Councillors have voted for negotiations to continue over plans for three counties in East Anglia to have an elected mayor with devolved powers.

But George Nobbs, Labour leader of Norfolk County Council, leading the campaign, has admitted that the proposals are "flawed".
The mayor would look after transport, strategic planning and skills training in Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire.
MPs and other councils in the three counties have criticised plans.
Mr Nobbs said: "There are lots of things to be said for this scheme, and lots of things to be said against it."
Liberal Democrat Group leader Marie Strong questioned the need for a directly-elected mayor.
"We were told the role of mayor was optional; when did it become compulsory?" she asked.
Mr Nobbs replied: "We were told by ministers it's that or nothing."
Conservative group leader Cliff Jordan said the plans so far had generated "a lot of confusion".
The plan is for the mayor to be chosen by voters in the three counties in May next year. He or she will have the power to increase business rates to fund infrastructure projects.
The mayor will be answerable to a cabinet made up of nominees from the 23 local councils.
Some Conservative MPs from the region have said the idea of an elected mayor is not popular with many people, while others said the money on offer - Â£1bn over 30 years - is "not much".
The Department for Communities and Local Government said: "We are committed to the deal and will continue to work with all the councils. Councils in East Anglia have until June to decide if they want to take part in this historic opportunity."
The 70-7 vote in favour of proceeding with negotiations over devolution masks the fact that nearly every councillor who spoke expressed serious reservations about the plans for a combined authority and directly-elected mayor for Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire.
"I don't believe an elected mayor is good for Norfolk; I don't believe it's what people want," said Conservative councillor Bill Borrett.
"We were told that the Mayor was optional; when did it become compulsory," asked Marie Strong, the leader of the Liberal Democrat group.
"Why can't we have a referendum, why can't the people of Norfolk vote if they want a mayor or not?" asked UKIP councillor Colin Aldred.
Labour's George Nobbs replied that ministers had made it clear, it was a mayor or no deal.
Mr Nobbs admitted he was doing his best "to sell a pig's ear". "These plans are flawed and they are far from perfect," he said.
He believes that with the extra money and powers on offer, it is worth continuing with the negotiations.
The only councillor in favour was Labour's Mick Castle who said people in London had been suspicious of a mayor but had come round to the idea.
Norfolk joins Cambridgeshire County Council in making it very clear that it is not happy with the deal currently on offer. The negotiations will continue but with the government wanting this to be agreed by all 23 councils by the end of June, there is not very long to go.
East Anglian devolution looks far from certain.


It was another dramatic day in the Football League on Saturday as Burnley came from behind at Bolton to go top of the Championship.

However, arguably the most controversial incidents of the day occurred outside the top four leagues...
The words of Braintree manager Dan Cowley after his side's 1-1 draw at Guiseley in the National League.
So why was Cowley so unhappy?
Lions midfielder Ollie Norburn accidentally scored from long range when giving the ball back to Braintree goalkeeper Tom King after an injury to an Iron player when the visitors were leading 1-0.
Braintree expected to be allowed to walk a goal in - but the Lions had no such intentions.
Guiseley boss Mark Bower told BBC Radio Leeds: "The goalkeeper stood there with his arms in the air and allowed the ball to go in to the net.
"It put us in a really difficult position whether we should allow them to score or not, but everyone around us was saying the keeper was trying to be clever and had let it go in.
"It all kicked off and it was unpleasant and I'm sure it will attract some attention. It's a very uncomfortable position to be in."
The match at Nethermoor finished 1-1.
In National League South there were even uglier scenes at Ebbsfleet v Hayes & Yeading, where it finished nine aside.
Four players were sent off following a melee early in the second half, with Tom Bonner and Anthony Cook going for league leaders Fleet and Emmanuel Monthe and Adam Everitt seeing red for the visitors.
The red cards did not have much of an impact on the eventual outcome though, it finished 0-0.
Reading striker Yann Kermorgant pulled no punches when he was asked about his exit from Charlton in January 2014.
"I wanted to sign a new deal and stay longer at the club," said the 34-year-old Frenchman.
"In my first meeting with the new owners I found out things were completely different. They had a vision which, for me, was completely deluded."
It seems the veteran forward's instincts were pretty shrewd as the Addicks now face relegation from the Championship amidst fan protests against Belgian owner Roland Duchatelet.
Kermorgant said he was "gutted" by what had happened to the club since his departure - but it seems he left his sentimental feeling for his former employers off the pitch.
He scored twice in the opening 35 minutes as the Royals eventually secured a dramatic 4-3 win, despite a hat-trick for Arsenal loanee Yaya Sanogo.
Wigan chairman David Sharpe did not do much to endear himself to his side's League One rivals when he predicted the Latics would not only secure promotion this season, but would "smash" the division.
The 24-year-old even said he wanted his team to get 100 points.
When Gary Caldwell's men picked up just 10 points from their opening seven games it looked like Sharpe's words might come back to haunt him.
However, the 2013 FA Cup winners have turned their season around in style and Saturday's 3-0 hammering of neighbours Bury means they're now on 62 points from 33 games.
All the second-placed side, who are unbeaten in 12, need to do now is win all 13 of their remaining games and Sharpe's dream could yet come true...
When Grant Holt scored his second of the game in Rochdale's 4-3 win over Shrewsbury in November 2005 Dale fans probably did not think they would need to wait over 10 years for his next Spotland goal.
Holt moved on to Nottingham Forest in January 2006 but, via spells with Blackpool, Shrewsbury, Norwich, Wigan, Aston Villa, Huddersfield and Wolves, he is now back at the club on a deal until the end of the season
The 34-year-old had not scored for anyone since a goal for the Terriers in November 2014, so he will have been as delighted as any Dale fan after coming off the bench at half-time to make it 2-0 against Sheffield United on Saturday.
Rochdale manager Keith Hill told BBC Radio Manchester: "Holty's come in and he's done exceptionally well in training and he's done well in the games when he's come on.
"I said to him at half-time that with respect to your energy I want you to give me everything you've got for as long as you can and I might sub you back off. He said 'you're not doing that!'
"His game management was terrific. He's played in the Premier League and the way he managed their defenders was superb."
It was 19 December when Northampton Town fans last turned up to see their team play a League Two game and left having not seen them win.
The Cobblers, who top the table by an impressive 10 points, had won their last 10 league games before journeying north to play struggling Hartlepool.
Pools clearly had not read the script though and put in a great display to earn a 0-0 draw that means they remain two points clear of the relegation zone.
"You have to give Hartlepool a load of credit," Cobblers boss Chris Wilder told BBC Radio Northampton.
"I said to the players after the game that records come and go, our job is to win games and accumulate points. The players are disappointed and that is a good quality to have."
The result also means the Football League record of 14 successive victories, which has stood since 1905 and is shared between four different teams, remains intact.
But can you name the four?


England will play one of their three-match Test series games against New Zealand in the Olympic Stadium in London on Saturday, 7 November.

It will be the first rugby league fixture at the 54,000-capacity venue.
Hull's KC Stadium will kick off the series on Sunday, 1 November, while Wigan's DW Stadium stages the final Test on Saturday, 14 November.
New Zealand beat England in the 2013 World Cup semi-final at Wembley on their last visit to London.
"The Olympic Stadium provided the backdrop to some truly most memorable action at London 2012 and it is simply fantastic that we have reached an agreement for England to play New Zealand there in November," said Rugby Football League chief executive Nigel Wood.
"The Kiwis are our oldest rivals on the international stage and the match at Olympic Stadium will provide one of the highlights of a historic year for the sport as we celebrate our 120-year anniversary in 2015."
Steve McNamara's side were narrowly beaten in last Autumn's Four Nations series by the eventual winners New Zealand and Australia, who have opted for 2015 as a rest year.
"The fans should be excited about the England team, the way they have played against us and Australia recently, they have been great contests," said New Zealand coach Stephen Kearney.
"I think they were unlucky to lose in Melbourne. The fans should be proud of their team, hopefully they will fill the Olympic Stadium and make it a great occasion."
Since the closing ceremony of a successful 2012 London Olympics and Paralympics in September of that year, the venue has been secured for a number of sporting events.
Premier League side West Ham United won the bid to seal tenancy of the stadium from August 2016, following a conversion of the venue.
Rugby union will also make its debut appearance at the stadium in August when the Barbarians play Samoa on 29 August, as a precursor to its host venue status in the World Cup.
The London Athletics Grand Prix was staged on site, while concerts have been held outside the stadium in its grounds.


This painting of two girls from Tahiti has become the most expensive artwork ever sold.

Nafea Faa Ipoipo (Tahitian for When Will You Marry?), by French artist Paul Gauguin, has just been bought for Â£197 MILLION.
It was previously owned by a Swiss art collector, who had loaned it to a museum in Switzerland for decades.
The buyer's identity hasn't been revealed, but it's reported to be a museum in Qatar, in the Middle East.
The previous record holder was a painting called The Card Players by another French artist, Paul Cezanne. It fetched Â£158 million.


Bernardo Silva's stoppage-time equaliser took Monaco back to the top of Ligue 1 on goal difference.

