It has also announced a 5.5bn Australian dollar ($4.4bn; Â£2.8bn) capital-raising effort which will involve the selling of new shares. NAB wants to demerge and float its troubled British bank, Clydesdale, and shore up its balance sheet. The lender is one of the country's big four and the largest by assets. NAB's preferred cash profit measure for the period, excluding some accounting items, met forecasts and came to $A3.32bn. Its half-year net profit came in at $A3.44bn, up 20.4%. The cash profit number strips out some one-off accounting items and is the bank's preferred measure of performance. NAB's capital-raising announcement has been reported by some of Australia's media as being the largest in the country's corporate history. The bank also announced Australia's former treasury secretary Ken Henry would take over as its chairman, replacing the long-serving Michael Chaney in December. The lender's shares will be suspended from trade on the Australian stock exchange as its book-building activities commence. NAB is the last of the country's big banks to report this week, together with Commonwealth Bank of Australia, ANZ and Westpac. Other results were mixed, with lenders missing and beating expectations. The so-called big four are regarded as highly profitable, however, the latest results have concerned investors, with many analysts referring to a so-called new era that could see Australian banks fail to return any more record profits. The big four lenders came out of the global financial crisis relatively unscathed, but are now facing tighter regulatory controls. In a report published last year, Australian banks were told they needed to hold more capital to be able to survive future financial crises. The Financial System Inquiry report singled out bank competition, increased capital levels and inefficient taxes for reform. NAB's capital-raising effort is largely viewed as an attempt to get ahead of Australian regulators by further boosting its capital ratios. "The chairman of APRA (Australian Prudential Regulation Authority) signalled that it would move sooner rather than later in requiring banks to hold more capital," said Shane Oliver, who is the head of investment strategy and chief economist with AMP Capital. "But all the banks have had solid profit growth in recent years, partly helped by low rates and the housing recovery," Mr Oliver told the BBC. "Clearly it can't be sustained at this rate going forward but I don't see a collapse in profits."

Summary: One of Australia's biggest lenders, National Australia Bank (NAB), has posted a 5.4% rise in cash profit year-on-year for the six months to March.


Powys-Llewellyn Cook, 21, from Grantham, died following the collision on the B1176 in Bitchfield, between Grantham and Corby Glen, on Tuesday. Lincolnshire Police described it as a "tragic loss of life" and are appealing for anyone who witnessed the crash to get in touch. Mr Cook was riding a blue and white motorbike at the time of the accident.

Summary: A motorcyclist killed in a crash with a lorry has been named by police.


Andy Symonds and Cooper Vuna both went over for the hosts, either side of Neil de Kock's try for the league leaders. Two tries from Ashton and Samuela Vunisa gave the visitors a 29-14 lead at the break. Ashton and Ben Ransom touched down after half-time before Vuna claimed his second of the match. As well as playing in the final of European rugby's elite competition against French Top 14 side Racing 92 in Lyon on 14 May, Saracens must now also prepare for a Premiership semi-final against Leicester Tigers. Worcester, who have finished 10th in the table, are to follow in Sarries' footsteps by moving from playing on grass to an artificial pitch from the start of next season. Saracens director of rugby Mark McCall: "We've led the Premiership for three out of the last four seasons. To get 80 points, without our internationals (who were) away for such a long period is a tremendous achievement, but the best is yet to come as we have a young squad. "Last week we played poorly in the first half against Newcastle but we were impressive today." Worcester Warriors director of rugby Dean Ryan: "They are an outstanding side - we struggled with their power and we need to increase depth in our squad if we are going to improve. "For the 15 minutes before half-time we were nowhere near, we struggled with our kicking game and kept feeding Alex Goode and we never laid a hand on him. "It's a stark reminder of the top and where we are. We have to bring more power into our squad." Warriors: Pennell; Heem, Symons, Mills, Vuna; Heathcote, Baldwin; Leleimalefaga, Annett, Schonert, O'Callaghan, Sanderson, Betty, Kirwan, Dowson (capt). Replacements: Bregvadze, Bower, Johnston, Hewitt, Cox, Mulchrone, Lamb, Grove. Saracens: Goode; Ashton, Bosch, Tompkins, Wyles; Hodgson (capt), de Kock; Barrington, George, Du Plessis, Kruis, Hamilton, Wray, Brown, Vunisa. Replacements: Saunders, Lamositele, Figallo, Smith, Fraser, Spencer, Streather, Ransom.

Summary: Chris Ashton scored a hat-trick as Saracens prepared for next weekend's European Champions Cup final by comfortably beating Worcester.


However, only a fraction of those affected may receive compensation. Legal filings indicated that 250,000 people had lost some Â£130m in benefits. The Court of Appeal suggested the Department for Work and Pensions would owe a mere 1% of that amount, Â£1.3m, to just 2,500 people. The complex judgment on Friday was originally prompted by a challenge from Cait Reilly, a geology graduate from Birmingham. She had argued that requiring her to work at Poundland for no pay constituted a breach of her human rights. The government - to counter such claims - had retrospectively altered the law to validate the docking of benefits. Today, the Court of Appeal ruled that even under that new revised law, the docking of benefits could be incompatible with the European Convention of Human Rights. The Court's ruling represented a defeat for the government. Padraig Hughes, of Public Interest Lawyers, the group that brought Ms Reilly's case, said: "It is yet a further example of the reckless approach this Government continues to take towards the constitution and the rule of law." The Court of Appeal judges did nevertheless acknowledge that government ministers can change laws to affect cases retrospectively. And the judges decided that the only rights infringed upon where those of people that had already claimed the benefits docking was unfair. This narrowing of the claimants explains why only a tiny fraction of people will be eligible for a payout. "We are considering the judgment", a DWP spokesman said. "It is only right that jobseekers do all they can to find work while claiming benefits." It is not clear yet whether either side will make a further appeal.

Summary: The government has lost the latest round of an extended legal battle involving the docking of benefits for jobseekers who refused to participate in unpaid back-to-work schemes.


Johnson returns to the fold having become a father, after his girlfriend gave birth to a baby girl. Bristol City head coach Lee Johnson will give captain Gary O'Neil chance to prove his fitness, after he tweaked his knee in Saturday's defeat by Brentford. Johnson also said he could make changes after the loss, but confirmed there are no other major doubts. Bristol City head coach Lee Johnson told BBC Radio Bristol: "We have got to make sure that our big players turn up and put in good performances. "They [Preston] have flaws and weaknesses like all clubs in the Championship and we can only exploit them if we are at it. "We have to make sure that everything we do is positive and on the front foot. We have to be the best team on the day."

Summary: Preston North End have Daniel Johnson and Simon Makienok back after missing Saturday's draw with Nottingham Forest.


