How do we begin to understand the scale of what is unfolding in the Middle East?

The crisis across the region grows by the day.
As if all that were not enough, Yemen is now effectively in the hands of a rebel group that has removed the country's government, prompting a bombing campaign led by its bigger and more powerful neighbour, Saudi Arabia.
Meanwhile, the Saudis, when not bombing Yemen or looking anxiously at the growing influence of Iran across the region, nervously eye their own population for signs of the same popular unrest that a few years ago set in motion the series of upheavals somewhat optimistically called the Arab Spring.
Increasingly, commentators see much of what is happening in the Middle East through the prism of a straight fight between Saudi Arabia and Iran for regional dominance.
This so-called proxy war is conveyed in different ways.
Some see it as a sectarian conflict between the Saudis, who are Sunni Muslims, and Iran, a Shia Muslim country.
Others use a different analogy, that of the Cold War, in which two power blocs fight for influence across a swathe of territory, on the guiding principle of backing your enemy's enemy, with every decision informed by the desire to ensure that your opponent does not get the upper hand in the fight for spheres of influence.
In that narrative, Saudi Arabia crushes the Shia protest movement against the Sunni monarchy in Bahrain so that the country does not fall under Iranian influence.
Similarly, Iran backs Bashar Assad's regime to keep Syria as an important ally in the region and stop it falling into the hands of Sunni groups.
Other commentators take the war analogy one step further and claim the Middle East is engaged in a "hot war" between Saudi Arabia and Iran, played out in the continuing military conflicts in Iraq, Syria and Yemen.
All these interpretations disguise other currents and alliances that are gradually emerging - not all predictable and some rather surprising.
So while the Saudis and Iranians fight each other through proxies, they make common cause to destroy IS.
Similarly, in the battle to destroy IS, the US and Iran - long-standing enemies in the Middle East -  share a common goal.
Officially, they do not co-operate - that is denied strongly - but there are reports of information sharing through channels.
This causes much consternation to Saudi Arabia, the main US ally in the Arab world, which is not at all happy that Iran's power and influence is growing.
So how big is Iran's influence across the region?
Iran is an important and significant force in Syria, Iraq and Lebanon. In Syria, Iran is providing crucial and significant support to the Assad government.
In Iraq, Iran plays a key role, which includes backing the Shia militias there.
In Lebanon, Iran's writ runs through Hezbollah.
And then there is Iran's continuing support for Hamas, the dominant movement in Gaza.
But Iran is not alone in throwing its weight around and busying itself with strengthening alliances in the region. Saudi Arabia is staking its own claim.
The Saudi-Egyptian relationship is close. Egypt is a major beneficiary of Saudi aid.
Egypt has been important in helping to organise a new regional military force after what happened in Yemen.
This new force is arguably aimed at countering Iranian influence as well as fighting Islamist extremism.
Elsewhere, the retaking of the Syrian town of Idlib in recent days by rebel forces is the first setback in some months for the Assad regime.
And anything that is bad for Assad's prospects is welcome news to Saudi Arabia.
There have been unverified and indeed unverifiable claims - nothing more - of Saudi support for some rebel groups, as well as speculation that the Saudis are working much more closely with Turkey in protection of mutual interests in the region.
But it is fair to say that the Saudis are no longer averse to finding new ways of asserting themselves across the entire region.
There is a belief among some analysts and commentators that, in the shifting landscape of the Middle East, there is a desire for more autonomy among Sunni Arab states, and a gradual loosening of ties with their traditional ally, the US.
The unfolding conflict in Yemen provides another insight into the calculations and rivalries fuelling the instability in the region.
Even here, things are not as straightforward as they might appear. Yemen, which has a Sunni majority, is unstable and dangerous.
The country has been the base for al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, one of the most dangerous of the al-Qaeda affiliates.
The rebel Houthis, now attracting worldwide attention, are indigenous to Yemen and are a hardy fighting force.
They know the terrain and in the past decade or so have fought several small-scale battles across the country.
Again, some analysts see Yemen as the victim of a proxy war between Saudi Arabia and Iran.
The narrative works like this.
The Houthis follow a form of Shia Islam (so are on "the same side" as the Iranians) and are guilty of displacing the Saudi-backed Sunni government of Yemen, something unpalatable to the Saudis, thereby leading them to undertake military action.
The proponents of the proxy-war scenario say that neither side can back down over Yemen, so how does it end? Is it open-ended?
The Saudi foreign minister spoke of a Yemen "returned to security, stability and unity" but with no detail on how long that might take.
The Iranians have denied military involvement in Yemen but Iran admits backing the Houthis financially.
It is hard to know the truth. However, some analysts agree that the Iranians provide money but do not control the Houthi rebels in the same way as their other proxies, such as Hezbollah.
The countries taking part in the bombing of Yemen is an instructive list.
The Arab coalition is a feat in itself, given the dismal record of Arab nations in the past when it comes to co-operating with each other.
It includes:
The development of this sizeable grouping runs the danger, according to some who watch the region, that the bombing will slowly but surely turn a civil conflict into a larger Sunni-Shia war with Iran.
Any account of the current crisis in the Middle East has to mention Iraq.
The conflict there has sometimes slipped under the radar for periods, until the IS announced itself by routing Iraqi Government forces and taking Iraq's second biggest city, Mosul.
As a result, in today's Iraq, the US finds itself fighting IS alongside Iran.
US officials deny co-operating with Iran as such.
Yet the recent US bombing of Tikrit underlines some of the alliances of convenience and the uncertain consequences.
The strategically important Tikrit - Saddam Hussein's home town - is in the heart of Sunni territory in central Iraq.
It is the gateway to the bigger city of Mosul and the eventual military goal of retaking it from IS.
But the US runs the danger of being seen to side with Shia militias - who make up the bulk of the military forces battling IS - over Iraq's Sunni population.
These very same Shia fighters face accusations of a terrible human rights record and a propensity to sectarian bloodshed.
The other danger for the US is that the Shia militia will capture too much of Iraq's territory in the fight against IS, further alienating Iraq's Sunnis.
And according to some analysts the US-led campaign in Iraq is effectively bolstering the Assad regime in Syria by weakening its most dangerous enemy, IS.
That would be the very Syrian regime that the US has spent so long trying to dislodge.
It is fair to say that the Middle East is never far from the minds of political leaders the world over.
But there are, as ever, other pressing distractions.
President Obama is coming to the end of his second term and has been focused on the Iranian nuclear question.
Britain is in the middle of one of the most closely fought election campaigns in living memory.
And the big European powers are worrying about Vladimir Putin's Russia.
A news story in the Guardian newspaper in recent days conveyed the drip-drip effect of years of conflict and how remarkable stories eventually become commonplace.
The story was about the collapse of the education system in Syria, with at least a quarter of schools damaged or destroyed, with enrolment rates at 50%, down from the pre-war levels in which nearly all Syrian children went to school.
The information came from a report from the Save The Children charity.
In normal circumstances such a story might be expected to provoke widespread comment and all kinds of questions. But terrible stories emerge almost daily from Syria and this one just ended up as one more tale to add to the growing list of human tragedies across the region.


So the surprise election is on, all set for 8 June.

But what does an unexpected two month hiatus mean for Parliament, and the people who work there?
Last week, the Leader of the House David Lidington thanked the staff of the House and expressed hope they'd get to "put their feet up" between the dissolution of Parliament and when MPs return, sometime in mid June.
The Parliamentary estate, usually a hive of activity on weekdays from committee hearings at 9am to the rising of the House of Lords at 10pm, will be quieter than usual.
Westminster will temporarily cede its place as the centre of British politics. From 12:01am on 3 May there'll be no sitting MPs and incumbents and their staff will be banned from their Westminster offices entirely.
So what are we missing out on in Westminster while politicians and journalists head out across the country?
With an unexpected election and just a week of parliamentary time left, some government bills will not make it into law, while those that do may be rushed through with concessions to opposition parties.
The Finance (No. 2) Bill, Criminal Finance Bill and the Higher Education and Research Bill are among the pieces of legislation likely to get through (albeit with some tweaks), while the Prison and Courts Bill, and the Vehicle Technology and Aviation Bill are among those which will not make it.
Whether any of these bills will return or not will be up to the incoming government. Almost all of the hundreds of remaining private members' bills, on subjects as diverse as bat habitats and aircraft noise will also fail.
The invitation to explain yourself in front of a select committee is one of the most feared appointments in public life. This parliament has seen explosive question sessions with the likes of Mike Ashley on working conditions at Sports Direct, Sir Philip Green on the collapse of BHS and the bosses of British Cycling.
But from 3 May there'll be no select committees, no questioning and because of the unexpected nature of the election, many of the hundreds of outstanding inquiries will not be concluded.
Others will have reports rushed out. Some will continue where they left off when the Commons returns, but there's no guarantee committee chairs and their priorities will remain the same.
Committee chairs like Culture, Media and Sport's Damian Collins, currently in the midst of high profile inquiries into fake news and doping in sport, are left to hope new committees will pick up where they left off.
They may not have to put themselves up for election, but peers will take an extended break too. All scheduled business for 3 May onwards is cancelled, and the House won't return until after the election.
So don't expect an answer to Baroness Jones of Whitchurch's question on the badger cull, scheduled to be asked on 4 May, anytime soon.
Many events due to be held within the Palace of Westminster will be cancelled.
Any event due to be hosted by an MP after 2 May won't happen. Most poignantly the unveiling of the memorial plaque to the murdered Labour MP Jo Cox in the House of Commons chamber was scheduled for 20 May, but is now cancelled. On Thursday the Speaker, John Bercow, promised the event would take place as soon as possible for after the election.
But for the Palace of Westminster itself, away from the politics, it's business as usual.
Far from staff putting their feet up, maintenance work will continue, commercial functions will be held in the building's hospitality areas, preparations will be made for the new intake of MPs and the lack of sittings will mean there can be more guided tours.
All without the inconvenience of MPs, peers and their legions of staff cluttering the place up...


Hundreds of people have gathered in central London for a march ahead of International Women's Day on Wednesday.