The Portuguese midfielder struck in the second added minute at the Parc des Princes to take countryman Leonardo Jardim's team ahead of Nice.
Paris St-Germain looked set to go level with Monaco in second when Edinson Cavani scored an 81st-minute penalty.
But a draw leaves Unai Emery's men three points behind Monaco and Nice, who won 3-1 at home to Guingamp.
Nice had moved above Monaco earlier in the day with Alassane Plea, Jean Michael Seri and Mario Balotelli on target against Guingamp, for whom Jimmy Briand briefly made it 2-1.
PSG and Monaco then played out an evenly-matched game before Julian Draxler was fouled by Djibril Sidibe and Cavani gave the home side the lead from the spot.
That looked set to keep Nice on top but Silva's strike from 20 yards edged Jardim's side back ahead thanks to their goal difference of plus 43.
Match ends, Paris Saint Germain 1, Monaco 1.
Second Half ends, Paris Saint Germain 1, Monaco 1.
Corner,  Paris Saint Germain. Conceded by Kamil Glik.
Goal!  Paris Saint Germain 1, Monaco 1. Bernardo Silva (Monaco) left footed shot from outside the box to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Djibril Sidibe following a corner.
Attempt blocked. Bernardo Silva (Monaco) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Djibril Sidibe.
Corner,  Monaco. Conceded by Alphonse Areola.
Corner,  Monaco. Conceded by Alphonse Areola.
Attempt saved. Kylian Mbappe-Lottin (Monaco) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Djibril Sidibe with a cross.
Substitution, Monaco. Kylian Mbappe-Lottin replaces Tiemoué Bakayoko.
Hand ball by Gonçalo Guedes (Paris Saint Germain).
Foul by Gonçalo Guedes (Paris Saint Germain).
Fabinho (Monaco) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution, Paris Saint Germain. Gonçalo Guedes replaces Julian Draxler.
Thiago Silva (Paris Saint Germain) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Kamil Glik (Monaco).
Corner,  Monaco. Conceded by Thiago Silva.
Foul by Blaise Matuidi (Paris Saint Germain).
Fabinho (Monaco) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Offside, Paris Saint Germain. Thiago Silva tries a through ball, but Edinson Cavani is caught offside.
Substitution, Monaco. Guido Carrillo replaces Thomas Lemar.
Attempt missed. João Moutinho (Monaco) right footed shot from the centre of the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Benjamin Mendy with a cross.
Goal!  Paris Saint Germain 1, Monaco 0. Edinson Cavani (Paris Saint Germain) converts the penalty with a right footed shot to the bottom right corner.
Djibril Sidibe (Monaco) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Penalty Paris Saint Germain. Julian Draxler draws a foul in the penalty area.
Penalty conceded by Djibril Sidibe (Monaco) after a foul in the penalty area.
Corner,  Monaco. Conceded by Thiago Motta.
Substitution, Monaco. João Moutinho replaces Valère Germain.
Foul by Layvin Kurzawa (Paris Saint Germain).
Bernardo Silva (Monaco) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Julian Draxler (Paris Saint Germain) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Fabinho (Monaco).
Attempt missed. Julian Draxler (Paris Saint Germain) header from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Layvin Kurzawa with a cross.
Foul by Thiago Motta (Paris Saint Germain).
Fabinho (Monaco) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Corner,  Paris Saint Germain. Conceded by Fabinho.
Attempt blocked. Ángel Di María (Paris Saint Germain) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Thiago Silva (Paris Saint Germain) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Falcao (Monaco).
Attempt missed. Thomas Meunier (Paris Saint Germain) right footed shot from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Julian Draxler with a cross.
Attempt saved. Tiemoué Bakayoko (Monaco) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Thomas Lemar.


The Queen has praised Ballater residents hit by flooding last year.

Several homes and businesses were badly affected when the River Dee burst its banks in December.
It happened as Storm Frank battered Scotland.
The cost of the clear-up ran into millions of pounds, much of which was for repairing and refurbishing flood-damaged council houses. The Queen also met some of those involved in the recovery effort.
The Queen visited a row of shops which were affected, including HM Sheridan butchers.
Co-owner John Sinclair said: "We lost all stock and machinery under about 3ft of water. There was nothing left.
"Luckily, through staff work and good insurance, we managed to get going again and, but it wasn't easy.
"The first few weeks everyone stuck together and that's something the Queen seemed to know about. She was really impressed with the way it's been turned around and she was full of praise for all the help from everywhere, as we all are."


A woman has died after being hit by a lorry in Greater Manchester, police have said.

The incident happened in Gerard Street, Ashton-in-Makerfield in Wigan at about 14:45 BST on Saturday.
The woman, who has not been named but was in her 70s, was critically injured and died at the scene.
Gerard Street was closed for a time while investigations were carried out. Police have appealed for any witnesses to contact them.


The owner of the world's biggest Star Wars memorabilia collection has appealed to fans for help after items worth $200,000 (Â£154,900) were stolen from him.

Steve Sansweet, who runs Rancho Obi-Wan museum in California, said more than 100 pieces had gone missing.
In a post online, he said many of the collectibles had already been resold.
Star Wars actors Mark Hamill and Peter Mayhew have both rallied behind the collector on Twitter.
Mr Sansweet, whose museum houses at least 350,000 artefacts linked to his beloved films, is a former head of fan relations at Lucasfilm, the studio that produced the Star Wars and Indiana Jones franchises.
Mr Hamill, who played Luke Skywalker in the film franchise, wrote: "Maybe publish a list of stolen items to protect potential victims from purchasing 'hot' merchandise. #TheFraudIsStrongInThisOne #SithHappens."
Chewbacca actor Mr Mayhew said: "This is despicable. Keep an eye out. Get the word out."
Mr Sansweet said the stolen items included vintage action figures, "many of them rare and important pieces".
He said they were taken surreptitiously over many months in late 2015 and 2016.
He urged fans with information on the missing items to email tips@ranchoobiwan.org.
Police have arrested another Star Wars collector, 45-year-old Carl Edward Cunningham, in connection with the crime. He has been charged with felony grand theft.
Mr Sansweet, who considered the fellow fan a longstanding friend, said he was "devastated".


Campaigners are warning that diabetes care in England is in "crisis" - with less than half of people getting the basic care they need.

Diabetes UK warns there are some areas where only 6% of people are getting the recommended regular checks and services.
Its head said the State of the Nation 2012 report showed people with diabetes were getting "second rate care".
Ministers said the report would encourage local NHS services to act.
Diabetes is a condition in which the amount of glucose in the blood is too high because the body cannot use it properly.
Type 1 diabetes develops if the body cannot produce any insulin and usually develops by the age of 40.
Type 2 diabetes develops when the body can still make some insulin, but not enough, or when the insulin that is produced does not work properly and in most cases is linked with being overweight.
Between 2006 and 2011 the number of people diagnosed with diabetes in England has increased by 25%, from 1.9m to 2.5m.
Almost all - 90% - have type 2 diabetes.
BBC Health: Diabetes in-depth
It is also estimated that up to 850,000 people have diabetes but are unaware of it.
Diabetes is now the biggest single cause of amputation, stroke, blindness and kidney failure.
Spending on the condition accounts for around 10% of the NHS budget.
Diabetes UK says that because so many people are missing out on the relevant checks, there has been a rise in complications such as amputation, blindness, kidney failure and stroke.
Such complications account for about 80% of NHS spending on diabetes, it says.
A National Service Framework for diabetes was drawn up in 2001, but the charity says its recommendations are not being followed.
Diabetes UK wants better risk assessment and early diagnosis for people with the condition.
It says a national audit found only 50% of people with diabetes get all the recommended health checks - ranging from 6% in the worst areas to 69% in the best.
For children with diabetes, just 4% have all their annual checks, they claim.
Barbara Young, Chief Executive of Diabetes UK, said: "This report shows how in exchange for this investment we are getting second rate healthcare that is putting people with diabetes at increased risk of tragic complications and early death.
"Above all, the wide variation in standards of care shows the need for a national plan to be put in place for giving people with diabetes the kind of healthcare that can help prevent complications, as well as a greater focus on preventing Type 2 diabetes.
"By taking the longer-term approach of investing in making sure people get the basic checks and services, we could save money by reducing the number of complications and make life immeasurably better for people with diabetes."
Care Services Minister Paul Burstow said there was still much to be done to tackle diabetes.
"Our focus is on prevention and education, with more done to get earlier diagnoses and to help people manage their conditions themselves.
"This report and our new strategy will help local NHS services act so that diabetics get the care they need and deserve."


US President Donald Trump's choice for National Security Adviser has turned down the job offer.

Retired Vice-Admiral Robert Harward was widely tipped for the post after Mr Trump fired Michael Flynn on Monday.
A White House official said Mr Harward cited family and financial commitments, but US media said the sticking point was he wanted to bring in his own team.
Mr Flynn had misled US Vice-President Mike Pence over his conversations with Russia's ambassador to the US.
The latest setback emerged hours after Mr Trump robustly denied media reports of White House disarray, insisting his administration was running like a "fine-tuned machine".
Mr Harward told the Associated Press the Trump administration was "very accommodating to my needs, both professionally and personally".
"It's purely a personal issue," added the 60-year-old former Navy Seal who is currently based in Abu Dhabi as an executive for US defence contractor Lockheed Martin.
Asked about reports that he had asked to bring in his own staff at the National Security Council, Mr Harward said: "I think that's for the president to address."
Mr Flynn, a retired army lieutenant-general, was ousted amid claims that before he was even appointed as national security adviser he had discussed sanctions with a Russian envoy.
This would have potentially breached a law banning private citizens from engaging in diplomacy.
Mr Flynn initially denied having discussed sanctions with Sergei Kislyak, Moscow's ambassador to Washington.
But on Monday, Mr Trump asked for his resignation following revelations that Mr Flynn had misled the vice-president about his conversations with the diplomat.
Leading Republicans have called for an investigation into intelligence leaks that led to Mr Flynn's resignation.
Two other contenders - retired General David Petraeus and acting national security adviser Keith Kellogg - have also been tipped to take on the job.
Mr Kellogg, a retired three-star general, was named acting national security advisor after Mr Flynn stepped down.
The 72-year-old had a long career in the US Army, serving in Vietnam and Iraq, before retiring in 2003 and becoming a security consultant for software giant Oracle Corp.
Mr Petraeus, a celebrated former four-star general, retired as CIA director in 2012 after it emerged he had given top-secret material to his biographer, with whom he was also having an extramarital affair.
He is still serving two years' probation after his conviction for mishandling classified information, and would need to notify his parole officer if he wished to move to Washington DC.


Aston Villa left-back Jordan Amavi has signed for Marseille on loan with a view to a permanent move.

Former France Under-21 international Amavi cost £7.7m when he joined Villa from Nice in July 2015 on a five-year deal.
The 23-year-old had looked set to move to Sevilla last month but that deal fell through.
Villa winger Leandro Bacuna is also on the verge of leaving the club, manager Steve Bruce confirmed on Wednesday.
Speaking to BBC WM 95.6 after his side's 2-1 EFL Cup win over Colchester, Bruce said: "We've agreed a fee with Marseille [for Amavi].
"There's a Championship club after Bacuna, that looks close to being over the line too."
Curacao international Bacuna, who can also play at right-back, has been with the club since 2013 and has scored eight goals in 129 appearances.
Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page.


