The BBC's election debate on Wednesday night and four other election specials will be streamed live on Twitter as well as broadcast on television.

It is the first partnership of its kind between the social network and the BBC.
A "real-time curated timeline" of tweets will bring commentary from BBC experts and BBC Reality Check to Twitter users.
One analyst suggested the move could help engage audiences who might be less likely to watch live TV.
The election debate will be broadcast live from Cambridge on BBC One from 19:30 BST until 21:00 BST.
Seven senior members of leading political parties will appear, including the Conservative Home Secretary Amber Rudd and Lib Dem leader Tim Farron.
Labour is yet to confirm who it will put forward for the debate.
"It's going to be reaching different audiences that wouldn't necessarily be watching live TV," suggested Tim Westcott, a television analyst at IHS Technology.
"Live video is something that all the social media websites are interested in exploring - there's been an increase in the amount of live sport for example," he added.
The hashtag for the election debate programme is #bbcdebate and a page for the live stream has been set up on Twitter.
A similar arrangement will be made for two Question Time Leaders' Specials on 2 and 4 June, the Newsbeat Youth Debate on 6 June and the Election Night Results Special on 8 June.


Malaria parasites can hide inside the bone marrow and evade the body's defences, research confirms.

The discovery could lead to new drugs or vaccines to block transmission.
The research, published in Science Translational Medicine, fills a "key knowledge gap" in the biology of the disease, say scientists at Harvard.
Carried by mosquitoes, the parasite causes the most severe form of malaria, which leads to more than 500,000 deaths every year globally.
The study found parasites that cause malaria could bury into bone marrow, where they escaped the immune system and caused disease.
The idea that they hide in the bone marrow while they mature has been around for decades.
But a team led by Prof Matthias Marti, of the Harvard School of Public Health, in Boston, pinpointed exactly where the parasites found sanctuaries in bone marrow by analysing tissue samples from autopsies.
"We have confirmed that the parasites that cause malaria can hide in the bone marrow," he told BBC News.
The discovery was "exciting" because it identified "a key knowledge gap in the biology of the parasite", he added.
The hope is that this may help scientists devise a way to target parasites hiding out in bone marrow with new drugs or vaccines.
The most recent figures from the World Health Organization suggest malaria killed more than 600,000 people in 2012, with 90% of these deaths occurring in sub-Saharan Africa.


Women and children awaiting trial are being kept too close to men in court custody suites, a watchdog has found.

HM Inspectorate of Prisons (HMIP) said there was "widespread confusion" about separation of men, women and juveniles.
HMIP said pregnant women had to sit on hard benches for several hours in some courts, meanwhile disability and faith provision was also criticised.
Chief Inspector of Prisons Nick Hardwick said "much can be done" in the short term to improve the situation.
The HMIP study covered four crown courts and 12 magistrates' courts in Cleveland, Durham and Northumbria.
The report came in a new round of inspections of court custody operations, which are contracted out.
HMIP said some detainees were not always kept "appropriately separate".
Court managers were "insufficiently engaged" with custody suites but there were good working relationships between court staff and the contractor, HMIP added.
The report found staff were generally not clear about when to close the partition in custody transfer vehicles, designed to separate men and women or adults and children.
Staff had tried to provide reading materials by bringing in newspapers, and all courts had sandwiches and microwave meals available.
However, at North Tyneside court some of the meals were out of date.
Most courts did not have enough extra clothing or blankets during cold weather, the report found.
Cell conditions were "deplorable" at Newcastle magistrates' court, and "poor" at Newton Aycliffe, Teesside magistrates', Newcastle crown court and Sunderland.
But HMIP found there was little use of force and mental health services were good.
Mr Hardwick said: "Improvements to buildings will require capital spends, but there is much that can be done to improve matters in the short term, especially if court managers focus on the custody suites as an integral part of their role in running the courts."


The US Republican presidential nominee, Donald Trump, has said he will develop a tracking system to help authorities control immigration.

Speaking on the campaign trail in Iowa, he outlined what he called an "entry-exit" programme, which would track those who overstay their visas.
He also reiterated his support for building a wall along the southern border with Mexico.
And he said he would stop illegal immigrants getting welfare benefits.
"I am going to build a great border wall, institute nationwide e-verify, stop illegal immigrants from accessing welfare and entitlements, and develop an exit-entry tracking system to ensure those who overstay their visas are quickly removed," Mr Trump said.
"If we don't enforce visa expiration dates, then we have an open border - it's as simple as that," he added.
Immigration was a central issue in Mr Trump's primary campaign.
Earlier this week, he signalled he would soften his immigration plans.
Instead of deporting all 11 million people living illegally in the US as he had suggested before, he said only criminals would go.
He was immediately criticised by the right of the Republican party, with Former Alaska governor Sarah Palin warning him of "massive disappointment" if he backed down on his plan to deport undocumented immigrants.


Fleetwood Town head coach Uwe Rosler has signed a new contract with the League One side until 2020.

The 48-year-old German guided the Cod Army to fourth last season, their highest ever finish, before they were beaten by Bradford in the play-offs.
The ex-Leeds, Wigan and Brentford boss joined on an initial two-year deal in July 2016.
"Fleetwood Town is a unique club doing things differently to a lot of other clubs," he told the club website.
"What excites me about this club is that we have a clear DNA, we make it clear what we stand for and what we are going for in players.
"I think this clarity impresses me and for me we will have to build a new team after losing some very important players - that excites me."
Fleetwood have also stated that they have withdrawn contract offers to Conor McLaughlin, David Ball and Jimmy Ryan.
Defender McLaughlin, 25, striker Ball, 27, and midfielder Ryan, 28, were all out of contract this summer.
"David Ball called me up and said he will join another club," Rosler added.
"Conor told me he wanted to play in the Championship and he has clubs lined up. He will most likely go and play in the Championship.
"Jimmy didn't report on Monday for our first day of pre-season and that indicates to me that he will not accept our offer of a new contract."


A series of cryptic puzzles set by spy agency GCHQ on its Christmas card has yet to be cracked two days before the deadline.

About 30,000 people have reached the final stage of the challenge - roughly 5% of those who entered - but so far no one has successfully completed it.
GCHQ director Robert Hannigan, who set the string of teasers, offered a clue: "It's not as abstract as you think."
The deadline for entries is 31 January. Answers will be revealed in February.
The first puzzle, which was printed inside the agency's card of a traditional nativity scene and on its website, is a "nonogram" - a complex grid-shading puzzle.
When completed correctly, it creates a Quick Response, or QR, code which can be scanned to reveal a website link to the next challenge.
Nearly 600,000 people have successfully completed the nonogram stage of the puzzle so far.
Those who enjoyed the challenge are asked to make a donation to the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC).
Robert Hannigan, director of GCHQ, said he was delighted so many people had tried the puzzle and made a donation.
But he said: "With a few days to go no-one has cracked it all yet, so my one and only clue is: it's not as abstract as you think.
"What I hope the stages of the puzzle show is that to deliver our mission and keep Britain safe, we need people from all backgrounds, with all skills, who look at problems from every angle."
Aspiring codebreakers can have a go on the GCHQ website, and have until midnight on Sunday to complete the challenge.


There was no neglect by police in the case of a woman who was found dead at her home hours after officers tried to check on her, a coroner has said.

Lisa Moller, 35 was found hanged at home in Barry, Vale of Glamorgan, in August after a row with her boyfriend.
Recording a narrative conclusion, the coroner said she had deliberately caused her own death, but her intentions were unclear.
He added that the police had had no right to enter her home.
An investigation by the Independent Police Complaints Commission is ongoing.
Police were called to the house Ms Moller shared with Joseph Ashenhurst in Cwrt Eirlys in the early hours of 31 August after reports of screaming and shouting.
Officers took him to the police station and Ms Moller was left in the house alone.
Det Sgt Anthony Evans said after Mr Ashenhurst left, officers called at the house at 02:00 BST and 04:24 and also called her mobile phone, but failed to make contact with her.
He said the officers did not attempt to force their way into the property because they were "mindful of the law" and there was nothing to indicate Ms Moller might self harm.
Mr Ashenhurst returned to the house after being questioned by the police and slept in the car.
He said he broke into the house at about 10:50 and found Ms Moller.
Assistant coroner for Cardiff and the Vale Christopher Woolley said it was clear she had suffered verbal abuse in the hours before her death, but there was nothing in her medical history to indicate significant depression or attempts to self harm.
He said the police could only have forced entry to the house if they had evidence of the potential for Ms Moller to self harm.


Rules about where and when street traders can sell food near schools in Dumfries and Galloway could be set to change.

Councillors will examine the effect they have on children's eating habits.
A report to the region's education committee will highlight statistics that suggest more than a quarter of children in Dumfries and Galloway are at risk of being overweight or obese.
It estimates a third of pupils consume junk food during school hours.
Local authorities across Scotland are under pressure to increase healthier eating in children as part of guidance called Beyond the School Gate.
It is also aimed at retailers and caterers and what they can do to influence the food environment around schools.
Licensing and planning conditions could be used to encourage healthy options in their vicinity.
There have been increasing uptakes for school meals but there are concerns that competition from shops and street traders who sell food could be damaging that push.
Latest figures from Information Service Division Scotland show 25.3% of Primary 1 pupils in Dumfries and Galloway are at risk of being overweight or obese.
Local survey work around healthy eating in children also highlights that despite an increase in the uptake of school meals, about one third of pupils consume sweets, crisps and fizzy drinks during school time.
Fourteen Scottish local authorities have already placed a condition on traders' licences to restrict their operation in the vicinity of schools.
Do you think we need to do more to encourage school children to eat more healthily? And, if so, how do you think we can do so? Email your views to dumfries@bbc.co.uk or tweet us @BBCSouthScot.


Plans for a new law setting a minimum price for alcohol in Wales have been published by the Welsh government.

