MEPs meet in Strasbourg this week, and will get another chance to size up the UK's ongoing EU renegotiations.

A row over a proposed "emergency brake" to prevent EU citizens from claiming in-work benefits will likely continue at a debate on Wednesday about this month's European Council summit.
David Cameron has previously said he is "hopeful" of securing a final deal at the two-day meeting, but talks on a deal are still to be concluded.
The prime minister has of course yet to pen an RSVP to a long-standing invitation from Parliament President Martin Schulz to discuss his aims with MEPs.
Although the Parliament has not exactly been the locus of diplomatic efforts so far, the prime minister could need its approval to pass secondary legislation required to make his plans a reality.
Meanwhile, the migration crisis is continuing unabated - with Greece's future inside the Schengen area likely to dominate a debate on the passport-free zone on Tuesday afternoon.
Here are the main things to watch out for at this month's plenary...
European Central Bank (ECB) President Mario Draghi will be in town to kick off the afternoon sitting with a debate on the Bank's activities during 2014.
The year saw the ECB attempt to cope with sluggish economic growth and very low interest rates.
It also saw the setting up of the Single Supervisory Mechanism (SSM) - the EU's body for monitoring the stability of large banks in the Eurozone.
However, the debate it likely to be dominated by discussion of the Bank's role in supervising EU bailouts and providing emergency lending to cash-strapped countries such as Greece.
After this, MEPs will debate the Trade in Services Agreement (TiSA), a wide-ranging deal to liberalise trade in services under negotiation since 2013.
The agreement is being negotiated in stages between the 28 EU countries and 22 non-EU nations, including Canada, Turkey, Australia, Norway and the US.
On Wednesday, they will pass a non-binding motion setting out their position on the agreement - which they will have the eventual power to veto.
The draft text expresses broad support for the deal, but says the final text should not endanger public services or domestic regulations.
There's also an interesting debate on a big political battle that could flare up later this year: whether the EU should grant market economy status to China.
China argues the terms of its membership at the World Trading Organisation (WTO) mean it will automatically get market status at the end of this year, meaning the EU will have to soon decide whether it agrees.
The move is likely to face huge opposition from European industrial unions, which have argued that market status could make it even harder to impose anti-dumping measures on China.
The morning session will see a debate on the Commission's new anti-tax avoidance measures, which it announced last week.
The package of measures includes proposals to block the most common tax avoidance methods, and plans for member states to share tax-related information on multinationals.
Tax policy is, however, notoriously difficult to change at an EU level, given that new laws require unanimous approval among all 28 national governments.
It comes as the EU is being called upon by both Labour and the SNP to investigate Google's recent Â£130m tax deal with the UK.
Before the lunchtime voting session, MEPs will take in a speech from Toomas Hendrick Ilves, one of their former colleagues who is now Estonian president.
After the votes, there will be a series of three debates relating to the worsening migration crisis.
Commission deputy chief Frans Timmermans is expected to speak in the first debate, on the long-term future of the passport-free Schengen zone.
Six out of 26 Schengen countries have re-imposed temporary border controls of some description in response to a huge increase in migrants from the Western Balkans and the Mediterranean.
Several states say they plan to seek EU permission to prolong their controls for as long as two years.
Deliberation is likely to focus on Greece, which last week got a scolding from the Commission for "seriously neglecting" its obligations to control its borders.
MEPs will also debate the "non-refoulement" principle - which prevents governments from sending asylum seekers back to dangerous countries - and the EU's proposed â‚¬3bn deal with Turkey for its help in alleviating the crisis.
In the evening, MEPs will debate the future of the EU's gender equality strategy, and hear a statement from the Commission about a recent legal decision relating to potentially harmful "endocrine disruptor" chemicals.
The European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled last month that the Commission has not been quick enough to set criteria for testing the chemicals, which some researchers claim may affect human hormones and cause disease.
Commission President Juncker, who last week received David Cameron in Brussels, is due to speak during the morning debate on the leaders' summit.
The Netherlands, currently in the EU's rotating presidency hotseat and a key UK ally in Europe, will be represented by Foreign Affairs Minister Bert Keonders.
The summit is set to be dominated by talks on the UK's renegotiation deal, although President Juncker is also keen to ensure leaders get enough time to discuss new measures to combat migration.
The proposed "emergency brake" on welfare payments, which is facing resistance from some Central European nations, will doubtless draw a mixed response from the non-British MEPs.
Their reaction could be more than academic - especially if the final deal includes the need to pass new EU laws.
Any new legislation could require their final approval, depending on what is finally negotiated.
The day's voting is expected to get underway at around 11.30 GMT, after another set-piece speech from Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari.
As well as approving their position on the TiSA talks, MEPs will decide whether to reject plans for a new EU-wide system for testing car diesel emissions following the Volkwagen scandal last September.
Although there is wide agreement on the need for a new testing regime, the Environment Committee have objected to plans to initially raise the current limits for nitrogen oxides as part of the changes.
Pitted against them are those MEPs who say any new testing scheme is better than letting the current one carry on for any longer than necessary.
In the afternoon, MEPs will debate the intertwining EU futures of Serbia and aspiring candidate Kosovo.
There will also be foreign affairs debates on the postponed presidential election in Haiti, the recent rejection of a national unity government in Libya, and the current economic turmoil in Venezuela.
The evening sitting will also see a debate on protecting women from sexual harassment in public areas, following the alleged mass sexual offences in Cologne by men of mainly Arab and North African origin.
An 08.00 GMT kick-off will see MEPs debate whether isolated islands in the EU should get a greater share of the bloc's regional development funds.
Some MEPs are also pushing for the Commission to change how it measures the islands' "economic and social vulnerability".
After that, there will be debates and votes on this month's set of resolutions on topical human rights cases.
This month, MEPs will discuss discrimination against the Tartars in Russia-annexed Crimea, the death sentence given to Bahrain citizen Mohammed Ramadan, and the plight of five missing book publishers in Hong Kong.
One of them, Gui Minhai - who is also a Swedish national - recently appeared on Chinese state TV saying he voluntarily handed himself over to the authorities.
Some in Hong Kong have alleged they are being detained by China because of books critical of the mainland, including an unpublished work about the private life of the Chinese president.
Following debates last month, there will also be votes on motions relating to the desperate humanitarian crisis in war-torn Yemen, and the killing of religious minorities by the Islamic State group.
Please note: This agenda is subject to modification at the opening of the session on Monday afternoon.
A guide to how the European Parliament's plenary sessions can be found here.


An investigation is under way after a man died at paper mill in Flintshire.

North Wales Police said the pedestrian died following a collision with a lorry at at the UPM plant in Shotton, at around 11:30 GMT on Monday.
A man is currently in custody helping police with inquiries.
The site is now closed as police and Health and Safety Executive investigators interview witnesses and staff.
General manager David Ingham said: "Our immediate thoughts are with the individual's family and colleagues.
"We will provide full support to all staff involved and investigate fully with all parties."


A man has been charged following the death of a prison officer in the early hours of Christmas Day.

Nick Medlin, 57, was pronounced dead at the scene in Pier Street, Ventnor, on the Isle of Wight, just after midnight.
Michael Hudson, 32, of no fixed address, has been charged with manslaughter and is due at Portsmouth Magistrates Court on Thursday.
Two men, aged 31 and 26, arrested on suspicion of murder, have been bailed until 11 April, said police.
Mr Medlin, a father-of-two, played bass in a punk band called Manufactured Romance.
In a statement released by police, his family said they were "completely devastated and totally heartbroken" by his death.
Hampshire Constabulary has appealed for witnesses to come forward.


The new government has suffered its first defeat in the House of Commons, over changes to rules governing the in/out EU referendum campaign.

Ministers wanted to amend so-called "purdah" rules which limit government activity during the campaign period.
But rebel Tory MPs, along with Labour and the SNP, ensured the move was blocked by 312 votes to 285.
Earlier, the government conceded a rebel Tory amendment preventing a snap poll from being held.
Labour said the defeat was "humiliating" for the Conservative government.
MPs voted in favour of the EU Referendum Bill - which paves the way for an in-out referendum on Britain's EU membership by the end of 2017 - by 316 votes to 53, meaning it will pass to the House of Lords for further scrutiny.
What is purdah?
Purdah is a long standing convention whereby governments refrain from making any major announcements in the run-up to general elections or other polls to avoid influencing their outcome.
The existing rules were set out in legislation passed in 2000. They prevent ministers, departments and local authorities from publishing any "promotional material" arguing for or against any particular outcome or referring to any of the issues involved in the referendum.
The rules, which apply to the 28 days up to polling day, do not preclude ministers from issuing press notices or responding to specific requests for information from members of the public.
David Cameron had already made a number of concessions on the bill in response to Eurosceptic concerns the government could use the "Whitehall machine" to promote continued EU membership.
Ministers agreed to restore purdah restrictions for the referendum but with certain exceptions to allow ministers and others to conduct day-to-day business with the EU during the campaign period.
Arguing for a partial suspension of the normal rules, Europe Minister David Lidington said it would provide "greater clarity and certainty" on what issues are covered by purdah and what issues would be open to a legal challenge.
He concluded by saying the package of proposals put forward by the government was "balanced and fair", and one in which the whole country could have confidence.
But he was accused by Tory Eurosceptic MP Sir Edward Leigh of offering "legalistic claptrap" in a bid to avoid a Commons defeat. Sir Edward said the process must be "considered to be fair" and argued for Labour's amendment - which would reinstate the full purdah rules in the bill - to be accepted.
Fellow Eurosceptic and Conservative MP Bernard Jenkin added his voice to calls for a tougher purdah regime to apply, saying the government "is taking us backwards with these proposals".
Labour's shadow Europe minister Pat McFadden, meanwhile, said the government's plans amounted to a watered-down version of purdah which could be further diluted by the proposed exceptions. He said the Opposition would only support the exceptions if the full definition of purdah was first restored to the bill.
Analysis of the vote, which saw the government defeated by a majority of 27, showed that there were 37 Conservative rebels.
They included five former Cabinet ministers: Liam Fox, John Redwood, Owen Paterson, Cheryl Gillan, and David Jones, and the chairman of the influential backbench 1922 Committee of Tory MPs, Graham Brady.
Commenting after the vote, shadow foreign secretary Hilary Benn said the government had tried to play "fast and loose" with the arrangements for the referendum.
"This is a humiliating defeat for David Cameron, with members from all sides of the House supporting Labour's approach to purdah, which ensures fairness in the conduct of the referendum campaign while permitting normal government business to take place," Mr Benn said.
"The government should never have rushed through its flawed plans to play fast and loose with the rules on the referendum," he added.
Earlier in the debate, the government conceded on Mr Jenkin's amendment which would prevent a snap poll from being held by requiring four months' notice of how the final purdah rules would work.
Mr Lidington said that while there were "drawbacks" to having a firm time limit he would accept the amendment "in the interests of bridge-building".
Mr Jenkin later told the Press Association that critics of the government's stance had "won the argument" and could look forward to a "fairer referendum".
No date has yet been set for the referendum on Britain's membership of the European Union but David Cameron has promised to hold the vote by the end of 2017.
The amendment had attracted support from Labour, meaning the government faced a possible defeat on it.