A major hotel chain is considering pulling out of a move to Newport city centre over noise concerns, BBC Wales has learned.

Site developer Richard Hayward said Premier Inn was worried about noise from nearby nightclub Warehouse 54, and options for sound-proofing were being considered.
Mr Hayward is meeting hotel chain representatives in early May.
The owner of Warehouse 54 said he had lowered the volume of the music.
Mr Hayward said the meeting was to determine "whether [Premier Inn] stay or not", adding "we want [the venue owner] to turn down the music to a reasonable level".
"We have a solution we believe may work, to take out all the steel work between the two buildings - that would cost hundreds of thousands of pounds," he added.
Mr Hawyard's company was given Â£450,000 by the Welsh Government to refurbish the site.
He said the building would be worth Â£2.5m less, if Premier Inn pulls out.
Iftekhar Harris, who owns Warehouse 54, said he had tried to work with Mr Hayward to address the concerns.
"There is a solution, but the solution involves them doing quite a bit of work," he said.
"You know, it's our heritage. Wales is renowned for music and we're in danger of losing all of that."
There are similar concerns in Cardiff, where campaigners are worried about the future of live music venues on Womanby Street.
Permission has been granted for a Wetherspoon's hotel on the street, and there is a separate application for a block of flats.
Venue owners believe this may lead to more noise complaints, which could affect the live music scene.
Some want the street to be officially recognised for the importance it plays in the night-time economy.
Guto Brychan, chief executive of Clwb Ifor Bach, said the venues were important for the development of new music.
"Coldplay, they played in Clwb back in 2001 to 2002," he said.
"Without that opportunity at the start of their career, would bands like Coldplay be able to carry on and develop their audience?"
Jo Stevens, Labour MP for Cardiff Central, said she believed grassroots music should have the same status as theatre or opera, and is calling for the introduction of the "agent of change" principle in Wales.
It means the onus would be on developers to identify ways of reducing noise from nearby existing businesses.
Ms Stevens said: "If you're a developer and you want to build some residential premises here, you would have to pay and make sure that all the sound-proofing was done, because you wouldn't be able to then rely on complaints about noise from existing activities."
Cardiff council said there was "little scope" in current planning law to consider the cultural nature of an area.
The Welsh Government said planning policy was currently being reviewed and officials had met the Music Venues Trust to discuss the issue.


A cafe owner in Liverpool who created a "potentially lethal fire trap" of secret rooms where his staff slept has been jailed for eight months.

Cafe Sekander-owner Jahed Ali, 39, of Wavertree, was found guilty of breaching ten fire safety regulations in his Allerton Road eatery.
Liverpool Crown Court heard the living quarters could only be accessed by crawling through a stair panel which was spotted during a fire inspection.
Ali pleaded guilty to all offences.
Judge Andrew Menary QC told Ali he had put his staff at "extraordinary risk" and had used "underhand methods to try and hide what you were doing".
The court heard fire officers first visited the restaurant in 2012 and found staff has been sleeping in rooms on the second floor.
The only escape route was down a narrow staircase and the fire risk was so great Ali was served with an immediate prohibition notice, the court heard.
He said he would block off access to the rooms.
On subsequent visits by fire officers he claimed the rooms were only used for prayers and resting, the court heard.
But on a visit to the restaurant in April of last year officers discovered a panel behind which was a space leading to the stairs and rooms Ali had been told to stop using.
Guy Keen from Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service said: "We were shocked. Clearly he's understood the prohibition notice. He's understood the seriousness of it.
"But he's decided to conceal it (the rooms) from us."
As he was sentenced Ali, of Bonchurch Drive, collapsed in the dock and had to be helped by court officials.


The Harry Potter and the Cursed Child script has become the UK's fastest-selling book in 10 years.

It has sold more than 680,000 copies in its first three days alone.
At its current rate, it is on track to become the second biggest single-week sales for a book since records began.
That title is currently held by Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, according to The Bookseller, which sold 1.8 million copies in its launch week in July 2007.
Reviewers have complained the script book is an "incomplete experience" as the story "demands to be seen", but theatre critics awarded the play five-star reviews.
The stage production in London's West End is currently sold out, but a new batch of 250,000 tickets is being released on Thursday.
Written by Jack Thorne and approved by Potter author JK Rowling, the production focuses on Harry and Draco Malfoy's sons - Albus and Scorpius.


Sussex completed victory over Leicestershire by an innings and 59 runs inside two days by skittling them for just 119 at Grace Road.

The visitors moved on from their overnight 182-7 to 313 all out, giving them a first-innings lead of 188 runs.
Ollie Robinson (81) and Ben Brown (71) put on 133 for the eighth wicket.
Having been bowled out for 135 on day one, Leicestershire fared little better as paceman Jofra Archer (3-31) added to his four first-innings wickets.
David Wiese (3-20) helped Sussex to 22 points from the match - enough to lift them above Worcestershire and up to third in the Division Two table.
Leicestershire captain Mark Cosgrove:
"We didn't play well, and it was pretty disappointing. To put in a performance like that on the back of the defeat by Essex was poor.
"I think the effort and respect we should have showed wasn't there. We were lucky to be in the game this morning, thanks to Neil Dexter's efforts on day one, but no-one helped him out.
"I don't think there's been a reaction to the news [director of elite performance] Andrew McDonald is leaving, definitely not.
"This is professional sport, people move on, so I'd be pretty disappointed if I heard any of the boys talking about that. There are no excuses."
Sussex captain Ben Brown:
"It takes a lot of character to come back from losing as comprehensively as we did against Kent last week, but we have to understand we're a young side and there are going to be ups and downs.
"We had a long honest chat about moving forward, and this is a step in that direction.
"I felt there was a huge amount in the pitch, it wasn't a great one to be perfectly honest, and Ollie and I looked to counter-attack this morning. As we went on it got a little bit easier, as it always does, and we took it to the opposition, and a lead of 178 was always going to be decisive: to get over 300 on a 160 pitch was a fantastic effort.
"Jofra Archer is a great talent, he'll have good and bad spells, but he bowled some frightening deliveries, cleaning guys up with balls going like off-spinners at 85mph."


One of the most spectacular space sights visible from the Earth swept across the US on Monday.

Millions of people enjoyed an incredible total solar eclipse.
A total solar eclipse happens when the Moon moves in between the Earth and the Sun, blocking out the Sun's light and plunging areas of the Earth into darkness.
It was called the Great American Eclipse, as the shadow cast on the Earth by the Moon fell directly onto America - so this was the best place to watch the eclipse.
Follow all the action as it happened below.
Well that's it for the evening! We will leave you with this incredible photo of the Moon moving across the Sun during this eclipse, as there's something rather special about it.
It might look like the Nasa photographer forgot to clean his camera, but actually those little dots on the pictures are in fact the space station moving across the Sun.
This picture is seven pictures stitched together, so you can see how the space station was moving. Pretty amazing, huh?!
Don't forget to tune into CBBC from 7:40am tomorrow for all the latest news from this evening's amazing space show - and more!
Take a look at some of the magical moments from this incredible event.
Monday's total solar eclipse is currently sweeping across the US, so people will see it at different times depending from where they are watching.
It arrived first on the west coast, so people watching from there were the first to see it.
This is the amazing moment the world first got a look!
The Great American Eclipse is now well and truly under way, with some amazing pictures coming from the US.
Pictures from Nasa show that once the Moon has completely covered the Sun and starts to move across it onto the other side, the light from the Sun starts to peek through again.
This creates a beautiful effect which is known as the diamond ring.
You can see from the pictures below why it is called that.
Here is one of the very first images from one of Nasa's special aircrafts showing a breathtaking total solar eclipse.
Take a look at that!
Well, sort of. A partial eclipse is now visible right on the west coast of the US, which is the first place where people will get to see this incredible solar spectacle.
This means that the Moon has started to move in between the Earth and the Sun, and people watching from this area are now able to see the Sun slowly being covered up.
It is about half an hour before people in Oregon will get to see a total solar eclipse. Watch this space, Newsrounders!
Space watchers in the UK will be hoping to see a partial solar eclipse soon, if the weather is clear!
If you want to try to spot it, you must make sure that you do so safely.
If you don't have special glasses, one way you can try to view the solar eclipse is using a special pinhole camera, which you can easily make at home.
If you haven't made one yet, there is just about enough time left to make one! Watch the video below to see how to make one.
It's not long to go now before the solar eclipse will be enjoyed by millions of people.
But how much do you know about this amazing space spectacle?
Test your knowledge with our quiz!
Millions of people across the US will be treated to an amazing total solar eclipse.
But - as long as the clouds move out of the way - we will only be able to see a partial solar eclipse here. But why is that?!
Watch the video below to find out why the eclipse looks different depending where in the world you are.
And don't forget to tune into CBBC at 4:20pm, when Martin will be speaking to our reporter Nada who is over in the US getting ready for the big moment.
We will also be speaking to children too to see how they're feeling about it.
Newsround is following a scouting group from the UK who have travelled over to the US to watch this amazing spectacle.
The Salisbury Scouts have gone to Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming.
You can also see pictures here of people getting their special glasses and telescopes ready.
Today is the day that an amazing total solar eclipse is happening.
More than seven million people across the US are expected to witness the first total solar eclipse to sweep across the States from west to east since 1918 - so it's pretty exciting!
In the UK, we will be able to see a partial solar eclipse, if the weather is good.
That is because the shadow that the Moon will cast on the Earth is not going to fall directly on the UK.
To find out more about the difference between a total solar eclipse and a partial solar eclipse, check out our handy guide.
And come back to this page for all the latest news!


Wales captain Ashley Williams has signed a three-year extension to his contract with Swansea City.

