Angelique Kerber failed to end Serena Williams' 183-week run as world number one - losing to Karolina Pliskova in the Cincinnati Open final.

Germany's Kerber, 28, was beaten 6-3 6-1 by her 24-year-old Czech opponent, who gained her sixth WTA title.
American Williams, 34, has been world number one since February 2013, and is closing on Steffi Graf's record of 186 consecutive weeks at the top.
Williams withdrew from the tournament with a shoulder injury on Monday.
Kerber, who would be the first German to top the world rankings since Graf, said: "If someday it happens, it happens, but I will not be making too much pressure on this. I've had such a great year so far and it's not over yet."
It was Pliskova's first victory in a final against Kerber at the third attempt.
Kerber, the Australian Open champion, was broken five times in the match and only managed one of her own as she fell to her third defeat to Pliskova.
Find out how to get into tennis in our special guide.


Rory McIlroy steps on to Augusta's first tee on Thursday aiming to become only the sixth man to complete a career Grand Slam of golf's four majors.

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The world number one, 25, is seeking a first Masters title following victories at the US Open, the Open Championship and the US PGA.
And winning the famous Green Jacket on Sunday would propel him into exalted company - alongside Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, Gene Sarazen, Gary Player and Ben Hogan - as the only men to complete the clean sweep.
Are the omens with him? BBC Sport crunches the stats to find out...
Since the first Masters in 1934, there have been 48 different winners of the Green Jacket.
But how does McIlroy compare to the previous first-time winners?
He may be six years younger than the average maiden victor, but he should still have enough Augusta experience judging by his number of previous appearances.
One would expect the experience of winning four other majors to aid the Northern Irishman's chances of claiming the Green Jacket. However, history shows us that previous major success is not necessarily vital at Augusta.
McIlroy has been in promising positions at previous Masters - particularly in 2011.
The Northern Irishman led by four shots going into the final day, but collapsed spectacularly - dropping six shots in three holes on the back nine.
And the following year, he started the third round one shot off the pace. However, he dropped six shots in a disastrous front nine to end his chances.
For four years UK golfers dominated at Augusta.
Scotland's Sandy Lyle started that run in 1988 after 'that shot' and he was followed by the back-to-back play-off victories of England's Nick Faldo. Then, Welshman Ian Woosnam claimed the 1991 Green Jacket with a five-foot putt on the final hole.
Faldo won a third title in 1996 but apart from that success, golfers from these shores have had a barren run.
Northern Ireland is yet to provide a winner but could that be about to change with McIlroy?
McIlroy, a right-hander, may be bidding for the fifth major of his career - but he still has a long way to go to catch the game's greatest. Jack Nicklaus is way ahead with 18 majors, followed by Tiger Woods (14).
Only Gene Sarazen (seven) won more majors before a first Masters than McIlroy. Like the current world number one, Ben Hogan had also won four before taking the Green Jacket.
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Shooting dogs that attack livestock is only ever the "final straw", a Conwy county farmer has claimed.

Gareth Wyn Jones, of Llanfairfechan, said the distress caused to sheep by dogs is akin to running after "a heavily pregnant woman with a motor car".
It comes as figures show more than 300 dogs were shot by landowners in England and Wales in the last five years.
In response, Mr Jones called for owners to take control of their pets.
The figures were revealed in a Freedom of Information request by the BBC.
The law allows for the shooting of dogs if they pose a threat to animals but police must be informed within 48 hours.
Mr Jones told BBC 5 Live that the public needed to be educated about the danger of walking dogs around livestock.
"I don't think farmers take it lightly on shooting people's dogs. It has to come to the final straw," he said.
"I've had to do it and it's not a nice situation to be in. We'd lost a few lambs night after night and this dog was getting let out of the house very early in the morning."
He said owners must take more responsibility: "[Dogs] are natural born killers. That's what their jobs are; they are to herd or to hunt.
"People must understand that it's their responsibility to take control, put their dogs on the lead, not leave them out at all times. We've got to drum this into them."


Engineers have demolished the southern lane of the Skjeggestad bridge in Vestfold, Norway.

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22 February 2015 Last updated at 11:11 GMT
It had to be destroyed after part of the bridge collapsed a few weeks ago.
Norway's Public Roads Administration said the demolition was challenging but went to plan.


David Jones brings a unique perspective to the Wales Office - he's the first secretary of state to have served in the Assembly before becoming an MP.

He took over a vacant seat in Cardiff Bay when Rod Richards stood down in 2002, staying there until the 2003 election.
A solicitor and Liverpool FC fan, Mr Jones was elected as the MP for Clwyd West in 2005, increasing his majority in the 2010 General Election.
Despite his experience in the assembly, political opponents have tended to portray Mr Jones as sceptical on devolution - something his allies say is unfair.
But it is a perception he will have to work to overcome - and the Labour Welsh government is likely to waste little time in trying to paint the new secretary of state as a block on their ambitions.
Not all Tory AMs will see eye-to-eye with him on every issue. But they at least have a Welsh secretary with a Welsh seat in parliament, something they had called for as it become clear that Mrs Gillan would be a victim of the reshuffle.
Married with two sons, Welsh-speaker Mr Jones - despite becoming the first Welsh Conservative MP to be Secretary of State since Nicholas Edwards - was actually born in London.
He remains the only Assembly member to have declared membership of the freemasons, although he wrote in 2009 he had not been an active member for many years.
Mr Jones, 60, is an avid tweeter and blogger - although he has been known to give up social media for Lent.
Appropriately, Twitter was the medium where it emerged that he could be in line for a promotion. Cheryl Gillan used the social networking site to announce she was leaving the cabinet early on Tuesday morning.
Mr Jones wastes little time in correcting journalists he thinks have got it wrong - earlier this summer he took reporters to task for suggesting MPs were on holiday.
"I'm not on holiday, and won't be having one until September," he said.
With today's promotion, the break might have to wait.


Chris Gayle is targeting another big World Twenty20 score when West Indies take on India in Thursday's semi-final.

The 36-year-old hit a 47-ball ton in his side's first game, against England.
The opener has batted just once since, scoring four against South Africa as the West Indies topped Group 1 to set up the last-four clash with the hosts.
"This is a perfect opportunity to try and pick up where I left off, get a big one for the team and put them in a winning position," said Gayle.
West Indies tarnished their record in the Super 10 stage by losing to Afghanistan by six runs in their final match, after having followed the win over England with victories against Sri Lanka and South Africa.
Thursday's opponents India have also lost once in the competition - their opening game against New Zealand - but have followed that up with three successive victories.
"The only positive you can look from the Afghanistan game is the motive,'' said Gayle.
"We saw India bounce back from losing games as well, so it can put us in a strong position as well to actually lift our game and do better on Thursday."
Virat Kohli has been key in guiding India into the semi-finals with 55 against arch-rival Pakistan and an unbeaten 82 off 51 balls in the must-win last group match against Australia.
Gayle is not surprised by the form of India's master middle-order batsman, who has scored 184 runs at an impressive average of 92.
"No surprise there," he added. "I have said it over the years he is going to be the world beater he is today.
"He has been fantastic right through the year. He has been in a great form. He can still get runs but in a losing cause. We'll be happy with that as well."


The Conservative Party has denied claims it broke electoral law by using a Neath call centre to canvass voters during the general election campaign.

An investigation by Channel 4 claimed the UK Tories contracted Blue Telecoms to conduct marketing campaigns ahead of the vote on 8 June.
The Information Commissioners Officer confirmed it would be asking the Tories about the calls.
A Conservative spokesman said all the calls were compliant with the law.
Blue Telecoms has been contacted for a comment.
An undercover investigation by C4 News, broadcast on Thursday, claimed the workers may have been carrying out paid canvassing, banned under electoral law, as they promoted key Conservative messages to undecided voters in the weeks before the election.
The investigation claimed that calls were made to voters in key marginal seats, including Bridgend, Gower, Clwyd South and Wrexham.
At the start of the election campaign, the information commissioner, Elizabeth Denham, contacted all parties to remind them of the law around direct marketing.
A Conservative party spokesman denied the allegations, saying: "Political parties of all colours pay for market research and direct marketing calls.
"All the scripts supplied by the party for these calls are compliant with data protection and information law".
A spokesman for the Information Commissioner's Office said it would take action against any party which had not "followed the law".
"We will be asking the Conservative Party about the marketing campaigns conducted from this call centre," he said.


The leader of the Scottish Conservatives has said she will be backing Theresa May as the next Tory leader and UK prime minister.

