Sir Richard Branson has said he will continue with his venture into space tourism after the death of a pilot killed when a rocket crashed during a test flight in California.
The billionaire businessman described the tragedy, in which another pilot was seriously injured, as "a devastating loss" and said he and his team at Virgin Galactic are doing everything they can to support the pilots' families.
Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo rocket came down in the Mojave Desert in California, having "suffered a serious anomaly" after a test flight conducted by partner business Scaled Composites
NEW CHILD ABUSE INQUIRY HEAD SOUGHT
The Government is facing a search for a new head for the inquiry into historical child sex abuse after the chairwoman announced she was stepping down amid a barrage of criticism over her "establishment" links.
Fiona Woolf said she had no choice but to quit after accepting that the victims had lost all confidence in her ability to conduct the investigation impartially.
It follows sustained pressure over her links with former home secretary Lord Brittan, who is facing claims that he failed to act on a dossier of paedophile allegations in the 1980s.
FIREFIGHTERS STRIKE IN PENSIONS ROW
Firefighters have walked out on strike for the weekend in their bitter row with the Government over pensions, ahead of a series of firework displays across the country.
Members of the Fire Brigades Union in England left their stations at 6pm yesterday and will not return until 6pm on Tuesday, the evening before Bonfire Night.
Picket lines were mounted outside fire stations, and will continue throughout the next few days.
FIREWORKS BLAZE SEARCH TO RESUME
Searches will resume today at a blaze-damaged fireworks warehouse after the discovery of two bodies on the site.
A specialist team of police and fire officers carried out a fingertip search of the SP Plastics industrial unit on the Baswich Industrial Estate in Stafford yesterday after a huge fire ripped through the building on Thursday evening.
A 53-year-old man who was arrested in connection with the incident was released and is now being treated as a witness.
CAUTIONS SCRAPPED IN SYSTEM REVAMP
Cautions are set to be scrapped in England and Wales as part of an overhaul of out-of-court disposals.
Ministers want to replace existing disposals available to police officers, which include cautions and cannabis warnings, with a new two-tier approach requiring offenders to take one or more actions.
Justice Secretary Chris Grayling said the revamp, which at the bottom-end would see offenders writing an apology to victims or repairing damages but could see more serious offences being fined, removes the "soft option".
JIM MURPHY IN APOLOGY TO VOTERS
Scottish Labour should "apologise" for not listening to voters after electoral defeat, leadership candidate Jim Murphy has said.
The former Scottish secretary and the current shadow international development secretary has emerged as the early favourite for the job Johann Lamont left last week but he faces competition from MSPs Neil Findlay and Sarah Boyack.
Nominations opened for the posts of leader and deputy leader north of the border yesterday and Mr Murphy will formally launch his campaign in Edinburgh today.
MAN DIES AFTER SHOOTING INCIDENT
A man has died after being shot near a food wholesaler's.
The victim, believed to be 35, was blasted in the stomach and chest near Manchester Food Traders in Openshaw, east Manchester.
Police were called at 6.20pm yesterday following reports of a man with a gun and discovered the injured person.
CROSSES PLACED IN TRIBUTE TO FALLEN
Thousands of wooden crosses with the name of fallen servicemen and women will be planted as a moving Field of Remembrance.
Volunteers from the Armed Forces and families began the process of transforming Saltwell Park in Gateshead into a tribute to bravery and sacrifice.
Among the volunteers was Mike Wilson whose identical twin brother, LCpl David Wilson, died while serving with 9 Regiment Army Air Corp in Iraq during 2008.
NURSE CAN MOVE ABOUT AS CURBS EASED
A US nurse who treated Ebola patients in Sierra Leone can move about as she pleases after a judge eased state-imposed restrictions on her.
It handed officials in Maine a defeat in the nation's biggest court case yet over how to balance personal liberty, public safety and fear of Ebola.
Judge Charles C LaVerdiere ruled yesterday that Kaci Hickox must continue daily monitoring of her health but said there is no need to isolate her or restrict her movements because she has no symptoms and is therefore not contagious.
STRICTLY JUDGE 'HAS SOFTER SIDE'
DJ Scott Mills has said Strictly Come Dancing judge Craig Revel Horwood has a softer side off screen.
The BBC Radio 1 presenter revealed the judge has apologised for his cutting comments, which included calling him a "banshee" and saying he "can't dance in any way, shape or form".
But Revel Horwood said despite the pair's inability to score highly in the competition, both Mills and tennis coach Judy Murray are entertaining to watch.
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