Media playback is not supported on this device The five-time world champion is angry at a disciplinary letter sent to him. After beating Gary Wilson in the first round of the World Championship, O'Sullivan said: "I phoned [World Snooker chairman] Barry Hearn four weeks ago and told him I am done with you and your board. "I don't think I've done a lot wrong." "A friend told me to let the lawyers deal with it. I won't get involved anymore because I am not being bullied." Since victory at the Masters in January, five-time world champion O'Sullivan has only replied to questions by the media with one or two-word answers, and has also sung an Oasis song in reply, and on another occasion responded as a 'robot' in protest at his perceived mistreatment by the sport's authorities. If I did not have good lawyers, I would probably have walked away because I am too old to be dealing with things like that That grievance seemingly dates to an incident during his record-breaking seventh Masters triumph at Alexandra Palace, when he publicly criticised a referee and swore at a photographer. World Snooker, the commercial arm of the sport, referred O'Sullivan's comments to governing body the WPBSA, which ultimately took no action as it accepted his explanation of the incidents. However, O'Sullivan was sent a letter by the WPBSA about his behaviour and warned he could face further sanctions including a fine. He responded by saying that repeated disciplinary action could cause him to reduce his playing time and media commitments, among other things. Media playback is not supported on this device In five events since then, O'Sullivan has failed to win consecutive matches. Explaining his behaviour, the Englishman said: "I have no problems with the press. Sometimes I say things I should not say, I get myself into hot bother, and I get a letter through saying I need to respond in 14 days - a day before a tournament. "It messed up my last three or four tournaments. I did not really win a match and it is not fair on the fans or those who invested in me. "I phoned Barry Hearn four weeks ago and told him I am done with you and your board of people. A friend of mine told me to let the lawyers deal with it. I won't get involved anymore because I am not being bullied. I am not letting people do that to me ever again. "I just want to play and have fun. I like Barry but I am not being intimidated or bullied anymore. The language can be quite threatening and intimidating in some of these letters. It is very unsettling. "To go in with all that on my head, having to see lawyers and having to fight off something I feel I should not have to, they pushed me too far. "If I did not have good lawyers, I would probably have walked away because I am too old to be dealing with things like that." World Snooker said it was

Summary: An emotional Ronnie O'Sullivan has attacked snooker authorities for using "threatening" language and said he will not be "bullied" by them.


The scam, which involves drawing the salaries of non-existent civil servants, is widespread, a BBC correspondent in Nigeria says. But the government has recently been cracking down, removing thousands of "ghost workers" from its payroll. Nigeria is Africa's biggest economy. It is the continent's top oil producer, but its economy is currently under huge strain due to the recent collapse in oil prices. The state has been able to save millions of dollars as a result of an ongoing verification of its workforce, the auditor general for Bauchi said. Abubakar Gabi said that thousands of workers and pensioners did not appear for an exercise aimed at rooting out ghost workers and claimants.

Summary: Children as young as eight are being paid teaching salaries by the state as part of identity fraud in the north-eastern Nigerian state of Bauchi, officials have found.


5 November 2015 Last updated at 17:26 GMT It is a staggering number, and represents double the figure reported in April. What is more it appears to dwarf the billion views YouTube clocks up daily, although it is not a true like-for-like comparison. Facebook's aggressive push into video will surely delight advertisers who can promote their products alongside popular clips. But YouTube star Tom Ridgewell - who has nearly four million followers on YouTube - told the BBC he was not convinced that Facebook was a big threat to Google's service.

Summary: More than eight billion videos are now viewed on Facebook every day, according to the social network.


Ling Jihua pleaded guilty and "decided not to appeal", state media reported. Ling was in effect chief-of-staff to Mr Hu, but was demoted in 2012 amid a high profile anti-corruption campaign. His downfall came after reports of an alleged cover-up over his son, who died alongside two semi-clad women while driving his Ferrari in Beijing in 2012. There was also speculation that Ling's demotion may have been the result of political manoeuvring ahead of a leadership change that year. The court in the northern city of Tianjin held a closed-door hearing on 7 June, Xinhua reported. Ling was convicted of taking $11.57m (Â£8.71m) in bribes and to have used his influence to secure property deals and promotions for his associates, among other favours, the state news agency said. Until the scandal involving his son, Ling had been tipped for promotion to the party's Politburo. Instead, he was moved from head of the Central Committee's General Office - in effect chief of staff to China's leader - and appointed to the less influential post of head of the United Front Work Department. The identity of those inside the Ferrari was never revealed and censors blocked online comments mentioning the crash. Ling was accused of trying to cover up the scandal. The authorities announced an investigation into him in late 2014, and he was expelled from the Communist Party and arrested in July 2015. President Xi Jinping has overseen a campaign against corruption since coming to power in late 2012 and many high-profile political figures have been jailed. Critics say President Xi's campaign is as much about eliminating political rivals as it is about tackling corruption.

Summary: An ex-aide to retired Chinese president Hu Jintao has been jailed for life for corruption, illegally obtaining state secrets and abuse of power.


"We are on top of it." In his time, Hum has worked with Sir Alec Guinness, Joyce Grenfell and Sir Jonathan Miller. He did not share the stage with those greats but instead, as a lighting technician, he was responsible for throwing the spotlight on some of British theatre's leading stars. Now Hum is finally stepping into the spotlight himself - albeit with the aid of a walking stick. He is appearing in Anniversary at the West Yorkshire Playhouse in Leeds with four other local people of advancing years from the theatre's senior citizens group Heydays. They are joined by five seasoned professional dancers whose ages range from the 50s to 70s - a section of the population rarely seen in the lithe world of professional dance. What the show's routines lack in athletic abandon they make up for in playful spirit and poignant suggestion. As well as dancing, the participants deliver monologues that reflect on aspects of their lives. "The memory's not what it was," Hum says of learning his lines. "At one time I'd swallow chunks of texts like a rabbit, but these days I have to hammer it in." When Anniversary director Alan Lyddiard left his job as artistic director of Northern Stage in Newcastle in 2005, he thought there would be no shortage of theatre work. But, after returning from travelling as the financial crisis hit, he realised he was wrong. "I decided I had to create my own work," he says. "I was then approaching 60 and I thought, why don't I try and start a company of people like me - people that were feeling that maybe their careers were sort of coming to an end? "I thought maybe I could say that their careers were just beginning. "I thought of myself as an emerging artist at the age of 60, trying to create a new type of theatre. A theatre that was specifically to be created by older people, but for everybody." Lyddiard founded Performance Ensemble two years ago and Anniversary is the theatre company's biggest production to date. At 67, does he feel that older performers and artists are neglected by the mainstream? "A little bit. I feel slightly patronised at times. You know, 'Dear old thing, is he still around?' I feel slightly that people forget. "I think there is a feeling in the arts that you've always got to be looking for the new, looking for the young, looking for the new ideas. This is why I call myself an emerging artist, because I want to be new." Older performers can bring qualities to a show that bright young things simply do not possess, he believes. "They have an incredible experience of being on a stage, being seen by an audience, having lived a long life and knowing that they have an internal knowledge, an internal understanding, of what is possible. "They're not necessarily able to stretch their legs quite as high as they used to, but [they are] able to present in performance quality something rich and deep and something that's

Summary: "We are not over the hill" declares 87-year-old James Humphrey Haslem Crawshaw - known to all as Hum - from the stage during rehearsals for his theatrical debut.


Humberside Police said disbanding the unit, based in Walkington, by March 2014 would save it Â£500,000 a year. The force said the saving would allow it to maintain frontline services as it faces making savings of Â£30m by 2016. Chief Constable Tim Hollis said the force would buy in mounted officers from other forces when needed for operational purposes. The Humberside unit has only six horses and is one of the smallest mounted units in England. Mr Hollis said: "I realise, of course, that the public and many officers and police staff, serving and retired, will regret the loss of a mounted section which has been an integral part of policing across Humberside for so many years. "Personally, I share that sadness but we are in a period when sentiment has come up against austerity and hard decisions must be made." He said the base at Walkington in East Yorkshire would be sold after the unit's disbandment.