Ruth Davidson said Mrs May had the skills required to "unite both the country and the party".
Mrs May will face Andrea Leadsom in a head-to-head ballot of about 150,000 Conservative members, with the result due on 9 September.
The winner will become the UK's second female prime minister.
After a second MPs' ballot was held on Thursday, Home Secretary Mrs May finished with 199 votes, Energy Minister Mrs Leadsom received 84 and Michael Gove, the justice secretary, had 46.
Mr Gove has now been eliminated from the contest, with party members having to choose between Mrs May and Mrs Leadsom.
The two candidates were on opposing sides ahead of the EU referendum, with Mrs May - like Ms Davidson - backing Remain, while Mrs Leadsom was a prominent figure in the victorious Leave campaign.
Ms Davidson told the BBC's Newsnight programme that Mrs May had the "vast majority" of the parliamentary party behind her, and had "huge support" in all parts of the UK, including among the Scottish Conservatives.
She paid tribute to Mrs Leadsom's "guts" in putting her name forward for leader, and said she hoped the leadership contest would see a "big, broad debate" being held across the country.
But Ms Davidson said: "I think it has got to be someone who can unite both the country and the party, and I think Theresa May is the only one who can do that."
She said Mrs May, who was state educated, wanted to ensure that "government is for everyone in this country" and not just "those privileged few".
Ms Davidson added: "In terms of the person that's got the steel for the job, that can go eyeball to eyeball with Angela Merkel and Nicola Sturgeon, it can only be Theresa May.
"I know that any time I wanted to call on her before the independence referendum to come up, whether that was to make speeches, to talk to some of Scotland's female businesswomen and entrepreneurs, to raise money, she was there in a heartbeat.
"She has got a huge capacity for work, she has got all the leadership skills, she can see the way other people have looked at the Tory party and not like what they've seen, and they know the way in which she wants to change the party so that it is a party for everybody, not just a party for one section of society."
But Ms Davidson called for Mrs May to guarantee that European Union migrants in the UK should be allowed to remain after Brexit.
Conservative MP Tim Loughton, Mrs Leadsom's campaign manager, said she would bring a "huge and fresh skills base" to Downing Street if elected.
He played down her lack of cabinet experience, saying she would have "no problem stepping up to the job" having had a long career outside politics, adding: "She has done things outside of this place on so many different levels."
It will be only be the second time the Conservative Party has been led by a woman - with the first being Margaret Thatcher, who is also currently the only woman to have served as UK prime minister.
Labour has never had a female leader, although Margaret Beckett and Harriet Harman have both served as acting leaders of the party.
But in Scotland, the three largest parties - SNP, Conservatives and Labour - are all currently led by women.


On 12 January 2010, Haiti was struck by a magnitude seven earthquake.

More than 250,000 people are estimated to have been killed and more than 1.5 million displaced.
Five years on, more than 85,500 Haitians still live in displaced people's camps. The children in these camps are particularly vulnerable as they are growing up with limited or no access to everyday basic services such as water, sanitation, healthcare and schools.
Photographer Riccardo Venturi travelled to Haiti with Save the Children to document their lives five years after the devastating earthquake.
Marie Darline is 15 years old and lives in a camp for people who were displaced by the 2010 earthquake.
"I have lived in this camp for four  years. I don't like living here but this is what we have.
"I don't feel safe here at all because people don't respect each other.
"Once a police officer was killed. They shot him and rode off by motorcycle. We have a police station but no police officers.
"We can't walk out late, we're afraid to because there are young men in the street who will grab us."
Elinaud, 28, lives in the commune of Dessalines with his parents. He is one of the hundreds of thousands of Haitians to be infected with cholera in an outbreak which swept through the country after the earthquake.
"I am not too sure how I caught cholera but because I work in the field and there are no latrines it could be from that.
"My stomach felt like it was on fire and I was scared that I was going to die.
"I went to a centre in Marchand de Dessalines to get treatment where they provided me with care and a Save the Children cholera kit.
"Now I know how to prevent cholera; I know I have to wash my hands before I got to the toilet and after I go to the bathroom.
"I support my family by working in the field. I have a lot of brothers and sisters, we are 11. Nine live here with me!"
Edrine is 14 and lives with her family of six in a makeshift hut in a displaced people's camp, where they moved the day after the earthquake.
"We used to live in a house but it was completely destroyed.
"We are not comfortable living here, when it rains there is so much water flowing through here.
"We would like shovels and picks so we can clean the ground and build canals for the water."
Katiana, 13, also fears for her security in the camp, but she says the lack of medical care is also worrying.
"The street lights are broken so you walk but you're not safe.
"But the biggest problem here is a health one. There isn't a health centre here at all."
Shesnerline Woodeline, 15, lives in a camp for Haitians displaced by the 2010 earthquake.
"I want to be a diplomat because I like politics and I like to talk, and share ideas.
"I would like to represent my country.
"If I was a diplomat for example in this camp I would create a health centre because there isn't one. And then I would make a square where children can have fun.
"And also build a more secure police station because the one here is almost broken and there is a problem with camp security.
"We children here have rights; we have rights to everything."
"My name is Betchina, I am 13 years old. I am in the sixth grade. I did well in my exams today.
"When I finish school I want to be a nurse. I want to be a nurse because I want to help people.
"When the earthquake happened I was bathing my brother and when the shaking happened we started to run.
"But a block of concrete fell on my knee and our house was completely destroyed.
"My knee was damaged and I was in hospital for a while.
"They sewed up my knee and I was in and out of hospital. Before the earthquake I could walk and then I couldn't.
"People talk a lot about the earthquake. When people see my injury the subject comes up a lot."


Everton have banned the Sun "from all areas of its operation" after the newspaper published "appalling and indefensible" allegations about Ross Barkley and the people of Liverpool.

The article, written by columnist Kelvin MacKenzie, appeared on Friday.
MacKenzie was suspended after comparing the midfielder, whose grandfather was born in Nigeria, to a "gorilla".
He also wrote that men with similar "pay packets" to Barkley in Liverpool were "drug dealers".
Everton said in a statement: "The newspaper has to know that any attack on this City, either against a much respected community or individual, is not acceptable."
Merseyside Police are investigating whether MacKenzie's comments constitute a "racial hate crime".
The Sun apologised "for the offence caused" and added that it was "unaware of Barkley's heritage".
In a statement of his own, MacKenzie reiterated the latter sentiment, adding that it was "beyond parody" to describe the column as "racist".
In February, Liverpool banned Sun journalists from its grounds over the newspaper's coverage of the Hillsborough disaster.
Saturday, 15 April, marks the 28th anniversary of the disaster.
Former Everton midfielder Leon Osman told the BBC's Football Focus: "[The ban] is justified. Liverpool in general has had a long-term problem with the Sun, and this column just antagonises the situation further."
Liverpool Mayor Joe Anderson had led calls for Everton to ban the newspaper and he spoke with Toffees chairman Bill Kenwright on Saturday.
"Today of all days it's good news, " Anderson told BBC Sport. "We at Everton have always been proud of the fact that we have supported Liverpool FC and their fans through this.
"Everton prides itself on being called the people's club, they have listened to the people and I am delighted with how they have reacted. All credit to Bill Kenwright, he spoke to me this morning and understood that people had strong feelings on it."
Anderson had called for fans to protest at today's Premier League game at Goodison Park against Burnley.
But he later said that was not necessary, adding: "Everton have responded in a positive way. We will today remember and pray for those who lost their lives in the Hillsborough disaster."
Barkley started for Everton in the game, which was preceded by a minute's applause for the victims of the Hillsborough disaster.
Former Liverpool striker Stan Collymore tweeted: "As we always knew. The People's Club. Nil Satis, Nisi Optimum. Thank you Everton, thank you."
In the article, which has since been taken off the newspaper's website, former editor MacKenzie said:
Alongside the article, The Sun published adjoining pictures of Barkley and a gorilla on their website with the caption "Could Everton's Ross Barkley represent the missing link between man and beast?" The picture was later removed.
Barkley, 23, was punched in a Liverpool bar last weekend in what his lawyer described as an "unprovoked attack".
Police confirmed they were investigating the "full circumstances".
BBC Sport has contacted the Sun and Barkley's representatives for comment.
Amol Rajan, BBC News media editor
Kelvin MacKenzie is a pretty big figure - he's been associated with the Sun for 36 years. From my days as a newspaper editor, I know that for a sub-editor or editor to stand up to a columnist can take guts.
I've asked News UK whether or not the editor of the Sun, Tony Gallagher, was in on Thursday night when this went to press - and I'm hoping I'll get an answer. But it's true to say that there has to be editorial responsibility beyond the columnist himself.
We've got two investigations going now: Merseyside Police are dealing with Mayor of Liverpool Joe Anderson's complaint on racial grounds and he has also complained to the press regulator Ipso - who are going to be very keen to show that they are in touch with public opinion.
You want columnists to be controversial, outspoken, provocateurs. But the Sun is going to have to make the call:  Is it worth having Kelvin MacKenzie, or is he singlehandedly destroying the paper's relationship with Merseyside and Liverpool at a time when it is very keen to repair relations?


Gloucester's director of rugby David Humphreys admits a top-six Premiership finish is slipping away after two "unacceptable" performances.

The Cherry and Whites lost 23-18 to basement side London Irish on Sunday, eight days after defeat at Worcester.
Humphreys' seventh-placed side host local rivals Bath on Saturday in search of a first win in three matches.
"We will bounce back, but these last two weeks have not been acceptable for this club," said Humphreys.
"To produce two of the worst performances of the season back-to-back is hugely disappointing and frustrating."
Gloucester are five points behind sixth-placed Harlequins but Sale and Bath both have a game in hand.
"We have been architects of our own downfall," added Humphreys. "The top six is now a long way off and we understand that. If you want to be a top six place, you have to come to places like Worcester and win."


The Iraqi military says it has launched a new offensive aimed at re-capturing western towns near the Syrian border from the jihadist group Islamic State.

The operation will involve army and federal police units, along with tribal fighters.
Their main targets are the towns of Aanah, Rawa and al-Qaim, which lie along the River Euphrates.
Last year, government forces drove IS out of much of Anbar province, retaking the major cities of Ramadi and Falluja.
But large parts of the vast desert region remain under jihadist control.
The first target of the offensive is the town of Aanah, about 240km (150 miles) north-west of Baghdad.
"Our forces started advancing from Haditha towards Aanah from several directions," Lt Gen Qassem Mohammedi, head of the military's Jazeera Operations Command, told AFP news agency on Thursday.
Troops then aim to advance westwards along the Euphrates towards Rawa and then al-Qaim, which is 330km from Baghdad and next to a key crossing on the border with Syria.
The offensive comes as government forces continue to battle IS militants for control of the northern city of Mosul.
On Wednesday, a senior Iraqi commander said 65-70% of eastern Mosul had been recaptured and that troops expected to reach the banks of the River Tigris in the city centre within days.
Lt Gen Talib Shaghati, head of the elite Counter-Terrorism Service, told Reuters news agency that IS had carried out hundreds of suicide car bomb attacks since the assault began 11 weeks ago in an attempt to hold on to its last major urban stronghold in Iraq.
A spokesman for the US-led multinational coalition supporting the offensive said troops had made significant progress since launching a new phase on 29 December, when they began synchronising attacks on three axes and the number of coalition military advisers was doubled to about 450.
"What we're finding is that the synchronized attacks present the enemy with more problems than they can solve, and the Iraqi security forces are making progress with the continued benefit of coalition strikes and advisers," Col John Dorrian told reporters on Wednesday.
However, the presence inside the city of hundreds of thousands of civilians continues to slow progress.
"There are more than 200,000 buildings in Mosul. And really, in order to do this properly, given the way that the enemy has conducted themselves, you end up having to clear each one," Col Dorrian said.