The former coroner for Carmarthenshire, who was jailed for stealing £1m from a dead man's estate for his struggling law firm, has been struck off as a solicitor.

John Owen, 79, from Llandeilo, stole the money from farmer John Williams after being made executor of his will.
He was jailed last year at Cardiff Crown Court after admitting the theft and is serving five years.
The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal struck him off on Wednesday.
The judgement will be published at a later date.


A video has been released showing the purported leader of Nigeria's Islamist group Boko Haram dismissing the military's allegations that he is dead.

In the video, Abubakar Shekau says his fighters shot down an air force jet that went missing three weeks ago.
Last week, the military claimed a man posing as the Boko Haram leader in videos had been killed and in August 2013 said that Shekau may be dead.
Security analysts have questioned the credibility of the military's claims.
Nigeria journalist Ahmad Salkida, who has good contacts within Boko Haram, said on his Twitter account last week that he had it "on authority that Shekau is well and alive".
Is it is not clear when or where the video, obtained by the AFP news agency, was made.
But the BBC's Hausa Service editor, Mansur Liman, says the man speaking appears to be the same Abubakar Shekau in other Boko Haram videos.
Analysis: Will Ross, BBC News, Nigeria
In the video a heavily bearded man stands on the back of a pick-up truck firing an anti-aircraft gun into the air.
He mocked the Nigerian military for reporting that he had been killed and was surrounded by heavily armed masked gunmen.
The Nigerian military has recorded some recent success against Boko Haram after preventing the town of Konduga, near Maiduguri, the capital of Borno state, from falling into the jihadists' hands.
But towns and villages are still under the militants' control and reports that Abubakar Shekau is still alive will once again make it hard for people to believe the information coming from the Nigerian military.
Previous assertions about Shekau's demise have been followed a few weeks later by such video message denials.
Thousands of people have died during Boko Haram's five-year insurgency - and three states in the north-east have been under a state of emergency for more than a year.
The militant group has changed tactics in recent months, holding on to towns in the north-east, where most people are Muslims, rather than carrying out hit-and-run attacks.
In August, Boko Haram declared an Islamic state in areas it controls - which Shekau refers to in the 36-minute video.
"Here I am, alive. I will only die the day Allah takes my breath," he says, mocking the military's "propaganda".
"We are running our caliphate, our Islamic caliphate. We follow the Koran... We now practise the injunctions of the Koran in the land of Allah," he says, referring to Sharia punishments.
Who are Boko Haram?
Who are Boko Haram?
Profile: Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau
The video contains images of extreme violence, including graphic scenes of an amputation, a stoning to death and a beheading.
It also shows the wreckage of a jet that went missing in the north-east on 12 September.
Meanwhile, a court martial has begun of Nigerian of 97 soldiers, including 16 officers, who are alleged to have refused orders to fight against the insurgents.
It comes two weeks after 12 soldiers were sentenced to death for mutiny, after shots were fired at their commanding officer in the north-eastern city of Maiduguri in May.
"Boko Haram" means "Western education is forbidden" in Arabic, and the group frequently attacks schools and colleges, which it sees as a symbol of Western culture.
Their abduction of more than 200 schoolgirls from a boarding school in April sparked global outrage.


The Scottish economy is slowing up more than previously expected, according to one of the leading independent forecasters.

The EY Scottish Item Club now estimates growth of only 1.2% for 2016, whereas last December it expected 1.9%.
That is just over half the equivalent forecast growth rate for the whole of the UK, of 2.3%.
That assumes the referendum result retains Britain's place in the European Union.
If the vote is for Leave, there could be at least short-term uncertainty hitting economic performance.
In subsequent years, the forecast suggests that the gap between Scotland and the rest of the UK should narrow, but it remains significant.
The EY Scottish Item Club forecast is for 2% growth in Scottish output (or Gross Domestic Product) in 2017, compared with 2.6% for the UK.
In 2018, Scottish growth is forecast to be 1.8%, and 2.4% across the UK.
These figures do not include the impact of the falling value of output from oil and gas extraction, down by 8% this year.
The lower non-oil growth forecast reflects the drop in orders hitting the supply chain, particularly in engineering and some business services.
There will also be a drop in activity as big government-funded construction projects wind down. That has been an important part of maintaining at least some growth in the Scottish economy over the past two years.
The more buoyant parts of the economy, which should see growth continuing, focus on consumer confidence. That is why retail, hospitality and tourism are expected to see faster growth.
There may also be some support for growth from government spending linked to the City Deals.
The gap between Scottish economic performance and that of the rest of the UK had closed from 2004, and in some years Scottish growth was stronger. But the lag has opened up again in the past year.
While it is forecast to widen further during 2016, the gap should narrow next year, as the non-oil economy picks up pace.
While output from mining and quarrying, which includes the oil and gas extraction sector, is forecast to fall by a very large 8% this year, the only area in which Scottish growth is thought likely to match or out-perform that of the UK is in manufacturing.
There is growth forecast in that sector, though it is very weak, and in metals and machinery, it is expected to contract 1% this year.
This latest forecast is based on an independent assessment of economic behaviour, known as Item, or the Independent Treasury Economic Model.
Dougie Adams, senior economic advisor to the EY Scottish Item Club said: "Scotland now faces a third consecutive year of slowing GDP growth in 2016.
"But as the negative impact of the oil-price bust on growth fades in 2017 and 2018 the pace of expansion should pick-up, with an output increase of 2% expected from next year.
He highlighted the performance of the construction industry for explaining much of the slowdown.
"In December, EY Scottish Item Club reported an unsustainable, overdependence on the construction sector in Scotland for growth," he said. "This expansion is now easing, from a staggering 20% in 2014 to 11% in 2015, eroding the sector's contribution of overall GDP growth."
Mark Harvey, senior partner in Scotland of EY (formerly Ernst & Young), said: "A slowdown in Scotland's growth is to be expected given the economic headwinds to be negotiated as well as the uncertainty presented by fluctuating global markets.
"From next year, the country is poised for a significant increase in GDP growth with Scotland's cities making a considerable contribution.
"The investment and development opportunities generated through the City Region Deals will be key to driving the future growth of Scotland's economy."
He added : "Further rebalancing of the economy and a substantial increase to productivity is required for Scotland to increase growth.
"Local economic policies, increased powers through devolution and continuing stewardship from government will be instrumental in generating greater economic success in Scotland."
Another of the main forecasters of the Scottish economy, the Fraser of Allander Institute, at Strathclyde University, in March published a forecast of 1.9% growth during 2016, down from its forecast last November of 2.2%.
In another report out on Monday morning, a survey of business sentiment, carried out regularly by the BDO accountancy firm, found in May that output and growth expectations had dropped to below trend rates.
Covering evidence from business order books across the UK, the survey suggests a drop below long-term trend growth for the first time in three years.
The sharpest drop since the BDO business survey this time last year has been in expectations of recruitment growth.


The rate of police-reported crime in Canada dropped 6% in 2011, and is now at its lowest level since 1972, says the national statistics agency.

Excluding traffic offences, 1,984,916 incidents
          were reported last year
, marking the eighth consecutive annual national decline in crime.
Less property crime, fewer break-ins and car thefts drove the crime rate down, but there were more murders.
Crime peaked in 1991 in Canada but has seen a downward trend since then.
The figures,
          compiled by the Canadian Centre of Justice Statistics
 and released by Statistics Canada on Tuesday, showed that the 7% increase in homicides to 598 was a result of more killings in Alberta and Quebec.
But the report said that "despite annual fluctuations, the homicide rate has generally been declining since peaking in the mid-1970s".
As well as murders, other serious crimes were reported to be on the rise, including:
But the crime severity index, which measures the seriousness of the crime, was down by 6% last year.
For a number of years violent crimes have made up about 20% of all violations reported by police,
          CBC News reported
.
The annual report noted that while four out of five adults charged for crimes in Canada were male, the number of female offenders has been rising in recent years. Women accounted for 49% of abduction cases, 47% of prostitution cases, and 37% of thefts under CAN$5,000 (Â£3,157).
Recent figures from the FBI suggests that crime rates are also declining in the US.
          A 2011 report suggested
 that in 2010 violent crime had dropped by 6% from the year before - a fourth consecutive annual decline.
Property offences were reported to be down by 2.7% from the previous year in the US, data from nationwide law enforcement agencies showed.


The atmospheric carbon left over from nuclear bomb testing could help scientists track poached ivory, new research has found.