Research suggested a charge of 50p per unit would save nearly £900m over 20 years by cutting crime and illness, with 50 fewer deaths a year.
Ministers said they were committed to using their powers to "improve and protect" the health of people in Wales.
But a drinks industry spokesman said the plans would "ramp up" prices while "doing nothing" to tackle alcohol harm.
Similar plans in Scotland face a legal challenge from whisky producers, who claim they breach European law.
Wales' Deputy Health Minister Vaughan Gething said the new Welsh law would "save lives, reduce rates of crime, help ensure valuable NHS resources are used wisely and help businesses by reducing absence from the workplace".
"Minimum unit pricing will affect those drinks sold at an unacceptably low prices relative to their alcohol content," he said.
"This is a particularly well-targeted measure as it will only have a small impact on moderate drinkers and have the biggest impact on high-risk drinkers."
But Wine and Spirit Trade Association chief executive Miles Beale said such changes would "unfairly ramp up the cost of over half of the drinks on supermarket shelves" while "doing nothing to tackle alcohol harm".
"It is entirely wrong that responsible consumers in Wales should be punished for the actions of an irresponsible few," he said.
Mr Beale also warned Welsh businesses could be hit by people shopping across the border in England and said there were serious legal questions, including whether fixing drinks prices is contrary to UK competition law.
Shadow health minister Darren Millar said the Conservatives backed the Welsh government's aims in principle but "it will be important to resolve questions which remain over whether the proposals fall within the devolution settlement".
South Wales Police Deputy Crime Commissioner Sophie Howe said minimum pricing could help efforts to tackle violent crime.
"Good progress is being made but there is still much more to be done," she said.
The Royal College of Physicians said it welcomed the use of legislation where there is evidence to support its use.
The Welsh government held a previous consultation on minimum alcohol pricing as part of a wider Public Health Bill.
Alcohol pricing will now be covered by a separate bill, to avoid the risk of any EU judgement against it delaying other public health measures, such as restrictions on e-cigarettes and the registration of tattoo parlours.
The consultation will run until December 2015.


Asian shares were ending the week mixed after a lacklustre lead from Wall Street following disappointing economic data.

The Dow Jones fell 0.4% as data showed that US housing starts were below expectations in March, while jobless claims were their highest in six weeks.
Markets in Europe also fell sharply on concerns about the slow progress in bailout negotiations between Greece and international creditors.
The Nikkei was down 0.5% at 19,791.39.
The dollar weakened to 119.06 yen, down from 119.33 yen in Tokyo on Thursday.
Chinese shares were higher with Hong Kong's Hang Seng index up 0.3% at 27,825, while the Shanghai Composite was 1.7% higher at 4,266.26.
Australian shares headed lower following another slide in the price of iron ore - the country's most valuable export.
The price of the steel-making ingredient slid back below $50, less than half its value a year ago, putting pressure on heavyweight miners BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto.
The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 was down 0.9% at 5,894.
South Korea's benchmark Kospi index was 0.1% lower 0.1% at 2,137.67.


A barn on a County Fermanagh farm used for lambing and to store hay isn't the first place you would expect a musician to launch their new album.

But the venue made perfect sense to Irish singer and songwriter, Andy Irvine.
His career has spanned five decades, and as a member of the folk band Planxty he achieved widespread success in the 1970s alongside Christy Moore, DÃ³nal Lunny and Liam O'Flynn.
Since then he has travelled the world, a troubadour of traditional music, playing the mandola, bouzouki and harmonica.
His new solo album, Abocurragh, reflects his globetrotting experiences.
"It was made mainly in Dublin but a lot of people were recorded in Hungary, in Norway, Australia. The album had been around the world before it came out," he said.
The album is named after a townland about eight miles from Enniskillen, although his home is actually in the adjoining townland, Ballysooragh.
"I didn't think Ballysooragh was a great name for an album," Andy explained, "so Abocurragh looked much more attractive and there's about three houses up there too."
To launch his new album, he has returned to his home on County Fermanagh.
He has shunned the glitzy hotels and city-based celebrities and chosen instead to perform in a hay shed.
The idea for the "Silo Pit Session" came from Andy's landlady Janie Crone who owns the farm with her husband John.
The family has been busy transforming the farmyard into Northern Ireland's newest music venue.
She said: "We would normally round bale but we've actually square baled so seating is bales of hay.
"You can see we've just used bales of hay along the back of the silo pit and covered it in black stuff to try and make it look at least more like a stage."
What will the acoustics be like in the barn which is more used to the sound of bleating lambs?
"It's a tin roof so it has been very tinny but we've had some good advice," said Mrs Crone.
"As soon as the hay came in, it acts like furnishings in a house so that kind of echo sound has gone so we're hoping for the best. We just don't need rain on the tin roof!"
The venue is perfect for Andy Irvine as it is a short walk from his house.
"Sitting on bales of hay it will be very rural and it's just next door to me, so if I get tired I can go and have a lie down between songs," he added.
Several hundred people arrived for the gig and made themselves comfortable on the bales of hay.
It was an intimate performance of songs from the new album and from Andy Irvine's 45 year musical career.
It may have been a bit cold, but the acoustics were excellent and, to Mrs Crone's relief, there was no rain falling upon the tin roof.


Police are continuing to negotiate with a 72-year-old man believed to be armed with a gun inside a West Sussex house.

Officers have been at Harbour Road in Pagham for almost 24 hours after receiving a report of "threatening behaviour" at 16.10 BST on Sunday.
A woman known to the man was in the house at the time but left shortly after police arrived.
The man remains in the property alone, Sussex Police said.
A cordon has been placed around Harbour Road while negotiators make contact with the suspect.
Det Sup Carwyn Hughes said: "The safety of the local community is our utmost priority."
Mr Hughes added:  "People living in properties along Harbour Road are free to come and go with police support.
"We are doing all we can to make sure their daily routines and bank holiday plans are not disrupted."


The Chinese government has made an unprecedented intervention in Hong Kong politics, issuing a ruling that effectively means two elected lawmakers will not be allowed to take their seats.

How did Hong Kong get to this point?
The Basic Law has been the mini constitution of Hong Kong since it was handed back to China in 1997.
It enshrines the "one country, two systems" principle, and has been considered a promise from Beijing to the people of Hong Kong that they would be allowed to keep their way of life for the following 50 years.
Under Basic Law, Hong Kong handles most of its affairs internally, while Beijing is responsible for defence and foreign affairs.
However, the law also stipulates that the National People's Congress Standing Committee (NPCSC) - China's rubber-stamp parliament - holds the ultimate "power of interpretation" of the law.
Article 104 states that all elected Hong Kong officials and judges need to "swear to uphold" the Basic Law and "swear allegiance to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China".
But two recently elected pro-independence lawmakers have repeatedly refused to say the oath properly.
Sixtus Leung and Yau Wai-ching shouted a derogatory term for China and showed a "Hong Kong is not China" flag during their oath-taking ceremony, causing chaos in the Legislative Council.
Article 104 does not mention any consequences if officials fail to be sworn in properly, nor whether they would be able to retake the oath, so the outcome of their provocative stance was unclear.
Before waiting for the results of a judicial review within Hong Kong, Beijing intervened to issue its own interpretation of the law.
The NPCSC ruled that officials must "accurately, completely and solemnly" read out the portion of the oath that swears allegiance to Beijing.
It also states that officials will bear legal responsibilities if they later commit any doings that "defy the oath" - another term that is not included in Article 104.
This means Leung and Yau cannot take their seats despite being elected.
But critics say what Beijing has done is effectively change the law, rather than just clarify how it should be enacted.
They argue that, in theory, the Chinese government will now be able to stop any democratically elected lawmakers it doesn't like from taking office.
On top of that, the judicial review is still in process, some believe Beijing has undermined the city's judicial independence, and there are fears it could go on to change other articles of the Basic Law.
China says the move was "absolutely necessary", and "complies with the common aspiration of the entire Chinese people" including those in Hong Kong.
This is the furthest reach of Beijing into Hong Kong politics since the handover, but it is the fifth time it has acted to interpret the Basic Law.
Reporting by the BBC's Grace Tsoi


Five teenagers have admitted their part in an attack which left a football fan seriously ill.

Four 19-year-olds and a youth changed their pleas during a trial at Wolverhampton Crown Court.
The attack left Watford fan Nic Cruwys in a coma following a match at Wolverhampton Wanderers on 7 March 2015.
The five, and another teenager who previously admitted grievous bodily harm, will be sentenced on 9 September.
Daniel Lloyd, of Longfellow Road, Dudley; Joseph Lister, of Palmer Close, Wednesfield and a 15-year-old, who cannot be named, admitted grievous bodily harm.
Robert Beech, of Springfield Road, Wednesfield, admitted threatening behaviour, while Ryan Meer, of Watling Street, Gailey, Staffordshire, pleaded guilty to affray.
All five were acquitted of causing grievous bodily harm with intent following a trial which lasted almost two weeks.
Mr Cruwys suffered serious brain injuries and was in a coma for three months following the "unprovoked attack", the trial heard.
He had travelled with friends by train to watch the match, which ended in a 2-2 draw.
The attack happened as they made their way back to the city's train station and planned to visit a pub for a drink.
David Lee, prosecuting, described it as "an unprovoked group attack", adding the defendants were "going in a group to that area to look for trouble, which they found and caused".
The court heard Mr Cruwys continues to receive treatment for his injuries.
In a statement his family said they hope the verdicts "reflect the injuries Nic suffered and our family's pain and suffering".
"Although Nic will never fully recover, we are now hoping to try to move on with our lives and try to put the horrific situation behind us," they said.


Wales captain Sam Warburton backed his side's adventure after their 39-21 defeat by New Zealand in Auckland.

The tourists led with 18 minutes left before conceding 21 unanswered points against the world champions.
"We wanted to play positive rugby. You can't come here and be conservative and expect to edge a win," said Warburton.
"But we're really disappointed to concede seven points right at the end and make the scoreboard look a little bit ugly."
Replacement hooker Nathan Harris scored New Zealand's fifth touchdown of the game with the clock in the red at the end of the second half.
All Black captain Kieran Read - leading the team for the first time after the retirement of Richie McCaw - said they had expected Wales to be "fired up".
"We were not up to our normal standards in the first half and had to remember what Test match rugby is all about," he said.
"The boys had a really good attitude in the second half."
Wales play Waikato Chiefs in Hamilton on Tuesday before the second Test in Wellington on 17 June.
Warburton, speaking immediately after the game, added: "Some of our counter-attacking was good.
"But we were playing the world champions and against them one mistake becomes seven points and two mistakes become 14 points.
"We will be back next week, hopefully better."


