A village near Wrexham which has a sign boasting it is Wales' highest is not - it is not even the second highest.

Bwlchgwyn's lofty claim has had cold water poured over it by data from mapping agency Ordnance Survey.
It showed Trefil in Blaenau Gwent is the highest with an elevation of 1,341ft (409m).
Local councillor Alyson Tippings said she had always known Trefil was one of the highest villages, but it "would be nice" to now have a sign of its own.
Garn yr Erw, Torfaen, at 1,292ft (394m) is second with Bwlchgwyn, 1,167ft (356m), a respectable, but not sign-worthy, third.
Ms Tippings said: "It's not really well-known that it's the highest, we have got the highest rugby pitch and thought it was high up, but we didn't know if technically it would be the highest, or how big a village has to be, but it's not surprising.
"In winter, we are usually the first to have snow and we're the last to see it go away. People will call and say 'is there any snow yet? Can I bring my kids?'
"Growing up in the village there was always snow around Christmas, snowmen and sleighing. That fact is a good indicator of height.
"We're lucky that the rain washes away quite quickly too, there are benefits."
She said now Trefil is officially the highest village in Wales, "it would be really nice to have a sign".
Jayson Barry, who lives near Trefil, said it was not surprising it was the highest because of differences in temperature.
"I live a few miles away and you do notice the temperature differences just in a few miles, it always feels a few degrees colder here, if it is or not I don't know.
"It's been quite mild this winter so it feels more Christmassy up here.
"I wasn't aware it was the highest, I don't think much has been made of that but if it's official that could make people want to visit."
Evelyn Seville, who has lived Bwlchgwyn all her life, told BBC Radio Cymru's Post Cyntaf she had always considered it to be the highest village in Wales and was disappointed.


Not giving an inch, going the extra mile, entering the final furlong, piling on the pounds and doing the hard yards - the English language is rich with phrases derived from the units British people use to measure distances, sizes and quantities.

Known as imperial measures - because they were defined in law in the early 19th Century and spread across the British Empire - these units have a place in our collective vocabulary and history, but could they be about to make a comeback in every day commercial use following the vote to leave the EU?
Although steps towards metrication began nearly a decade before the UK joined the EU in 1973, the gradual adoption of a French measurement system has become synonymous with European integration in the eyes of many and Brexit a priceless opportunity to inch away from it.
Since June's Brexit vote, a number of companies, ranging from butchers to wine merchants, have said they would relish the chance to be able to trade in imperial units.
Simon Berry, chairman of Berry Bros & Rudd, has gone as far as to say it is his lifetime's ambition to sell champagne in pint-sized bottles - currently outlawed in the UK - and in his words to reclaim it from "rules-obsessed bureaucrats".
Campaigner Warwick Cairns says people feel this way because imperial measurements are not only easily understandable but inherently popular.
"There is something about feet and inches that feel part of our identity and culture," he says. "They make sense on a human scale, they make sense on a cultural scale. It is part of us."
A brief history of weights and measures
Mr Cairns, who represents the imperial-supporting British Weights and Measures Association and is the author of a book about the issue, insists that people should not be required to use either system, because modern technology can easily accommodate both.
"This is the chance for people to be free to use whatever measures they please," he says.
"Take my bathroom scales. If I want to weigh myself in kilograms, I can. Flick the switch the other way, and I can weigh myself in stones and pounds. There is no reason why you can't do that."
Controversial attempts by the EU - aided and abetted by successive British governments - to make the UK move to a single metric system officially came to an end in 2008, when Brussels agreed to the continued use of pints (for draught beer and cider), pounds and miles, alongside metric units.
Current laws require traders to use metric measurements when weighing packaged or loose goods for sale in England, Wales and Scotland but still allow them to sell goods in imperial quantities and display prices in imperial as long as they do not "stand out more" than the metric signs alongside them.
The rules are not rigorously enforced today, after public and political furore over the prosecution of the "metric martyrs", a group of market traders convicted 15 years ago of selling goods using only imperial measures.
But they are still seen, by both sides of the argument, as a dog's breakfast ripe for reform.
Advocates of metric say it is perfectly feasible for the two systems to co-exist but does not make commercial sense.
"The current measurement muddle aids only our competitors," says Derek Pollard, the chairman of the UK Metric Association.
With 90% of the UK's trade taking place with metric countries - the US being the stand-out exception - he says the UK would be at a big disadvantage if it reverted.
"To compete effectively, we need a single, logical and universal measurement system that everyone understands and is familiar with," Mr Pollard says.
This view is shared by the UK Weighing Federation, which speaks on behalf of companies manufacturing, installing and repairing commercial scales and associated equipment - including components, instrumentation and software.
Not only, it says, are most imperial measuring scales now consigned to people's lofts or on display in museums, but the equipment used to test commercial weights to guarantee their conformity with technical and safety standards - a procedure known as type approvals - is not available for any mass switch back to imperial.
"All measuring equipment is designed to record in metric," says its president, Nick Catt.
"If you want to be a manufacturing country and want to have a strong connection with Europe, then you have to follow the European norms and rules.
"Otherwise it would be chaos and it would be consumers who lose out."
Having a dual system of metric and imperial would, he says, involve a "phenomenal" cost to retailers, which would inevitably be passed on to customers - an outcome at odds with the deregulatory impetus behind Brexit.
"It would just not be practical," Mr Catt says.
"You would have to teach kids in schools what pounds are.
"We are talking about an era that is gone, and we can't turn the clock back that far."
The act of Brexit, in and of itself, will not see "lb" signs springing up all over the UK.
For that to happen, Parliament would need to repeal the current regulations, dating back to the mid-1990s, obliging traders to sell their products in metric weights.
As far as the government is concerned, such a change is not on the horizon while it focuses on reassuring investors the UK is open for business globally after the Brexit vote.
"Businesses can already use imperial units alongside metric, or on their own for draught beer and cider, bottled milk and road traffic signs," a spokesman for the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy said.
"This is national legislation and there has been no change to the law since the referendum result."
While the issue is unlikely to be the first port of call for MPs as they seek to decouple the UK from 40 years of EU-related legislation over the coming years, there is a body of opinion within Parliament that would support such a move.
In 1998, 89 MPs signed a parliamentary motion opposing compulsory metrication and the prosecution of traders continuing to use imperial.
The motion, which also pledged its support for the "use of customary UK measures", shows imperial measures have friends in high places.
Among those to sign were Jeremy Corbyn and Philip Hammond - then humble backbenchers but now Labour leader and Chancellor of the Exchequer.


Norway's Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit are visiting Orkney on their their first official engagement in Scotland.

The annual St Magnus International Festival has chosen 2017 to mark the anniversary of Orkney's patron saint St Magnus's death 900 years ago.
The visit is aimed at celebrating the historical and cultural ties between Orkney and Norway.
The royal couple will take part in a number of engagements over the weekend.
Harvey Johnston, convener of Orkney Islands Council, said: "Orkney's ties with Norway are long and enduring and I am sure that the royal couple will feel a genuine affinity for the islands during their visit."
Leslie Burgher, honorary consul for Norway in Orkney, said: "It is in recognition of the importance that is attached to our shared history with Norway that their Royal Highnesses have agreed to come and mark the 900th anniversary.
"The trip has already created considerable interest in Norway and we look forward to giving our royal visitors a flavour of Orkney's produce, culture and history during their stay."
Orkney's historical ties to Norway date back to when the islands were populated by Norwegians in the late 700s.
Norway's National Day - 17 May - is celebrated in the islands and at Christmas a tree is delivered to Orkney as a gift from Norway.


Vietnam, Laos and Mozambique have been ranked lowest in a report focusing on the illegal rhino horn, ivory and tiger-part trade.

The report by conservation group WWF scored 23 countries "facing high levels of poaching and trafficking" of these items.
Vietnam was the "top destination for rhino horn", fuelling a poaching crisis in South Africa, the report said.
Laos and Mozambique failed on ivory trade compliance and enforcement.
WWF describes the 23 countries assessed as "top-range transit and destination countries implicated in illegal trade of elephant, rhino and tiger products".
The report
 rated countries for each animal, saying "the scorecard seeks to differentiate between countries where it is actively being countered from those where current efforts are entirely inadequate".
Among destination countries, Vietnam failed on "key aspects of compliance and enforcement" for the rhino and the tiger-part trades.
"It is time for Vietnam to face the fact that its illegal consumption of rhino horn is driving the widespread poaching of endangered rhinos in Africa, and that it must crack down on the illegal rhino horn trade," Elisabeth McLellan, WWF Global Species Programme manager,
          said in a statement
.
Vietnam's decision in 2007 to establish "pilot breeding farms" for tigers had "undermined" its efforts in the illegal trade of tiger products, the report also said.
As for those classified under origin and transit countries, Mozambique failed on rhinos and elephants, and Laos on tigers and elephants.
The WWF report urged China and Thailand, top destinations for illegal African ivory, to tighten enforcement.
It also commended progress made, even as it added that "major prosecutions for wildlife crime are still rare".
"There were important advances in compliance in 2010-2012, with introduction of stricter legislation, wildlife trade controls and penalties in a number of countries, including China, India, Laos, Malaysia, Nigeria, Russia, South Africa and Zimbabwe," it said.
The three animal species listed have been dwindling in numbers. WWF says that there were 262 South African rhinos poached in the first half of 2012, while ivory from 2,500 elephants was seized in 2011.


Disruption on the line between the east Midlands, Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and London could last all day, a rail operator has said.