The #march4women event, organised by the charity Care International, aims to highlight the plight of female refugees.
Among those taking part is singer Annie Lennox, who said "half the world really needs our voice".
The Mayor of London Sadiq Khan told crowds: "This is what a feminist looks like."
Campaigners chanted "women's rights are human rights" as they marched across Tower Bridge.
Women's March: 'This is for our daughters'
Live coverage of International Women's Day
Celebrities including Emeli Sande, Melanie C and Kate Nash led a sing-along on London's Southbank.
Activist and singer Annie Lennox suggested that US President Donald Trump has been "helpful" in drumming up support for women's rights, saying his "locker room talk" acted as a "catalyst" for many women.
Dr Helen Pankhurst is the great grand-daughter of British suffragette Emmeline Pankhurst and is one of the event's organisers.
She said: "The fact that the most powerful person in the world has regressive views in terms of issues to do with equality and diversity is a major problem in this world.
"But that is actually getting more people into the streets and on social media demanding change. So that's what we need to do, we need to be even more forceful in our statements about the values we hold."
The human rights campaigner Bianca Jagger said she was calling for people "to think about what we are facing with a President in the US who wants to belittle women, who wants to reduce all rights".


A British man and a beach worker have died at an Italian beach after they went to help the tourist's daughter who got into difficulties in rough seas.

Italian reports say the 11-year-old girl had been playing in the sea with her grandfather at a beach at Ostuni on the south-east coast near Brindisi.
When the pair struggled in a strong current, the girl's father and the local worker rushed to their aid.
They too were overcome by the waves and rescuers struggled to reach them.
The girl and her grandfather were eventually brought to safety.
The British tourist has not been officially identified, but local media named him as 48-year-old Simon Alessandro Pearson.
The UK foreign office said in a statement it was "supporting the family of a British man following his death".
The local worker has been identified as Martino Maggi, 49.
They were both rescued alive but died shortly afterwards despite attempts by rescue workers to save them, Ostuni Notizie website reports (in Italian).
The incident unfolded at about 10:00 (08:00 GMT) on Tuesday, at Bosco Verde beach.
Officials say the sea there is notorious for a strong north-easterly wind  and local reports suggest the two men who died were unable to get back to the shore because of the strength of the current.
"That stretch of coastline unfortunately isn't new to this kind of tragedy," Giuseppe Chiarelli of Brindisi port authority told Rai TV.


A householder suffered "life-changing injuries" when he was shot by burglars through a bedroom door.

The victim, aged in his 40s, was hit in the leg after two men forced their way into his home in Sible Hedingham, Essex, in the early hours of Saturday.
They threatened their victim before shooting him through a door after he locked himself in the bedroom, said police.
The men then fled the house without taking anything.
Police found the wounded man after being called just before 04:40 GMT.
"He locked himself in a bedroom and it is believed a gun was then fired through the door injuring him," said Det Sgt Mark Cadd, of Essex Police.
"This was an extremely distressing incident for the victim and he has suffered life-changing injuries which have left him in great pain.
"I urgently need to find the men responsible."
Any witnesses who spotted anything suspicious in the village should contact police, he said.
The two suspects are white, in their 20s, of slim build and wore dark clothing. One is described as bald.
Officers are carrying out a forensic search at the scene and house-to-house inquiries are under way.


Outside the Turkish Embassy in Moscow there is a heap of flowers and a hand-coloured paper flag left in sympathy after this week's suicide attack in Istanbul.

The pile is small and the carnations have wilted in the sun, but the gesture reflects a dramatically different mood to last November when hundreds of Russians came here to hurl stones, eggs and insults.
The breakdown in relations came after Turkish fighter jets shot down a Russian military plane on the border with Syria. The pilot was killed as he attempted to parachute to safety.
Vladimir Putin lashed out, calling it a stab in the back and state media here echoed his furious tone. The airwaves filled with talk of treachery.
Then came the sanctions: a ban on charter flights to hugely popular Turkish resorts, restrictions on Turkish imports and for firms operating here and the introduction of visas.
In a matter of months, one opinion poll showed Turkey leaping from nowhere to third place among the countries Russians view as their enemy, behind the US and Ukraine.
But that anger is now dissipating as suddenly as it was whipped-up.
This week, Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan formally apologised for downing the plane - or that is how Russia is reading his carefully chosen words.
President Putin, who had insisted on that apology, immediately ordered talks on restoring ties.
In what many saw as a battle of wills, it looks like Mr Erdogan blinked first. The political about-turn that followed has been dizzyingly swift.
By Friday, the Russian and Turkish foreign ministers were shaking hands in Sochi. And after months accusing Turkey of collaborating with extremist groups in Syria, Russia now says military and anti-terrorist contacts have been renewed.
Next up, are package holidays. Turkey has long been a key destination for Russians and their sudden disappearance hit the local economy hard. Ankara now says charter flights will resume by 7 July.
Russia's official reason for cancelling flights was security concerns, after Moscow accused Ankara of supporting extremists.
Turkey argues that this week's devastating bomb attack on Istanbul airport was further grim proof that it is not an ally of so-called Islamic State, but a target.
Still, the increased terror threat has made some Russians wary of visiting.
"I think it's frightening, I wouldn't recommend it," Tatyana told me, as she waited for a bus in central Moscow.
She has enjoyed holidays in Turkey before, but says she will not go back for now.
"I'd prefer to visit my grandparents in the country instead," she said.
Others displayed a typically Russian insouciance.
"People visited Egypt during the Arab Spring and I think tourist areas are well protected," Evgeny said, adding that his family had to holiday in Russia this year, and it had been lower quality and more expensive.
Tour agencies have already reported a surge in enquiries about Turkey.
"I would say the reaction was quite restrained despite efforts to stir it up, so will be quick and easy to switch back.
"It's not like the anti Western mood which has deeper roots and is based on resentment," argues Lev Gudkov, director of the Levada research centre.
While people were genuinely upset when the plane was downed, he says, their anger was directed at the Turkish authorities not its people.
"I think there will be some aftertaste, but if the campaign is not escalated again then it will all be forgotten quite quickly," Mr Gudkov believes.
Those heading to work close to the Turkish Embassy, generally agreed.
"They wound us up for so long, then all of a sudden it's over! It's all so fast, my brain hasn't switched yet!" Sergei said. He has been to Turkey five times on holiday and plans to return.
"It did feel like a betrayal, but those feelings pass," Alexander argued.
"Politicians play their games and people suffer. I think it's wrong to punish the whole country for that."


Nineteen-year-old Memory Banda is a gender rights activist who fights against the age-old custom in Malawi of sending girls to so-called "initiation camps" after they start their first period.

12 October 2016 Last updated at 14:33 BST
The camps aim is to teach girls their "duties as wives" and how to please a man sexually.
This is part a regular series on African Women You Need to Know.
Video journalist: Maryam Ghanbarzadeh


Ricky Hatton's return to the ring ended in a devastating defeat, the hometown hero knocked out by Vyacheslav Senchenko at the Manchester Arena.

Hatton started brightly but his Ukrainian opponent was in charge of the fight by the middle rounds and landing with some damaging right hands.
And a heavily marked Hatton, 34, was floored by a left to the kidney at the end of the ninth, from which he was unable to recover.
The defeat means Hatton, who had not fought since being knocked out by Manny Pacquiao in 2009, is unlikely to fight on.
"Ricky was a bit too aggressive. Will he look at himself in the mirror tomorrow morning and want to punch himself in the face? Nobody would have criticised him for taking a 'tune up' opponent. A year ago Senchenko was a world champion - you shouldn't walk back into those fights. I don't know what he was thinking when he took this fight."
"I am really heartbroken," he said.
"It was a good shot - I should have realised he was looking for that. I suppose that is what three and a half years out of the ring does.
"I am just gutted. I am not a failure. That is not how my career should end but I have to have a good think about it now."
The former two-weight world champion, who now has 45 wins and three defeats as a professional, said he was returning for redemption after three years of struggling with depression and substance abuse.
And 20,000 raucous fans at the Manchester Arena, plus a host of celebrities and boxing royalty seated ringside, were proof there is still no greater draw in British boxing than Hatton.
The pre-fight atmosphere, replete with choruses of "There's only one Ricky Hatton", was redolent of his most glorious nights at the venue, including his defeat of IBF light-welterweight champion Kostya Tszyu in 2005.
But there was to be no fairytale return for Hatton against a former world champion whom many had warned against him fighting.
Hatton admitted it would be a struggle to shackle his emotions on his comeback but he made a circumspect start.
He managed to get inside Senchenko's long jab to land with a couple of flurries but was already noticeably marked up after the first round.
Hatton backed Senchenko on to the ropes at the start of round two but when the Ukrainian hit back with a few hurtful right hands it was clear Hatton was in a fight.
The Manchester fighter went to work on the body in round three, landing with some punishing left hooks, but Senchenko landed with a juddering right cross towards the end of the round that drew gasps from the crowd.
This was only 35-year-old Vyacheslav Senchenko's fourth fight away from his home in Ukraine, but his impressive record now reads 22 KOs in 33 wins from 34 contests.
The tall, upright Senchenko continued to get through with jabs in round four but Hatton landed with two big right hands that appeared to rattle his opponent for the first time in the fight.
With Hatton coming forward in straight lines, Senchenko continued to pepper him with jabs in the fifth and probably did enough to win the round.
Senchenko stopped his rival in his tracks with two more ramrod overhand rights midway through the sixth, a round the visitor won by some distance.
Hatton opened a cut under Senchenko's left eye at the start of the seventh and both men looked extremely fatigued as they made their way to their corners at the end of the round, which was probably Senchenko's again.
Hatton's legs appeared to sag under the weight of another right hand at the start of the eighth and there was an increasingly desperate air about the Englishman's work as the fight entered its final rounds.
With both eyes heavily swollen and his left hook becoming wilder and wilder, Hatton shipped some heavy punishment in the ninth before Senchenko delivered the coup de grace, a devastating left to the kidney.
For a moment it looked like Hatton would rise from his knee but he was eventually counted out by referee Victor Loughlin, to the disbelief of the crowd.
Hatton required treatment in the ring before dissolving into tears, his hopes and dreams, and those of his fanatical supporters, having turned into a nightmare.
Hatton had hoped to fight Paulie Malignaggi, whom he beat in 2008 and who won the WBA welterweight crown from Senchenko earlier this year.
Malignaggi had already said he would take a rematch but that bout, as well as potential bouts against domestic rivals Amir Khan and Kell Brook, is now highly unlikely to happen.
Hatton, who has learned what many other boxers have learned before him, namely that coming back is hard to do, will probably now concentrate on his training and promoting commitments.


