Sir Keir Starmer vows to fight poverty but refuses to announce the end of the two-child benefit cap.

A rescued seal pup is nursed back to health after complex surgery on his infected eye.

Unison says the dispute involving healthcare assistants in Durham and Darlington is resolved.

Mayank Agarwal scores 175 for Yorkshire on day two of their County Championship match against Durham.

Newcastle-hotel Crowne Plaza cancels Advance UK booking on "health and safety grounds".

The 47-year-old dies at the scene as a 50-year-old is arrested on suspicion of her murder.

Martin Emmerson
BBC Radio Newcastle

Indian batsman Mayank Agarwal may have struggled at the beginning of his Yorkshire career. He was signed for the final three matches and in his three innings to date he suffered two ducks and scored 26 runs.

But will Yorkshire's gamble to bring in a well-known overseas player pay off in their bid to avoid relegation? He's scored 116 so far today.

In comparison, Durham signed a little known Afghan spinner called Shafiqullah Ghafari, who was playing for Richmondshire in the NYSD League. They decided to play him in their final two games and left out the experienced Callum Parkinson. It's a head scratcher, that one.

Ghafari took 1-211 on his debut against Worcestershire last week and is going at nearly six an over today. Although he did dismiss Adam Lyth for 69, Agarwal has taken a real liking to him.

He brought up his century with his fourth six off the bowler and has added 62 runs in 78 balls with James Wharton. Wharton has seven, by the way.

Durham look flat in the field once again. The thought of them taking maximum bowling points seems a long way off. The body language looks that of a condemned team and has done for weeks now.

And as things stand it will be Division Two next season, unless they find some fighting spirit in the remainder of this game.

Work to replace the current structure, which dates back to the 1960s, will start next year.

Martin Emmerson
BBC Radio Newcastle

Adam Lyth has been a thorn in the Durham side over the years and is doing very Adam Lythy things again to them today.

He's now reached 50 against them for the 10th time in FC cricket. It's now six half centuries and four centuries.

And on the basis of what we are seeing here he would appear to have many more runs in the tank, despite reaching the age of 38 today.

He's also put on a stand of 93 so far with Indian batsman Mayank Agarwal, who is batting with a bandaged arm following a blow off a Ben Raine delivery earlier.

The physio has been on to treat him three times and supply pain killers. Agarwal has 52 and Lyth 57.

Officers are investigating after the body was discovered at the Suez waste facility in Billingham.

The dog found a phone which showed drunk driver Darryl Anderson was texting and speeding on the A1(M).

Director of rugby Steve Diamond is conscious of not putting too many expectation on his new-look Newcastle Red Bulls side.

Bradford City striker Andy Cook says scoring at boyhood side Newcastle United had left him speechless.

Martin Emmerson
BBC Radio Newcastle

Durham have missed out on a third batting point by just four runs, as Jack White took three wickets on the second morning of this match to pick up his first five wicket haul for Yorkshire.

He took two wickets in a maiden over in the fourth over of the day. He took Matty Potts' middle stump out of the ground when he was on 31. That ended an excellent stand for the eighth wicket with Ben Raine at 87 runs.

White then bowled Daniel Hogg for a fourth ball duck and a few overs later saw off Ben Raine for 101. Raine looked to pull the ball through the legside but edged down to George Hill at third man. White finished with figures of 20.2 overs, 5-69.

How important could that missed point prove to be come the end of the game and relegation though?

Durham survived relegation here on the final day of the 2006 season - by half a point! A nervy couple of days beckon.

Newcastle United youngster Lewis Miley is backed by Joelinton and Eddie Howe after criticism from small minority of social media users.