A police car has ended up on its roof in a field while it was chasing a car which was believed to have been stolen.

Essex Police had a call about an Audi RS3 being driven erratically at Wickham Bishops near Witham on Friday evening.
Shortly after the police car began its pursuit, the driver lost control, hit a telegraph pole and crashed into the field off Maldon Road.
The two male officers inside the car had minor injuries. The Audi has yet to be located.
Essex Police said the Audi was believed to have been stolen from Allectus Way in Witham on Friday evening.
The squad car, which crashed at 18:45 GMT, contained a police constable in his 30s and a special constable in his late teens, Essex Police said.
Special Inspector Jo van Zanten tweeted photographs of the crashed car and called it "a lucky escape for two Braintree officers".


US President Barack Obama has said the media is partly to blame for the rise of Republican Donald Trump as a political force.

Speaking at an event for political reporters, Mr Obama said it was not enough to give "someone a microphone".
Mr Trump, a hotel tycoon who has made waves with a series of controversial remarks, is winning the race to be his party's presidential nominee.
He and the other two Republicans in contention will appear on TV later.
CNN is hosting a town hall event on Tuesday evening ahead of a crucial primary in Wisconsin next week.
Giving a keynote address at a journalists' award dinner, Mr Obama did not mention Mr Trump by name but his target was clear.
When he travels, the president said, people always ask him what is happening in American politics, because it is a place where you "can't afford completely crazy politics".
Politicians, journalists and citizens are all responsible for the divisive and bitter political atmosphere, he said, but reporters should be digging deeper on the 2016 presidential candidates.
In a reference to Mr Trump's domination of the news cycle, the president said the job of a political reporter was "more than just handing someone a microphone".
Billions of dollars in free media should come with serious accountability, especially when politicians issue unworkable plans or make promises they cannot keep, he said.
Mr Trump has had a rough couple of days in the state that will next make its choice for Republican and Democratic presidential candidates, Wisconsin.
The primary is on 5 April, with him and Texas Senator Ted Cruz neck-and-neck in the state's polls.
First he faced a hostile conservative talk-radio host, Charlie Sykes, who grilled him on his donations to Democrats and his insults to women, most recently Mr Cruz's wife.
Hear the interview in full on WTMJ
"Wouldn't it be a good way to start off your Wisconsin campaign by saying that wives should be off-limits and that you apologise for mocking her looks?" Mr Sykes asked Mr Trump during the interview.
Mr Sykes also wrongfooted Mr Trump on air by revealing he was part of the #NeverTrump movement.
Conservative websites The Federalist and RedState said Mr Trump "fell apart live on-air when asked tough questions".
Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker said on Tuesday he was backing Mr Cruz because he was the candidate most likely to win the election in November.
In the Democratic race, Hillary Clinton will try to stem the momentum of a resurgent Bernie Sanders, who is on a roll after a string of wins.


The governor of the central bank of Iceland has told the BBC that joining the euro could still be a "good option", despite the debt crisis.

Mar Gudmandsson said the current debt problems in the eurozone were not due to the common currency, but rather a failure in banking regulation.
Iceland is still in recession after its banks collapsed in 2008, forcing their nationalisation.
It opened membership talks with the European Union earlier this year.
Speaking to the BBC World Service, Mr Gudmandsson said Iceland could exist both "inside and outside" the eurozone.
"There is no panacea in terms of the exchange rate regime.  You can always get yourself into problems if you try hard enough," he said.
Mr Gudmandsson added that the dramatic fall in the value of Iceland's currency following the banking crisis had been "very difficult" for companies and households, and joining the euro would lessen the exchange rate risk for the financial sector.
The future of the eurozone has been questioned after the Irish Republic became the second eurozone member after Greece to seek a bailout.  And some analysts say the debt crisis could worsen and spread to other members, putting the euro at risk.
But Mr Gudmandsson said he didn't believe the common currency was the problem, rather that banks were "undercapitalised... and that regulation and supervision wasn't strict enough".
The European Union has begun membership talks with Iceland, and the country is viewed as having a strong case for joining because of its already close trading and economic links with the EU.
However, it has still not resolved a dispute with the UK and the Netherlands over money owed as a result of the collapse of the Icesave online bank.  The two countries want Iceland to reimburse them to the value of Â£3.1bn ($5bn).
While appreciating that joining the euro could have some positive effects, some in Iceland fear that EU membership could harm the country's traditional fishing and whaling industries.
Meanwhile Iceland's central bank has warned that the banking system is still burdened by large numbers of non-performing loans.
In its latest financial stability report, it says about 39% of commercial bank loans are in default, down from 42% at the start of 2010.
It also says banks should be ready for the withdrawal of deposits by foreign investors once capital controls are relaxed.
The controls were introduced following the crisis to protect the banks and to stabilise Iceland's currency, the krona.


Local councils in England are warning that government cuts to public health funding could hamper their efforts to tackle obesity.

Local Government Association figures show that councils will have spent £505m by 2017 on fighting obesity.
Councils use the money to measure children's weight at primary school, help people lose weight and offer free or cheaper leisure facilities.
Public health became the responsibility of local authorities in April 2013.
Before that, it was run by the NHS.
The Department of Health said it was committed to tackling obesity and the government had announced a sugar tax on soft drinks manufacturers earlier in the year.
The Local Government Association (LGA) receives money from the government to spend on public health, and this sum will fall from £3.38bn in 2016/17 to £3.13bn in 2020/21.
The association, which represents more than 370 councils - mostly in England and a few in Wales - said it was set to spend about half a billion pounds on obesity prevention in adults and children over four years.
This was made up as follows:
The LGA said the figures illustrated the amount of prevention work councils were carrying out and showed the scale of the obesity crisis.
The costs include running the government's National Child Measurement Programme, which involves calculating a child's BMI (body mass index) when they start primary school and again when they leave school in Year Six.
Recent figures showed that in 2014/15 in England, one in 10 children aged four and five was obese and one in five children aged 10 to 11 was obese.
The LGA said the overall cost of obesity was forecast to rise further.
It has previously called on the government to reduce sugar content in fizzy drinks, make sugar labelling clearer and provide more tap water in schools and restaurants.
Councils also want to have powers to ban junk food advertising near schools.
Izzi Seccombe, who is in charge of community wellbeing for the LGA, said councils were best placed to tackle obesity before it became a problem, but they needed more support.
"We would like assurances from the government's new administration that the long-awaited childhood obesity strategy is still on track and that it includes tough measures that will help to reverse the rise in costs and children becoming obese.
"Today's obese children will be tomorrow's obese adults, and with this comes a range of costly and debilitating major health conditions."


Funding for a community project in the Glens of Antrim has been pulled indefinitely because of a row over IRA names on the gates of the planned site.

Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council allocated £180,000 to the project on 24 May.
But the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) said the building of the centre in Glenariff would "re-traumatise" people affected by terrorism.
The DUP has pointed to the names of IRA men that appear on gates near the site.
Charlie McAllister and Pat McVeigh were killed in 1922 and their names are on gates that lead into the Glenariff GAA grounds, where the community centre is planned.
A lawyer will now have to look into the ruling by the council's leisure and development committee and advise the council on a way forward.
The money was to be allocated to the Friends of Glenariff group to build a shared community space.
Glens Sinn Féin councillor Cara McShane said the action by the DUP was a "vile abuse of power".
"I feel for this community," she said.
"There is no political agenda here and the last thing anyone wants is for this facility, which is much-needed in a rural community, to be used for political point-scoring.
"People are very emotional.
"The Friends of Glenariff have been working hard for almost six years to organise this project and now there's a chance it won't go ahead, even though council has already passed the motion."
Ms McShane said the planned community centre would be "open to all".
"If the Orange Order wanted to use it they would be allowed," she added.
"It's about all communities, sports and activities - not just the GAA."
DUP councillor Sam Cole said the position of his party was that the gates must come down.
He said: "The decision to fund a community centre here would be opposed by one section of the community, namely the unionist community.
"We find the presence of the names on these gates offensive.
"We feel they say: 'Protestants aren't welcome'."
Mr Cole said he would support a centre that was welcoming to all and said the funding is not in line with the council's guidelines.


Cliftonville are the only Premiership side to make the Europa League second qualifying round after a 2-0 home win over Differdange 03 at Solitude.