These bomb tests changed the level of carbon in the atmosphere, which can be traced to date elephant tusks.
Trafficking poached ivory is increasingly being used to fund civil wars, groups warn.
Scientists say the findings, published in PNAS, could make it easier to enforce the ivory ban.
The number of elephants being poached is now at the highest it has been for two decades, according to a UN backed report.
This was highlighted in January when a family of 11 elephants was slaughtered in Kenya, their tusks hacked off with machetes.
In the 1980s, more than half of Africa's elephants are thought to have been wiped out by poachers. This led to an international ban on trading ivory in 1989. As public awareness of the threat of extinction increased, the global demand for ivory dwindled.
But today conservationists believe that a growing demand for ivory in China and other Asian countries is responsible for a huge increase in the number of animals being poached.
Many governments have huge stockpiles of ivory, and it is often unclear when this ivory was acquired and whether or not some of it is leaking into the illegal market.
Now scientists have found that radioactive carbon in the atmosphere emitted during the Cold War bomb tests will make it easier to distinguish between illegal ivory to that which was acquired before the trade ban.
The amount of radiocarbon in the atmosphere nearly doubled during nuclear weapons tests from 1952 to 1962, which steadily dropped after tests were restricted to underground. This has been dubbed "the bomb-curve".
The levels have declined since but as they are still absorbed by plant, they enter the food chain and are measurable in plant and animal tissues.
The concentration of radiocarbon found in tiny samples of animal tissue can accurately determine the year of an animals death, from 1955 until today, explained lead author Kevin Uno from Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, US.
"This is different to the traditional dating technique which takes advantage of the loss of radiocarbon through time."
Traditional radiocarbon dating would only be able to pick up an "imperceptible amount of decay" added Dr Uno, but because the bomb spike doubled the concentration or carbon, they were able to find huge variations over the last 60 years, which enabled accurate dating.
Dr Uno said this technique "would dovetail very nicely with DNA testing which tells you the region of origin, but not the date".
As anti-poaching funding is extremely limited, understanding where the poaching hotspots are, as well as how old the tusks are, could help the international community to direct funding to the places most at risk, he added.
"The year an elephant died plays a big role in whether or not the trade [of ivory] is legal. Poached ivory makes it to market relatively quickly, so by measuring the age of a tusk we can say what year it's from. This will help us pinpoint the source of the ivory and how it's getting to market."
Big government organisations like the UN and Interpol have also recently increased efforts looking into the problem.
"Saving elephants - majestic and wonderful species - is priceless. These wildlife forensics are ready to roll, now we need to speak to the organisations who can set up a programme to make it happen."
Poaching is a problem closely linked to poverty, politics and conflict. Poachers include poor opportunistic individuals and increasingly heavily armed militia groups who use ivory to fund conflicts.
WWF's regional East Africa manager Drew McVey welcomed the new research, and said any help in securing convictions could reduce ivory trafficking.
"The key thing to note is that ivory has been smuggled so far and wide, we've got to cut down the loopholes as much as we can. Though the amount of seizures [of illegal ivory] is increasing each year, we don't know how much we're catching, it's realistic to think we're not catching all the big ones."
He added that poaching is not easy to prevent as "one thing Africa isn't short of is poor people" which is why it's important to cut down the ways people are moving ivory around.
"Rather than targeting people on the ground, we need to reduce the demand from middle men and the consumers," Mr McVey told BBC News.
As for the scientific process involved, Paula Raimer from Queen's University Belfast, said the study removes doubt that the C14 emitted from bombs can be used to date ivory.
"The work is of particular importance for forensics use in endangered species because the authors show that C14 can be used to determine the age of death or collection of ivory as well as establishing growth rates, so that other data from the teeth can also be put on a calendar time scale."
The study has wider implications for crime forensics, she added, as bomb carbon could be used to date human bones as well as to detect art forgeries.


The father of a 16-year-old girl who was indecently assaulted in a Dunblane lane has appealed to the public to help catch the man responsible.

The girl was left shaken and scared following the incident which happened between Kellie Wynd and Menteith View at about 23:30 on Saturday 29 October.
The suspect was white, aged 16-25 and was about 5ft 11in tall.
He spoke with a strong Scottish accent and wore dark trainers and a top with dark sleeves.
Her father told BBC Scotland: "This is a horrific experience for any family, but fortunately we are a strong unit supporting our daughter."
"She is lucky to be surrounded by a wonderful group of friends and I would appeal for anyone who has any information to contact the police.
"There must be someone in this area who knows who this person is or knows something that could help."


The Zimbabwe Football Association (Zifa) has provisionally suspended committee member Edzai Kasinauyo and national team assistant coach Nation Dube over allegations of match-fixing.

Both parties have denied the allegations that they were involved in plans to lose the two upcoming 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Swaziland, and that games involving Zimbabwe at the recent African Nations Championship were fixed.
Speaking at a news conference on Wednesday, Zifa president Phillip Chiyangwa said the investigations are ongoing and that former national team coach Ian Gorowa and former Zifa chief executive Henrietta Rushwaya are implicated.
Rushwaya had a life ban for match-fixing lifted in January, but she has always denied allegations against her.
Chiyangwa also said that a South Africa-based brother of convicted Singaporean match-fixer Wilson Raj Perumal, known as "Chief" is also being investigated.
"We will bring this whole gang to book and I will inform Fifa of our findings at the end of this month," said Chiyangwa.
"We have a solid case, no-one will escape, the perpetrators are in big trouble."
Chiyangwa says that the main evidence is sworn affidavits from national team coach Kalisto Pasuwa and an undisclosed informant.
Kasinauyo was quoted in the Zimbabwe Herald newspaper as saying: "I have never been involved in such things all my life and the only relief that I have right now is that I am being told there is evidence and that will paint the correct picture and help set me free."
The 40-year-old was elected to the Zifa executive committee in December and was part of his country's squad at the Africa Cup of Nations in 2006.
Caf issued a statement on Wednesday saying it would liaise with football's world ruling body Fifa to "activate the mechanisms necessary" to ensure other Nations Cup qualifiers are not open to manipulation.
"The decision, based on information available to the Association [Zifa] and were subjected to its Executive Committee, including affidavits, emails, audio recordings, may be related to the business to manipulate the results of the Day 3 & 4 matches of the AFCON 2017 qualifiers against Swaziland," the Caf statement said.
Caf's director of communication Junior Binyam told BBC Sport: "It's a critical matter, and a threat for the game - not only for Africa but for the whole world. Match-fixing is probably the biggest cancer in the game today."
Zifa's recent history has been littered with problems and in 2012, after several years of investigation, 13 players and officials were banned for life for match-fixing in what became known as the 'Asiagate' scandal.
A further 69 received suspensions for their part in fixing friendly internationals that Zimbabwe played in Asia, where games were manipulated under the instruction of a Singapore-based betting syndicate.
The last of those suspensions for administrators, match officials, players and coaches including Rushwaya's life ban, were lifted earlier this year as an investigation by Fifa into the matter stalled.
Swaziland and Zimbabwe are top of Africa Nations Cup qualification Group L on four points after two games, with the winners gaining automatic entry to next year's tournament in Gabon. Malawi and Guinea are the other teams in the group.


A chance find in a Glasgow second-hand bookshop has thrown new light on one of the key individuals behind the foundation of the Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund

It didn't look like much, to be honest. A pale blue linen folder on top of a pile of books. The sort of binding someone might use for a PhD thesis. Bigger than A4. And just a few pages long.
But I picked it up. And straight away I was intrigued. A few cuttings from newspapers carefully tucked inside. Then several pages of beautiful, handwritten calligraphy.
It was a testimonial to a priest, to commemorate 50 years in the service of the church.
I'd never seen anything like it before. And it was only priced at Â£6:50. So, I thought I had to buy it.
When I got it home, there was time to read it more carefully.
It was addressed to Father John Rooney, priest at St Columbkille's. Dated May 1974.
And there were references to the Scottish Catholic Aid Fund (Sciaf). Father Rooney, it said, was chosen to be a founder member, national chairman, and administrator of Sciaf.
The first place to start, to try and find out more, was back at the bookshop where I'd bought it - "Voltaire and Rousseau" in Glasgow's west end.
Eddie McGonigle, one of the two brothers who run the shop, recognised the document straight away.
He remembered that it had come with about 2,000 books, "virtually all Catholic theology", from a house in Motherwell. They'd all been in good condition, and had sold quickly.
But he'd never seen anything like the testimonial before.
"It's the type of thing that would be handed to another priest. Or someone would hand it in to their parish priest. So it wouldn't end up here", he told me.
Next stop, the parish where Father Rooney was serving when he celebrated his milestone in the priesthood.
St Columbkille's is a busy place. Hundreds of parishioners gathered for morning Mass in the church hall on the day I was there, including children from the local Scout group who processed in and took part in the service.
Afterwards, in the parish house, I heard some memories of John Rooney from people who'd been children in the parish when he was there.
Michael McGrath said: "The memory I have of him is meeting him as he would walk up and down Rutherglen Main Street, wearing his black coat and his black trilby hat.
"He would doff his hat to every family he passed."
Miriam McKernan laughed as she told me: "I don't remember many sermons. But I remember one, where he was advising how we should baptise our children.
"I would have been about 10 at the time. And I can remember him saying 'You must give your child a saint's name. Otherwise you might as well call her Carrot!'"
But then a real breakthrough. The priest at St Columkille's now is Father Pat Hennessey. I asked him to look at the list of signatures at the end of the testimonial, to see if he recognised any of the names.
"That's my signature there", he pointed. And there, indeed, it was. The Reverend Patrick Hennessey.
He was young, fresh-faced, and just out of the seminary. His first posting. And he remembered the celebration when his boss marked 50 years as a priest.
"A lot of people made great speeches," he said. "And there was great joy, really.
"And we all felt delighted for Monsignor. He became Monsignor that night."
But it turns out that the cuttings I'd seen in the front of the folder were obituaries - from the local papers, and the Catholic press.
John Rooney died just days later.
Father Pat remembered that, too.
"After such joy over in the hall, his funeral was celebrated here in the church."
And that was quite an occasion, too. The funeral Mass was attended by a Cardinal, two Archbishops, five bishops, and hundreds of parishioners.
Pat Hennessey says the service recognised John Rooney's work in education. And it commemorated the fact that he'd been "the driving force" to get Sciaf established.
So, finally, my quest took me to Sciaf's present headquarters at Park Circus in Glasgow.
Director, Alistair Dutton, pointed out the remarkable coincidence that a document written to commemorate John Rooney's Jubilee had come to light in the year that the organisation he'd helped to start is itself celebrating 50 years since its foundation.
He said it had begun as a parish effort.
"But very quickly the Bishop, and then the Bishops' Conference more generally, recognised the value of that," he said.
"And so in September 1965 there was this pastoral letter that launched Sciaf as the official aid agency for the (Roman Catholic) church in Scotland."
Mr Dutton said it was "incredibly moving" to see the document written to celebrate one of the charity's founders.
He added that it was "really reassuring to go back to the spirit of the founders, and just see we are still true to exactly what they wanted to achieve.
"We're bigger now, but that means we're able to do more of it. I'm pretty confident if Monsignor John Rooney was sitting here now, he'd be smiling at what we're doing."
BBC Radio Scotland's "Sunday Morning With" programme reported on the discovery of the document. The programme appealed for information about who produced the document and who looked after it when Mgr John Rooney died.


Aaron Ramsey is set to return for Wales in their 2018 World Cup qualifier at home against Serbia on 12 November.

The midfielder injured a hamstring while playing for Arsenal in their opening-day Premier League defeat by Liverpool on 14 August.
He missed Wales' recent draws with Austria and Georgia as well as September's win over Moldova.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger says the 25-year-old will miss "one or two" more games.
Arsenal have seven games before Wales, who are third in Group D, host joint leaders Serbia at Cardiff City Stadium.
Wenger is "disappointed" Ramsey will not face Swansea City in the league on Saturday, but says the player has "had a few little, little setbacks that forced us to be cautious with him".
The Frenchman added: "He's not far away now. He's on the last stage to build up his fitness.
Warnock boosts Cardiff belief - Morrison
Andy Powell: 'I have been battling depression'
"It's a little bit of a vicious circle. The fact that he had a little setback - we rest him - and the longer that lasts, the more you have to dedicate time to build up his fitness again.
"Then you have to create, basically, a new three weeks preparation to get him up to the level where you he was before the injury.
"It's more the time it takes to rebuild his fitness. We have decided that we give him a complete pre-season even if he misses one or two more games."


