US Warns North Korea Over Nuclear Tests

The US has warned North Korea that it faces "real consequences" over its continuing nuclear and missile tests.

Tensions have risen since Pyongyang carried out its fourth nuclear test in January, followed by a series of missile launches - the latest was last week - which analysts say show it is making progress towards being able to strike the US mainland.

At a meeting of the 10-members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), US Secretary of State John Kerry said: "Together we are determined ... to make absolutely certain that DPRK (North Korea) understands that there are real consequences for these actions." 

The issue is a major theme of talks in the Laotian capital, which are attended by 10 Southeast Asian nations and key players in the region including China, the US, Russia, Japan and South Korea.

Mr Kerry continued: "(The) issue that came up in nearly every meeting I had so far this week is the provocative and deeply concerning behaviour of the DPRK. 

"North Korea's actions present a very serious threat, not just to this region but to international peace and security." 

John Kerry (L) with South Korean foreign minister Yun Byung-se at the talks

UN sanctions against North Korea have been tightened following the tests but Pyongyang has defiantly continued with its programme.

Washington and Seoul agreed earlier this month to deploy a sophisticated anti-missile system in South Korea, which can shoot down incoming enemy projectiles.

That, in turn, is worrying Beijing and Russia who are unhappy about having a US-made system so close to their territory.

Beijing is Pyongyang's main friend, both diplomatically and economically, but reports say even it seems to be growing impatient at its neighbour's refusal to pull back on its tests.

North Korea's new foreign minister and former nuclear negotiator Ri Yong-Ho has met his Chinese counterpart Yi - but is seen as unlikely that Mr Kerry and Mr Ri will meet.

But a US State Department official emphasised: "I think that the North Korean foreign minister will again hear from not only the Secretary of State but from others in the room that the world is not prepared to accept North Korea as a nuclear state."

Star Wars Firm Admits Harrison Ford Blunder

A production firm has admitted safety breaches after Star Wars actor Harrison Ford was crushed by a door on the Millennium Falcon set.

Ford was knocked over and pinned down by the heavy door as he rehearsed for Star Wars: The Force Awakens at Pinewood Studios in Buckinghamshire on 12 June, 2014.

The 71-year-old had been on the set of the Millennium Falcon spaceship in his role as Han Solo when he was hit by the door.

Prosecutor Andrew Marshall told Milton Keynes Magistrates' Court that Ford had walked through the door with another actor before pressing a button.

Believing the set was not live and the door would stay open, he tried to walk back through it.

But the door was remotely operated and it hit Ford in the pelvic area, pinning him to the ground.

The Health and Safety Executive later described the force of the door as being comparable to a small car hitting the actor. 

Mr Marshall said Ford was lucky to have survived the accident, adding: "It could have killed somebody - the fact that it didn't was because an emergency stop was activated".

Foodles Production (UK) Ltd, which is owned by Disney, admitted two breaches under health and safety law - one relating to its duty in relation to employees and the second being a breach over people not employed by the company.

After the accident, Ford was left with a broken leg and was taken to hospital in Oxford by helicopter.

He spoke about the accident before Christmas that year during an appearance on the Jonathan Ross Show, saying that the door in the original film had been closed by a stage hand and a pulley.

The new door, however, he described as closing "at light speed".

Defending the film company, Angus Withington said that, while they admitted the offences, they would contest the level of risk involved.

A spokeswoman for Foodles said they had "provided full co-operation throughout HSE's investigation into the on-set accident that occurred in June 2014".

She added: "The safety of our cast and crew was always a top priority throughout the production."

The company will be sentenced at Aylesbury Crown Court on 22 August.

Discounters Bag Shopper Records After EU Vote

There are signs the UK's vote to leave the EU has prompted grocery shoppers to become more price conscious - with discounters seeing the greatest benefit.

The latest industry figures, released by Kantar Worldpanel, showed Lidl sales growing 12.5% in the 12 weeks to 17 July compared to the same period last year - with Aldi close behind on 11%.

It placed their market shares at new record highs of 4.5% and 6.2% respectively - level with Morrisons' 10.7% when combined.

There was progress too for Iceland, Co-op and - at the top end of the market - Waitrose.

The 'big four' chains continued to see sales decline, Kantar said.

It reported a fall of 0.7% at market leader, Tesco, and decline of 1.1% for Sainsbury's.

Asda's new boss, Sean Clarke, saw sales drop by 5.6% while Morrisons achieved its best result since January with sales down by 1.8%.

Kantar added there was no sign that the EU vote had had an impact on store prices, but it is feared that the fall in the value of the pound will eventually push up checkout costs as imported goods will cost chains more to buy.

Kantar's head of retail, Fraser McKevitt, said: "The EU referendum result has had no immediate impact on the prices retailers are charging or the sales volumes consumers are buying over the past 12 weeks.

"The nation's average shopping basket is 1.4% cheaper than a year ago, exactly the same level of deflation as reported last month, and it remains to be seen if the Brexit vote will bring about any price rises this year.

"Over the latest 12 weeks beer sales did bring about some cheer for the grocers, growing 2.8%, ahead of the overall market.

"The impact was mostly felt prior to England's early exit from the Euro 2016 football tournament, which brought with it a rapid reversal in fortune for beer sales.

"Beer and lager were also hindered by poor early summer weather, as were BBQ favourites like sausages, which fell by 6.3%."