The 29-year-old central defender's contract was due to expire at the end of the 2014-15 season.
I didn't want to go anywhere else
He had been linked with a possible move to Sunderland and other clubs were interested but Williams wanted to stay.
"Swansea is where I wanted to be so as long as we could work something out and they wanted me, this is where I would be," he said.
"I didn't want to go anywhere else. I didn't feel like I was ever going to go anywhere else.
"I'm happy. This is me. I know Swansea and they know me.
"I'm just really happy that I managed to get it done early in the pre-season and know I can really get my head down and kick on."
Williams joined Swansea from Stockport for £400,000 in 2008.
Wales (2008-present):
48 caps
Swansea City (2008-present):
Apps: 276
12 goals
Stockport County (2003-2008):
Apps: 179
4 goals
He forged a central defensive partnership with Garry Monk, as the club rose up the leagues to claim a place in the top flight in 2011.
In 2013 the pair lifted the League Cup together, as the Swans won their first major domestic trophy.
Monk was appointed manager on a full-time basis in April, having taken over the reins temporarily after Michael Laudrup was sacked in February.
Williams says Monk was also an "important" factor in his decision to stay at the Liberty Stadium.
"The fact that he's [Monk] the manager now made me want to stay even more really," said Williams.
"I know the guy and I like the guy.
"I enjoyed the back end of last season, the way he works, the way we train, the way he sets up the team, everything he wants to do I enjoy it.
"I agree with what he wants to do."


Leicester boss Claudio Ranieri has been named manager of the year by the League Managers' Association.

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The 64-year-old Italian was honoured after leading the Foxes to their maiden top-flight title in his first season with the club.
Ranieri also received the Premier League accolade, with Brighton's Chris Hughton taking the Championship award.
Wigan's Gary Caldwell and Northampton's Chris Wilder took the League One and League Two honours respectively.
Ranieri is only the second non-British or Irish manager to win the prestigious accolade after Arsenal's Arsene Wenger, who won it in both 2002 and 2004.
The Leicester boss had already picked up three manager of the month awards in the course of his side's remarkable campaign, and was named Italian manager of the year in his homeland last month.
Hughton received his award despite his side failing to win their division.
Brighton finished third in the second tier and were knocked out of the play-offs in the semi-finals on Monday by Sheffield Wednesday.


Manager Mixu Paatelainen thought Dundee United were "absolutely rubbish" in their 5-0 loss to Celtic.

The heavy defeat in Glasgow leaves the Tannadice club five points adrift at the bottom of the Premiership.
"Everybody in that dressing room must look in the mirror," Paatelainen told BBC Scotland after his second match in charge.
"It doesn't matter about tactics or shape, if you don't get the basic fundamentals right."
United fell behind to a Leigh Griffiths strike after 15 minutes, with Dedryk Boyata adding a header before a Kris Commons brace and Scott Brown's late strike.
The visitors were repeatedly torn apart by the league leaders and posed little threat in attack.
"It doesn't matter what you do on the training ground, if it doesn't happen out there on the pitch," added Paatelainen, who was brought in to replace Jackie McNamara.
"All that goes in the bin!
"No wonder we are where we are. It was so disappointing."
United have lost four games on the trot and must now pick themselves up for next weekend's home meeting with Ross County.
"It's difficult to say if it's a confidence issue," added the exasperated former Finland boss. "I think we just don't realise what we must do.
"We pinpoint the dangers that Celtic will throw at us, we want to make sure that doesn't happen, that we eliminate them.
"But if you are not switched on in certain situations, you are letting good players like Celtic have do what they do best."
Paatelainen is adamant that he can turn the struggling club round but is warning that it won't happen overnight.
"I always knew it was a big job because the team is not playing well," he explained.
"There is plenty to improve on. An unbelievable amount - from defending to attacking.
"We can't tolerate these kind of standards.
"What we can do now is make sure that we every day we do our best. It won't happen in a flash. It will take time because we are low."


Brian O'Driscoll has stressed he has no hard feelings towards Warren Gatland over being dropped for the final Lions Test against Australia last summer.

Former Ireland captain O'Driscoll played in the first two games for the British and Irish Lions, but was left out for the deciding match last July.
Lions coach Gatland came in for fierce criticism, but the team he selected won the third Test in Sydney 41-16.
"I do not have any animosity," said O'Driscoll on Tuesday.
"What happened, happened and I do not have any ill will towards Warren.
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"I think, when it was raw afterwards, your emotions are a bit different and time does heal all wounds.
"What I will look towards is trying to be involved in a team that potentially can beat his team.
"But that is next week - we have a game this week."
O'Driscoll was speaking at an Ireland pre-Six Nations media conference in Dublin ahead of Sunday's opening game at home to Scotland.
His appearance in front of journalists this week is an indication that he is unlikely to face the media again next week in the run-up to the game against Gatland's Wales side.
The legendary Ireland centre's thoughts on Gatland appear to have softened since last summer.
In September, the 35-year-old admitted he was still hurting over his surprise omission.
"When you are left with disappointment that way, you can't but feel a little bit of resentment," he said.
On Tuesday, O'Driscoll made it absolutely clear that this Six Nations was definitely his last.
"Nothing has changed. Just because it is the last one, it doesn't add any more incentive. As a professional, you are expected to deliver.
"It is about treating the competition for what it is - a brilliant one and a difficult one to win."


Australia beat England 60-44 at London's Copperbox Arena to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the international tri-series.

The world and Commonwealth champions were 58-52 winners in the opening match in Liverpool on Wednesday.
And despite England leading by four goals at one stage on Friday, the Aussie Diamonds recovered to claim their second victory.
The final match of the series is on Sunday at the Copperbox (18:30 GMT).
Tracey Neville named an unchanged side from Wednesday and after going 5-0 down early on, England recovered to go in level at the end of the first quarter.
The Roses found their stride and opened up a four-goal lead, but Australia fought their way back into the contest to go in 25-23 at the break.
Neville brought on newcomers Laura Malcolm and Natalie Haythornthwaite at half-time, and her team were soon cut adrift by the world number one side who eased to victory.


A "depraved" former scout leader has been jailed for 16 years for raping two boys aged eight and 10-years-old.

Gary Lane, 52, of Fairfax Road in Kidlington, Oxfordshire, attacked the boys between January and November 2015.
He admitted two counts of raping a child under 13, sexually assaulting a child under 13, and causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.
Judge Patrick Eccles, sentencing Lane at Oxford Crown Court, described him as an "unscrupulous paedophile".
The boys were not members of any scout group at the time of the offences.
Judge Eccles told Lane: "You are an unscrupulous paedophile who has shown a depraved course of conduct.
"You have shown no sense of remorse... there is something wrong with your sexual thinking."
Rhys Bevan, of Thames Valley Police's child abuse investigation unit, said Lane was "where he belongs".
He added: "What Lane has put the victims and their families and loved-ones through is horrendous.
"Lane failed to turn up for court twice in 2016, fleeing once to Scotland, which caused unnecessary stress for all involved."


Two episodes of 1960s TV comedy At Last The 1948 Show, which starred pre-Monty Python John Cleese and Graham Chapman, have been found after almost 50 years.

The ITV programme, which was first screened in 1967, also featured Tim Brooke-Taylor, Marty Feldman and Aimi Macdonald.
The sketch show was hugely influential for British comedy and led to the creation of Monty Python in 1969.
The BFI described the discovery as "a crucial find".
"It represents a key moment in the history of British television comedy featuring the combined talents of some of its greatest exponents," BFI television consultant Dick Fiddy said.
"These gifted comedians, all in their 20s and 30s, were let off the leash and allowed to experiment with style and content, resulting in shows which have had an enduring influence on comedy worldwide."
"It was ground-breaking in a sense in that it was very silly," former Goodie member Brooke-Taylor told the BBC's Colin Paterson.
"We were thinking, will we get away with it basically?"
The series featured sketches and gags which the Monty Python team would go on to adopt, including the Four Yorkshiremen skit - recently seen at the Python reunion shows earlier this year - and the line: "And now for something completely different..."
Mr Fiddy added: "Cleese, Feldman, Brooke-Taylor and Chapman created, scripted and starred in ...The 1948 Show, and the fact that the show remains very, very funny 47 years later is a tribute to their extraordinary abilities."
The two episodes were found when Mr Fiddy was invited to explore the collection of Sir David Frost, who died last August, and who was executive producer on the show.
They were contained on two reels of 16mm film and had been filmed directly from a television screen.
Rewatching the material after many years "made me laugh a great deal", admitted Brooke-Taylor.
"I think the sketches would be shorter now, but I'm rather pleased with it."
Some of the sketches were previously released on a comedy record, but this is the first time since their original broadcast that any footage has been available to go with them.
Cleese will present the two episodes, on loan from the Frost family, as part of Missing Believed Wiped - the BFI's annual celebration of recovered TV programmes - on 7 December in London.


Golfer Tiger Woods says alcohol was "not involved" in his arrest while driving in Florida early on Monday.

The player, who was charged with Driving Under the Influence (DUI), blamed "an unexpected reaction to prescribed medication".
"I understand the severity of what I did and I take full responsibility for my actions," he said.
Police released a mugshot of Woods, looking unshaven and unkempt, following his arrest in the town of Jupiter.
"I want the public to know that alcohol was not involved. What happened was an unexpected reaction to prescribed medications," he said.
"I didn't realise the mix of medications had affected me so strongly."
He added: "I would like to apologise with all my heart to my family, friends and the fans. I expect more from myself too."
Police records show the 41-year-old golfer was pulled over at about 03:00 local time (07:00 GMT) near his home in Jupiter and later taken into custody. He was released from Palm Beach County jail at 10:30 local time.
The record says that he was released "on his own recognisance", meaning he promised in writing to co-operate with future legal proceedings.
Triumph to troubles: Tiger's masterclass 20 years on
Woods has been recovering from back surgery. In his most recent comment about his health, he wrote that the surgery had relieved terrible pain and that he hadn't "felt this good in years".
The 14-time major champion's personal life came under scrutiny in 2009 when he was charged with careless driving outside his Florida home.
He later admitted to having had extra-marital affairs and made a frank public apology. He said he had received professional help and planned to undergo further therapy.
The golfer lost several sponsors over the scandal and took a break from competitive competition.


Cambridge claimed their first win in the men's Boat Race since 2012 as they used their power to beat Oxford in the 162nd edition of the race.