West Ham striker Carlton Cole has accepted a Football Association charge for directing abusive comments towards a Tottenham supporter on Twitter.

Cole's expletive-laden response to the fan followed a 2-2 draw between the Hammers and Spurs on 22 February, a game he had played in.
An FA independent commission will now meet to decide his punishment.
In April 2011, Cole, 31, was fined £20,000 for comments he made on Twitter during England's friendly with Ghana.
On that occasion, he wrote: "Immigration has surrounded the Wembley premises! I knew it was a trap!
"The only way to get out safely is to wear an England jersey and paint your face w/ the St George's flag!"
He later deleted the comments and apologised, describing them as a "light-hearted joke".
Cole has made 17 appearances for the Hammers this season and scored three goals.


Different European countries are struggling to agree on the best way to deal with the thousands of migrants and refugees arriving from other parts of the world.

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3 September 2015 Last updated at 18:09 BST
Large numbers of people, including many children, from across the Middle East and Africa are currently trying to get into Europe in search of a new life.
Germany is one of the countries that is keen to welcome people who have fled their homes because of things like ongoing war, but other countries, like the UK, have been criticised for not doing enough.
The issue has led to big problems in Hungary, in eastern Europe, this week where hundreds have been waiting for days for trains to other countries.
Watch Martin's report to find out more and click here to find out more about why people are so keen to start a new life in Europe.


Derby County boss Nigel Pearson says injury may force Jacob Butterfield and Marcus Olsson to miss Saturday's season opening game against Brighton.

Butterfield has a thigh injury while Olsson suffered a concussion in their 1-0 pre-season win at Sheffield United.
"With any head injury you err on the side of caution," Pearson said.
"We could push Jacob back quickly but I don't see the point in putting him into a situation where the potential for injuring him further is there."
Pearson's Rams have six games in 20 days during August, but have few injury concerns other than Butterfield and Olsson.
"It's a long season we've got to make sure any teething problems with players are managed sensibly because I'd like a fully-fit squad to choose from every week," Pearson told BBC Radio Derby.
"I'm not going to have that but that's what the aim is. We want to keep the players in good condition and available."
Derby drew with Brighton in both league meetings last season, but the Rams boss is happy with the level of preparation going into the new campaign.
"Match days are a different entity to the rest of the week.," he said.
"We always do as much as we can whether it's enough at any given time remains to be seen."


The Indian government is due to honour a seven-year-old police dog who has impressed security officials with his ability to sniff out explosives.

Rex, a black Labrador, is the "top dog" in the K9 (canine) unit of Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), security officials told the BBC.
Rex was a part of the team of 20 dogs which was used to secure the venue of the recent India-Africa summit.
The K9 unit is regularly used for anti-sabotage work at big-ticket events.
"At the venue of the India-Africa summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's security officials planted five grams (1/10th of an ounce) of RDX explosives under his chair as part of the security drill," a senior police official told the BBC.
"Rex found it in two minutes. The PM's security was overjoyed," he said.
Officials say the K9 unit is routinely deployed to sniff out explosives and secure venues during high-profile events and visits by foreign leaders.
The dogs were used during "Operation ObMo" (when US President Barack Obama visited Delhi and met PM Modi), "Operation Doga" (International Yoga Day), and during the Independence Day and Republic Day celebrations, they said.


As always seems to be the case, the marquee move of the summer transfer window was left to the final day, with Virgil van Dijk's long-touted switch to Southampton from Celtic finally being completed.

