on the lips of aid workers, diplomats and a variety of officials I have been speaking to here over the past few days.
Some Somali experts believe this was a long-planned operation, arranged with the covert support of the US and other western allies.
The theory goes that the recent kidnappings of foreigners in Kenya were merely a convenient pretext for the invasion - that al-Shabab has been fatally weakened by its "horrific ineptitude" in the face of the famine and its dwindling foreign support, and that the next few months could see the militant group ousted from its key port of Kismayo and effectively finished off inside Somalia.
A slightly more modest theory holds that Kenya has indeed been planning for a limited military intervention to build a more effective buffer zone along the border inside Somalia - where it already co-operates with various ineffective local militias opposed to al-Shabab and into which it intends to push some of the tens of thousands of Somali refugees now camped in Kenya.
A senior western aid source told me that the UN secretary general has already called Kenya's prime minister to warn him against any attempt to violate international law by expelling refugees.
Then there is the chaos theory. Kenya - enraged by the kidnappings and the damage to its tourism industry and development plans - lashed out without warning or much planning, catching everyone off guard and sending its untested army into what could well prove to be a very dangerous trap.
My sense is that Kenya has been planning something for a while - but there is huge confusion about its tactics, goals and exit strategy.
At this stage, if feels like a potentially huge mistake for one of Africa's most dynamic economies.
Already there are concerns that Kenyan troops are getting bogged down by seasonal rains and struggling to re-supply.
Al-Shabab has offered little resistance so far, but that seems likely to change amid reports that the group is rushing experienced fighters to the frontlines.
If this is a trap, it could be sprung very soon.
As for the strength of al-Shabab - there's no question that an already fragmented organisation has been weakened.
But in recent weeks it has still managed to pull off a string of spectacular attacks in Mogadishu, culminating in the ambush and elimination of an entire Burundian peacekeeping platoon, which, despite official denials, appears to have caused the death of more than 60 soldiers.
And what if the Kenyan offensive goes well, and Kismayo falls?
Al-Shabab may retreat but the vacuum will inevitably be filled by a wasp's nest of other clan rivalries.
Or does Kenya plan to stay on, perhaps looking for an international peacekeeping mandate?
The Ethiopians - who also pushed into Somalia in 2006 - will be watching Kenya's fortunes closely.
As for what impact all this could have on Somalia's famine - I will write about that in more detail in another blog, but the UN has already expressed concern and, with planting season at hand, it is hard to imagine how an upsurge in fighting could be anything but bad news for Somalia's vulnerable population.


He may have failed to retain his world title in Las Vegas, but Carl Frampton dominates the front pages on Monday.

It was the weekend result that no-one wanted (unless, of course, your name was Leo Santa Cruz).
"Our champ Framp", as the Mirror calls him, suffered his first professional defeat, when a poor start left him playing catch-up.
It was a tale of heartbreak in Las Vegas for the Belfast-born fighter, and he didn't try to hide his feelings when speaking to journalists ringside.
"I'm extremely disappointed because I am a winner," he said.
And while Santa Cruz and Frampton are now one a piece, the Mirror focuses on the line which could reassure fans that the story isn't over yet - a promise from Frampton that the next big fight will be in his own backyard, in Belfast.
The Jackal praised the army of green fans who travelled to the States to support him and pledged Belfast would host the third in an epic trilogy of fights between himself and the Mexican.
He said: "Me and Leo have now had 24 rounds with each other and they've all been pretty competitive.
"I want to fight in Belfast next, that's what I want to do."
The Mirror quotes Rory McIlroy who welcomed the call for a fight in Belfast.
Elsewhere, the Belfast Telegraph also features a distraught-looking Carl Frampton on its front page and continues inside, focusing on the reaction of the Jackal's family.
His father Craig said he was touched by the way his son handled the defeat.
"It's not hard to be polite, that's what I expected of him," he said.
Frampton makes an appearance on the front pages of the Irish News and News Letter, but you'll have to turn to page 3 in both papers to get the full story.
Also, inside the News Letter, forensic tests have shown bullets fired during the attempted murder of a police officer last weekend hit several spots on the forecourt in Crumlin Road, Belfast, which police say could have blown up if one of the fuel pumps had been struck.
The Irish News lists 42 towns which will no longer have regular patrols by traffic wardens.
It says new Stormont plans mean areas with fewer than 10 parking tickets issued on average per month will be removed from the schedule for routine visits.
They include Lisnaskea in County Fermanagh, Maghera in County Derry and Fivemiletown and Moy in County Tyrone.
The paper also looks ahead at the meeting of Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister) Enda Kenny and Prime Minister Theresa May's meeting in Dublin later.
The talks are expected to focus on Brexit and the current political situation in Northern Ireland.
The paper reports the Taoiseach's office said the summit was an opportunity for the two leaders to exchange views on a wide range of issues of mutual interest and concern, especially in light of the recent developments in Northern Ireland.
Discussions will cover the political situation in the north, the UK/Ireland Joint Work Programme and key bilateral issues that the UK and Ireland are committed to working closely on as the UK prepares to leave the EU.


Huddersfield have signed Super League Grand Final-winning utility back Jordan Turner on a three-and-a-half-year deal after he was released by Canberra.

The 28-year-old failed to make a appearance for the Australian side after joining on a two-year deal from St Helens at the start of the season.
Turner, a title winner with Saints in 2014, did however play in the NRL All Stars game earlier this year.
"I'm excited to be returning home to the UK with Huddersfield," he said.
"Last year I took an opportunity that was given to me to head out to Canberra knowing how difficult it would be for me and my partner on the other side of the world and was keen to stick it out.
"In the last few months I have had plenty of opportunities to return home but turned those chances down."
Giants head coach Rick Stone said Turner comes in to replace Ryan Brierley who joined League One side Toronto in April.
"We have been looking to fill a gap ever since Ryan moved on and I am delighted that our patience has been rewarded with such a good acquisition," Stone said.
Turner, who played more than 100 times for Saints and also previously featured for Salford and Hull FC, joins a Huddersfield side third-from-bottom in Super League, with his deal announced after they were beaten 28-26 at Wakefield.


BBC Sport's football expert Mark Lawrenson will be making a prediction for all 380 Premier League games this season against a variety of guests.

