RAF escorts Pakistan plane to Stanstedpublished at 23:05 Greenwich Mean Time 7 February 2017
RAF jets divert a plane from its intended route to London amid a reported security alert.
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RAF escorts Pakistan plane to Stanstedpublished at 23:05 Greenwich Mean Time 7 February 2017
Our live coverage across the daypublished at 18:23 Greenwich Mean Time 7 February 2017
That's it for live updates today, but any breaking news will continue to appear here.
Our main stories today:
- A plane from Pakistan was diverted to Stansted following the suggestion of a bomb on board. You can follow the latest developments on this story with updates from our UK desk
- The trial into the murders of Peter and Sylvia Stuart from Weybread has been told the accused, Ali Qazimaj, allegedly carried out a contract killing
- The leader of Colchester borough council has refused a call for a referendum on bin collections
Have a good evening, we'll be back from 08:00 on Wednesday.
Bomb threat saw plane diverted to Stanstedpublished at 18:19 Greenwich Mean Time 7 February 2017
Mariam Issimdar
BBC NewsMore details have emerged about the incident which caused a flight from Pakistan to be diverted to Stansted this afternoon.
The BBC understands two things happened on board the aircraft.
- A phone call threat suggesting a bomb was on board the plane led to RAF jets being scrambled and the forced diversion to Stansted Airport.
- A different passenger on the flight, who was due to be arrested on arrival at Heathrow Airport, was arrested after the plane landed, according to the Metropolitan Police.
Image source, PAStansted is a designated airport for dealing with hijacks and major security alerts.
Such incidents are dealt with in a remote part of the airfield to the north-west of the terminal building.
Passengers have not been allowed off the plane.
Weather: Damp overnight and drizzle tomorrowpublished at 17:59 Greenwich Mean Time 7 February 2017
Alex Dolan
BBC Look East weatherTonight will be cloudy with some patchy drizzle, particularly across eastern counties, but starting dry and clear in the west with mist patches forming.
Becoming damp and drizzly across all parts later tonight, with lows of 3C (37F).
An overcast and increasingly cold day tomorrow will bring some showery outbreaks of drizzle, but some bright spells will develop. Highs of just 5C (41F).
There are more details on the BBC Weather website.
Murder victim was found with nine stab wounds, court hearspublished at 17:39 Greenwich Mean Time 7 February 2017
A man was found stabbed nine times near his home, a court has heard.
As we reported earlier, the identity of the man charged with the murders of Peter Stuart, 75, and his wife Sylvia, 69, is in dispute.
Ipswich Crown Court heard the body of Mr Stuart was found in a shallow water in woodland near his home in Weybread on 3 June.
Prosecuting, Karim Khalil QC said: "He had plainly been murdered."
The body of Mrs Stuart has not been found but police fear she is dead.
"We say she has been murdered too but has been hidden more successfully," said Mr Khalil.
The defendant, who the prosecution says is Ali Qazimaj, formerly of Tilbury, Essex, denies murder.
The trial continues.
Murder accused 'carried out contract killing', court hearspublished at 17:38 Greenwich Mean Time 7 February 2017
The man accused with the murders of a Suffolk couple claimed to have carried out a contract killing, a court has heard.
As we've been reporting, the trial of the man accused of the murders of Peter and Sylvia Stuart from Weybread has got under way at Ipswich Crown Court.
The court heard the defendant, whose identity is in dispute, had been told that the Stuarts were "millionaires" by their son-in-law's father Sidney Paxman.
The defendant was Mr Paxman's carer. "According to Sidney Paxman, he told him he had been to Serbia and on his return he said he had carried out a contract killing," said Karim Khalil QC, prosecuting.
The court heard on a separate occasion, when the pair were driving, the defendant made a comment to the effect that a place they were driving past "would be a good place to dispose of a body".
The defendant, who the prosecution says is Ali Qazimaj, formerly of Tilbury, Essex, denies murder.
The trial continues.
Inquiries continue after Pakistani flight diverted to Stanstedpublished at 17:19 Greenwich Mean Time 7 February 2017
Mariam Issimdar
BBC NewsThis is the first image of the Pakistani jet which has been diverted to Stansted Airport.
Image source, PAEssex Police said that the diversion was due to a "disruptive passenger".
It said officers were speaking to people on the plane and the airport remained open.
Saturday's non-league footballpublished at 17:05 Greenwich Mean Time 7 February 2017
Listen to live BBC local radio commentary from Saturday's action in the National League and National League North.
Read MoreWhy are planes diverted to Stansted?published at 16:58 Greenwich Mean Time 7 February 2017
Mariam Issimdar
BBC NewsStansted is a designated airport for dealing with hijacks and major security alerts.
Image source, MODSuch incidents are dealt with in a remote part of the airfield to the north-west of the terminal building.
The Pakistan International Airlines flight to Heathrow was intercepted by the RAF and forced to land at Stansted airport instead.
Squadrons are based at RAF Coningsby, covering the south of the country, and RAF Lossiemouth in Moray, to cover the north.
The Quick Reaction Alert crews can take off within minutes to intercept aircraft which have caused concern.
This can be because they are Russian military aircraft, or civilian planes which have stopped communicating with air traffic control, are not following their flight plan or have sent an emergency signal.
Essex police say they're investigating reports of a disruptive passenger aboard the Pakistani plane but don't believe it was related to terrorism or hijacking.
Tuesday's non-league actionpublished at 16:46 Greenwich Mean Time 7 February 2017
Listen to live BBC Radio Solent commentary as Eastleigh host Braintree Town and Woking face Solihull Moors in the National League.