Summary: A police force is to axe its mounted unit in order to cut costs.


The "respect and responsibility review" will seek to change the "macho" culture of the country's national sport, the sporting body said. One of the most contentious episodes saw a woman hired to strip assaulted at a team party earlier this year. NZR was heavily criticised for its response to this and several other incidents that have sparked rows. This season itself, star scrum-half Aaron Smith was at the centre of a scandal after he was seen entering a toilet cubicle with a woman at Christchurch Airport. He was later found guilty of misconduct. "In the same way that rugby seeks to do better on the field, we must constantly seek ways to improve off the field," NZR chief executive Steve Tew said. The scandals that tainted New Zealand's national sport The review will consider what further action needs to be taken "to build a culture of respect and responsibility in the professional rugby environment", according to NZR chairman Brent Impey. A nine person panel will be headed by Law Society president Kathryn Beck. "I think it was quite deliberate that a woman was made chair of this panel," said Ms Beck. "It is a very clear focus on women and the impact of the respect and responsibility within the rugby community on women, both within the community and externally." The panel will also comprise of Olympic athlete Lisa Carrington, former All Black athletes Michael Jones and Keven Mealamu and Sport NZ board member Jackie Barron amongst others. The panel will provide the New Zealand Rugby board with a preliminary report next April, with panel recommendations expected to come in May.

Summary: New Zealand Rugby (NZR) is to form a panel to tackle sexism, after a series of scandals involving players.


Mr Strauss-Kahn, a French Socialist, is being prosecuted in France on charges of pimping in the city of Lille. In 2011 he quit the IMF after claims of a sex attack on a New York hotel maid. Serbian Deputy PM Aleksandar Vucic said Mr Strauss-Kahn's expertise, not his private life, mattered to Belgrade. He said Mr Strauss-Kahn would advise him, the finance minister and the prime minister, and help Serbia reschedule its debt. He is expected to arrive in Belgrade next week. "We have already spoken. He was not happy when he saw what awaited him, but he has already suggested a few solutions," Mr Vucic added. Austria's former chancellor Alfred Gusenbauer will also advise the Serbian government, Serbia's B92 news website reported. Referring to the sexual assault allegations which ended Mr Strauss-Kahn's IMF career, Mr Vucic said his private life was "not the thing by which to judge someone's expertise". The assault charges against Mr Strauss-Khan have now been dropped, and he reached a settlement with the woman involved in the case. In July Mr Strauss-Kahn, who was once tipped to run as a presidential candidate in France, said his political career was now over. He has been appointed a member of the board of directors at two Russian state-controlled financial institutions - the Russian Fund for Direct Investment and the Russian Bank for Regional Development. Earlier in July, investigating magistrates in France decided he should be tried along with 12 others in connection with an alleged prostitution ring at a hotel in Lille. Mr Strauss-Kahn has admitted attending sex parties there, but says he did not know that some of the women were paid prostitutes.

Summary: The former head of the International Monetary Fund, Dominique Strauss-Kahn, has agreed to become an economic adviser to the Serbian government, officials in Belgrade say.


Morpeth beat Hereford FC 4-1 to become the seventh Northern League side to win the FA Vase in eight years. Hereford went ahead after 75 seconds through Rob Purdie's 25-yard shot, but Morpeth rallied to clinch victory. In the FA Trophy final, Scott McManus scored the only goal of the game as Halifax beat promoted Grimsby 1-0 in their first visit to the stadium. Grimsby Town were at Wembley for the second time in eight days, having won promotion back to the football league after a six-year absence with last weekend's victory over Forest Green in the National League promotion final. But it was Halifax Town, recently relegated to National League North and on their first trip to Wembley, who started the brighter with McManus sending a curling free-kick over the bar. Following a first half in which neither keeper was really tested, McManus scored the game's only goal in the 48th minute. The 26-year old sent the 10,000 Halifax Town fans wild when he lobbed Town keeper James McKeown from 25 yards. The Mariners upped their intensity, almost grabbing an equaliser in added time, but Halifax cleared off the line to hold on for a famous victory. In their first season in their new existence, following the demise of wound-up Hereford United in December 2014, Peter Beadle's reformed Bulls had already won three trophies this season - notably winning the Midland League at their first attempt. Hereford had three players on show - Purdie, Ryan Green and skipper Joel Edwards - who also used to play for the Bulls in their Hereford United days. After Purdie's explosive early opener, roared on by more than 20,000 travelling fans, the Bulls dominated the first half, hitting the bar and wasting a string of other first-half chances. But the game turned on 45-year-old Chris Swailes' leveller when he chested in after a goalkeeping error to become the oldest scorer in a Wembley final and it triggered the Highwaymen into action. Luke Carr scored from close range straight after the break, followed by further goals from Sean Taylor and Shaun Bell to earn Morpeth their first FA Vase triumph. That earned veteran former Ipswich, Bury and Rotherham defender Swailes his third winner's medal, having won the competition in 1993 with Bridlington Town and in 2012, with another north-east side, Dunston. And, in the end, they deservedly maintained the Northern League's recent stranglehold on this competition. which began with Whitley Bay's triumph in 2008-09. Grimsby Town manager Paul Hurst told BBC Radio Humberside: "We didn't get the icing on the cake, that's all I would say. Congratulations to Halifax, they played very well." "We had our day last week. Its a learning curve for us all. I think at the start of the season if we'd have said we'll win promotion and get to a trophy final, everyone would have snapped our hands off." "What we can look forward to is league football and that's what we'll celebrate tonight together."

Summary: Morpeth Town and Halifax Town caused a double upset in the first Non-League Finals Day at Wembley.


The prosperity index was compiled by the Legatum Institute and is based on data from 170 locations across the country. According to the organisation, prosperity was measured by average incomes and happiness levels. The Black Country borough of Sandwell was ranked second-last in terms of prosperity. In addition, Blackpool, Liverpool and East Derbyshire were ranked in the bottom five. With the exception of the Outer Hebrides, the top five most prosperous areas in Britain are in London, according to the index. The findings are based on local GDP figures from 2011 and the Office for National Statistics well-being data from 2013-14. Sian Hansen, executive director at the Legatum Institute, said: "The data shows that Wolverhampton is the least prosperous part of the UK because its citizens report the lowest levels of satisfaction with their lives. "Some of the most prosperous areas of the country are those where, regardless of their income, people have the opportunity to lead healthy, fulfilling and prosperous lives." Wolverhampton residents and workers were split about the study's findings. "I think it's a bit harsh to be bottom," said 23-year-old Shane Parker, from Coseley. "It's not as bad as some people think, there are places in Birmingham that are much worse. Angela Scrivens, 42, from Bilston, said: "I think the town itself is quite dull, but the people can be quite happy. "It's gone through a rough patch lately, but the town centre is being done up, and hopefully that will bring in more jobs and people." Sharon Kiteley, 47, from Dudley, said: "Whenever I've looked around I've always seen happy smiling faces, so I can't believe it's come last. Responding to the findings, the leader of the City of Wolverhampton Council, Councillor Roger Lawrence, said: "Whilst it's fair to say that Wolverhampton took a battering during the recession, we're now seeing some really positive signs of recovery. "The data used is from 2011 and 2013-14. Wolverhampton's come a long way since then and as we approach 2016 there's a lot going on in our city."

