Sarah Jenkins
BBC Local Live

A new satellite will be launched into space today from to help improve HD television in Brazil and parts of North America.

Image source, Airbus Defence and Space SAS 2017

The satellite was partly built at Airbus in Stevenage and will be launched in French Guiana in South America later today. 

It's an exciting event for the UK space industry as 70% of satellite was built in this country.

Jon Kaye
BBC Three Counties Radio

An astronomer from the University of Hertfordshire is among a team of international scientists to discover 60 new planets close to the Earth's solar system. 

The results are based on observations taken over a 20-year period.

Image source, University of Hertfordshire

Dr Mikko Tuomi from the University's Centre for Astrophysics Research, external is the only European-based researcher working on the project. 

He led the group's data analysis efforts that showed the existence of the newly reported planets. 

He says it's fascinating to think that when we look at the nearest stars, all of them appear to have planets orbiting them. 

This is something astronomers were not convinced about, even as little as five years ago.

Patrick Byrne
BBC News

The entire contents of the former ARLA Dairy at Hatfield Peverel are to go under the hammer and the sale is attracting international interest, according to the auctioneers. 

The site was closed last year following ARLA Food UK's decision to concentrate milk production at its new billion-litres-a-year dairy at Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire.

Image source, Arla

Auctioneers CJM Asset Management, external will dispose of hundreds of thousand of pounds worth of plant, machinery and equipment in the auction on Thursday 23 February. 

Director Paul Cooper said: "The Bury Lane site is to be cleared and redeveloped so everything has to go. 

"A number of interested parties have already had private viewings, including major dairy industry players based in Scotland and Wales. 

"In terms of foreign interest, we have not only been fielding inquiries from the Continent, but even from as far away as Turkey and New Zealand."

Sarah Jenkins
BBC Local Live

And what could be more romantic than the heart-shaped remains of a Norman Motte and Bailey Castle in Bedfordshire?

BBC Weather Watchers

It may be rather chilly outside, but our BBC Weather Watchers have been getting snappy out and about.

Thames Water admitted water pollution and other offences at sewage facilities in Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire.

Sarah Jenkins
BBC Local Live

The murder trial into the death of Hertfordshire author Helen Bailey continues today at St Albans Crown Court.

The defence is expected to call a medical expert and people who believe they saw the missing author.

Helen Bailey's fiancee, Ian Stewart, is accused of murdering her and making up a story that she was abducted by men called Joe and Nick.

The Electra Brown writer's body was found last July in a cesspit at the home she shared with Mr Stewart in Royston.

The prosecution says he drugged her before suffocating her and throwing her in the pit.

Mr Stewart, 56, of Baldock Road in Royston denies murder, preventing a lawful burial, fraud, and three counts of perverting the course of justice.  

Nicola Haseler
BBC Three Counties

One of Luton's leading homeless charities is closing down due to financial problems.

Luton Accommodation & Move-On Project (LAMP, external) celebrated its 20th anniversary last year, but it had struggled financially after losing its council backing several years ago.

The charity is blaming increasing property prices and rents in Luton for its closure.

An announcement on the charity's website said: "As a small charity with no asset base to fall back on, the financial viability of LAMP is no longer sustainable. 

"During the closure process, our priority will remain the young people in our care and to finding them suitable alternative accommodation."

Jeremy Stern
BBC South Today

Thames Water will face its "biggest ever fine" after pumping millions of gallons of untreated sewage into the River Thames, a judge has warned. 

Aylesbury Crown Court heard yesterday how the company breached pollution laws at sewage treatment works in Didcot, Aylesbury, Henley, and Little Marlow, and a pumping station in Littlemore.

But QC Richard Matthews said it was negligence rather than recklessness and that the company had improved, investing £4bn in upgrading equipment.

Judge Sheridan said the company should be punished and not the customers, in the form of higher bills.

Thames Water will be sentenced on 24 March.

Kate Kinsella
BBC Look East weather

A bright and chilly start to Valentine's Day.

There'll be sunny spells for much of the day, although it will become cloudy later.

Feeling less cold, with temperatures reaching 9C (48F).

Sarah Jenkins
BBC Local Live

Good morning and welcome back to live updates of news, weather, travel and sport for Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire.

We'll be with you until 18:00 and the full weather forecast will be with you shortly.

Our main focus today will be on the murder trial of Hertfordshire author Helen Bailey.

As always, if you want to get in touch you can email, Facebook, external or Twitter, external. 