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Oxford had dominated the race in recent times but Cambridge took an early lead.
They held their rhythm through the tricky conditions on the Thames to triumph by five seconds.
Earlier, Oxford made it four wins in a row in the Women's Boat Race as the Cambridge boat almost sank in the latter stages.
The Dark Blues successfully found the shallower, calmer waters on the Thames and were able to power to a comfortable victory.
In the men's race, Cambridge - coached by 2000 Olympic gold medallist Steve Trapmore - made the most of their height and weight advantage.
"A lot of hard work goes into this - we wanted it more," said Cambridge president Henry Hoffstot, who had been part of the losing Light Blue crews in 2014 and 2015 along with cox Ian Middleton.
"Steve and I went out on the course yesterday," said Middleton. "We knew what the conditions would be like and the guys dealt with it really well."
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In the women's race, Oxford went in as favourites and coped better with the tricky conditions.
President Maddy Badcott praised cox Morgan Baynham-Williams, who engineered a move across the river, which helped give them victory.
"We are so lucky to have Morgan - she smashed it," Badcott told BBC Sport.
"Those conditions are probably the worst I have experienced on the Tideway and I'm so glad it has worked out for us and our training paid off.
"This is probably the best team I have ever been part of and that spirit got us through the race."


Chelsea captain John Terry has been banned for four matches and fined £220,000 for racially abusing QPR defender Anton Ferdinand.

The Football Association found Terry guilty following a four-day hearing.
A spokesman for Terry said the player was "disappointed" the FA had reached a "different conclusion" to the "not guilty verdict of a court of law".
In July, the ex-England skipper, 31, was cleared by Westminster Magistrates' Court of racially abusing Ferdinand.
The Terry statement continued: "He has asked for the detailed written reasons of the decision and will consider them carefully before deciding whether to lodge an appeal."
"Unlike in Terry's court case, the prosecution never had to prove intent, merely that certain words were used, so this verdict was no surprise.
"However, the punishment raises issues. Why a ban half as severe as that handed out to Luis Suarez? Why a fine that equates to just one week's wages? Will Chelsea punish their captain? And will the Ferdinands be satisfied?
"This bitter dispute has always been about more than what one footballer said to another. It shone a spotlight on the game, and the way it deals with discrimination.
"Terry left Wembley in disgrace and is likely to appeal. But regardless, the saga has done lasting damage - both to the his reputation and also the to football itself."
The verdict released by the FA said: "The Football Association charged Mr Terry on Friday 27 July 2012 with using abusive and/or insulting words and/or behaviour towards Queens Park Rangers' Anton Ferdinand and which included a reference to colour and/or race contrary to FA Rule E3 [2] in relation to the Queens Park Rangers FC versus Chelsea FC fixture at Loftus Road on 23 October 2011."
Terry will have 14 days from receiving the written reasons to decide whether to lodge an appeal. The ban and fine will not come into effect until after the centre-half has decided what to do.
A statement from his club added: "Chelsea Football Club notes and respects today's decision by the Football Association regarding John Terry.
"We also recognise that John has the right to appeal that decision. It is therefore inappropriate for us to comment further on the matter at this time."
Terry admitted using the word "black" and swearing at Ferdinand but insisted he had only been repeating words he thought the Rangers defender had accused him of saying.
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The FA's decision to press ahead with their own charges led Terry, on the eve of the hearing, to announce he was retiring from international football with immediate effect, saying his position had become "untenable".
Terry's legal team argued the governing body's own rules dictated that his acquittal in court meant the case could not proceed but the FA believed their charge was distinct from the court charge.
Liverpool striker Luis Suarez was given an eight-match ban when an FA disciplinary panel found him guilty of racially abusing Manchester United defender Patrice Evra last season.
The panel stated at that time that simply using racist language was enough to constitute a breach of FA rules.


Ballinamallard United made it two wins out of two in the league by beating high-flying Ards 2-1 in Friday night's Premiership encounter at Ferney Park.

James McKenna scored the opener in the second minute, firing home low and hard from just inside the penalty area.
Ryan Morris grabbed the second with a sensational volley from 25 yards which dipped over Aaron Hogg on 35 minutes.
Joe McKinney picked up a through ball and shot into the net from inside the area for Ards' consolation goal on 37.
The result moves Gavin Dykes' side up to ninth in the table ahead of Saturday's programme of five matches.
Ards remain second, one point ahead of Linfield, who have two games in hand over the north Down club.
The hosts had chances to extend their lead in the second half, but Ryan Mayse shot wide and blasted over the bar, while Johnny Lafferty's effort was comfortably dealt with by Aaron Hogg.
For Ards, Keke's attempt was cleared away for a corner.


An abandoned micro-pig, which was an unwanted Christmas present, is set to have its pick of new homes after receiving more than a dozen offers.

The piglet was discovered in a garden in Ystalyfera, Neath Port Talbot, and is currently being looked after by a vet.
RSPCA said it had been contacted by 13 applicants interested in taking the pig on following an appeal.
But it said pigs were not appropriate pets because of their specific needs.
On Thursday the charity asked for help to rehome the black and white hog, which is lonely and keeps trying to break into a sheep pen for company.
The charity warned against buying micro-pigs as presents because they can grow up to 150kg (23 stones).
They are social animals and if kept in the wrong environment they can become destructive and aggressive, the charity said.


A woman has been awarded compensation for the death of her elderly father during pioneering heart surgery.

William Ewan, 86, bled to death after complications during a key-hole procedure at Leicester's Glenfield Hospital in 2007.
His daughter Gabriele Shaw said it had never been explained that the procedure was "experimental" and had not been approved for wider public use.
The judge at London's High Court awarded Â£13,686 in damages and costs.
At a two-day hearing, the court was told the World War Two veteran from Cheadle in Greater Manchester was "intelligent and active" and could have hoped to live for another five years.
His daughter's QC David Berkley told the the court Mr Ewan, who was originally from Nairn in the Highlands, had not given his "properly informed consent" for the transcatheter aortic valve implantation which was the subject of a clinical trial.
The procedure, now widely used, was carried out by a surgical team led by cardiologist Dr Jan Kovac.
Mrs Shaw, from Cheshire, sued Dr Kovac and the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust for her father's death.
Speaking after the hearing she said: "This case has been about the death of a man who wasn't told about the procedures which were going to be carried out on him.
"He was not told that procedures and medical devices used on him were experimental and had not yet been approved."
The Trust and Dr Kovac made no admission of liability but Mr Justice Warby said they had "submitted to judgment".
He awarded Mrs Shaw Â£13,686 for her father's "pain and suffering" as well as expenses including funeral costs.


A rare beetle has been recorded in south-west London for the first time.

The "globally rare" False Click Beetle, Eucnemis capucina, was found on Wimbledon Common by London's Natural History Museum during an insect survey.
The common was the famous home of the environmentally aware Wombles and the beetle is also associated with unspoiled natural environments.
Dr Max Barclay said "no-one I know has ever seen it" with the newest specimens at the museum dating back to the 1930s.
Dr Barclay, the manager of the museum's beetle collection, said: "This beetle is associated with only the best and oldest woodlands, and previously was known only from the New Forest and Windsor Forest.
"Insects are the bottom of the animal food chain, so if insect populations are healthy it bodes well for bats, birds and other animals."
Keita Matsumoto, who found the insect, said: "It was a lucky shot. I'm pleased I was swinging my insect net that afternoon instead of my tennis racquet."
The survey recorded more than 100 species of beetle, many of which had not been reported in the area before.


Striker Gary Madine and defender David Wheater have signed new deals at Bolton after promotion to the Championship.

Madine, 26, who has scored 16 goals in 78 appearances for Bolton, has signed a new two-year deal.
Wheater, 30, has made 167 appearances for the Trotters and has agreed a new one-year deal with an option.
"Hopefully, we will have another season like last and I don't see any reason why not with the quality we have in the squad," Wheater told the club website.


As a widower urges "reckless" cyclists to learn from the death of his wife, who was knocked down and killed by a teenager on bike with no front brake in east London, a courier explains to the BBC's Laura Lea what made him ride a "fixie" - and why this may now change.

Michael - not his real name - has worked as a bike courier for the last year and a half and believes the case - which led to an Old Bailey trial and national media attention - has "whipped up hatred against cyclists".
"I've heard other couriers saying to me they feel on edge and that pedestrians have looked at them differently," he says.
"In the last couple of weeks, with every courier I've met, this has been the first thing we've talked about," the 27-year-old adds.
He spends 9-10 hours a day delivering packages on the roads of central London and is paid on a job-by-job basis, so weaving in and out of traffic to complete the work quickly is vital.
Michael rides a fixie - a fixed-wheel bicycle - with no front brake. This is illegal.
By law, a bike on a public road in the UK must have two brakes.
A fixed-wheel bicycle has a single gear, no freewheel mechanism and dropped handlebars. The rear fixed wheel of a fixie - which a rider can slow using the pedals - counts as a brake.
"I didn't actually know it was against the law until this case," he says.
"It takes a long time to get used to riding a bike without brakes," Michael says.
"People do it because it's this personal sensation of control with the bike. You never get that quick in London, it's more about how you cycle. I think most couriers who spend hours riding every day have the credentials."
He does admit you "can probably slow down quicker with a front brake".
"I wouldn't advise it for an 18-year-old kid who's been watching cycling videos," he adds.
The trial of Charlie Allison over the death of Kim Briggs heard how the then teenager had compared the experience of riding without a front brake to videos by a stunt cyclist.
Mrs Briggs's husband, Matthew, asked why those who rode bikes without a front brake would take that "risk with somebody else's life".
But Michael does not believe he is taking a risk: "I wouldn't ride it if I felt there was a risk to others."
He does concede that it makes riding "exciting" and "fun" but says his fellow couriers are among the most trained urban cyclists in London.
Following the case, Michael is planning to get a brake fitted. But this isn't for the reason you might think.
"I'm worried going out on my bike, that the police are going to take my bike off me and then I won't be able to work," he says.
Mr Briggs said he hoped courier companies would communicate clearly and forcefully that bikes without two brakes are not legal.
Michael said this could have little effect as "so many [cycle] couriers are self-employed".
Cycling organisations and charities have widely supported Mr Briggs. Duncan Dollimore, from Cycling UK, called riding without a front brake on a busy road "stupid".
Josh Lane - a mechanic at Look Mum, No Hands, a cafe and workshop for cyclists in central London - told BBC Radio 4's Today programme many fixie riders "just think about their own safety" rather than anyone else.
He said: "The problem is you have younger guys that see these riders and think 'Damn , that is so cool. That's how I want to look'. Take their brakes off and maybe they can't stop or move in the way that these really professional riders can."
He said: "In this particular circumstance… someone has crashed into someone - that could have been avoided if they had brakes. You've got to take that into account. You've got to think of other people, not just yourself."
Mr Lane, who rides a fixie himself with a front brake, suggested that bikes should have to be regularly serviced and checked, much like the MOT system for cars.
He said: "People need to be intelligent enough to look at these videos, take away certain aspects of them but then maybe take a look at how they ride a bike, where they ride a bike and what the consequences can be."
But Michael believes there has been too much "fixation" on the issue of the brakes.
"It would be an entirely different story here if [Alliston] fell away from Mrs Briggs into an oncoming bus. This was a freak accident.
"People just step out in front and expect us to stop. There needs more education for pedestrians dealing with cyclists. The law needs to look at better cycling infrastructure."
He did agree, however, that "pedestrians have the right of way, even if they are wrong".
Crash investigators who studied CCTV of the incident concluded Alliston would have been able to stop and avoid the collision if the bike had been fitted with a front brake.
Alliston is due to be sentenced on 18 September.