Thameslink and East Midlands train services are suffering delays after damage to overhead wires at Luton on Tuesday caused signalling problems.
Both operators are running amended services on Wednesday.
Govia Thameslink said Network Rail "still can't tell us when they expect to be able to repair it".
Spokesman Roger Perkins said: "That's understandable, they really are doing their very best, but it means that although we're saying [disruption] until at least 2pm, this could well continue right through to the end of the day."
A Network Rail spokesman said: "We apologise for the inconvenience this will cause and advise that passengers use an alternative route where possible and check with their train operator before they travel."
Get the latest updates and more stories from Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire
Network Rail added trains were being disrupted because of a "significant fault with the signalling system" at Luton which it had been working to fix through the night.
The problem was caused by a signalling wire coming into contact with the overhead electric lines on Tuesday afternoon.
Both Thameslink and East Midlands Trains are running amended timetables with Thameslink offering bus replacement services to link up with other lines where passengers can use their tickets.


A bin lorry driver from Cheltenham has been found guilty of causing the death of a 72-year-old woman by careless driving.

Terry O'Regan was run over as she walked her two dogs along a narrow road in Norton on 24 November 2014.
Alan Cole told Gloucester Crown Court he was reversing his lorry when he he felt a "bump bump" and looked out to see a woman's body on the road.
Cole has been released on bail and will be sentenced on 23 June.
The 58-year-old also told the jury he had reversed down the road 30 times before in his 26-tonne refuse truck.
Once he discovered the body he called the emergency services.
The court heard Mrs O'Regan liked to listen to the radio using headphones as she walked the dogs.
It is not known if that was the case at the time of her death, although her broken headphones were found nearby.
The driver told the jury the road was too narrow to use a banksman or reversing assistant, and the verges were too soft for one to walk on.
A banksman or reversing assistant is someone who can direct a large vehicle when it is performing manoeuvres such as reversing in tight, enclosed or busy places.
Cole said he felt let down by his employers Tewkesbury Borough Council, who advised that a reversing assistant should not be used.
An HSE report said a proper site inspection was needed at the road but had not been carried out by Tewkesbury Borough Council.
The police told the court it was likely Mrs O'Regan was listening to her radio and that Cole failed to see her or her dogs.
They added failure to use a banksman was a contributory factor as there was sufficient room for one on the side of the tarmac road.
Passing sentence, Judge Michael Harrington said despite the "ghastly consequences" of what happened, the accident was "clearly not only" Cole's fault.


The Local Government Information Unit has warned that lots of local authorities in England are planning to raise council tax next year.

The Reality Check team answers five questions about local government funding.
In 2012, the government introduced a rule which means that any proposal to increase council tax by 2% or more in England must be put to a local referendum.
For the first three years, councils were given a further incentive to avoid council tax rises all together. The government gave "freeze grants" to councils that didn't impose any increase - worth the equivalent of a 1% tax rise each year. Those grants have now come to an end.
It is also important to realise that councils have faced significant cuts to the overall grants they receive from central government - with further cuts planned for the coming years.
However a higher figure of 5%, before a referendum is triggered, has become a factor this time round because of the introduction of the social care precept.
In 2015, former chancellor George Osborne announced several policies to provide additional funding for adult social care in response to complaints that the sector was facing a funding crisis.
One of the policies was the social care precept. Originally, it would have allowed councils to impose an additional 2% council tax increase each year from 2017 for three years, with the extra money being ring-fenced for adult social care.
In other words, it would have increased the threshold for a local referendum from 2% to 4%.
In December 2016, the Communities and Local Government Secretary Sajid Javid announced a change to the social care precept.
Instead of being able to impose an extra 2% increase for each of the next three years, councils will be able to impose an extra increase of up to 3% in each of the next two years. In other words, the referendum threshold for the next two years is 5%.
As before, councils can still only impose an additional 6% in total over the next three years, but the change allows them to front load the cash. It doesn't mean they can make bigger increases overall.
A further complicating factor is that the 3% precept doesn't apply to the whole of your council tax bill.
The structure of local government in England is complicated. In some places there's just one council that provides all the services. These include unitary authorities such as Hartlepool and Portsmouth, London boroughs among them Hillingdon and Southwark, and metropolitan districts like Liverpool and Wolverhampton. In other places there is a two-tier structure with a district council and a county council, for example, Broadland district makes up part of Norfolk. If you live there you have two councils.
Although households receive a single council tax bill, it's actually made up of several different bits. In places with separate county and district councils, each of them charges for the services they provide. Police and crime commissioners, fire and rescue authorities and the Greater London Authority also levy charges through council tax bills.
The social care precept only applies to councils that have responsibility for adult social care. That means county councils and unitaries, metropolitan districts and London boroughs. So it is only that part of the bill that can go up by more than 2% without a referendum. Overall, it means that the total increase is limited to a bit below 5% - the precise figure will vary from one place to another.
The rules say the basic threshold is "2% or more". So a rise of exactly 5%, including the social care precept, would trigger a referendum.
For that reason, quite a few councils are planning increases of 4.99%. For those that don't have responsibility for adult social care 1.99% is a common number.
Read more from Reality Check


Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho says midfielder Juan Mata has found his "natural habitat" at Old Trafford.

Mourinho sold the Spain international to United for a then club record £39.1m in 2014 when he was manager at Chelsea.
He replaced Mata in last month's Community Shield having brought him on as a substitute, a move BBC pundit Danny Murphy called "embarrassing".
But Mourinho said: "In my project at Chelsea he was a good player. At Man Utd he is a very good player."
And he said he saw Mata as a key part of his plans.
The 28-year-old had been repeatedly left out of the Chelsea side before his January 2015 exit, completing two full 90 minutes in the Premier League during the 2014-15 campaign.
Mourinho did not feel the Spain midfielder did enough defensive work in a side built around physicality that would go on to become champions - but he has repeatedly claimed that it was Mata who asked to leave.
And at United, Mourinho says, he has a completely different squad.
"At Manchester United I have no players to play transitional football," said the Portuguese.
"We are not so physically compact like when we won the title in 2015. We are trying to play in a different way that is very adapted to his qualities.
"He has found a natural habitat for his football."
After being dropped for Saturday's 4-1 win over Leicester, it had been anticipated Wayne Rooney would return to Mourinho's starting line-up for Thursday's Europa League encounter with Zorya Luhansk at Old Trafford.
But with his training restricted this week by a bad back and in the knowledge there is huge media interest in his captain, Mourinho says he will not pick him unless he is fit enough to do himself justice.
He said: "With the situation [the media] create for him, he really can't afford to have a performance that is not really good.
"I am here to protect him and not put him in difficult situations.
"If he is not totally ready I have to discuss with the medical staff whether he starts or is on the bench."
However, he said he expected to play veteran Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who will be 35 on 3 October and is the second oldest player in his squad,  both against the Ukrainians and against Stoke in the Premier League on Sunday.
"Zlatan has plenty of time to rest. It is different for the other players who go off with the national teams," Mourinho said.


New photographic evidence has emerged of "significant" Chinese military defences on artificial islands in the South China Sea, a think tank reports.

China had previously committed to not militarising its controversial developments in the region.
But satellite images published by a US group appear to show anti-aircraft guns and missile defence systems on the seven islands.
Several countries claim territorial rights in the South China Sea.
In a report on Wednesday, the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative (AMTI) said it had been tracking construction of hexagon-shaped buildings on four of the Spratly islands for several months.
It said the new buildings were an "evolution" of structures on the three other islands, but it was now confident that all of the buildings housed military defences.
The group says that some buildings "host what are most likely anti-aircraft guns" which have visible gun barrels in satellite images, while others are probably what it terms close-in weapons systems (CIWS).
CIWS are defence platforms used to detect and shoot down missiles and other aircraft.
Some of the structures have been buried, the group said - which would make them less vulnerable to enemy strikes.
"These gun and probable CIWS emplacements show that Beijing is serious about defence of its artificial islands in case of an armed contingency in the South China Sea," AMTI said.
"Among other things, they would be the last line of defence against cruise missiles launched by the United States or others against these soon-to-be-operational air bases," it added, in a reference to previous photos which seemed to show aircraft hangars being built.
China's Defence Ministry said on Thursday that its deployment of military equipment was "legitimate and lawful". A brief post on the Defence Ministry's microblog site described the equipment as necessary and defensive.
During his state visit to the US in September 2015, Chinese leader Xi Jinping said China did not intend to pursue militarisation of the Spratly islands but emphasised China's sovereignty over the region.
The contested region holds crucial shipping lanes - which prompted the United States to send a warship into the area in October.
The White House said it was to "demonstrate ... lawful uses of the sea that the United States and all states are entitled to exercise under international law."
China accused the US of an illegal act, and of being "intentionally provocative".
China claims almost all of the South China Sea, including reefs and islands also claimed by other nations, and has caused dismay in the region by building artificial islands and restricting access.
But Vietnam, the Philippines, Taiwan, Malaysia and Brunei all have competing claims.
In July, an international tribunal ruled against Chinese claims to rights in the South China Sea, backing a case brought by the Philippines.
China, however, called the ruling "ill-founded" and says it will not be bound by it.


Algalas ag Moutkel points his left arm at the writing on the wall of the cell in which he was incarcerated during the rule of militant Islamists in Gao in northern Mali.