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It gave the Reds a 3-1 aggregate victory over the Luxembourg side with David McDaid's early strike followed by a second-half Jay Donnelly goal.
Differange had Tom Siebenaler sent-off nine minutes before Donnelly made it 2-0 with 15 minutes remaining.
Gerard Lyttle's side booked a meeting with AEK Larnaca of Cyprus.
McDaid gave Cliftonville the perfect start, latching on to Donnelly's flick and bursting past two defenders before firing into the bottom corner in the second minute.
It was a high temp opening from the hosts and Donnelly's acrobatic volley flew just over.
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Differdange went close from a corner when Omar Er Rafik saw his header saved by new Reds keeper Jason Mooney.
Devijvid Sinani dragged a shot wide for Differange early in the second half and the visitors were reduced to 10 men when Siebenaler was dismissed for a last-man foul on Donnelly.
Chris Curran created the second goal, reaching the byeline before crossing low for Donnelly to slot in at the backpost.
Differdange remained a threat and it required a good save from Mooney to keep out Antonio Luisi's strike.
Daniel Hughes should have added a third late on but after weaving his way clear the substitute failed to beat keeper Andre Almeida Rodrigues.


A 12-year-old girl in Mississippi had a rare bonding experience with her new baby brother - delivering him herself.

Jacee Dellapena was upset during her mother's labour because, she said, she was too short to see her brother born.
So the doctor suggested she suit up and take part - delivering her baby brother under the doctor's supervision, and even cutting the umbilical cord.
She later told US media: "I was nervous I was going to mess up... but it was the best moment of my life."
"I started crying because I thought I wasn't going to get to see him be born, because I was too short," Jacee told WBTV.
"He let me actually push down and pull the baby out... I was like, wow, like I've played fake doctor before, but this is, like, the real thing, this is is the real deal," she said.
Cayson Carraway was born safely at 7lb 6oz (3.3kg).
Mother Dede Carraway said the emotions on her daughter's face brought her to tears. "It was just a good moment for me," she said.
Family friend Nikki Smith shared the photos of Jaycee's emotional experience on Facebook, where they were shared more than 170,000 times.
Some Facebook comments questioned the doctor's decision, or suggested Jacee may have been distressed, despite the teen's own words about the experience.
"This beautiful moment will always be remembered by both her mother and herself," Nikki said in response.
"There is absolutely nothing wrong with allowing her daughter to witness this beautiful moment. It's not for everyone but jacee was a rockstar and helped deliver a newborn!"
The increasing popularity of having siblings attend the delivery room became a subject of debate last year, when TV chef Jamie Oliver revealed his two eldest daughters had watched his new son be born.
At the time, one family psychologist told the BBC that if all goes well, "it can be a fantastic experience".
But, given the potential for pain or complications, the National Childbirth Trust recommended that preparation is essential.


Two teenage drug dealers stabbed a man to death in a park after he tried to rob them, a court has heard.

The boys, who cannot be named for legal reasons, attacked Lee Briggs in St Marie's Park in Widnes, Cheshire, in May, Chester Crown Court heard.
One boy, now aged 16, waved a machete at the 43-year-old as the other boy, aged 15, stabbed him, the jury heard.
Mr Briggs "held a knife to the younger boy's throat" to try to steal their money and drugs. The boys deny murder.
Gordon Cole QC, prosecuting, said the boys, from Liverpool, had admitted being in the park to deal cocaine and heroin on the day of Mr Briggs' death.
He said the killing had been witnessed by Nicola Riley, who had gone to purchase drugs from the pair.
Ms Riley told the court she heard Mr Briggs say "give me the bits", which she took as a reference to the drugs and money, as he threatened the boys.
Mr Briggs was treated by paramedics and police but later died in hospital.
A post-mortem examination found he had died from a single stab wound to the chest.
Mr Cole said after the attack, the boys had fled the scene and returned to Liverpool in a taxi.
He told the court CCTV footage showed them re-enacting the stabbing.
He added that the boys knew where weapons were hidden around the park in case of a "violent confrontation".
"When there was that confrontation by Lee Briggs, their immediate reaction, both of them, was to be armed," he said.
"Both of them were prepared to brandish and use weapons."
The case continues.


Ok, perhaps today is the day that Mark Zuckerberg finally abandons the pretence that Facebook isn't a media company.

It was a year ago that, on a visit to Rome to see the Pope, he said "We are a tech company, not a media company".
Then, in December, he appeared to soften his language, saying "It's not a traditional media company. You know, we build technology and we feel responsible for how it's used."
In a blog post in December I argued that Zuckerberg's firm was indeed a media company, because it is funded by advertising, creates vast amounts of stories (or content), and is the main source of news for millions - if not billions - around the world.
Today, with the launch of Facebook Watch, a video service that will incentivise the creation of a new industry in original programming, the tech giant is moving into broadcasting in a big way.
It is becoming a destination for viewers of programmes.
That, of course, makes it a media company; but qualifying for that label isn't a matter for pedants alone. This is about more than semantics: it's about Facebook's ambition, social obligations, and the future of media itself.
It is actually quite hard to fathom the financial power of Facebook today.
Despite warnings last year about a limit to how many ads users will tolerate on their news feed, the company is able to charge brands ever more for the privilege of appearing there.
Its market capitalisation now nudges $500bn; advertising revenues are up 47%; and earnings by GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Principles) have hit $4bn - growing by a scarcely comprehensible 70% in a year, from a very strong base.
Mix that kind of growth and wealth with the Silicon Valley mindset - "move fast and break things" - and you get a sense of why Facebook has decided to move into original programming, giving the makers of videos that appear on its platform a juicy 55% of ad revenues - for now at least.
This is all about making the Facebook experience ever more sticky: making users want to spend more and more, and more and more time within the walled garden - or echo chamber or filter bubble if you will - of the social network.
With more than two billion users now, Facebook wants to do ever more to retain the interest of those logged on. High quality videos will do that, as will the company's eventual move into live sports, which has long been rumoured, but is yet to materialise.
Power brings responsibility, and there have been times when Facebook has seemed uncomfortable with its social obligations.
For instance, on the issue of fake news, despite hiring thousands of new moderators, the company is determined not to be an arbiter of what is true or false, preferring its community of users to make such judgements - or outsourcing them to fact-checkers.
At base, firms such as Facebook and Google are just ad companies. New ones, of course; unusually technical, too; and astonishingly powerful - but ultimately, they are companies who sell a product to advertisers.
That product is our personal data.
Just as it is hard to fathom the financial firepower of some of these Silicon Valley firms, so it is hard to grasp the amount of personal data they now control.
This data is vulnerable, because lots of people (including foreign powers and cyber-criminals) may want it; valuable, as these companies' wealth proves; and often handed over by people who are not fully clear about what they are doing.
Two excellent recent articles show that the social obligations created by Facebook's possession of this personal data are now receiving the kind of scrutiny and debate they deserve.
The Financial Times' John Thornhill has argued that this data is akin to the oil in Alaska, which was used to fund a version of the universal basic income idea (UBI) that has gained traction in recent years, as a way of addressing the rapidly diminishing share of wealth making it to the labour force in advanced economies.
Thornhill suggests Facebook should use its wealth to fund a UBI experiment.
Meanwhile, in his latest brilliant piece for The London Review of Books, John Lanchester explains how Facebook has made products of us all.
"Facebook is in essence an advertising company which is indifferent to the content on its site except insofar as it helps to target and sell advertisements", Lanchester argues - though Facebook would deny the charge of being indifferent.
He goes on: "For all the talk about connecting people, building community, and believing in people, Facebook is an advertising company."
Indeed it is. And now that it is selling adverts in programmes that will be broadcast through its platform, via Facebook Watch, an interesting question arises. Should such shows be regulated by Ofcom? If not, why not?
Yes, the likes of Facebook are a new kind of media company. But we must believe that broadcasters have a social responsibility, because we have a regulator for them; and perhaps, if the broadcasts are taking place in the UK, the platform on which they appear, and the provenance of that platform, is secondary to the content.
Across media, power is shifting to audiences. The idea of editors determining what you can read, or commissioners determining what you watch, is weakening. Schedules are becoming obsolete, albeit slowly.
Facebook Watch will accelerate this trend.
With a user base massively bigger than YouTube and Netflix combined, the social interactions you conduct when logged onto Facebook - meticulously recorded by the social network's algorithms, of course - will now help drive the promotion and distribution of content.
How this works for users is impossible to know just now, of course. It could mean that we lose the serendipity of switching on and seeing what's occurring. But the loss in serendipity is, for most users under 35 at least, easily outweighed by the gain in being able to see what you want, where you want, when you want.
Convenience is king, and Facebook is making it more convenient to enjoy viewing experiences without leaving its platform.
Zuckerberg would justifiably argue this is a way of transferring more power to his users.
Lanchester is right: you are the product. With Facebook Watch, you are the programmers, too.


K bladder, caused by the drug ketamine, is a bigger problem in the UK than anywhere else in Europe, according to the country's leading expert.