The £13m fee, along with the £2m paid by Sunderland for fellow defender Adam Matthews, suggests that the Scottish champions once again emerged from summer dealings having made a profit.
Striker Nadir Ciftci, from Dundee United, and defender Dedryck Boyata, from Manchester City, arrived for about £1.5m each, while Celtic still had some spare change to purchase centre-back Jozo Simunovic from Dinamo Zagreb and midfielder Ryan Christie from Inverness Caledonian Thistle on the final day of the window.
The number of other clubs willing or able to pay transfer or compensation fees has been on the increase and Dundee, Dundee United, Hearts, Motherwell and Ross County have all loosened the purse strings to some degree. However, cost cutting remains as squad sizes continue to shrink
County under Jim McIntyre continued where Derek Adams left off in previous seasons with the biggest turnover of staff along with Motherwell, where an incredible 23 players passed through the exit door in the wake of their close shave with relegation.
On balance, Celtic, Aberdeen, St Johnstone, Dundee, Kilmarnock and Hearts appear to have stronger squads than last season, while Inverness Caledonian Thistle, Dundee United, Hamilton Accies, Partrick Thistle and Motherwell seem to be starting the season weaker.
With all those changes at Victoria Park, it is a guessing game to decide on which side of that line County's new squad will fall.
Marquee signing: Danny Ward is only on loan from Liverpool, but the former Wales Under-21 goalkeeper is so highly regarded that he immediately displaced Scott Brown and Jamie Langfield from the first team, with the latter's long stay at Pittodrie looking likely to come to an end soon.
Key arrival: Having utilised natural centre-half Andrew Considine, admittedly somewhat successfully, at left-back, Dons manager Derek McInnes has drafted in a much-lauded specialist in Graeme Shinnie from Premiership rivals Inverness Caledonian Thistle. The 23-year-old decided against extending his career-long stay at Caledonian Stadium, where he has also shown his versatility on the right and in midfield.
One that got away: Russell Anderson's injury enforced retirement not only deprives the Dons of the former Scotland international's influence on the pitch but - along with Donvervon Daniels' return to West Brom - leaves them short of cover in central defence.
In: Graeme Shinnie, defender (Inverness Caledonian Thistle); Paul Quinn, defender (Ross County); Joe Nuttall, forward (Manchester City). Loan: Danny Ward, goalkeeper (Liverpool); Josh Parker, forward (Red Star Belgrade); Ryan McLaughlin, defender (Liverpool).
Out: Jamie Langfield, goalkeeper (St Mirren); Joe Shaughnessy, defender (St Johnstone); Nicky Low, midfielder (Dundee); Clark Robertson, defender (Blackpool); Declan McManus, forward (Fleetwood Town); Andrew Driver, midfielder (De Graafshap); Kieran Gibbons, midfielder (Livingston); Craig Murray, defender (East Fife); Russell Anderson, defender (retired); Lewis Dunbar, defender; Jamie Masson, midfielder; Cem Felek, defender; Ritchie Petrie, midfielder; Marcus Campanile, midfielder; Michael Jones, forward. Loan: Lawrence Shankland, forward (St Mirren); Danny Rogers, goalkeeper (Falkirk). Loan ended: Donervon Daniels, defender (West Bromwich Albion).
Last season: 2nd
Prediction: 2nd. Derek McInnes has had to reduce the size of his squad, but those shed were on the fringes while the new additions increase the number capable of competing for starting places and, if anything, they are better prepared to mount a title challenge.
Marquee signing: Celtic manager Ronny Deila moved quickly to plug the gap in central defence left by Jason Denayer's return to Manchester City. Indeed, the Norwegian will hope that it is a like-for-like swap as the 19-year-old prospect has been replaced by more experienced fellow Belgian international Dedryck Boyata. The 24-year-old has been in cold storage for much of his career in England but has already looked a stand-out in the heat of the Champions League qualifiers.
Key arrival: Ronny Deila's priority will have been a quality striker. John Guidetti's star faded long before the end of the Swede's loan from Manchester City and Celtic have had to rely on Leigh Griffiths, who has yet to prove himself in Europe. The Celtic manager will hope he can channel Nadir Ciftci's talents in a positive direction after the controversial Turk's switch from Dundee United.
One that got away: Virgil van Dijk eventually got the move to England for which he had been pushing what seems like ever since he joined Celtic from Groningen. And Celtic will probably be happy to receive £13m for the Dutch central defender who has still to fully convince at the top level despite the hype surrounding him.
In: Jozo Simunovic, defender (Dinamo Zagreb, undisclosed); Ryan Christie, midfielder (Inverness Caledonian Thistle, undisclosed); Nadir Ciftci, forward (Dundee United, £1.5m); Dedryck Boyata, defender (Manchester City, £1.5m); Saidy Janko, defender (Manchester United, compensation); Scott Allan, midfielder (Hibernian, £275,000); Logan Bailly, goalkeeper (OH Leuven, undisclosed). Loan: Tyler Blackett, defender (Manchester United).
Out:Stephen Frail, youth coach;Virgil van Dijk, defender (Southampton, £11.5m); Adam Matthews, defender (Sunderland, £2m); Teemu Pukki, forward (Brondby, undisclosed); Jackson Irvine, midfielder (Ross County, compensation); Amido Balde, forward (Metz); Joe Chalmers, defender (Motherwell); Dylan McGeouch, midfielder (Hibernian, undisclosed); Jordan Hart, goalkeeper (Annan Athletic). Loan: Ryan Christie, midfielder (Inverness Caledonian Thistle); Stefan Scepovic, forward (Getafe); Darnell Fisher, defender (St Johnstone); Stuart Findlay, defender (Kilmarnock); Liam Henderson, midfielder (Hibernian); Paul McMullan, forward (St Mirren); Eoghan O'Connell, defender (Oldham Athletic); Jamie Lindsay, midfielder (Dumbarton); Conor McManus, midfielder (Alloa Athletic); Michael Duffy, forward (Alloa Athletic); Calum Waters, defender (Dumbarton). Loan ended: Jason Denayer, defender (Manchester City); John Guidetti, forward (Manchester City); Aleksandar Tonev, midfielder (Aston Villa); Wakaso Mubarak, midfielder (Rubin Kazan).
Last season: 1st
Prediction: 1st. Aberdeen benefited from a stuttering start to Ronny Deila's managerial reign at Celtic Park. The Norwegian has made steady progress since and, despite their own advances, it will be a surprise if the Dons can stay in touch for so long again this season.
Marquee signing: More was made in the media of the acquisition of Rory Loy from Scottish Cup finalists Falkirk, but Kane Hemmings more than matched his fellow former Rangers youth's Championship scoring rate while with Cowdenbeath and arrives with a year's experience in England's tough second tier with Barnsley behind him.
Key arrival: Fellow defender Kevin Holt cost compensation money from Queen of the South, but former Real Sociedad centre-half Julen Etxabeguren Leanizbarrutia, who spent last season with lowly East Fife, is the biggest name - if only courtesy of its length. Paul Hartley will hope that they and others recruited from the lower leagues will make a step up in a similar fashion to player of the year nominee Greg Stewart.
One that got away: Winger Jim McAlister rejected a new contract after three years at Dens Park, while experienced goalkeeper Kyle Letheren would have provided quality competition for Scott Bain, but instead of staying to battle for his place, has left in search of the regular first-team football he hopes will win him a place in the Wales squad.
In: Kane Hemmings, forward (Barnsley); Nick Ross, midfielder (Inverness Caledonian Thistle); Rory Loy, forward (Falkirk); Kevin Holt, defender (Queen of the South, compensation); Nicky Low, midfielder (Aberdeen); Daryll Meggatt, defender (Alloa Athletic); David Mitchell, goalkeeper (Stranraer); Julen Etxabeguren Leanizbarrutia, defender (East Fife). Loan: Riccardo Calder, midfielder (Aston Villa); Rhys Healey, forward (Cardiff City).
Out: David Clarkson, forward (Motherwell); Jim McAlister, midfielder (Blackpool); Kyle Letheren, goalkeeper (Blackpool); Martin Boyle, forward (Hibernian); Paul Heffernan, forward (Queen of the South); Kyle Benedictus, defender (Raith Rovers); Kevin McBride, midfielder (Airdrieonians); Willie Dyer, defender (Brechin City); Jamie Reid, midfielder (Arbroath); Calum Brodie, goalkeeper (Arbroath); Luka Tankulic, forward; Phil Roberts, forward; Iain Davidson, midfielder; Simon Ferry, midfielder. Loan: Craig Wighton, forward (Raith Rovers); Cammy Kerr, defender (Peterhead); Matty Allan, defender (Montrose). Loan ended: Alex Harris, midfielder (Hibernian).
Last season: 6th
Prediction: 4th. Paul Hartley was the first out the traps with his batch of summer signings and his forward planning and yet another overhaul of his squad should ensure more steady progress at Dens Park.
Marquee signing: Billy Mckay made his name in the Scottish top flight with Inverness Caledonian Thistle, but it has not worked out for the striker at Wigan Athletic. Now the 26-year-old is hoping to regain his scoring form on loan at Tannadice having found himself behind fellow Northern Ireland international Will Grigg at the DW Stadium.
Key arrival: Darko Bodul is a direct replacement for the departed Nadir Ciftci and the former Ajax trainee arrives with top-flight experience in Portugal with Nacional, Denmark with Odense and Austria with Sturm Graz, then, for the last six months of last season, Rheindorf Altach.
One that got away: United bowed to the inevitable and sold Nadir Ciftci to Celtic after the striker refused a contract extension beyond next summer. However, the loss of Jaroslav Fojut for nothing because of the Pole's homesickness is potentially a greater one considering he stood out in an otherwise suspect defence.
In: Darko Bodul, forward (Rheindorf Altach); Coll Donaldson, defender (Queens Park Rangers); Mark Durnan, defender (Queen of the South, compensation); Justin Johnson, midfielder (FC United of Manchester). Loan:Billy Mckay, forward (Wigan Athletic); Adam Taggart, forward (Fulham); Aaron Kuhl, midfielder (Reading).
Out: Nadir Ciftci, forward (Celtic, £1.5m); Jaroslaw Fojut, defender (Pogon Szczecin); Radoslaw Ciernziak, goalkeeper (Wisla Krakow); Calum Butcher, midfielder (Burton Albion); Brian Graham, forward (Ross County); Michael Gardyne, forward (Ross County); Keith Watson, defender (St Mirren); Darren Petrie, midfielder (Raith Rovers); Jamie Montgomery, forward (Brechin City); Kudus Oyenuga, forward (Hartlepool United); Rodney Sneijder, midfielder. Loan: Robbie Muirhead, forward (Partick Thistle); Henri Anier, forward (Hibernian).
Last season: 5th
Prediction: 7th. United have been on a downward trajectory since the January sale of Stuart Armstrong and Gary Mackay-Steven to Celtic and Nadir Ciftci's summer departure to the Scottish champions suggests Jackie McNamara has his work cut out to halt the decline.
Marquee signing: Former Troyes and Sheffield United striker Christian Nade returns to the Scottish top-flight five years after leaving Hearts and having had a modest goal tally for Dundee, then Raith Rovers, in the Championship.
Key arrival: Latvia left-back Antons Kurakins spent three years with Celtic without making a first-team breakthrough but has another chance to make his mark in the Scottish top-flight after helping Ventspils win the title in his homeland two years in succession.
One that got away: Stephen Hendrie has headed to the English top flight with West Ham United, although Accies do earn some compensation money for the Scotland Under-21 left-back's development.
In: Jamie Sendles, defender (Queens Park Rangers); Alex D'Acol, forward (AEK Athens); Antons Kurakins, defender (Ventspils); Christian Nade, forward (Raith Rovers); Gramoz Kurtaj, midfielder (Banik Most); Chris Turner, midfielder (Dumbarton); Alan Martin, goalkeeper (Clyde). Loan: Carlton Morris, forward (Norwich City).
Out: Stephen Hendrie, defender (West Ham United, compensation); Nigel Hasselbaink, forward (Excelsior Rotterdam); Jon Routledge, midfielder (Dumbarton); Darren Smith, midfielder (Livingston); Blair Currie, goalkeeper (Annan Athletic); Jason Scotland, forward; Salva Chamorro, forward; Kieran MacDonald, defender; Danny Armstrong, forward. Loan: Nico Sumsky, midfielder (Airdrieonians); Andy Ryan, striker (Arbroath); Craig Watson, defender (Arbroath).
Last season: 7th
Prediction: 11th. Access went into a steep decline after Alex Neil's switch to Norwich City in January. New manager Martin Canning managed to arrest the decline after the split for the final round of matches and that will need to be continued if they are to avoid relegation trouble.
Marquee signing: He was the talk of Tynecastle for much of the summer before Nigeria left-back Juwon Oshaniwa finally arrived on a three-year contract. Having played for his country at the 2014 World Cup and played three years in Israel's top flight, Oshaniwa comes with a big reputation.
Key arrival: Despite running away with the Championship title last season, Hearts are still looking for a prolific striker and will be hoping they have found one in Juanma Delgado, who arrives from Kalloni in Greece.
One that got away: Captain Danny Wilson preferred to remain in the Scottish Championship by returning to Rangers instead of agreeing a new contract to follow Hearts into the top flight. However, replacement Blazej Augustyn has plenty of top-flight experience with Legia Warsaw, Rimini, Catania, Vicenza and then Gornik Zabrze in his homeland.