Valuable data about key aspects of modern Scottish life is being lost in a digital archive "black hole", it has been warned.

The National Library of Scotland said online and social media coverage from the past 20 years was disappearing.
It has urged the UK government to act swiftly on proposals to give libraries the legal right to collect and store electronic publications.
Legislation passed in 2003 is scheduled to be implemented in 2013.
The NLS said there was no current formal system for preserving online archive material and some information had already been lost forever.
Examples of the first Scottish Parliament website have gone as has some material on last year's Holyrood elections.
NLS chief executive Martyn Wade said: "In Scotland and across the UK we have an outstanding and enviable written heritage.
"However, we are now well behind many other countries in archiving the web.
"It is vital that we get the powers we need to save the nation's digital memory for future generations."
He said he would like to see Scotland leading the world in making as much as possible of its rich cultural heritage available online.
Significant parts of the NLS collections - amounting to more than a million pages - are now available.
Earlier this year, the UK Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) launched a further public consultation on draft digital archiving regulations, for implementation in 2013.


England midfielder Jordan Henderson will be fit for this summer's European Championship finals, according to Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp.

The Liverpool captain, 25, suffered knee ligament damage against Borussia Dortmund on 7 April, and was expected to be sidelined for up to eight weeks.
However, Klopp says Henderson may feature in the Reds' Europa League final against Sevilla on 18 May.
"Hendo is in a really good way so it's good for England," Klopp said.
"There's no doubt about him being fit for the European Championships."
Read: Oxlade-Chamberlain ruled out of Euro 2016
Klopp says Henderson must play in Liverpool's final Premier League match of the season against West Brom at The Hawthorns on 15 May to be considered for the final against Sevilla in Basel three days later.
"I saw in his eyes he thinks he has a chance [of being fit for the final], so that's the first and most important step in the right direction," the German said.
England manager Roy Hodgson, who names his 23-man squad for Euro 2016 in France on 12 May, has already said he is reluctant to include players who are not match fit.
"I wouldn't be happy to really take players with us in the hope they will become fit during the tournament," he said in November 2015.
England begin their Euro 2016 campaign against Russia in Marseille on 11 June, then meet Wales in Lens on 16 June and Slovakia in St Etienne on 20 June.


Wales will end 2016 ahead of England in the Fifa world rankings.

Chris Coleman's side are 12th after they reached the semi-finals of Euro 2016, but England are 13th after exiting in the last 16 to Iceland.
The Republic of Ireland are 23rd in the standings, Northern Ireland are 32nd and Scotland are 67th, meaning Gordon Strachan's side rank below the likes of Benin and Panama.
Argentina are ranked number one with Brazil second and Germany third.
Top 20: 1 Argentina, 2 Brazil, 3 Germany, 4 Chile, 5 Belgium, 6 Colombia, 7 France, 8 Portugal, 9 Uruguay, 10 Spain, 11 Switzerland, 12 Wales, 13 England, 14 Croatia, 15 Poland, 16 Italy, 17 Costa Rica, 18 Mexico, 19 Peru, 20 Ecuador


If you sell an app, subscription or other product through the App Store, Apple gets 30% of the money.

That's how its been since the App Store's inception seven years ago.
But soon Apple will for the first time lower its App Store commission on one condition: if an app can retain a subscriber for over a year, the revenue split will be 85/15.
The change will apply immediately to existing apps with users that are more than a year old - potentially providing an injection of extra revenue for many companies.
Spotify, for example, boasted of having 20 million subscribers this time last year.
For the sake of argument, if even just half of those subscribers are still paying members today, the change could potentially represent around $15m (£10.3m) in extra subscription revenue for Spotify every month, and that's probably a conservative estimate.
As well as price, Apple will introduce another significant change to App Store subscriptions. Until now, only apps in certain categories - media and entertainment content - could charge subscription fees. Soon, any app will be able to offer such an option.
This is widely seen as a way for Apple to encourage high-end productivity apps onto its mobile operating system, iOS.
"This could be the change that makes the market for professional-calibre iPad apps possible," wrote John Gruber, a technology writer and long-time Apple watcher.
"I think this is terrific news both for developers and users."
The danger, of course, is by opening up subscriptions to every type of app, Apple risks creating a frustrating environment that's irritating for users who were accustomed to the simple model of paid or free apps.
Then again, subscriptions are surely more likely to encourage quality compared to one-off payments - the challenge for developers shifts from being convincing people to pay once, to convincing them to keep paying, again and again.
Mr Gruber noted, however, that there was still some uncertainty about whether all apps could use the new business model.
The revenue split change is just one piece of Apple's plans for its store, which now has 1.5 million apps on offer - second only to Google's Play store.
It means discovery for apps seeking to gain new users can be difficult, with limited possibilities for promotion within the store other than becoming an Apple "featured app", a lucrative accolade that can make or break a new app.
Soon, ads will appear at the top of searches made in the App Store. They will, Apple says, be relevant to the search in question, and be clearly marked as being a paid-for position. Ads won't be shown to users who are under 13.
Location data is used to power some of the ads, but users can opt out of this, Apple said, and no user data is shared with the advertisers in question.
The changes have been announced ahead of Apple's annual Worldwide Developers' Conference, or WWDC.
More announcements are on the way, but it's traditional for WWDC to be more about software improvements than new hardware.
Microsoft, Facebook and Google have already held their equivalent events, and at each, artificial intelligence was the main talking point. Will Apple offer the same?
There's rumblings in the Valley that Apple lags way behind the others when it comes to machine learning and AI technologies - presenting a problem which one prominent observer warned could see Apple become the "next Blackberry".
Such talk is premature, of course, when talking about the world's most valuable company. The changes to the App Store - outlined in Apple's words here - are about maintaining dominance of the market, not chasing it.
Follow Dave Lee on Twitter @DaveLeeBBC and on Facebook


New investors are poised to take over a troubled scheme to build a £120m leisure complex in Swindon.

Plans for a ski centre, 5,000-seat concert venue and cinema at the existing Oasis leisure centre stalled after the developers failed to meet key targets.
Swindon Borough Council told Moirai Capital Investment Ltd it intended to end the development agreement.
However Seven Capital Investments Ltd has agreed to take over the project.
The council has withdrawn the notice of termination and Seven Capital has indicated it would work with Moirai on the North Star site.
The firm identified it as "an ideal opportunity for it to invest in the leisure market," the authority added.
A period of due diligence will now be carried out by both parties which, if successful, will see the council's cabinet consider whether to approve the proposal.
Garry Perkins, cabinet member for the economy, skills and regeneration, said he hopes Seven Capital will help the council deliver "what will be a landmark regeneration project for the town".


Ambridge is to get a dose of pop star royalty after it was revealed that pop duo Pet Shop Boys are to make a cameo appearance on Radio 4's The Archers.

Listeners found out on Friday that Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe's band had been lined up as last-minute headliners for fictional music festival Loxfest.
"It's a thrill for us to enter the world of The Archers, the UK's most famous radio drama," the pair said.
Pet Shop Boys will appear in Monday's instalment of the rural drama series.
The chart-topping duo, whose hits include It's a Sin and West End Girls, recorded their contribution at the BBC's Maida Vale Studios in London last month.
"We're completely thrilled to have secured an iconic British act to headline for us," said Sean O'Connor, editor of The Archers.
BBC 6 Music's Steve Lamacq will also appear on Monday, having helped the Archers team put together the Loxfest line-up.
"Loxfest is The Archers storyline we've been waiting for," said the self-confessed Archers fan.
"As someone who spends a lot of time covering festivals for the BBC, it was one we really wanted to be involved with."
Tennant, Lowe and Lamacq are among a number of high-profile figures to have turned up in Ambridge in recent years.
The Duchess of Cornwall made an appearance on the show in 2011, while cyclist Sir Bradley Wiggins had a cameo in March this year.


The last surviving resident of St Kilda, a remote Scottish archipelago which was evacuated in 1930, has died.

Rachel Johnson was born on the main island of Hirta in July 1922 and was eight years old when she, her family and other islanders left the isle.
She settled in Clydebank and she lived there until she died this week.
St Kilda, which lies 40 miles (64km) west of North Uist in the Western Isles, was evacuated after life there became too difficult.
The National Trust for Scotland, which helps to manage St Kilda, said her death was "an end of an era".
The last 36 St Kildans were evacuated from the archipelago in August 1930, ending thousands of years of continuous habitation of the islands.
Life had become unsustainable and its residents found that they were increasingly having to rely on supplies from the mainland.
Alexander Bennett, of the National Trust for Scotland, said: "It is a sad day and truly the end of an era to learn that the last of the native St Kildans has passed away.
"I was privileged enough to have met Rachel on a number of occasions. She was intensely private but extremely kindly.
"On behalf of the National Trust for Scotland and all who care for St Kilda, we offer our condolences to her family and many friends."
For centuries, St Kilda was part of a farm with another island, Pabbay, and the islanders paid rent to the chiefs of the Clan Macleod.
St Kildans grew crops and raised cattle and sheep. They also famously harvested seabirds for their meat, feathers and eggs from cliffs and sea stacks, such as 196m (643ft) Stac an Armin.
Since 1957, people have lived on the main island of Hirta on a temporary basis to operate a military radar station.
Hirta is also busy during the summer months with researchers, volunteers and tourists.


