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Logan's Run author George Clayton Johnson dies at 86

Science-fiction writer George Clayton Johnson, who co-wrote the 1967 dystopian novel Logan's Run, has died aged 86.

The writer, who had cancer, died in Los Angeles on Christmas Day his son, Paul Johnson, said.

Johnson also penned the first Star Trek television episode, shown in 1966.

But he was best known for Logan's Run, which was made into a 1976 film starring Michael York and was nominated for two Oscars.

Set in a dystopian future and co-written with William F Nolan, the story told of a society where young people live idyllic lives, but are executed when they reach the age of 30 to prevent overpopulation.

York played Logan 5, a so-called Sandman who tracks down those who try to escape their fate. Jenny Agutter, Peter Ustinov and Farrah Fawcett also starred in the film.

The film was nominated for best cinematography and art direction Oscars and won a special achievement Academy Award for its visual effects.

It also spawned a short-lived US TV series in 1977 starring Gregory Harrison in the lead role.

'Loved his fans'

Johnson was revered among fans of the sci-fi genre for his work, which also included a collaboration with Ray Bradbury on the 1962 Oscar-nominated animated short film Icarus Montgolfier Wright.

"Please emphasise how much he loved his fans, and judging by the overwhelming response I've received, from hundreds of people, known and unknown, he made quite an impact on them," Paul Johnson told The Associated Press.

Prior to Logan's Run, Johnson created several episodes of 1960s TV series The Twilight Zone.

They included Kick the Can, where a group of elderly care home residents turn back their biological clocks and relive their childhoods by playing a children's game, and Nothing in the Dark, which starred a young Robert Redford as a kindly version of the Grim Reaper.

The writer also penned the story of Ocean's 11, the 1960 film about a Las Vegas casino heist which starred Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr and Dean Martin.

It was remade in 2001 starring George Clooney, Brad Pitt and Matt Damon and paved the way for two sequels, released in 2004 and 2007.

As well as his son, Johnson is survived by a daughter, Judy Olive, and his wife, Lola Johnson.

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'Many missing' in Myanmar landslide

Dozens of people are reportedly missing and feared dead after a landslide hit a jade mining region in Myanmar's northern Kachin state.

Officials say a search for survivors and bodies is continuing after Friday's accident in the area around Hpakant.

Last month, more than 100 people were killed in the same area after a massive landslide.

Jade mining produces piles of waste rock. Itinerant workers climb the heaps to search for the gem stone.

The Bangkok Post quoted Hpakant official Tint Swe Myint as saying five bodies had already been found.

"According to witnesses, about 50 people are still missing," he said.

But Myo Htet Aung, another local official, told the AFP news agency that "just three or four people are missing at the moment" and no bodies were found at the site.

In November's disaster, many of those killed were people who made their living scavenging on or near the waste dumps left by large-scale industrial mining firms.

In a report in October, advocacy group Global Witness said the value of jade produced in 2014 alone was $31bn (£21n) - the equivalent of nearly half of Myanmar's (Burma's) GDP - yet hardly any of the money was reaching ordinary people or state coffers.

Local people in mining areas accuse the industry of a series of abuses, including poor on-site health and safety and frequent land confiscations.

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India PM Modi in surprise Pakistan visit

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is meeting his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif after landing in the Pakistani city of Lahore on a surprise visit.

Mr Modi was on his way back to India from Afghanistan when he stopped off. The visit coincides with the Pakistani prime minister's birthday.

Mr Modi is the first Indian PM to visit Pakistan since 2004.

Tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours have been high in recent years but relations have begun to warm.

The pair met briefly in Paris last month on the sidelines of the COP21 climate change conference.

The two men hugged after Mr Modi arrived at Allama Iqbal International Airport, before making their way to Mr Sharif's nearby estate.

They are expected to discuss military and trade matters.

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Costa coffee crash: One dead, five injured, as car hits Kent cafe

A woman died and five people were hurt when a car ploughed into a coffee shop.

The woman in her 70s was declared dead at the scene after the Audi crashed into Costa on The Green, Westerham, Kent at 10:30 GMT.

South East Coast Ambulance (Secamb) said five more people were taken to hospital, four with serious injuries and one with minor injuries.