Japanese animated film-maker Studio Ghibli, whose hits including Oscar winner Spirited Away, has announced a halt in production.

Co-founder Toshio Suzuki told Japanese television the company was likely to undergo an overhaul, although a total end to film-making has been discussed.
The changes come after lead director Hayao Miyazaki retired from the anime makers in September.
His hit Spirited Away won the Academy Award for best animation in 2002.
Howl's Moving Castle landed an Oscar nomination two years later, while Miyazaki's work has been credited with bringing Japanese animation to a broad global audience.
Suzuki said in his TV appearance: "It is by no means impossible to keep producing [movies] forever. However, we will take a brief pause to consider where to go from here."
He added that a period of "housecleaning" was necessary after the departure of Miyazaki, and would be needed to allow new animators and directors to make their mark.
The studio has admitted that the departure of its most recognisable film-maker has caused them to reconsider the future.
Some media outlets  initially reported that the anime studio was ceasing production entirely and would exist with a much smaller staff to deal with rights for its existing output in film, video games and merchandise.
But reports were amended after Suzuki's appearance on Japan's TBS network had been precisely translated.
Studio Ghibli has made animated movies for almost 30 years, with other hits including Princess Monoke and My Neighbour Totoro.
The Wind Rises was Miyazaki's swansong feature last year which premiered at the Venice Film Festival.
There have been two subsequent Ghibli releases which were made by other directors, the most recent being When Marnie Was There, which came out in Japan last month.


A trader who operated from his parents' home in London has pleaded guilty in the US to helping trigger a 2010 Wall Street "flash crash".

Navinder Sarao, 37, pleaded guilty to wire fraud and spoofing.
Sarao, from Hounslow, who was shackled in the Chicago courtroom, was told he faces up to 30 years in prison after admitting the charges in a plea deal.
The crash on 6 May 2010 wiped nearly $1tn off the value of US shares.
Sarao, who traded futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange from west London, was sent to the US to face federal charges after last month losing a legal challenge against his extradition.
US authorities say he manipulated the market by "spoofing" over a five-year period, contributing to market instability that led to a brief 1,000-point fall on the Dow Jones index in New York.
Spoofing is the practice of placing large orders before cancelling or changing them, allowing traders to buy or sell at a profit.
Navinder Sarao: Who is the 'flash crash' trader?
Sarao agreed to pay the US government $12.8m (Â£10.3m), the amount prosecutors said he earned from his illegal trading.
He will be released on a $750,000 bond and will be allowed to return to the UK pending sentencing in the US, judge Virginia Kendall said.
Sarao's family members offered their homes to secure his release, and the judge called them in open court to confirm they understood the terms of the agreement.
Sarao had faced 22 charges carrying sentences totalling a maximum of 380 years.


A former football player who played for Colombia's national team in the 1990s has been charged with drug trafficking.

Diego Leon Osorio, 46, is accused of trying to smuggle more than 1kg (two pounds) of cocaine to Spain concealed in his underwear, which he denies.
He was arrested at the international airport in the Colombian city of Medellin in October.
If found guilty, Mr Osorio could face up to 12 years in prison.
Mr Osorio played for Colombia's national team in the Copa America in 1991 and 1993 and also at the Barcelona Olympics in 1993.
He also played for Colombian teams Atletico Nacional, Santa Fe and Medellin.
Local media say that after his retirement from football at the age of 29, Mr Osorio managed a number of hotels around Medellin.
He still played occasionally in charity matches with his former teammate Carlos Valderrama.


In Saudi Arabia, in the Middle East, voting has been something that only men could do, but now things are about to change.

12 December 2015 Last updated at 11:32 GMT
Women will be able to vote and also stand for elections, so they will decide how the streets are looked after and how the rubbish is collected.
But they still can't vote in the big elections to decide who will run their country, and it's the only place in the world where women aren't allowed to drive.
Although this is a big moment for women in the country, there is a still a long way to go before women and men there are equal.


Lithuania is set to adopt the euro on 1 January 2015, after the European Commission said it had met the criteria for joining the single currency.

It will become the 19th member of the eurozone out of 28 countries in the European Union, and the last of the Baltic states to join.
The Commission, in its report, said a formal decision would be made by EU governments next month.
The UK and Denmark are the only EU states with opt-outs from the euro.
All other countries are expected to join. Estonia was the first Baltic state to become a member of the eurozone in 2011, followed by Latvia on 1 January 2014.
Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite, on a visit to Poland, welcomed the decision: "We'll be in the club of the strongest, we'll be able to take part in the decisions ourselves - currently we are on the other side of the door."
Looking forward to dropping the existing currency, the lita, Prime Minister Algirdas Butkevicius said joining the euro also gave Lithuania added security in the face of the Ukrainian crisis.
Prospective members have to meet "convergence criteria", which are also assessed by the European Central Bank (ECB), requiring
In its assessment, the ECB warned that keeping inflation low in Lithuania "will be challenging in the medium term". Lithuania tried to join the euro earlier but was badly affected by the financial crisis.
However, EU Economics Affairs Commissioner Olli Rehn praised the economic reforms adopted by the government in Vilnius.
"That reform momentum, driven in part by Lithuania's EU accession 10 years ago, has led to a striking increase in Lithuanians' prosperity," he said in a statement.


Swansea City defender Federico Fernandez says he is set to sign a new contract at the Premier League club.

The Argentina centre-back, 27, was one of three Swans players the club received offers for in January, according to chairman Huw Jenkins.
But Fernandez, who played a major part as Paul Clement's side beat relegation rivals Leicester City on Sunday, said he was pleased to stay.
"Probably in the next week I will sign a new contract," said Fernandez.
Fernandez, who joined Swansea from Napoli in August 2014, did not reveal which clubs had been keen on signing him last month, but said assurances from the Swans had helped make up his mind.
"They said I was very important for the team. They are confident in me," he said. "The offers came in, the club said no and I am happy to stay."
Against the Foxes, Fernandez's defensive partner Alfie Mawson, opened the scoring with an impressive volley.
Fernandez said he was enjoying playing alongside Mawson after the Swans initially struggled to cope with the loss of former captain Ashley Williams, who joined Everton in the summer.
"Alfie works hard every day on the training ground," said Fernandez.
"I try to stay compact and help him next to me. He's got a lot of potential. He's a young guy. He will play in the Premier League for many years I hope.
"He tries to score goals like that in training, but that one was amazing."
The win over Leicester meant Swansea leapfrogged their opponents and are now 15th in the table, four points above the relegation places.
"We have a long way to go, but we are doing things in the right way," added Fernandez, whose side are away at leaders Chelsea next (25 February, 15:00 GMT kick-off).


World Sailing says the water quality at the Rio 2016 sailing venue needs major improvement, as organisers prepare to open a new pipe belt to divert sewage.

Tests at Guanabara Bay have revealed high levels of bacteria and viruses coming from human sewage.
Two sailors contracted infections at a test event in August, which they claim were caused by the waters.
Rio Olympic organisers said earlier this month that the health and safety of athletes is "always a top priority".
Seven of the 10 sailing events in the Brazilian city will launch into the Marina de Gloria, where the new pipeline is due to open this month.
"The Marina area is our biggest challenge; it's critical it's completed and we start seeing a difference," World Sailing's head of events Alastair Fox told BBC Sport.
"It's essential that it improves radically - from a health point of view and also for showcasing the sport."
Nearly 70% of sewage in Rio is spilled raw into its surrounding waters.
Sailors have also reported seeing pollution, including furniture and floating animal carcasses, while drug-resistant "super-bacteria" were found in the area last December.
A statement from the Rio 2016 organising committee earlier this month said: "There is no doubt water within the field of play meets the relevant standards."
The Games begin on 5 August.
Following the test event at Guanabara Bay in August, German sailor Erik Heil and South Korean windsurfer Wonwoo Cho both attributed their illnesses to the water quality.
However, World Sailing says the 8% illness rate at the event was lower than average for regattas.
It also says doctors feel those illnesses could have been prevented, and believes athletes can minimise the risks by following hygiene guidelines, such as taking showers after exiting the water.
British two-time Olympic champion Sarah Gosling, now the athletes' representative on the World Sailing council, believes the pursuit of Olympic gold will outweigh any risks involved in the minds of competitors.
"Winning a gold medal will make up for anything - it's really not that relevant," Gosling told the Associated Press on Tuesday.
"There are plenty and plenty of reports out there about athletes who their whole life is about winning medals, and anything that happens on the way is kind of irrelevant.
"For sailing to be in the centre of the Olympics right there, for athletes to be able to stay in the village, to be able to go to the opening and closing ceremony, it's a massive deal."
World Sailing has had reports the rubbish in the water at Guanabara Bay, where Marina de Gloria opens into, is higher than usual because of rainy season deluges washing items into it.
Fox will conduct the latest site visit in late January to assess progress.
"We're doing as much as we can to work with the Rio authorities," he said, adding World Sailing also had back-up plans to treat the water should the work not be completed.
"When racing near a big city, water quality is always an issue. We've no intention of not holding the competition there. The reality is that sailors want to be racing in Rio.
"We need to start seeing data from all the course areas in the dry season to see that water quality is at an acceptable level - as they were in August at the test event in the Guanabara Bay."


The 16.46 from London Euston to Crewe was the most overcrowded rail service in England and Wales between September and December last year, figures from the Department for Transport show.