Summary: Wolverhampton is the least prosperous area in the UK, according to findings from an international think-tank.


The contaminated meat was discovered by a dog walker on the Cuckoo Trail in Hailsham on Wednesday. The sausages, which had been sliced open and filled with the blue pellets, were handed in to police. The RSPCA warned that dogs ingesting even small amounts of some substances could suffer kidney failure and die. A spokesman said: "The RSPCA is deeply concerned about any spate of suspected poisonings, but especially one where evidence suggests it may be deliberate. "Animals, and especially dogs, are often extremely curious and will be drawn to food. "If anyone suspects that their dog has been poisoned they must take it to a vet immediately. If possible, they should take a sample of what the dog has eaten." Poisoning is a criminal offence in the UK under the Animal Welfare Act 2006. The maximum penalty for those found guilty is up to six months imprisonment and/or a fine of up to Â£20,000.

Summary: Cocktail sausages believed to have been stuffed with toxic slug pellets have been found at a popular dog-walking spot in East Sussex.


The 34-year-old dominated opponent Aleksandr Nedovyesov for a 7-6 (7-2) 6-2 6-3 victory in the decisive singles rubber in Darwin. Earlier Sam Groth levelled the tie against Mikhail Kukushkin. Australia travel to Great Britain, who defeated France, for the last-four tie in September. Neither Hewitt nor Groth had initially been selected to play singles but captain Wally Masur dropped youngsters Thanasi Kokkinakis and Nick Kyrgios after Kazakhstan had opened up a 2-0 lead. They teamed up to reduce the deficit in the doubles before victories in their respective singles matches saw them come back to win from 2-0 down for the first time since 1939. Hewitt, Wimbledon winner in 2002, embraced his team-mates after the victory, saying: "This is up there. I love the back-against-the-wall situations. That's what we had after day one. "We had to rally together and find a way to get the win. I've always said some of my greatest wins are in Davis Cup and some of my toughest losses are in Davis Cup so I'm going to enjoy this one. This is what dreams are made of."

Summary: Former Wimbledon champion Lleyton Hewitt guided Australia into the Davis Cup semi-finals as the hosts came from 2-0 down to beat Kazakhstan 3-2.


For a start, they do not have to wait for the new year. Many retailers started advertising cut-price deals well before Christmas. Despite the advance of internet shopping, the image of snaking queues outside department stores is still how we picture the sales season. Yet, it is not just High Street retailers that are offering bargains for cash-strapped consumers. And, with the looming prospect of a hefty credit card bill arriving in January, people are trying to save money by looking for cheaper options. So what discounts and money-saving tactics are around in the first month of the year? Love is blind to everything but the calendar. Official statistics show there are usually about a sixth of the number of weddings in January that there are in August. With only about 6,000 or so weddings in England and Wales in the first month of the year, there is room to haggle for good deals on venues, photography and cars. Civil partnerships are a little more spread out over the year, according to quarterly data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Yet, overall, good offers are available for these events, according to Sandy Moretta, director of the UK Alliance of Wedding Planners. "Suppliers who only work in the wedding industry will come up with good offers in January, and they expect people to negotiate and haggle now," she says. Although there is a specific cost to some services, such as food or a wedding dress, there are often deals available as "some work is better than no work", she adds. Table displays can be cheaper if there is a winter feel of sprayed twigs, rather than much more expensive flowers. The cost of drinks is also generally lower, with couples often choosing to serve mulled wine and hot chocolate to guests rather than champagne. And Mrs Moretta says that January weddings can be great fun for guests. "January is one of those months where people are not doing a lot, they might need a lift after Christmas, and they are less likely to be shattered or hungover as they are in December," she says. Cut-price tickets are available for West End shows from the start of January to mid-February, The Get Into London Theatre scheme, an annual promotion that has run for more than 10 years, sees discounts of between 25% and 55% on the face value of 45 productions. "We want to make theatre as inclusive as possible. We want to see people who have not necessarily been to the theatre before," a spokesman for the scheme says. There is no booking fee or packaging charges for these tickets. However, theatregoers may have to be flexible over which show they want to see and when. Each theatre production decides individually what proportion of tickets will be made available for the cut-price promotion. It may be the quietest time of year for the theatre, but some shows are still very popular. As a result, it is extremely unlikely that the cheaper tickets will be available for shows on a Friday or Saturday

Summary: Gone are the days when the January sales season offered a welcome but narrow window for shopaholics to hunt for bargains on the High Street.


The broadcaster received 118 complaints about the Channel's coverage of the four-hour service on Saturday. The corporation said it was "part of the News Channel function to be there when major stories take place". Another 34 complaints were received from people upset that the service had been interrupted. Live coverage of the service began at 17:00 GMT and continued until just before 20:30 GMT, with the BBC continuing to report on the story afterwards. "The News Channel's coverage of Whitney Houston's funeral reflected the significant interest in her sudden death as well as acknowledging the impact she had as a global recording artist," said the corporation in a statement. It acknowledged that "some people felt there was too much coverage" but said BBC One's teatime bulletin, radio bulletins and other services had still given viewers "the best access to the day's other news stories". Stevie Wonder, Alicia Keys and R Kelly performed at the service, which took place in Newark, New Jersey. Actor Kevin Costner, who starred with Houston in The Bodyguard, gave a eulogy. The 48-year-old singer was found in a bath in her hotel room at the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles on 11 February. The cause of her death will remain unclear until the results of the toxicology tests are announced.

Summary: The BBC has defended its coverage of Whitney Houston's funeral on its News Channel following complaints from viewers about its duration.


Austen Harrison suffered fatal head injuries at the Hugo Boss shop in Bicester, Oxfordshire, in June 2013. Hugo Boss UK pleaded guilty to breaching the Health and Safety at Work Act and Management of Health and Safety at Work regulations. Sentencing is due to take place at Oxford Crown Court on 19 June. Austen, of Crawley, West Sussex, had been playing with the unfixed steel-framed fitting-room mirror which toppled on to him while his father tried on a suit in the shop at the Bicester outlet village. He underwent an emergency operation to relieve pressure on his brain but died four days later in hospital after life-support was switched off. At a hearing at Banbury Magistrates Court on Tuesday, Barry Berlin, prosecuting on behalf of Cherwell District Council, requested the case should be sentenced at Oxford Crown Court where fines of Â£100,000 or more could be imposed, rather than the Â£20,000 possible at a magistrates court. An inquest jury at Oxford Coroner's Court earlier this year returned a narrative verdict. Austen's death was an "accident waiting to happen", the coroner said.

Summary: A designer store has admitted health and safety offences following the death of a four-year-old boy who was crushed when a 120kg mirror fell on him.


The nationally televised event, billed as the world's largest short festival, had been running for more than two decades. Tropfest founder John Polson described the situation as a "disaster" and said in a statement that he was devastated. He told Fairfax there was a financial discrepancy "well into six figures". "It's terrible for anybody who cares about Australian film and certainly the grassroots, emerging end of Australian film because, right now, our future is up in the air," Mr Polson said. "It's like being in a bad dream. This is 23 years of work. It's a stunning, shocking blow, with really no hint of what was to come."

