Hostage's family pleads for mercy

The mother and brother of a British-born photojournalist have appealed to his al-Qaida captors to spare him, saying he “was only trying to do good”.

The terror group’s branch in Yemen threatened to murder Luke Somers, 33, who was the target of a rescue attempt by US special forces last month, warning Washington in a video not to try again and giving a three-day ultimatum to meet unspecified demands.