Lawro's opponent for the midweek Premier League fixtures is England cricketer Moeen Ali, who is a Liverpool fan.
Moeen is part of the England squad touring India, and you can hear BBC Radio 5 live sports extra commentary of their final Twenty20 international in Bangalore from 13:15 GMT on Wednesday.
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You can make your Premier League predictions now, compare them with those of Lawro and other fans by playing the BBC Sport Predictor game.
A correct result (picking a win, draw or defeat) is worth 10 points. The exact score earns 40 points.
On FA Cup fourth-round weekend, Lawro got 11 correct results, including three perfect scores from the 16 ties for a total of 200 points.
Lawro was up against BBC Radio 1's Adele Roberts and 1Xtra's A.Dot.
He beat Roberts, who got eight correct results, including three perfect scores for a tally of 170 points, but A.Dot came out on top, with 10 correct predictions, including four perfect scores, giving her a total of 220 points, and putting her top of the FA Cup leaderboard.
Those scores do not count towards Lawro's total for the season from Premier League fixtures or appear on the guest leaderboard.
All kick-offs 19:45 GMT unless otherwise stated.
Arsenal v Watford
I watched Watford lose to Millwall in the FA Cup on Sunday, and they were just a mess.
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Arsenal, meanwhile, are on a good run of results again. They have won six out of their past seven games, and drew the other one.
The best news for Gunners boss Arsene Wenger, though, is he has a full squad to choose from apart from Santi Cazorla, who is still a few weeks away from a return.
They will have competition for places and this is a great time of the season for them to kick on.
Lawro's prediction: 3-0
Moeen Ali's prediction: This is going to be a good game. I am going to go for Arsenal to win, purely because they are playing so well at the moment and nobody is really talking about them too much. 3-1
Bournemouth v Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace still have not won in the Premier League since Sam Allardyce took charge in December, and now they are out of the FA Cup too.
The way Allardyce sees it, every single decision is going against them at the moment and, in fairness, I did think Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure could have been sent off when the score was still 0-0 on Saturday.
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I think Palace are due a performance, when you look at some of the quality they have got in their squad.
But I don't think that elusive first win will happen here. Bournemouth are ticking along quite nicely in mid-table and a point here would be a decent result for them.
You would not say the same for Palace, who are 10 points behind them with 16 games to go.
I still think the relegation fight is between everyone from Watford, who are 14th, downwards - with the exception of defending champions Leicester. I still think the Foxes will be all right.
Lawro's prediction: 1-1
Moeen Ali's prediction: Palace are struggling a little bit at the moment, and Bournemouth are at home. 2-1
Burnley v Leicester
A great home record against a terrible away record - so the terrible away record wins, right?
I actually think it might. Leicester have not won any of their previous 11 league games on the road this season, but that is going to change at some stage.
I don't think the Foxes work hard enough, which is not an accusation you could ever level at the Clarets under Sean Dyche. But Claudio Ranieri has more quality in his squad.
Lawro's prediction: 1-2
Moeen Ali's prediction: I am going to go for a draw in this one. Obviously Leicester have been struggling slightly and Burnley are quite hard to beat at home, but I think it's going to be a tight game.
Middlesbrough v West Brom
I am going to go for an away win here, too. Middlesbrough's home form is improving but West Brom are in a good place at the moment and are looking to cement their place in the top 10.
Lawro's prediction: 1-2
Moeen Ali's prediction: 2-2
Sunderland v Tottenham
Tottenham were given a scare by Wycombe in the FA Cup but then Mauricio Pochettino did make a few changes with this game in mind.
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They are on a great run, but I actually think it will be difficult for Spurs to adjust when most of their regulars come back into the team.
Sunderland did not have a game at the weekend so they will be ready for them, and I am going for a bit of a shock result here.
Lawro's prediction: 1-0
Moeen Ali's prediction: Spurs look a very good side. Their defence is solid as anything and they are getting a lot of goals. 0-3
Swansea v Southampton
Southampton were great value for their win over Liverpool in the EFL Cup but got stuffed by Arsenal in the FA Cup after making a load of changes.
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Saints are having an odd season in the Premier League too, losing four games in a row after Christmas, and their form has been very up and down.
Swansea were already out of the FA Cup so this is their first game since their impressive victory over Liverpool at Anfield.
That is exactly the kind of result a team needs to kick on and I am backing Paul Clement's side to win this game too. There could be some light at the end of the tunnel for them.
Lawro's prediction: 2-0
Moeen Ali's prediction: Swansea looked good in their win over Liverpool and, under their new manager, they looked better defensively as well. 1-1
Liverpool v Chelsea (20:00 GMT)
I actually think this is a good game for Liverpool to have on the back of their recent poor form.
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It is not as if Jurgen Klopp will have to worry about his players not being up for this one, and they are finding it hard to score against everyone at the moment.
Every team I've seen the Reds play since the start of 2017 have played the same formation - a 4-5-1, or near enough to it - and have sent the Liverpool players inside to where they have got numbers.
They are basically saying to them 'go on, try to break us down' and, as good as Philippe Coutinho and Roberto Firmino are, it is very rare to see Liverpool get behind teams.
The upshot of that is Klopp's side do not look anything like the force they were when their games were much more open earlier in the season.
I know Sadio Mane is back from the Africa Cup of Nations but just because he is available, I do not think Liverpool are going to win.
A draw would be a great result for Chelsea because of the breathing space they have at the top and I don't think it would be a bad one for Liverpool either.
At the start of the season, their aim was to finish in the top four. Even if they drop points in this game I still think they have got a realistic chance of making it.
Lawro's prediction: 1-1
Moeen Ali's prediction: We are at home so I am going to go with Liverpool. I think we are going to pull it out of the bag - and we need the points. 2-1
West Ham v Man City
Manchester City put five past West Ham when they came here in the FA Cup at the start of January.
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West Ham are improving, and I don't think things will be quite so one-sided this time around, but I am still backing City to win.
Pep Guardiola's side took a bit of a battering when they lost to Everton on 15 January but they have put in some impressive performances since then.
Lawro's prediction: 0-2
Moeen Ali's prediction: 2-3
Man Utd v Hull City (20:00 GMT)
Hull were outplayed by Fulham in the FA Cup while Manchester United beat Wigan easily, despite a decent display by the Latics.
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United got past Hull over two legs to reach the final of the EFL Cup and I can't see the Tigers stopping them here.
It seems a long time since United had some poor results in the autumn, with Jose Mourinho seemingly unsure of his best team.
Slowly but surely it has all come together for them. United always had the quality, but now they have settled down as a team.
Lawro's prediction: 2-0
Moeen Ali's prediction: Hull to win - well, I hope so anyway. 1-2
Stoke v Everton (20:00 GMT)
Everton have found a bit of form, with four wins and a draw in their past five league games.
Toffees boss Ronald Koeman has been busy in the transfer market and, with Ross Barkley's form starting to pick up and Tom Davies emerging too, there seems to be a bit more urgency in his team now.
It will be interesting to see how new Stoke striker Saido Berahino will do following his move from West Brom. He is an extremely good finisher and I think he will perk them up a bit.
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Both of these sides are in the top half, and for good reason - they both have good managers, who are planners and organisers.
Realistically they are both playing for seventh place this season and, as far as Wednesday goes, I think this will be a hard-fought game, with the points shared.
Lawro's prediction: 1-1
Moeen Ali's prediction: It's tough going away to Stoke, so I am going for them to win. 3-2
Lawro was speaking to BBC Sport's Chris Bevan.
Lawro's best score: 140 points (week 22 v James McAvoy)
Lawro's worst score: 30 points (week four v Dave Bautista)


Brendan Rodgers was pleased his Celtic side were able to show a different side to their game in the win over Dundee.

Having scored 13 goals in their previous four games, Scott Brown's solitary strike proved to be enough at Dens Park.
"Very satisfying," said Rodgers. "These are the types of games that you need to see through.
"We only needed the one goal and, after that, we defended very, very well. Great victory for us."
Celtic had drawn 3-3 with Manchester City in Wednesday's enthralling Champions League encounter in Glasgow.
"Naturally, there was a little bit of sharpness missing from our game today with so much over the last number of weeks, in particular the game during the week," Rodgers explained.
"The important thing today was the result. The last week has shown us what a really, really good team we are.
"Over the course of the week, we've shown that we can be really offensive - on our last game against Kilmarnock, 6-1, the midweek game was outstanding at the really top level of football - and we showed another side to come away from home and see out a 1-0 win."
Rodgers also praised match-winner Brown and goalkeeper Craig Gordon, who again retained his place ahead of Dorus de Vries, who had displaced the Scot earlier in the season.
"Again, brilliant today," Rodgers said of Brown.
"Really dominated the middle of the field. He's a fantastic player. From the experience I have working with really outstanding midfield players, he's right up there. A great goal.
"I thought Craig Gordon was brilliant. Hopefully, you see the improvement in terms of his distribution. The build-up part of our game is vital to how we play."
Dundee boss Paul Hartley was not too discouraged, despite his side sitting on six points from eight games going into the international break.
"We were in the game all the time," explained. "The players were terrific. We were brave.
"Celtic did have a lot of possession, but they never really cut us open.
"Onwards and upwards for us. If we perform like that from now until the end of the season then we'll be fine."


Wolves ended their nine-game winless run and picked up their first victory under new boss Paul Lambert by beating 10-man QPR.