The service was 111% over capacity at its busiest point - meaning there were 229 passengers standing and 206 sitting down.
The operator, London Midland, has since doubled the number of carriages.
The government has called on all operators to reduce overcrowding.
The second most overcrowded train was the 07:32 from Woking to London Waterloo, a service run by South West Trains.
Third was the 07:21 from Oxford to London Paddington, operated by First Great Western.
The DfT said its data was collected on a "typical" weekday between September and December last year.
It stressed that its top 10 was a "one-off snapshot", which might not be an accurate guide to current overcrowding.
Despite that, there were similarities between the top 10s collected in autumn and spring last year.
The 16:46 from Euston to Crewe was top of both lists, while the 07:32 from Woking to Waterloo, and the 07:21 from Oxford to Paddington, were sixth and fifth respectively in the spring list.
South West trains said it was increasing capacity on its service, while First Great Western said it had already added 28 seats.
Overall, the DfT said services going to and from London were the most overcrowded, with the average train 3.1% over capacity at peak times in autumn last year.
A train's capacity is defined as all seats, plus a standing allowance if passengers are standing for less than 20 minutes.
In the high peak, which is 08:00 to 09:00, 38% of London services were over capacity, and 81% had passengers standing.
Outside London, Sheffield had the most overcrowding, with the average train 2.6% overcapacity at peak times in autumn last year.
Manchester was second at 1.6%, with Leeds third at 1.5%.
Transport Minister Claire Perry said: "On too many journeys, passengers have to stand in cramped conditions.
"Train operators must act now; they must find new ways to create space on the network and in their trains."
The Rail Delivery Group, which represents Network Rail and rail operators, said it was boosting capacity to cope with increased demand.
"We recognise that some services remain crowded and understand people's frustration when they cannot get a seat," a spokesman said.
"Because rail users are at the heart of what we do, the industry is already planning to increase peak-time seats into and out of many major cities by a third in the next five years."


Wales full-back Ben Davies admits he is "frustrated" by his lack of Premier League starts since joining Tottenham from Swansea in the summer.

The 21-year-old has played seven times for Spurs, but only one of those appearances was in the top flight.
Davies told Sport Wales he is determined to make the grade.
"It's frustrating at times. But coming here I was taking nothing for granted that I was going to walk straight into the first team," he said.
"I have to bide my time, take my chances and work hard, as I do every day.
"And when that chance arises to get the games in the Premier League, then I've got to be ready for that and take it with both hands."
Davies's only league appearance under Mauricio Pochettino came as a 72nd-minute substitute for Danny Rose against Liverpool, who were already 3-0 up.
But he has started four Europa League matches, and the League Cup ties against Nottingham Forest and Brighton.
He was also in the Wales side for their Euro 2016 qualifiers against Andorra and Bosnia-Hercegovina.
"I feel like I'm improving as a player every time I get the chance to get out there," said Davies.
"It's sometimes difficult not playing as many games as I'd like maybe in the Premier League, but that's part and parcel of it all."
Davies made his debut for Swansea as a 19-year-old in August 2012 and quickly established himself as first-choice left-back when Neil Taylor suffered a long-term injury.
He joined Spurs on a five-year contract in July and says he would not currently consider the possibility of returning to the Swans on loan.
"I'm 100% focused here at the moment and I haven't really thought that far ahead," he said.
"I think it would be silly of me to put that idea into my head right now.
"I've got to prove to everyone here, and to myself really, that I can do a job at this club and that is what I want to do.
"I want to push on as far as I can and be as successful as I can at Spurs."
You can see more of the interview with Ben Davies on Sport Wales on BBC Two Wales on Friday, 7 November at 19:00 GMT and on the BBC iPlayer.


More people should be eating the sea lettuce which clogs up beaches each year, a chef has said.

11 June 2016 Last updated at 11:40 BST
Joe Baugh, who serves the green algae at the Savoy Hotel restaurant in Jersey, believes in its health benefits.
States officials in Jersey have previously raised concerns that the smell of sea lettuce at St Aubin's Bay puts off tourists, while the sandy shores of France and Rhode Island have also been plagued by the green stuff.
But in China, Japan and Korea people have been eating different types of seaweed for centuries.
"Sea lettuce is the new kale" and is "great for digestion, great for speeding up metabolism", Mr Baugh said.
He suggested a breakfast smoothie and makes it a regular part of his diet.


The name of a new polar research vessel will be chosen by a panel of experts, even if the public overwhelmingly votes to call it Boaty McBoatface.

Lord West, ex-First Sea Lord, said he was rather proud "silly names" had been suggested but hoped none were chosen.
The Natural Environment Research Council had urged people to name its ship in a competition, which saw Boaty McBoatface easily topping the poll.
The final name will be selected by the NERC, according to competition rules.
Boaty McBoatface is currently leading with more than 27,000 votes, while the second place pick trails with around 3,000.
When internet polls are hijacked
The names Pingu, Usain Boat and It's Bloody Cold Here have also been put forward.
Lord West told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "It's a typical thing of the Brits going mad - normally silly season, rather than this time of the year."
He said the NERC had only expected "marine research fans" to get involved.
"I think I would probably go for an Arctic or Antarctic explorer - that would be appropriate - bearing in mind this is a key bit of research where we are probably leading the world, and we should all be very proud of it.
"I'm rather proud that we have silly names going around, but I hope we don't select one."
The state-of-the-art Â£200m vessel will be launched in 2019 to replace Royal Research Ships (RRS) Ernest Shackleton and James Clark Ross.
Launching the competition to name it last week, the NERC said it was looking for something inspirational - something that would exemplify the ship's work.
"We are excited to hear what the public have to suggest and we really are open to ideas," the chief executive said.
On Sunday, the poll website crashed under the weight of people trying to cast their votes.
James Hand, a former BBC Radio Jersey presenter, was behind the suggestion of Boaty McBoatface but says he has since apologised to the NERC.
"I've actually been speaking a bit to the people behind the website. I've apologised profusely.
"What I keep saying to people is, this is actually nothing to do with me. I made the suggestion but the storm that's been created, it's got legs of its own.
"I just feel it's a very British thing, which a lot of people have pointed out."
Julia Maddock, acting associate director of communications and engagement at the NERC, responded to Mr Hand's apology on Twitter, saying her organisation was "loving it".
In another tweet, she wrote: "We wanted people to talk about our ship and get involved. We are delighted!"
Mr Hand said he was "still thoroughly rooting" for his idea to be chosen but understood the public's choices were only ever a suggestion.
In second place, with more than 3,000 votes, is RRS Henry Worsley. Worsley died trying to make the first unassisted solo crossing of the Antarctic in January.
Another of the more serious suggestions is RRS David Attenborough.
The 15,000-tonne, 128m-long vessel is being built at Cammell Laird on Merseyside.


Plymouth's Derriford Hospital has opened 41 extra beds in a bid to cope after declaring it was on "red alert" because of patient demand.

The hospital is cancelling about 15 planned operations a day to deal with the problem.
Bosses have apologised to patients affected and appealed for staff to work overtime.
"Derriford Hospital is extremely busy, operating on red alert," Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust said.
Read more on this story as it develops throughout the day on Devon's Local Live pages
"We have opened 41 escalation beds - every extra bed in every extra space we have.
"However, these beds are not planned for and therefore we did not have rostered staff to care for patients in these beds."
'Extremely difficult'
It admitted that as an acute care hospital, it was "extremely difficult" to deal with the increased demand from people who are living longer but suffering more illness and disability.
"This is a national phenomenon but felt particularly in the south-west due to the age profile of our population," the trust continued.
"We cannot turn away patients who are medical emergencies but the demand for beds means we are having to cancel around 15 planned operations and procedures per day.
"Our staff are working extremely hard, often giving over and above beyond what we would expect."
The NHS uses a national internal alert system based on the colours green, amber, red and black to rank how busy a local health and social care system is.
The Royal Cornwall Hospital in Treliske and the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital are also both on red alert.


England off-spinner James Tredwell has backed Alastair Cook to remain as one-day captain after calls from Kevin Pietersen for him to resign.

Saturday's eight-wicket defeat by Sri Lanka was England's 15th in 22 ODI's against Test-playing nations.
Tredwell, 32, says that Cook is handling the pressure and a good score from him is just round the corner.
"We are a team, he is our leader and we want that to continue," Tredwell told BBC Sport.
After the defeat that put England 2-0 down in the seven-match series in Sri Lanka, Pietersen wrote on Twitter: "Dear Alastair, if you care about England's chances this winter, please resign."
Cook made only 22 as England were bowled out for 185 in Colombo, taking his 2014 tally in 50-over internationals to 436 runs in 16 matches at an average of 29.
Tredwell said: "He (Cook) is just working on getting that score, which is just round the corner. He is a class player and we are all behind him in his leadership as well."
The Kent bowler blamed England's disappointing run of results on an inability to put together match-winning performances with bat and ball.
He added: "There has been the odd glimpse, but we've not put scores on the board and bowled well as unit in the same game. We have to put it together as one and do that game in game out. That is our challenge."
Sri Lanka batsman Mahela Jayawardene, man-of-the-match in the eight-wicket win on Saturday, has asked to be excused from the third ODI on Wednesday in Hambantota for personal reasons.
Seam bowler Chris Woakes missed England training because of a stomach upset on Monday but is hoping to be available.
Cook's side now have nine more games - five in the ongoing series in Sri Lanka and four in a tri-series with Australia and India - before the World Cup begins in February.


Worcestershire booked a place in the One-Day Cup quarter-finals with a 35-run Duckworth-Lewis win over Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge.

Half-centuries from Riki Wessels (50), Samit Patel (55) and Dan Christian (54) helped Notts make 284-8 in 50 overs.
Tom Fell (63*) and Daryl Mitchell (61*) saw the visitors to 138-1 off 24 overs - way ahead of the D/L par score - when rain ended the match at 19:45 BST.
Nottinghamshire were eliminated from the competition by the defeat.
Worcestershire started the match in sixth place in the North Group, level on points with Notts in fifth, with the top four going through to the last eight.
However, Durham's abandoned game at Old Trafford against Lancashire saw Worcestershire climb above them into fourth with a superior net run-rate.
Nottinghamshire looked to have posted a highly competitive score, as skipper Chris Read's unbeaten 39 off 26 balls in the final stages added to the earlier contributions from Wessels, Patel and Christian.
But Fell, a day after his 116 not out led Worcestershire to victory over Lancashire, and captain Mitchell batted aggressively in the rain to take their side into a winning position when conditions became unplayable.