David Gillatt, chief urologist at Bristol University, says the condition has forced him to remove the bladders of young people.
Two former users, Matt and Jamie, have been telling Newsbeat about their use of ketamine.
Warning: You may find some of the details in their stories distressing.
"I started taking ketamine in clubs and parties in Bristol but things started to spiral out of control after nearly going to jail.
"I was just using it to cope with life really, just using more and more until my body couldn't hack it and I started getting really ill.
"It started creeping into every aspect of my life and that becoming the main part of my life. I started selling drugs to support that.
"Everyone around me started getting stomach cramps and getting really ill and peeing blood.
"All the other drugs pretty much went out of the window.
"I hated being me. I think I was trying to kill myself without actually giving up.
"At my worst I was taking 15g a day. I was buying in bulk thinking I'd ration it out but I was doing it all in one night.
"Eventually using all the time because it was taking away the pain that I was in physically, but it was causing all the pain as well making my body deteriorate.
"It was the only thing that would stop how much pain I was in but it was what was causing it. I was stuck in a cycle.
"I've woken up on the bathroom floor with blood everywhere fitting out on the floor, where I have been in so much pain. I eventually got into heroin because it was the only thing that got anywhere near to easing the pain that ketamine caused.
"I had a catheter fitted.  It was a tube going in through my stomach into my bladder because my bladder had just shut down basically.
"My bladder collapsed around the catheter. I was still taking ketamine because I was in a massive amount of physical pain.
"I had numerous suicide attempts because I couldn't cope with how much pain I was in. I was actually peeing out chunks of my bladder.
"The bladder wall was falling apart. There was so much scar tissue. I was permanently curled up in a ball unable to stop sweating just in absolute agony.
"I'm four months clean now of all drugs but I am still awaiting another operation to check to see how bad my bladder is.
"Eventually I might have to have my bladder removed and half my bowel removed to make a new bladder. I'm scared about the side effects of the operation, not being able to have kids, the prospect of it not working.
"It's an evil drug which is just corrosive on your body it just strips you down in a matter of years. It was uncontrollable."
"When I was really bad on it, basically spending Â£600 a week on it my bladder was absolutely destroyed.
"I was going to the toilet numerous times every hour. At one point I couldn't actually pee because my blood was clotted.
"It was the worst pain I have ever had. I never want to feel that again. I thought I was going to lose my bladder."
"It started as a weekend thing and then it soon deteriorated into Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday and it just went on and on to a point where it was daily.
"There was a point where I was having one hour of sleep a night - 23 hours a day on ketamine.
"I lost five or six stone in weight, down to eight and a half stone.
"I got really bad stomach cramps. It's like a really sharp pain in your stomach, it does not go away. It lasts for about three to four days and you're pretty much bed ridden. You can't walk apart from walking like a hunch back.
"The first time I peed blood, I was trying to pee and a tiny bit came out and then all of a sudden I could see this large thing come through me and it was a blood clot and five or six just flew out.
"I got in the bath and to see if I could pee in the bath to relieve the pain with warm water and then I couldn't go at all.
"I went to the hospital. I spent four nights in hospital. They had to stick some water into my bladder, put me on a catheter and flushed my system out.
"At that point I was still taking ketamine in hospital. Looking back I can't believe how daft I was.
"I probably estimate I spent Â£80,000 on ketamine over my addiction. I am currently Â£41,000 in debt.
"It's hindering me a lot more than I expected. I have got to pay back what I owe. Pay back my debt to society too."
Jamie's mum Sue told Newsbeat: "I know now that I have got my son back, because I used to say 'You're not my son when you take ketamine'.
"It's nice to have him back."
If you need help with any of the issues raised in this article you can get help from Talk to Frank.
Follow @BBCNewsbeat on Twitter and Radio1Newsbeat on YouTube


Sir Lenny Henry is to receive a special Bafta at this year's TV awards ceremony in May.

The Alan Clarke award, named in honour of the late TV director, was last presented in 2015 to screenwriter Jeff Pope.
Actor and comedian Sir Lenny will receive his award on 8 May for his outstanding contribution to TV.
Krishnendu Majumdar, chairman of Bafta's Television Committee, said there was "no-one more deserving".
"This is fantastic," Sir Lenny said.
"I am truly humbled and truly hopeful that this award is a pan-industry acknowledgement that diversity must be at the heart of our industry if we are to reflect British society now and, most importantly, in the future."
Known predominantly for being a comedian, Sir Lenny first appeared on the ITV talent show New Faces in 1975 and then became a household name in the popular Saturday morning children's show Tiswas.
He went on to star alongside Tracey Ullman and David Copperfield in the hit sketch show Three of the Kind before earning his own Bafta-nominated series The Lenny Henry Show.
Mr Majumdar said that Sir Lenny's appeal "spans all generations and genres".
He also applauded him for his efforts to ignite debate and spur change with regard to the lack of diversity in the TV and wider acting industry, most notably when making the issue the subject of a Bafta lecture in 2014.
Sir Lenny's 40-year TV career also includes the BBC comedy drama Bernard & The Genie in 1991, White Goods on ITV in 1994 and the drama series Chef! on BBC One in the mid-1990s.
He also starred in BBC One dramas Hope and Glory (1999-2000) and The Syndicate (2015) and his comedy series Lenny Henry in Pieces won the Golden Rose at the Montreux Television Festival. He has also made several documentaries about diversity.
He was also one of the founding members of the charity, Comic Relief, along with Richard Curtis.
In February 2009 Sir Lenny made a splash in the theatre winning huge praise and a best newcomer award for his stage debut as the star of Shakespeare's Othello at the West Yorkshire Playhouse in Leeds.
He returned to Shakespeare in The Comedy of Errors at the National Theatre in 2011.
The Lenny Henry show won two Bafta nominations in light entertainment performance and light entertainment programme categories in 1985 and 1989.
His other awards include a lifetime achievement honour at the British Comedy Awards, a best actor Critics Circle Theatre award and a Royal Television Society Fellowship in March.
He was knighted in the Queen's birthday honours in 2015.


Two separate incidents of a man in a car stopping children in the street to speak to them in East Lothian have been reported to police.

The first incident happened at 13:00 on Wednesday in Riverside Drive, Haddington.
A nine-year-old girl raised the alarm after being approached by a man in a small two-door blue car, who engaged her in conversation.
In the same area at 16:15 that day a boy, nine, was also stopped.
The vehicle this time was a described as a larger saloon-style car with dents of the nearside doors, rusty wheel arches and bird droppings on the bonnet.
During both reports, the man involved was white, in his 40s, with short brown hair, a brown beard and was wearing a short-sleeved striped shirt.
Insp Alan Hogarth, of Police Scotland, said: "At this time we are trying to establish exactly what has happened during both these incidents and I would ask anyone with information to come forward.
"East Lothian remains a safe place and at this time I would urge the public to remain calm while we conduct our inquiries."


Greece's state minister has ruled out speculation that the government is considering an early election.

Alekos Flambouraris told Greek TV there was "no point" in calling a poll, saying the country did not need it.
He was responding to reports that the government was considering a snap vote if it failed to find a settlement with its international creditors.
Greece has been locked in strained negotiations since coming to power in January on pledges to end austerity.
On Monday, Germany's Bild reported that Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras was prepared to call an early election in a bid to show that the Greek population was behind his attempts to renegotiate the terms of the country's €240bn (£176bn; $272bn) international bailout.
It quoted a Greek minister saying: "We have nothing to lose. If the EU remains hard, we must show that we stand firm."
But Mr Flambouraris, a Greek state minister who is said to be close to the prime minister, ruled out the suggestion on Wednesday.
"There is no point in calling elections," he told Greek TV.
"They took place two months ago, we received a specific mandate which we will serve."
European Parliament Vice President Alexander Graf Lambsdorff was quoted by Bild as saying that a new election would act as a referendum on Greece's future in the eurozone.
But Dimitrios Papadimoulis, an MP in the left-wing Syriza party leading the government, said on Twitter on Wednesday that it was only the newspaper that wanted a poll, not Greeks.
Mr Tsipras's government has faced strong opposition from EU partners who are unwilling to offer major concessions in discussions over Greece's bailout.
It is in talks over a three-month extension to its €240bn (£176bn; $272bn) bailout negotiated at the end of February.
Greece is due to pay the International Monetary Fund (IMF) €203m on 1 May and €770m on 12 May.
But reports suggest it is rapidly running out of money. It needs to find €2.4bn to pay civil service salaries and pensions this month.


There is little cause for optimism in eastern Ukraine, two years after a deadly conflict began.

15 April 2016 Last updated at 00:24 BST
A fragile ceasefire between pro-Russian rebels and the Ukrainian army is threatened by outbreaks of fighting.
As our correspondent Tom Burridge reports, the situation in the east has come to resemble a "frozen conflict".


Championship side Brighton & Hove Albion have signed Stoke City midfielder Steve Sidwell on loan until the end of the season.

The 33-year-old, who has featured just four times for the Potters this season, had a loan stint with the Seagulls in 2002-03 when he was at Arsenal.
"Steve has played virtually his entire career in the Premier League," said Brighton boss Chris Hughton.
"He knows this club and will supplement our existing midfield options."
Sidwell, who had spells at Reading, Chelsea, Aston Villa and Fulham before joining Stoke in the summer of 2014, becomes Brighton's fourth signing of the January transfer window.
"We need to make sure we have good options in every position," added Hughton.
"Steve is another experienced head. He is a player who's proven at the very top level of English football and is a top professional."
Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page.


A man has pleaded not guilty to a string of terrorism offences over his alleged support for the so-called Islamic State (IS) in Syria.

Mohammed Kahar, 37, from Sunderland, appeared before the Old Bailey via video link from Wandsworth prison.
He is accused of 11 offences, including five of disseminating terrorist publications and three of supporting IS.
The father-of-six is due to stand trial in Newcastle next month.
The charges span a period between November 2013 and February 2014.
Documents allegedly disseminated include The Book Of Jihad and the IS magazine Dabiq 5.
Mr Kahar, of Burnville Road, spoke only to confirm his name and answer not guilty to each charge as they were read out to him.
He was remanded until the trial at Newcastle Crown Court on 19 October.
The full list of charges are:


As the new set of select committee chairs don their purple striped togas, there are still a few vacant niches in key parts of the committee system.