Each day that passed, he would score it with a piece of charcoal. One month, he counted.
When the members of the Mujao Islamist group took him out of prison, he was unconscious at the back of a car being driven to hospital.
His right arm was bleeding as the militants had just cut his hand off with a knife.
"They strapped me against this pillar," recalls Mr Moutkel, a 22-year-old father of three, as we toured the prison where he was held.
He lies against it and bends his knees to show me how he was sat down on a chair.
He then mimics somebody attaching ropes around his legs, his waist and his arms.
"They were many," he says.
"Some of them wore a mask, and one filmed the whole scene with a mobile phone.
"Within a few seconds, one of them emerged from the group with a knife and cut my hand off, just straight like that," Mr Moutkel explains as he moves his stump above his left wrist to imitate the knife.
"I was in hospital when I woke up."
At least 12 people went through the same horror, either in public or at the back of the prison, according to Gao's mayor Sadou Harouna Diallo.
Five of them had one hand and one leg amputated. Legs were also cut using a knife, reportedly under the knee.
Mr Moutkel was accused of having stolen a mattress.
No evidence was ever brought against him, but the people are too shocked by the brutality and the barbaric act to even discuss the allegation.
A sinister atmosphere still haunts Gao.
Almost every day, the French neutralise mines, grenades or material used for makeshift bombs that were found in houses inhabited by jihadi fighters.
None of the many big black billboards declaring Sharia have been removed. They are planted everywhere.
"Al-hijab for the blessing of Allah and the purity of women," one reads both in French and in Arabic.
It refers to the dress code that was imposed on females.
They had to cover their head, their face and body entirely.
Independence Square was renamed "Sharia Square".
Children now play football in the long dusty pitch where public punishments were carried out.
An employee of the town hall laments that these sign posts are still standing firm everywhere.
"We are waiting for the governor to give us the means to take them down," the man says, he refused to give his name.
The Islamists' prison where Mr Moutkel was detained has been emptied but the white Mujao flag drawn onto a black iron sheet is still nailed into the concrete wall above the main entrance.
About 25 prisoners were thrown into Mr Moutkel's cell, which according to my calculation was about 10 sq m (107 sq ft).
They were not given any food or water.
At times, their Islamist captors would allow member of their family to bring them something to eat.
"The worst was when five persons were amputated at the same time," Dr Abdulaziz Maiga recalls.
"They were very agitated and so scared, we were completely overwhelmed."
The scars left by the harsh Islamist rule are not just visible on Mr Moutkel's stump.
Dr Maiga explains that a rubber tube taken from a bicycle's tyre was usually strapped around the wound by the militants to stop the bleeding while they drove their victims to the hospital.
"We had morphine to calm them down as we had to cut off a few more centimetres in case they were able to get a prosthesis one day," he says.
"The problem is that we did what we could already. Now, these amputees need antibiotics against potential infections, they need regular pain killers.
"But the authorities aren't supporting them at all. Many of them even need psychological help."
Mr Moutkel agreed to take me back to the prison so "people can see for themselves what happened to us here".
"People have to know," he said, complaining that his own government had "abandoned us" during these 10 months of occupation.
Mr Moutkel used to be a worker on construction sites. His amputation means that he cannot work anymore.
"I don't know what I am going to do," he says.
In town, one Sharia sign has been re-painted on both sides with the French flag on one and that of Niger on the other - celebrating the presence of the foreign troops sent to recapture the town.
But the black jihadi paint underneath is still visible.
The French and Nigerien soldiers have beefed up security with the Malian armed forces, but the invisible threat remains.
Some of the most violent militants who swept across northern Mali last year ruled Gao until three weeks ago.
They are now determined to spread terror among the population.
Gao saw the first suicide bomb attacks in Mali's history at the end of last week while on Sunday Islamist militants engaged French-led forces in fierce fighting right in the middle of the town.
"When the French liberated the town, I was so happy that my pain disappeared," Mr Moutkel says in a surprised tone.
"I am serious, it totally disappeared.
"But now, I fear the worst."


A South Korean firm has unveiled the biggest smartphone to date with a screen capable of showing 1080p high-definition video at full resolution.

Pantech's Android-powered Vega No 6 features a 5.9in (15cm) display, which packs in 373 pixels per inch.
China's Huawei recently unveiled a 6.1in handset, but it was only a 720p display.
They add to the so-called "phablet" category, as manufacturers test how big customers are willing to go.
When Samsung helped pioneered the format with its 5.3in Galaxy Note in 2011, many analysts suggested its size was too large to find favour.
Dell had previously released a 5in phone - the Streak 5 - but had ended up discontinuing the line to focus on a larger 7in tablet.
But the Note proved a success for the South Korean firm, leading Samsung to announce a larger successor last August.
In recent months other firms, including Sony, LG, HTC and ZTE, have unveiled smartphones with 5in and larger screens. More super-sized handsets are expected to be announced at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona which begins on 25 February.
Technology consultancy Ovum suggested that demand for the format was proving particularly strong in emerging markets where most customers could not afford both a phone and a tablet.
"The Galaxy Note has been a proof-point that consumers will adopt the larger phone," said the firm's researcher Adam Leach.
"It's an artificial barrier that a phone has to be below 5in and a tablet above 7in.
"There is a limit on what can be used with one hand, but there's an economic point that if a device can be used like a tablet and a phone then it's got more value, especially to people who can only afford to buy one device."
The popularity of phablets is taking some manufacturers in unexpected directions.
Taiwan's HTC recently announced it would bundle a bluetooth remote control with its 5in-screened Butterfly handset in China.
The add-on HTC Mini has its own screen and can be used to make calls or send messages when paired with the larger phone.


Japanese stocks closed little changed after data showed the economy dodged a recession, growing at an annual pace of 1.7% in the first quarter of the year.

The better-than-expected growth rate came after higher government spending helped to offset weakness in business investment and exports.
Capital expenditure fell by 1.4% during the quarter, indicating that businesses remain reluctant to spend.
Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 index fell slightly to 16,644.69.
The broader Topix index ended up 0.2% at 1,338.38.
Despite the better-than-expected GDP figure, analysts are concerned about the outlook for consumer spending, which accounts for about 60% of GDP.
That could take a hit if Prime Minister Shinzo Abe moves to increase the country's sales tax to 10% from the current 8%.
Japan's Nikkei newspaper reported this week that Mr Abe plans to postpone the move and will announce his decision after the G7 meeting later this month.
Other stock markets in Asia were lower ahead of the release of the US central bank's meeting minutes later on Wednesday.
Investors are looking for guidance on what and when the Federal Reserve's next move is going to be.
Many investors are now predicting the Fed may raise interest rates at its June meeting following a recent run of positive economic data.
Hong Kong's Hang Seng index fell 1.5% to close at 19,826.41 while the mainland Shanghai Composite dropped 1.3% to finish at 2,807.51.
Australia's S&P/ASX 200 index lost 0.7% to finish at 5,356.20, while South Korea's benchmark Kospi index fell 0.6% to close at 1,956.73.


Senior figures from the BBC are "very likely" to be called before MPs to explain whether changes were made in the wake of the Jimmy Savile scandal.

Jesse Norman said the culture select committee, which he chairs, "needed to be satisfied the culture has changed".
The report into cases of sexual abuse by the former BBC presenter is set to criticise the corporation, according to a leaked draft.
BBC chief Lord Hall said lessons would be learned from a "dark chapter".
News website Exaro claims Dame Janet Smith's draft report says the BBC had a "deferential culture", "untouchable stars" and "above the law" managers.
Lawyer Liz Dux, of Slater and Gordon, which represents 168 Savile victims, said: "It is deeply disturbing that this inquiry appears to have concluded the same culture which allowed Savile to commit his appalling offences with impunity still persists today."
But Dame Janet's team said they were "disappointed" Exaro had published the "early draft".
A statement said the document was out of date and significant changes had been made to its contents and conclusions.
Lord Hall, director general of the BBC, said: "What happened was a dark chapter in the history of the BBC.
"The responsible thing must be to act on the final report which we have not received."
He added that it would be "invaluable in helping us understand what happened and to help ensure that we do everything possible to avoid it happening again".
'Dirty and stupid': The victims' stories
Mark Easton: 'How could this be allowed to happen?'
Savile: Saint, star and sexual predator
Dame Janet's review was set up in October 2012 by the BBC to carry out an impartial investigation of the corporation's culture and practices during the years it employed Savile, thought to be from 1964 to 2007.
According to Exaro, Dame Janet does not believe the BBC can be criticised for not uncovering his "sexual deviancy".
The leaked report, which Exaro said was completed more than a year ago, should come with "a lot of health warnings", the BBC's media and arts correspondent David Sillito said.
But he said many of the quotes in Exaro's article matched "exactly" with what he had been told during his own investigations.
According to Exaro, the leaked draft:
Will Wyatt, a former BBC executive who left in the 1990s, said people would struggle to see how concerns could not have gone up the chain of command, but stressed: "I honestly never heard anything."
He said he mostly dealt with the factual and journalistic areas of the BBC, rather than the showbiz side, but did recognise it to be a deferential organisation.
"If you had said, around the time, that pop stars and DJs exploited their position, one would not be surprised. But the thought that it was happening with young kids is just beyond belief," he told Today.
But Rodney Collins, who was a press officer for the BBC in the 1970s said the corporation was aware of rumours about Savile "and young girls".
He said he was asked by the late Douglas Muggeridge, controller of Radio 1 and Radio 2, to investigate the possibility the claims would be printed in the newspapers.
"He said 'now I don't know what's true and what isn't true... I'd like you to go to the people you trust in Fleet Street and ask them have they heard any rumours about Savile, does anybody intend to publish anything and can you come back to me'," Mr Collins said.


The week began with Silicon Valley bosses coming out of their shells and speaking out against President Trump's immigration policy.