In: Juwon Oshaniwa, defender (Ironi Ashdod); Juanma Delgado, forward (Kalloni); Blazej Augustyn, defender (Gornik Zabrze); Igor Rossi Branco, forward (Maritimo); Gavin Reilly, forward (Queen of the South, compensation); Jahmal Howlett-Mundle, defender (Crystal Palace); Dario Zanatta, midfielder (unattached).
Out: Kevin McHattie, defender (Kilmarnock); Scott Robinson, midfielder (Kilmarnock); Brad McKay, defender (St Johnstone); Dale Carrick, forward (Kilmarnock); Jason Holt, midfielder (Rangers, compensation); Gary Oliver, forward (Queen of the South, undisclosed); Danny Wilson, defender (Rangers); Barry Hogg, midfielder (Berwick Rangers); Jake Hutchings, defender. Loan: Liam Henderson, defender (Stenhousemuir); Alistair Roy, forward (East Stirlingshire). Loan ended: Genero Zeefuik, forward (Groningen).
Last season: 1st in Championship and promotion.
Prediction: 3rd. Having only dropped into the Championship because of financial meltdown and a points deduction, Hearts won the title and promotion at a canter despite the presence of neighbours Hibernian and big-spending Rangers. Robbie Neilson's squad has been bolstered by some promising foreign talent and should make the top six.
Marquee signing: That Owain Fon Williams, albeit a former Wales Under-21 international, is Caley Thistle's most notable summer signing is perhaps an indication of the budget at manager John Hughes' disposal. The 28-year-old former Stockport County and Bury goalkeeper left Tranmere Rovers after their relegation from England's League Two to the Conference.
Key arrival: Andrea Mbuyi-Mutombo's record suggests that the Belgium-born CR Congo striker is unlikely to prove the striker John Hughes has been seeking. However, the versatile forward who began his senior career with Portsmouth has already amassed experience in the Belgian top-flight with Zulte-Waragem, Standard Liege, Sint-Truiden and Cercle Brugge, in Croatia with Rijeka and Istra 1961, the downside being he has spent the last season in the French third tier with Frejus St-Raphael.
One that got away: Aberdeen-bound Graeme Shinnie was primarily a left-back, but he filled in at vital times on the right too and manager John Hughes will have his work cut out to find a replacement with such versatility and quality.
In: Brian Rice, assistant manager (Al Khor); Andrea Mbuyi-Mutombo, forward (Frejus St-Raphael); Nat Wedderburn, midfielder (Cowdenbeath); Dani Lopez, forward (La Roda); Jordan Roberts, midfielder (Aldershot Town), Owain Fon Williams, goalkeeper (Tranmere Rovers); Iain Vigurs, midfielder (Motherwell). Loan: Miles Storey, forward (Swindon Town); Tobi Sho-Silva, forward (Charlton Athletic); Ryan Christie, midfielder (Celtic).
Out: Russell Latapy, assistant manager; Ryan Christie, midfielder (Celtic, undisclosed); Marley Watkins, midfielder (Barnsley); Graeme Shinnie, defender (Aberdeen); Nick Ross, midfielder (Dundee); Tarmo Kink, forward (Levadia Tallinn); Ryan Baptie, defender (Peterhead); Edward Ofere, forward.
Last season: 3rd
Prediction: 5th. John Hughes has lost two of his top performers and budget restrictions mean they have not been properly replaced. Yet Caley Thistle showed enough in losing to Astra in Europa League qualifying that there remains a unit capable of producing quality football.
Marquee signing: Kris Boyd, the Scottish Premier League's record goalscorer, will be hoping that a return to Kilmarnock can again revive his career. If his third spell at Rugby Park is to do so, it will have to be more productive than his second with Rangers, the 31-year-old finding himself consigned to the bench for much of the Ibrox side's failed promotion bid in the Championship.
Key arrival: It was a surprise that Jamie MacDonald found himself in the Championship last season with Falkirk after being a victim of Hearts' financial problems. However, form that helped the Bairns to the Scottish Cup final has ensured his return to the top flight.
One that got away: Kilmarnock will also be shorn of Alexei Eremenko's midfield artistry, but they might miss more the leadership provided by exited captain Manuel Pascali, although the influence of both was diminishing as age got the better of them.
In: Scott Robinson, midfielder (Hearts); Dale Carrick, forward (Hearts); Kevin McHattie, defender (Hearts); Kallum Higginbotham, forward (Partick Thistle); Lee McCulloch, defender/coach (Rangers); Kris Boyd, forward (Rangers); Jamie MacDonald, goalkeeper (Falkirk); Stevie Smith, defender (Rangers). Loan: Stuart Findlay, defender (Celtic); Oliver Davies, goalkeeper (Swansea City).
Out: Manuel Pascali, defender (Cittadella); Lee Miller, forward (Falkirk); Paul Cairney, midfielder (Stranraer); Euan Smith, midfielder (Brechin City); Craig Samson, goalkeeper; Alexei Eremenko, midfielder; Sammy Clingan, midfielder; Nathan Eccleston, forward; Chris Chantler, defender; Mark Thomson, forward; Dylan Pooler, forward. Loan: Devlin MacKay, goalkeeper (Derby County); Conor Brennan, goalkeeper (Stranraer).
Last season: 10th
Prediction: 12th. Gary Locke struggled to keep Kilmarnock clear of relegation trouble last season. Pre-season performances suggest he might have found the key to a brighter season, but much may depend on whether Kris Boyd can rediscover his scoring touch.
Marquee signing: Scott McDonald isn't a new signing, but the former Celtic and Australia striker looked for a time like he might continue his globe trotting after completing his short, second spell with Motherwell before signing a new deal.
Key arrival: Having paid a fee to Wrexham for the 23-year-old Louis Moult's services, Motherwell manager Ian Baraclough obviously has faith that the striker can build on his record of 23 goals in 37 starts for the Conference club in the Scottish Premiership.
One that got away: The exit of Lee Erwin to Leeds United not only deprives Motherwell of one of their main striking threats from latter part of last season but also a player who had yet to reach his full potential.
In: Louis Moult, forward (Wrexham, undisclosed fee); Louis Laing, defender (Nottingham Forest); David Clarkson, forward (Dundee); Wes Fletcher, forward (York City); Joe Chalmers, defender (Celtic); Kieran Kennedy, defender (Leicester City); Theo Robinson, forward (Doncaster Rovers). Loan: Connor Ripley, goalkeeper (Middlesbrough); Jake Taylor, midfielder (Reading); Liam Grimshaw, midfielder (Manchester United).
Out: Lee Erwin, forward (Leeds United, compensation); John Sutton, forward (St Johnstone); Stuart Carswell, midfielder (St Mirren); Bob McHugh, forward (Falkirk); Steven Higgins, forward (Queen of the South); Morgyn Neill, defender (Livingston); Nathan Thomas, midfielder (Mansfield Town); Max Currie, goalkeeper (Stranraer); Ross Stewart, goalkeeper (Albion Rovers); Simon Ramsden, defender (Gateshead); Paul Lawson, midfielder (Formartine United); Josh Watt, midfielder (Cumnock); Iain Vigurs, midfielder; Fraser Kerr, defender; Zaine Francis-Angol, defender; Adam Cummins, forward; Craig McCall, midfielder; Daniel McNulty, defender; Liam Anderson, midfielder. Loan: Craig Moore, striker (Ayr United). Loan ended: Conor Grant, midfielder (Everton); George Long, goalkeeper (Sheffield United); Mark O'Brien, defender (Derby County); Anthony Straker, defender (York City).
Last season: 11th
Prediction: 9th. Ian Baraclough has continued to replace the misfiring squad he inherited from Stuart McCall with players he knows from England's lower leagues. Unless he can find success with that Terry Butcher-style formula, it could be another season of struggle at Fir Park.
Marquee signing: Mathias Pogba has been living in the shadow of his younger brother, Paul of Juventus, and his own twin, Florentin of St Etienne, and the 24-year-old striker will be looking to resurrect the scoring form that won him a move from Crew Alexandra to Pescara before a return to England with Crawley Town, who were relegated from England's League One.
Key arrival: Tomas Cerny has been given the task of matching the success in goal of Scott Fox, who left for Ross County. The Czech made his name in Scotland's top flight with Hamilton but spent last season as an unused substitute with Hibernian in the Championship.
One that got away: Stephen O'Donnell was an increasingly impressive presence at right-back but has preferred to move to England's League Two with Luton Town.
In: Gary Miller, defender (St Johnstone); Tomas Cerny, goalkeeper (Hibernian); Mathias Pogba, forward (Crawley Town); David Amoo, midfielder (Carlisle United); Callum Booth, defender (Hibernian), Mustapha Dumbuya, defender (unattached). Loan:Robbie Muirhead, forward (Dundee United).
Out: Kallum Higginbotham, forward (Kilmarnock); Scott Fox, goalkeeper (Ross County); Jack Hendry, defender (Wigan Athletic, undisclosed); Stephen O'Donnell, defender (Luton Town); James Craigen, midfielder (Raith Rovers); Ben Richards-Everton, defender (Dunfermline Athletic); Dale Keenan, midfielder (Stranraer);  Conrad Balatoni, defender; Ryan Finnie, defender; Chris Dillon, midfielder. Loan ended: Lyle Taylor, forward (Scunthorpe United).
Last season: 8th
Prediction: 10th. Partick Thistle continue to struggle financially with their rivals in the Premiership. Uninspiring summer signings suggest they will struggle, but pre-season performances hint that they could defy the odds again.
Marquee signing: Jim McIntyre moved quickly to re-shape his squad in his first summer in charge in Dingwall, even managing to pay a fee - a rarity in Scottish football - to Queen of the South for midfielder Ian McShane, who will be hoping to repay that faith by proving he can step up a division.
Key arrival: With Richard Brittain preferring to exit for Highland League champions Brora Rangers, new signing Andrew Davies, the former Bradford City defender, has been named captain. The defender brings a wealth of experience - Southampton paying £1m for him in 2007 - and was a regular in England's League One last season.
One that got away: Paul Quinn had developed into a steady presence at right-back for County, but the 30-year-old was enticed east to high-flying Aberdeen.
In: Ian McShane, midfielder (Queen of the South, undisclosed fee); Jackson Irvine, midfielder (Celtic, compensation); Scott Fox, goalkeeper (Partick Thistle); Brian Graham, forward (Dundee United); Andrew Davies, defender (Bradford City); Michael Gardyne, forward (Dundee United); Stewart Murdoch, midfielder (Fleetwood Town); Richard Foster, defender (Rangers); Darren Holden, defender (Hartlepool United); Jonathan Franks, midfielder (Hartlepool United); Chris Robertson, defender (Port Vale); Martin Woods, midfielder (Shrewsbury Town). Loan: Gary Woods, goalkeeper (Leyton Orient).
Out: Paul Quinn, defender (Aberdeen); Antonio Reguero, goalkeeper (Hibernian); Ruben Palazuelos, midfielder (Guijuelo); Mark Brown, goalkeeper (Dumbarton); Darren Barr, defender (Dumbarton); Steven Ross, forward (Dumbarton); Jake Jervis, forward (Plymouth Argyle); Graham Carey, midfielder (Plymouth Argyle); Darvydas Sernas, midfielder (Zalgiris Vilnius); Richard Brittain, midfielder (Brora Rangers); Joe Cardle, midfielder (Dunfermline Athletic); Scott Ferries, midfielder (Peterhead); Terry Dunfield, midfielder; Benedict Frempah, defender; Abdoulaye Meite, defender; Steven Saunders, defender. Loan: Kyle Macleod, forward (Elgin City). Loan ended: Daniel Bachmann, goalkeeper (Stoke City); Filip Kiss, midfielder (Cardiff City); Cameron Burgess, defender (Fulham).
Last season: 9th
Prediction: 8th. Jim McIntyre has completely reshaped his squad in a similar fashion to Derek Adams. The present County boss will be hoping that he doesn't also have to follow his predecessor by having to do the same in January when his first batch failed to gel.
Marquee signing: John Sutton scored 13 goals in a struggling Motherwell side last season despite looking leg weary and Saints manager Tommy Wright will be hoping the 31-year-old can be galvanised by a team that are making the top half of the table their regular home.
Key arrival: At 28, Liam Craig should be in his prime, but the midfielder only made 22 starts for Hibernian in the Championship last season and will be hoping to rediscover the form he showed in his previous spell at McDiarmid Park.
One that got away: Danny Swanson added a missing element of creativity and unpredictability to the St Johnstone midfield but has returned to Coventry City after his loan ended.
In: John Sutton, forward (Motherwell); Liam Craig, midfielder (Hibernian); Graham Cummins, forward (Exeter City); Brad McKay, defender (Hearts); Joe Shaughnessy, defender (Aberdeen); Greg Hurst, midfielder (Stirling Albion). Loan: Darnell Fisher, defender (Celtic).
Out: Gary Miller, defender (Partick Thistle); Lee Croft, midfielder (Oldham Athletic); Frazer Wright, defender (Dumbarton); James McFadden, forward; Matthew Buchanan, defender; Rhys Evans, defender. Loan: George Hunter, forward (Airdrieonians); Connor McLaren, midfielder (Elgin City); Kyle Lander, forward (Stirling Albion); Mark Hurst, goalkeeper (Elgin City); Liam Gordon, defender (Elgin City); George Hunter, forward (Elgin City), Gareth Rodgers, defender (Ballymena); Scott Brown, midfielder (Dumbarton); Ally Gilchrist, defender (Peterhead); Jason Kerr, defender (East Fife); Jordan Millar, goalkeeper (Montrose). Loan ended: Brian Graham, forward (Dundee United); Danny Swanson, midfielder (Coventry City).
Last season: 4th
Prediction: 6th. Tommy Wright's side were poor in losing to Alashkert in Europa League qualifying and have already lost midfielder Murray Davidson to long-term injury. The return of Liam Craig to midfield could add the element of flair that has been missing to what has become a dogged, no-nonsense unit.