First off - the Intelligence and Security Committee. The ISC is emphatically not a select committee of Parliament; it is a committee of parliamentarians appointed by the prime minister to oversee the security services.
The point here is that it has to be composed of people the spooks can trust - or the necessary level of candour will simply not be there, and ISC investigations will hit a brick wall.
I'm told the ISC Chair from the last parliament, the former Attorney General Dominic Grieve wanted to be re-appointed and wanted the committee up and running, and able to commission a new set of investigations before the summer recess. Given all that has happened in the last few months, that does not seem unreasonableâ€¦.. but there is no sign of the committee members being appointed.
Inquiring minds want to know why.
All the Conservatives on the previous committee want to be re-appointed, although that is in the PM's gift.
But there are two vacancies on the Labour side after Fiona Mactaggart and Gisela Stuart stood down as MPs; and one on the SNP side, after Angus Robertson lost his seat in June.
The new SNP-er is expected to be his successor as Westminster Leader, Ian Blackford, but who will the new Labour members be. Will Jeremy Corbyn be content to nominate some heavyweight ex-ministers, or will he want someone more in tune with his politics?
A less glamorous cog in the system is the Committee of Selection, the assemblage of whips which names MPs to Public Bill Committees, which do the detailed scrutiny work on ordinary legislation.
The non-appearance of this body is the reason that the committee stage of quite humdrum bills like the Ait Travel Organisers Licensing Bill is being taken on the floor of the Commons, because there is no mechanism for delegating bills to smaller committees of MPs until it is set up.
Here the blockage is that the government wants to have a majority on the committee, so that it can then guarantee itself a majority on those Public Bill Committees, thus seeing off ambushes during the detailed scrutiny stage of legislation.
Will they get it?
I hear that Labour are more ambivalent than you might imagine, because were the May government to be replaced by an even more minority Corbyn administration, a guaranteed majority for that government on bill committees would come in pretty handy.
Alternatively, if one of the non-Conservative seats on the Committee of Selection were taken by their semi-allies in the DUP, the Tories would then have a majority, even if the DUP member simply didn't turn upâ€¦.
After the rows about the delays in setting up select committees, and the lack of Opposition Day debates, here's  another issue where, I suspect, we're guaranteed a furious procedural row.


The Confederate flag has been removed from South Carolina capitol grounds in a ceremony attended by large crowds.

A bill calling for the banner to be taken down was signed on Thursday by Republican Governor Nikki Haley after a long and fractious debate.
A symbol of slavery to its critics, the flag was heavily associated with the man accused of killing nine black churchgoers in South Carolina in June.
It had stood on the state grounds for more than 50 years.
Hundreds of people turned out to watch the event in Columbia on Friday morning. Some chanted "take it down" while they waited for the ceremony to begin.
Shortly after 10:00 ET (14:00 GMT) an honour guard of state troopers marched on to the grounds and lowered the flag.
Ms Haley, who did not speak at the event, stood on the steps of the statehouse as the flag was lowered and nodded in the direction of the crowd after someone shouted: "Thank you governor".
The banner was then handed to a state archivist to be transported to a nearby museum where Governor Haley said people "can honour it appropriately".
It will eventually be housed in a multimillion-dollar shrine that lawmakers promised to build as part of a deal to get the bill removing the flag passed.
Earlier, Ms Haley told the NBC TV news network: "No one should ever drive by the statehouse and feel pain. No one should ever drive by the statehouse and feel like they don't belong."
After the removal, President Barack Obama tweeted: "South Carolina taking down the confederate flag - a signal of good will and healing, and a meaningful step towards a better future."
A joyous carnival erupted on the streets of Columbia, as a multi-racial crowd gathered for the lowering of the Confederate flag.
As the controversial colours were furled, there was a sense of immense catharsis: the feeling that there had been a break from past, that South Carolina, and the south more broadly, had moved on.
Then came the chants of "U-S-A, U-S-A, U-S-A" - a cry of national unity.
Though it will take more than the removal of a flag to solve America's racial problems, it was a demonstration of how the Charleston shootings have changed attitudes, and brought about a reckoning with the past.
The flag was the battle emblem of the southern states in the US Civil War, and its supporters today say it is an important part of southern heritage.
The backlash against it grew when nine black people were shot dead at a Charleston church in June and the man charged with the killings, Dylann Roof, was pictured holding the flag.
Mr Obama delivered a eulogy at the funeral for Clementa Pinckney, a state senator and pastor at the church, who was killed in the attack.
After the shooting, the White House said President Obama believed the flag "belongs in a museum".
South Carolina's leaders first flew the flag over the statehouse dome in 1961 to mark the 100th anniversary of the Civil War. It remained there to represent official opposition to the civil rights movement.
Several groups have boycotted South Carolina in protest over the flag's status at the capitol.
After the flag removal bill was signed on Thursday, the US college sport authority - the NCAA - said it was lifting its ban on holding championships in the state.
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is also expected to lift its 15-year boycott of South Carolina at the weekend.


Bicycle theft is "almost like the new car theft", the PSNI has said.

The problem is on the rise across Northern Ireland and particularly in south Belfast which, for the past 10 years, has consistently seen the highest levels.
Despite its prevalence, it is estimated that just one in six bike thefts are reported to the police.
In an effort to tackle the problem, police have introduced a bike registration scheme.
PSNI Sgt Pete Cunningham said that "people are leaving their bikes unattended, which provides a unique opportunity for others to take them".
"We need to secure bikes when we are out and about," he warned.
"Even if it is just for a short period of time, they need to be secured and left in a well-lit area."
Paul Manton, manager of south Belfast bike retailer McConvey's Cycles, told the BBC that people in Northern Ireland are not spending enough on bike security.
"Usually, theft is the last thing on anyone's mind when they are buying a bike," he said.
"We would recommend that people spend at least 10% of the value of their bike on a lock, but very few people rely on good quality locks.
"You could have a two or three thousand pound bike in your shed, which only has a Â£5 padlock on its door and no lock on the bike itself," he added.
Claire McLernon of the cycling charity Sustrans, said the figures should not put people off cycling to work, because there are "so many things you can do to minimise the risks".
"If you're committed to buying a good bicycle, you need to be equally as committed to buying a good lock," she said.
"I had a bicycle that had the lock cut through in south Belfast, but it was a cheap chain from a hardware store.
"I'm hearing more about bikes being stolen, but I try to take the positive from that, that more people must be cycling.
"People are learning how to deal with bike theft and there are improvements being made.
"Nobody should be put off cycling by bike theft - just make sure you protect yourself against it."
The PSNI's bike registration scheme is available through local crime prevention units, where police mark bikes, free of charge.


Chris Ashton needs to "fix" parts of his game before he can expect to be selected for England again, says head coach Eddie Jones.

The 29-year-old Saracens winger was omitted from the 32-man England squad that will tour Australia next month.
Ashton helped his club win the European Champions Cup and reach the Premiership final, but Jones feels Harlequins' Marland Yarde is a "better fit".
"There are parts of Ashton's game we're not happy with," he told BBC 5 live.
"We've spoken to him about that and if he can fix that then he can get in the squad."
When asked whether Ashton, who has won 39 England caps, needs to improve defensively, Jones said their conversations were "private".
Ashton missed this year's Six Nations campaign after being given a 10-week ban for making contact with the eyes of Ulster's Luke Marshall during a European Champions Cup game.
He has scored 10 tries since his return, but the England boss suggested 24-year old Yarde, who crossed seven times this season, could have matched that feat given the opportunity.
"Marland's got a good, strong all-round game, great coachability. I think his best rugby is ahead of him," added the Australian.
"Ashton's done very well to score a lot of tries in a very strong team. You've always got to look at it in the context of what side they're playing for and the opportunities they have.
"He has done some good work. It's all relative to the strength of the team you're playing in and there are other areas of the game apart from scoring tries."
New Zealand-born centre Ben Te'o, who will join Worcester from Leinster before the England party leaves for Australia, is one of four uncapped players named in the squad.
The 29-year-old switched codes in 2014, having represented Samoa in the 2008 Rugby League World Cup and won a National Rugby League title with South Sydney Rabbitohs.
Jones, who said Manu Tuilagi is expected to undergo scans on a hamstring injury on Monday, is pleased to have Te'o as an option.
"Ben's a very talented player," said the 56-year-old. "He can play through the line, he's had a great season for Leinster. He's a big guy and he hits hard.
"Since I've taken the English job and known he wanted to play for England and qualifies for England, I've watched him carefully.
"I've kept in contact with him and he presents a great option for us at 12."
Props Ellis Genge, of Bristol, and Harlequins' Kyle Sinckler have been included in Jones' squad, along with Northampton back row Teimana Harrison.
Jones says both of the uncapped props have a "competitive edge".
He added: "Both aren't ready to scrummage at Test level but both have got potential, so we need to bring them through.
"Genge is a boy that's not afraid of anything and that's what we need to beat Australia. He's aggressive and he can run with the ball and he's got that bit of an edge about him."
The former Australia and Japan head coach continued: "Harrison has been absolutely outstanding for the Saints.
"The robustness of his play, his physicality and his ball carries, his low tackling and his coachability make him a great player to add to the squad.
"He's got a hard back row to break in to. Robbo [Chris Robshaw], James Haskell and Billy [Vunipola] obviously did well during the Six Nations and there's no reason they can't continue to play well."
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Young performers are to benefit from a new £2m teaching space at The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (RCS).

The purpose-built rehearsal facility in Glasgow - which has increased space by 50% - has been unveiled as part of RCS 170th anniversary celebrations.
The project has created 27 acoustically separated rooms for individual practice and one-to-one teaching and two large ensemble rehearsal spaces.
A new tartan has also been created to celebrate the occasion.
The fabric is a blend of blue, purple and grey and features in a new collection of accessories which are available to buy from the conservatoire's website.
Every purchase supports scholarships for students.
Established in 1847, the RCS offers specialised teaching across dance, drama, music, production and screen.
In one review, it was ranked sixth in the world for performing arts education.
Prof Jeffrey Sharkey, Principal of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, said: "Students are at the heart of everything we do at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and we're thrilled to hand over this wonderful learning and teaching complex that will support them on their journey with us.
"An inspiring environment is crucial to the student experience and this purpose-built space gives our talented students and lifelong learners a place to grow and develop as performers."
The Creative Campus project has been financed through a fundraising campaign, including support from The Robertson Trust, Garfield Weston Foundation, The Hugh Fraser Foundation, The Sackler Trust, PF Charitable Trust, Wolfson Foundation, W A Cargill Charitable Trust.