But by the end they were turning their minds to other matters - some spectacular results from Facebook and Apple and the prospect of the biggest stock market debut by a tech firm for years.
On my Tech Tent podcast this week, we discuss the hopes and fears of Silicon Valley as Snapchat owner Snap gets ready to hit the New York Stock Exchange.
We also hear from a London tech chief on his worries about the US migration policy. And you'll be pleased to hear there's a gadget on the show as we find out how augmented reality may enter the classroom.
When a company that lost more than $500m (£400m) last year announces it is floating on the New York Stock Exchange with a $25bn (£20bn) valuation, there are two possible reactions.
Either Snap's initial public offering (IPO), at a time when its growth is slowing, is a sign that the market for tech firms has gone mad again with investors betting on a future that will never materialise, or it just reflects renewed confidence in Silicon Valley at the end of a week where both Apple and Facebook have confounded the sceptics with record-breaking revenues.
Remember, Facebook's $100bn (£80bn) IPO valuation was derided by many in 2012, but today it's worth nearly four times as much. Snap will hope to follow the same path rather than that of Twitter, which is now worth less now than when it floated.
Snap shares are bound to take investors on a rollercoaster ride - so we try to work out where they will end up.
When President Trump's executive order banning travel to the US from seven predominantly Muslim countries was published, one tech company boss had a very personal take.
Ismail Ahmed is the founder of WorldRemit, a London-based business helping migrants send money home.
He is a British citizen but was born in Somalia, one of the countries on the banned list. (Actually he hails from the peaceful self-declared independent state of Somaliland - but that's not a distinction likely to be obvious to border officials).
He tells us he was pretty worried when the news of the ban broke. After all, he has to travel frequently to Denver where his US operation is based. He already has problems at the border because his name is similar to that of the spiritual leader of the militant group Hamas. Despite the fact that Sheik Ahmed Ismail was killed by Israel in 2004, his name is still on a sanctions list - hence Mr Ahmed's problems.
He is now somewhat reassured about his future travel plans by the intervention of the British government on behalf of its citizens. But he says that with 330 staff and 35 nationalities on the WorldRemit workforce, any restrictions on their ability to travel will be a concern.
Then there are his customers, current and future: "There are 250 million people who live outside their home countries who then send an estimated $600bn (£480bn)."
His message is that migration is not going to go away: "Ever since homo sapiens left east Africa 50,000 years ago, we've been on the move... Brexit or no Brexit, Trump or no Trump, people will continue to travel."
Over the last three decades, all sorts of technological innovations have entered the classroom in schools around the globe. First came PCs, then electronic interactive whiteboards and notebook computers and in recent years some schools have decided that giving every pupil a tablet is the way forward.
Could the next big trend be the use of augmented reality, where digital information is superimposed over the real world?
At the recent Bett education technology fair in London, Jane Wakefield tried out Hololens, Microsoft's augmented reality headset - or "mixed reality", as the company prefers. It offers a new interactive way to teach children a range of subjects. They can, for instance, walk around a skeleton to learn how it fits together.
We discuss whether this is the future of education - or just a fad.


Norwegian teenager Martin Odegaard has completed his move to Real Madrid.

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The 16-year-old midfielder signed a contract with the Champions League winners after passing a medical exam.
"It's a dream come true," he said. "It is a bit unreal that I'm here at the biggest club in the world. It's huge for me, an honour."
Odegaard will train with both the first team and the reserves but play for the second string, who are coached by France great Zinedine Zidane.
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Real have not disclosed details of the financial terms but Spanish media report they have paid about 3m euros (£2.3m) for the Stromgodset player.
Odegaard told the media that the move to Madrid represented the best opportunity to "develop as a footballer" and said there was "no pressure" on him.
He added: "My goal is to become a better footballer. Playing for the first or second team is not so important."
"It's a dream come true. It is a bit unreal that I'm here at the biggest club in the world. It's huge for me, an honour."
Odegaard made his debut for Norway as a 15-year-old in August and had been linked with many of Europe's top clubs.
Odegaard came to prominence last year when he became the youngest player to appear and score in the Norwegian Premier League.
He scored five goals and contributed seven assists in 23 appearances for Stromsgodset.
The teenager is left-footed and has drawn comparisons to Barcelona's Lionel Messi for his style of play.
Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has previously described him as "a kid with talent and personality".


Headphone maker Bose is being sued by a customer who claims the firm has gathered data about his listening habits without his permission.

Chicago resident Kyle Zak claims Bose's app scoops up data which is then sold to firms use it to target adverts.
Mr Zak wants the court to grant an injunction that stops Bose grabbing data about audio preferences and is seeking $5m (Â£3.9m) in damages.
Bose has not yet responded to requests for comment about the legal action.
"People put headphones on their head because they think it's private, but they can be giving out information they don't want to share," Christopher Dore, a lawyer representing Mr Zak, told the Reuters news agency.
Mr Dore works for law firm Edelson PC which specialises in cases revolving around data privacy.
Legal papers filed by Edelson said Mr Zak downloaded the Bose Connect app soon after buying a pair of QuietComfort 35 headphones. He provided basic information to sign up for the app that lets users control what they listen to via their smartphone.
Soon after, alleges the lawsuit, he noticed that it was logging far more data about his audio choices than he expected.
The suit claims that similar data is taken from users of other Bose gadgets including the SoundSport Wireless, Sound Sport Pulse Wireless, QuietControl 30, SoundLink Around-Ear Wireless Headphones II, and SoundLink Color II.
Mr Dore said the sign-up process for the app gave no hint about how much data Bose gathered nor what it planned to do with it.
What people listened to gave an "incredible amount of insight" into someone's personal life, religious and political views, he added.


"Apologists" for those who commit acts of terrorism are partly responsible for the violence, Philip Hammond has said.

Security services have been criticised over their handling of Mohammed Emwazi - known as "Jihadi John".
But in a speech the foreign secretary praised the "brilliance" of Britain's intelligence officers.
Mr Hammond also warned of Russia's "aggressive behaviour", saying it could "pose the single greatest threat" to the UK's security.
Gathering intelligence on Russia's intentions would be a "vital part" of the work of Britain's intelligence agencies for the "foreseeable future", he added.
In another development due later, MPs are expected to approve new travel restrictions for people the government believes pose a "terrorism-related threat".
The motion will also introduce fines for airlines which breach a series of requirements set up to "prevent certain individuals from travelling to or from the UK".
In the speech at the Royal United Services Institute (Rusi) in London, Mr Hammond said ministers must act "decisively" in debates about powers given to the security services so they can "get on" with keeping the UK safe.
He said: "The exposure of the alleged identity of one of the most murderous Isil (Islamic State or IS) terrorists over the last few weeks has seen some seeking to excuse the terrorists and point the finger of blame at the agencies themselves.
"We are absolutely clear; the responsibility for acts of terror rests with those who commit them.
"But a huge burden of responsibility also lies with those who act as apologists for them."
Cage, an advocacy group for those "impacted by the War on Terror", has said MI5 played a role in the radicalisation of the Kuwait-born Briton.
Its research director Asim Qureshi told the BBC "harassment" by intelligence officers did not make Emwazi into a killer, but he said it was a factor in making him feel he "didn't belong in the UK anymore".
Britain's spies are today in the spotlight in a way they never were in the past - their powers and performance questioned.
But the politicians also say they are needed now more than ever, thanks to an uncertain world with a myriad of emerging threats.
This speech by the foreign secretary, the political master of GCHQ and MI6, was a robust defence of the spies' work against criticisms covering both recent revelations about Mohammed Emwazi, the man revealed to be IS fighter Jihadi John, and broader questions about security and privacy in the wake of the Edward Snowden disclosures.
But as well as the message that the spies needed to keep up with modern demands, whether the pace of technological change or for greater accountability from the public, there were also echoes of the past.
These were clearest when it came to Russia as Philip Hammond said it was no coincidence that all three UK intelligence agencies were again recruiting Russian speakers for their work.
Emwazi was born in Kuwait in 1988 and came to the UK at the age of six.
He went to school in London and graduated from the University of Westminster in 2009 with a degree in computing.
He came to the attention of security services in the same year and was deported as he tried to enter Tanzania, though the circumstances of this are disputed.
He then spent two spells in Kuwait, but Cage said he was prevented from returning to the country after a trip to Britain.
He later went missing, and police told his family he had gone to Syria.
He has subsequently been identified as the militant in the August 2014 video showing the murder of US journalist James Foley, and in several similar videos showing the beheading of hostages.
Read the full profile here.
Mr Hammond said the recent case of the three teenage London schoolgirls believed to have travelled to Syria to join IS showed there were "things we can improve".
But he said it it was not just the security services but parents, schools and community workers who were responsible for preventing people from travelling to countries like Syria and becoming a security threat.
Britain needed to maintain a "highly effective, secret capability" to identify, monitor and act against terrorist threats, the foreign secretary said.
The number and range of cases amounted to the "greatest challenge to our collective security for decades and places unprecedented demands on those charged with keeping us safe," he said.
In the past 12 months Parliament has passed two acts which included more powers for security services to access people's communications data.
In January David Cameron said he would give authorities "very intrusive" powers to close "safe spaces" used by suspected terrorists online if he won May's election.
Mr Hammond said the emergence of militant groups such as IS and Boko Haram show the "pace" with which threats to UK security are "evolving".
He also accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of "subverting" the system of rules which "keeps the peace between nations" by annexing Crimea and "now using Russian troops to destabilise eastern Ukraine".
He said Russia's actions, such as modernising its weapons and the "increasingly aggressive stance" of its military, were all "significant causes for concern".
Mr Hammond said: "We are in familiar territory for anyone over the age of about 50, with Russia's aggressive behaviour a stark reminder that it has the potential to pose the single greatest threat to our security."
Mr Hammond added it was "no coincidence" that all of the UK's security agencies were recruiting Russian speakers again.
Russia denies having troops in Ukraine, saying that any Russian soldiers among the rebels are "volunteers".


Timothy Weah has followed in the footsteps of his Ballon d'Or-winning father George by signing a professional contract with Paris St-Germain.

The 17-year-old forward has signed a three-year deal with PSG, the club George represented from 1992 to 1995.
There have already been hints that it is a case of like father, like son.
In September 2016, the younger Weah scored a hat-trick in an 8-1 win over Bulgarian side Ludogorets on his Uefa Youth League debut.
"I am very proud to continue the adventure," said Weah, who was born in New York and joined New York Red Bulls before moving to PSG's academy in July 2014.
"I am in a big club and I look forward to continuing to progress so that I can one day play for the first team."
His 50-year-old Liberian father is a former three-times African Footballer of the Year and the only African to win the Ballon d'Or in 1995.
He made his name at Monaco from 1988 and enjoyed success with PSG and AC Milan over the next decade.
He also played for Chelsea and Manchester City in the Premier League later in his career.


After a day of volatility for the pound not matched since the night of the referendum, the Chancellor said that any fresh support for the economy via public spending would be cautious.