The A25 is closed in both directions while police investigate what happened.

'People in shock'

Sally Pendleton, who is visiting Westerham for Christmas, arrived at the scene five minutes after the crash.

She said the car had gone through a plate glass window.

"We walked past and saw a car had just been lodged straight inside Costa Coffee," she said.

"There was a man still in the car and probably about 12 people by the side of the Costa looking very much in shock.

"There were a few people who had been hurt and quite a few elderly people as well.

"It's a horrible thing to have happened, on Christmas Eve of all days.

"Westerham is quite a quiet, sleepy area usually."

'Driver lost control'

Secamb said a man and woman, both seriously injured, were taken by ambulance to St Georges Hospital in Tooting, south London.

Another seriously injured man and woman were taken to the Princess Royal Hospital in Farnborough.

A woman with minor injuries was taken to Tunbridge Wells Hospital.

Police have set up a witness centre at The Grasshopper public house in Westerham High Street.

Chief Insp Roscoe Walford said Kent Police did not yet know the exact cause of the crash, but the car driver appeared to have lost control of the vehicle before it crashed through the window.

Kent Fire and Rescue Service said it released two people from the car.

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El Gordo: Senegal man wins €400,000 in Spain lottery

A migrant from Senegal who travelled to Europe by boat has won a stake of some €400,000 (£294,000; $436,000) in Spain's Christmas lottery.

The man, named Ngagne, travelled from Morocco to Spain in 2007.

Ticket-holders in his coastal town of Roquetas de Mar won first prize, and a share of €640m (£470m), in the "El Gordo" (The Fat One) lottery.

Ngagne told one Spanish newspaper that he and his wife often did not have even €5 to last the day.

The 35-year-old and his wife were rescued when they made the journey by boat in 2007, and taken to the island of Tenerife. They now live in Roquetas de Mar, which is on Spain's south coast.

"There were 65 people on that boat," he told the La Voz de Almeria newspaper(in Spanish). "I want to give thanks to Spaniards and the Spanish government for rescuing me when I was in the sea."

Read more on Roquetas de Mar's win

Ngagne told reporters he had recently lost his job as a vegetable picker in greenhouses near the town of Almeria.

An 18-year-old woman who moved to Spain from Morocco at the age of four was also among those in the town celebrating lottery success. "We will be able to do a lot of things - everything we want," Imanes Naamane told La Voz de Almeria. "We were in real trouble before."

Roquetas de Mar has an unemployment rate of more than 30% - higher than the national average of 21% - and tourism and agriculture are the main industries.

Unlike many other lotteries, there is no single jackpot in El Gordo. Instead the winnings are distributed among thousands of people.

The winning number - 79140 - appeared on 1,600 tickets in Roquetas de Mar. Second-prize winners included ticket-holders in Seville and Granada.

El Gordo is the world's biggest Christmas lottery, and the live televised draw grips the nation.

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Hong Kong firm says missing chairman Yim Fung back at work

Hong Kong listed brokerage firm Guotai Junan International says its chairman Yim Fung is back at work, after being missing for more than a month.

The firm said in a statement that Mr Yim had returned after "assisting in certain investigations" in mainland China.

Neither Mr Yim nor the company were the subject of the investigation, it added.

Several high profile Chinese executives have gone missing or been detained in the past few months.

Guotai Junan International's parent company, Guo Tai Junan Securities, is one of the biggest in mainland China.

The mystery behind China's 'missing' bosses

Mr Yim went missing on 18 November. Guotai Junan International's shares fell as much as 17% when it first announced that it could not contact Mr Yim, and had to appoint a temporary replacement.

In a statement, Guo Tai Junan International said it was informed of Mr Yim's whereabouts on Tuesday, and that he "had been assisting in certain investigations carried out by Mainland authorities during the period he was unable to be reached".

It said Mr Yim would resume his duties as chairman, executive director and chief executive officer as of Wednesday.

"The board confirms that the current operations of the company are normal and stable," it added.

In a similar case earlier this month, high-profile Chinese tycoon Guo Guangchangwent missing for several days.

His company also later revealed The Fosun International chairman had been assisting authorities with a probe.

Mr Guo said he could not give more details as the investigation was "sensitive".

