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'Contest' to tackle terror
No safe spaces for terrorists. That's the message from Home Secretary Sajid Javid today as he unveils the UK's new strategy for countering the threat. That means encouraging businesses to raise the alarm quickly if they have evidence of unusual transactions - such as someone stockpiling large amounts of chemicals or acting suspiciously when hiring a vehicle.
The strategy, known as Contest, will also see information shared more readily. At present, the security services have files on about 20,000 people with suspected extremist sympathies - and some, the Manchester Arena bomber among them, have been categorised as a "closed subject of interest". From now on, that intelligence will be declassified and given to other bodies, like councils, who can help with monitoring.
BBC security correspondent Frank Gardner says that while controversial in some quarters, enhanced data sharing is designed to maximise the chances of detecting any nascent action before it happens. That's especially relevant, Mr Javid will argue, because the timeframe between the conception and execution of terror plots has sharply reduced in recent years.
New era for learner drivers
Until now it was a milestone that could only be reached after a driver passed their test, but from today, learners in England, Scotland and Wales can have lessons on the motorway. They must be in a dual-control car with an approved driving instructor - so no going out with mum or dad - but it's hoped the move will cut accident rates and boost young people's road confidence.
A fifth of all deaths on Britain's roads in 2016 involved crashes where a driver was aged 17-24, despite them making up just 7% of all licence holders. New rules are already set to come in which will mean drivers caught using a phone within two years of passing their test will have their licence revoked. Road safety charities also say practising on rural roads should be compulsory for learners.
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