A ban on single-use plastic straws, stirrers and cotton buds has come into force in England.

The measure, originally due to start in April, makes it illegal for businesses to sell or supply the items.

People in England use an estimated 4.7 billion plastic straws, 316 million plastic stirrers and 1.8 billion plastic-stemmed cotton buds each year.

Environmental campaigners welcomed the ban but called for a crackdown on further single-use items.

An exemption will allow hospitals, bars and restaurants to provide plastic straws to people with disabilities or medical conditions that require them.

Environment Secretary George Eustice said the government was “firmly committed” to tackling environmental “devastation” caused by single-use plastics.

Campaigners welcomed the move but said the items formed only a “fraction” of the plastic waste littering the environment.

Sion Elis Williams, of Friends of the Earth, said ministers “must also do more to challenge our throwaway culture by forcing a shift away from all single-use materials in favour of reusable alternatives”.

Tatiana Lujan, of environmental law charity ClientEarth said straws, cotton buds and stirrers were “some of the most pointless plastics out there” and the ban on them was “a no-brainer”.

But they remained “a tiny fraction” of single-use plastics, she said, adding that countries such as Ireland and France had “shown far more ambition” with targets on reusable packaging and deposit return schemes.

Mr Eustice said the government was “building plans” for a 5p deposit scheme to encourage recycling of single-use drinks containers.

The Welsh government has said it is also considering a similar ban on plastics.

A number of national restaurant chains ditched plastic straws before the ban was announced.

A council is to hold an inquiry after a “very significant error” was found in the wording of planning guidelines on fracking sent out for public consultation.

Fermanagh and Omagh District Council has halted the consultation and set up an audit to find out what happened.

Councillors had agreed the wording of a local development plan to guide planning decisions.

But when it was sent out for consultation it had been changed.

The original wording precluded unconventional hydrocarbon extraction – or fracking – until there were guarantees that it would not affect the environment or public health.

The council’s chief executive Alison McCullagh acknowledged the rewording of the public consultation had “impacted adversely” on public confidence in the process.

“It’s apparent that the arrangements in place for document oversight and control were not as robust as expected,” she said.

The original wording had stated the council “will not permit exploitation of unconventional hydrocarbon extraction until it is proved that there would be no adverse effects on the environment or public health”.

But the reworded version said: “Council will not permit exploitation of unconventional hydrocarbon extraction until there is sufficient and robust evidence on all associated impacts on the environment and human health.”

Confidential council minutes showed officials in the Department for the Economy criticised the original wording.

They had suggested it be amended to more closely reflect the position on fracking in Northern Ireland’s regional planning document – on which local development plans are based.

Environment Exploratory licence

The wording that appeared in the final version sent out for consultation by the council is similar to that in the regional document.

A spokesman for the Department for the Economy said “local development plans are required take account of the regional context set by the Northern Ireland Executive and central government departments”.

“The Department for the Economy provided a response to the Fermanagh and Omagh District Council draft plan strategy as a statutory stakeholder.

“There is no requirement for the department to commence a formal investigation of staff connected to this matter.”

Fracking is a process in which liquid is pumped deep underground at high pressure to fracture shale rock and release gas or oil trapped within it.

Tamboran, an energy firm, has applied for an exploratory licence to assess the potential for shale gas in 608 sq km of County Fermanagh.

The licence is currently being considered by the Department for the Economy.

Were sufficient gas to be discovered, and a full planning application granted for commercial drilling, the gas would be recovered by a process of unconventional hydrocarbon extraction.

Fracking is banned in the Republic of Ireland and in England there’s a moratorium after concerns resultant seismic activity was affecting communities.

Stormont ministers have clashed over the environment minister’s proposal that work should be halted on facilities at ports that could be used for checks related to Brexit.

The controls are currently used for checks on agri-food products and animals.

In July, the UK confirmed it intended to put border control posts at Northern Ireland’s ports.

Work to expand the posts was then requested by the government.

However, it is understood Environment Minister Edwin Poots has taken the view that to press ahead with the expansion of current point of entry controls would be a waste of public resources after the latest UK Internal Market Bill.

The new bill sets out rules for the operation of the UK internal market – trade between England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland – after the end of the Brexit transition period in January.

There has been controversy over the bill explicitly stating that these powers should apply even if they are incompatible with international law.

However, ministers say it is needed to prevent “damaging” tariffs on goods travelling from the rest of the UK to Northern Ireland if trade deal negotiations with the EU fail.