The wedding of an RNLI helmsman was interrupted when a lifeboat crew was called out to a rescue.

The guests were about to enjoy their meal at Ben and Kim Bradshaw's wedding when the Humber Coastguard requested assistance at 15:25 BST on Saturday.
Three Cullercoats crew members left the reception at the Grand Hotel in Tynemouth to help the stricken boat two miles from St Mary's Lighthouse.
The rescue meant the groom had 90 extra minutes of nerves before his speech.
The vessel was drifting without power because of mechanical and electric failure and was towed back to the marina in the River Tyne.
The crew arrived some 90 minutes later to a round of applause from the wedding party.
Mr Bradshaw, said: "We had a wonderful day, but unfortunately the pagers went off right as the guests were about to eat.
"The three crew who left didn't hesitate to go and help in rescuing the people on that boat.
"We waited until they got back for the speeches, so I had another 90 minutes of nerves to wait before I could finally get it over with, but I'm glad they made it back in time to enjoy the rest of the reception."


Solihull Moors winger Omari Sterling-James has signed a new undisclosed-length contract with Liam McDonald's National League side.

The 23-year-old came through the youth system at Birmingham City but moved into non-league after he failed to play for the first team.
He spent two seasons at Cheltenham Town before joining Solihull in the summer.
Sterling-James' new deal comes just two days after scoring twice in the 3-2 Boxing Day win over Chester.
"I've really enjoyed working with Liam McDonald again," said Sterling-James, who first played for the Moors boss in their days together at Redditch. "I feel that this football club is going places."


Nicola Sturgeon has joined sports stars to launch a campaign aimed at inspiring girls and young women to "fulfil their leadership potential".

The first minister, Formula One driver Susie Wolff and Scottish women's football captain Gemma Fay are backing the Girlguiding Scotland initiative.
It encourages girls and young women to highlight good role models around them.
Ms Sturgeon said: "That's how they are inspired to be the leaders, scientists and Olympians of the future."
The launch of the WOWwoman campaign follows Girlguiding research which showed that less than half (49%) of girls aged 11 to 16 regularly feel inspired by a role model.
Only 35% of those aged 17 to 21 believe men and women have the same chance of career success.
Ms Sturgeon said: "I hope seeing so many inspiring women in their communities and beyond will empower a new generation of girls and young women to believe in themselves."
Ms Wolff said: "I'm proud to be named a Girlguiding Scotland WOWwoman and have the chance to back this new campaign.
"From my own experience, I know how important a role model can be in empowering girls and young women to aim high, discover new talents and take the lead. Sometimes you just have to see it to believe it."
Ms Fay added: "I hope this campaign will show girls and young women across Scotland just how much they can achieve."


The government of Slovenia, beset by economic turmoil and allegations of corruption, has fallen.

Parliament voted to oust conservative Prime Minister Janez Jansa, after smaller parties left his coalition.
He was accused by the anti-corruption watchdog in January of tax irregularities and has been struggling to implement austerity measures to combat the country's financial crisis.
MPs asked opposition leader Alenka Bratusek to form a new government.
She will become the first woman to lead Slovenia since its independence from Yugoslavia in 1991.
Mr Jansa was elected a year ago, but his government has struggled to contain the country's economic problems.
Slovenia joined the European Union in 2004 and the eurozone in 2007, but its banking sector was hit hard by the financial crisis and the eurozone crisis that followed.
It is currently in a deep recession, with unemployment at more than 12% and GDP expected to shrink by a further 2% this year.
There is speculation that Slovenia will be forced to request an international bailout, as it needs to repay 2bn euros (Â£1.7bn; $2.6bn) of debt in the coming months.
Mr Jansa has faced corruption allegations, but also growing public anger and protests over austerity measures.
Ms Bratusek, who has previously worked in the finance ministry, has voiced her opposition to austerity, saying her priority will be "growth and jobs".
She also plans to avoid requesting a Greece-style bailout. "I say it clear, there will be no Greek scenario in Slovenia," she told parliament.


A 13-year-old boy who had been missing from his home in Somerset since Sunday has been found, police have said.

James Whalley was last seen at his home in Holcombe, Somerset, at 22:00 BST. His disappearance had been described as "out of character".
Avon and Somerset Police put out an appeal to find him.
A police spokesman said James was found safe and well and thanked the public for their assistance.


Tottenham have completed the £11m signing of midfielder Victor Wanyama from Southampton on a five-year deal.

The move will see him reunited with Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino, who managed the 24-year-old Kenya captain during his spell as Saints manager.
Wanyama arrived at St Mary's from Celtic for £12.5m in 2013 and scored four goals in 85 Premier League games.
He asked to leave last summer after interest from Spurs but stayed, helping Southampton to a sixth-place finish.
In a letter addressed to Southampton fans published on his website, Wanyama wrote: "It is very emotional for me to say goodbye to the club that gave me the chance to be the first Kenyan to play in Premier League."
He added: "I will never forget my time in Southampton Football Club, I will keep club forever in my heart."
The signing is Tottenham's first since finishing third in the Premier League to secure a place in next season's Champions League group stages.
Wanyama moved to Scottish side Celtic from Belgian club Germinal Beerschot for an undisclosed fee in July 2011.


Chinese police are investigating four securities brokerage firms for possible stock manipulation amid market turmoil.

A number of brokerage employees, current and former members of the regulatory commission, and a financial journalist are also being investigated for misconduct.
China's volatile stock market dropped sharply on Monday, in its biggest single-day fall since 2007.
It has caused a knock-on effect on other markets globally as worry spread.
Police are investigating:
However, Citic said in a statement to the Hong Kong stock exchange on Wednesday that it had not been informed of an investigation.
The other brokerages had announced their investigations in statements late on Tuesday.
On Wednesday China's benchmark Shanghai Composite fell 1.27% to 2,927.29, despite a fresh rate cut a day earlier by the central bank.
The index had fallen about 16% this week, leading to sharp falls in Asia and the US over the past few days.
On Tuesday, China's central bank cut its key lending rate by 0.25 percentage points to 4.6% in a bid to calm stock markets.
Given China's central role in world trade, a slowdown in the world's second-largest economy would be likely to reverberate around the globe.


As Indian security forces battled militants inside the Pathankot air base, defence analysts and media commentators in Islamabad lashed out at India for "typically" and "prematurely" blaming Pakistan for the attack.

This is despite the United Jihad Council (UJC) - a rebel alliance based in Pakistan-administered Kashmir - saying it carried out the attack, three days after it began.
Even so, some Pakistani commentators have continued to blame Indian authorities and media for their accusations against Pakistani organisations and individuals.
Analysts believe that the Pakistani media resorts to self-censorship and follows the official line on matters of national security - and recent rhetoric on the Pathankot attack can be seen in that context.
In the four-day battle, Indian troops killed six militants who had stormed the base in Punjab near the Pakistan border. Seven Indian soldiers also died in the clashes.
The attack dominated talk shows on at least eight TV channels over the weekend, before the UJC claim.
Ghulam Mustafa, a retired lieutenant-general, told Channel 24's DNA (Debate, News, Analysis) programme that the attack was an "India-backed, India-engineered and India-sponsored incident".
He rejected allegations of Pakistan's involvement, saying he was not happy with Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's decision to invite his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi to Lahore.
Hopes for a thaw in relations were raised after Mr Modi paid an unexpected visit to Mr Sharif on his way back from Afghanistan in late December.
Ajmad Shoaib, another retired lieutenant-general, said on ABB Tak TV's "Tonight with Fareeha Idrees" programme that the Indian allegations were merely a continuation of an ongoing trend.
He recalled that India had blamed Pakistan for a fire on a fishing boat on 31 December 2014 as well as for the Gurdaspur police station attack in July 2015.
He said some groups in India did not want peaceful relations with Pakistan.
A few Indian voices were also heard on Pakistani TV channels.
Speaking on the phone from India, former Indian intelligence chief AS Dulat said that Indian media blamed Pakistani elements for involvement in the Pathankot attack because there was enough proof.
Some TV anchors in Pakistan also took to Twitter to "refute" India's claims.
Moeed Peerzada, a TV host on Dunya TV, said that India would benefit from the Pathankot attack and did not change his stance even after the UJC claim.
Television anchor Ahmed Quraishi initially expressed scepticism over India's "rush" to blame Pakistan, and then after the UJC claim, said it was a result of "India's own internal mess".
Taking the argument one step further, Farhan Khan Virk, a social media activist, said the attack seemed like a scripted Indian TV drama.
Popular TV anchor Mubashar Lucman commented on the duration of India's counter-operation.
But Pakistan's social media discourse was not entirely dominated by what some people called hawkish reactions.  Some showed sympathy with India.
Imtiaz Alam, a veteran journalist and the Secretary General of the South Asian Free Media Association, noted that it was not always easy for Pakistani commentators to take a neutral position.
BBC Monitoring reports and analyses news from TV, radio, web and print media around the world. You can follow BBC Monitoring  on Twitter and Facebook.


Rules that prevent net firms from blocking or slowing down online traffic can go ahead, a US federal appeals court has ruled.

A three-judge panel said it will not postpone implementation of net neutrality rules, despite opposition from firms such as Verizon and AT&T.
Federal Communications Commission chairman Tom Wheeler called it "a victory for internet consumers".
But it is unlikely to be the end of legal action from opponents.
Mr Wheeler, who pushed the rule changes through, welcomed the decision.
"Starting Friday, there will be a referee on the field to keep the internet fast, fair and open," he said.
"Blocking, throttling, pay-for-priority fast lanes and other efforts to come between consumers and the internet are now things of the past. The rules also give broadband providers the certainty and economic incentive to build fast and competitive broadband networks."
But Berin Szoka, president of lobby group TechFreedom which is opposed to the new rules, said: "The denial doesn't say much (if anything at all) about how the case will ultimately be decided.
"Today simply marks the beginning of a protracted legal fight over the legality of the FCC's takeover of the internet."
The new rules were agreed in February and saw internet services put on a par with other utilities, meaning they would be subject to greater regulation.
While net firms say the regulations are too onerous, consumer groups felt that they were a necessary way to protect a free and open internet.
The main issue was over whether net firms should have the right to make deals with content providers to offer them a better service for a fee.
USTelecom, a US broadband association that opposes the rules, said it was disappointed by the court's decision but added that it would continue to fight.
President of the firm Walter B McCormick said: "We look forward to providing the court a more fulsome, detailed accounting of the legal problems with the commission's order."