Rs defender James Perch was sent-off before half-time for two yellow cards, and Dave Edwards fired in from 10 yards on the hour to put Wolves ahead.
Helder Costa then cut in from the right to double the lead.
Joel Lynch pulled one back from close range and then missed a glorious chance to equalise as Wolves held on.
That miss - an airshot five yards out - came in eight frantic minutes of stoppage time when play swung from one end to the other as QPR searched for an equaliser and Wolves looked to hit them on the break.
Costa, twice, and Jon Dadi Bodvarsson were both brilliantly denied by Rangers keeper Alex Smithies as Wolves looked for the third goal that would have settled the contest.
The finale was in contrast to the first half in which Smithies again saved from Costa before Perch was dismissed after being booked first for dissent and then for a late tackle on Matt Doherty.
QPR's 10 men began the second half brightly but fell behind when Edwards shot into the top corner from Dominic Iorfa's pull-back before Costa made it 2-0.
Another smart Smithies save from Doherty kept the Rs in the game and they were rewarded when Lynch reduced the arrears.
But Wolves, whose keeper Carl Ikeme pulled up with an apparent Achilles injury when taking a second-half goal kick, held on to secure their first victory since beating Brentford on 24 September and move three points clear of the relegation zone in 19th.
Wolves manager Paul Lambert told BBC WM 95.6:
"I thought we earned the right to win the game with the start we had, and we had one or two chances before the sending off against a team that's really difficult to play against here.
"There was more enthusiasm for the game, more intensity for the game, we looked more of a threat and I think we look stronger defensively.
"I still think we can be better in a lot of aspects, but it's a decent start and I think we're playing pretty well at the minute."
QPR boss Ian Holloway on James Perch's sending-off:
"It's probably the most bizarre thing I seen for a while. I thought the decisions (referee Tim Robinson) made in the first few minutes led to the first booking. He blew everything up and that set the game up.
"I think he has made a mistake, Perchy then made a mistake on his second challenge, he caught him. My player shouldn't have (gone in on the challenge) for the second one, the referee shouldn't have booked him for the first one.
"The ref said he spoke to him in an 'aggressive manner', which is that stupid newfangled rule. He said 'ref he dropped it', there was no swearing. If there was swearing I could understand."
Match ends, Queens Park Rangers 1, Wolverhampton Wanderers 2.
Second Half ends, Queens Park Rangers 1, Wolverhampton Wanderers 2.
Corner,  Queens Park Rangers. Conceded by George Saville.
Attempt blocked. Karl Henry (Queens Park Rangers) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Attempt missed. Tjaronn Chery (Queens Park Rangers) left footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Yeni N'Gbakoto.
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Delay in match Danny Batth (Wolverhampton Wanderers) because of an injury.
Idrissa Sylla (Queens Park Rangers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Dominic Iorfa (Wolverhampton Wanderers).
Foul by Idrissa Sylla (Queens Park Rangers).
Dominic Iorfa (Wolverhampton Wanderers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt saved. Jón Dadi Bödvarsson (Wolverhampton Wanderers) right footed shot from the right side of the six yard box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Attempt saved. Hélder Costa (Wolverhampton Wanderers) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Conor Coady.
Attempt saved. Hélder Costa (Wolverhampton Wanderers) left footed shot from the right side of the six yard box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Jón Dadi Bödvarsson.
Romain Saiss (Wolverhampton Wanderers) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Idrissa Sylla (Queens Park Rangers) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Romain Saiss (Wolverhampton Wanderers).
Foul by Jack Robinson (Queens Park Rangers).
Hélder Costa (Wolverhampton Wanderers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Yeni N'Gbakoto (Queens Park Rangers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Hélder Costa (Wolverhampton Wanderers).
Goal!  Queens Park Rangers 1, Wolverhampton Wanderers 2. Joel Lynch (Queens Park Rangers) left footed shot from very close range to the top left corner.
Attempt blocked. Yeni N'Gbakoto (Queens Park Rangers) header from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Tjaronn Chery with a cross.
Corner,  Queens Park Rangers. Conceded by Richard Stearman.
Attempt blocked. Karl Henry (Queens Park Rangers) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Tjaronn Chery.
Corner,  Wolverhampton Wanderers. Conceded by Jack Robinson.
Attempt saved. Jón Dadi Bödvarsson (Wolverhampton Wanderers) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Danny Batth.
Attempt blocked. David Edwards (Wolverhampton Wanderers) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Dominic Iorfa.
Foul by Yeni N'Gbakoto (Queens Park Rangers).
Danny Batth (Wolverhampton Wanderers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution, Wolverhampton Wanderers. Andy Lonergan replaces Carl Ikeme because of an injury.
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Delay in match Carl Ikeme (Wolverhampton Wanderers) because of an injury.
Attempt saved. Matt Doherty (Wolverhampton Wanderers) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Hélder Costa.
Danny Batth (Wolverhampton Wanderers) is shown the yellow card.
Yeni N'Gbakoto (Queens Park Rangers) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Danny Batth (Wolverhampton Wanderers).
Substitution, Wolverhampton Wanderers. Jón Dadi Bödvarsson replaces Nouha Dicko.
Offside, Queens Park Rangers. Jack Robinson tries a through ball, but Idrissa Sylla is caught offside.
Offside, Queens Park Rangers. Massimo Luongo tries a through ball, but Yeni N'Gbakoto is caught offside.


England were denied an unlikely Lord's victory by Pakistan as the tourists completed a 75-run win in a thrilling first Test.

Chasing 283 to win on the fourth day, Alastair Cook's side were undone by some inspired bowling.
Jonny Bairstow (48), Gary Ballance (43) and James Vince (42) had given the hosts faint hope.
However, spinner Yasir Shah again ripped through England's line-up to finish with 10 wickets in the match.
Victory was sealed by Mohammad Amir, who was returning to Test cricket after serving a ban for spot-fixing during Pakistan's tour of England in 2010.
He shattered debutant Jake Ball's stumps and embarked on a joyous celebration which culminated in the entire Pakistan team doing military-style press-ups and a salute.
Such colourful celebrations - 42-year-old skipper Misbah-ul-Haq marked his day one century with press-ups of his own - are becoming a common theme.
So too are victories, with Pakistan losing just one Test series since 2013 while they have won six of their last seven five-day encounters with England.
Their bowling attack was too powerful in both innings of this Test match, with their three left-arm quicks - Rahat Ali, Wahab Riaz and Amir - offering perfect support to leg-spinner Yasir.
Rahat removed England's top three on the fourth day - bowling a particularly impressive delivery to find skipper Cook's outside edge - while man-of-the-match Yasir's tricks and variations brought him a further four wickets.
Amir finished the job with two electric deliveries which destroyed the stumps of Stuart Broad and Ball, but perhaps the best spell of the afternoon was bowled by the unlucky Wahab.
Consistently bowling at speeds of 90mph, he intimidated England's batsmen with short deliveries and tested them with late swing. His reward was the solitary wicket of James Vince, caught driving at slip.
That England came so close - they rallied from 139-6 to 195-6 - was down to the fighting qualities of wicketkeeper Bairstow and all-rounder Chris Woakes.
Bairstow top-scored in the second innings with a composed and clever knock which, while not without luck, underlined why he has scored 225 more runs than any other Test batsman in world cricket this year.
He was almost in tears as he trudged off, his 206-minute innings ended when he misjudged an innocuous delivery from Yasir and was bowled.
Bairstow's defiance was in contrast to some of England's top-order batsmen who will rue the shots which led to their dismissals.
Alex Hales and Vince were caught in the slips playing at full deliveries, Moeen Ali missed with an attempted loft over the top after charging the spinner, while Joe Root was out in disappointing fashion for the second time in the match.
The Yorkshireman, whose tame dismissal in the first innings precipitated a collapse, pulled a short ball straight to Yasir at deep square leg.
Speaking on Test Match Special, former England batsman Geoffrey Boycott said: "I do understand that they grow up playing so much 50-over cricket, that it's not easy. But you look at some of the shots they played, it's like one-day shots."
The second Test begins at Old Trafford on Friday.
England captain Alastair Cook: "That 75-run margin is the first innings. We left a few out there when the pitch was best to bat on. We paid the price for that.
"We were always slightly behind. I thought we were OK on the first day, then Yasir getting six wickets hurt us.
Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq: "It is one of my top wins as captain and for Pakistan as a team. I am very proud of the team and the way they came out and showed really good skills.
"Today, mentally everybody was strong, and were patient. Everyone bowled well, especially Yasir Shah."
Read Misbah's thoughts on Mohammad Amir here.


Gregor Townsend admits Glasgow Warriors were too slack to overcome a ruthless Saracens side in their maiden European Champions Cup quarter-final.