The former head of Sierra Leone's army who was kidnapped in Nigeria last week has been freed, officials say.

They say Maj Gen Nelson Williams, who is now Sierra Leone's Deputy High Commissioner to Nigeria, is back at his base in the capital Abuja.
It was not immediately clear whether any ransom was paid for his release.
He was seized on Friday as he was travelling to the northern state of Kaduna for a military ceremony.
"He is in sound health," Nigerian police spokesman Don Awunah was quoted as saying by the AFP news agency.
Maj Gen Williams is believed to be the first Sierra Leone diplomat to be abducted anywhere in the world since the country became independent in 1961.
His seizure was hugely embarrassing for the Nigerian government, correspondent say.
Kidnapping for ransom is common in some parts of Nigeria.


Spending by North American tourists in Scotland has hit a record high following a surge in visitor numbers from the region, according to new figures.

Spending by visitors from across the Atlantic leapt by 28% to Â£633m in the 12 months to the end of September.
Visitor numbers from the region also rose during the third quarter of last year to their highest level since 2011.
However, there was a 7% drop in visitors from European markets.
The statistics came from UK tourism data published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), with further analysis from the Scottish government and tourism body VisitScotland.
Overall, the number of overseas visits to Scotland rose by 0.3% over the year to September, while spend increased by 6.3%, according to the ONS International Passenger Survey.
VisitScotland attributed the sharp rise in North American visitors and spend to a weaker pound and an increase in airline capacity between Scotland and the region.
It also cited safety and security concerns for the fall in visits from core European markets such as France and Germany.
On a more positive note, there was a rise of nearly 50% in visitor numbers from Eastern European markets.
VisitScotland chief executive Malcolm Roughead said: "It is remarkable to see such unparalleled growth in the North American market in both visits and spend.
"Of course, a favourable exchange rate has played its part, but a focus on airline capacity and connectivity - with around 90,000 extra seats on services from North America in 2016 - alongside a concentrated marketing approach has proved a real formula for success.
"It is disappointing to see a slight dip in European visits from core markets such as France and Germany, but with uncertainty over safety and security during 2016 in these countries, it is perhaps understandable."
Tourism Secretary Fiona Hyslop said: "North America is an important international market. These excellent figures confirm visitors from the region continue to spend more when they visit Scotland.
"It's great news for our hotels, shops and restaurants that depend on tourism revenue."
The Scottish Tourism Alliance said the latest visitor figures were "very encouraging" but warned that tourism businesses in Scotland were facing "numerous challenges".
Chief executive Marc Crothall said: "The rising costs of doing business is a major concern for tourism businesses at the moment, most pertinently the significant increase in business rates, which for some hospitality and licensed trade businesses will be up to 200%.
"This on top of rising costs of goods and services, insurance, licensing, the Apprenticeship Levy and National Living Wage rises will put many smaller businesses in jeopardy.
"Our ability to recruit, grow and strengthen our tourism workforce from EU countries and manage the widening skills gap that exists within the industry remains a key concern for most tourism businesses."


Plans to replace Broadmoor Hospital's warning sirens with Twitter alerts need local support, an MP says.

Sirens have been used since the 1950s to warn residents when inmates at the high security psychiatric unit escape.
West London Mental Health Trust wants to replace them with social media alerts, but polls conducted online suggest many local people are opposed.
Bracknell MP Dr Phillip Lee said he had written to the trust seeking reassurances.
The Conservative said: "Where appropriate, we should seek to embrace newer, more effective methods of maintaining security for both patients and residents.
"But it is absolutely vital that communities have confidence in any replacement system."
Dr Lee said he wanted assurances the trust would communicate with residents and said he was also planning to meet its leadership.
The trust has said replacing and maintaining the current sirens costs more than Â£500,000 and alerting local people through TV, radio, and social media would be faster and more reliable.
They were installed in 1952 after Broadmoor patient John Straffon escaped for 24 hours and killed a young girl in Farley Hill, Berkshire.
Since then, a second perimeter fence has been added, as well as additional alarm and control systems. The sirens were last activated in 1993.
However, on a Facebook poll, many local residents have said they object to the trust's plans.
One resident, James Clark, said: "To me there is no better way than to have the siren." Another, Jim Porter, said: "This may come as a shock, but some folks don't do social media."
However, a trust spokesperson said that the public "should not be concerned" about plans to decommission the sirens, as it is investing money in new alarm systems which will be installed in the hospital grounds.


Some 426,070 students have gained places at UK universities since their A-level results were released on Thursday - up 4% on the previous year, official statistics show.

The University and College Admissions Service says 6,910 students were matched with places through clearing.
This leaves 154,850 students still looking for a university place.
With the student numbers cap lifted this year, experts say universities are competing with each other for students.
Mark Bramwell, Associate Director of Sixth Form Colleges, said: "This year it's the universities who are competing, rather than the students, with increased use of unconditional offers, a 2% increase in students getting their first choice and extensive use of bursaries."
"Universities still have places to fill, and many will accept students who may have only missed the grade by a small margin," he added.
Last year nearly one in eight students were eventually placed through the clearing system.
Staff at Ucas staff had a busy day on Thursday as A-level results were released and collected by students.
It said that by 18:30:
The top three course searches on the Ucas website were for courses in law, economics and psychology.


Sir Anish Kapoor has said a slide is being installed around his Orbit sculpture in London because the city's mayor "foisted" the idea of making it a bigger attraction onto him.

Artist Carsten Höller is installing the world's longest and tallest tunnel slide around the Olympic Park work.
Sir Anish said Boris Johnson had insisted the tower "raise revenue".
Mr Johnson said the artistic collaboration was "like Bernini adorning the work of Michelangelo."
Höller has been celebrated for his slide installations at the Hayward Gallery and Tate Modern, but Sir Anish said he had only approached him after Mr Johnson stipulated that the tower needed "to raise revenue".
"The mayor foisted this on the project, and kind of insisted, so there was a moment where I had to make a decision: do I go to battle or is there a more elegant way to do this... to have this very impressive thing that Carsten does, which is in-between public participation and art?
"I thought it was the right thing to do. It's one art work becoming part of another work."
The mayor said it was "fantastic that two such extraordinary artists should have collaborated on this project", adding that he hoped it would "rouse thrill seekers and art lovers alike".
It is hoped the revamp will revive interest in the sculpture, which was erected in 2012 and found to be losing £10,000 a week in 2014.
The sculpture cost £19m to build, £3m of which was public funding.
According to the London Legacy Development Company, the Orbit is currently about £10.6m in debt and is projected to incur interest charges totalling £8.6m in the next 10 years.
The company expects £0.5m of this to be paid off by revenue generated by the slide.
It projects that in the next financial year, 239,000 will go on the slide, and that by 2021, a  total of 1.2 million people will have used it.
Sir Anish said that while it may "be theoretically losing money, the fact that it has over 200,000 visitors [is] a considerable gain".
"One makes artworks for other reasons than profit. I understand this is run as a so-called attraction [but] I want it to be slightly more highbrow than that. There's a difference between a fairground ride and art."
It is estimated the slide down will take 40 seconds, with sliders twisting and turning 12 times at speeds of up to 15mph, on a mat to protect clothing.
It will officially open to the public on 24 June, with the £5 cost of a ride being in addition to the £12 currently charged to visitors wanting to go to the top of the tower.


An Indian squash player has backtracked on his plan to sell a kidney to raise funds to play in next month's South Asian Games.

Ravi Dixit, ranked 211 in the world, had put his kidney up for sale at 800,000 rupees (£8,230).
Dixit, 23, said: "I never intended to sell my kidney. This statement was made at the spur of the moment for which I am truly sorry."
Indian law forbids selling a kidney and Dixit's parents were against the idea.
Dixit apologised for his comments in a letter issued through the Squash Rackets Federation of India, but insisted he still needed sponsorship to continue his career.
"Together, we will figure out a way to deal with this crisis," said his father.
"I funded my daughter's wedding with Ravi's winnings. Since he has to support the family as well, he cannot use much of what he gets for himself."


Zimbabwe is to ban the use of electric water heaters and require all newly built properties to use solar power, as it tries to tackle big power shortages.

Energy officials say existing electric heaters - or geysers - will be phased out over the next five years.
They hope to save up to 400 megawatts of electricity - equivalent to the output of an electrical power plant.
Blackouts have dogged Zimbabwe, despite the fact that 60% of the population have no access to electricity.
This has also hampered investment in what is an already fragile economy, the BBC's Karen Allen reports.
Officials from the state-owned Zimbabwe Electricity Distribution and Transmission Company say the government is expected to publish new regulations by the end of the year.
It is estimated that there are up to 300,000 geysers across the country, with water heating accounting for some 40% of households' electricity bills.
"The country may achieve a power saving in the range of 300 megawatts to 400 megawatts, which in itself is a virtual power plant," Energy Minister Samuel Undenge was quoted as saying by Reuters.
"Solar water heaters (will) become mandatory at every new house before connection to the grid," he added.
Zimbabwe's power generation is currently less than 50% of its peak demand, forcing local businesses to use costly generators.
The government has blamed the shortages on low water levels at the Kariba Dam, bordering Zambia, which generates hydroelectric power, the BBC's southern Africa correspondent Karen Allen reports from Johannesburg.
But officials also concede that a massive lack of investment in the energy sector over the decades is now taking its toll.


Grand National winner Rule The World's owner Michael O'Leary says he does not see the need to make the nine-year-old defend the title.

The 33-1 shot, ridden by 19-year-old David Mullins and trained by Mouse Morris, won at Aintree on Saturday.
Rule The World had never claimed a victory over fences before - and has twice recovered from a cracked pelvis.
"I'd like to retire him if the trainer will let me," O'Leary, the boss of airline Ryanair, told Sportsweek.
"The horse has just arrived home, had a roll and a big feed and we're taking him into Mullingar for a homecoming parade."
O'Leary also won the Gold Cup at Cheltenham last month with Don Cossack.
"The Grand National is the one that stops the nation in Britain and Ireland and it's an incredible privilege to win it," he added.
"I still can't believe it's real. It feels like a dream, even one day later."