Leeds midfielder Stuart Dallas has become the latest withdrawal from the Northern Ireland squad for Friday's World Cup qualifier against Azerbaijan.

Dallas, 25, has returned to his club because of a calf injury.
Forward Jamie Ward is already out after fracturing his wrist while playing for Burton Albion on Saturday.
Manager Michael O'Neill has not opted to call up any replacements at this stage for the game against the second-placed team in Group C.
Ward sustained the injury in Saturday's game against Barnsley, while Dallas has not played since sustaining his calf problem during last month's international break.
Dallas played in the win over San Marino at Windsor Park on October 8 but was then forced to miss the defeat by table toppers Germany three days later.
After three rounds of fixtures, Azerbaijan stand on seven points, three ahead of Northern Ireland, with Germany leading the table on a maximum nine points.
Ward has started Northern Ireland's Past six competitive games and scored in the 4-0 win over San Marino.
The striker's absence could increase Kyle Lafferty's chances of earning a recall.
Lafferty scored within four minutes of coming on as a substitute in Norwich City's 3-2 defeat by Leeds United in the Championship on Saturday - his first league goal since January 2015.
Chris Brunt and Will Grigg are back in Northern Ireland's squad for the World Cup qualifier.
Brunt, 31, missed Euro 2016 because of a serious knee injury sustained in February but he has returned to West Brom duty in recent weeks.
Wigan's Grigg asked to be left out of recent squads for personal reasons.
Northern Ireland squad
Goalkeepers: M McGovern (Norwich City), A Mannus (St Johnstone), T Carson (Hartlepool United)
Defenders: A Hughes (Kerala Blasters), G McAuley (West Brom), J Evans (West Brom), C Brunt (West Brom), R McGivern (Shrewsbury Town), C McLaughlin (Fleetwood Town), L Hodson (Rangers), T Flanagan (Burton Albion)
Midfielder: S Davis (Southampton), N McGinn (Aberdeen), O Norwood (Brighton), C Evans (Blackburn Rovers), S Ferguson (Millwall), P McNair (Sunderland), P Paton (St Johnstone), M Lund (Rochdale).
Strikers: K Lafferty (Norwich City), J Magennis (Charlton Athletic), C Washington (QPR), W Grigg (Wigan Athletic)


A 29-year-old man has been charged over an assault in north Belfast on New Year's Day.

He faces charges of causing grievous bodily harm with intent and having an offensive weapon.
A 24-year-old man was found with slash marks to his face in an entry off Glencairn Way.
He was treated for his injuries in hospital but they were not believed to be life-threatening.


Specialist police officers from Sussex have been sent to London for a second day after three nights of rioting.

The force said about 50 officers were en route to the capital to support the Metropolitan Police, which will have 16,000 officers on duty.
A force spokesman said the deployment would not be at the "expense of policing in Sussex".
On Monday, officers and helicopter support from Surrey and Sussex were sent to London to help tackle rioting.
Riot police from Surrey were on duty in the Tottenham area of north London, from about 15:00 BST on Monday.
Another team of officers was deployed in Croydon at about 03:00 BST following a request from the Met Police.
Sussex Police said a number of specially-trained officers were also giving assistance.
At 08:30 BST on Tuesday morning the force said all the officers had returned safely to the county.
An extra 1,700 police officers were deployed in London, where shops were looted and buildings were set alight during a third night of violence.
The Met Police said at least 400 people had been arrested following the riots across the city.
Some of the people who have been arrested have been transferred to cells at Guildford police station.
Surrey Police temporary assistant chief constable Charlie Doyle said: "We have well rehearsed plans for supplying mutual aid to other forces to support them during such exceptional events but our priority remains the safety of Surrey residents.
"Whilst there have been no significant incidents of public disorder in the county, we will continue to monitor the situation and ensure we have suitable resources to deal with any incidents that arise."
A spokesman for Sussex Police said: "It is important that we do all we can to prevent the sad scenes that we are seeing elsewhere.
"We would appeal to everyone of all ages and from all walks of life to disregard the rumour-mongering that is unnecessarily raising tensions and fears in some Sussex communities."
Officers from seven other police forces have also been drafted in to aid the Met Police.
The Carling Cup game between Crystal Palace and Crawley Town at Selhurst Park on Tuesday evening has been postponed.
Southeastern trains and Southern Railway said their services had not been affected by the rioting in London.


Four residential homes could be closed and occupants moved to a new "care village" under new proposals.

The affected Norfolk homes - Heathfield, Mountfield, Somerley and Philadelphia House - met all standards in their most recent inspections.
NorseCare, the Norfolk County Council-owned firm which runs the homes, is to consult staff and residents.
It said the 1970s buildings lacked some facilities and it wanted to move residents to a facility in Bowthorpe.
The other options to be consulted on include leaving the homes as they are, admitting no more residents and allowing them to close over a number of years, refurbishing the homes or selling them to another care provider.
But NorseCare says its preferred option is to close the homes and transfer residents to an Â£18.9m care village being built in Bowthorpe, or to another care home or housing with care scheme in the area.
Between them, the four homes can cater for about 150 people. They were each praised by residents and staff in the most recent Care Quality Commission inspection reports.
Karen Knight, managing director of NorseCare, said: "These are people's homes and we recognise that the prospect of potentially moving out of them may be daunting.
"We want to reassure our residents, and their families and carers, that we will support them and listen to their concerns through the consultation.
"I hope they understand that we are suggesting these changes in order to provide better care accommodation for people in Norfolk, now and in the future."


The Metropolitan Police have confirmed they are investigating claims an extra £7m in gold was stolen during the Hatton Garden raid.

A woman has come forward claiming she only realised her safety deposit box was missing after the trial of the gang who carried out the raid.
It could mean the total stolen in the burglary stands at around £21m.
In March seven men were jailed for what was dubbed "largest burglary in English legal history".
In a statement the Metropolitan Police confirmed they were made aware of a "further allegation" in February, after the trial of the Hatton Garden burglars had ended.
A formal allegation was subsequently made in June.
The BBC understands prosecutors are taking the claim seriously enough to include it Proceeds of Crime Act confiscation hearings which are taking place next month.
The Hatton Garden raid - over the Easter Bank Holiday weekend of 2015 - was already Britain's biggest ever burglary.
The gang raided safe deposit boxes for jewels after boring into the vault of the now defunct Hatton Garden Safe Deposit Ltd.
An estimated two thirds of the valuables remain unrecovered.
If the report, first published by Sky News, turns out to be genuine, those convicted of the raid could face an extension to their jail sentences.
Those convicted were:
Another man, known only as "Basil", who let his co-conspirators into the Hatton Garden building by opening the fire escape from inside is yet to be identified.


A Bosnian Muslim man has walked 5,650km (3,503 miles) to make a pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia, and says God kept him safe in war-torn Syria.

Senad Hadzic, 47, told the BBC that he spent several hours at the Syrian border haggling to get a visa.
Later he had to negotiate his way through numerous checkpoints - some manned by the army, others by rebels.
"Some of them even kissed the Koran I was carrying," he said, adding that he also had a Bible in his backpack.
The pilgrimage to Mecca is one of the five pillars of Islam - a duty that Muslims are expected to perform at least once in their lifetime.
Mr Hadzic set off from a town near the Bosnian capital Sarajevo and his first ordeal was to brave minus 35C cold in Bulgaria last December, says the BBC's Dan Damon.
"There wasn't a single easy day, every day has been difficult. But at the same time it's been exciting," he said.
Once he had got a Syrian visa, he said, an officer in President Bashar al-Assad's army "asked me to pray for him in Mecca, if I managed to get out of Syria alive".
"The road between the border, where I entered, and the city of Aleppo was full of huge stones. The rebels had thrown the stones to make it impossible for cars and buses to move. People with families simply had to get out of their cars."
He said having a Syrian visa "means nothing - a rebel fighter can walk out of a cornfield and demand your passport".
"No-one shot at me. I was stopped by armed people who inspected my passport. But when I said I was on the road to God, both the rebels and the army of President Assad let me continue."
Mr Hadzic said he carried both the Koran and the Bible "because I'm very religious".
"If I didn't believe that God was with me, the he was protecting me and guiding me, I wouldn't have even reached Bulgaria, let alone Mecca.
"I walked across seven countries, two deserts, 5,650 kilometres, without money, only with a rucksack weighing 20 kilograms," he told the World Update programme on BBC World Service.


Two men have been arrested after police seized drugs with a street value of about £618,000 from a garage in Glasgow.

About 496kg (1,093lb) of cannabis resin was recovered by officers searching the garage in the Springburn area on Friday morning.
The arrested men, aged 41 and 28, have been charged with drug offences.
Det Ch Insp Kenny Gray said it was a "significant seizure of controlled drugs destined for our streets".


Eurovision - it's one of the most watched music shows on Earth... it's also one of the most bizarre.

9 May 2014 Last updated at 09:06 BST
Check out Greece's entry - Freaky Fortune - who are performing their track Rise Up while bouncing on a trampoline!
The final takes place on Saturday in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Watch the video clip to see them in action.


Maria Sharapova will enter Wimbledon qualifying rather than request a main-draw wildcard as she continues her comeback from a 15-month drug ban.