Glasgow went down 38-13 at Allianz Park and had their errors routinely punished by the defending champions.
Townsend says his players will be stronger for their last-eight foray.
"They have to learn that this is the highest level of the game and there are things you have to get right," the head coach told BBC Scotland.
"Physicality is one. We have to keep that physicality in attack and defence up for 80 minutes, because teams like Saracens do.
"Execution - the plays you work on during the week have to come off and you have to nail whatever it is - line-outs, scrums, passing moves and you've got to take your chances in big games like this."
After trailing 14-3 at the break, Lee Jones hauled Glasgow back within a score when he gathered Finn Russell's kick and battled between Alex Goode and Chris Ashton to touch down.
The momentum appeared to be swinging the Warriors' way, but mistakes from the visitors, and furious counterattacking from the hosts, released the pressure, with Sarries sealing their semi-final berth by scoring three tries of their own.
"We're disappointed the players weren't able to play at their best today," added Townsend.
"A big part of that was the opposition we were up against, but we weren't as accurate as we needed to be in a big game like that.
"We believed in the group, believed we could win, but it's very unusual for a team to win on their first occasion in the last eight.
"What we've learned today has got to keep for the next few years. We failed in the Pro12 on a few occasions and finally made the breakthrough (winning the title in 2015).
"So we've got to use this learning today for when the players next play together, when they play at international level, but definitely when they play for the club over the next few years."


Police Scotland has appealed to the public not to misuse the 999 and 101 systems over the holiday period.

The three busiest days of the past year for police call handlers were during the festive season.
The peak day - with 9,400 calls - was 1 January 2016. A total of 9,100 calls were taken on 31 December, with 8,450 calls on 23 December.
Ch Supt Roddy Newbigging warned that those who make unnecessary calls "can cost lives".
He said: "The vast majority of people who contact us, use the 101 and 999 systems appropriately, however there are a very small number of people who do not and this abuse can cost lives.
"It diverts our call handlers from helping the public when they need us.
"Our message is simple - if it's an emergency call 999, for non-emergency situations dial 101."
Justice Secretary Michael Matheson, visiting the Police Scotland Govan service centre, added: "While people across Scotland finish work and prepare for some time with loved ones, the festive period often brings more demands on police call handlers and I am grateful for their continued efforts to keep our communities safe."


A British inventor, who built an Iron Man-style flight suit, has flown it at the Ted (Technology, Entertainment and Design) conference in Vancouver.

Richard Browning's short flight took place outside the Vancouver Convention Centre in front of a large crowd.
Since he posted the video of his maiden flight in the UK, Mr Browning has had huge interest in his flying suit.
But he insists the project remains "a bit of fun" and is unlikely to become a mainstream method of transportation.
He was inspired by his father, an aeronautical engineer and inventor, who killed himself when Mr Browning was a teenager.
He told the BBC that he always had a passion for making things and loved a challenge.
"I did this entirely for the same reason that you might look at a mountain and decide to climb it - for the journey and the challenge."
He said he was also fascinated by the idea of human flight.
"My approach to flight was why not augment the human mind and body, because they are amazing machines, so I just bolted on what was missing - thrust."
Mr Browning, a Royal Marine Reserve, created his flying machine using six miniature jet engines and a specially designed exoskeleton.
He has a helmet with a sophisticated heads-up display that keeps him informed about fuel use.
The Daedalus suit - named after the father of Icarus by Mr Browning's eight-year-old son - takes off vertically. Mr Browning uses his arms to control the direction and speed of the flight.
Mr Browning said it is easily capable of flying at 200mph (321km/h) and an altitude of a few thousand feet.
But, for safety reasons, he keeps the altitude and speed low.
He insisted it is "safer than a motorbike".
The suit can currently fly uninterrupted for around 10 minutes.
The start-up he founded, Gravity, is working on new technology for the device which Mr Browning said will make the current prototype look "like child's play".
Since video of his maiden flight went on YouTube, he has had thousands of views and interest from investors and the UK military.
But he does not think that the system is about to go mainstream anytime soon.
"I think of it as a bit like a jet ski, a bit of fun or a indulgent toy, but I do have a hunch that stuff will come along to make it more practical."
It remains a fascinating project for those who see it in action.
"There is something strange in seeing the human form rise up and drift around and that leaves a deep impression on people," he said.
The Civil Aviation Authority has yet to take any decisions on the level of regulation required for jetpacks.
And in Europe, the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which has responsibility for approving all new aircraft designs, including experimental concepts, has not yet formed an opinion on human propulsion technology.
"Going forward it may be necessary to create a new category of regulation for this technology as it clearly does not fit in neatly with aircraft regulation," a CAA spokesman told the BBC.
"Ultimately, I think it unlikely that such technology would be completely deregulated.
"This is potentially powered flight after all, unlike activities such as hang-gliding and paragliding which are deregulated. High speed human propulsion could easily conflict with low flying aircraft and so the 'pilot' would almost certainly need some kind of training and a licence."
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About 6.5 tonnes of rubbish has been removed from a bridleway in Lincolnshire.

West Lindsey District Council said land at Swallow on the A46, near Caistor, had become a "dumping ground for fly tippers".
Paperwork found among the rubbish revealed the waste was "likely to be from various house clearances in the Grimsby area", the authority said.
It is working with the police to identify those responsible.
The authority said it had taken seven members of staff four hours to clear the site of debris, which included fridges, mattresses and tyres, at an estimated cost of £1,500.
Lesley Beevers, regulatory team manager at the council, said: "No sooner has one lot of rubbish been cleared than another load appears. In November, we cleared around four tonnes of waste from the same spot, costing more than £900."
Councillor Owen Bierley  said: "It is important for residents and landlords alike to make sure that their waste is disposed of by properly registered companies.
"Simply paying cash to anyone with a van to take away your waste is not acceptable and could leave you facing a fine of up to £5,000 for not checking where your waste is going to."


Newsnight's Tim Whewell talks to two young people's whose jobs highlight the peculiarities of life in the Gaza Strip - Muhammad, who works in the smuggling tunnels into Egypt, and Madeline, who is the only woman in a fishing fleet restricted to trawling the waters inside the Israeli blockade.

It is not even dawn in Rafah, at the southern extremity of the Gaza Strip, when Busaina Ismail leans over her sleeping son Muhammad and tries, with difficulty, to rouse him.
It is a duty she says she dreads because she is sending him for another day's work in a place where many young men have been buried alive - the network of smuggling tunnels that run under the Gaza-Egypt border.
After two cigarettes and a glass of tea, he is just about wake. But not eager to go:
"This work," he says. "It's criminal. No-one should do it. Have you ever seen anyone dig their own grave? While you are digging, the tunnel might collapse. It could collapse any time and kill you."
Muhammad is just 18, but he has already been working full-time in the tunnels, digging and carrying heavy loads, for four years.
He hates the job, but he has little choice. His father suffers from a bad back, so Muhammad is the main breadwinner in the family of eight. And with unemployment in Gaza running at 28%, smuggling is one of the few occupations that provide a viable income.
Meanwhile, at the opposite end of the Gaza Strip, 22 miles (35km) away in the harbour of Gaza City, another 18-year-old is also setting off for a hard day trying to feed her family.
Madeline Kullab is Gaza's only fisherwoman. She too has an invalid father. She has been going out to sea almost every day since she was 14, despite attempts by Gaza's police force, run by the Islamist movement Hamas, which governs the Gaza Strip, to stop her working in an otherwise wholly-male industry.
Madeline, unlike Muhammad, loves her job. But both their stories show the hardships of growing up in a tiny overcrowded strip of land that has been blockaded by its neighbours Israel and Egypt for years, and was at war again with Israel only last month.
The smuggling tunnels have flourished since Israel imposed its blockade, assisted by Egypt, in 2007, after Hamas came to power in Gaza.
Although travel restrictions for people crossing the Rafah border were eased in 2011, the shipment of goods from Egypt into Gaza remains blocked. Israel also restricts what building materials it allows into Gaza, fearing Hamas might use them for military means, although smuggling tunnels are used to get round the blockade.
Food and consumer goods have been allowed in legally from Israel for the past two years. But they are cheaper when brought underground from Egypt.
Muhammad's shifts last 12 hours, with only a half-hour break. The work is so exhausting that, like many other tunnel workers, he started taking the painkiller Tramadol. But he says he soon became addicted:
"I stopped eating, I stopped drinking anything," he says. "All I wanted to do was take Tramadol and work like a donkey. But it stopped working so well, so I increased the dose. Then one day I collapsed in the tunnel. I was carrying a big sack of flour. I started having a fit, I lost consciousness. That's when I decided to quit."
Muhammad says that for two months after that, he barely slept or spoke to anyone. He says he even tried to strangle himself. Now he is cured he says, but he would rather do almost any other job. He hopes the promise made in the ceasefire agreement that ended last month's conflict - to open crossings and ease freedom of movement - will be fulfilled.
That has not happened yet. But the ceasefire has already brought a small benefit to Madeline. Before, Israel - afraid of gun-running - only allowed Gaza's fishing boats to go up to three nautical miles offshore. Now, the limit has been extended to six miles.
But Madeline's not impressed: "When they gave us another three miles, the catches got better. But in a week or two, the fish up to six miles will be used up too. Most fish are beyond even the new boundary."
In her family's breezeblock house in the Jabaliya refugee camp, she also has to worry about repairing the asbestos roof she says was damaged by the shock-waves from Israeli rocket attacks last month:
"We're very close to military targets, so there were a lot of attacks round here," she says.
Like Muhammad, she was born in 1994 - the year after the Oslo peace accords between Israel and the Palestinians.
But peace seems further away to her than it did to her father's generations. He remembers how, years ago, he worked alongside Israeli fishermen, sharing the same house. But Madeline - like Muhammad - has never even spoken to an Israeli.
"All I know is that we are born into war, we live in war, we'll die in war," she says.
Muhammad's not optimistic either. "I hope the tunnels will close," he says. "And there will be jobs, so we can leave this kind of work. But as you see, nothing has changed. We haven't won yet."
Correction 11 January 2013: This story has been amended to clarify that the shipment of goods into Gaza was blocked via Rafah, and restricted through crossings via Israel.