In a letter to Mr Poots, the Westminster Environment Secretary George Eustice set out what work is required to expand controls at Northern Ireland’s ports.

Details have not been published and in a statement, Stormont’s Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs stated “this matter is currently being considered by the executive and it is inappropriate to comment further”.

Stormont officials are concerned any ministerial order to pause work on the points of entry could be in breach of the Northern Ireland Act.

The act – which underpins the Stormont executive – gives the Northern Ireland secretary the power to order a minister or department to take an action if he believes it is required to fulfil the UK’s international obligations.

Sinn Féin, the SDLP and the Alliance Party argue that proceeding with work on the controls is required to fulfil the executive’s international obligations.

The matter was put to a cross-community vote during a late session of the executive on Thursday night.

No authorisation was given for the environment minister to pause the work.

The executive adjourned its discussions on Thursday night in order to obtain legal advice.

Ministers resumed their proceedings on Friday evening and further discussions are expected in the coming week.

Plans for a £15-£20bn nuclear power plant in Wales have been scrapped.

Work on the Wylfa Newydd project on Anglesey was suspended in January last year because of rising costs after Hitachi failed to reach a funding agreement with the UK government.

Hitachi has now confirmed it is withdrawing from the project, after Isle of Anglesey council said it had received the news on Tuesday.

It would have created up to 9,000 jobs during construction.

Hitachi said it made the decision given 20 months had passed since the project had paused “and the investment environment has become increasingly severe due to the impact of Covid-19”.

Minister for Economy and North Wales Ken Skates said: “The news from Hitachi today is deeply disappointing.

“There has been a tremendous effort by Horizon Nuclear Power, Ynys Mon Council, the North Wales region and all our partners to bring this important project forward. Now is the time to continue with this strong partnership and build upon those efforts.

“We must not lose sight that Wylfa remains one the best sites in the UK for new nuclear development.”

Hitachi said it would coordinate with the UK government and other bodies over handling the planned construction sites and other matters.

Developer Horizon’s chief executive Duncan Hawthorne said: “I understand this announcement will be disappointing for our many supporters who had hoped to see our project through to completion and I would personally like to thank you for your support throughout our time on this project.

“Nuclear power has a critical role to play in helping tackle our energy needs, meeting our climate change targets and levelling up the economy through green growth and job creation.”

Hitachi is also scrapping its project at Oldbury on Severn in Gloucestershire despite describing both sites as “highly desirable” for new nuclear plants.

Mr Hawthorne said: “We will do our utmost to facilitate the prospects for development which will bring the major local, national and environmental benefits that nuclear can uniquely deliver as we push to transition to a net zero carbon economy by 2050.”

Environment ‘Very disappointing’

The UK government said it remained committed to nuclear power and recognised the announcement was “very disappointing news” for the people of north Wales.

“Nuclear power will play a key role in the UK’s future energy mix as we transition to a low-carbon economy, including through our investments in small and advanced modular reactors,” a spokesperson said.

“That’s why we previously offered a significant package of potential support to this project that went well beyond what any government has been willing to consider in the past.

“This included taking a one third equity stake, providing all of the required debt financing to complete construction, and providing generous financial support through our Contract for Difference scheme.”

The UK government said it remains willing to discuss a replacement for the original Wylfa plant, which shut in 2015 after 44 years of service, with viable companies.

Anglesey council was told on Tuesday that Hitachi was withdrawing, and council leader Llinos Medi said: “This is very disappointing, particularly at such a difficult time economically.”

However campaigners against the project have welcomed Hitachi’s move claiming a new nuclear power station would have “endangered lives on Anglesey and beyond”.

The People Against Wylfa B action group said: “It would have ruined the environment over an area which is 10 times greater than the current site.”

It called on Hitachi to “ensure that no nuclear scheme will happen on the site in the future” and return the site to its “former state, for community benefit”.

Manchester United’s new signing Christen Press says she is “a little crazy and competitive right now” after missing six months of football because of the coronavirus pandemic.

World Cup winner Press, 31, signed for United on a one-year deal from National Women’s Soccer League side Utah Royals.

Five United States internationals have joined English clubs, seeking regular football after the NWSL was postponed.

“I never thought I would be away from the game for this long,” said Press.

“I have been away from football – at least in a team environment with a coach and team-mates – for six months. That’s the longest stretch of my life.