Speaking to me at the International Monetary Fund autumn meeting in Washington, Phillip Hammond said that although sterling's rapid fall was partly "technical", markets would have to get used to volatility while Britain negotiated its departure from the European Union.
He said that it was important to "look through" currency volatility to the fundamentals of the UK economy which he said were strong.
"[There will be] no spending splurge," he told me.
"What we have said we are going to do is create within a new fiscal framework enough space for the government to be able to respond to the turbulence in the economy that I have talked about.
"As we go through this period we want to be able to provide fiscal support if necessary.
"At the moment I can't predict whether that will be necessary at the time of the Autumn Statement in November.
"We will have more data by then and if the data show that the economy needs support we will make carefully targeted, precise interventions aiming to support the economy through investment in infrastructure which not only gives a short term boost but gives a long term benefit to the UK's productivity."
He told the BBC the government would take the "necessary measures" to support the economy, but that did not mean abandoning attempts to control Britain's high levels of debts.
He said that despite abandoning the pledge made by George Osborne to eliminate the deficit by 2020, the Treasury would provide a "clear set of benchmarks" about tackling the deficit.
Mr Hammond said it was "not credible" to have the government's fiscal position "unanchored" and that any new target on balancing the books would be achieved "over a sensible period of time".
On sterling, the Chancellor said investors who control billions of pounds of sterling assets were "resetting their expectations" as it became clear that Britain would not seek to engineer a "soft" or partial departure from the European Union.
He said the "final foot had dropped" in investors' minds that "it is going to happen".
That could suggest further downward pressure on sterling as many investors believe that UK assets will be less valuable if Britain is outside the European Union single market, Britain's biggest destination for exports.
Others believe that after a period of volatility, the UK economy will bounce back, which could see sterling strengthen.
"Markets will go up and down - markets respond to noises," the Chancellor said.
"We are going to go through a period of volatility, there will be lots of commentary going on and we can expect to see markets being more turbulent over this period and we should prepare for that."
Mr Hammond said he wanted to ensure the "maximum possible access" to the European single market for businesses but that it was not yet time to set out the details of Britain's negotiating position.


The partner of former EastEnders actress Sian Blake has been remanded in custody in Ghana and told he will face an extradition hearing.

Arthur Simpson-Kent, 48, appeared at Kaneshie Magistrates' Court in Accra. He has been remanded for two weeks.
He left the UK on 19 December following the deaths of his former partner Ms Blake, 43, and their two young sons, Zachary, eight, and four year-old Amon.
The British government is yet to submit the request for his extradition.
The Met Police launched a murder investigation after Ms Blake, who was last seen in public on 13 December, was found buried in the garden of her family home in Erith, Kent, along with her two children on 5 January.
Mr Simpson-Kent was arrested on Saturday at a Ghanaian beach resort after locals who had seen his photo on social media tipped off police.
Two Met Police officers flew out to the African country and located Mr Simpson-Kent on Busua beach with help from local police and officers from Interpol.
Ms Blake, who had motor neurone disease, and her sons died from neck and head injuries, post-mortem tests found.
She played Frankie Pierre in 56 episodes of EastEnders between 1996 and 1997.
The Met has been criticised over delays in its investigation after it emerged officers spoke to Mr Simpson-Kent at the family home on 16 December.
Their handling of the case is being investigated by police watchdog the Independent Police Complaints Commission.
Speaking in Accra on Saturday, Met Police Det Ch Insp Graeme Gwyn said he was satisfied "there was nothing we or the Ghanaians could have done any quicker".


The bodies of about 800 children aged under six have been unearthed by archaeologists ahead of the construction of a road in Lancashire.

They were among 1,967 bodies exhumed at St Peter's Burial Ground, which opened in 1821 in Blackburn.
The large number of children found is being put down to a lack of good sanitation and medicines leading to a high mortality rate.
Many of them would have died from infections, the archaeologists believe.
Bodies were exhumed from about 30% of the burial ground, which was in "intense use" up to the 1860s, a spokeswoman for Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council said.
Dave Henderson, an expert in the study of bones with Headland Archaeology, said full analysis of the skeletons had "barely started" but the team believed most of the children had died from infections in the lungs and guts.
He said: "They would have died quite quickly so the signs may not turn up in their skeletons."
He said the town was becoming overcrowded at the time as it was "a very large centre for the industrial mills and the population grew very quickly".
The work could "throw light on the lives of ordinary people" outside London, where most previous large studies of this era have been carried out, he said.
Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica
Records of 176 memorial stones showed the most common names for girls were Elizabeth and Mary, while John and Thomas were popular for boys.
Among the finds was a "time capsule", containing 16 coins in circulation at the time.
Experts believe one of the men buried at the site was a soldier injured in the Crimean War.
Julie Franklin, finds manager, said objects found in graves - including "some incredibly poignant findings of hands still bearing cheap brass wedding rings, or children buried with colourful glass bead jewellery" - revealed what was important to their loved ones.
Some burials continued in existing family plots at the graveyard until 1945.
St Peter's Church, which would have seated 1,500 parishioners, became dilapidated in the mid-20th Century and was demolished to ground level in 1976.
The Bishop of Blackburn will hold a memorial service this summer and reburials will take place in a different part of the graveyard.
The archaeological work on the area, which will be used for the building of the Freckleton Street link road, was commissioned by Capita on behalf of the council.


The NHS watchdog NICE has been asked by government to look at the cost of providing an HIV prevention treatment known as Prep.

It comes as campaigners have said they will seek a judicial review of NHS England's decision not to commission the treatment.
Prep is a daily pill that cut the risk of HIV infection by more than 90%.
Head of NHS England Simon Stevens says more evidence is needed about the cost versus benefits.
Speaking to the Health Committee he said: "Prep has great potential and all of us would like to see it more widely available in this country."
He said the legal issue about who should provide the treatment - NHS England or local authorities which are responsible for prevention-related services - would be resolved, but the other question was whether it was cost-effective to roll it out as a preventive treatment.
"This particular drug is not yet licensed for prophylactic treatment for HIV.
"Frankly, the prices that the manufacturer is seeking to charge probably also need to take a substantial haircut to represent value."
It's not publicly known how much the manufacturer of a Prep drug called Truvada is asking for, and drug companies often reach an agreement to offer the NHS a reduced price. The book cost for 30 tablets is Â£355.
As part of a trial, NHS England has promised Â£2m in funding to treat about 500 people with Prep over the next two years.
The number of people living with HIV in the UK continues to increase and the number living with undiagnosed HIV remains high.
In 2014, an estimated 103,700 people were living with HIV. An estimated 18,000 (17%) were unaware of their infection.
Condoms can prevent the spread of HIV but they are not 100% reliable and, of course, they must be used to work.


Liverpool failed to give Steven Gerrard a victorious farewell to Anfield as Crystal Palace emerged worthy winners on an emotion-charged occasion.

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Gerrard was making his final appearance at Anfield before making his move to Major League Soccer with LA Galaxy - and Liverpool supporters gathered at the stadium hours before kick-off to pay tribute to their iconic captain.
Palace, however, were in no mood to indulge the celebrations and after Adam Lallana put Liverpool ahead, Jason Puncheon equalised on the stroke of half-time before substitutes Wilfried Zaha and Glenn Murray wrapped up the win.
The game itself was almost reduced to a footnote as far as Liverpool were concerned - but in a strangely low-key 90 minutes, this performance graphically illustrated the work that needs to be done by manager Brendan Rodgers once Gerrard has departed after next weekend's final game of the season at Stoke City.
After the formalities of the final whistle were completed, Gerrard went down the tunnel before re-emerging to a prolonged, deserved ovation where he was greeted by former Liverpool manager Gerard Houllier, the man who made him Liverpool captain, before receiving a presentation from the club.
Gerrard then addressed Liverpool's fans before joining his team-mates on a lap of honour and then leaving the Anfield turf for the final time after a 17-year career that has brought the Champions League victory against AC Milan that he inspired in Istanbul in 2005, as well as the Uefa Cup, two FA Cups and three League Cup triumphs.
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The Premier League title may have eluded him but as he walked around Anfield it was only the good times Liverpool fans remembered - and he has given them plenty of those with his 185 goals stretched out across a glittering career.
Now Rodgers faces the Herculean task of replacing the 34-year-old, who has been a symbol of the club since he made his debut in 1998.
The game itself almost assumed the status of a sideshow as the shadow of Gerrard's farewell understandably loomed over the entire occasion.
Anfield's DJ set the tone with a pre-match playlist that was a musical tribute to Gerrard, from David Bowie's "Heroes" to the REM tune "The End Of The World As We Know It".
And The Kop was decorated with banners recalling Gerrard's greatest moments including one reading "The Best There Is. The Best There Was And The Best There Will Ever Be".
Gerrard came out to warm up ahead of his team-mates, who allowed him to take the acclaim of The Kop - and in the moments before kick-off Anfield was united in tribute to the man many regard as Liverpool's finest.
He emerged with his daughters Lourdes, Lexie and Lilly-Ella through a guard of honour formed by both sides as thunderous roars swept around Anfield.
The kick-off actually dampened the atmosphere, Liverpool taking an undeserved lead after 26 minutes when Lallana was the beneficiary of Martin Kelly's poor ball, running on and beating Wayne Hennessey with an accomplished finish.
Palace, however, continued to be the better side and were full value for the equaliser that came two minutes before half-time, Puncheon sending a 20-yard free-kick beyond Simon Mignolet after Emre Can fouled the dangerous Yannick Bolasie.
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Pardew decided to introduce Zaha to add to Palace's attacking threat - and it was a move that paid dividends as he slid in Bolasie's cross with his first touch after just 23 seconds on the pitch.
As Liverpool's defence rocked, the outstanding Bolasie almost extended their advantage when he cut inside the struggling Martin Skrtel, but struck his shot against the bar.
There was to be no final rescue act from Gerrard and substitute Murray secured Palace's win by putting in the rebound from his own penalty, which was initially saved by Mignolet.
The spot kick was awarded after Lucas fouled Zaha - although it looked as though the first contact was outside the box.
It was then time for Gerrard to take his leave - and for Liverpool to ponder how they can possibly fill the gap he leaves behind.
Match ends, Liverpool 1, Crystal Palace 3.
Second Half ends, Liverpool 1, Crystal Palace 3.
Corner,  Liverpool. Conceded by James McArthur.
Jerome Sinclair (Liverpool) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Joel Ward (Crystal Palace).
Foul by Raheem Sterling (Liverpool).
Jason Puncheon (Crystal Palace) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Goal!  Liverpool 1, Crystal Palace 3. Glenn Murray (Crystal Palace) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the centre of the goal following a set piece situation.
Penalty saved! Glenn Murray (Crystal Palace) fails to capitalise on this great opportunity,  right footed shot saved  in the centre of the goal.
Penalty conceded by Lucas Leiva (Liverpool) after a foul in the penalty area.
Penalty Crystal Palace. Wilfried Zaha draws a foul in the penalty area.
Offside, Crystal Palace. Jason Puncheon tries a through ball, but Glenn Murray is caught offside.
Attempt saved. Jason Puncheon (Crystal Palace) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Jordon Mutch.
Dejan Lovren (Liverpool) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Glenn Murray (Crystal Palace).
Substitution, Liverpool. Jerome Sinclair replaces Alberto Moreno.
Philippe Coutinho (Liverpool) is shown the yellow card.
Attempt blocked. Jason Puncheon (Crystal Palace) left footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked.
Raheem Sterling (Liverpool) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Jason Puncheon (Crystal Palace).
Attempt blocked. Raheem Sterling (Liverpool) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Alberto Moreno.
Jordon Mutch (Crystal Palace) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Alberto Moreno (Liverpool) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Jordon Mutch (Crystal Palace).
James McArthur (Crystal Palace) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Emre Can (Liverpool) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by James McArthur (Crystal Palace).
Substitution, Crystal Palace. Glenn Murray replaces Yannick Bolasie.
Corner,  Crystal Palace. Conceded by Dejan Lovren.
Attempt missed. Steven Gerrard (Liverpool) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Alberto Moreno.
Joel Ward (Crystal Palace) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Raheem Sterling (Liverpool) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Joel Ward (Crystal Palace).
Emre Can (Liverpool) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Wilfried Zaha (Crystal Palace).
Attempt missed. Steven Gerrard (Liverpool) right footed shot from outside the box is too high from a direct free kick.
Raheem Sterling (Liverpool) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Martin Kelly (Crystal Palace).
Substitution, Crystal Palace. Jordon Mutch replaces Marouane Chamakh.
Attempt blocked. Raheem Sterling (Liverpool) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Jordan Henderson.