The 30-year-old Russian was denied a wildcard for the French Open, with tournament officials saying her doping suspension counted against her.
Sharapova will have to win through three qualifying rounds to earn a spot in Wimbledon's 128-strong main draw.
Qualifying in Roehampton will be ticketed for the first time this year.
"Because of my improved ranking after the first three tournaments of my return, I will also be playing the qualifying of Wimbledon in Roehampton, and will not be requesting a wildcard into the main draw," said Sharapova in a statement on her website.
Sharapova is ranked 211th in the world - below the status needed for direct entry into the main draw - but her recent form is good enough to earn a place in qualifying.
Had she reached the Italian Open semi-finals last week, Sharapova would have climbed high enough to make the main draw automatically, but she retired in her second-round match.
Had she applied for a wildcard it would have been reviewed by a Wimbledon committee, with a decision to be announced on 20 June.
Wildcards are "usually offered on the basis of past performance at Wimbledon or to increase British interest".
The Women's Tennis Association criticised the basis for the French Open's decision, saying there are "no grounds to penalise any player beyond the sanctions set forth in the final decisions resolving these matters".
Sharapova herself tweeted in apparent response to Roland Garros' decision.
"If this is what it takes to rise up again, then I am in it all the way, everyday," she wrote.
"No words, games, or actions will ever stop me reaching my own dreams."
However, former Wimbledon champion Pat Cash was one of several prominent figures urging the All England Club not offer the 2004 champion a route straight back into the main draw.
Tickets to Wimbledon qualifying will be £5 each, with all funds going to the Wimbledon Foundation.


A shift from air to rail for passengers travelling between Scotland and London has led to a major reduction in carbon emissions, according to a report.

Transform Scotland said rail journeys between central Scotland and London rose from a 20% market share to 33% between 2005 and 2015.
It said the move to rail had saved more than 680,000 tonnes of emissions.
This would be equivalent to removing all traffic on the M8 between Glasgow and Edinburgh for two years, it said.
The figures were included in Transform Scotland's A Green Journey to Growth report, which said that additional emissions would be saved should rail use continue towards a 50% share of the travel market between Edinburgh and London by 2023.
The 50% target has been set by Virgin Trains, which operates services between London and Scotland's two largest cities.
The report also said further emissions reductions could be expected through the introduction of the new Virgin Azuma trains on the East Coast route, which aim to cut the journey time between Edinburgh and London to four hours.
Transform Scotland estimated that a flight from Edinburgh to London emits 177kg CO2 per passenger, while existing trains emit 34kg per passenger.
But it said an Azuma will emit 28kg - 84% less than a flight.
The sustainable transport alliance's director, Colin Howden, said: "The Scottish transport sector has failed to take significant action to tackle climate change, and has recently become the single largest source of carbon emissions.
"However, one area where there has been significant progress is in Anglo-Scottish travel, where rail's share of the travel market has grown strongly over the past decade.
"For Scotland to meet its challenging climate targets, it is imperative that further action be taken to ensure that rail can grow to at least a 50% market share of the Scotland-London travel market over the next decade."
He said this would include increased investment in the rail network, public bodies using the train rather than flying their staff to London, and a fairer taxation system for Anglo-Scottish travel.
The Transform Scotland report coincided with Virgin Trains revealing that the percentage of people travelling by train to London had reached its highest level for more than 20 years.
Virgin - which is a member of Transform Scotland - said it had recorded an 18% year-on-year growth in passengers travelling between Glasgow and Edinburgh and London in June.
David Horne of Virgin Trains said: "When we took over the east coast route, we set out ambitious plans to gain a 50% market share between Edinburgh and London by 2023.
"These figures show an encouraging start to that journey and confirm a historic shift in travel patterns towards train."
Scotland's transport minister, Humza Yousaf, said increased use of railways was a fundamental part of the Scottish government's greener transport aspirations.


An online poll has been launched to find the UK's favourite insect.

The Royal Society of Biology wants to emphasise the "vital" environmental role played by the more than 20,000 species found in the UK.
It also wants to highlight the threats they face from pesticide use, habitat destruction and climate change.
Its experts have come up with a shortlist of 10 including the small tortoiseshell butterfly, the emperor dragonfly and the stag beetle.
The seven-spot ladybird, garden tiger moth, the marmalade hoverfly, black garden ant, buff-tailed bumblebee, large bee-fly and green shield bug are also in the running.


French rider Franck Petricola is set to race at the North West 200 next month despite suffering life-threatening injuries at the meeting last year.

Petricola, 31, suffered multiple fractures and a head injury after crashing in practice last year and was in a coma for several days.
The Frenchman was flown home after the meeting but made a full recovery and raced at Scarborough last weekend.
"I am ready for it," said Petricola of his impending North West 200 return.
"I don't remember why I crashed but I accept it. I am a big boy.
"When you ride in a road race you know it is possible to have a hard crash like this. It is not a problem."
He careered into a lamp post when he slid off his BMW superbike at Primrose corner during superstock practice, a day after his birthday.
Just days after Petricola's accident, English rider Simon Andrews, 29, died after crashing in a race at the same North West meeting.
Petricola broke two vertebrae, his left arm, his right elbow and right leg, several ribs and suffered perforated lungs in the huge impact as well as a serious head injury.
Media playback is not supported on this device
"I hit my head and there was bleeding on my brain because of the trauma," recalls the Frenchman.
He was treated within seconds of the crash by the travelling doctors from the race's medical team and transferred by helicopter to the Royal Hospital in Belfast.
In a coma, his life hung in the balance for several days before he eventually regained consciousness.
"At first I had no memory at all," added the native of Longwy, a small town on the Belgian border.
"I didn't even know that I was at the North West when I woke up. I just saw all my family there at the bedside.
"For me there was a bit of pain, but for my family and friends it was a very hard experience when I was in the coma."
Petricola will make his North West return with the same Ice Valley BMW team that he raced for last season.
"This year I want to have a lot of fun at the North West," he added.
"I would love to be the fastest newcomer but I know my place, my level, because there are very fast riders from England and Ireland there."
The Frenchman's near-death experience has done nothing to diminish his attraction to the Northern Ireland event, which takes place this year from 10-16 May.
"On my first lap I thought it was incredible.
"It was so fast and bumpy, especially the bit in the town, under the railway bridge. I love this track."
Petricola raced at a 24-hour endurance race at Le Mans before making his return to the roads in Scarborough last weekend.
"There was no fear. I am happy now, it is OK."
North West 200 event director Mervyn Whyte says he will be delighted to see Petricola back racing at Portrush.
"Franck has made a great recovery and we will welcome him back to the paddock," added Whyte.
"There are always risks in road racing but the North West organisers work tirelessly year after year to try to minimise the dangers.
"The medical facilities that we have in place at road races in Ireland provide the fastest response times for any motorsport event in the world.
"Franck owes his life to the men and women who provide that service and we are all very grateful to them for the brilliant work that they do."


Former TV weatherman Fred Talbot has been found guilty of historical sex offences against boys he took on school trips to Scotland.

At Lanark Sheriff Court, he was convicted of seven charges of indecent assault in the 1970s and early 1980s.
Talbot was a teacher at a school in the Manchester area at the time and took boys away on camping and boating trips.
Sheriff Nikola Stewart asked for background reports and will sentence him next month.
Talbot, 67, of Greater Manchester, had denied the allegations but was convicted of seven of the nine charges he faced after a nine-day trial.
He was cleared of two charges - one of indecent assault and one of lewd, indecent and libidinous practices - on not proven verdicts.
The offences, against boys aged 15 to 17, all took place between 1978 and 1981. They happened during separate trips to two locations - one near Moffat in southern Scotland, and one on the Caledonian Canal in Inverness.
During the trial, a succession of witnesses, now men in their 50s who cannot be named for legal reasons, told of their initial excitement at going on the trips - sometimes the first time away from their parents.
At the time, Talbot was a young teacher "with a more relaxed attitude than others" and would talk to the boys about topics such as pop music, alcohol and sex, the court heard.
The men went on to recount how Talbot abused his position of trust to attack them more than 35 years ago.
One man told the court he was indecently assaulted as a teenage boy after a visit to a pub on a camping trip left him "very much the worse for wear".
The witness told of his "horror" when he awoke - after being "singled out" to go to the pub - to find Talbot touching him in a tent when he was partially clothed.
Another witness gave evidence over a video link from Australia to recount how he woke in his tent to find Talbot making a sexual advance on him.
A further witness said he was left "petrified" when Talbot indecently assaulted him on a trip to the Caledonian Canal in 1979.
Stone Roses frontman Ian Brown, 54, who was not an alleged victim, also gave evidence at the trial and said he had never forgotten the moment Talbot invited one of his young friends to sleep in his tent on a school camping trip.
Det Insp Bryan Lee welcomed the guilty verdicts, describing Talbot as a "sexual predator who hid behind a mask of respectability".
"He used his position as a teacher to engineer situations which allowed him to isolate and target his victims," he said.
"He took advantage of his position of trust to abuse young men in his care.
"Thanks to the bravery of his victims, their courage in speaking to us and their commitment and support throughout this investigation, and to close working with Greater Manchester Police, we have been able to secure this conviction today."
He added the police message was that they would listen and take action on all reports of abuse no matter where or when they occurred.
Talbot was jailed for five years at Manchester Crown Court in 2015 for the indecent assault of two 14-year-old boys.
The former television personality was formerly a regular on the floating weather map in Liverpool's Albert Dock for ITV's This Morning show.


The main Syrian opposition group has arrived in Geneva, a day after backing down from their threat to boycott the UN-sponsored peace talks.