Summary: Australia's long-running Tropfest film festival has been cancelled less than a month out from its scheduled date due to financial problems.


However, Health Minister Michelle O'Neill said no such plan was being considered. Charles and Elma Hamilton's son, Ian, took his own life in 2013. He was 38 and a father of two children. He had suffered from mental health problems for many years. An inquest heard that 24 hours before his death, Ian had been to three hospitals in two different health trusts. Ian was first diagnosed with depression in 1998. He was deeply troubled and had problems with alcohol and drug addiction. However, his post-mortem showed no sign of substance abuse. His parents said the establishment of a single trust to deal with people with psychiatric conditions could help other people in the future. The couple believe a single system would help ensure that a patient's notes, capturing their full history, would be accessible to all medics, no matter where they showed up for help. Charles Hamilton said part of the problem for Ian was that he moved between health trusts. "I think if they had a single mental health trust, where everything was collated together, all the information concerning the people presenting with mental health problems would be there there at the push of a button," he said. "That way, professionals can access the patient's history and there are no delays in getting that patient treatment." Elma Hamilton said Ian's final hours were very distressing. "He went to three hospitals in two trusts inside 24 hours, trying to get help, pleading with people trying to get his point across," she said. "He was frustrated and hopeless - he just couldn't get the answers he needed. In one hospital, he was waiting 10 hours to see someone from a mental health team. "In a different hospital, he self-harmed. He was tired having to go through the same story so many times to different people." His story highlights how, too often, there is a lack of joined up thinking between mental health services and how sometimes an emergency department is not the best place to treat those with a serious psychological disorder. Their call for a single service across the trust is one of eight recommendations that was made in a recent report into mental health in Northern Ireland by the former Chief Executive of England NHS Lord Nigel Crisp . "I think it is an argument - there is also an argument in keeping mental and physical health closely aligned," he said. "I also understand in Northern Ireland there are lots of issues about people wanting local services and local control but even if you kept five trusts you could still run it as a single service, still have a single leader, the same standards. "You could still have the facilities in five different places but run it across the entire system." The family do not blame the northern or the south eastern health trusts but they are appealing to them to act on the findings of their son's inquest. Elma added: "We don't want a stigma - depression is a health condition. "But they need somewhere to go to feel

Summary: The family of a man who took his own life have called for the establishment of a single mental health trust in Northern Ireland.


The 87-year-old went to hospital following the fall and pulled out of presenting his BBC variety show Bruce's Hall Of Fame. Speaking after his fall, Sir Bruce said he was "really sad" not to be part of the programme. Pointless presenter Alexander Armstrong will take over as the show's host. Sir Bruce said: "I was really looking forward to this show and working with such a talented cast, and I am really sad not to be part of it. "It is now in the most capable hands of Alexander Armstrong and I would like to wish him, the guests and the whole production team good luck on Sunday." In a statement, the show's production company Kalooki Pictures said: "This morning, Sir Bruce Forsyth slipped and fell at his home resulting in facial abrasions and minor concussion. "He attended hospital and had a series of scans and tests all of which happily proved negative. "However, because of his injury, he has been told by doctors he must have complete rest for at least seven days." Sir Bruce had to pull out of hosting Strictly Come Dancing after being taken ill with flu in October 2013. He announced he was leaving Strictly Come Dancing in April last year and Claudia Winkleman took over his role, alongside his regular co-host Tess Daly. Bruce's Hall Of Fame, to be filmed in London's Dominion Theatre, is expected to be screened in the new year.

Summary: Sir Bruce Forsyth has been told by doctors to have complete rest for at least a week after suffering a fall at his home.


The director of Edward Scissorhands and Beetlejuice threw the switch around 21:30 BST after rapper Professor Green played to the crowds. The free event took place on the promenade at The Headlands Arena in front of the Tower. Burton, 58, used Blackpool for scenes in his latest film. "Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children." "To be given the town's highest honour is incredible and I'm really excited. I'm sure it will be a wonderful show," he said. The California-born film director achieved fame directing blockbusters including Corpse Bride, Planet of the Apes, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Alice in Wonderland. Describing himself as Blackpool Pleasure Beach's "biggest fan", Burton chose to shoot scenes in Blackpool for The Killers' music videos Here with Me and Battle Born. The Illuminations end on 15 November.

Summary: Hollywood director Tim Burton has switched on this year's Blackpool Illuminations.


The number eight made his comeback from a knee injury last weekend, and is included in a 24-man training party to prepare for the Calcutta Cup match. Vunipola has been lined up to replace Nathan Hughes in the starting XV. Scrum half Ben Youngs, wing Jack Nowell and centre Jonathan Joseph are also poised for returns to the backline. Vunipola made his comeback ahead of schedule for his club Saracens on Sunday, after three months out with ligament damage. And England head coach Eddie Jones appears set to bring him back at the first time of asking, after England's training plans on Tuesday showed Vunipola would start in the back row. Bath centre Joseph, who was left out of the squad that beat Italy, is set to replace Ben Te'o at outside centre, while it's likely Youngs will be preferred to Danny Care, with Nowell edging out Jonny May. England will confirm their starting XV and replacements on Thursday morning. Jones' side lead the Six Nations table with three wins from their three matches. Forwards (13) Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers) Jamie George (Saracens) Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints) James Haskell (Wasps) Nathan Hughes (Wasps) Maro Itoje (Saracens) Joe Launchbury (Wasps) Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints) Joe Marler (Harlequins) Kyle Sinckler (Harlequins) Billy Vunipola (Saracens) Mako Vunipola (Saracens) Tom Wood (Northampton Saints) Backs (11) Mike Brown (Harlequins) Danny Care (Harlequins) Elliot Daly (Wasps) Owen Farrell (Saracens) George Ford (Bath Rugby) Jonathan Joseph (Bath Rugby) Jonny May (Gloucester Rugby) Jack Nowell (Exeter Chiefs) Ben Te'o (Worcester Warriors) Anthony Watson (Bath Rugby) Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers)

Summary: Billy Vunipola will feature against Scotland in the Six Nations on Saturday, after being confirmed in England's matchday squad.


Warnock, 68, has signed a one-year extension to remain with the Championship club. Dalman said Warnock had the full support of club owner Vincent Tan and the manager would be backed in a push for promotion to the Premier League. "We want to him to have a go. We want to have a go," Dalman said. "We had very extensive discussions over what his needs are. "We've agreed on all of them and I think he needs to get off the block pretty quickly in getting his team together for next season. "We always want promotion - every season we say that. "The real wonderful situation for us here, and I don't think people appreciate, is that Neil has his own agenda on getting promotion. "That plays into our hands very well. We have somebody who has ambitions beyond being a manager and that's fantastic news for us. Cardiff were in the Championship relegation zone when Warnock took over, but have moved up to 12th after three successive wins. The former Leeds, QPR and Crystal Palace boss had been seeking assurances over the club's transfer policy before committing to a new deal. Dalman said the club's Malaysian-based owner Tan did not need any convincing about retaining Warnock for for the 2017-18 season. "He watches every game, he doesn't need any convincing," Dalman told BBC Wales Sport. "We all make decisions on a rational basis. You look at the results, you look at the atmosphere, look at the togetherness and you look at the attendances. "Neil addressed all those things all in one go so Vincent would never have doubts about supporting someone like Neil. "Because he's incentivised by his own motives all we have to do is give him the platform and the environment to achieve that." Dalman said Warnock has brought "togetherness" to the Championship club since replacing Paul Trollope in October 2016. "We love Neil to bits, both on a personal and professional basis. He's good for us and long may it last," Dalman said. "He's won the management over, certainly the owner and the board. He communicates extremely well with the fans and most importantly with the players. "Getting Neil on board there was no hesitation and renewing his contract was the same."