“So what an opportunity to play and compete [at Manchester United]. I have missed competition so much over the past six months – so I’m a little crazy and a little bit competitive right now.

“Hopefully after my first few games I get that out.”

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‘Every game is like the World Cup final’

Press, who has signed for United alongside USA team-mate Tobin Heath, will come up against compatriots Rose Lavelle and Sam Mewis – who have joined rivals Manchester City – in the Women’s Super League this season.

“Our national team is so crazy and competitive that it feels really normal to have them on our rival team. We have been competing together and against each other for years. Yes, it’s just in practice, but every single game is like the World Cup final.

“It’s really fun that they are going to be in the same city. Hopefully when it’s safe, we’ll be able to see them and spend time with them.

“But we are also in a rat race to compete and help our teams as best we can.”

Press could make her debut in Manchester United’s home fixture against Brighton on 4 October.

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Saudi Arabia is to host its first professional tournaments for women in November, with two Ladies European Tour events scheduled to take place.

The Saudi Ladies International will be held from 12-15 November, with the Saudi Ladies Team International from 17-19 November.

Both tournaments will take place at the Royal Greens Golf Club.

The first event had been set for March of this year but was cancelled because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“We are extremely excited to be part of history in bringing the first professional women’s golf event to Saudi Arabia,” said Alexandra Armas, chief executive of the Ladies European Tour.

“We are thankful to their commitment to deliver not one but two tournaments, in what has been a difficult year for golf.”

There will be a $1m (£780,000) prize fund for the singles tournament, with a further £500,000 pot for the team event, which will see professional players partner with amateurs in a new format.

Both tournaments will be held within a bio-secure environment.

Wales’ Amy Boulden, who clinched the first LET title of her career at the Swiss Ladies Open earlier this month, said: “This type of commitment to women’s golf is really amazing to see at this time.

“It’s given players another massive week to look forward to competing in and allows us to take the game we love to a new country where we can play on what is a truly incredible golf course with one of the most picturesque views you’ll see on Tour.”

England’s Meghan MacLaren, who finished last season as the top British player on the LET, decided to boycott the event when it was scheduled for March for “sportswashing” reasons.

There have been accusations that Saudi Arabia is using tournaments such as these, or other events like last year’s heavyweight world title rematch between Anthony Joshua and Andy Ruiz Jr, to divert attention away from human rights issues in the country.

However, the people behind bringing boxing, Formula E motor racing and golf, among other events to Saudi Arabia, have told BBC Sport “it’s all part of a programme designed to get people more active”.

Newcastle United manager Steve Bruce is pleased to see owner Mike Ashley “flex his muscles” in the transfer market.

Newcastle have spent £35m on Callum Wilson,Jamal Lewis and free agent Ryan Fraser – all of whom met the club’s owner at a team dinner on Wednesday.

“With the signings we’ve brought in, we are better equipped than this time last year,” said the St James’ Park boss.

Bruce also says the club’s collapsed takeover by a Saudi Arabian-based group “looked dead in the water”.

Newcastle issued a statement on Wednesday saying it believed the Premier League had rejected the £300m takeover by the consortium.

But on Thursday, the Premier League said that interpretation was “incorrect”, saying they had asked for more information about who would hold control at the club.

“My job is to get on with it,” Bruce added.

“One thing the takeover does for everybody whether it’s the head coach or manager to the tea lady, there is an uncertainty and that is never healthy in any environment.”

Bruce said the signings of former Bournemouth forward Wilson for £20m, ex-Norwich full-back Lewis for £15m and Scotland winger Fraser had “lifted the mood” at the club and praised owner Ashley, who has been criticised by supporters for a lack of ambition.

Newcastle also announced on Friday that midfielder Isaac Hayden and goalkeeper Karl Darlow had signed new long-term contracts.

However defender Florian Lejeune, who joined from Eibar in 2017 for a reported £8.7m, has joined La Liga side Alaves on a season-long loan after a spell hampered by injury.

“The owner wanted to come and meet his new players,” Bruce said of the team dinner.

“Sometimes the manager needs a bit of help, certainly over the last week in particular, and then with certain transfers he’s had to flex his muscles which was good to see. I’m grateful for that support.

“Newcastle always seen to be in a storm, and there is nothing like a few signings to lift the mood amongst everybody and not just among the supporters, but the players, manager and staff.

“So very quietly in amongst the storm, we have been trying to work our way through it and when they get over the line and come thick and fast like they did, everybody is delighted.”