But a spokesman said they stood by their demand for an end to air strikes and blockades before they will negotiate with the Syrian government.
Their delegation is due to meet UN envoy Staffan de Mistura on Sunday.
More than 250,000 people have died and 11 million have fled their homes in almost five years of war in Syria.
The Syrian civil war has also been the biggest driver behind Europe's migration crisis.
On Saturday, at least 39 migrants, among them children, drowned in the Aegean Sea while trying to cross from Turkey to the Greek island of Lesbos.
What hope for the talks?
International system has failed Syria
The story of the conflict
The Saudi-backed opposition High Negotiations Committee (HNC) finally agreed late on Friday night that they would come to the talks in Geneva - hours after the Syrian government delegation had already arrived and held preliminary talks with Mr Mistura.
Who is attending? Delegates from the Syrian government and the main opposition bloc, the High Negotiations Committee (HNC). Other opposition figures have been invited as advisers.
Who is not attending? Syrian Kurdish group the PYD (regarded by Turkey as a terror group); so-called Islamic State (IS); al-Nusra Front.
What is being discussed? A possible ceasefire; release of prisoners; aid deliveries to the worst-hit areas; the threat from IS.
Upon his arrival in Geneva, HNC spokesman Salim Muslet said they wanted the release of women and children from government jails, the end to air strikes and aid to be allowed into besieged towns - but that they were not a precondition of talks.
"We're always optimistic but the problem is we're facing a dictatorship there in Syria. Really, if he's willing to solve these problems, we wouldn't have seen these crimes in Syria, these massacres," he told reporters.
But Riad Hijab, the head of the HNC who is not in Geneva, warned in an online post that the delegation's presence "will not be justified" if the Syrian government continues to "commit these crimes".
The so-called proximity talks are expected to last six months, with delegations sitting in separate rooms and UN officials shuttling between them.
The immediate priorities of the talks are:
But the ultimate aim is a peace settlement that includes a transitional period ending with elections, in line with a UN Security Council resolution approved last month.
The last talks aimed at ending the conflict broke down in February 2014 after only two rounds. The UN blamed the government for refusing to discuss an opposition demand for Mr Assad to step down.
Despite little sign of a change in that stance, the rise of the IS group prompted the US and Russia to step up their efforts to get the warring parties back to the negotiating table.
Mr de Mistura, in a video message to the Syrian people on Thursday, said the talks could be the last chance for peace and must not be allowed to fail.


World number 543 Ryan Armour shot a nine-under par 61 to take share of the lead after the second round of the Wyndham Championship.

The 41-year-old scored nine birdies to move to 13 under overall, tied with fellow American Webb Simpson.
Sweden's Henrik Stenson added a 66 to his first-round 62 and trails by one shot.
World number 751 Matt Every, who shot a 61 on Thursday, carded a 72 to slip to seven under par overall.
Ireland's Shane Lowry is on nine under par, with Scotland's Russell Knox one shot further back, while England's Greg Owen is on even par.
Luke Donald - who was runner-up in the tournament in 2016 - remains on one under.


A 15-year-old boy has appeared in court charged with attempted rape following an attack in Gateshead.

At about 22:00 BST on Saturday, a 23-year-old woman was grabbed near Rickgarth on Leam Lane Estate.
She was not injured but left shaken, Northumbria Police said.
At Gateshead Magistrates' Court, the teenager was remanded in custody and will next appear in court on 22 July. He had been arrested over the weekend and held in police custody.


Police officials in Cleveland, Ohio, have fired six police officers who shot more than 100 rounds into car and killed an unarmed black couple in 2012.

The fired officers include Michael Brelo, a patrolman cleared of manslaughter charges over the incident last year.
Six other officers are facing suspensions ranging from 21 to 30 days.
The shooting followed a high-speed chase that involved 62 police cars and more than 100 officers.
Steve Loomis, president of the city's largest police union, said he would contest the firings and suspensions.
"This is unprecedented... it's absolutely politically motivated," said Mr Loomis. "This discipline is not supported by fact."
The incident began with the sound of a small car in poor repair backfiring, which was mistaken for the sound of gunfire.
It ended with the death of Timothy Russell, who was shot 24 times, and Malissa Williams, who was shot 23 times.
Several officers fired, but only Officer Brelo faced charges. He stood on the car's bonnet and fired 15 shots through the windscreen in 7.4 seconds.
He was cleared of the charges in May of last year, after a judge said that he could not be certain that Mr Brelo was responsible for the deaths.


Police in South Africa are searching for a second man in connection with the murder of a Welsh couple.

Roger and Christine Solik, of Abercynon, Rhondda Cynon Taff, were found dead in Nzinga, Impendle, in February.
Police said their bodies were tied up and dumped in a river.
Xolani Brian Ndlovu, 32, is wanted on suspicion of two counts of murder, house robbery, kidnapping and theft of motor vehicle.
Police said a neighbour of the Soliks raised the alarm after noticing their house was "in a state of disarray".
Officers were called and said they found bloodstains, prompting the launch of a kidnapping investigation.
Mrs Solik, 57, originally from Mountain Ash, was spotted bound in the Inzinga river 45 miles (70km) from her Kwazulu-Natal province home on 17 February.
The body of her husband, 66, who suffered from Parkinson's disease, was found more than a mile downstream three days later.
The couple married in 1980 and emigrated to South Africa the following year.
One man, Thulani Moses Mthembu, 43, has already been arrested on suspicion of murder and appeared in court on 13 March. He is next due in court on 22 March.


Almost one million drink-driving tests recorded by police in the Republic of Ireland did not actually take place, the Irish Labour Party leader has said.

Brendan Howlin called for the head of the force to be replaced after officers admitted to a data "discrepancy".
Senior Gardaí (police) conceded it was likely some of the 937,000 non-existent tests were simply made up by officers.
In addition, they have admitted a separate error that caused almost 15,000 wrongful traffic convictions.
Gardaí have apologised to those affected, but fixing that mistake alone could cost Irish taxpayers millions of euros.
Minister for Justice, Frances Fitzgerald, said the scale of the error was "appalling and staggering".
The details of both problems were released by senior officers on Thursday, when a lot of media attention was being devoted to the Westminster attack and the funeral of Sinn Féin's Martin McGuinness.
The force revealed that about 14,700 people had been prosecuted without a fixed-charge notice first being issued - which was required to bring them before the courts.
Officers now have to appeal all those convictions; have the court-imposed penalties removed; and the state has to cover all costs.
The head of An Garda Síochána (Irish police force), Noirín O'Sullivan, is coming under pressure to explain the mistakes and false breath tests data.
She was already facing questions over her leadership because of allegations of a smear campaign against a whistleblower, Sgt Maurice McCabe.
Sgt McCabe was one of two officers who raised concerns years ago about the alleged deletion of penalty points from the driving licences of well-connected offenders.
The leader of the Labour Party said the latest controversies were "beyond belief" and had seriously undermined trust in An Garda Síochána.
Speaking to broadcaster RTÉ, Mr Howlin set out his two main concerns: "One, that almost one million breath tests were taken and logged but never happened; and secondly, 15,000 convictions, people prosecuted in court, that should not have happened.
"For every actual breath test that took place, a second in statistical terms was actually recorded as having taken place and that didn't happen at all."
Mr Howlin added: "It beggars belief that could happen and there is no answer to it."
"This is not an error," he claimed.  "You can't manufacture things that didn't happen and say it's an error."
Jim O'Callaghan, justice spokesman for the main opposition party, Fianna Fáil, described the situation as "scandalous" and said it was "damaging the credibility of An Garda Síochána".
He said his confidence in Ms O'Sullivan will not be assured unless an adequate explanation is given.
In their statement on Thursday, An Garda Síochána said a review of its breath tests data was carried out after concerns were raised in 2015.
Data recorded on the Garda computer system - known as Pulse - was compared against data recorded by the Medical Bureau of Road Safety and a "significant deficit" was identified.
Officers said the Pulse system recorded 1,995,369 breath tests while the Medical Bureau of Road Safety Data recorded only 1,058,157 tests over the same period.
"There is no one single reason that may account for the discrepancy," the Garda statement said.
It is not the first time in recent months that Garda figures have been dismissed as lacking credibility and trust.
Last September, the Central Statistics Office said that up to one in six crimes were not being recorded by Gardaí on their Pulse computer system, which meant - either intentionally or unintentionally - inflating their crime detection rate.
The Policing Authority, an independent body that oversees the performance of An Garda Síochána said this latest controversy over figures "is not just an academic statistical matter, it is an ethical one".
It also said the controversy "raises serious questions of integrity" for the force.
In 2012, Sgt Maurice McCabe was banned from using the Pulse computer system after he accessed records of penalty point cases.
Last month, it emerged under parliamentary privilege that senior Garda officers are accused of spreading a false smear that Sgt McCabe had been liked to a case of child sex abuse.
Commissioner O'Sullivan strongly denies allegations that she was involved in any smear against him.
The accusation against her force is now the subject of a public inquiry, headed by the Supreme Court judge, Peter Charleton.


A £425m high speed broadband scheme has "failed to deliver", say AMs.

Superfast Cymru was set up to connect 655,000 homes and offices - or 96% of premises in Wales.
But AMs said the original June 2016 deadline for the contract with BT had been missed, with "damaging consequences".
Skills and Science Minister Julie James admitted completion dates had "moved back" but said it was a "very successful contract".
Over 610,000 premises have so far been connected, with an extra 40,000 to be set up by June 2017.
In October, a £12.9m project extension to complete the "final few per cent" of premises was announced, paid for by those taking up the service.
A open market review later in the autumn will look into connecting any remaining premises, with work to start in early 2018.
According to thinkbroadband.com, Superfast Cymru costs £430 per customer.
The independent website said 88% of Wales was now covered by speeds of 30 megabytes per second (Mbps) or more - less than England's 91.9% coverage, but more than Scotland's 86.1% and Northern Ireland's 78.9%.
Last year, an report from the Ofcom watchdog said Wales had the highest broadband take-up of any of the devolved nations.
But during a debate in the Assembly chamber on Wednesday, Tory AM Russell George said that Wales still has the "highest level of people in Britain not using the internet."
He added: "It's undeniable that the Welsh Government have failed to deliver to ensure all residential businesses will have access to next generation broadband by 2015.
"We are well off providing universal access.
"Constituents keep asking me why the Welsh Government just can't let them know when they are getting on with it."
Conservative AM Mohammad Asghar said the deadline had been extended "with damaging consequences for people and the economy."
He continued: "The Welsh Government is failing to meet the challenge. Over 14% never use the internet. 48% are without basic digital skills."
Mr George also said it appeared that the Welsh Government and BT could "not be bothered" to market the project, despite spending "hundreds of millions" providing it.
Plaid Cymru AM Dai Lloyd also said fewer than one-in-three who are connected to Superfast Cymru are using it.
"We need to look at the effectiveness of this campaign to ensure more make use of this technology," he added.
The latest figures available from June show Superfast Cymru completion rates are lower in rural counties.
Merthyr Tydfil is the most well connected county, with 98.32% of eligible premises now set up with the service.
60.44% of premises in Ceredigion are connected, 65.67% in Powys, and 68.93% in Monmouthshire.
Farming unions have raised their concerns with NFU Cymru calling for a focus on rural areas, while the Farmers' Union of Wales has said there is a  widening "digital divide" between rural Wales and the rest of the country.
UKIP AM Neil Hamilton claimed one constituent's connection date had been rolled back nine times.
"Digital inclusion for the lower end of the income scale is a reality for which we should be ashamed," he added.
The Welsh Government minister responded that broadband access is not currently classed as infrastructure, and the government "can't just throw money at it."
Ms James refuted that they have "broken their commitments", and said the "percentage and number of properties change all the time."
But, she admitted, completion dates were moved back "due to protracted negotiations with the national government and the EU."
"BT are not under any impression that I am complacent. I assure members it will happen or BT will face serious financial consequences," she added.