Phone-maker HTC says it will fix an "error" that let advertisements pop up on the keyboard on some of its phones.

Many users expressed anger online that ad banners had started appearing above the touchscreen keyboard while they were typing.
HTC's latest smartphones are sold with a third-party keyboard called TouchPal pre-installed as the default.
The free version of TouchPal does usually show ads, but HTC said it was unintended on its devices.
HTC phones run the Android operating system, which lets people download and install a variety of third-party keyboards so that they can customise their typing experience.
Android comes with a default touchscreen keyboard built-in, but many companies including Google and BlackBerry design their own.
Other phone makers, including HTC, pre-install a third party keyboard such as Swiftkey or TouchPal.
Criticising the software, TouchPal user Selina wrote: "It used to be good but recently ads keep popping up when I'm in the middle of something and it's really inconvenient and annoying."
Others were less kind.
"I am done with your junk app forever," said Ramtin.
"The way you show your junk ads whenever I want to write something is the most stupid and annoying way of advertising ever. You don't care about anything other than money."
Some reviewers said they would switch from TouchPal and download a different keyboard from the Google Play app store.
In a statement, HTC said: "This is absolutely not the experience we intended and we're working to immediately fix the error and remove the ads as quickly as possible."
Responding to a review on Google Play, TouchPal said an issue with its server was responsible. However, many people remain critical of the company.
"Ads should go nowhere near a keyboard app," wrote intripletime on social media site Reddit.
"They knew what they were doing."


A top Catholic state school has won a legal challenge against findings its admissions criteria unfairly disadvantaged poorer children.

A High Court judge said an education watchdog's conclusions relating to The London Oratory School were "flawed".
Mr Justice Cobb said findings the school was socially selective and discriminatory must be quashed.
The school challenged a number of conclusions by the Office of the Schools Adjudicator (OSA).
Head teacher David McFadden said: "It is profoundly regrettable that the school - and other schools - have to expend precious resources, year after year, in standing up to the Office of the Schools Adjudicator."
The OSA investigation was triggered by a complaint from the British Humanist Association about the faith-based criteria used to select pupils at the heavily oversubscribed Catholic academy.
The school went to the High Court to challenge a number of OSA findings that its admissions code had been breached in 2014 and 2015.
Following a hearing in March, Mr Justice Cobb announced his decision to quash some of the decisions but upheld others.
The judge rejected the school's challenge that it was a breach of the code to include "service in a Catholic parish or in the wider Catholic Church" as one of its selection criteria.
This could include reading, singing in the choir, flower arranging or carrying out voluntary work.
He ruled an issue relating to the "extent to which the school had regard to the diocesan guidance" when considering its faith-based admissions criteria should be investigated by a different adjudicator.
The British Humanist Association's campaigns manager Richy Thompson said: "It is amongst the ten most socio-economically selective state secondary schools in the country, taking just 6% of pupils eligible for school meals compared to 36% locally."
Pupils at the boys' school have included the sons of senior politicians like former prime minister Tony Blair, Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg and deputy Labour leader Harriet Harman.
More than 800 11-year-olds apply annually for 160 places at the school, which was founded in 1863.
Its junior house and co-educational sixth form are also oversubscribed.


A former game reserve worker from South Africa has become the first woman to be ordained as a Church of Scotland minister on Skye.

Janet Easton-Berry, 53, will lead congregations in Bracadale and Duirinish.
Her career in the past has included working among elephants, lions and rhinos on several game reserves in Kwazulu-Natal Province.
She was also a social worker on Mull and a probationer minister in Aberdeen.
Ms Easton-Berry originally moved to the UK in 2000 to work as a social worker in London.
She studied theology part-time at the University of the Highlands and Islands' Highland Theological College in Dingwall while working as a community social worker on Mull.
Ms Easton-Berry was working as a probationer minister in Aberdeen until last year. The role on Skye is her first full-time position with the Church of Scotland.
She said: "I am inspired by faith and very much looking forward to getting to know and serve the community.
"Being a minister is the best job in the world because it is such a privilege to walk alongside people and hear their stories."
She added: "I have worked in different fields but skills are transferable, so I carry what I have learned with me which will help me in my ministry."
The Reverend David Kellas, moderator of the Presbytery of Lochcarron and Skye, described the move as a "significant development" for the church.


Scientists and fishermen are teaming up to try to find evidence of one of the world's rarest sharks off the Welsh coast.

The angel shark, once widespread across Europe, is now listed as critically endangered, with waters around the Canary Islands the only place they are frequently seen.
But there have been increasing sightings off the Welsh coast.
Fishermen are being asked to report all accidental catches of the shark.
They are also being given advice by Natural Resources Wales (NRW) scientists on how to safely handle and release them.
Angel sharks can grow up to about 2.5m (8ft) in length. They are also known as monk or monkfish by fishermen in the region.
They are not threatening to humans, living mainly on sand or mud at the bottom of the sea and preying on small fish and molluscs.
Ben Wray, marine biodiversity ecologist at NRW, said: "We know very little about the ecology of the shark in Welsh waters at the moment - the population could be present all year round, or only for part of the year.
"The fact that commercial fishermen and anglers along the coast of Wales are helping us with this research is really important.
"We hope that the data we gather will help us build a much better picture of the situation and help our work to conserve these amazing creatures."


Ex-The New Saints boss Craig Harrison says he is looking forward to a new challenge as Hartlepool United manager.

Gateshead-born Harrison has taken charge of Hartlepool following their relegation to the National League.
The 39-year-old left Saints after winning a sixth consecutive Welsh Premier League title.
"I've had great times at TNS and really enjoyed every minute of it but I just feel it was the right opportunity," Harrison told BBC Wales Sport.
"The opportunity arose and I thought it was the right time to go and have a fresh challenge somewhere else.
"Everything just fits - the geographic location, facilities, (the) ambition of the club with new owners and new investors and the big fan base.
"I'm an ambitious person, driven on through having a shorter football career than what I should have had."
Harrison, who played for Middlesbrough and Crystal Palace before injury prematurely ended his professional career, had been TNS boss since 2011.
Saints won six Welsh Premier titles, four Welsh Cups and three League Cups during Harrison's time at Park Hall.
During the 2016-17 season Saints broke Ajax's 44-year-old world record for the longest winning streak in top-flight football with 27 victories in a row in all competitions.
Hartlepool in contrast have been relegated from the Football League for the first time.
"Hopefully I'll bring that winning mentality to Hartlepool," Harrison added.
"We want to get promoted at the first time of asking, but just as important is that we're building a solid foundation along the way as well."
Coaches Scott Ruscoe and Steve Evans have been put in interim charge of Saints following Harrison's departure.
And Harrison said his former assistants were "perfect" to take charge of the Oswestry-based club.
"They know the club inside out and understand what's expected of the club," Harrison said.
"They were both fantastic players and the best two players in the history of TNS.
"They both captained the club, played in massive European games and have both seen huge progression over the last 10-15 years as players and coaches.
"For me they'll keep the success up."
Harrison, who was in charge of Airbus UK Broughton before joining Saints, says the Welsh Premier League has improved and continues to develop.
"There's better players coming into the league and there are better coaches because the FAW coach education is absolutely fantastic," Harrison said.
"Hopefully Bangor City and Connah's Quay maybe are looking to go full-time and try and push TNS as best as they can.
"The league is definitely on an upward curve and I'd like to think I've had a small part to play in that."


Minister for refugees Richard Harrington has refused to tell MPs how many Syrian refugees are in Britain.

He told the chair of the Commons Home Affairs Committee, Keith Vaz, that he knew the total so far, but was not prepared to give a "running commentary" on refugee numbers.
He also said the next figures are due to be published at the end of November.
Mr Vaz said he would write to the prime minister to obtain the number because of Mr Harrington's failure to answer.
He also told Mr Harrington it was "unsatisfactory" that he would not divulge the number of Syrians who have come to the UK.
The government's Vulnerable People Relocation Scheme, launched in January 2014, has seen at least 216 Syrians come to Britain, according to the last published figures.
But Prime Minister David Cameron has announced that 20,000 refugees would be brought from refugee camps in countries bordering Syria into the UK by 2020.
Citizens UK, which helps communities organise group action, has urged the prime minister to ensure 1,000 of the most vulnerable Syrian refugees are resettled in the UK before winter sets in.
When asked about the refugee numbers, Mr Harrington said: "It's my job to know and it's my job to make sure that the flow of refugees under this humanitarian system is to be greatly increased.
"I would say the pace people are arriving is much the same as it's been over the last few months, and now it's gathering traction.
"I'm very happy to be judged on the numbers when the scheme that the prime minister announced and I'm putting in place comes into fruition."
What awaits refugees coming to the UK?
The refugees preparing for UK life
The children smuggled into the UK
EU migration: Crisis in graphics
The government has previously said it has been at the forefront of the global response to the crisis in Syria, a result of a civil war between the government led by President Assad and various rebel groups.
In addition to offering to accept 20,000 refugees, the UK has provided £1bn in aid to Syria, with an extra £100m given to charities to help thousands of people displaced by the conflict.
Mr Harrington said "three or four" local authorities had taken Syrians, since David Cameron announced the UK would take people from camps.
Mr Vaz said he had calculated that meeting the 20,000 target would require an average of about 350 arrivals each month, a figure which Mr Harrington said would be "very reasonable".
Mr Vaz later clarified that the correct number was 384 per month.
However, Mr Harrington added: "I would just like to make it clear that whilst the mathematical correction is correct, in practice some quarters may be up and some quarters may be down. I don't think it's right to judge on a short period of time."
Leading former judges and lawyers have criticised the government's response to the migrant crisis, calling it "slow and narrow".
Lord Phillips, former UK Supreme Court head, and Lord Macdonald, ex-director of public prosecutions, are among 300 to sign an open letter on the issue.
They say the offer to accept 20,000 refugees over five years is not enough.


James Davis calls them his "fat old days".