Tony Blair says he has no memory of an alleged 2004 rendition case involving an ex-terror suspect who claims he was tortured after being flown to Libya.

The former prime minister said Britain had always opposed rendition and "absolutely adhered to that position".
Abdel Hakim Belhaj claims his flight from Bangkok to Libya refuelled at the UK territory of Diego Garcia, which was complicit in his illegal rendition.
He is suing the UK, MI6 and the UK commission in charge of Diego Garcia.
The legal action came after several documents emerged during the collapse of Col Muammar Gaddafi's regime last year.
The
          BBC understands Mr Belhaj's rendition - the act of transferring people from one jurisdiction to another - was approved by the government
.
Mr Blair told BBC Radio 4's The World At One programme: "About the Belhaj case, I don't have any recollection of it at all.
"There are many, many complicated reasons why the West's relationship is difficult with the Middle East but I think [rendition] is probably the least of them.
"Rendition has been the policy of successive US administrations. It remains the policy of this US administration.
"We have always had our own position. [Then Foreign Secretary] Jack Straw made it very clear at the time and as far as I know, we absolutely adhered to that position."
Mr Blair, the prime minister from 1997 to 2007, said the security services did an "important, dangerous job" and generally deserved the full support of the country.
He also said co-operation with the former Libyan regime had been important in the fight against terrorism.
Mr Belhaj believes he was rendered from Bangkok to Libya by the CIA, and claims that during his more than four years in a Libyan prison he was interrogated by agents from countries including Britain and United States.
He has since worked with Nato as one of the leaders of the forces that helped overthrow Col Gaddafi and is now a senior military commander in the new Libya.
Mr Belhaj's lawyers filed legal papers on 5 April against the Commission for the British Indian Ocean Territory - of which the island of Diego Garcia is a part.
Diego Garcia, in the Chagos archipelago, has been a military base since the island was leased to the US in the 1970s.


Three people arrested on suspicion of manslaughter after a man was found dead in Leicestershire have been bailed.

Mark Cookson, 42, was found dead at a house in Leicester Road, Wigston, on Wednesday evening.
A post-mortem examination found he died from a head injury which it is thought he sustained between 21 and 22 March.
Two men, aged 20 and 24, and a woman, 49, were questioned by detectives on Monday and later bailed pending further inquiries.
Police have appealed for witnesses who saw Mr Cookson on 22 March.


Honda has agreed to pay $24m (Â£15m) to settle US claims that it discriminated against some customers based on race.

An investigation by US regulators found that the Japanese company charged African American and Hispanic owners higher interest rates on car loans.
Regulators found that they paid on average $250 more than white customers regardless of their creditworthiness.
Honda said in a statement that it "strongly opposes any form of discrimination".
The US Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and Department of Justice said that American Honda Finance Corp, the company's loans arm, would change its pricing and compensation system to reduce the potential for discrimination.
Despite the settlement, Honda said that it disagreed with how the two regulators determined discrimination, but "we nonetheless share a fundamental agreement in the importance of fair lending".
American Honda Finance Corporation (AHFC) does not make loans directly to consumers, but receives loan applications through car dealers. Those dealers have the discretion to vary a loan's interest rate after an initial price Honda sets based on creditworthiness.
The $24m that Honda will pay will go in to a fund to compensate affected borrowers.
Car loans are the third-largest source of household debt in the US, after mortgages and student loans.
AHFC will also pay $1m into a car finance education program for minority borrowers, the regulators said.


Six soldiers from Niger's army were killed in an ambush by Boko Haram militants, the country's interior ministry said.

The attack happened near the town of Diffa close to the border with Nigeria early on Wednesday.
It comes two weeks after a Boko Haram assault on a military convoy in the same area that left one soldier dead.
The Islamist group is based in Nigeria but is being tackled by a multinational force, including soldiers from Niger.
'How I almost became a suicide bomber'
Who are Boko Haram?
Legacy of hate
More about Niger
In the latest attack, three other soldiers were wounded. Niger's military deployed aircraft to try and track those responsible soon afterwards.
Niger's President Mahamadou Issoufou has been praised in the West for rallying neighbouring countries to fight Boko Haram.
On Wednesday, the country's constitutional court confirmed the result of the second round of presidential elections, which saw Mr Issoufou re-elected with more than 92% of the vote, a result the opposition dismissed.
Mr Issoufou will be sworn in on Saturday.
Boko Haram at a glance:
'How I almost became a suicide bomber'
Surviving Nigeria's Boko Haram


The latest toys and potential best-sellers are on show at an exhibition in London.

26 January 2016 Last updated at 00:03 GMT
This year, toy-makers have embraced technology to bring a modern twist to some classic favourites.
Watch BBC technology correspondent Rory Cellan-Jones go hands-on with an app-enabled Scalextric racing set and other new toys.


Rhys Patchell says Cardiff Blues is a "good place to come to work" as they battle for European qualification in the Pro12.

Sunday's derby against Newport Gwent Dragons will see the 22-year-old Wales international play his last game at the Arms Park before joining Scarlets.
Patchell insists he has no regrets about leaving despite the capital region's improvement this season.
"Once you make a decision you've got to back yourself," he said.
"Do I regret it? No. Am I pleased the Blues region is going in the direction that it is? Yes."
Patchell's decision to join Scarlets came after playing much of his Blues rugby at full-back rather than his preferred position at fly-half.
Gareth Anscombe has been favoured at number 10, though Patchell's versatility has been a key factor in the Blues' revival as a force in the Welsh game.
Their impressive 28-22 win over Scarlets on 2 April saw Anscombe, Patchell and Dan Fish alternating as first receiver as the Blues claimed their third Welsh derby win of the season.
The fluid attacking style developing under Danny Wilson - in his first full season as head coach - is making for a happy squad, according to Patchell.
"We've found a style of play that really suits us - not necessarily one way because we have to adapt - but a style that everyone has bought in to and I think that's half the battle," he said.
"It's like when you're playing under-14s, you want to get everyone involved because everybody enjoys it and everybody plays better and that has something to do with it.
"Wins help - a winning environment is a happy environment and a happy environment tends to end up being a winning environment.
"The place is a good place to come in to work at the moment and that's really exciting."
The Dragons, who beat Gloucester 23-21 away in the quarter-final of the European Challenge Cup in their last match, will be a major obstacle for the Blues.
And Patchell admires the way they have coped after a run of injuries to key players including Hallam Amos, Tyler Morgan and Dorian Jones.
"Losing Dorian just after Christmas was a big blow for them, he was playing well. But Hallam is coming back, Tyler is back, and obviously Taulupe [Faletau] is a big player for them as well.
"They had a phenomenal result in Europe and we have no illusions about the challenge the Dragons will pose."
Wins against the Dragons and Ospreys on 30 April could see the Blues playing for a top-six finish at Edinburgh on 7 May, when Patchell will make his final appearance for the region, if selected.
He says it will be an emotional farewell.
"I think it will probably, because I've spent my whole professional life here," he conceded.
"[In 2011] I finished my A-levels on Friday and turned up here on Monday and [coach] Dai Young left on Tuesday and I was thinking, 'oh no'."
Patchell has since played under coaches Phil Davies, Mark Hammett, the caretaker pairing of Dale McIntosh and Paul John, and finally Wilson.
Despite the upheaval, Patchell exudes nothing but goodwill toward the region.
"I've got a lot of friends here, the place has been great to me, the supporters have been fantastic," he added.
"It's been enjoyable."


Pro12 bottom side Treviso beat Newport Gwent Dragons to earn a second straight win against Welsh opposition.

Having claimed a first victory of the season against Cardiff Blues last time out, Treviso took the lead with an early try from Angelo Esposito.
Hallam Amos hit back for Dragons, only for Filo Paulo and Ludovico Nitoglia's tries to put Treviso 19-10 ahead.
Cory Hill touched down to give the Dragons hope but Angus O'Brien missed his late drop-goal attempt.
Dragons stay 10th in the Pro12 and still without a league away win this season, while Treviso remain bottom of the table.
Dragons: Carl Meyer; Ashton Hewitt, Adam Hughes, Adam Warren, Hallam Amos; Angus O'Brien, Sarel Pretorius; Boris Stankovich, Thomas Rhys Thomas (capt), Brok Harris, Cory Hill, Rynard Landman, Ben White, Nic Cudd, Nick Crosswell.
Replacements: Rhys Buckley, Hugh Gustafson, Shaun Knight, Matthew Screech, Lewis Evans, Charlie Davies, Geraint Rhys Jones, Ross Wardle.
Treviso: Jayden Hayward; Ludovico Nitoglia, Luca Morisi, Alberto Sgarbi (capt), Angelo Esposito; Sam Christie, Alberto Lucchese; Dean Budd, Marco Lazzaroni, Andrea De Marchi, Tom Palmer, Filo Paulo, Simone Ferrari, Luca Bigi, Cherif Traore,
Replacements: Philip Filippetto, Matthew Zanusso, Salesi Manu, Jeff Montauriol, Marco Barbini, Robert Barbieri, Chris Smylie, Tommaso Iannone.
Referee: Andrew Brace
Assistant Referees: Marius Liperini, Emanuele Tomo (both FIR)
Citing Commissioner: Maurizio Vancini (FIR)
TMO: Carlo Damasco (FIR)


Asian stock markets rose on Wednesday, as stronger-than-expected trade data from China boosted investor sentiment.

The world's second-largest economy said exports in yuan terms surged 18.7% in March compared with the same period last year.
Investors cheered the data and the benchmark Shanghai Composite index rose 1.4% to close at 3,066.64.
Asian markets were also pushed higher after oil prices jumped on Tuesday.
The rises followed reports that oil producers Russia and Saudi Arabia have reached a consensus about a freeze in output ahead of the producers' meeting in Doha, Qatar on 17 April.
In Australia, the commodities-heavy share index closed up 79 points, or 1.6%, at 5,054.69.
In Japan, the benchmark Nikkei 225 index closed up 452.43 points, or 2.8%, at 16,381.22.
Shares in Japan's Fast Retailing ended 6.5% higher on reports in local media that the company will slash prices at its Uniqlo clothing stores. The retailer last week warned that its profit for the full year to August would fall by 45%, due to slower sales.
In Hong Kong, the benchmark Hang Seng index surged 3.2% to end at 21,158.71.
Elsewhere in Asia, markets in South Korea are shut for a public holiday. Trading will resume on Thursday.