An Egyptian man who was the victim of a racist attack in Londonderry has said he feared for his life.

Tharwat Elsha needed three stitches to his face after the assault by a number of men outside the shop in which he works on the Strand Road on Tuesday.
Two men, aged 20 and 41, were arrested and released on police bail pending further enquiries.
Mr Elsha, who has lived in Derry for three years, said he was assaulted with a piece of metal.
He said: "I felt scared because one of them looked at me and told me: 'I will shot (sic) you, I will cut your neck off.'
"Why we have to work like that? Why we have to serve people like that?
"I don't know why they didn't like us."
He said his wife, who witnessed the attack, has been left in shock and is now unable to work.
But he added that he not experienced any previous trouble in his time living in Derry and would not be driven out of the city as a result of the attack.


China is to launch an online version of its national encyclopaedia next year, to compete with Wikipedia.

Officials said more than 20,000 people had been hired to work on the project, which will feature 300,000 entries at about 1,000 words each.
Unlike Wikipedia, it will be created by selected scholars from state-run universities rather than being openly editable by volunteers.
Wikipedia is available in China, but some of its content is blocked.
The Encyclopaedia of China "is not a book, but a Great Wall of culture", Yang Muzhi, the editor-in-chief of the project, who chairs the Book and Periodicals Distribution Association of China, said in an update earlier in April.
Mr Yang - who has listed Wikipedia as a competitor - also said China was facing international pressure to produce its own platform to guide "the public and society".
The Encyclopaedia of China was first published in 1993, in paper form, with the support of scholars, and released a second edition in 2012.
But critics said the government-funded works omitted or distorted some entries for political purposes.
The idea for an online version was approved in 2011, but work on it began only recently.
It will take the state into direct competition with local companies that have launched their own online encyclopaedias - such as Baidu and Qihu 360, as well as the largest platform, Wikipedia.
Currently, users on the mainland can read some Wikipedia content, but searches for sensitive topics such as the Dalai Lama and President Xi Jinping are blocked.
Taha Yasseri, a research fellow at the Oxford Internet Institute, told the BBC: "The need for information in China makes people use Wikipedia through the usual anti-filtering tools, and this is far from ideal for an authoritarian state.
"So, this initiative is to attract more users towards the state-approved content."
His colleague Joss Wright, however, said the platform could also offer "a more uniquely 'Chinese' experience that domestic users tend to like".
In an article for a mainland newspaper last year, Mr Yang said Wikipedia's appeal in China was "bewitching".
But he added: "We have the biggest, most high-quality author team in the world.
"Our goal is not to catch up, but overtake."
Last week, Turkish authorities blocked access to Wikipedia within the country without giving a reason.
In 2014, Russia also announced plans for an alternative version of Wikipedia, with the stated aim of providing better information about the country than was available on the platform.


The Northern Powerhouse plan for the north of England is the "best chance to bring transformational change to north Wales", the Welsh secretary has said.

Stephen Crabb told business leaders in Abergele there should be "no limits to the scale of north Wales' ambition".
He told the Institute of Directors that George Osborne's plans for economic growth in the north of England have "taken off at startling speed".
Mr Crabb also hailed Wrexham's new super-prison as a boost to the economy.
The prison will house 2,106 offenders, which will make it the UK's largest.
Mr Crabb told business leaders on Monday they should be in the driving seat to ensure north Wales reaped the benefits of the Northern Powerhouse.
"In north Wales, we have always looked east to Liverpool and Manchester for economic growth as much as we look south to Cardiff and Swansea," he said.
"The Northern Powerhouse represents our best chance to bring transformational change to north Wales.
"But in the same way that the UK government has had the confidence to devolve powers from the centre down to Manchester, we need to see the same confidence in north Wales from politicians in Cardiff.
"I want to see a strong alliance between the business community in north Wales and their partners.
"It is their role to hold the feet of both the UK and Welsh government to the fire so this part of the country can secure the world class infrastructure it deserves."
Later, on a visit to the site of the new Wrexham super-prison, Mr Crabb said the project had already contributed Â£19m to the local economy and was on course to create 1,000 jobs when the jail opened.
"Public sector projects like Wrexham prison demonstrate how the region is in prime position to make multi-million pound investments work," he said.


North Lanarkshire is to host of a major sporting event which aims to raise awareness of organ donation and the NHS Organ Donor Register.

The British Transplant Games will take place in the area over four days in August 2017.
More than 750 competitors - all of whom have received lifesaving transplants - will take part in about 17 sports.
Athletics will be staged at Wishaw Sports Centre and swimming at the Sir Matt Busby Sports Complex in Bellshill.
The Games are being organised on behalf of the charity Transplant Sport and sponsored by not-for-profit health insurer Westfield Health.
North Lanarkshire Council leader Jim McCabe said it was "a magnificent honour" for the area to host the event, which is expected to attract 1,500 spectators.
"These games are not solely about sport, they have a human side too," he said.
"They demonstrate the courage and personal endeavour of those who take part and the appreciation of the unimaginable pain and courage of the donor families."
The Games encompass a wide age range - from two to 70-years-old.
Some attend with the hope of being selected to compete at the World Transplant Games. Others compete simply for the camaraderie of being with others who are also benefitting from a successful organ donation.
Ian Livingstone, co-chair of British Transplant Games North Lanarkshire 2017, said: "We understand that if it was not for people signing up to the NHS Organ Donor Register there would be no Transplant Games.
"That is one of our many challenges...[to] deliver an array of awareness campaigns, at local level, to educate and raise awareness of what the NHS Organ Donor Register is.
"Through the help and support of professionals, we aim to dispel the many myths of organ donation."
The 2015 British Transplant Games is being staged in Newcastle/Gateshead.


More than 30 Syrian rebel fighters are reported to have been killed in a suicide bombing on a bus near the Atmeh border crossing with Turkey.

Sources told Turkish media that the attacker detonated an explosive vest on the bus at the entrance to a camp for displaced people late on Sunday.
The death toll was likely to rise, activists monitoring the conflict said.
A news agency linked to the jihadist group Islamic State reported that one of its militants was behind the attack.
Syrian opposition Orient TV reported that those killed were from "numerous" rebel factions, all of which are opposed to IS.
Photographs posted on social media after the bombing showed the burnt-out remains of a bus and medics treating badly injured men.
Large parts of Syria's north-western province of Idlib, where Atmeh is located, is controlled by rebel factions supported by the Turkish government.
Saudi-owned Al-Arabiya TV reported that the fighters targeted on Sunday were part of a 600-strong force that had been preparing to advance towards the countryside north of the divided city of Aleppo, 50km (30 miles) east of Atmeh.
On Monday, a Syrian military official and activists said government forces had repelled a rebel assault south-west of Aleppo, forcing rebel fighters to retreat from positions near a cement factory that they had seized the previous day.
The UK-based Syrian Observatory, which monitors the five-year-old conflict in Syria through a network of sources, said at least 35 rebels had been killed in the battle. Seventeen died on the government side, it added.
The fighting in Aleppo, once Syria's commercial and industrial hub, has escalated in the past week, with the rebels severing the main route into the government-controlled west of the city. The offensive sought to break a siege by pro-government forces, who encircled the rebel-held east in July.


Middlesbrough ended a five-match winless run with a well-deserved win over Cardiff City in the Championship.

Fabio put City ahead with a half-volley from 25 yards, but the hosts levelled when Matthew Connolly turned Gaston Ramirez's header into his own goal.
Ramirez then side-footed Boro into the lead, before Grant Leadbitter had a penalty saved after a trip on Ramirez.
David Nugent sealed the win shortly after, slotting in from close range after good work by Albert Adomah.
Jordan Rhodes, making his first home start since joining Middlesbrough from Blackburn in January, could have given his side an unassailable lead in the first half, as he squandered a host of chances.
Fabio made the hosts pay for their wasteful finishing with a stunning effort after the Teessiders failed to clear a corner, but Connolly's third own goal of the season quickly brought Boro back on terms.
The hosts continued to dominate after the break and got their reward when Rhodes turned provider to set up Ramirez, who coolly slotted home from eight yards out.
Leadbitter's tame penalty was saved by Marshall, but the City keeper could do nothing to prevent substitute Nugent from wrapping up the three points with a right-footed effort moments later.
Middlesbrough manager Aitor Karanka:
"Now, we are good again. It was really important for the mentality of the players. Not for me, because I was calm. I know the players and know how good we are, but for them, I think it is important to have won again.
"Hopefully, now we can start a good run again. I was really pleased with them.
"It was difficult, and we conceded a goal even though it wasn't really a chance for them. After that, though, the players had a really good reaction."
Cardiff City manager Russell Slade told BBC Radio Wales: "It was a fantastic goal from Fabio.
"It was an absolute wonder goal that gets us in front, but then we almost conspired even before they equalised to help give them a lift and get back in the game.
"And as it happens we've given the ball away - Scott Malone's given the ball away on the half-way line and they've punished us.
"And you can't afford to do that against sides of this calibre away from home and the same happened with the third goal.
"We give it away again on the half-way line and we got punished."


Former Liverpool and England captain Steven Gerrard has retired, ending a 19-year playing career.