Summary: Cardiff City chairman Mehmet Dalman says manager Neil Warnock will receive the backing he needs to mount a promotion bid in 2017-18.


Matip, 25, was named in Cameroon's preliminary squad for this month's Africa Cup of Nations, but the defender said he did not want to play. He would have been in the squad, maybe on the pitch so I don't think it's fair He was not in the final 23-man squad, but the Reds are seeking "clarity" from Fifa about his availability. Germany-born Matip has not featured for Cameroon since September 2015. Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp said: "In our understanding, Joel is officially retired from international football. "The club did everything we had to do to make this clear, but up until now we couldn't get the response we need to be 100% sure he can play. "It's pretty difficult and really frustrating. He has been in training four or five days. He would have been in the squad, maybe on the pitch [against United] so I don't think it's fair." Matip was one of seven of their players who said they did not want to play at the tournament in Gabon, which started on Saturday and runs until 5 February. Another, West Brom full-back Allan Nyom, also failed to received international clearance and did not feature in his side's 4-0 defeat at Tottenham on Saturday. The Cameroon football association (Fecafoot) can ask world governing body Fifa to suspend those players at club level for the duration of the event. Liverpool said Fecafoot has failed to confirm whether centre-back Matip - who has made 12 Premier League appearances since moving to Anfield from German side Schalke in the summer - can continue to play club football.

Summary: Liverpool withdrew Joel Matip from their squad to face Manchester United on Sunday because they are unsure about his international clearance.


A metal detectorist found three jugs and a bronze dish in a field in Kelshall near Royston last year, North Hertfordshire District Council said. A subsequent dig unearthed artefacts from a "cosmopolitan" burial including mosaic glass dishes and cremated bone. Experts are "clamouring" to study the "unique find," the council said. The treasure hunter made the initial discoveries, including a complete Roman jug, late last year and council archaeology officer Keith Fitzpatrick-Matthews decided the finds merited further investigation. Glass bottles and cups, an iron lamp, a box with bronze corner bindings were later uncovered, as well as a bronze coin dating from 174 to 175 AD. A "major find" were two shattered - but otherwise complete - mosaic glass dishes, which were probably made in Alexandria in Egypt in about 200 AD, the council said. Mr Fitzpatrick-Matthews said: "After 1800 years, finds like these still impress us with their workmanship." The artefacts are not currently classed as treasure and are owned by the farmer and the finder but North Hertfordshire Museum Service wants to raise the money to buy them. The value has not been revealed but is estimated to be "more than Â£20,000".

Summary: "Exceptional" Roman artefacts discovered in a field in Hertfordshire date back to 174 AD, an investigation has found.


One victim, from Londonderry, told the BBC that blackmailers had demanded Â£10,000 not to reveal an intimate video on Facebook. He described two months of "hell" after being tricked into making the recording by a woman he met online. Det Ch Insp James Mullan praised the man for coming forward to warn others. "We get about two or three reports a week across Northern Ireland of predominantly male people within the community who become victims of this type of incident," he said. "I want to give people the confidence to come forward to the police and report it," he said. "While we find it very difficult to get the people responsible, it's really important that, not just the police service, but other agencies are there to support these people." Most of the scams originate in countries such as Philippines and Morocco, Mr Mullan added. Christopher (not his real name) told the Mark Patterson Show how he received a friend request from a "very attractive young lady" on Facebook. "Over a period of a few days we were chatting. She was a lot younger than I was. I'm in my 40s, she was, maybe, in her 20s. "I was going through a bitter divorce at the time and you know... I was enjoying the attention, looking for a new relationship," he said. "Over a period of time, it progressed to another level where she asked me did I want a video chat and the conversation became quite sexual. "She got me on my phone through messenger and asked: 'Do you want to see me naked?' "I put on video call, and all of a sudden I see a bedroom, and a girl naked, touching herself, caressing herself - she asked me to do the same thing. "Then all of a sudden she left the camera and came back and she seemed to push some sort of a button, and all of a sudden it was a video of me doing what I shouldn't. "She says: 'You've just broken the law, if you don't send Â£10,000 it (the video) will be posted to various friends.'" One of the names that appeared on Christopher's device was the name of his daughter. "I went into total panic, total panic and talk about cold sweats," he said. The blackmailer managed to post the video onto Christopher's Facebook timeline, but he was able to swiftly remove it. Christopher was given 24 hours to send his blackmailer the money. During this time, he described how feelings of shame, disgust and most of all fear, nearly drove him over the edge. In the end, Christopher reported the person to Facebook, and said the company was very supportive. He also spoke to the Samaritans before confiding in two close friends, who accompanied him to the local police station. "That constable was absolutely brilliant, she saw the stress I was under, she said 'you've broken no law'," he said. He explained that the police wanted to trace the IP address of the computer being used by the blackmailer. "The case is now

Summary: The police have been investigating 160 cases of internet sex blackmail in Northern Ireland over the past year, a senior PSNI officer has said.


Around 40 people were said to have been watching the stream at one point but nobody reported the incident to police. A police spokesman said authorities first learned of what happened after the girl's mother approached the head of police as he was leaving a station. Detectives have questioned several people but no arrests have been made. The video has since been removed. The girl, who had been missing for a day, has now been found by detectives and reunited with her family. Her mother, whom the BBC is not naming, said her daughter appeared to be scared in the footage, adding "it's so disgusting". "It's just terrible. I know they'll get their day coming," she said on Tuesday morning, before her daughter was found. Chicago police chief, Supt Eddie Johnson, was said to be "visibly upset" after the girl's mother showed him screenshots of the video. A relative of the girl, Reginald King, says he was the last to see her before the alleged attack, after the two attended church together on Sunday. "Nobody deserves that. No human being deserves for that to happen to them," he told local media, adding that he suspects local "thugs" committed the attack. After the girl was found, she was taken to hospital with injuries to her face, he told the Chicago Tribune. A spokesman for Chicago police tweeted on Tuesday afternoon that police are "making good progress" in identifying the assailants. "Interviews ongoing but no formal suspects named yet,", Anthony Guglielmi added. "Crimes like this are hideous and we do not allow that kind of content on Facebook," a spokeswoman for the company said. "We take our responsibility to keep people safe on Facebook very seriously and will remove videos that depict sexual assault and are shared to glorify violence." In January, Chicago police arrested four people following a separate incident in which a man's alleged assault was live streamed, also on Facebook Live.

Summary: The alleged sexual assault of a 15-year-old girl by five or six males was streamed on Facebook Live, according to Chicago Police.