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Plenty about those days, growing up as teenage boy in north London who weighed more than 20 stone, must have been difficult.
But without that experience, Davis says he would never have learnt the skills that last month saw him become Great Britain's first European champion in fencing.
"I was 132 kilos. I was always a big lad. But that didn't stop me being good," Davis, who turned 23 at the start of this month, told BBC London.
"The speed of my hand was good. It's a sport where you can learn the basics whatever size you are.
"I always knew I had it in me, I always knew I could do it, but perhaps some people around me didn't. Perhaps when they lost to me they would think 'how did I lose to this big kid'."
When the World Championships begin in Kazan on Tuesday, hopes are high that Davis can go on to become the first Briton to make it onto the podium in the event since 1965.
While being overweight on the junior circuit might not have been a barrier to success, to really make it in the sport Davis realised he had to prioritise fencing over food.
"I was technically very good but the fitness wasn't there. I would get to a certain point and then I would start to die," he said.
"I had to make a choice. Do I want to be successful in this sport? The answer was yes. so I had to lose this weight.
"I lost it through working with my strength and conditioning coach Jon Cree at Middlesex University, who were supporting me on their scholarship scheme when I was not part of the World-Class programme.
"I started eating well, cut out all the rubbish and just started drinking water. Since I've turned professional I've trained every day and it pays off.
"There is no way someone my size could have made it onto the senior circuit, but it's a sport that does offer something for everyone who is starting out.
"I'd encourage anyone to give it a go. I learnt so much in those fat days that is still relevant today."
Last month at the European Championships in Strasbourg, Davis, who nowadays stands at 6ft 4in (1.94m) and weighs 98kg (15st 6lbs), beat Russia's Alexey Cheremisinov 15-11 in the foil final.
It was his first championship gold medal and his country's first European title.
While Britain's Gwendoline Neligan originally won European gold back in 1933, that event in Budapest was later re-classified as a World Championships and Neligan was awarded the world title instead.
Davis, who grew up and lived in Barnet until the end of last year, puts his recent success down to his relocation to San Francisco.
Last November he moved out to California to train with some of the top-ranked US fencers.
Davis continued: "Immediately I thought 'wow, something's working here'.
"Training is amazing out there, the guys are incredible. They are world class and they have such a big set-up with so many talented youngsters coming through.
"I am doing two training sessions a day, that's 10 to 12 matches a day, which is a lot. I am smashing the sessions.
"I can get four to five left-handers to fight against which is something we really struggle with in most countries. They have got an abundance of them.
"There is so much talent to train with."
Former GB foil coach Ziemek Wojciechowski continues to work with Davis as his personal coach and has travelled to San Francisco too.
"Ziemek has taught me so much and we've both learnt so much in the US," Davis added.
"My footwork has changed a bit, where my hand is has changed a bit and I'm just moving in different ways.
"It's made a big difference to my fencing. I wouldn't have won the Euros without being there."
The World Championships begin in Russia on Tuesday, with Davis' first bout scheduled for this Saturday.
Davis hopes to re-live the thrill of his Strasbourg success, but says the challenge will be tougher.
"Being on the podium for me was the most nerve-wracking bit," he said.
"I was just in the zone when I was competing in the semi-final and the final. I can't even remember the hits.
"I've spoken to friends and family afterwards and they've said 'no, that wasn't what happened. It happened like this'.
"Once it was over, I couldn't believe it. It was crazy. Being up there was the best feeling in my life.
"The quality at the worlds is a step up, but not much. All the top Europeans are there again, but then there are a lot from China, Japan and the USA in the top 16 too."
Having competed in the London Olympics, Davis' ultimate goal is to end Great Britain's half-century wait for an Olympic medal at Rio 2016.
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The last time a British fencer made it onto the Olympic podium was when Bill Hoskyns won silver in the epee at the Tokyo Games in 1964.
Davis will have to qualify first but believes his London 2012 experience will serve him well.
"Competing in London was incredible," said Davis.
"It was the turning point of my career. There were thousands of people there, it was sold out for the foil, and TV cameras too. I was so nervous.
"In the individuals in the opening round I lost to (Germany's) Peter Joppich, my favourite fencer of all time. And when I look back at the match I realise that's why I lost.
"I had fenced him two months before in a Grand Prix and won 15-12. He won at the Olympics because he had already been there before.
"He knew how to deal with it. You only learn that from being there.
"The world number ones are there for a reason. They can deal with that pressure.
"I would love to go to Rio with all that experience under my belt because I will know how to deal with it. But we have to qualify first."
So as he prepares for this week's World Championships and hopefully another successful step on the route to Rio, what is he enjoying most about life Stateside?
"The help and support of everyone I am training with," Davis says.
"They have no reason to help but everyone does. That, and the food.
"The food is amazing. I have to be careful though - I don't want to go back to the fat old days."


Australian Justine Damond was killed by US police who were responding to her call at an upscale Minneapolis neighbourhood on Saturday night.

Few facts have been released by the city, Minneapolis police, or the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA), which is leading the investigation.
The BCA investigation may take up to four months, according to the Hennepin County Attorney, who will determine whether to press charges against the officers after investigators present him with their findings.
So what do we know?
Just before 23:30 local time, officers Matthew Harrity and Mohamed Noor responded to Damond's 911 emergency call of a suspected assault in an alleyway behind her home.
She lived at the property with her American fiancÃ© whom she had planned to marry in August.
Dressed in her pyjamas, Damond approached the squad car, which had its lights turned off.
A conversation followed and Officer Noor, who was in the passenger's seat, shot her through the driver's open window, Officer Harrity told officials.
"Harrity indicated that he was startled by a loud sound near the" car, according to the preliminary BCA report released on Tuesday.
A police radio recording from the incident says they also mention hearing a loud noise, which they suspect are fireworks.
The 40-year-old yoga teacher was struck in the abdomen and died at the scene at 23:51 local time, despite the officers attempts to save her.
No weapons were found at the scene. Damond's mobile phone was recovered near her body.
Officer Noor has refused to speak to investigators, as is his legal right, and officials do not know if he will ever provide a statement.
Neither officers had turned on their bodycams, and the vehicle's dashboard camera did not capture the incident, investigators say.
For the past six months, every police officer in Minneapolis has been equipped with body-worn cameras, but officers are required to switch them on only during certain encounters.
Unlike in Los Angeles or Washington DC, where cameras must be switched on for any response to a call for service, Minneapolis officers have more discretion to turn them off - for instance when interviewing a confidential source.
Instead, there are more than a dozen situations in which cameras should be used, according to the police manual, which adds that failure to use the camera could result in job termination.
Without any video evidence, investigators are hopeful that a cyclist who was seen watching police perform CPR on Damond, will come forward to give his account.
Australian media has extensively covered the story, and Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said that he wants answers from the US.
"It is a shocking killing, and yes, we are demanding answers on behalf of her family," he told Australian TV on Wednesday.
Her fiance, Don Damond said the family is "desperate for information", adding that "piecing together Justine's last moments before the homicide would be a small comfort as we grieve this tragedy".
Minneapolis officials have described the death as a "tragedy" and have demanded an transparent and speedy investigation.
Officer Noor, described by local media as a Somali-American, was described as "a caring person with a family he loves and he empathised with the loss others are experiencing".
On Wednesday morning, hundreds of people gathered for a dawn vigil at a Sydney beach to honour Ms Damond.


Fifa has responded to the deepening rift in Sierra Leonean football by telling the Sports Ministry to "abstain from taking decisions" related to the timing of the Sierra Leone FA's (SLFA) next ordinary congress.

A congress should have taken place last month but was postponed indefinitely by Fifa on the grounds of carrying out integrity checks on current and potential SLFA members.
Last week, the Ministry gave the SLFA until 14 August to hold a congress to pave the way for elections, after the mandate of the current SLFA administration - led by Isha Johansen - came to an end on 3 August.
Fifa has responded to the Ministry's latest demand.
"It does not reflect the agreed road map which was initiated in order to address the conflicts and problems in Sierra Leone football," Fifa said.
Football's world governing body also repeated its directive that any ordinary congress should not be held until integrity checks are carried out on all current and potential SLFA members.
As such, Fifa warned the Ministry that the SLFA should manage its affairs "independently" and asked the sports Minister, Ahmed Khanou, "to abstain from taking any decisions contrary to this established process, particularly through the imposition of an ordinary congress on the SLFA."
A Fifa task-force is set to meet in mid-September to address the issues, and Fifa says it is still "committed to working with the Sierra Leone government, the SLFA and all goodwill organs (notably the National Sports Council) to bring sanity to football in Sierra Leone."


A former Archbishop of Canterbury wrote to police in 1993 with letters of support for the then Bishop of Gloucester who was being investigated for sex offences, it can be revealed.

Ex-archbishop George Carey said Peter Ball was in "torment" as a result of a police investigation, letters released by the Crown Prosecution Service show.
Ball, 83, was jailed in October for a string of offences against young men.
The Church of England apologised "unreservedly" to Ball's victims.
He was sentenced to 32 months for misconduct in a public office and 15 months for indecent assaults, to run concurrently.
In one of Lord Carey's letters he told police it was "improbable" he was guilty.
He also wrote in a letter to Barbara Mills - then the director of public prosecutions - that Ball's health was fragile and the decision to prosecute should be made "as speedily as possible".
The letters have been released by the CPS in response to a Freedom of Information (FoI) request by the BBC and others, after it emerged that personal letters had been written which were supportive of Ball.
Ball was eventually told he would not be prosecuted but received a caution instead. He resigned as Bishop of Gloucester in 1993, a position that followed a previous period as Bishop of Lewes.
However in October 2015, following repeated claims of a church cover-up, Mr Ball pleaded guilty to abusing 18 young men in the 70s, 80s and 90s.  He was jailed for two years and ten months.
One of his victims was Neil Todd, whose attempts to take his own life triggered the police investigation in 1993 which prompted hundreds of letters of support for the Bishop.
In his two letters Lord Carey said he had no wish to influence the legal process.  He makes no reference to the allegations of sexual abuse or Mr Todd, who finally took his own life at the end of 2012.
The letters also include one to the police from a senior judge at the time, Lord Justice Lloyd, who said that Ball was "the most gentle, upright and saintly man" he had ever met.
"He has obviously suffered far more already than any of us can imagine... He tells me if it goes on much longer, he feels he may well go off his head," he said.
While making it clear he did not want to influence the criminal process Lord Justice Lloyd wrote: "I find it difficult to accept that such an awful fate could have befallen so good a man."
The Old Bailey heard in October that while he was a bishop, Ball had used his position to groom and exploit his vulnerable victims.
Another of the 12 letters released by the CPS was from the former Conservative minister and Sussex MP, Tim Renton, who wrote to the director of public  prosecutions in 1993 that "Peter has suffered terribly over the past six weeks," and urged that he should not be prosecuted.
The Conservative MP for Lewes, Tim Rathbone, wrote: "I find it literally inconceivable that he would ever become involved with anyone in the way the newspapers have described or insinuated."
James Woodhouse, the former headmaster of Lancing College in Sussex wrote that Ball was "acutely distressed" by some aspects of 20th-century culture, including "sexual permissiveness".
In his letter the warden of Radley College, Richard Morgan, said he had dismissed the allegations against Ball as "impossible" since the bishop had lived a life of "discipline".
However, the CPS said it not seen or received any correspondence from the royal family, despite Ball's claims to have been a friend of Prince Charles.
The CPS said it had taken the decision to release letters from "significant people" of influence at the time but not other "non-senior" individuals.
A spokesman for the Church of England said: "It is a matter of deep shame and regret that a bishop in the Church of England was sentenced earlier this year for a series of offences over 15 years against 18 young men known to him.
"There are no excuses whatsoever for what took place, nor for the systematic abuse of trust perpetrated by Peter Ball."