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Gerrard, 36, played 710 times for the Reds, winning nine trophies, but joined MLS side LA Galaxy in 2015.
The midfielder is England's fourth most-capped player with 114 appearances and captained the side at three of the six major tournaments he played at.
"I feel lucky to have experienced so many wonderful highlights over the course of my career," said Gerrard.
"I have had an incredible career and am thankful for each and every moment of my time at Liverpool, England and LA Galaxy.
"I fulfilled my childhood dream by pulling on the famous red shirt of Liverpool."
Gerrard had been linked with the manager's job at League One side MK Dons after announcing he would leave LA Galaxy, but said on Wednesday the opportunity came "too soon" for him.
Gerrard, who is working towards his Uefa A coaching licence - the second-highest qualification available, has also been linked with moves to Celtic and Newcastle United, as well as a return to Anfield as a coach.
On Thursday, he said he will take time to consider his options before making an announcement "very soon", adding: "I am excited about the future and feel I still have a lot to offer the game, in whatever capacity that may be."
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Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp played down talk of Gerrard returning to the Premier League club in a coaching role, and said he should be given "room and space to jump in and learn something new".
"When something is announced then we will talk," said the German, who became Reds boss in October 2015. "It is clear that one day in the future there will be something to announce, that is pretty sure too, but until then there is nothing to say.
"The first thing you should all learn is that, if someone wants to help Steven Gerrard, stop being so excited about each step he is doing next.
"The door is always open for him. From our side, if he wants to make a different career to his former career then we want to help him.
"There is nothing else to say - but maybe that is already too much."
Danny Murphy told BBC Sport his former Liverpool team-mate could consider coaching the Reds' youth players.
"I think it'll be a hugely positive step to learn from Klopp at a club he loves," said the 39-year-old.
"The only difficulty might be the dynamic that creates. To go in as a coach and work around Jurgen and his team, somebody in a job might have to step aside. Maybe to go in as the under-21 or under-18 coach and learn his trade that way might be an option.
"Somewhere down the line, he will be back at Liverpool."
Gerrard was made Liverpool captain by Gerard Houllier in 2003, and led the side to Champions League success in 2005, scoring the Reds' first goal as they recovered from 3-0 down at half-time to beat AC Milan on penalties in the Istanbul final.
"I am proud to have played over 700 games for Liverpool, many of which as captain, and to have played my part in helping the club to bring major honours back to Anfield, none more so than that famous night in Istanbul," he added.
"I feel privileged to have won 114 England caps and to have had the honour of captaining my country."
While the Champions League success is surely the highlight of Gerrard's Liverpool career, he also helped his boyhood club win two FA Cups, three League Cups, a Uefa Cup and a Uefa Super Cup.
"I was lucky to play alongside some great players and under some fantastic managers during my time at Anfield and would like to thank each and every one of them, as well as all of the backroom staff at the club throughout my time there for the fantastic support they showed me," he added.
Gerrard made his England debut against Ukraine in 2000 and scored his first international goal in a 5-1 win in Germany in a World Cup qualifier the following year.
Fabio Capello was the first England manager to make Gerrard his captain in 2008, but it was not until 2010 that he took on the role on a more permanent basis when he stood in for the injured Rio Ferdinand at the World Cup.
Gerrard kept the captaincy for Euro 2012, the year in which he won his 100th England cap, before announcing his retirement from international duty after a group-stage exit at the 2014 World Cup.
In 2015, 10 years on from that famous win in Istanbul, Liverpool fans voted Gerrard the best player in the club's history.
Gerrard, who scored 186 goals for the Anfield club, endeared himself to supporters with heroic performances such as in Istanbul and in the Reds' FA Cup final win over West Ham a year later.
Former Liverpool defender Mark Lawrenson says only former Scotland forward Kenny Dalglish was better.
"I think he is Liverpool's second best player behind Kenny Dalglish. There were 10 or 12 years where Steven, in any outfield position for Liverpool, would have been the best player in the team," said Lawrenson.
"A one-club man who was the scorer of great goals, a great passer and a player who drove the team on. Take Gerrard and Dalglish out of any side and it would be completely different."
Gerrard may have never won the Premier League, with Liverpool finishing second in the table on three occasions, but the midfielder boasts some of the competition's most impressive statistics.
Even in 2013-14 - the season of the infamous 'slip' against Chelsea at Anfield, when Liverpool eventually finished runners-up to Manchester City - Gerrard contributed 13 goals and the same amount of assists.
Only two players have made more appearances for a single club in the competition - Ryan Giggs (632) and Jamie Carragher (508) - with the Anfield stalwart making the PFA Premier League team of the year in eight of his 17 seasons at the club.
His place in Anfield folklore was only strengthened on the back of impressive performances against Liverpool's rivals, netting 10 goals in all competitions in Merseyside derbies against Everton, including a hat-trick in March 2012.
Phil McNulty, BBC Sport's chief football writer:
Steven Gerrard belongs in football's elite for his feats, a towering, iconic figure who many regard as Liverpool's greatest player after a 17-year Anfield career.
Gerrard, often single-handedly, inspired Liverpool as the club's domestic supremacy waned, most famously in the dramatic Champions League final win against AC Milan on penalties in Istanbul in 2005 after Rafael Benitez's side came from 3-0 down at half-time.
He became a shining symbol for the club and its supporters with 186 goals in 710 appearances, also winning two FA Cups, the Uefa Cup and three League Cups as the title consistently eluded Liverpool.
Gerrard suffered agony as well as ecstasy at Liverpool and his slip against Chelsea at Anfield when they looked certain to win the Premier League in 2014 will surely haunt him - but no-one associated with the club would ever hold that against a magnificent player who was a loyal, inspirational leader and personality throughout his career.
He may not have hit those heights with England as a string of major tournaments produced disappointment, but he was not alone among Premier League greats in that regard and always served his country, many times as captain, with distinction.
The banner held aloft at his final Anfield game against Crystal Palace on 16 May, 2015 echoed the feelings of many Liverpool fans: "The Best There Is. The Best There Was. And The Best There Will Ever Be."
Gerrard's former Liverpool team-mate Dirk Kuyt told BBC Sport: "It was a great honour to play with Stevie. He was the best player I played with and I played with people like Luis Suarez, Fernando Torres, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Arjen Robben.
"He had everything. As a midfielder, he scored so many goals and he was an unbelievable captain for Liverpool on and off the pitch. He was not a big shouter but the words he used always counted. He talked with his feet.
"I can't see him not being involved in football. I don't know what he wants to do but I think he'll be a great manager."


Two men have pleaded not guilty to the murder of a 29-year-old man in Cardiff.

Robert Lainsbury, 22, originally from Kidderminster, Worcestershire and Dwayne Edgar, 29 from Llanedeyrn, Cardiff, appeared before Cardiff Crown Court on Monday.
They are charged with the murder of Lynford Brewster, who died from stab wounds in the Llanedeyrn area of Cardiff in June.
The pair will next appear in court on 28 October.


Russian President Vladimir Putin says Moscow is open to continuing economic co-operation with the West, despite sanctions imposed over the Ukraine crisis.

Speaking at an economic forum in St Petersburg, he said Russia's economy had adapted to the sanctions.
Russia had been forced to replace imports with domestic products and "achieved noticeable results," he said.
He also called on Ukraine to give more rights to the eastern rebel regions.
Kiev must give amnesty to the rebels and hold elections in the east as agreed in February's Minsk peace agreement if the conflict is to end, he added.
Russia has repeatedly denied sending soldiers and heavy weapons, including tanks and missiles, to the rebels, insisting that any Russians fighting there were "volunteers".
But he has failed to convince both Ukraine and its Western supporters.
EU member states earlier this week agreed in principle to extend economic sanctions against Russia by a further six months.
The decision will be ratified at an EU foreign ministers meeting on Monday.
"The imposition of so-called sanctions has forced us to significantly step up efforts to replace imports with domestic products," Mr Putin told the International Economic Forum.
"We have made serious steps and achieved noticeable results in a number of areas."
He said the economy has "stabilised" and "our financial and banking systems have adapted to new conditions."
He also stressed Russia's desire to remain a key player in the world economy - keen to work with the West as well as other countries.
"Russia is open to the world," he said. "Our active co-operation with new centres of global growth in no case means that we intend to pay less attention to our dialogue with our traditional Western partners."
Mr Putin avoided the anti-Western rhetoric of previous similar speeches, observers note.
The EU and US first imposed sanctions after Moscow's annexation of the Crimean peninsula from Ukraine in March 2014.
They target Russia's energy, defence and financial sectors, and have been ratcheted up several times over the last year to tighten restrictions on major Russian state banks and corporations.
Dozens of senior Russian officials, separatist commanders and Russian firms accused of undermining Ukrainian sovereignty have also been blacklisted.
In March, EU leaders said sanctions would continue until the "complete implementation" of a ceasefire deal agreed in the Belarus capital of Minsk.
The expected extension comes amid renewed fighting between pro-Russia separatists and Ukrainian troops in the east of the country, in violation of the Minsk agreement.
The opposing sides have accused each other of shattering the ceasefire, which required them to withdraw heavy weapons from the frontline.
More than 6,400 people have been killed in eastern Ukraine since the conflict began in April 2014, when rebels seized large parts of two eastern regions following Russia's annexation of Crimea.


A car carrying two people has been shot at in a McDonald's restaurant car park in Hull.

Armed officers and a police helicopter were sent to the restaurant on St Andrews Quay at about 11:30 GMT after reports of gunfire.
Police said a blue Volkswagen Golf containing two people was fired at and its windows shot out.
Detectives said a grey Volkswagen Golf left the scene but two people were subsequently arrested.
Humberside Police said: "We know the registration plate of the outstanding vehicle and offenders."
The force believe it was an isolated incident, with the offenders and victims known to one another. No shots were fired by police.
Darren Woodhead was in the McDonald's drive through queue when the shooting took place.
He said: "I heard gunshots close to us and a car sped off out of the drive through.
"Within minutes police had arrived with pistols, then three police vans arrived with more heavily armed officers."
Officers cordoned off the scene for forensic examination of the area.