Hospital operations have been cancelled in Staffordshire due to an outbreak of flu.

The University Hospitals of North Midlands said critical care beds at both its sites in Stoke-on-Trent and Stafford are at full capacity.
Whilst this has affected a small number of people, it includes patients with "very serious conditions".
The trust is asking surrounding hospitals to help cope with what it calls unprecedented pressures.
Updates on this story and others in Staffordshire
"Whilst we are all used to working within a very busy environment, instances of both Influenza A and B have put unprecedented pressures on our critical care capacity," Robert Courteney-Harris, trust chief executive said.
"This has blocked out a whole isolation POD and, as these patients require specialist one-to-one nursing care, this has had a significant impact on the available bed capacity."
Surgeons will be keeping in touch with their patients and will reschedule appointments as quickly as possible, the trust added.


After the season of his life in 2015, Danny Willett maintained momentum with his stellar victory at last week's Dubai Desert Classic.

It was a success that suggests even greater honours lie in prospect for the Englishman. All wins are good, but this was special.
The 28-year-old from Sheffield showed commendable nerve and skill to hold off compatriot Andy Sullivan to complete victory by the narrowest of margins.
Both players made single-putt birdies at the last as they strove for victory, which surely indicates they have the mentality to succeed at the very highest level.
With the stunning strides taken by 21-year-old Matthew Fitzpatrick - another Yorkshireman - and the continued progress of Chris Wood, the future of English golf looks increasingly bright.
This crop of players look equipped to take over from the generation that spawned world number ones Lee Westwood and Luke Donald, as well as Paul Casey and Ian Poulter.
"I think we are kind of going through that transition now," said Willett. "And I think the likes of me and the other young British lads are just going to keep progressing.
"I can see it being very competitive for the next few years."
A virtuous circle is developing that inspires this new generation, many of whom first came together playing amateur events and as team-mates in the Home Internationals.
"It was pretty strong teams from all the countries," Willett said. "And I think the England lads are kind of just feeding off each other.
"You look at the likes of Sully and Woody and myself, and Fitzy in the EurAsia Cup - it was good fun to be in and around it, having a good craic and a good bit of banter.
"I think for the next few years we're going to be the ones that are trying to beat each other."
Of the older guard, 35-year-old Justin Rose is seventh in the world and Casey remains in the top 30, with the 38-year-old's form last year suggesting he could head back towards the top 10.
Willett is already moving in that direction. His Dubai triumph was his third in the past 13 months, and he has had nine other top-six finishes.
He has risen to 13th in the rankings, an ascent down to growing maturity allied to the immense talent that's been there all along.
"Winning and losing, there's such a minuscule difference between it," Willett said after his latest victory. "It's just about putting yourself in that position as many times as possible. Some days you get lucky."
Willett's primary objective every week is to contend. "In my mind, that's a victory," he said.
That was the attitude that helped him push Rory McIlroy all the way to the final week of last year's Race to Dubai. The early evidence suggests a similar duel might emerge in 2016.
Willett's victory at the weekend eased the pressure on another season based on the European Tour. He has banked valuable Ryder Cup points and remains firmly on target to represent Great Britain at the Olympics.
Before then, he is due to become a father for the first time. His wife Nicole is expected to give birth in the run-up to the year's first major, the Masters at Augusta.
"It's nice to know that the stuff I'm doing is working - and my schedule choice," he said.
"It's nice to get off to a quick start because it's going to give me some key time off with Nicki's birth, and obviously we're going to be well up there in the world rankings for Rio and for the Ryder Cup."
Next stop is Malaysia later this month, before the year's first World Golf Championships tournament at Doral, where he finished third last year.
As for Sullivan, it is extraordinary to think back 12 months to his wide-eyed disbelief at being put in the marquee McIlroy group for the first two rounds of the Dubai Desert Classic.
This likeable, ever-smiling Midlander has become a fixture for such billing at European Tour events.
Now he will try his hand in America, and if he can tame the driving demons that crept in last week he will challenge for big prizes.
His putting touch and nerve on the greens make him a very dangerous prospect. Expect him to continue to climb from 28th in the world rankings.
"Bodes well for the rest of the year," he smiled after his share of second place in Dubai.
He is absolutely right - not just about his own prospects but for those of British golf.


The US transport safety authority has said it will allow some small pocket knives aboard US flights for the first time since the 9/11 attacks.

From 25 April, passengers may bring blades shorter than 2.36in (6cm) and narrower than 0.5in in plane cabins.
Fixed blades, razors and box cutters will still be forbidden, the Transport Security Administration (TSA) said.
The change has been criticised by flight attendants, who say it will put passengers and crew at risk.
Also under the new policy, billiard cues, ski poles, and lacrosse and hockey sticks will be allowed in aeroplane cabins in carry-on luggage.
The TSA said the new rules would bring the US into line with international guidelines and offer a better experience for passengers.
"This is part of an overall risk-based security approach, which allows Transportation Security officers to better focus their efforts on finding higher-threat items such as explosives," a TSA spokesman told the Reuters news agency.
But the Flight Attendants Union Coalition called the move "poor and short-sighted".
"As the last line of defence in the cabin and key aviation partners, we believe that these proposed changes will further endanger the lives of all flight attendants and the passengers we work so hard to keep safe and secure," the group said in a statement.


France is committed to "destroying" the so-called Islamic State group after Friday's deadly attacks, President Francois Hollande has said.