Manchester City will face Romanian side Steaua Bucharest in the Champions League play-off round.

Scottish champions Celtic will meet Israeli side Hapoel Beer Sheva while Irish champions Dundalk have been drawn against Poland's Legia Warsaw.
Celtic beat Kazakh side FC Astana in the third qualifying round, while Dundalk were 3-1 aggregate victors over Belarusian side Bate Borisov.
The two-legged play-off ties will be held on the 16/17 and 23/24 August.
New City boss Pep Guardiola has won the Champions League twice as a manager - with Barcelona in 2009 and 2011.
The Spaniard has lost in the semi-finals of the competition in each of the past four seasons, once with Barca and three times with Bayern Munich.
City are looking to compete in the group stages of the competition for the sixth successive season.
Steaua, who won the European Cup in 1986 and were runners-up in 1989, finished second to Astra Giurgiu in the Romanian top flight.
City sporting director Txiki Begiristain said: "It's going to be a difficult tie because Steaua are on the up again in Europe and have a lot of talent."
Elsewhere, 2004 winners Porto face a tough tie against Italian side Roma, and 1995 winners Ajax will play Russian side Rostov.
The winners of the ties will progress to the Champions League group stage while the losers will drop into the Europa League.
Ludogorets Razgrad (Bulgaria) v FC Viktoria Plzen (Czech Republic)
Celtic (Scotland) v Hapoel Beer-Sheva (Israel)
FC Copenhagen (Denmark) v Apoel Nicosia (Cyprus)
Dundalk (Republic of Ireland) v Legia Warsaw (Poland)
Dinamo Zagreb (Croatia) v FC Salzburg (Austria)
Steaua Bucharest (Romania) v Manchester City (England)
FC Porto (Portugal) v Roma (Italy)
Ajax (Netherlands) v Rostov (Russia)
Young Boys (Switzerland) v Borussia Monchengladbach (Germany)
Villarreal (Spain) v Monaco (France)
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Oil giant Exxon Mobil will not be allowed to resume drilling in Russia after US President Donald Trump vowed to uphold sanctions.

The US Treasury Department said that, after talks with Mr Trump, it would not waive trade sanctions on Russia for US firms seeking to restart work.
It had been reported that Exxon, the world's largest publicly traded oil company, had sought a dispensation.
The US and European Union imposed economic sanctions on Russia in 2014.
It followed Russia's annexation of the Crimea region in 2014 and role in the conflict in eastern Ukraine.
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a statement on Friday: "In consultation with President Donald J Trump, the Treasury Department will not be issuing waivers to US companies, including Exxon, authorising drilling prohibited by current Russian sanctions."
Exxon has a joint venture with Russia's Rosneft in the Black Sea, Arctic Kara Sea and Siberia, projects that were to form a big part of the US company's future growth.
But Texas-based Exxon was forced to wind down drilling after sanctions were imposed.
The company's former chief, Rex Tillerson, has been appointed Mr Trump's Secretary of State.
One of the controversies around this appointment was Mr Tillerson's apparent closeness to senior figures in the Moscow government, including Vladimir Putin.
The Wall Street Journal, which first reported that Exxon was seeking a waiver, said the company was concerned that its international oil rivals were gaining an advantage in Russia.


High winds dropped just enough to allow gigantic balloons to follow tradition by joining in the annual New York Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

SpongeBob SquarePants, Snoopy, Spider-Man and friends took off as the floats wound their way through Manhattan.
Some 3.5 million spectators line the route. Another 50 million usually watch it on television.
Thanksgiving Day celebrates the harvest and blessings of the past year, and launches the US holiday season.
New York Police Department decided on Thursday morning that the winds were mild enough for the 16 giant character balloons to be used in the parade, which is now in its 87th year.
The worst of a wet and blustery storm that drenched the US East Coast in recent days passed.
The city introduced new parade safety rules after a 1997 accident in which a windblown Cat in the Hat inflatable knocked over a light pole that landed on a woman, seriously injuring her.
City regulations prohibit the giant balloons from flying when sustained winds top 23mph (37km/h), and gusts exceed 34mph.
The foul weather earlier this week led to hundreds of flight delays at a time when some 43 million Americans travel to be with loved ones, but did not cause the widely feared gridlock.
More US stores opened than ever before, luring in shoppers a day ahead of the traditional start of the festive shopping season, known as Black Friday.
Some eager bargain hunters began camping outside retail outlets on Tuesday this week. About 140 million people are expected to shop over the four-day weekend, according to the National Retail Federation.
But there have been protests and an online petition by critics who say it is wrong to separate workers from their families on Thanksgiving.
A group of Whole Foods employees held a strike in Chicago on Wednesday to demonstrate against some of the stores opening on the holiday. Walmart has also faced a backlash over its decision to open its doors on Thanksgiving.
The manager of a Pizza Hut franchise in the US state of Indiana, Tony Rohr, lost his job when he refused to make his staff to work on Thursday. Following an outcry, the fast-food chain reinstated him.
On Wednesday, President Barack Obama carried out the traditional US presidential Thanksgiving duty: pardoning of the turkey.
Two 38-lb (17-kg) specimens, Popcorn and Caramel, were granted a special last-minute reprieve allowing them to live out their days on George Washington's estate in Mount Vernon, Virginia.
Forty-six million other turkeys will not be so lucky - that is how many of the fowl are expected to be consumed across the US on Thursday.
Thanksgiving has been marked for hundreds of years, and is generally thought to commemorate a 1621 harvest feast the US Pilgrims shared with Indians after settling at Plymouth, in what is now Massachusetts.
In a rare coincidence, this year it occurs at the same time as the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah, which has led to the coining of the name Thanksgivukkah.
That last happened in 1888 and will not happen again for more than 70,000 years, according to a commonly cited calculation.


Singer Tony Hadley says he has left 1980s pop group Spandau Ballet, and "will not be performing" with them in the future.

In an oddly-worded statement, the star said: "I am required to state that I am no longer a member of the band".
He did not indicate why he was leaving, but blamed "circumstances beyond my control".
The group, who scored hits with True and Gold, broke up acrimoniously in the 1990s but had reformed in 2009.
The remaining members put the blame for the latest split on Hadley's shoulders.
"Much to our frustration, Tony had made it clear in September 2016 that he didn't want to work with the band anymore," they wrote on their official website.
"This has not changed and 2015 was the last time we were able to perform or work with him. So we have now made the decision to move on as a band."
Formed in 1976 as The Cut, they cut their teeth in the punk era, before emerging as one of the planet's biggest pop bands - engaged in a fierce rivalry with fellow New Romantics Duran Duran.
Following their first hit - 1980's To Cut A Long Story Short - they released six studio albums and had 10 UK top 10 singles, topping the charts with True in 1983.
Spandau's original split came after the five-piece fell out over money.
In 1999, Hadley, saxophonist Steve Norman and drummer John Keeble sued guitarist Gary Kemp for a share of the band's songwriting royalties.
Kemp, who played in the band with his brother Martin, wrote all of the hits, but the other musicians believed they had a gentleman's agreement to share the profits, in recognition of their musical contribution to the songs.
The case went to the High Court, where Kemp won. He later described the battle as "like walking away from a car crash - you're glad to be alive but mortified and shocked by the wreckage".
The band were back in court three years later, arguing over the right to use the name Spandau Ballet. Hadley, Keeble and Norman lost again and had to tour under the humbling name of Ex-Spandau Ballet.
By this point, Hadley was not on speaking terms with the Kemp brothers, and for a number of years a reunion seemed like an impossibility.
In 2007, the singer told the Daily Express: "I know you should never say never, and bands in the past have said hell would freeze over before they got back together, but in our case I think hell is frozen and we still wouldn't do it."
Naturally, they reformed two years later, hosting a press conference on HMS Belfast in London, the scene of a landmark early gig in 1980.
Since then, they have toured the world, headlining the Isle of Wight Festival and producing a documentary about themselves called Soul Boys of the Western World.
They even recorded a handful of new songs for the 2014 album The Story - The Very Best of Spandau Ballet.
More recently, the band have been playing solo shows; while Martin Kemp appeared as a judge on the BBC show Let It Shine.
Hadley's decision to cut ties with Spandau effectively puts an end to any future reunion.
His full statement read as follows: "Due to circumstances beyond my control, it is with deep regret that I am required to state that I am no longer a member of the band Spandau Ballet and as such I will not be performing with the band in the future."
Fans on Twitter responded by quoting some of Spandau's more memorable lyrics.
"Say it's not True!" wrote one. "Communication let them down," added another. "He didn't need this pressure on," noted a third.
"You'll notice it [the statement] is only one sentence," said Scott Taylor. "I think @TheTonyHadley found it hard to write the next line."
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A former MP has called on Northampton Borough Council to oppose a winding-up petition sought by HM Revenue and Customs (HMCRC) against the town's football club.

Former Northampton South MP Tony Clarke said he feared that if the petition was successful the council could lose the £10.25m it is owed by the club.
HM Revenue and Customs is owed £166,000 by the club.
The borough council said it was seeking a meeting with HMRC.
Last week it was revealed that players and staff at Northampton Town Football Club have not been paid due to its financial problems.
Manager Chris Wilder paid tribute to the attitude of people who work at the League Two club, saying it has brought them all "much closer together".
Mr Clarke, who is also a former director of the club, said: "It absolutely imperative the council objects to the winding-up petition in two weeks time.
"If they don't and Northampton Town Football Club goes into receivership then the council won't recover any of its money."
He called for the council to be "positive" and "ask for an adjournment" to the winding-up hearing so the club supporters and staff have more time to help save the club.
On Monday, councillors backed a motion calling for it to do "whatever we can to help" the football club and the Supporters Trust.
It also called for the £10.25m of public money to be "retrieved" and for its audit committee to review its policies and practices.