TORIES PLAN WINTER FUEL PAYMENT CUTS TO HELP FUND SOCIAL CARE

Wealthy pensioners will lose up to £300 in winter fuel payments and more elderly people could be forced to pay to be looked after in their own homes under Theresa May's plans to tackle the social care funding crisis.

The Tory manifesto launched on Thursday will offer protection from the cost of social care for people with assets of £100,000 or less, a dramatic increase from the current £23,250 level in England.

In order to make the system sustainable, the value of someone's property will now be included in the means test for care in their own home, meaning more people will be liable to contribute to the cost of being looked after.

TRIBUTES PAID AFTER DEATH OF FORMER WELSH FIRST MINISTER RHODRI MORGAN

Former Welsh first minister Rhodri Morgan has died aged 77.

The Labour politician was a "towering figure", former Welsh secretary Lord Hain said, describing him as "both the father of devolution and the father of the nation".

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn hailed him as a "giant" of the Labour movement, while current Welsh Secretary, Conservative Alun Cairns, said Mr Morgan was a "significant politician" and a "great servant to Wales".

ALCOHOL GUIDANCE 'NOT ABOUT POLICING PREGNANT WOMEN'S BEHAVIOUR', MIDWIVES SAY

Leading midwives have reiterated guidance for pregnant women to avoid drinking alcohol after it was suggested advice on the subject could lead to "anxiety" among expectant mothers.

Government guidance issued last year states that "no level of alcohol is safe to drink in pregnancy".

Previously, it was recommended that pregnant women should limit themselves to no more than one or two units once or twice a week. But officials altered the advice "to provide greater clarity as a precaution".

BABY 'BUS DEATH' COUPLE FACING YEARS BEHIND BARS

A couple who tried to cover up their baby's torture and death at home by staging the discovery of her body on a bus are facing years behind bars.

Drug addicts Jeffrey Wiltshire, 52, and Rosalin Baker, 25, concocted a "devious" plan to get away with the horrific abuse of 16-week-old Imani which culminated in her death in September last year.

Baker blamed her abusive and controlling boyfriend and claimed he had tried to "frame" her by forcing her on to the bus with their dead child in a sling.

VLOGGING AND APP DESIGN COULD FEATURE AS NEW GIRL GUIDE BADGES

Decades ago, girl guides learnt about being an air mechanic or electrician, now 21st century youngsters could soon be finding out about vlogging or app design.

Girlguiding has announced a major revamp of its "badges" programme - the different activities that guides take part in - in a bid to bring them up to date for today's young women and girls.

The charity is asking the public to use social media to suggest the badges they would create using the hashtag #BadgeGoals. The ideas will be considered during the development of the final badges.

ROCHDALE ABUSE SCANDAL: POTENTIAL OFFENDERS STILL AT LARGE, SAYS EX-DETECTIVE

A former police detective who played a key role in bringing child sex abusers in Rochdale to justice has said a number of potential offenders are still at large.

Detective Constable Maggie Oliver persuaded young girls who were being sexually abused in the town to speak to police, leading to nine gang members being jailed in 2012.

Speaking to the Mirror, the former officer said girls would still be susceptible to abuse in Rochdale as offenders are still walking the streets.

HOW 20-MINUTE EXERCISE PLAN COULD CUT INJURIES TO YOUNG RUGBY PLAYERS BY 70%

Injuries in young rugby players could be reduced by more than 70% thanks to a new 20-minute exercise programme, a study has found.

Players should complete the routine, which includes balance, strength and movement exercises, before matches and during training.

The study found overall injuries fell by 72%, and concussion injuries by 59%, when the routine was performed at least three times per week.

WILLIAM AND HARRY TO HAND OVER AWARD IN HONOUR OF THEIR MOTHER

The Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry will present a group of young people from across the world with a new award established in memory of their mother.

The 20 recipients will receive the Legacy Award recognising their efforts at creating positive social change in their communities and countries.

The Diana Award announced it had created the honour at the start of the year, which will see the 20th anniversary of the death of Diana, Princess of Wales commemorated.

EX-FBI DIRECTOR ROBERT MUELLER TO LEAD TRUMP-RUSSIA PROBE

The US Justice Department has appointed former FBI director Robert Mueller as a special counsel to lead a federal investigation into allegations that Donald Trump's campaign collaborated with Russia to sway the 2016 election that put him in the White House.

Mr Mueller will have sweeping powers and the authority to prosecute any crimes he uncovers.

The surprise announcement to hand the probe over to Mr Mueller, a lawman with deep bipartisan respect, was a striking shift for Mr Trump's Justice Department, which had resisted increasingly loud calls from Democrats for an outside prosecutor.

TALKS OVER LAPTOPS ON US FLIGHTS FROM EUROPE END WITH NO BAN

Talks on a proposed US ban on laptops and tablets in flights from Europe ended with no ban - and a promise of more talks and better intelligence sharing.

For days now, European Union officials have been hoping for details on the threat that prompted the proposed ban - the same details that US President Donald Trump discussed with Russian diplomats at the White House last week.

The airline industry came out against the proposal in a strongly worded letter that said it would cause a severe downturn in trans-Atlantic air travel and cost travellers more than a billion dollars in lost time.