Read MorePakistani plane expected to continue journeypublished at 16:35 Greenwich Mean Time 7 February 2017
Mariam Issimdar
BBC NewsThe Pakistani aircraft diverted to Stansted "is likely to continue its journey onwards to Heathrow today pending inquiries that the police are making into the individual on the aircraft", a spokesman from Stansted has confirmed.
The aeroplane which left Lahore was bound for Heathrow before being diverted to the Essex airport this afternoon.
It was intercepted and escorted by RAF Typhoon jets which were scrambled from RAF Coningsby, in Lincolnshire, after problems were reported on board.
Essex Police confirmed this was due to a troublesome passenger and not a hijack or terrorist threat.
Pakistan's Civil Aviation Authority tweeted, external: "#PIA flight bound for Heathrow from Lahore has been diverted to #Stansted due to reasons aboard the aircraft."
Tracking details of Pakistani diverted flightpublished at 16:26 Greenwich Mean Time 7 February 2017
Flight tracking website Flightradar24, external shows the plane - PK757 - diverting off its course from Lahore to Heathrow Airport and landing instead at Stansted.
Image source, Flightradar24The forced diversion which saw the plane escorted by RAF fighter jets was triggered by a disruptive passenger on board the aircraft.
Second time plane diverted to Stansted from Pakistanpublished at 16:12 Greenwich Mean Time 7 February 2017
Mariam Issimdar
BBC NewsIt's not the first time a plane from Pakistan has been diverted from Heathrow to Stansted.
The airport says there was a similar incident in May 2013 when a Pakistan International Airlines flight heading from Lahore to Manchester was forced to land at Stansted.
Two people were arrested in that incident.
Referring to today's incident an Essex police spokesman says "The plane is currently at the airport and officers are making enquiries."
Plane diverted due to 'disruptive passenger'published at 15:59 Greenwich Mean Time 7 February 2017
Essex Police say the diversion of a plane from Pakistan to Stansted follows reports of a disruptive passenger on board and was "not believed to be a hijack situation or terror matter".
The aircraft, which had left Lahore, was intercepted and escorted to Stansted by RAF Typhoon jets according to the Ministry of Defence.
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End of twitter postPakistani plane diverted to Stanstedpublished at 15:50 Greenwich Mean Time 7 February 2017
BreakingMariam Issimdar
BBC NewsAn aeroplane from Pakistan heading for Heathrow has landed at Stansted Airport after being escorted by an RAF fighter jet.
Pakistan International Airlines 757 from Lahore to Heathrow landed at Stansted at 14:50.
It was escorted by RAF Typhoon aircraft and is being held on a remote stand far away from the airport and main passenger terminal.
Stansted Airport has confirmed that police are now dealing with the matter and the airport is open as usual.
Jury is sworn in at murder trialpublished at 14:33 Greenwich Mean Time 7 February 2017
The jury has been sworn in at the trial of a man accused of murdering a Suffolk couple.
Image source, Suffolk PoliceAli Qazimaj, 43, originally from Tilbury, Essex, has been charged in connection with the deaths of Peter Stuart and his wife Sylvia.
Mr Stuart's body was found in the village of Weybread, Suffolk, in June. His wife's body has not been found.
CCTV images showed the couple were last seen at a farm shop in Norfolk.
The trial is being held at Ipswich Crown Court.
Pedestrian injured by quad bikepublished at 14:32 Greenwich Mean Time 7 February 2017
A 63-year-old pedestrian's been left with a serious leg injury after a collision with a quad bike in South Ockenden.
The rider failed to stop.
It happened in South Road on Sunday lunchtime.
MP says illness prevented him from taking part in Common's EU votepublished at 13:46 Greenwich Mean Time 7 February 2017
Mariam Issimdar
BBC NewsThe Conservative MP for Saffron Walden has been explaining why he didn't take part in last week's vote on the European Union Notification of Withdrawal Bill.
The bill would allow the government to get Brexit negotiations under way.
In a statement, Sir Alan Haselhurst explained that he was ill and suffering from "an extreme strain of the winter coughing virus, and on medical advice was conveyed home to rest for the remainder of the week".
He added that he had fully intended to vote and "any other imputation relating to his absence would be inaccurate".
MPs are due to vote again on a third reading of the bill tomorrow.
Essex boy Otto brought in to kick-start rhino romancepublished at 11:55 Greenwich Mean Time 7 February 2017
Sarah Jenkins
BBC Local LiveWith Valentine's Day around the corner, Woburn Safari Park is hoping its newest arrival will prove a hit with the female rhino residents.
White rhinoceros Otto was brought in from Colchester Zoo and it's hoped romance will blossom between the 3.5-tonne male and Woburn's female rhino, Makusi (pair below).
Image source, Woburn Safari Park/Bridget Davey PhotographyIt was a tactical move by the safari park as its existing male rhino, Kai, wasn't making much of an impression on the female population.
The hope is the pair will successfully breed as the species is now classified as "near threatened" by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.
Colchester leader says no to referendum on binspublished at 11:53 Greenwich Mean Time 7 February 2017
Richard Smith
BBC EssexThe leader of Colchester Borough Council has rejected a call for a referendum on changes to waste collections.
Households will move to fortnightly collections , externalof residual waste in June, in an effort to boost levels of recycling.
Earlier we told you that Dennis Willetts, Tory group leader on the council, was demanding a ballot on the matter.
But leader of the authority, Liberal Democrat Paul Smith, said that people were given a say on the matter during the local elections when both the Lib Dems and Labour declared the intention in their manifestos.
"The people of Colchester have already decided," says Mr Smith.