Militia fighters in the Democratic Republic of Congo have decapitated about 40 police officers in an ambush in the central province of Kasai, local officials say.

The attack on a police convoy last Friday is thought to be one of the deadliest single episodes of violence in Kasai since unrest broke out in August 2016.
Reports say up to 400 people have been killed in total.
Six policemen who spoke the local Tshiluba language were freed in Friday's incident, but the rest were killed, Kasai Assembly President Francois Kalamba said.
The Kamwina Nsapu group was believed to be behind the attack. It has been fighting DR Congo forces since its leader was killed by the security forces last year.
The attack came days after the UN Human Rights Council said 10 mass graves had been found in Kasai, with limbs sticking out of the soil at some of the sites.
At least 99 people, including 18 children, were killed between 1 January and 23 February this year, the UN body said after a visit to the area by a team of investigators.
In one attack on 10 February, government troops killed at least 40 alleged militiamen and buried them in two mass graves that its investigators had seen, the UN body added in a report.
The militia is also alleged to have committed atrocities, including killing about 30 people, among them children, following an incursion into the neighbouring Lomami region on 9 March.
In another instance, the militia allegedly "decapitated two policemen and took away their heads", the UN report said.
Followers of Kamwina Nsapu, a traditional chief whose real name was Jean-Pierre Pandi, wanted his chiefdom to be officially recognised by the authorities.
There were communal clashes after Kamwina Nsapu called for a popular uprising in June 2016 with the aim of removing all state institutions and security forces from the region.
He was killed two months later when the police raided his house.
His followers vowed to avenge his killing.
They also demanded the exhumation of the late leader's body, saying he had not been buried in accordance with traditional rites.
The conflict has since escalated, tapping into long-held grievances over marginalisation in this opposition bastion blighted by poor infrastructure.
The Kamwina Nsapu fighters - largely made up of child soldiers - have targeted state institutions, looting and burning local and national government offices.
However, the UN has condemned the army for using disproportionate force against fighters equipped with traditional weapons such as machetes, homemade rifles or even just sticks.
The violence has now spread to neighbouring provinces, forcing tens of thousands of people to flee their homes.
It is a new layer of instability in a country mired in a political crisis sparked by President Joseph Kabila's refusal to step down when his constitutional mandate expired in December.
An agreement was found between the opposition and the presidential coalition on New Year's Eve which were supposed to lead to new elections.
But talks, under the mediation of the Catholic Church, over its implementation have since stalled.
In the meantime, a graphic seven-minute video circulated in February that appeared to show soldiers shooting civilians, including women and children, dead. They were assumed to be supporters of the Kamwina Nsapu militia.
On 12 March, two UN officials - from the US and Sweden - went missing in an apparent abduction.
They were investigating the alleged killing of more than 100 members and supporters of the militia by security forces in February.
It is not yet clear who kidnapped them and there are growing concerns over their fate.
Seven soldiers have been arrested in connection with the video and charged with war crimes.
But more videos of alleged extrajudicial killings have emerged and a number of mass graves have also been discovered.
The UN says that security forces have prevented its teams from accessing the sites.
The authorities have pledged to investigate all allegations.
Deputy Prime Minister Ramazani Shadari held talks with the family of the late traditional leader and the two sides reportedly agreed to exhume the body of Kamwina Nsapu to allow a proper burial and the installation of a new chief.
A week later, about 60 militiamen surrendered to the provincial authorities.
But clashes broke out near the airport in Kananga the day after and the situation remains volatile.
Kasai is also a stronghold of DR Congo's main opposition party, the United People's Democratic Solidarity (UDPS).
There are fears that the unrest in Kasai could take on a more political aspect.
The attention last year was very much focused on the political impasse that reached its climax in December when President Kabila refused to step down at the end of his second term.
Planned elections had not been held, which sparked civil unrest in the capital Kinshasa.
The security forces crushed all demonstrations.
At the time, only a few media reported the on-going clashes in the Kasai province but the scale of the violence only emerged recently as videos started to circulate on social media.


On stage in Sochi, Russia's most famous pop star whips off his sequin-encrusted angel wings and launches into a love song.

Philipp Kirkorov was once referred to as Russia's Michael Jackson. The man who called him that was America's Republican presidential candidate, Donald Trump.
"Oh, Donald Trump, oh my God," exclaims Kirkorov, when I mention the tycoon's name. "First time we met, we had a feeling we know each other many, many years!"
The two men have indeed known each other for more than two decades. In 1994, Kirkorov and his ex-wife Alla Pugacheva performed at Trump's Taj Mahal casino in Atlantic City.
"After the show Donald Trump came to our dressing room. We got a big, fantastic gold trophy from him and his organisation for being the first Russian artists to play the Taj Mahal. When Alla and I divorced, I kept the trophy!"
In 2013, when Donald Trump brought the Miss Universe Contest to Moscow, Kirkorov was one of the judges. He has been a guest in the Republican candidate's home.
A President Trump, he believes, would be Russia's friend.
"He was very often a guest of Russia, he loves Russia and Russians," Kirkorov tells me. "If Trump will be President, the relationship between our countries will be much closer. And I pray for that. Because we are two big countries, two big nations. We must be friends."
Kirkorov's famous friend is singing from the same hymnbook.
Wouldn't it be nice if we actually got along with people? Wouldn't it be nice if we got along with Russia?"
"If we could get along with Russia, wouldn't that be a good thing, not a bad thing?" Donald Trump suggested on the campaign trail.
He has also hinted he would consider recognising Crimea as part of Russia, he has criticised Nato and suggested lifting sanctions against Russia.
So, how unusual is it for a US presidential candidate to be so pro-Moscow?
"It's never happened - it never happened in the last 70 years or so," believes Michael McFaul, a former US ambassador to Moscow, currently director and senior fellow at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies at Stanford University.
"Trump says things about Russia, about Putin personally, that are way beyond convention for a Democrat or Republican candidate, or for a politician in either party."
But why?
Is Donald Trump, as some of his critics claim, a Putin plant? A Russian agent?
That may be giving President Vladimir Putin rather too much credit. He is powerful but perhaps not so powerful that he can fix a US election.
Still, there is a suspicion that a recent cyber attack on the Democratic Party and the subsequent leak of embarrassing emails were a Russian operation.
"I think we know pretty definitively that Russian organisations hacked those emails and were on those systems," concludes Michael McFaul.
"Our intelligence folks have said that and senior people have said that off the record. Second, we know that WikiLeaks dumped those emails to purposely influence the course of the Democratic Convention and damage Secretary Clinton as a candidate.
"What we don't know definitively: did the Russians give the emails to WikiLeaks or did they obtain them through a different source? I fear we'll never know that. The Russians could have made that transfer without WikiLeaks ever knowing it was them. But, of course, if it were true - and the circumstantial evidence is pretty strong - that's a very direct attempt to influence the course of the elections in America."
Moscow denies scheming in US politics.
"We're not involved. We're not supporting Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton or others in any sort of domestic elections," says Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova. "It's not our business. It's up to the American people to decide. I think it's a very clear, honest and respectful position."
And those hacking allegations?
"It was people from the Democratic Party who accused Russia of doing this," Ms Zakharova tells me. "Don't you think it's part of the game? We're treating this as part of the game. Their game: the domestic US political game."
And yet, with Hillary Clinton adopting a hard line on Moscow, and Donald Trump praising President Putin, is the Kremlin really sitting on the fence?
"Obviously, Russia would prefer Trump," says Fyodor Lukyanov, editor-in-chief of Russia in Global Affairs.
"It's quite understandable that Russia would prefer the candidate who is making statements. I wouldn't call them pro-Russian, but they correspond pretty well to the Russian picture of how the world should be.
"Personalities who reject dogmas of political correctness - like the former Italian premier Silvio Berlusconi - have enjoyed a much better understanding with Putin than those who stick to political correctness. In this regard, psychologically, I can imagine Putin and Trump understand each other."
Back at the pop concert, the Russian Michael Jackson cannot see what all the fuss is about.
"I think it's good that Donald Trump loves Russia so much," Philipp Kirkorov tells me.
And if Trump does become President of the United States, I ask.
"I will congratulate him personally," replies Kirkorov. "I will write him a letter! Go, Donald!"


Surrey suffered relegation back to Division Two of the County Championship after their bold declaration gamble failed to pay off at Edgbaston.

