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Alex Salmond (pictured on Wednesday) was told if he wants to give spoken evidence it must be during the first week of February The Holyrood probe into the handling of complaints about Alex Salmond has taken steps to compel the Crown Office to hand over key documents. MSPs on the inquiry committee have invoked special powers which can force the release of correspondence. It comes as Mr Salmond was told that if he wants to give spoken evidence it must be during the first week of February. He previously refused to attend Holyrood to be questioned on February 2, citing concerns on travel during lockdown. The notice to the Crown Office says it 'may hold documents relevant and necessary for the committee to fulfil its remit'. The committee wants WhatsApp messages between a senior SNP official, Susan Ruddick, and Scottish ministers, special advisers or civil servants sent between August 2018 and January 2019 that may be relevant to the inquiry to be released. It also wants to see any

Facebook has said a 'configuration change' is believed to be responsible for causing problems for thousands of users in the United States and Europe on Friday night,  with some unable to access the site and others reporting that porn had flooded their video feeds.  Downdetector.com which measures website problems saw the problems start to occur around 10pm EST. At least 4,800 users in the U.S. reported on Downdetector that they were unable to log in.   It seemed the problem was mostly resolved on Saturday morning, although some users still reported problems. 'We're looking into reports that some people are currently having to login again to access their Facebook accounts,' the company said in a statement. 'We believe this was due to a configuration change and we're working to get things back to normal as quickly as possible.'   The most common issue appeared to revolve around those attempting to log in to the site - which they were unable to do.  Those a

This is the moment a woman hosting an illegal house party in Wales tried to stop police entering her home before claiming all three households were in a bubble.   Gwent Police received a call about a house party in Rhymney, Caerphilly, on Saturday 16 January.   A woman is seen answering the door to police before asking the officer: 'Are you going to fine me for this?'  Gwent Police received a call about a house party involving three people in Rhymney, Caerphilly, on Saturday 16 January 'If there is no breaches then no and if there is then maybe,' the officer replies.  However the woman responds: 'Well I am not going to pay it.'    'Why are you asking for a fine? Surely if there is no one in there then you wouldn't be considering it,' the officer replies.  The woman attempts to stop police coming inside her house before the officer tells her to 'get your hand off me'.  At one point the exasperated officer tells her: 'I've tried to be

The BBC has been called ‘heartless’ after pressuring hundreds of thousands of over-75s to pay for a TV licence as the Covid-19 pandemic deepened. Figures obtained by the Mail show the BBC had sent 525,223 letters by the end of November last year, as the country went into a second lockdown. The letters tell over-75s they either need to ‘arrange payment’ or apply for a free licence if they are entitled.  The push to recoup licence fee cash is part of a controversial scheme which has stripped millions of pensioners of their free licences. It is now restricted to those who receive Pension Credit. The BBC has been called ‘heartless’ after pressuring hundreds of thousands of over-75s to pay for a TV licence as the Covid-19 pandemic deepened (stock image) The true number of ‘reminders’ sent out is thought to be much higher than 525,223, as the corporation carried on sending them out in December. The letter was headed ‘a reminder to set up your next licence’ and said it was ‘important’ recipie

An MI6 training officer warned superiors that notorious double agent George Blake was 'unreliable', 'un-british' and lacked the qualities to work in the field for the Secret Intelligence Service, newly released papers have revealed. The warning came before his treachery began - which is feared to have sent 600 spies to their deaths by betraying them to the Soviet Union during the Cold War - papers just released into the National Archives at Kew have revealed. Despite the warnings, nothing was done to obstruct Blake's career, who five years later started giving secrets to the Russians, according to The Times. These included the names of 42 British agents who were later captured, tortured and murdered by the KGB - the main security agency for the Soviet Union. George Blake, pictured, is seen in Britain as a traitor who may have sent hundreds of spies to their deaths, but is feted as a hero in Russia where he lived after escaping prison Blake, who was born George Behar

Experts today played down fears a UK variant of the coronavirus is more deadly than the original strain after a 'scaremongering' Downing Street press conference last night. Public Health England medical director Dr Yvonne Doyle said it is not 'absolutely clear' if a mutation of the virus first found in Kent is more dangerous. Graham Medley, professor of infectious disease modelling at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said it is an 'open question' but not a 'game changer' in terms of dealing with the pandemic. And Dr Mike Tildesley, a member of SAGE subgroup the Scientific Pandemic Influenza Group on Modelling, said it was still too early to be drawing 'strong conclusions' about the suggested increased mortality rate. It comes after a SAGE warning revealing scientists are only 50 per cent sure the variant could be more fatal was handed to ministers just hours before the official address to the public from Downing Street last nig