A woman pleads not guilty to murdering her sister at the family home in Luton.

Katy Lewis
BBC Local Live

A woman accused of murdering her sister at their Luton home has pleaded not guilty to her murder. 

Sabah Khan, 34, denied the charges at Luton Crown Court. 

Mother-of-four, Saima Khan, died from serious injuries at her home in Overstone Road in the town on 12 May. 

Image source, SBNA

Sabah Khan was remanded in custody by Judge Michael Kay QC. A trial date has been set for 21 November.

Paul Scoins
BBC Three Counties Radio political reporter

The Prime Minister has confirmed that any decision into the future of hospital services in Bedford and Milton Keynes will be made locally and not by the government. 

Theresa May was responding to a question from Bedford's MP Richard Fuller at Prime Minister's Question who said the report into the hospital's options had been an "abject failure". 

She gave her "assurance" they will be "locally driven".

Image source, House of Commons

Paul Scoins
BBC Three Counties Radio political reporter

Conservative Richard Fuller has urged for accountability for the NHS in Bedfordshire. 

The MP for Bedford and Kempston raised the issues at Prime Minister's Questions in relation to the future of Bedford and Milton Keynes hospitals. 

He asked Teresa May that the "sustainability and transformation plans for Bedfordshire and elsewhere to be released by NHS England will be subject to proper local accountability and full local decision authority". 

Image source, House of Commons

BBC Weather Watchers

It was a dull and misty start to the day today, as this picture taken by Weather Watcher tony home along Bedford Embankment, shows perfectly.  

The good news is a sunny day is expected later with it getting no cooler than 14C (57F). 

You can become a Weather Watcher by clicking here.

The Airlander is currently grounded and undergoing assessment in Hanger 1 in Cardington but tonight you can see where as she was being built on Skies Above Britain on BBC Two.

Matt Precey
BBC Look East

How Baker Small operates:

• The firm was employed in cases where local authorities were in dispute with parents over what they were prepared to provide SEN children
• Disputes ranged from differences over specific therapies or school placements to outright refusal to assess children
• Any disagreements go to the Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) Tribunal
• Parents will either represent themselves, pay for lawyers/specialist witnesses out of their own pocket or - in a very small minority of cases - obtain legal aid
• As well as representing them at tribunal, Baker Small offer local authorities training on handling appeals

What is the provision for children with SEN?

Matt Precey
BBC Look East

A law firm which has secured payments in legal fees and contracts worth £3m with local authorities across the country says claims it used bullying tactics are "utter rubbish".

Baker Small was employed in cases where councils were in dispute with parents over what they were prepared to provide to children with special educational needs.

The law firm was criticised for mocking parents of children with special needs on Twitter in June, external. It has since been accused of using intimidating tactics to win cases.

Director Mark Small said: "This thing about tactics and conduct of tribunals on behalf of local authorities is just not true."

He said his company had tried to "look at improving decision making before it gets anywhere near a dispute, because that is often the problem".

He did, however, admit that in some cases "additional evidence comes to light or is provided late".  

Mr Small said he regretted the tweets.

Hertfordshire County Council spent more than half a million pounds on the services of law firm Baker Small between 2010 and 2016, a BBC investigation has found.

The law firm, criticised for mocking parents, external of children with special needs on Twitter, has secured payments and contracts nationally totalling £3m since 2010.

Herts County Council ended its contract with Baker Small following the tweets.

Baker Small director, Mark Small, said he regretted the posting of the tweets in June.

Matt Precey
BBC Look East

A law firm criticised for mocking parents of children with special needs has been paid millions of pounds in legal fees by local authorities, the BBC has learned.

Baker Small, which tweeted gloating comments, external about families it had won cases against, has secured £3m in payments and contracts since 2010 - including significant sums from Norfolk, Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire County Councils.

Critics said the spend was "depressing" and could have been used to help children rather than "fight parents". 

Baker Small's Mark Small said he regretted the tweets posted in June.

The building of a railway station in Winslow that we mentioned earlier, will be the next stage of re-instating the former ‘Varsity Line’ between Cambridge and Oxford, external. 