The Chinese authorities have launched a campaign against corruption in the financial sector, following a severe slump in China's stock market over the summer.

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Creed named Black Film Critics Circle best movie of 2015

Creed has been voted the best film of 2015 by the Black Film Critics Circle.

The Rocky spin-off was also given prizes for lead actor Michael B Jordan and for supporting players Sylvester Stallone and Tessa Thompson.

The best ensemble performance award went to Straight Outta Compton, which also won for best original screenplay.

Brie Larson won best actress for Room and George Miller won best director for Mad Max: Fury Road, which also won the best cinematography prize.

Beasts of No Nation received a special mention, with young lead Abraham Attah getting the BFCC's rising star award.

The US critics' association called the Ghanaian's debut as an African child soldier was "one of the strongest and most phenomenal we have ever seen" and said he had "a very bright future ahead of him".

Rapper Ice Cube, producer of NWA biopic Straight Outta Compton, won a pioneer award for showing "artistic integrity and an unerring commitment to excellence".

Cube, the BFCC said, "continues to defy expectations [and] expand the boundaries of what black film-makers can achieve".

The Black Film Critics Circle also released their top 10 films of 2015.

1. Creed
2. Mad Max: Fury Road
3. Straight Outta Compton
4. Spotlight
5. The Martian
6. Room
7. Beasts of No Nation
8. The Hateful Eight
9. The Big Short
10. Ex Machina

Creed sees former boxing champion Rocky Balboa, played by Stallone, serve as trainer and mentor to the son of his late rival Apollo Creed.

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Air France flight makes emergency landing in Kenya over bomb scare

Authorities in Kenya are examining a suspect package that forced an Air France flight from Mauritius to Paris to make an emergency landing in Kenya.

The pilots of the Boeing 777 requested to land at Moi International Airport in Mombasa after the suspect item was found in a toilet.

Both the aircraft and airport were safely evacuated while the item was removed from the plane.

Authorities in Kenya said they were questioning several passengers.

"Bomb experts from the Navy and DCI (Directorate of Criminal Investigations) have retrieved the device and are determining whether the components contained explosives," the government said in a statement.

Joseph Nkaissery, cabinet secretary at Kenya's ministry of interior, said authorities from France and Mauritius were helping with the investigation.

"We are in touch with Mauritius to know how security screening of passengers was done," Mr Nkaissery said. "A few passengers are being interrogated," he added.

Flights have now resumed from Moi International Airport, Kenya's airport authority said.

The plane was carrying 459 passengers and 14 crew members and had left Mauritius at 01:00 GMT, Mr Owino said.

It had been due to fly directly to Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris.

One of those on board, Benoit Lucchini, said passengers were calm and were told by the crew that the plane was being diverted because of a technical problem.

"The plane just went down, slowly, slowly, slowly, so we just realised probably, something was wrong," he said.

"But the personnel of Air France were just great, just wonderful. So they keep everybody calm and really quiet."

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Scott Weiland died from 'toxic drug mix'

Stone Temple Pilots frontman Scott Weiland died from a toxic mix of drugs including cocaine, alcohol and ecstasy, a US medical examiner has said.

The Hennepin County Medical Examiner's Office also noted a history of heart disease, asthma and substance abuse.

Weiland, who was 48, was found dead on his tour bus outside a hotel in Bloomington, Minneapolis, on 3 December.

The medical examiner determined his death was an accident.

Bloomington police said at the time they recovered a small amount of cocaine on the tour bus.

Weiland rose to fame with the Stone Temple Pilots, becoming one of the most commercially successful US bands in the early 1990s.

After the band split up in 2003, Weiland went on to front supergroup Velvet Revolver alongside Slash, Matt Sorum and Duff McKagan of Guns N' Roses and Dave Kushner of Wasted Youth.

Weiland had a long history of substance abuse-related arrests - in 1995, he was convicted of buying crack cocaine and sentenced to probation.

He was jailed in 1999 for violating his probation after being convicted of heroin possession in 1998, and four years later was sentenced to three years' probation for drug possession.

In 2008, he was sentenced to eight days in jail after pleading no contest to a drink driving charge.

Velvet Revolver frequently had to alter schedules to accommodate Weiland's court appearances and spells in rehab, parting ways the following year, blaming the singer's "erratic behaviour".