The Queen Elizabeth liner sailed into Liverpool to celebrate the centenary of the iconic Cunard Building.

It was last in port a year ago with the Queen Mary and Queen Victoria to celebrate Cunard's 175th anniversary.
The ship arrived in time for a Service of Celebration at the Church of Our Lady and St Nicholas at 11:00 BST.
It was the first time a Cunard ship arrived in port skippered by a woman, with the line's first female captain Inger Klein Olsen, 43, at the helm.
Other elements of the celebration included two concerts plus a finale firework display, before the ship was due to depart at 22:22.
The Cunard building is one of the Three Graces on Liverpool's Pier Head waterfront, which is a Unesco World Heritage site.


West Indies winning the ICC Under-19 World Cup was described as the "best cricket news in years" by former England captain Michael Vaughan.

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West Indies, whose senior team are struggling, beat India by five wickets in Bangladesh to seal the title.
Pacemen Ryan John and Alzarri Joseph each took three wickets as West Indies bowled out India for 145 in Dhaka.
Keacy Carty made an unbeaten 52 and Keemo Paul 40 as Windies chased down the total with three balls to spare.
It is the first major title for the West Indies at any level since Darren Sammy's senior team won the ICC World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka in 2012.
And it raises hopes that they have a crop of young players who could make their mark in senior cricket.
Test and one-day captain Jason Holder and former skipper Chris Gayle were among the senior players to praise the "future stars" on their maiden title.
Under-19 skipper Shimron Hetmyer said: "We were not supposed to be the champions, but we did it. Words can't explain how good I feel."
The Twenty20 side are currently in dispute with the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) over player payments for the upcoming ICC World Twenty20 in India.
The WICB has set the players a deadline of 14 February to accept the terms on offer, and any players who refuse the remuneration package will not be considered for selection for the tournament, which starts its Super 10 stage on 15 March.
In addition, the one-day side has dropped below Bangladesh and Pakistan in the ICC rankings to miss out on qualification for the 2017 Champions Trophy.
And the Test side, who once went unbeaten for 15 years and 29 series between 1980 and 1995, now sit eighth in the ICC rankings.


The Co-op has been ordered to provide clearer insurance quotations, after it failed to tell motorists about separate charges for no claims bonuses.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) had ordered all insurance companies to split out the extra charges for the additional protection.
But the Co-op was the only firm which missed a deadline to do so, in August last year.
As a result around 120,000 customers received quotations that were unclear.
From 1 February, the Co-op will provide two separate quotations - one with no claims bonus protection, and one without.
"It is very disappointing that a major company such as Co-op Insurance has taken so long to provide this vital information to its customers," said Adam Land, senior director of remedies, business and financial analysis at the CMA.
"Before the order came into force, the price and benefits of NCB [no claims bonus] protection were often unclear to drivers.
"We expect the Co-op to fully comply with the terms of our directions immediately, so that motorists can search more easily for the best deal for them, and decide whether or not they want this optional cover."
The Co-op said most of its quotations do now provide separate details of no claims bonus charges.
"For 90% of our new business customers we are already fully compliant with this order," a spokesperson said.
"We are part way through a major transformation programme, which when complete will allow us to be fully compliant and enable us to provide best in class service to our members."


Academic and workplace skills will be "equally valued" under plans to replace the university funding body, the Welsh Government has said.

The scrapping of the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales (Hefcw) was announced in January.
A white paper has now been published inviting views on the proposed Tertiary Education and Research Commission.
It aims to make sure Wales has "the skills needed to succeed in an increasingly competitive economy".
The new organisation will manage funding for universities, further education colleges, research and skills.
It will also seek to improve links between higher and further education and Welsh business.
Publishing the white paper on Tuesday, Education Secretary Kirsty Williams said the aim was to make it "easier for people to learn and acquire skills throughout their careers".
"Our lives and economy are undergoing huge technological change," she said, adding: "Our national mission does not stop at the school gates.
"We need to ensure that those leaving our schools progress into a post-compulsory system which provides genuine parity of esteem for vocational and academic routes and which equips them with the skills required for sustainable and rewarding careers.
"Such a workforce will allow our economy to be more productive and competitive and our people more prosperous and secure."


Brighton Pier tops the list of places where people take pictures, beating even Stonehenge, according to the photo-sharing service Instagram.

Data released for the first time, shared with BBC News, reveals the most popular locations outside London that people share with their followers.
Stonehenge, the Reading Festival and Manchester United's ground Old Trafford all appear high on the list.
Manchester was England's most Instagrammed city after central London.
The capital has previously claimed all 10 of the most photographed locations in the UK, including Tower Bridge, the Tower of London, Harrods and the Houses of Parliament.
The latest data concentrates on sites outside the capital's main tourism spots.
Instagram does not release figures for the number of times each location was photographed. However, a spokeswoman revealed its users were "twice as likely to Instagram Brighton Pier compared to the University of Oxford", which is the seventh most popular site.
Stonehenge was the second most popular location, with visitors taking selfies by the Neolithic monument in Wiltshire.
Marc Thorley, spokesman for Brighton Pier, said: "We get some really clear skies, which help create the perfect backdrop for amateur and professional photographers.
"It's an iconic place in British history, even if it hasn't been around as long as Stonehenge."
6 million
visitors a year
62,000 lightbulbs are used at night
1,200 portions of fish and chips served on a busy day
524m (1,719ft) total length
Dismaland, the dystopian theme park in Weston-super-Mare created by Banksy, ranked highly at number five, despite being only a temporary art project.
After London, Manchester was the place where the most photographs were taken in England, according to Instagram.
Birmingham, England's second biggest city for population, came fifth after Brighton, Bristol and Liverpool.


Welsh international scrum-half Rhodri Williams will leave Scarlets to join Bristol at the end of the season.

The 22-year-old has signed a two-year deal with the Championship side.
Williams made his Wales debut against Tonga in 2013 and has won three caps, scoring his solitary try against Scotland in the 2014 Six Nations.
He has made 79 appearances for Scarlets but is behind Wales squad members Gareth Davies and Aled Davies in the region's scrum-half pecking order.
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"Rhodri is a talented scrum half with a burgeoning international career ahead of him," Bristol director of rugby Andy Robinson told the club website.
"With a wealth of experience at both domestic and European level, he will bring an added dimension to our young and exciting backline."
"I'd like to thank everybody associated with Scarlets during my time there. It's a great club and I've enjoyed every minute and have made lifelong friends," said Williams.
"I will continue to give my all to the Scarlets as we look to secure that all-important top four place in the Pro12."


A private equity firm has been criticised for rejecting a buyout offer for Bernard Matthews that would have protected the firm's pension scheme.

Rutland Partners refused to sell the firm outright to food tycoon Ranjit Boparan last summer, letters released by the Work and Pensions Committee have revealed.
Instead it opted for a pre-pack administration - which "drastically reduced" the amount recoverable by its pension scheme.
This offloaded the pension costs on the state Pension Protection Fund (PPF).
Pre-pack administration arrangements allow a pre-arranged buyer to take on a company's assets, but without liabilities such as its pension deficit.
Bernard Matthews employs workers at Great Witchingham, near Norwich, in Norfolk, and Holton, near Halesworth, in Suffolk.
"This arrangement delivered a much-improved financial outcome for Rutland Partners, but drastically reduced the amount recoverable by the pension scheme  to potentially less than 1p in the pound," the House of Commons committee said.
Frank Field, Labour MP and chairman of the committee, said: "I have confidence that the PPF working with the scheme trustees, will act in the best interests of the pensioners, but it's clear that the former owners passed up a better deal for pension scheme members in favour of lining their own pockets."
Rutland Partners, which took control of Bernard Matthews in 2013, declined to comment.
Proceeds from the £87.5m sale to Boparan Private Office (BPO) included a full payment of £46.4m to lenders Wells Fargo Capital Finance (UK) and PNC Financial Services UK Ltd, and up to £39m to owner Rutland Partners, as part of the pre-pack model arranged by administrators Deloitte last autumn.
The pension scheme, which has 700 members, has been left with a total deficit of £75m.
The PPF, which steps in to protect employees in some benefit schemes when firms go bust, was left to shoulder the financial burden.
The Work and Pensions Committee said the case "raises concerns" over the use of pre-pack administrations as a means to shed responsibility for pension liabilities and transfer them to "the PPF lifeboat".


Ajax's exciting young team will not be broken up this summer despite their impressive run to the Europa League final, says defender Joel Veltman.

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Veltman, 25, is one of several players linked with a move abroad.
"In the Netherlands, if we see a young player and he's playing quite well then we're like 'oh he's going to go to Barcelona, Chelsea or Real Madrid', and that's a negative thing," said Veltman.
"We have to keep our feet on the ground".
Ajax, runners-up in the Dutch Eredivisie, face Manchester United in Wednesday's Europa League final in Stockholm (19:45 BST).
The Amsterdam club made history in their final league game of the season when, with the title on the line, they named the youngest side in the history of the Dutch top flight.
With an average age of 20, they beat Willem II but still had to settle for second place behind Feyenoord.
Ajax have not won a European trophy since their 1995 Champions League final victory over AC Milan, and their run to Stockholm has led to comparisons with that generation of players, which included Edgar Davids, Patrick Kluivert and Marc Overmars among others.
Veltman, Kasper Dolberg, 19, Davy Klaassen, 24, and Davinson Sanchez, 20, have all linked with moves abroad.
Asked if Ajax can hold on to those players, Veltman told BBC Sport: "I think we can.
"We have to not talk about players going to clubs like Barcelona. You have to play four seasons for Ajax and then make the step to a bigger club."
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An MP says he "has to take some responsibility" over an unpaid £10.25m loan to a football club.