A row between two traveller families ended with the death of a "gentle giant".

That's it for our live coverage across the day, although any breaking news overnight will still appear here.

Before we go, here's a reminder of some of our main stories:

• Secret filming has revealed Tesco customers have been overcharged on multi-buy promotions
• Pregnant sheep have lost lambs in a dog attack
• Christopher McCarthy is cleared of murder, but found guilty of manslaughter over the death of Patrick Maloney at a Bedfordshire travellers' site
• Ian Stewart challenged over "kidnap" pair in the trial over the death of Royston author Helen Bailey

Have a great evening, we'll be back at 08:00 tomorrow.

Sarah Lee
BBC South

Police are appealing for the public's help in tracing a man from High Wycombe.

Thomas Birks, aged 27, was last seen in the Tilehurst area of Reading on Saturday 4 February at about 5pm.

Officers believe he may have travelled to the High Wycombe area.

Thomas is white, 5ft 10ins, slim, with brown hair and blue eyes.

Image source, TVP

In the ongoing trial of Ian Stewart, who denies murdering Royston author Helen Bailey, he told St Albans Crown Court he was handed an illicit phone at Bedford Prison by an inmate after his arrest.

He said he was told by an anonymous caller: "Joe has been taken care of, dealt with, I have always had what he wanted."

Mr Stewart, 56, claims the 51-year-old writer, who was also his fiancee, was snatched and murdered by two mystery men named Nick and Joe last year. 

Ms Bailey's alleged captors were said to be associates of her first husband, John Sinfield, who were hounding her over past business dealings. 

Before drowning in 2011, Mr Sinfield ran a series of businesses including a licensing firm which handled the character Snoopy, the cartoon dog. 

Prosecutor Stuart Trimmer asked: "How is it that John Sinfield and Snoopy are somehow related to a criminal network in Bedford Prison?" 

Mr Stewart replied: "Snoopy has nothing to do with this, it was Joe, Nick and someone else." 

The trial continues. 

Julie Reinger
BBC Look East weather

A dry night, with mainly clear skies, and the chance of frost in sheltered places across the BBC East region.

Temperatures falling to 0C (32F).

Tuesday will be fine and dry with sunny spells, although cloud will increase from the south west through the day.

Temperatures reaching a high of 9C (48F), with light to moderate south easterly winds.

BBC Weather has more details for where you live.

A former Luton college lecturer described being part of Sunday's Bafta ceremony as "wonderful", after a film he wrote was shortlisted.

Image source, PA

Zombie film The Girl With All The Gifts lost out to Under the Shadow for the gong for the best debut by a British writer, director or producer. 

But writer Mike Carey, who taught at Luton Sixth Form College, said the experience was "exhilarating".

"It was amazing to be there, to be so close to it all and seeing it all unfold," he said.

"We were not surprised not to win so we were not disappointed. The wonderful thing was being there." 

Christopher McCarthy broke down in tears after a jury at Luton Crown Court cleared him of the murder of Patrick Maloney (below), but found him guilty of manslaughter. 

Image source, Bedfordshire Police

Mr Maloney died after he was dragged under a van at the Toddbury Farm travellers' site, near Leighton Buzzard, on 2 August. 

Image source, South Beds News Agency

The jury heard of a "simmering feud" between the McCarthy and Maloney families, who lived on two travellers' sites at Little Billington.

Mr Maloney was killed after McCarthy, 22, drove his roofing van to Toddbury Farm where it struck him and dragged his body along the gravel.

The jury was discharged in the case of Thomas McCarthy, 24, accused of causing actual bodily harm, after it failed to reach a verdict.

Christopher McCarthy will be sentenced at a hearing on Tuesday, where the prosecution will announce if it will seek a retrial for Thomas.

England's Elliot Daly has the potential to tour with the British and Irish Lions in 2017, says Wasps team-mate Danny Cipriani.

Thirteen people have been charged over a number of shootings in Bedford.

Bedfordshire Police, external launched Operation Kruse after shots were fired at four separate addresses in Bedford overnight in July 2016. 

The shots were fired in Faraday Square, Foxglove Way, Lovell Road, and Romsey Way, between 22:00 on 8 July to 05:00 the next day.

Last week, the Operation Kruse team carried out a week of action, resulting in a number of arrests and charges, as well as the recovery of a large quantity of drugs.

Det Insp Katie Dounias said: "This has been a really productive week for us and we will continue our hard work into this complex investigation."