A 15-year-old boy has been seriously injured after he was hit by a bus in Sheffield.

South Yorkshire Police said the boy was in hospital in "a serious but stable condition".
The incident happened as the teenager was running along Eastern Avenue at about 10:30 BST on Saturday.
The single-decker bus was travelling towards the city centre at the time of the collision. No-one else was injured and police are appealing for witnesses.


ITV's Emmerdale has won best soap for the first time in the British Soap Awards' 18-year history.

The long-running Yorkshire-based series beat EastEnders, Coronation Street, Doctors and Hollyoaks.
Emmerdale's Danny Miller, who plays Aaron Livesy, won both best actor and best male dramatic performance.
EastEnders actress Lacey Turner picked up the best actress and best female dramatic performance awards for her role as Stacey Branning.
The award for best storyline went to EastEnders for Stacey's postpartum psychosis.
Fellow EastEnders star Steve McFadden, who has played Phil Mitchell for 26 years in the BBC One soap, received an outstanding achievement award.
In a pre-recorded message broadcast at the London ceremony, he paid tribute to Dame Barbara Windsor, who played his mother in the soap and left the show earlier this month.
"Last but not least, I must mention Barbara Windsor, who has been an absolute pleasure to work with, and a wonderful, wonderful person and friend in my life.
"Thank you Barbara for everything."
Other winners included BBC One's Doctors for best episode for the Heart of England, while EastEnders' Bonnie Langford was named best newcomer.
Coronation Street's Connor McIntyre won best villain for his portrayal of Pat Phelan in the ITV soap.
The awards, voted for by the public, took place at the Hackney Empire and were hosted by Phillip Schofield.


She gave the First Lady a fencing lesson, just two weeks after being asked in the street if she was going to blow something up.

Media playback is not supported on this device
Now Ibtihaj Muhammad is preparing for the "defining moment" in her life - becoming Team USA's first hijab-wearing Olympian.
"In this particular political climate in the history of this country, it is groundbreaking to have a Muslim woman on the US team," Muhammad tells BBC Sport.
"I am excited to challenge the stereotypes and misconceptions people have about Muslim women. I want to show people that we can not only be on any Olympic team, but on the US Olympic team which is the strongest of the world's teams."
Many feel politics and sport is a murky combination and should never mix, but Muhammad is more than happy to give her views on both subjects.
"As a global community, we have to work harder to change our current situation. It is an unhealthy one," she says.
There were a spate of attacks in the US and Europe last month with eight American police officers shot dead in two separate incidents in revenge attacks for the killing of young black men by police.
In France, 84 people were killed when a lorry ploughed into a large crowd in Nice on Bastille Day, while a priest was killed after two armed men stormed his church in a suburb of Rouen. Responsibility for both attacks was claimed by so-called Islamic State.
In Germany, 10 people died and dozens injured in separate gun, bomb, axe and machete attacks.
What is causing the "unhealthy situation" she refers to?
"A lot of it is misunderstanding," adds Muhammad, who was born and raised in New Jersey. "Misunderstanding of religion, of what different societies need in order to thrive.
"The problems have been going on for so long and it feels like it is coming to a head. In these moments, you become thankful that the sound of gunshots or bombs are not a normal part of your life.
"I see what sport has done for me as an American, growing up in middle-class America. When I consider other individuals who are not as fortunate as I am, whether that is access to clean drinking water, or access to education, I think that sport has the ability to change lives.
"If I can be a source of inspiration to not just Muslim youth, but to other kids who have been told they don't belong because they were different... if I can encourage women to be active, then that is a positive thing."
In the lead-up to the Olympics, there has been plenty of media attention on Muhammad for her historic feat. Such has been her impact that Time magazine included her in their 2016 list for 100 most influential people, while credit card company Visa have put her at the forefront of their advertising.
But her sporting skills have almost been overlooked.
From being ranked 113 in the world during the 2007-08 season, the 30-year-old has climbed to a career-high position of eighth this season, winning the Pan American title in June after two-time Olympic gold medallist Mariel Zagunis withdrew because of injury.
Two years earlier, she had won gold for USA in their team sabre event at the World Fencing Championships in Russia.
"Competing at the Olympics was never a thought of mine. I never considered it or thought about it," says Muhammad, whose family will travel to South America to watch her in action.
"But this is a defining moment in my life, I am excited to represent not just myself, my family and my country - but also the greater Muslim community. "
Muhammad's selection for the fencing team comes at a time when the prominence of women has, arguably, never been greater in politics and sport. The UK has only its second female Prime Minister in Theresa May, Germany has Angela Merkel as its leader and Hillary Clinton is bidding to become USA's first female president.
Even the post of Fifa general secretary, one of the most powerful jobs in football, has gone to a woman, Fatma Samoura, for the first time.
Find out how to get into fencing with our special guide.
Muhammad's uniqueness as an athlete extends to her wearing the hijab, a head scarf covering in accordance with her religion. In fact, she stumbled into the sport of fencing at the age of 12 as it was the easiest sport that allowed her to compete by covering her whole body, without having to make adjustments to the uniform.
In a country where only 1% of the total 324 million population are Muslim, Muhammad feels comfortable in being open with her beliefs and what the hijab means to her.
Prejudices come with this too. At a festival she was due to speak at in Texas, she was asked to remove her hijab, while in April a man in the street asked if she was going to blow something up as she looked suspicious.
However, such is her popularity, she was invited to a function at the White House for the festival of Eid, which marks the end of the fasting month of Ramadan. President Barack Obama jested there was "no pressure" on her shoulders in competing at the Olympics with a hijab.
Muhammad also gave Obama's wife Michelle a fencing lesson in New York, when marking 100 days to the start of the Olympics.
"The hijab is very much a part of who I am and definitely helps me in my relationship with God and with my own spirituality," she says. "It is a personal choice and a personal relationship you have with God.
"Wearing the hijab is a reminder to myself, in a society that is not predominantly Muslim, of being aware of your own religion. Being in sport, it is part of my journey and as an individual, the hijab has always felt right for me.
"It is not forced upon women, especially in the US, and is a conscious decision that I am making."
Last month, The Sun published an article questioning why a Muslim woman wearing the hijab was a news reporter on the attacks in Nice.
Meanwhile, Republican US presidential candidate Donald Trump, who proposed a ban on Muslims entering the country early in his campaign, came in for criticism for comments made about a hijab-wearing mother of a dead US soldier, suggesting she was not allowed to speak during a speech made by her husband at the Democratic convention.
Asked where she would go if Trump was elected and ordered Muslims to leave the country, she replied: "I don't know.
"Public and government figures need to change the rhetoric."
The question is posed to her if she can be seen as the female Muhammad Ali: someone of African-American background, vocal in her political views and competing for the USA at the Olympics.
Regarded as one of the greatest sportsman of all time, Ali died earlier this year at the age of 74 and Muhammad says it has changed the way she feels about herself as an athlete.
"If I can be a fraction of who Muhammad Ali was, what he stood for as a pacifist, as an athlete and as an American, then I would be grateful and happy to do that," she says.
"People did not want well for him not because he was an amazing boxer but because of his skin colour. He still found strength to speak up and was not afraid and truly believed in his journey.
"It reassured my sentiments and feelings that I owe it to my community to speak up against these things but I don't feel I can for a second be compared to Muhammad Ali."
A gold medal in Brazil, though, may go a long way to doing just that.
Ibtihaj Muhammad will compete for Team USA in the women's sabre fencing heats on Monday, 8 August, which start at 12:50 BST.