David Mackintosh was the leader of Northampton Borough Council when the authority authorised the loan to Northampton Town in 2013.
The money has never been paid and the council is in the process of trying to get it back.
Mr Mackintosh said "due diligence was carried out" before the loan was granted.
The Conservative MP for Northampton South said he felt "angry, frustrated and upset" about the ongoing financial problems at the Cobblers.
The club currently faces a winding-up petition from HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) over £166,000. This is due to be heard on 16 November.
The £10.25m loan was originally given to the club for the re-development of its Sixfields stadium.
Mr Mackintosh said all decisions over the loan were taken at the borough council's cabinet and followed "a lot of work" by officers.
He said safeguards were put in place and were now being deployed by the council to recover the money.
Mr Mackintosh said: "Clearly as leader I have to take some responsibility for what happened.
"It is very frustrating because at the same time there are other things that haven't happened at the club.
"There are serious questions to be answered."
Club chairman David Cardoza previously told the BBC he expected the loan issue to be resolved by the end of last month.


A woman injured in a rollercoaster crash at Alton Towers theme park has said she thought she was going to die.

Vicky Balch, 20, of Lancashire, was one of five people who sustained serious injuries on the Smiler ride on 2 June.
Speaking for the first time about the events, she told the BBC "her only thoughts" as she waited for about four-and-a-half hours to be rescued were that she would not survive.
Her lawyer Paul Paxton also revealed Miss Balch is battling to save her leg.
Another victim, Leah Washington, 17, had her leg amputated above the knee.
Miss Balch, from Leyland, was sitting in the front of the ride alongside Miss Washington, Joe Pugh and Daniel Thorpe, when it hit an empty carriage.
The crash left them and 12 other people trapped 25ft (7.6m) above the ground. They were taken off the ride by firefighters using a hydraulic platform.
Miss Balch later underwent surgery for "significant" leg injuries and remains in hospital.
Miss Balch said: "It felt like slow motion. We banged into the car in front. I felt the bars go into my knees; we moved backwards and the car went into us again.
"I passed out. I was awoken by Dan shouting my name. Everyone was screaming and I was in excruciating pain. I looked down and I could see blood all over. The bars were in my right knee...
"The only thought that was going through my mind for the hours and hours that we were stuck was that we were going to die. If I was going to survive I would never walk again, that was certain.
"I thought it was never going to end. I just wanted to die."
Miss Washington, 17, from Barnsley in South Yorkshire, was also treated for a fractured hand. Her boyfriend, Mr Pugh, 18, also from Barnsley, shattered his knee, while Mr Thorpe, a 27-year-old old hotel assistant manager from Buxton, Derbyshire, was treated for a collapsed lung and fractured leg.
A fifth victim, Chandaben Chauhan, 49, of Wednesbury, West Midlands, was admitted to hospital with internal injuries.
Lawyer Paul Paxton, head of the personal injury department at Stewarts Law, told the BBC: "Vicky has some very nasty leg injuries and I think it's fair to say that she is fighting... to survive, with one of the legs, to avoid an amputation. She's got some difficult times ahead... she's battling very hard."
As well as Miss Balch and Miss Washington, Mr Paxton represents Mr Pugh, and five of the other passengers who were on the Smiler rollercoaster when it crashed, although not Mr Thorpe.
TV news broadcasts of the aftermath of the crash showed footage of the passengers on the ride as they waited to be rescued and Mr Paxton said Miss Washington's parents were still "coping" with the images.
He said Miss Washington's father recognised his daughter on TV because of her clothing.
"Certainly Leah's father was aware for many an hour that his daughter was on the ride," said Mr Paxton. "The only comfort, if that's the right way to put it, was that it wasn't clear early on the full extent of the injuries."
But he said the experience of seeing the rescue on TV added to his "trauma".
Mr Paxton said that despite her amputation, Miss Washington's morale in hospital was "fantastic".
"She's up, in a chair, and she's around the hospital," he said. "Tremendous to see. But of course, a long, long programme of rehabilitation in front of her."
Merlin Entertainment, which owns Alton Towers, has said it contacted those injured and all 16 on board at the time of the crash will receive compensation. It said the crash was the first accident in the company's history.
Mr Paxton said he believed compensation for the most seriously injured could run into "millions of pounds".
He said: "You've got to plan over a lifetime, it's not just now, it's not just in the short-term rehabilitative period. It's got to be to cover them for the rest of their lives."
A Health and Safety Executive investigation into the crash is continuing.
Mr Paxton said his clients were "angered initially that this could happen in a theme park designed for pleasure".
He added: "They do want to have answers and actually it may depend on what those answers are in the investigation, because it's all very well now to say now we must move on with our lives, but if the investigation reveals great holes in terms of the training process, people being flippant with their children's safety, then I think that anger will reignite."


The fast-track system which detains asylum seekers while they appeal against decisions has been suspended by the Court of Appeal.

The system was introduced a decade ago as a key part of the government's drive to remove failed asylum seekers.
But the Court of Appeal ruled the government must stop the system immediately after an earlier High Court hearing concluded it was unlawful.
The government said it would appeal against the case's main judgement.
The fast-track system accelerates legal hearings and appeals, while keeping the individual detained at all times.
A previous hearing at the High Court ruled the system was unlawful, and contained "structural unfairness".
At the time, High Court judge Mr Justice Nicol put a "legal stay" - a temporary delay - on his decision, which meant the fast-track system remained in operation until the government had exhausted all opportunities to appeal.
This successful challenge to the asylum system is a significant defeat for the Home Office, given the political and symbolic importance of effective immigration detention to this government and its predecessors.
But, crucially, it is not quite a fatal blow to the controversial fast track procedures and it will not lead to the gates of the UK's immigration removal centres being thrown open.
In practice, immigration officers can still decide to initially detain some asylum applicants while accelerating a decision in their case. But if the individual is refused permission to stay in the UK and then appeals, they will be able to seek bail while their case is reviewed.
Critics of the Detained Fast Track system say this is an important victory for justice because the applicants need time to properly prepare their cases, including access to expert legal advice.
Giving his reasons, Lord Justice Sullivan said the reputation of the justice system might suffer if cases were heard under an unlawful process, and a "very horrible waste of money" if cases had to be heard again.
The programme accelerated some 4,300 asylum applications or decisions in 2013. It currently processes 30 to 40 cases a week.
The BBC's Danny Shaw said the ruling meant 300 to 400 asylum seekers who are detained pending removal could now apply for bail while their cases are reconsidered.
The government did not challenge the lifting of the stay, but will still be able to appeal against the High Court's overall ruling that the system is unlawful.
The High Court decision was a victory for the charity Detention Action, set up in 1993 to support and campaign on behalf of individuals held in immigration detention.
Detention Action director Jerome Phelps said he was "delighted" asylum-seekers would no longer face a detained appeals process that was "so unfair as to be unlawful".
"It is unfortunate that it has taken so many court rulings to finally suspend this deeply flawed process," he said.
"People seeking protection from war and persecution deserve better from British justice."
However, a government spokesman said the system was "an important part of our immigration system".
The spokesman added: "It contributes significantly to the speed and effectiveness with which asylum cases are processed - including swiftly removing those found not to be in need of protection - and saves the taxpayer money."


This week, Jenny has been in South Africa learning all about elephants.

But it appears some of our favourite celebrities like to behave a bit like these amazing animals from time to time too!
To find out more about Africa's giants, read Newsround's guide to elephants and the ivory trade and take the quiz to see just how much you've remembered.


Northern Ireland's Daryl Gurney beat Dutchman Jermaine Wattimena 3-1 in the first round of the World Championship at Alexandra Palace on Sunday.

The Londonderry man posted an average of 96.85 and scored five maximum 180s.
The 30-year-old will face Scotland's Robert Thornton or a qualifier in the second round on Tuesday 27 December.
Gurney, seeded 24 this year, lost 4-1 to eventual champion Gary Anderson at the second round stage of last year's event, so will hope to improve on that.
Gurney, who has recently been recovering from a broken hand, opened his match with a 180 and went on to take the first set 3-0.
The 2015 Players' Championship semi-finalist won set two by a margin of three legs to one, before Wattimena, 28, recovered to take the third.
Gurney secured the fourth set 3-1 to book his place in the next round.
The other Northern Ireland representative in the tournament, Brendan Dolan from Belcoo, will play 2012 BDO world champion Christian Kist on Tuesday 20 December.
The 43-year-old Fermanagh man is the number 23 seed.


A motorcyclist died when he came off his bike on a road in Cumbria.

Emergency services were called to a report of an accident on the A6 at Shap, near the junction with the B6261 at 09:40 BST.
No other vehicle was involved and the man was pronounced dead at the scene. His name has not yet been released but is believed to be 57 years old and is not thought to be from the county.
Cumbria Police has appealed for anyone who witnessed it to contact the force.


One and a half kilograms of what is believed to be Semtex plastic explosive have been found at a block of flats in north Belfast.

Police said it was discovered at Maeve House in the New Lodge area on Monday after a report from a member of the public.
Army bomb disposal experts were called to the scene and the suspected explosives taken away.
The explosives are said to be enough to make three under-car booby-trap bombs.
Det Insp Stuart Griffin said considerable inconvenience had been caused to residents and he thanked them for their co-operation.
"Thankfully these suspected explosives are no longer in the public domain," he added.
The find comes two years after a similar discovery at Maeve House.
Two and a half kilos of the explosive was found in a cupboard at the building in May 2014.
Speaking about the latest seizure, Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness said he was "hugely relieved and delighted that these explosives have been recovered and made safe".
"I'm disappointed but not surprised that there are still people within our society who believe that they have the right to attempt to point us all back to the past through attempts to kill people," he told the BBC's Good Morning Ulster.


Scottish Water has achieved its highest ever drinking water quality and customer satisfaction is at record levels, according to the public corporation's latest annual report.

The utility reported that 99.88% of samples taken in 2012/13 complied with strict quality standards.
It also achieved its best customer satisfaction score on record, exceeding its target by 5%.
Last year, the corporation invested ??487m in water infrastructure projects.
They included major waste water projects in Airdrie and Dunoon, as well as new water treatment works on Unst in Shetland.
Scottish Water recently announced other large investments, including a ??5.7m project to improve the quality of drinking water on the Isle of Mull which is due to begin by early October.
It also plans to invest ??250m in upgrading Glasgow's waste water network.
Scottish Water chief executive Douglas Millican said he was committed to maintaining the pace of improvement in achieving the highest customer service standards across Scotland.
Mr Millican, who took up his role in February, added: "Scottish Water has continued to go from strength to strength in the last year as we deliver the best value water and waste water services in Great Britain.
"Drinking water quality is at its highest ever level, customer service has improved further, and we are delivering efficient investment in Scotland's water and waste water infrastructure - supporting thousands of construction jobs across Scotland in the process."
Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said Scottish Water had shown a strong performance last year, building on the excellent progress that it had made in recent years.
She added: "It illustrates the ability of the public sector to deliver excellence and develop our water resource.
"Scottish Water is providing a high quality service to its customers for an average household charge that is ??54 lower than in England and Wales.
"I am delighted with this performance that reflects the commitment of Scottish Water's management and staff to delivery of these essential services to our communities across Scotland."