It will mean train services will run through Buckinghamshire to Oxford and beyond, with connections to High Wycombe, London, and national mainline services. 

By the time the station opens, Winslow will have been without a railway connection for 50 years.

Image source, Buckinghamshire County Council

The only missing-link in the line is now between Bedford and Cambridge and a business case is now being put together to build a new train track with the preferred option being between Bedford, Sandy and Cambridge.

Lee Agnew
BBC Three Counties Radio

Image source, @ukblm

A man from Kempston in Bedfordshire has been charged following a protest at London City Airport, yesterday. 

The 23-year-old has been charged with aggravated trespass and being unlawfully airside within a restricted area of an aerodrome. 

He's been released on police bail with eight others after appearing before Westminster Magistrates' Court this morning.

The Black Lives Matter UK movement confirmed it was responsible for the protest.    

Justin Dealey
BBC Three Counties Radio

The Station Commander at RAF Henlow, Mark Clulo, has told me that his staff face "uncertain times" following news that the Bedfordshire site will close by 2020, external. 

"The only information we've got is, we will close," he said. "We are all waiting to find out where those units will go. 

"My job is to try and find out as much information as possible and the undertaking I gave to my staff was as soon as I get any information I will relay that to everybody."

Image source, Geograph/Thomas Nugent

Anna Todd
BBC Look East

After a nine month trial, police forces across Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire will now be able to use drones. 

I'm at the special launch taking place today and will bring you more on this story later. 

Katy Lewis
BBC Local Live

Like any Strictly fan I'll be keeping a close eye on the progress of the contestants during the three long weeks we have to wait until the live shows.

Yesterday was the first day of training and it seems that even Olympic athletes can find the dance floor tiring.

Woburn Sands' Greg Rutherford tweeted, external that he had a good day with professional partner Natalie Lowe who he described as a "seriously good teacher", but said he was "exhausted".

He also revealed, external that his day had started with an IAAF drugs test, external and joked that "clearly they think I'm too good a dancer".

Alex Pope
BBC Local Live

A new train station for Winslow has moved a step closer. 

Buckinghamshire County Council has confirmed they've purchased land for a railway station on the outskirts of the town for £900,000. 

If it gets built it will be part of the East West Rail (EWR) that will link Aylesbury, Milton Keynes, Oxford and Bedford. 

Plans for the 2.5 acre site include a station building, passenger's car park and public transport hub. 

Image source, East West Rail

Katy Lewis
BBC Local Live

The leader of Central Bedfordshire Council, external has said there are a number of issues to be looked at before houses could be built on the RAF Henlow site.

The Ministry of Defence, external has said the site will be sold off for housing with plans for nearly 800 homes.

James Jamieson said: "It needs to go through the formal process as every other site does to be assessed and sustainability would be key.

"Schools, transport, all of those things - before we could even consider a site, one would have to ensure that all those issues were addressed."  

Alex Pope
BBC Local Live

A teenager has been taken to hospital after a collision between a car and her bike, external. 

It happened  just after 08:00 this morning on Mile Road in Bedford. 

She was taken to Bedford Hospital South Wing for further treatment. Her injuries are not thought to be life-threatening, the East of England Ambulance Service said.

Katy Lewis
BBC Local Live

A woman accused of murdering her sister at their home in Luton is due to appear at Luton Crown Court this afternoon.

Saima Khan, 34, died from serious injuries at their house in Overstone Road in May.

Sabah Khan, who's eight years younger, is due to stand trial in November.

Image source, South Beds News Agency

Katy Lewis
BBC Local Live

Council leaders have said they will seek urgent talks with the Ministry of Defence (MoD) over the decision to close the airbase at RAF Henlow in Bedfordshire.

Image source, Google

The MoD say the site will be sold off for housing with plans for nearly 800 homes.

Council leader James Jamieson says the area is well-placed to provide alternative jobs, but they have not been consulted over plans for new homes.

He said: "They have not been having discussions with us on that, they haven't put it forward in our recent call for sites, external so we are now urgently seeking to have conversations with the MOD on all of those issues."