Missing RAF serviceman Corrie Mckeague is due to become a father, his girlfriend has told the BBC.

Mr Mckeague, from Fife, vanished after a night out in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, on 24 September.
April Oliver, 21, had been in a relationship with the 23-year-old, who is based at nearby RAF Honington.
Ms Oliver, who discovered she was expecting his child two weeks after his disappearance, said: "I've had to make a massive decision by myself."
Live updates on this and other Suffolk news
Corrie Mckeague: What do we know about his disappearance?
"I was hoping and praying that he'd come back so we could make the decision together," Miss Oliver, from Norfolk, added.
Mr Mckeague did not know his girlfriend was expecting before he vanished. She discovered the news in October.
The pair, who met via a dating site, had been together for about five months before Mr Mckeague went missing.
Miss Oliver described him as an "absolute gentleman".
"He's just the sweetest and most outgoing person I've ever known," she told BBC Look East.
"There is nothing I would love more than for him to walk through the door and say 'I'm back'."
Miss Oliver said she was on holiday in America when Mr Mckeague went missing, but returned to the UK as soon as she heard the news.
"I was concerned," she added. "I knew it was out of character. I was quite worried."
She said she decided to speak about her pregnancy so that she could focus on looking after herself and her baby without any intrusion.
"Most people only tell their close friends but I'm faced with a decision where I need to tell near enough the whole UK.
"It's hard and it's going to add another level of stress I don't really need but it's something that has to be done," said Miss Oliver.
Mr Mckeague's mother, Nicola Urquhart, went with Miss Oliver for the scan.
She said: "It's incredibly difficult to bounce my head from the excitement of a new baby to what we're actually trying to focus on, which is finding Corrie."
Mr Mckeague, from Dunfermline, was last seen on CCTV walking alone in Bury St Edmunds at 03:24 BST.
A team of private investigators, paid for by online crowdfunding, began inquiries on behalf of the family to complement the Suffolk Police investigation on Friday.


Rescue workers in south-eastern Brazil are continuing a search for 28 people who are missing feared dead after two dams holding waste water from an iron ore mine burst, flooding nearby homes.

A huge wall of red sludge descended on the village of Bento Rodrigues when the dams collapsed on Thursday afternoon.
The authorities in the state of Minas Gerais have confirmed the death of one person.
Many residents managed to save themselves by running to higher ground.
But hope is fading for 13 mine workers and 15 residents, including five children, who are still missing.
"When I went outside, there were already people running uphill saying the dam burst,'' recalled resident Joaquim Dutra.
"All I did was close my house and run to the top," he told the AP news agency.
More than 500 people lived in Bento Rodrigues, which lies about 7km (four miles) south of the burst dams.
It is part of Mariana, an old colonial town and a major tourist attraction in Brazil.
Mariana Mayor Duarte Junior said some 500 people were taking part in the rescue effort.
"The search goes on. We are doing what we can" he said.
"The sludge is still moving, but the worst is over."
Firefighters say they are finally managing to walk where the mud has started to dry out.
But the only life found there now are stranded animals like dogs and cattle, reports the BBC's Julia Carneiro, in Rio de Janeiro.
The thick red mud surge engulfed cars and lorries, and destroyed homes.
The floodwaters and mud have now reached towns up to 70km (40 miles) away, local media report.
The mine is owned by Vale and BHP Billiton and is operated by Samarco.
There are fears that the iron ore residue in the mud poses a health risk.
The company does not have information on the environmental impact of the dam bursts, a Samarco spokesman told the Reuters news agency.
The cause of the breach is not yet known.
The authorities are investigating whether low-intensity tremors registered in the area on Thursday could have played a part in the tragedy.


The Chief Constable George Hamilton has defended the PSNI's actions over the arrest of Bobby Storey as part of their investigation into the murder of Kevin McGuigan.

He made his comments at the Gardaí (Irish police) and PSNI's annual cross-border seminar on organised crime.
Mr Storey, the northern chairman of Sinn Féin, was later released without charge.
Mr Hamilton said he was confident that police had acted with "integrity".
"I am confident that the meetings and the co-operation with An Garda Síochána, with the commissioner, is positive, is healthy, we're in the same place," he said.
"Our efforts are combined in trying to keep people safe and to reduce this threat."
Mr Storey was one of three leading republicans questioned and then released without charge over the murder of former IRA man Kevin McGuigan Sr.
Mr Storey's arrest intensified a political crisis in Northern Ireland.
It was triggered when police said they believed IRA members had been involved in the murder of Mr McGuigan in Belfast in August.
Chief Constable George Hamilton said the IRA was still in existence, but added that the organisation was not engaged in terrorism.
Following the murder, Sinn Féin said the IRA no longer exists after it ordered an end to its armed campaign in 2005.
The claims by Mr Hamilton led to a breakdown in trust between Sinn Féin and unionist parties.
The Ulster Unionists withdrew from Northern Ireland's ruling executive, with three Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) ministers also later resigning, and DUP leader Peter Robinson stepping aside as first minister.
Unionists agreed to join the talks when the government ordered an independent review of paramilitary groups in Northern Ireland earlier this month.
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A man who sexually abused four people, one of them with disabilities, has been jailed for four years and five months.

William Hislop, 53, admitted abusing a boy and three girls at addresses in East Renfrewshire and Renfrewshire between 1977 and 2015.
Paisley Sheriff Court heard that Hislop was investigated over abuse claims in 2004 but there was not enough evidence to prosecute him.
He will be monitored for 30 months after his release from prison.
Jailing him, Sheriff Seith Ireland told Hislop he had committed "serious sexual offences".
"I'm left with the opinion that no other disposal is appropriate other than a custodial sentence due to the gravity of the offences," the sheriff said.
"You remain and present a serious risk to the public because of your behaviour of offending in a sexual manner over a period of time."
Hislop pleaded guilty to four charges, one in relation to each of his victims.
The court heard that he abused his first victim between 1978 and 1980, when the boy was aged between eight and 10 and he was 16 or 17, at an address in Renfrew.
He abused his second victim on an occasion between 1977 and 1980, when she was asleep and was aged between 12 and 14, at the same address.
His third victim, who was aged about nine, was abused between 1994 and 1995 at another address in Renfrew.
The court heard the schoolgirl told a friend what had happened and wrote it in a letter, which was found by her mother years later.
This was reported in 2004 and Hislop was interviewed by police that year, and again in 2011, but on each occasion there was insufficient evidence to proceed.
Hislop went on to abuse his fourth victim, a 19-year-old woman who has dyslexia, dyspraxia and autism, at his home in Neilston, East Renfrewshire, in March 2015.
Police were called in after she told her boyfriend about the attack and Hislop was later prosecuted for all historic abuse.


The Duchess of Cambridge is pregnant with her second child.