Wales is one of the worst places in the UK to live for younger people, an independent think tank has claimed.

Ahead of May's general election, the Intergenerational Foundation (IF) is calling on politicians to do more to gear policies around young people.
It says the contrast between how the older and younger generations are faring in Wales is "really stark".
The Welsh government said it was taking action to support young people.
IF co-founder Angus Hanton said: "Wales is worse off - partly because of higher youth unemployment - but also because it has many rural communities. It's very much harder for young people to get to the work."
In Wales, 19.7% of 18 to 24 year olds are not in employment, education or training (NEETs) compared with a UK average of 17.3%, according to IF research.
Mr Hanton said: "Essentially what governments need to do is say we'll give more benefits and help for younger people and we'll pay for that by taking away from wealthier older people who don't need the benefits being offered."
The charity said that despite the average house price in Wales being about Â£60,000 cheaper than elsewhere in the UK, home ownership is still inaccessible to the vast majority of young people, "many of whom are working on the minimum wage".
Megan Davies lives at home with her parents in Cardiff after graduating from university so she can save money.
She said: "There's a lot of pressure after leaving university - I've been fortunate to be able to get a job, but not everybody is as fortunate as me."
A Welsh government spokesman said: "We are committed to continuing to take action in supporting our young people through their education and into the workforce.
"We have protected schools funding, and for university students we provide the most generous maintenance grant support of all UK countries.
"Our flagship employment programme, Jobs Growth Wales, has given opportunities to thousands of young people to find high-quality work."
Jodie Lunnon said she struggled to find work after graduating from university.
"I spent eight months searching endlessly for a job and nothing came of it - I had hundreds of rejections."
IF said the gap in prospects for young and old is also particularly pronounced in the north east of England and in Yorkshire/Humberside.
At the 2010 general election, only 55% of 25-34 year olds and 44% of 18-24 year olds voted but IF said an increase in voting levels by 10% could unseat 83 MPs.
The UK government said it was not for it to comment on the IF's research.


BBC Sport's football expert Mark Lawrenson is pitting his wits against a different guest each week this season.

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Lawro's opponent for this weekend's Premier League fixtures is former Rolling Stones bassist Bill Wyman.
Wyman, who counts England manager Roy Hodgson as a friend after a chance meeting in a restaurant a couple of years ago, is a Crystal Palace fan and first watched the Eagles with his father when they were in Division Three South.
"My dad took me when I was 10 years old to the very first season after the Second World War," he said. "I've been a supporter ever since. When they lose, my weekend is ruined! It's ridiculous."
You can see all of Wyman's predictions on Football Focus at 12:10 BST on Saturday on BBC One and the BBC Sport website (in the UK).
A correct result (picking a win, draw or defeat) is worth ONE point. The exact score earns THREE points.
Last weekend, Lawro got two correct results from 10 Premier League games, with one perfect score.
His score of four points saw him beaten by snooker star Mark Selby, who picked six results, with one perfect score. That gave him a total of eight points.
Lawro and George Ford both pick up an extra point this week for correctly predicting the outcome of Chelsea's postponed game against Leicester - Lawro went for a 2-0 Chelsea win, while Ford thought the Blues would win 3-0. The final score was 3-1 to Chelsea.
But Lawro and Wade Barrett both got their prediction for Liverpool's game at Hull wrong - Lawro backed Liverpool to win 2-1, and Barrett went for a 0-0 draw. The Tigers won 1-0.
We are keeping a record of the totals for Lawro and his guests (below), and showing a table of how the Premier League would look if all of Lawro's predictions were correct (at the bottom of the page).
All kick-offs 15:00 BST unless otherwise stated.
Lawro's prediction: 2-0
Bill's prediction: 2-1
Match report
Lawro's prediction: 2-1
Bill's prediction: 0-2
Match report
Lawro's prediction: 2-0
Bill's prediction: 3-1
Match report
Lawro's prediction: 1-1
Bill's prediction: 2-2
Match report
Lawro's prediction: 1-1
Bill's prediction: 1-1
Match report
Lawro's prediction: 2-1
Bill's prediction: 1-0
Match report
Lawro's prediction: 2-0
Bill's prediction: 3-1
Match report
Lawro's prediction: 2-0
Bill's prediction: 2-1
Match report
Lawro's prediction: 1-2
Bill's prediction: 1-1
Match report
Lawro's prediction: 1-1
Bill's prediction: 0-2
Match report
Mark Lawrenson was speaking to BBC Sport's Chris Bevan.
Lawro's best score: 17 points (week seven v Ossie Ardiles)
Lawro's worst score: 2 points (week 20 v Steve Wilson)


Police in the US state of North Dakota say they have arrested 76 people protesting against a controversial oil pipeline.

They say the arrests happened when protesters refused to leave land owned by the pipeline company.
A spokesman said the latest arrests brought the number detained since August to almost 700.
They came after the US Army was ordered to allow the construction of the final section of the Dakota Access Pipeline.
Native Americans and their supporters have protested against the project for months, and have vowed to fight on.
The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe say the final section - under Lake Oahe, a reservoir on the Missouri River - would contaminate drinking water on their land and damage sacred burial sites.
Morton County Sheriff's Office spokesman Rob Keller said the latest arrests were made after demonstrators moved from their existing camp on flood-prone ground to land owned by the pipeline company, Energy Transfer Partners.
He said no injuries had been reported during the operation. Protest leaders could not be reached for comment.
The $3.7bn (Â£2.8bn) pipeline is designed to transport about 470,000 barrels of crude oil a day across four states, from North Dakota to a terminal in Illinois, where it can be shipped to refineries.
The US Army Corps of Engineers, which has approval authority, decided last year to explore other routes for the pipeline amid huge protests by the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe.
But earlier this week, acting Secretary of the Army Robert Speer ordered the corps to allow the work to go ahead.
President Donald Trump recently signed an executive order signalling his support for the pipeline.


An elderly woman has been found dead after a house fire in Aberdeen.

Fire crews were alerted to a smoke alarm sounding at a property in the Midstocket area of Aberdeen at around 17:.10 on Wednesday.
Officers entered the house and extinguished a small kitchen fire but also found the body of an elderly woman.
No one else was in the property and no neighbouring homes were affected, the fire service said.


Ireland's Mark Downey won points race gold on Saturday's second day of the Track World Cup in Apeldoorn.

The 20-year-old from Banbridge was victorious in the final sprint to win on 18 points from France's Morgan Kneisky on 14 points.
Downey won silver in the 120-lap event at the European Under-23 Championships earlier this year.
"I really wanted this. I was going so hard. You reap the rewards when you really want something," he said.


The Glasgow pub where 10 people died after a police helicopter crashed through its roof is to pay tribute two years on from the tragedy.

On 29 November 2013, seven people in the Clutha Bar and three in the helicopter died as a result of the crash.
The pub will shut its doors early as a mark of respect to those who lost their lives and will remain in darkness.
Then, on Monday, Scottish singer Sandi Thom will play in the pub.
The gig is being held to raise money for the Clutha Trust which was set up in the aftermath of the crash.
It aims to enable disadvantaged children and young people to become involved in the arts.
The Clutha will shut its doors on Sunday at 21:00 GMT and remain in darkness until the next day.
Owner Alan Crossan said: "We will be closing at 9pm on Sunday night. It's difficult situation, and we thought that would be best.
"But we will be open all day for people to pay their respects - some have already been down, including some of the families involved and some of the injured.
Mr Crossan also echoed criticisms of a report into the crash, which some said did not reach a clear enough conclusion.
"We still want to get proper answers to bring some closure to this - it's something we'll keep pushing for," he said.


A police officer who has been awarded the Queen's Gallantry Medal after being stabbed in the head at a house in Lurgan has said he is "truly humbled".

Sgt Mark Wright was injured in February 2012 while restraining a "dangerously out of control" man armed with two knives.
Police were called after reports that a number of women had been assaulted at the house.
They were told a woman and two children were still inside with the man.
Sgt Wright was about to force entry to the house when the man emerged, armed with two knives.
When the officer and a colleague tried to restrain him he was stabbed in the head.
"The cut to the back of the head cut right through the tissue around the back of my head, right down to my skull," Sgt Wright said.
"There were puncture wounds to my face and forehead, narrowly missing my eye."
Although seriously wounded, Sgt Wright's actions were judged to have ensured the safety of the two young children, the woman and his two colleagues.
His attacker was arrested, charged and subsequently sentenced to seven years in prison.
Sgt Wright said while he was proud to have been awarded the medal, his colleagues should share the honour.
"In fairness, this is happening to police officers every day, they're facing similar dangers," he said.
"In receiving this award I can honestly say I am extremely proud, but I am truly humbled as well.
"I accept it not just on behalf of myself, my family and my friends, but for all my colleagues."
Sgt Wright will receive his medal at Buckingham Palace later this year, although the date has not yet been set.


A woman killed when her car was in collision with a lorry in Cumbria has been named.

Elizabeth Bailey, 51, from Egremont, was driving a Nissan Micra on the A595 on Monday when it happened.
She was pronounced dead at the scene near the junction with the B5305 at about 14:20 GMT.
The lorry driver, 51, and from Workington, was left with serious back, leg, pelvis and chest injuries after his HGV went down an embankment.
Paramedics from the Great North Air Ambulance treated him at the scene.
He was then moved up the embankment using safety lines and airlifted to Newcastle's Royal Victoria Infirmary.
The road was closed for more than 12 hours.
Police are appealing for witnesses.