Leigh Berridge and her colleague were accused of falsely acquiring Â£3m in EU money. Ms Berridge, 46, was a director at the former Adam Smith College in Kirkcaldy and lost her job. The college's successor, Fife College, said it was inappropriate for it to comment. Ms Berridge, from Cupar in Fife, was told last month that no charges against her would be pursued after two years of criminal investigations. The mother-of-two is calling for Holyrood's Public Audit Committee to re-open a report on the college after parliament reconvenes. Ms Berridge was accused of inducing the Scottish government to hand over the cash to Adam Smith College in Kirkcaldy, Fife between 2008 and 2012. She was arrested at her home in the village of Pitlessie, Fife in December 2013. The college was said to have obtained Â£3.3m of cash from the Scottish government that it was not entitled to, with an attempt to get another Â£127,000. The Auditor General laid a report into Adam Smith College before the Scottish Parliament in October 2013. At the time the Scottish Parliament's Public Audit Committee agreed to defer its consideration of the report until criminal investigations had been concluded. Ms Berridge, who is considering legal action, believes a parliamentary investigation would clear her name and that of a colleague who also faced criminal investigations. She said: "I lost my job, a job that I loved and was very good at. This whole investigation started because of alleged institutional bullying and harassment." Ms Berridge was charged along with Anna Milligan, one of the college's business development managers. Ms Milligan's charges were dropped in February this year. "For Anna and I to have been accused of being part of a criminal conspiracy and be arrested in my own home has been hugely traumatic and detrimental to myself and my family. "People still have questions about what went on. I still feel I need to clear both my name and that of my colleague. That is why I want the Audit Committee to look again at the Section 22 report. All details of precisely what happened and who is accountable must now come into the public domain." At the time the charges against Ms Berridge were dropped, the Crown Office said: "The Crown raised criminal proceedings against Anna Milligan and Leigh Berridge, charging them with operating a fraudulent scheme by which Adam Smith College, Kirkcaldy, falsely claimed EU funding from the Scottish government. "No individual gained financially from the scheme, and the investigation was complex, involving detailed scrutiny of the college's finances and systems of management and administration. "As further evidence came to light, it became clear that there was no longer sufficient evidence to continue criminal proceedings." Four people were initially investigated - a 50-year-old man and three women aged 44, 49, and 58. The allegations related to the period between 2008 and 2012. Adam Smith College is now part of Fife College after a merger with Carnegie College in 2013. A spokeswoman for Fife College said it would be inappropriate for it to make any comment on

Summary: A former senior college manager who was cleared of fraud is calling for a Holyrood inquiry into what happened to be re-opened.


You may want to choose another fantasy destination after the British Foreign Office told tourists to be aware that some political demonstrations in the capital, Male, have led to violence. It did add, though, that most trips there are trouble-free. At the end of last month the Maldives celebrated its birthday, 52 years since independence from Britain. But the festivities were marred when the government ordered troops to storm the country's parliament and prevent opposition MPs from entering. It was the latest dramatic attempt by President Abdulla Yameen to maintain his grip on power, and the latest twist in a tale of tropical intrigue worthy of a thriller. The story is certainly set against a suitably exotic backdrop. The Maldives is justifiably famous for its breathtakingly beautiful beaches and breathtakingly expensive luxury hotels. But while the water of the coral reefs that surround them may be crystal clear, politics in the so-called "island paradise" has always been very murky indeed. The political drama is centred, not on the beaches but on Male, the tiny, urbanised island where all of the Maldives' major institutions are based and which is one of the most densely populated cities on Earth. For 30 years the country was a corrupt autocracy, ruled with the proverbial "iron fist" by Maumoon Abdul Gayoom. President Gayoom shrugged off numerous coup attempts during his three decades in power, but the wily tactician could not resist forever the growing demand for democratic reform. In 2008, a charismatic young progressive, Mohamed Nasheed, swept to power in the country's first democratic elections. He rolled back repressive laws, bolstered democratic institutions and captured the world's attention with an underwater cabinet meeting to highlight the risks of rising sea levels. But the Maldives' brief moment as a model Islamic democracy was not to last. Less than four years later, Mr Nasheed resigned following a mutiny by the police and weeks of demonstrations after the arrest of the chief justice, something he now calls a coup. In November 2013, Mr Yameen took office, but as he is Mr Gayoom's half-brother, it looked like a return to the old order. However, over the last year the two strongmen have had a spectacular falling out. So much so that Mr Gayoom, the grizzled old dictator, has thrown in his lot with the dashing young democrat, Mr Nasheed. To give you an idea of just how improbable this union is, you should know that Mr Nasheed was imprisoned and tortured during Mr Gayoom's rule. Nevertheless these unlikely allies have prospered and - bolstered by defections from the ruling party - the opposition has managed to gain a small majority in the Maldivian parliament. They had a plan - to stage a coup, but a democratic one. They tabled a no-confidence vote against the speaker of the country's parliament. The idea was to replace him and his deputy with opposition figures, who would lead an emergency government until elections early next year. It looked likely to work, until, that is, Mr Yameen literally called in the troops. They barred opposition MPs

Summary: Are you dreaming of a holiday in the Maldives?


In Virginia, Terry McAuliffe - a key Hillary Clinton ally - narrowly beat a Republican to become governor of the pivotal presidential swing state. Bill de Blasio's thumping victory in New York makes him the city's first Democratic mayor-elect in two decades. Tuesday's results point the way to next year's US midterm elections. New Jersey's straight-talking Governor Christie brushed aside his Democratic challenger, state senator Barbara Buono, by 60.5% to 38%, retaining a handy platform for a potential presidential bid. His ability to attract the support of Democrats, independents and minorities makes him a tantalising prospect for the ideologically split Republican party ahead of 2016. By Mark MardellNorth America editor "We stand here tonight showing that it is possible to put doing your job first," said Mr Christie in his victory speech, "to put working together first, to fight for what you believe in yet still stand by your principles and get something done for the people who elected you." The governor, known for his readiness to work with Democrats in a left-leaning state, won much praise for his handling of the carnage wrought on the region by super-storm Sandy one year ago. However, fellow Republicans at a national level lambasted him for his embrace of Democratic President Barack Obama as he visited Jersey Shore to see the devastation. In the Virginia governor's race, Mr McAuliffe eked out a smaller-than-expected, 48% to 45.5% win against socially conservative Republican Ken Cuccinelli. "Over the next four years most Democrats and Republicans want to make Virginia a model of pragmatic leadership," said Mr McAuliffe, a Democrat taking charge in a state with a Republican-led legislature. "This is only possible if Virginia is the model for bipartisan co-operation." During the campaign, Mr McAuliffe had emphasised his opponent's tea party support. The hardline wing of the Republican party was widely blamed for last month's government shutdown, which temporarily laid off many of the federal workers who populate Virginia's suburbs. Mr Cuccinelli, the state's outgoing attorney general, had stressed his Democratic rival's championing of the Obama healthcare law, whose troubled rollout has been a White House public relations disaster. A Libertarian candidate who won nearly 7% of Virginia's vote may have cost the Republican the race, say analysts. Mr Cuccinelli was also vastly outspent by his Democratic opponent. Mr McAuliffe is a veteran Democratic party fundraiser who was chairman of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's 2008 presidential campaign. Profile: Bill de Blasio His capture of the governor's mansion in a crucial presidential swing-voting state could help plot a road map to victory for her should she run again for the White House, say analysts. Meanwhile, Mr de Blasio will succeed New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg to become the first Democratic mayor of America's largest city since 1993. He secured a whopping 73% of the vote, compared with 24% for his Republican rival, Joe Lhota. In his victory speech, Mr de Blasio said the result showed that America's largest city had chosen "a progressive path", and he promised to make fighting income inequality his top priority. In other

Summary: Moderate Republican New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has won a landslide re-election, a possible launch pad for a 2016 White House run.