Kensington Palace said that - as when the duchess was pregnant with Prince George - she was suffering from very acute morning sickness and was being treated by doctors at the palace.
Prince William and Catherine's second baby will become fourth in line to the throne, behind older brother Prince George, who is 13 months old.
The palace said the Queen and both families were delighted with the news.
Prime Minister David Cameron, Labour leader Ed Miliband and the Archbishop of Canterbury were among those to offer their congratulations to the couple.
For a second time, William and Kate have been forced to announce a pregnancy before the duchess passed the significant 12-week milestone.
For a second time it's because Kate is suffering from an acute form of morning sickness - though this time she's being treated behind palace walls and not at a private hospital with representatives of the world's media gathered outside.
The pregnancy has generated international excitement and will continue to do so but this impending birth will lack the constitutional significance of Prince George's arrival.
As things stand, the as yet unborn girl or boy isn't destined to be a monarch.  She or he will occupy the same position as Prince Harry once did. His mother, Diana, used to call him "the back up".
Monday's announcement has performed one unintended but useful role for the Windsors. Headlines about the Queen's view of Scottish independence will be replaced by extensive coverage of a royal birth next year.
Read more from Peter
The duchess's first pregnancy was revealed when she was just a few weeks pregnant with Prince George after she was admitted to hospital suffering from severe morning sickness in December 2012.
The sickness - called hyperemesis gravidarum - is a condition that may require supplementary hydration, medication and nutrients.
It affects 3.5 per 1,000 pregnancies, causes severe vomiting and can lead to dehydration, weight loss and a build-up of toxins in the blood or urine, called ketosis.
Catherine had been due to join Prince William in formally opening a £21m China study centre at Oxford University but the palace said her morning sickness meant that she would no longer be attending.
The Duke of Cambridge arrived at the new study centre at about 13:30 BST, where he was presented with a bouquet of flowers by a young girl.
He told a well-wisher who sympathised with Catherine's condition that she may be over the worst of the acute morning sickness in a "few weeks' time".
Kensington Palace said the duchess's attendance at future events would be decided on a "case-by-case" basis.
She is scheduled to be among the guests at the opening ceremony of the Invictus Games in London on Wednesday evening along with Prince William, Prince Harry and the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall.
On Thursday she is due to attend a Drumhead service at Lee Valley Athletics Centre with William and Harry, and later with William to watch Invictus competitors taking part in matches and heats.
The duchess is due to make her first official solo overseas tour, to Malta for two days, from 20 September.
The baby announcement came after the couple's first child, Prince George, had his first birthday on 22 July.
Prime Minister David Cameron said: "Many congratulations to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. I'm delighted by the happy news that they're expecting another baby."
Mr Miliband said: "Fantastic to hear that Prince George will soon be a big brother. Congratulations to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge on their happy news."
Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said the pregnancy was "fantastic news".
Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond said: "This is very happy news for any couple, and on behalf of the people of Scotland, I am delighted to send our best wishes to the countess and our hearty congratulations to the royal couple."
The duchess is known as the Countess of Strathearn in Scotland.


Hamilton Academical midfielder Gramoz Kurtaj has set himself the goal of being called up to the new Kosovo international squad this season.

Monday's 1-1 draw with Finland in World Cup qualifying Group I was their first competitive fixture.
They were granted membership of Uefa in May and Kurtaj has been in touch with national team staff.
"I'm on this letter of the players they can call," said the 25-year-old. "It's just up to me if I perform well."
Of Albanian descent, Kurtaj was born in Prestina, now the capital of Kosovo, just as the old Yugoslavia was beginning to break apart.
His early career was spent in Germany with Hertha Berlin, Neustrelitz and Carl Zeiss Jena and he arrived at New Douglas Park last summer after leaving Czech outfit Banik Most.
Kurtaj was a regular starter last season as Accies battled to avoid relegation from the Scottish Premiership.
His international prospects were hampered by an early season injury, but now he has made his first two appearances of this campaign, he is aiming to be part of a squad that has ignited the passions of his compatriots at home and abroad.
"I am definitely trying everything," he said. "I want to say that every Kosovarian is very proud of this performance in the first game.
"It was really nice to see the 90 minutes and I was really happy with the draw.
"People in the world can definitely look forward to this team."
Some players who are eligible to play for Kosovo but have previously represented other nations are still waiting to be given permission by world governing body Fifa to switch nationality.
"A lot of players are still waiting for clearances and they have a really strong team," said Kurtaj.
"For everybody, for my family, friends and every Kosovarian, it was emotional. People are really impressed with this Kosovarian team."
Accies lie sixth in the Premiership table after recording their first league win of the season in their last outing against Ross County.
While pleased with the club's business during the transfer window, player-manager Martin Canning is still in the market for a full-back.
Canning will monitor the free agents who are available but insists any new signing will need to be good enough to immediately challenge for a place in the starting line-up.
"We've recruited well again," Canning said. "At the start, we were slightly weaker in our starting XI, but the squad was stronger.
"Now our starting XI is as strong, if not stronger, than last season.
"If I could, I'd still look to bring in a full-back. We had two or three things happening in the last couple of weeks that haven't come off, which is sometimes the case.
"We're keeping an eye out to see if anyone's available and if they're the right person.
"At the moment, the two full-backs we've got, Grant Gillespie and Darren Lyon, are doing really well, so it's got to be someone who can come in and do us justice in terms of coming into the team."


World number one Mark Selby says he cannot believe he has joined snooker's greats by claiming back-to-back World Championship titles at the Crucible.

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Selby, 33, became only the fourth player after Steve Davis, Stephen Hendry and Ronnie O'Sullivan to retain their crown in the modern era.
"I'm speechless to be in that group, wow," he told BBC Sport after fighting back to beat John Higgins 18-15.
"I still cannot believe I have won it for a third time."
Selby's triumph was his fifth ranking title victory of the season and extended his stay at the top of the world rankings to a 116th consecutive week.
The resolve comes from within. You either have it in you or you don't
"I was over the moon to be coming here as defending champion. I just wanted to put up a good fight," he added.
"I feel I have another world title in me. At my age, I have a good five to seven years still to play at the top and it comes down to the hunger, which I still have."
Asked how it felt to be at the top of the rankings, Selby replied: "It is great. You look at those still playing the game like Higgins and O'Sullivan, Judd Trump and Ding Junhui, and to be above all of them is an amazing feeling."
He was below his best on Sunday and another world title looked in jeopardy at 10-4 down, but a run of nine out of 10 frames turned the match around on  Monday.
The comeback specialist was 10-5 down against O'Sullivan in 2014, before eventually triumphing 18-14.
"In the semi-final against Ding and the final I had to dig deep to get through," he said.
"The resolve comes from within. You either have it in you or you don't. Some people let their head go down and give in when someone gets on top of them but I know I won't play well every match."
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Higgins, 41, made a 141 break in the final but wilted under pressure from his opponent and was unable to add to his four crowns.
He said: "Without a shadow of a doubt, Mark will add to his tally. He could be the challenger to Stephen Hendry's seven, I really believe that. He is just granite. He is really tough to play against.
"Mark is right up there. I never played Davis in his peak but he was meant to be difficult to play against, Hendry was a different kind of player, as was Ronnie but Mark is the toughest player I have ever played.
"He will dominate for the foreseeable future. Ronnie and myself are in the 40s, we are still good players but age is catching up.
"Neil Robertson, Trump and Ding need to challenge him and watching that tonight will make them desperate to get back on the practice table."
Selby lags four behind all-time leader Hendry in world title victories and laughed off suggestions he could reach that number.
But six-time winner Davis feels Selby is the "dominant character" while 1991 champion John Parrott says he is "the whole package".
Davis said on BBC TV: "When we look at the quality of players that are potential winners, to think there is a dominant character forcing his way through is amazing.
"Selby is an exceptional player and exceptional match player. It is going to take some young player coming through who takes every part of his game and becomes stronger to knock him off his perch."
Parrott added: "Every facet of his game is there, his safety play is excellent, he knows when to scrap, if he wants to fight or break the balls open he can do that and his temperament is outstanding. That is his trump card above anything else.
"He is the ultimate machine when it comes to match play. The nature of this tournament - the long matches - suits his game, he gets better and stronger as it goes on."
Selby also matches the record of five ranking titles in a season, previously achieved by Hendry in 1990/91 and Ding Junhui in 2013/14, and now has 12 in total.
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Little publicised or trailed, the Department of Health's annual report and accounts were quietly released this week - on the face of it, not everyone's cup of tea or preferred sun lounger reading.

