Water quality at beaches across the north-east of England has fallen due to the amount of heavy rainfall, the Environment Agency has found.

BBC: Rain blamed for reduction in beach water quality

This week it emerged that the MacCulloch field to the north east of Aberdeen was shut in due to suspected damage caused by storms.

BBC: Flare from platform

Asked to confirm that two of the largest Jewish settlement blocks Maale Adumim, due east of Jerusalem, and Ariel, which pokes a long finger into the West Bank farther north would not be annexed to the Jewish state in such swaps, Mr Abbas declined to be drawn on geographical details.

ECONOMIST: The Middle East peace process