Needing to win to stand any hope of staying up, Surrey captain Gareth Batty struck a deal with Warwickshire stand-in skipper Varun Chopra.
But, asked to chase only 281 to win in four sessions, the Bears got home in some comfort after resuming on 55-2.
Ateeq Javid (119) and Chris Woakes (79) saw them to a six-wicket win on 281-4.
The pair shared an unbroken partnership of 155 for the fifth wicket after the morning departure of Surrey old boys Laurie Evans (34) and Rikki Clarke (17) had briefly offered hope of the away win the visitors needed to keep their survival hopes alive.
Warwickshire's 17 points from the match meant that last season's champions will go into next week's final round of fixtures still with a chance of finishing third.
But with the end coming at Edgbaston for Surrey, relegation will be a particularly painful blow for Batty, Solanki and wicketkeeper Steven Davies, who all used to play for neighbouring Worcestershire and now face the prospect of having to return to New Road to play Division Two cricket next summer.
After being relegated for the first time in 2008, Surrey were then promoted back to the top flight in 2011 - but have only managed  two seasons back in Division One.
The 2013 campaign started with such promise at The Oval after the signings of Vikram Solanki from Worcestershjre and Lancashire's County Championship-winning spinner Gary Keedy, further supplemented by the exciting winter recruitment of South African Test captain Graeme Smith and Australian legend Ricky Ponting.
But Smith lasted just three Championship matches before succumbing to an ankle injury and not even the late-season signing of his South African team-mate Hashim Amla could save the Brown Caps.
By then, Surrey had parted company with team director Chris Adams, who was replaced by Surrey legend Alec Stewart in midsummer, but it has not gone to plan for the former England skipper either.
Stewart and Surrey are yet to announce their plans for next season, but it was reported on Friday that South African Graeme Ford, the former Kent coach, has reiterated his intention to step down as Sri Lanka coach when his contract expires in January.
The 52-year-old, is a reported Surrey target, and has ties with Surrey captain Smith, who is due to return in 2014, after coaching him while in charge of South Africa.
Surrey coach Alec Stewart told BBC London 94.9:
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"League tables don't lie. Over the whole season we haven't played well enough.
"You get what you deserve and that is relegation. Nobody has a divine right to play in the top division.
"We had to wait until our 12th game of the season to win our first game and that's not good enough. But we have to take in on the chin.
"Warwickshire played outstandingly well, but this was only a second day pitch. We had to gamble. They held all the cards and we couldn't get the breakthrough.
"Over the winter, we'd now like to see some improvements made that will help us challenge next year to win promotion."
Bears batsman Ateeq Javid told BBC WM:
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"Last night it was a bit tricky with the new ball, and then first thing this morning too, but I got myself in, we got through to lunch and it helped batting with Woakesie.
"It has been great to be given my chance this season but these are the sort of moments you put in all the hard work for and I've got more confident as the season's gone on.
"And it was a great compliment to have Hashim Amla, the world's number one batsman, come up to me and tell me how well I'd played."
Mark Church (BBC London 94.9):
"Bitter disappointment for Surrey as they drop into the Second Division of the Championship.
"Even though they gave themselves a chance of winning this game and keeping their season alive until next week the table does not lie.
"Just one win meant that Surrey were always under pressure to force a result at Edgbaston and Ateeq Javid batted extremely well to guide the hosts to victory."
Match scorecard


Castleford returned to the top of Super League after coming back from 14-0 down to beat French side Catalans Dragons.

Iain Thornley and Richie Myler crossed early on for Catalans and Luke Walsh kicked a penalty as they established an early advantage.
However, Zak Hardaker, Grant Millington, Joel Monaghan and Greg Eden gave the hosts a 22-14 half-time lead.
Eden got his second as Junior Moors and Michael Shenton also touched down and Luke Gale kicked 15 points.
Louis Anderson and Vincent Duport, who made his 150th appearance, went over in the second half for Catalans, who are ninth after losing three of their six games so far.
Castleford, who lost for the first time this season at Salford last week, had too much attacking quality as they ran in seven tries and became the first team to pass 200 points in the league this season.
Rangi Chase came on for the Tigers as a replacement after a three-match absence for disciplinary reasons.
Castleford coach Daryl Powell: "There were some outstanding things in our game. We had to score next and I thought we always looked dangerous when we had the ball, but we were a bit leaky in defence, which is one disappointing element.
"The Catalans are a big physical team and to get away to a start like that it gave them a real foothold in the game. So I was pleased we managed a response. At times we look unbelievably difficult to hold, so there are lots of positives.
"I went to see the under-19s before and they're top of the table as well. What I saw from the under-19s was as pleasing as us winning today."
Catalans coach Laurent Frayssinous: "We made a great start with the ball, but obviously our defence was not good enough.
"We imposed a lot of early pressure and scored some tries, but, on the back of that, we couldn't defend and it's frustrating to concede so many points."
Castleford: Hardaker, Monaghan, Webster, Shenton, Eden; Roberts, Gale; Lynch, McShane, Massey, Millington, McMeeken, Milner.
Replacements: Moores, Cook, Sene-Lefao, Chase.
Catalans Dragons: Williame, Yaha, Inu, Duport, Thornley; Walsh, Myler; Moa, Aiton, Casty, Bousquet, Garcia, Burgess.
Replacements: Anderson, Baltieri, Da Costa, Margalet.


Friends and family of a murdered teenager have held a remembrance service one year after his stabbing.

Connor Tremble, 17, who was autistic, was stabbed 15 times in Oxford by a love rival on 13 February 2014.
The ceremony was held at Shanklin United Reformed Church on the Isle of Wight, where Connor's mother Lisa Tremble now lives.
Reverend Brian Harley said the family "wanted to come together, remember and give thanks for the good things".
He said: "I think it's always difficult when we're dealing with a tragic death.
"Obviously in Connor's case when there is a murder as well it just adds to the sense of grief and anger."
He added: "It's nice that the family a year on want to pause and remember and give thanks as well as try to make sense of the tragic loss they are suffering."
Mrs Tremble and Connor's two sisters took part in the service, during which poems were read out, music performed and a video tribute played by one of Connor's friends.
Will Blencowe, 21, was jailed for life in August after a jury found him guilty of murdering Connor.
Blencowe, of Oxford Road, Banbury, was the ex-boyfriend of Mr Tremble's girlfriend, Aimee Harrison.
On 13 February, he took a taxi to Mr Tremble's home in Faircares Road, Oxford, before repeatedly stabbing him after learning he was seeing Ms Harrison.
Mr Tremble died two days later in hospital.


World number one Dustin Johnson is out of the Masters at Augusta National after suffering a back injury in a fall at his rental home on Wednesday.

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The American, 32, looked set to take part after warming up on the range but he then withdrew on the first tee.
The US Open champion fell on the stairs and hurt his lower back on Wednesday.
"I'm playing the best golf of my life and to have a freak accident happen yesterday afternoon, it sucks really bad," said Johnson.
"I have been worked on all morning and obviously I can take some swings, but I can't swing full, I can't make my normal swing and I didn't think there was any chance I could compete."
The 15-time PGA Tour winner added: "I was wearing socks and slipped and went down the three stairs. The left side of my lower back took the brunt of it and my left elbow is bruised as well."
Johnson's caddie was placing the ball on his tee for him on the range, while coach Butch Harmon said pain hindered Johnson's rest overnight.
Shortly before his withdrawal, he progressed from hitting wedge shots on the range to fuller swings and his involvement looked likely as he made his way to the first tee for a scheduled 19:03 BST start alongside playing partners Bubba Watson and Jimmy Walker.
Johnson was a popular pick to win the first major of the year as a result of the fine form he has shown in 2017. He has won the past three tournaments in which he has competed - February's Genesis Open, and both the WGC Mexico Championship and WGC Dell Match Play in March.
As well as winning last year's US Open by four shots, he finished ninth at the Open Championship and tied fourth at the Masters.
BBC Radio 5 live correspondent Iain Carter
Johnson took until the very last second to make what must have been an agonising decision to pull out. He was standing on the first tee before making the toughest call of his career. It is a severe blow for the player who has dominated golf this season.
He arrived here off the back of three big victories and was a justifiable favourite. All that has been lost through his freak fall at his rental home and the damage done to his back.


Lincoln City have signed Shrewsbury winger James Caton on loan until the end of the season.

The 22-year-old has not appeared for Shrewsbury this season, but has played once for Mansfield Town and four times for Wrexham while on loan.
Bolton youth product Caton has also played for Blackpool and has loan spells with Accrington and Chester before joining Shrewsbury in 2014.
Caton follows Jamie McCombe, 33, in signing for the National League side.
The centre-back, who played 101 games for the club during his first spell, has left Stevenage and signed a contract until the end of the 2016-17 season.


Lewis Hamilton has rejected claims from Nico Rosberg that he tried to compromise his Mercedes team-mate during the Chinese Grand Prix.

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The German felt race winner Hamilton was driving unnecessarily slowly, backing him up into the chasing Ferrari of Sebastian Vettel.
Rosberg said it was "frustrating" and put them under "unnecessary pressure".
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Hamilton responded to the accusation he had done it on purpose by saying: "That's absolutely not the case."
He added: "I wasn't trying to back him up into Sebastian because ultimately we do need a one-two and that is a priority to the team. If he wanted to get close to overtake he could have done. I'm not really quite sure what his problem is.
"We came here to get one-two and we did. There shouldn't be too much aggro really."
But Rosberg, who finished second ahead of Vettel, said the two would discuss it with the team after the race.
"Of course we will have a discussion and we will see how it goes," Rosberg added.
It is the latest in a series of flash points that have tested the relationship between the two drivers, especially since the team became the sport's pace-setters at the start of last year, including a crash at last August's Belgian Grand Prix.
Rosberg's concern in Shanghai was that by bringing Vettel closer than he needed to be, it made Mercedes vulnerable to an attempt by Ferrari to either pass Rosberg by stopping first and benefitting from fresh tyres - called undercutting - or by forcing Rosberg to do a longer final stint than his tyres could cope with.
Vettel did make an earlier than scheduled final stop, but Mercedes were able to handle it.
Rosberg said: "It compromised my race massively at the time because the best possible race for Lewis was to back me off into Vettel so Vettel would try to undercut me and I would have to respond.
"It was very frustrating Lewis was taking it as easy on his tyres. Interestingly, he said he was just thinking about himself and that says it all.
"What upset me is we went through exactly that before the race."
Mercedes F1 boss Toto Wolff claimed the drivers had cleared the air in their post-race debrief.
"It was a good debrief because it was a positive debrief," said Wolff. "There wasn't any animosity.
"There wasn't any intention from Lewis to slow Nico down in order to make him finish third or worse, 100%.
"He didn't know the gaps behind Nico. What he knew was that he had to take that tyre longer than we had ever run it the whole weekend. This is why he decided to slow down in the way he did."
Chinese GP results