He later returned to the reformed Stone Temple Pilots - but in 2013 they, too, ejected him from the band, claiming he had been "misappropriating" their name to further his solo career.

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Australia airport security sacked over Julie Bishop check

An Australian security officer at Melbourne airport has been sacked after the country's Foreign Minister Julie Bishop was reportedly singled out for a security screening.

The incident happened in September as Ms Bishop was travelling to the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

The officer who conducted the pat-down was suspended and later reinstated.

But a more senior officer who ordered the check has been sacked. The airport said the check had not been random.

The female airport worker who carried out the screening was found to have not adhered to "standard security screening procedures" but was reinstated after receiving training.

The Sydney Morning Herald reported that at least three other airport workers have also been suspended.

The foreign ministry made clear it did not make an official complaint.

It later emerged that Deputy Prime Minister Warren Truss had asked ask the airport to investigate, says the BBC's Jon Donnison in Australia.

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Incendiary device 'ignites' at Preston Fishergate Shopping Centre

A "small incendiary device" has "ignited" at a shopping centre, causing it to be evacuated, police have said.

The "deliberately planted" device was found in a bin at Preston's Fishergate Shopping Centre at about 09:10 GMT.

Lancashire Police said an evacuation was ordered "as a precaution" because the incendiary had "gone off, causing very minor damage and no injuries".

Ch Supt James Lee said the centre remained closed due to concerns there may be more devices.

He said the incendiary was found by a member of the public in the men's toilets.

"Something happened to it to cause a very small fire, but it was put out immediately," he said.

An Army bomb disposal unit has gone to the centre to aid investigations.

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Eagles of Death Metal confirm new tour dates following Paris attacks

Eagles of Death Metal have announced their rescheduled European tour dates following last month's Paris attacks.

The band were playing a gig at the Bataclan concert hall when gunmen stormed the building killing 90 people.

The band returned to Paris last week to play a song with U2 and will play the city's Olympia Theatre in February.

Singer Jesse Hughes said: "The people of Paris have always been incredible to us... not returning to finish our set was never an option."

Fans who were at the Bataclan show on 13 November will be entitled to a free ticket for the rescheduled date at the Olympia on 16 February.

The Bataclan will not be open again in time for the band's return.

In his statement, Hughes - who paid his respects outside the venue on his return to Paris earlier this month - said: "Our feeling of love towards this beautiful city and its people has been reinforced a million times over this past month.

"Hearing the stories of the survivors, the injured and those who have lost loved ones has been overwhelming. Not returning to finish our set was never an option.

"We look forward to coming back in February and continuing our mission to bring rock 'n' roll to the world."

Eagles Of Death Metal also announced they will return to the UK to play the Reading and Leeds festivals next year.

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Thailand's King Bhumibol Adulyadej makes rare appearance

Thailand's King Bhumibol Adulyadej has made a rare public appearance, amid concerns for his ailing health.

In television footage released on Monday by the palace he is seen swearing in judges at a Bangkok hospital where he has been staying.

He has received treatment for a number of ailments including a lung infection.

The health of the 88-year-old monarch is of public concern as he is widely revered and seen as an arbiter in the country's divided political arena.

The king, who is the world's longest serving monarch, was last seen in September in a video released by the palace.

He missed his birthday celebrations for the second consecutive year on 5 December. The event was marked by a cycling event last week in Bangkok led by his son, Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn.

Palace officials did not give any further details of the king's health on Monday.

King Bhumibol has been in and out of hospitals for the past few years and has had operations to remove his gallbladder and to treat hydrocephalus - an excessive build-up of fluid on the brain.

He was re-admitted to Siriraj Hospital in Bangkok in June, shortly after he was discharged.

The king's popularity stems partly from his long reign, but he is also seen as a pillar of stability in Thailand which has been wracked by political strife in recent years and is currently governed by a military-led government.

Strict lese majeste laws ban any criticism of him or the royal family.

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Le Pen acquitted of inciting hatred

French National Front leader Marine le Pen has been acquitted of charges of inciting hatred on the December 2010 campaign trail in Lyon, France.

The charges relate to her comments comparing Muslims praying in the streets to the Nazi occupation of France in World War Two.