He said he would table a bill to extend the state of emergency declared after the attacks for three months and would suggest changes to the constitution.
France's military campaign against IS in Iraq and Syria will also intensify.
IS says it carried out the attacks on bars, restaurants, a concert hall and a stadium in which 129 people died.
Speaking during a joint session of both houses of parliament, Mr Hollande said the constitution needed to be amended as "we need an appropriate tool we can use without having to resort to the state of emergency".
Other measures he said would be pursued included:
Mr Hollande said he would travel to meet US President Barack Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin in the coming days to discuss action against the group.
US Secretary of State John Kerry arrived in Paris on Monday evening to show support for "America's oldest friend" against what he called "psychopathic monsters".
At a G20 summit in Turkey, world leaders promised tighter co-operation in the wake of the attacks.
Mr Obama said the US and France had made a new agreement on intelligence sharing but said US military advisers thought sending ground troops to combat Isis would be a mistake.
In his address, Mr Hollande reiterated his opposition to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad remaining in power but said "our enemy in Syria is Daesh [IS]".
He promised more resources for the security forces and said the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier would be sent on Thursday to bolster the military campaign against IS.
On Sunday night, French aircraft attacked Raqqa, IS's stronghold in Syria. French officials said 10 jets had dropped 20 guided bombs targeting sites including a command centre, a recruitment centre for jihadists, a munitions depot and a training camp.
IS has issued a statement saying the raid targeted empty locations and that there were no casualties.
This was a solemn speech in which one felt the president genuinely striving - under the weight of appalling circumstance - to give service to the nation.
He knows that the people expect a riposte. He said it would come in two forms: military and judicial.
In Syria there will be intensified strikes, and new co-ordination with the US and Russia.
In France there will be a three-month extension of the state of emergency; more police and magistrates;  possible powers to strip dual nationals of French citizenship.
There will also be a reform of the constitution - creating a new status short of all-out war in which exceptional powers can be handed to police.
But President Hollande is better at empathy than at talking tough. His opponents will give him slack because today no-one wants to expose dissent.
But are these measures really going to be enough? Or are they just more administrative knob-twiddling, when the people feel in deadly peril?
Authorities say that one of the attackers was the same man who used a Syrian passport in the name of Ahmad al-Mohammad and whose fingerprints match those taken by the Greek authorities after he arrived with migrants on the island of Leros in October.
One Greek official on the island told the BBC that the man had aroused suspicion when he arrived and said that more highly trained intelligence officers might have been able to apprehend him.
The German anti-immigrant group Pegida held a rally of some 9,000 people in the city of Dresden, with the movement's leader telling the crowd the attacks were a result of "immigration policy".
As well as the attackers themselves, investigators are also reported to be focusing on a Belgian of Moroccan descent who is described as the possible mastermind of the attacks.
Abdelhamid Abaoud, 27, lived in the Molenbeek neighbourhood of Brussels, as did two of the attackers, and is now believed to be based in Syria, where he has risen through the ranks of IS.
On Monday evening a police operation took place in the Neudorf area of the eastern city of Strasbourg but was later reported to have been prompted by a false alarm.
In the early hours of Monday, a total of 23 people were arrested, 104 put under house arrest, and dozens of weapons seized in more than 168 raids on suspected Islamist militants across France.
Belgian police say two people arrested on Saturday were charged on Monday with "participating in a terrorist attack".
They were among seven people detained in Belgium at the weekend.
Five of them were later released, including Mohammed Abdeslam, the brother of two suspects - Brahim Abdeslam, killed during the attacks, and Salah Abdeslam, who is on the run.
Who were the attackers?
Omar Mostefai's gangster days
The Belgian connection
Mohammed Abdeslam emerged from his house to speak to the media on Monday and said his family did not know where Salah was.
Stressing his innocence, he said the family's thoughts were "with the families of the victims".
"We are moved by what happened, at no point we could have thought that my brothers were involved in this but you must understand that we have a mother and he is still her son," he said.
"We noticed absolutely nothing, my two brothers were just normal. We still don't know exactly what happened."
France held a nationwide minute of silence at midday local time (11:00 GMT) for the victims, led by Mr Hollande at the Sorbonne University. The silence was also observed in countries across the continent.
Bataclan concert venue, 50 Boulevard Voltaire, 11th district - 89 dead when stormed by gunmen, three of whom were killed; another gunman died nearby
La Belle Equipe,  92 rue de Charonne, 11th district - 19 dead in gun attacks
Le Carillon bar and Le Petit Cambodge restaurant at rue Alibert, 10th district - 15 dead in gun attacks
La Casa Nostra restaurant, 92 rue de la Fontaine au Roi, 11th district - five dead in gun attacks
Stade de France, St Denis, just north of Paris - three attackers and a bystander killed


A yellow "be aware" warning for ice has been issued for western parts of Wales as wintery weather conditions continue.

Wintery showers, moving offshore overnight on Monday, mean there is a widespread risk of ice on untreated surfaces on Tuesday morning.
Motorists are advised to be aware of possible hazardous travel conditions.
The Met Office forecast comes after snow closed schools in Gwynedd, Anglesey, Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire on Monday, with roads also affected.
The alert covers coastal areas in north west, south west and mid Wales until 10:00 GMT on Tuesday.


Pregnant women who eat low-fat yoghurt can increase the risk of their child developing asthma and hay fever, a study says.

At the European Respiratory Society conference, researchers will suggest this could be due to an absence of protective fatty acids in yoghurt.
The diets of more than 70,000 Danish women were analysed and their children followed until the age of seven.
Asthma UK says pregnant women should follow a balanced diet.
Pregnant women who ate low-fat yoghurt with fruit once a day were found to be 1.6 times more likely to have children who developed asthma by age seven, compared with children of women who did not eat low-fat yoghurt.
The study also found that the children of these women were more likely to have allergic rhinitis (hay fever) and current asthma symptoms.
But the results showed that milk intake during pregnancy was not linked to any increased risk of asthma.
In fact, milk was shown to protect against asthma development.
Ekaterina Maslova, lead study author form the Harvard School of Public Health, who worked with the data at the Statens Serum Institut in Copenhagen, said: "It is a puzzling finding. The absence of fatty acids in low-fat yoghurt may be key to the results.
"The results suggest that fatty acids play an important role or it could be that people who ate this kind of yoghurt had similar lifestyle and dietary patterns, but we cannot make any conclusions at this stage.
"We need to replicate these results in other studies first."
Leanne Metcalf, director of research at Asthma UK, said there is plenty of evidence to suggest that the pre-natal environment can influence a child's health.
"However, the impact of a pregnant woman's diet on her child's health continues to be debated, as it is difficult to assess how particular aspects of a woman's diet during pregnancy are linked to the risk of developing asthma and allergies.
"Eating a healthy, balanced diet at any time, but especially during pregnancy is advisable and we would recommend that pregnant women discuss any drastic changes to their diet with their GP first."


Saif al-Islam Gaddafi has been freed after six years in captivity.

His capture in southern Libya in November 2011, following three months on the run and weeks after his father's death, was an ignominious end for a man once widely considered Colonel Muammar Gaddafi's heir apparent.
Despite holding no official position in the Libyan government, he was long seen as the most influential figure in the country after his father who had been in power since 1969.
This stylish English-speaker was even considered the reformist face of the Libyan government - until the 2011 rebellion, and the government's response.
As rebels closed in on the capital, the second of Gaddafi's nine children vowed to fight to the end against the insurgents, accusing them of being drunkards, thugs and terrorists.
But after the rest of his family fled, or were killed, he ended up being held in the city of Zintan for almost six years, sentenced to death by firing squad in absentia by a court in Tripoli during that time.
The few pictures released in the last few years show he is missing fingers. The BBC's John Simpson noticed he was missing part of a front tooth during one hearing early in his captivity.
And he is also wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC), accused of crimes against humanity for his alleged role in the suppression of opposition protests in 2011.
Born in 1972, he played a key role in Libya's rapprochement with the West between 2000 and the 2011 uprising.
As head of the Gaddafi family's charity and allegedly the multi-billion dollar sovereign wealth fund, the Libyan Investment Authority (LIA) - although he denies this - Gaddafi had access to huge amounts of money, which he used to smooth relations with the West.
He was involved in the negotiations which led his father to abandon his nuclear weapons programme and later helped mediate the release of six Bulgarian medics accused of infecting children with HIV in a Libyan hospital.
He also negotiated compensation for the families of those killed in the 1988 Lockerbie bombing, the 1986 Berlin nightclub attack and the 1989 downing of UTA flight 772.
Again, he is said to have been involved in talks about the controversial 2009 decision to free from prison the man convicted of the Lockerbie bombing, Abdelbaset al-Megrahi.
After these agreements, international sanctions were lifted and with Gaddafi prominent both politically and economically, Libya seemed set to embark on an era of remarkable change.
Its oil sector was starting to open up and Libya had agreed to tackle the growing flow of sub-Saharan African migrants through the country to Europe.
Mr Gaddafi owned a house in London and had links to British political figures as well as the Royal Family. He met the Duke of York twice - once at Buckingham Palace and on another occasion in Tripoli.
He is known to have kept two tigers as pets and also enjoyed hunting with falcons in the deserts - a pastime traditionally enjoyed by Arab royals - and is a keen amateur painter.
Gaddafi, whose first names mean Sword of Islam, always denied that he was seeking to inherit power from his father, saying the reins of power were "not a farm to inherit".
He also called for political reform - a theme he addressed in the doctorate he obtained the same year from the London School of Economics (LSE).
When his role in the crackdown against protesters was reported, LSE director Howard Davies resigned from his post after facing criticism for accepting donations from the charitable foundation led by the son of the then Libyan leader.
The University of London was asked to investigate the authenticity of Gaddafi's PhD thesis, amid reports it was plagiarised - but it decided it should not be revoked as "the thesis has been annotated to show where attribution or references should have been made," an LSE statement said.
Gaddafi was caught on 19 November 2011, a month after his father died after being caught by rebel forces in his home town of Sirte.
The rebels claimed to have captured him in August 2011, during their advance on Tripoli, but he later turned up outside a hotel in the capital, greeting crowds of cheering supporters, before disappearing again.
The militia holding him in Zintan wanted him to be tried in that city - and not the ICC. In the end, he was tried in absentia in 2015 by a court in Tripoli.
"I am not afraid to die but if you execute me after such a trial you should just call it murder and be done with it," Gaddafi was quoted by lawyers as saying early on in his captivity.
However, it seems he will not face a firing squad in Tripoli: if reports are to be believed, he has gone to the east of the country, where a rival Libyan government has granted him amnesty.


The 2013 America's Cup final was a spectacle that bordered on the unreal.