But it serves as an important in-depth account of the state of the NHS in England.
The opening pages, inevitably, emphasise the positives - just as a corporate annual report would do. Half a million more patients seen in A&E than in the previous year, more than one million appointments booked or cancelled online, an increase in the NHS workforce, almost Â£1bn invested over five years in infrastructure to boost research.
But read on and the more difficult truths begin to emerge.
The report, covering the 2016-17 financial year, acknowledges that many of the key performance targets were missed, including the proportion of patients assessed or treated in A&E within four hours, which fell further below the 95% target to 89.1%.
There is understandable emphasis on the increasing pressures on the service with demand rising "above what would typically be expected from population growth and demographics alone" and the NHS delivering record levels of activity.
Looking for reasons for the drop in hospital performance, the report inevitably gets to the issue of delayed transfers of medically fit patients and the resulting bed shortages. The scale of the problem is underlined by the astonishing 24.5% increase in bed days lost because of these delayed transfers, to 2.3 million from 1.8 million the previous year.  Hospitals were left full to capacity, sometimes unable to admit new patients.
It's noted that local authorities are working with health leaders in each area to reduce the numbers of patients held in hospital beds because there is no social care package available. There is a bold statement that "this will be an area of improvement in 2017-18".
The government has told NHS England that the delayed transfer number must be reduced to 3.5% of total bed occupancy by September. But it's hard to see much progress in that direction so far.
An interesting analysis by NHS Providers, due out soon, highlights the continuing scale of the delayed transfer problem. The organisation points out that community hospitals have a far higher proportion of beds occupied by people who are fit to leave (20.8% in February) than the larger acute hospitals (5.1%).
Delayed transfers can occur when an NHS community facility is unable to take patients from acute care or when either type of NHS hospital can't discharge patients because social care is not available.
The research also points out that in March this year there were more than three times as many delayed days due to "patients awaiting a care package in their own home" compared with April 2014.
NHS Providers concludes that the September target of 3.5% of beds occupied by patients whose transfer has been held up is looking highly unrealistic.  That level has not been achieved for nearly three years and the latest quarterly current figure across all NHS hospitals in England was 5.6%.
The government has pumped Â£1bn extra into social care in England this year in part to help tackle the causes of the delayed discharges of patients from hospitals. One of the aims is to free up NHS beds to cope with rising emergency admissions and the backlog of routine operations.
But with local authorities pointing out that there are many other social care issues to tackle with the money, it's still not clear whether the new funding will make a significant dent in the delayed transfer numbers.
It's the height of summer and NHS leaders and politicians are preparing for their holidays. Their minds will not be on bed occupancy and social care.
The Department of Health report and the NHS Providers analysis will be parked up in office in-trays and inboxes.  But when they return there will be some serious thinking to do as winter pressures begin to loom.


An earthquake has killed at least five people and injured more than 60 in China's south-western province of Sichuan, officials say.

The 6.5-magnitude quake struck in the sparsely-populated north of Sichuan, the US Geological Survey said.
Some reports suggest the death toll could be much higher. The epicentre was close to an area popular with tourists.
Sichuan province is prone to earthquakes. More than 70,000 people were killed in a quake in 2008.
The quake struck at around 21:20 (13:20 GMT) some 300km (180 miles) north of the provincial capital Chengdu, and was 10km deep.
Photos showed damage to buildings, including a hotel, in Jiuzhaigou, home to one of China's most famous nature reserves and a Unesco World Heritage site.
A restaurant owner in the town said this quake felt stronger than the 2008 tremor, though there is no suggestion yet that the death toll could reach anywhere near the levels caused by that disaster.
Tang Sesheng told the AFP news agency that many people had fled buildings in Jiuzhaigou county - which includes a national park - and were taking refuge in the main square.
"People didn't dare grab anything like money or clothes - we just all ran outside right away," she said.
Gwendolyn Pang of the Red Cross Society of China said it would take time to learn the extent of the damage and number of casualties.
"Communications lines and electricity are disrupted and people are no doubt shocked and scared," she said.
China's National Commission for Disaster Reduction, quoted by AFP news agency, said as many as 100 people may have been killed and 130,000 homes damaged.
Some reports in the Chinese media said tourists were among the dead and injured.
President Xi Jinping called for "all-out efforts to rapidly organise relief work and rescue the injured people", state news agency Xinhua reports, and fire officers and soldiers were being deployed from nearby areas.
Shaking was felt in Chengdu and in Xian, home to the Terracotta Warriors, some 700km (430 miles) away.


Japan's telecoms giant Softbank Group has announced its biggest share buyback to-date, sending its shares up almost 16% on Tuesday.

In a surprise move designed to boost investor confidence, the company said it would buy back up to 14.2% of its shares worth some 500bn yen ($4.4bn, Â£3bn).
The announcement follows a sharp fall in the firm's latest quarterly profits.
It also comes amid a slide in the company's share price.
Last week, Softbank posted an 88% fall in net profit for the three months to December to 2.3bn yen. The telecoms giant has been trying to turn around the flagging US wireless firm Sprint - in which it has a controlling stake.
"The proposed share repurchase will be funded through proceeds from sale of assets and cash on hand, but not through any debt procurement," the firm said.
The company said that over the past 12 months it had received about 300bn yen from the sale of investment securities, among other measures.
The group's businesses include the sale of internet services, computer software, mobile communications and handset sales, among others.
It has a stake in Alibaba and its companies include Yahoo Japan.
In June, the company's robotics and mobile arms announced that the world's first personal robot that can read emotions - Pepper - would go on sale in Japan.
Softbank hopes to see the friendly looking robot used in stores as a personal shopper and schools as a teaching assistant, among other roles.
The firm was established in 1981 and was listed in Japan in 1998.
Prior to Monday's share buyback announcement, Softbank's shares had fallen more than 28% in the year-to-date.


Northampton Saints centre Luther Burrell says they will be in "right in the mix" for a top-four finish if they can beat Leicester Tigers on Saturday.

Saints are sixth in the Premiership, four points behind fourth-placed Bath.
England international Burrell, 29, is available to make his comeback after eight weeks out injured.
"The contacts are a little bit more physical because everyone is getting themselves mentally into the place they need to be to compete," he said.
Saints, who missed out on last season's play-offs, finishing fifth in the table, five points adrift of Leicester. will also be boosted by the return of members of England's Six Nations title-winning squad.
"We are in a position where if we put in a good performance this weekend we are right back in the mix," Burrell told BBC Radio Northampton.
"We can't get ahead of ourselves. The story of our season has been like a rollercoaster but we've got our internationals back, they've added a bit of edge in training this week."
Team-mate Kieran Brookes will again be facing the club where he spent two years of his career.
"It is a last big push," the prop said. "Potentially we can still get in to the top four if we get wins and results go our way."


Burundi's government will not take revenge against those involved in last week's failed coup, President Pierre Nkurunziza's office has said.

Those implicated would be brought to justice in accordance with the rule of law, it added in a statement.
South Africa's President Jacob Zuma  has called for Burundi's presidential election to be indefinitely postponed.
Protests are continuing in the capital, Bujumbura, against Mr Nkurunziza's third-term bid.
The presidential poll is due to be held on 26 June. Mr Nkurunziza has so far refused to bow to pressure to postpone it.
Several alleged leaders of the coup attempt have been arrested but Gen Godefroid Niyombare, who announced it in a radio broadcast last Wednesday, remains on the run.
Mr Nkurunziza's office said the government did "not have and will never have a plan for revenge that we are reading and hearing about in various places".
"The people involved in the shameful attempt to overthrow legitimate institutions will be arrested and prosecuted by the law and only by the law. And it will be up to the courts to determine their punishment as prescribed by the law," it added.
On Monday, Mr Nkurunziza sacked three cabinet ministers, including the defence minster.
His office denied that the decision was linked to the coup attempt.
The UN refugee agency says that more than 105,000 people have fled Burundi into neighbouring countries.
10.4m population
50 years - life expectancy for a man
2nd poorest country in the world
85% are Hutu, 14% Tutsi
300,000 died in civil war


Six people have been taken to hospital after being hit by a car in Dublin.

The incident happened at the junction of Harcourt Road and Adelaide Road in the city centre at about 18:15 local time.
Gardaí (Irish police) said the incident was not a hit and run.


All wards at a major London hospital have been closed to visitors due to a norovirus outbreak.

Both staff and patients at the Princess Royal University Hospital in Orpington had been struck down by the virus, according to a spokeswoman.
"Quite a number" of wards were affected, she said, and some operations may be postponed.
Visitors will only be allowed in "exceptional cases" when a relative is extremely unwell.
Outpatients should attend as usual, she said.
"We are carrying out regular deep cleans of all wards, and staff are being extra vigilant around hand washing and other infection control procedures," said the hospital's spokeswoman.
"The situation is being reviewed regularly."
Norovirus causes diarrhoea and vomiting and usually lasts two or three days.
The hospital has asked visitors to call before visiting.