Image source, Instagram

Justin Timberlake has been spared a brush with the law after a picture he posted of himself voting caught the attention of Tennessee authorities.

The actor and pop star uploaded a picture to Instagram of him casting a ballot in Memphis.

It became illegal to take photos inside polling locations in Tennessee in 2015.

Timberlake flew from Los Angeles to his hometown of Memphis to cast an early ballot ahead of the 8 November election.

For those wondering, it is not illegal to take a picture in UK polling booths although it is advised against as it is an offence to take a picture in a polling booth which reveals how someone else voted.

Read more...

European Parliament
Strasbourg

Summing up the debate, European Commission deputy chief Frans Timmermans says he "shares the concerns" of those MEPs who spoke about drownings in the south Mediterranean. 

However he says that although border fences are "part of the answer" to the migration crisis, they are "not a panacea" to the problems posed by mass migration. 

"Don't believe the illusion of borders as the only solution to this problem," he adds. 

On the CETA deal, he says that it is vital that the EU is able to strike trade deals with countries which "share our values". 

European Parliament
Strasbourg

In his concluding remarks, European Council President Donald Tusk dismisses calls for the EU to disregard opposition to trade deals from regional or national parliaments. 

He acknowledges that this does not make governing the EU any easier, but adds that the EU is "still a union of the states, and not of the institutions".

He says at the summit he backed those pushing for a "stronger position" on Russia, and calls on the EU to take a united front in its stance. 

Syed Kamall, leader of the Conservatives' ECR parliamentary group at the European Parliament, has said an EU summit last week showed the union was defined by "weakness and indecision."

Commenting on the EU's failure to ratify the Ceta trade deal with Canada, Mr Kamall said: "The ECR is asking if the EU cannot even reach an agreement with a country such as Canada, what hope do we have for telling the rest of the world that the EU is open for business?"

The Conservative MEP also criticised European leaders' unwillingness to take a stronger stance on Russia, saying "Economic sanctions are beginning to have an effect on Russia - but not nearly enough.

He continued: "And now we even see one EU country - Spain - offering to refuel that same Russian fleet that is likely to inflict more atrocities on the civilians of Aleppo. What kind of signal does that send about our resolve?"

What do Theresa May's constituents think about Heathrow expansion? BBC News sent reporters to find out.

European Parliament
Strasbourg

Glenis Willmott, who leads Labour's delegation of MEPs, says she is "dismayed" at the tone taken so far by the UK government in its position on Brexit. 

The UK, she says, will not get a good deal through "threatening, hectoring and lecturing".

Instead she calls for "sensible negotiations" - adding that continued membership of the single market is "crucial for our economy". 

Nicola Sturgeon urges politicians, businesses and universities to join an "all-Scotland" coalition to oppose a so-called hard Brexit.

Coverage of Wednesday at the Northern Ireland Assembly, as the Public Accounts Committee quizzes representatives from Ofgem about the "flawed" Renewable Heat Incentive scheme.

Image source, Getty Images

The Transport Secretary Chris Grayling has responded to the resignation of Tory MP Zac Goldsmith in protest at the proposals to build a third runway at Heathrow airport. 

Mr Grayling said he was "sorry" to see Mr Goldsmith resign, but that the move was in line with his long-held objections to airport expansion. 

"There are a lot of things we do agree on. We don't agree on this. I wish Zac all the very best in the future. I wish he hadn't taken this decision. The reality is you can only deal with the world as it is, not how you'd like it to be," he added. 

Writing on LabourList, external, three Labour MPs are calling for the party not to stand in the by-election triggered by Zac Goldsmith's resignation as they believe a Lib Dem win represents the best chance of " kicking Goldsmith out of parliament."

Shadow minister Clive Lewis, shadow economic secretary to the Treasury Jonathan Reynolds and backbencher Lisa Nandy argue that progressive parties "need every vote they can get", and that the Lib Dem vote would be split if Green and Labour candidates also run.

The Lib Dems held Mr Goldsmith's seat of Richmond Park until 2010. 

The Daily Telegraph

The Daily Telegraph runs with an article by Virgin Atlantic CEO Craig Keeger, welcoming the news that the airport is to be expanded. 

Mr Keeger praises the government for "grasping the nettle" and ending decades of indecision over airport expansion in the south east of England. 

He highlights the transport secretary's statement that the airport's owners should not heavily increase landing charges at Heathrow as a commitment to keeping flying affordable for more people. 

As an airline CEO, Mr Keeger focuses on the business opportunity the new runway might provide, calling it an "exciting" opportunity to increase competition at the UK's largest airport, currently dominated by rival airline British Airways. 

He also addresses some concerns opponents of the new runway hold. Making clear his own airline's plans to invest in new, quieter aircraft, Mr Keeger writes "Virgin Atlantic is committed to being a good neighbour."

Read more: Heathrow approval shows Britain is ready for take-off, external

European Parliament
Strasbourg

Interim UKIP leader Nigel Farage picks up on reports that Theresa May was only offered five minutes to talk about Brexit at last week's summit, which he says gives the impression that EU leaders are "too busy" to take the matter seriously. 

He says her commitment that the UK will continue to be a full member until it leaves the EU is a "very mixed message" and has been interpreted as a "sign of weakness".

He adds that some in the EU are "hoping we change our minds", and says the EU has a "long tradition" of trying to "ignore or overturn" referendums. 

He claims that former Lib Dem and Labour leaders Nick Clegg and Ed Miliband are not willing to accept the result of June's referendum, referring to them as "quislings".     

He says the pair are among those in the UK Parliament who are "desperate" to keep the UK inside the European single market.  

That prompts a response from Parliament President Martin Schulz, who calls Mr Farage's comparison "inappropriate". 

The Guardian

Image source, PA

The Guardian has said that the decision to expand Heathrow airport is a "sign of the British political world’s current priorities", in a critical editorial on the plans. 

The newspaper says the move to recommend a third runway for the airport "puts old-fashioned economics firmly ahead of tackling climate change", noting that climate issues made no appearance in the transport secretary's statement to the Commons yesterday. 

Focusing on the environmental case against airport expansion, the article notes local opposition to the plans, with councils in the area threatening legal action over breaches in air quality regulations. 

Weighing the expansion against the environmental cost, the editorial concludes that the third runway is a "short-sighted investment."

Read more: The Guardian view on Heathrow’s third runway: climate loses out to growth, external

European Parliament
Strasbourg

On behalf of the Liberal ALDE group, Dutch MEP Sophia in't Veld says the EU's credibility as a trade negotiator has been "severely damaged" by the disagreements over CETA. 

However she says the trade pact cannot be "unpicked", because "trade is essential for our prosperity". 

She says that without an agreement on sanctions on Russia, the EU will lose "any leverage we have" to try to stop the country's bombing in Syria. 

Given the disunity between governments, she says the European Council is like "three-engine plane with one broken".