The West should have tried talking to the Taliban a decade ago after they had just been toppled from power, the UK's top general in Afghanistan says.

Rugby international Jamie Roberts takes time out from Lions duty in Australia to play guitar on stage with the Manic Street Preachers.

The Department for Communities and Local Government is fined by the Treasury for taking out an unauthorised £217m bank overdraft.

Nico Rosberg heads Lewis Hamilton in a Mercedes one-two in final practice at the British Grand Prix.

A man is charged after John Constable's masterpiece The Hay Wain had a photograph stuck on to it in the National Gallery.

British number seven Jamie Baker retires from tennis aged 26, having slipped to 333rd in the world rankings.

Computer-generated images are released of the Kelpies sculpture, which is being constructed between Falkirk and Grangemouth.

Two members of the English Defence League who planned to do a sponsored walk to Woolwich in east London are arrested.