In October Ms Le Pen told a court in Lyon she did not commit any offence.

She was charged in July 2014 after her immunity as a member of the European Parliament was lifted following a vote.

In her 2010 speech to National Front supporters, broadcast by French media, she said that France had initially seen "more and more veils", then "more and more burkhas" and "after that came prayers in the streets".

She said: "I'm sorry, but some people are very fond of talking about World War Two and about the occupation, so let's talk about occupation, because that is what is happening here...

"There are no tanks, no soldiers, but it is still an occupation, and it weighs on people."

The case was originally dropped last year by the Lyon court of appeal but was revived by anti-racism groups who made a civil complaint.

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Quarter of Queensferry Crossing bridge deck in place

More than a quarter of the bridge deck is now in place on the Queensferry Crossing, with a year to go before opening.

Infrastructure Secretary Keith Brown visited the bridge earlier.

Lifting the 750 tonne deck sections into place began in September and 36 are now installed out of 122.

The £1.4bn crossing was ordered by ministers because of corrosion of the main suspension cable on the Forth Road Bridge.

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Girl, 14, reported after woman tripped up at Edinburgh Waverley station

A 14-year-old girl has been reported to the Children's Panel after a woman was deliberately tripped as she ran in to Edinburgh Waverley station.

British Transport Police said the incident happened at about 22:30 on Friday.

CCTV shows the 45-year-old being tripped up at the top of the escalators as she entered the station at Waverley Steps.

She spent a night in hospital with "substantial" cuts to her head and lip.

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Serena Williams is Sportsperson of the Year. Not everyone agrees

The choice to give Serena Williams the Sports Illustrated magazine Sportsperson of the Year award has prompted both celebration and contention, with some arguing that the prize had a more deserving victor: racehorse American Pharaoh.

Williams posted the cover on her Instagram, writing, "This year was spectacular for me. For Sports Illustrated to recognize my hard work, my dedication, and my sheer determination gives me hope to continue on and do better."

The award was seen by many as a welcome celebration of both Williams' impressive career, and as an achievement for women and people of colour in the sport.

"#Serena won 53 of 56 matches this year, was ranked no. 1 every week. Grand Slam run aside, best year of her career at 34," wrote one user.

It is the first time an individual woman has been given the title since Mary Decker in 1983. Since its creation in 1954, Williams is the third woman to win it alone, and the only black woman to gain the title.

However, not everyone was happy with the results. Horse racing fans pointed to a readers' poll created by Sports Illustrated, where the racehorse American Pharaoh, who was the first American Triple Crown winner since Affirmed in 1978, had taken first place.

Brian Zipse, editor of Horse Racing Nation tweeted, "Very disappointed to see Sports Illustrated editors ignored the fans vote, and chose Serena Williams over American Pharaoh".

Another twitter user wrote "American Pharaoh overwhelmingly won online poll and yet you pick someone else? What a joke."

These claims were met with confusion by many others on social media. One userwrote: "My bad. Since when did the definition of a 'person' constitute having four legs and cannot talk? #Serena."

Another said: "Only a black woman could achieve a 53-3 record in a calendar year at the highest level of sports and have her greatness doubted."

The award has been given jointly and to entire teams, and has occasionally been awarded to coaches or to athletes to honour their achievements off the pitch - but it has never been given to a horse or any other animal. Courtney Nguyen, former Sports Illustrated writer and journalist for the Women's Tennis Association, says the decision has to be a subjective one.

"There's a knee jerk reaction to look at stats. People try to compare apples and oranges, how does she compare to a horse? How does she compare to a basketball player? Or even [current top-ranked male tennis player Novak] Djokovic? There are just so many things that speak to her as an athlete that numbers don't necessarily capture."

Journalist Jessica Luther says the controversy is part of the racism and sexism that has shadowed Williams' career.

"She's a black woman comfortable in her own body that is playing a sport that is famously white," Luther told BBC Trending. Williams was able to defy her critics not only by winning the title, but by choosing the way she appeared on the cover.

"She chooses to sit on a throne, looking directly at us, and you can see the definition and power of her body. But she's also a woman, and specifically a black woman. She controlled the shoot, and knowing the history of the criticism of her and her body, I think that's really powerful."