Boats appeared to fly metres above the water of San Francisco harbour, thanks to hydrofoils which raised hulls out of the water.
Clever computer graphics showed those unfamiliar with racing exactly what was going on.
And in a dramatic final Oracle Team USA overhauled an 8-1 deficit, helped by British Olympian Sir Ben Ainslie.
After that success, Ainslie declared his intention to win the competition with a British team, and has just launched his bid to enter the next America's Cup.
Business of Sport
Despite the excitement surrounding the 2013 competition though, the organisers generated little money from TV coverage.
Now Sir Russell Coutts, chief executive of Oracle Team USA, is determined to change that.
He has crafted the set of rules, known as the protocol, which will govern the 35th America's Cup that will conclude with the finals in 2017.
He is determined the competition will be a commercial as well as visual success.
"Clearly all the broadcasters last time saw the potential of the America's Cup. We currently have a lot more commercial interest this time, in comparison to last time," he says.
While last year's final was seen as a breakthrough for the event - with racing brought closer to the shore ushering in a new era of TV production, including on-screen graphics to help simplify the sport - the competition has been overhauled again, to make it more attractive to broadcasters and sponsors.
America's Cup (external website)
Timing is one important area.
The 2013 final was held in September when US sports fans and advertisers were focused on the beginning of the NFL (American football) season.
Coutts describes that timing as "crazy" and, after talks with broadcasters, decided that June would be a good time to stage the final.
He says the whole event will probably end around the 4 July holiday weekend in the US.
Qualifying races have also been shortened and reorganised.
"In the past we've run a lot of races when they just haven't made commercial sense and so you've got all that cost and you're not really getting a return," he says.
The opening round, which starts next year, will feature a number of teams, to be whittled down to four. These four will then go on to another series of races to decide which one gets to challenge the existing champions, Oracle Team USA.
The format has also been designed to make the racing more affordable for the teams. The boats are smaller, so need fewer crew members, and have been simplified to reduce design and production costs.
Broadcasters and sponsors, of course, want excitement.
To deliver that Coutts, who is from New Zealand, is keen to raise the level of the teams entering the next series.
"That was one of the things that didn't go right last time, we didn't have enough strong teams in the competition," he says.
Making the overall cost of entering less expensive is one way of helping teams. But there is also a stiff entry fee this time - under the new rules entrants will have to pay $3m (Â£1.8m).
The idea is to attract teams that have their finances in place and can afford to race through the entire competition.
"We are not going to have dozens of teams entering. But I think if we get six or more strong teams in the competition - you know, really competitive teams - I think that's going to be really good for the event," Coutts says.
Coutts thinks his team will be very competitive and hopes to attract more entrants of that kind of calibre.
There is still a lot to be decided, not least where the final will be held.
San Francisco, San Diego, Chicago and Bermuda have been shortlisted for the finals in 2017.
As well as local enthusiasm for the event, commercial factors will also play an important role in that decision.
Coutts is considering the potential sponsorship and other commercial advantages that local companies can offer.
The time zone is also a consideration.
Being further east, Chicago and particularly Bermuda may be able to offer more attractive racing times for European TV viewers and sponsors.
"All of the cities that are in contention now, I believe they are very, very motivated to try and get this final event," Coutts says.
It is too early to say what the rights to broadcast the America's Cup could be worth, but Coutts thinks it will be the most money the competition has ever made from TV.
But like golf and tennis, sailing is always going to be seen as a sport for the better off, according to Peter Worth, who has spent a successful career in sports management, at one time managing Bjorn Borg.
"Sailing is an efficient way to reach the top end of the consumer market," he says.
"If you look at the brands on the boats, it's Prada, Emirates, Nespresso - expensive brands.
"Sailing is still a niche sport. But there are an awful lot of wealthy people who want to play in that niche."


The EU's Justice Commissioner has written to the US attorney general, questioning him about America's data surveillance programme, Prism.

Viviane Reding wrote that she was concerned America's efforts "could have grave adverse consequences for the fundamental rights of EU citizens".
A series of leaks suggest major tech firms have passed information to the National Security Agency, the US government's snooping organisation.
Experts say they could now be sued.
"European data protection laws put restrictions on how data gathered about people, including social networking data, can be used," said Dr Ian Brown, associate director of Oxford University's Cyber Security Centre.
"The firms will now face serious questions from national data commissioners and even potentially from individual users in Europe over whether they followed all the European data protection laws that are supposed to stop things like this happening."
According to leaked documents published by the Guardian and Washington Post newspapers, the NSA can order internet firms to give it access to private emails, online chats, pictures, files, videos and other data uploaded by foreign users.
Google has said that its compliance with the requests did not give the US government "unfettered access to our users' data", but notes that nondisclosure obligations prevented it providing detailed information to the public.
Along with Facebook, Microsoft and Twitter, it has asked to be able to be allowed to publish information about the number and scope of the requests received.
Media reports suggested Yahoo, PalTalk, AOL and Apple have also been involved in Prism.
US intelligence chiefs have said that the data-sweeps save lives by helping thwart terror plots.
In her letter to Eric Holder, Ms Reding asks questions on seven areas of concern about Prism and other US data surveillance programmes:
Ms Reding added that American law enforcers should only be given access to EU citizens' data being held on US companies' servers in "clearly defined, exceptional and judicially reviewable situations".
A spokeswoman for the commissioner confirmed the letter had been sent on Monday evening, and that Ms Reding expected detailed replies to her questions when she meets Mr Holder at a previously scheduled event in Dublin on Friday.


A Hull KR player has been dropped by his club after being questioned by police over allegations of grooming.

Prop forward Adam Walker was spoken to regarding offences of attempting to engage in sexual activity with a child.
The 24-year-old has not been arrested and voluntarily attended the police station, West Yorkshire Police said.
A statement from the rugby club before its match against Huddersfield Giants on Sunday said it was "appropriate" Mr Walker be stood down for selection.
"This is not an admission of wrongdoing but felt to be in the best interests of everyone, including Adam," the club said.
No disciplinary action has been taken, it added.
Mr Walker, from Bradford, was signed by the Super League team on a three-year deal in 2014.
He previously played for Huddersfield Giants.


Students from the European Union starting university courses in the UK this autumn will have their student loans funding honoured, University Minister Jo Johnson has said.

And those EU students who are already attending UK universities will continue to receive financial support.
The Student Loans Company has sought to reassure students and applicants following the EU referendum.
And Mr Johnson has tweeted: "UK welcomes EU students."
"Current students and this autumn's applicants will continue to receive student finance for duration of their course," said the Twitter message from the minister.
Universities have been seeking clarity about the implications of Brexit for their EU students, international exchanges and for funding from EU research projects.
A statement from the Student Loans Company says that those EU students who are already studying in the UK will not face any changes to financial support, such as loans to cover tuition fees.
The current arrangements will also remain in place for those who have applied and are expecting to begin university courses in the autumn.
But the arrangements for EU students beginning courses in the following year - autumn 2017 - have still to be clarified.
There are about 125,000 EU students in higher education in the UK, with Germany and France the biggest senders.
But among those non-UK students starting university in the UK last year, there were more students from China than from all the EU countries put together.
Following the vote to leave the EU, Wendy Piatt, director general of the Russell Group of universities, said that the Brexit  decision "creates significant uncertainty" for higher education.
She said that the Russell Group universities would seek assurances from the government that "staff and students currently working and studying at our universities can continue to do so after the UK negotiates leaving the EU".
Universities have been particularly concerned about the future of EU research funding, with analysis by the Royal Society showing that the UK is one of the largest recipients.
It suggests that between 2007 and 2013, the UK received 8.8bn euros (Â£7.3bn) in direct EU research funding and had contributed 5.4bn euros (Â£4.5bn).
But there are examples, such as Norway and Switzerland, that are outside the EU but are able to contribute funds and have "associate country" status for EU research projects.
These associate member countries do not have a say in how such research funding is directed.


One of the last surviving Dunkirk veterans led a 75th anniversary service to mark the World War Two evacuation.

Garth Wright, 95, from Plymouth, also unveiled a new memorial plaque on Plymouth Hoe.
In 1940, hundreds of boats set sail to rescue hundreds of thousands of Allied troops who had retreated from Hitler's forces on to the shores of Dunkirk.
"We went across to France, we defended Dunkirk and the evacuation," said Mr Wright.
Almost 99,000 men were lifted from the beaches and about 240,000 from the harbour and mole - a wooden breakwater protecting the harbour - but thousands died.
Mr Wright said: "I hope and I'm sure that in future years, when youngsters hear about Dunkirk, they'll come and see this plaque."
He added it had been a "great day" and he had "achieved a mission" to have the new plaque installed.


The 2016 European Championship play-offs have finished, with Ukraine and Sweden completing the list of 24 teams to qualify for next summer's finals.

Which four teams came through the two legs to book a place at the finals?
Ukraine 3-1 Slovenia (aggregate)
Ukraine had lost in four World Cup play-offs and one in the European Championship before their tie with Slovenia.
They took a 2-0 lead from the first leg to Maribor, but conceded after 11 minutes of Tuesday's second leg when home skipper Bostjan Cesar headed in from close range.
But Andriy Yarmolenko secured Ukraine's spot by converting after a late counter attack.
Did you know? Ukraine had never previously qualified for a Euro finals. Their only appearance - in 2012 - came as co-hosts.
Sweden 4-3 Denmark (aggregate)
Sweden saw off a late fightback from neighbours Denmark to qualify for the finals and keep Zlatan Ibrahimovic's international career going.
The captain was inevitably at the heart of the second leg in Copenhagen, adding two goals to his first-leg strike, including a sensational curling free-kick.
Did you know? Ibrahimovic has scored 62 goals for Sweden. Of those still playing, only Republic of Ireland's Robbie Keane (67) has more.
Republic of Ireland 3-1 Bosnia (aggregate)
Six years after Thierry Henry's infamous handball denied them a place at the 2010 World Cup, the Republic of Ireland qualified as two goals from Jon Walters helped them overcome Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Ireland drew 1-1 away in the first leg, Robbie Brady putting them ahead before Edin Dzeko equalised.
In Dublin, Walters netted a hugely controversial 24th-minute penalty after Bosnia's Ervin Zukanovic was harshly adjudged to have handled a Daryl Murphy cross
That put the Irish 2-1 up on aggregate and the win was all but secured when Walters volleyed in on 70 minutes.
Did you know? The Republic of Ireland have qualified for the European Championship finals for the third time (after 1988 and 2012).
Hungary 3-1 Norway (aggregate)
Hungary qualified for their first tournament in 30 years after beating Norway in both legs to win their play-off.
They won the first game in Oslo 1-0, with debutant Laszlo Kleinheisler scoring the only goal.
And Tamas Priskin and a Markus Henriksen own goal put them 2-0 up in Budapest before Henriksen scored in the right net late on to pull one back. Norway had another couple of chances but never looked like scoring the two extra goals they needed.
Did you know? 89% of the goals conceded by Hungary in their qualifying group games came from open play; a competition-high (equal with Luxembourg).
Albania, Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, England, France, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Northern Ireland, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Ireland, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, Wales.