Hostage Killed As Knifemen Attack French Church

Two men armed with knives have been shot dead after taking several people hostage in a church in northern France.

According to a Reuters police source, one of the hostages - a priest - was killed and had his throat slit.

A second hostage is reportedly fighting for their life. 

Five people were being held by the knifemen in the church in the town of Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray, near the city of Rouen in Normandy, according to the news agency.

The assailants got in through the back door of the church and took the priest, two nuns and two parishioners hostage during morning mass.

Police at the scene in Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray

French media reported shots being fired as police confirmed both captors had been "neutralised".

Le Figaro is reporting several others have been injured during the attack.

It says one of the hostages managed to escape during the hours-long ordeal and raised the alarm.

Emergency services were quickly on the scene and negotiators summoned to the scene.

TV footage of the scene shows one person being stretchered into an awaiting ambulance, surrounded by police cars and fire engines.

A police cordon has been set up and several police officers - some in plain clothes - can be seen talking on mobile phones.

The identities of the attackers and their motive is unknown.

Anti-terror investigators has been appointed to take charge of the investigation.

French President Francois Hollande and interior minister Bernard Cazeneuve are on their way to the scene - which comes just days after the Bastille Day massacre in Nice which left 84 people dead.

France has been under a state of emergency since the terror attacks in Paris in November last year.

Hostage Killed As Knifemen Attack French Church

Two men armed with knives have been shot dead after taking several people hostage in a church in northern France.

According to a Reuters police source, one of the hostages - a priest - was killed and had his throat slit.

A second hostage is reportedly fighting for their life. 

Five people were being held by the knifemen in the church in the town of Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray, near the city of Rouen in Normandy, according to the news agency.

The assailants got in through the back door of the church and took the priest, two nuns and two parishioners hostage during morning mass.

Police at the scene in Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray

French media reported shots being fired as police confirmed both captors had been "neutralised".

Le Figaro is reporting several others have been injured during the attack.

It says one of the hostages managed to escape during the hours-long ordeal and raised the alarm.

Emergency services were quickly on the scene and negotiators summoned to the scene.

TV footage of the scene shows one person being stretchered into an awaiting ambulance, surrounded by police cars and fire engines.

A police cordon has been set up and several police officers - some in plain clothes - can be seen talking on mobile phones.

The identities of the attackers and their motive is unknown.

Anti-terror investigators has been appointed to take charge of the investigation.

French President Francois Hollande and interior minister Bernard Cazeneuve are on their way to the scene - which comes just days after the Bastille Day massacre in Nice which left 84 people dead.

France has been under a state of emergency since the terror attacks in Paris in November last year.

Hostage Killed As Knifemen Attack French Church

Two men armed with knives have been shot dead after taking several people hostage in a church in northern France.

According to a Reuters police source, one of the hostages - a priest - was killed and had his throat slit.

A second hostage is reportedly fighting for their life. 

Five people were being held by the knifemen in the church in the town of Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray, near the city of Rouen in Normandy, according to the news agency.

The assailants got in through the back door of the church and took the priest, two nuns and two parishioners hostage during morning mass.

Police at the scene in Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray

French media reported shots being fired as police confirmed both captors had been "neutralised".

Le Figaro is reporting several others have been injured during the attack.

It says one of the hostages managed to escape during the hours-long ordeal and raised the alarm.

Emergency services were quickly on the scene and negotiators summoned to the scene.

TV footage of the scene shows one person being stretchered into an awaiting ambulance, surrounded by police cars and fire engines.

A police cordon has been set up and several police officers - some in plain clothes - can be seen talking on mobile phones.

The identities of the attackers and their motive is unknown.

Anti-terror investigators has been appointed to take charge of the investigation.

French President Francois Hollande and interior minister Bernard Cazeneuve are on their way to the scene - which comes just days after the Bastille Day massacre in Nice which left 84 people dead.

France has been under a state of emergency since the terror attacks in Paris in November last year.

RBS Customers May Face Negative Interest Rates

The RBS banking group has warned 1.3 million customers they could be charged negative interest rates if the Bank of England cuts base rates below zero.

The group, which includes NatWest, wrote to its business and commercial account holders about the potential changes, which mean they could lose money even when they are in credit.

The letter said: "Global interest rates remain at very low levels and in some markets are currently negative.

"Dependent on future market conditions, this could result in us charging on credit balances."

The Bank of England's base rate currently stands at the historically low rate of 0.5%, where it has been for more than seven years - and some economists believe it should be cut further to stimulate the economy.

BofE governor Mark Carney is reluctant to cut the base rate below 0.25%

RBS and NatWest would be the first banks in UK history to charge negative interest rates.

However, a spokeswoman for the group stressed there are no plans to inflict any of these changes on its personal banking customers.

"We will consider any necessary action in the event of the Bank of England base rate falling below zero, but will do our utmost to protect our customers from any impacts," she added.

Any cut in the base rate would be better news for borrowers, as those on so-called "tracker" mortgages would see the cost of their monthly bills fall.

But savers could see already disappointing returns on their funds plummet further in the event of a reduction to 0.25% as expected.

Earlier this month, Bank of England governor Mark Carney said he was reluctant to reduce rates below 0.25%, warning: "If interest rates are too low or negative, the hit to bank profitability could perversely reduce credit availability or even increase its overall price."