Tobefair, a seven-year-old gelding, has won his last seven races. He was gifted as a colt to Michael Cole three years ago, in return for looking after two fillies on his farm. Unable to afford the training costs on his own, he decided to offer 50% of the ownership to people he knew through his local pub, the Cresselly Arms at Cresswell Quay. The syndicate grew to 17 members but none except Mr Cole had owned a racehorse before. They said they were amazed when Tobefair started winning races and never dreamed he would make it to Cheltenham. The festival runs from Tuesday to Friday and culminates in the showpiece contest, the Gold Cup. Mr Cole said: "There's a lot of these big people now, they've got 40, 50, 60 horses, and it doesn't mean anything. But it means something to us." Syndicate member Andy Pannell described the experience as "total exhilaration", adding: "We were stood on the steps at Newbury and I thought I was going to have a heart attack. My heart was pounding, thumping." This is also a first appearance at the Cheltenham Festival for Tobefair's trainers Debra and Paul Hamer's, whose yard is at Nantycaws near Carmarthen. At least two bus loads of supporters will be travelling from the Cresselly Arms to Cheltenham for Tobefair's race, the Pertemps Final Handicap Hurdle, on Thursday. But syndicate member Jennifer Cole said they have only one real wish: "Win or lose, just get him round the track and bring the boy home."

Summary: A racehorse owned by a syndicate from Pembrokeshire is a favourite to win at this year's Cheltenham Festival.


Tunnicliffe, 24, worked with Wigan boss Warren Joyce when he was coming through the Manchester United youth system. Browne, 19, made his professional debut in the Europa League this season and has also played in the EFL Trophy. "Marcus is a young player with great potential and will strengthen our group," said manager Joyce. "Ryan has got a terrific attitude first and foremost. He has built up considerable experience now in this division and we are confident he can be a really positive influence to the group in the immediate future." Both players are available for Wigan's Championship game against Brentford on Saturday. Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page or visit our Premier League tracker here.

Summary: Wigan Athletic have signed midfielders Ryan Tunnicliffe and Marcus Browne from Fulham and West Ham on loan until the end of the season.


Investors were expected to remain cautious until the Fed announces its decision on Thursday. The Dow Jones rose 140.1 points to 16,739.95, while the S&P 500 added 17.22 points to 1,995.31. The Nasdaq was up 28.72 points at 4,889.24. Figures released on Wednesday showed consumer prices fell 0.1% in August. Prices were up 0.2% from a year earlier, indicating that inflationary pressures within the US economy remain weak. Analysts think the Fed's decision is finely-balanced, as while inflation is weak, the economy is growing and the unemployment rate has fallen to 5.1%. "You can make a strong case either way for the Fed to begin raising interest rates or waiting," Ryan Sweet, a senior economist at Moody's Analytics, told Reuters. "The prudent risk management approach would argue for them to hold off, but if the Fed was really data dependent there is a very strong case to raise rates on Thursday." Among individual stocks, Anheuser-Busch InBev rose 6.8% after it said it had made a takeover approach for rival brewing firm SABMiller. FedEx shares fell 2.8% after the delivery company cut its full-year earnings forecast. The company predicted earnings per share of $10.40-$10.90 for the year to 31 May, down from a previous forecast of $10.60-$11.10.

Summary: (Close): US markets closed higher as the Federal Reserve begins its two-day meeting which will discuss whether to raise interest rates.


The move was initially criticised by Colombia, which complained that it had not been consulted. But Colombian Defence Minister Luis Carlos Villegas has now published a review hailing the results. The number of murders in the border area has dropped by 10%, he said. More than 150,000 gallons of petrol and 400 cattle have been seized by Colombian forces since Venezuela's border security operation was launched on 19 August, added Mr Villegas. "We have reached a new era of co-operation with Venezuela's defence minister," he said. The report was presented to President Juan Manuel Santos and his cabinet during a meeting in the border department of Arauca. Mr Villegas praised the results of the operation launched unilaterally by Venezuela, but said Colombia was already successfully tackling criminal activities in the area. "I can affirm today that the border with Venezuela on the Colombian side is safer now than a year ago," he said. "And I can undoubtedly affirm that the border is safer today than 60 days ago." Venezuela surprised Colombia on 21 August when it deployed more than 1,000 troops and closed the main crossings along the 2,200km (1,400-mile) border. The move followed a shootout in which several Venezuelan soldiers were wounded by smugglers. Other troops were taken to the area in the following days to tackle crime and smuggling. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said that for many years Colombia had overlooked the problem, which was hurting the Venezuelan economy. Items subsidised by Venezuela's socialist government, including cheap petrol, are smuggled and sold at huge profit on the Colombian side of the border. Mr Santos recalled his ambassador to Caracas shortly after the operation was launched, complaining about the treatment of Colombians who lived illegally in Venezuela. More than 1,500 of them were expelled and thousands more fled in the following days. "I agree that criminal organisations working in the border area are a big problem, but the best way to deal with it is by working together," said Mr Santos. The two presidents met in Ecuador on 17 September and agreed to "a progressive normalisation" of their common border.

Summary: The Colombian government has acknowledged that crime and smuggling have gone down since Venezuela deployed thousands of troops along their common border two months ago.


An army spokesman said a total of 253 people had been summoned. Fifty-three did not report and 76 were in custody. Conditions for the release appear to include agreeing to avoid political activity and informing the army of travel, a BBC correspondent says. Coup leaders, who took power last week, received royal endorsement on Monday. Thailand's former prime minister, Yingluck Shinawatra, has been released but remains under some restrictions. The army also says it is releasing a group of "red-shirt" protest leaders who support the ousted government. The anti-government protest leader has already been freed. So far, almost all of the 124 people who the army said they had detained and released have kept a very low profile, says the BBC's Jonah Fisher in Bangkok. It remains to be seen whether these "red-shirt" leaders - who support the ousted government - do the same, our correspondent adds. The military seized power in Thailand on 22 May, saying it wanted to return stability after months of unrest. The move followed six months of political deadlock as protesters rallied against Ms Yingluck's government. At least 28 people were killed and hundreds injured during the protests. On Monday a royal command approved the coup. But the military's actions in removing an elected government has drawn widespread international criticism. Correspondents say there is also a degree of scepticism about the total number of people in custody provided by the military, with reports of more widespread detentions. Rights groups have expressed alarm over the detentions, as well as the tight restrictions on media. On Monday, there were reports that internet users were briefly unable to access social media site Facebook. The country's information and technology ministry told the BBC there was a gateway problem. Experts have said that the coup is unlikely to heal highly polarised political divisions in the country. The current deadlock dates from 2006, when the military ousted Ms Yingluck's brother, Thaksin Shinawatra, in a coup. Both have strong support in rural and northern areas, propelling them to successive election wins. However, many in the middle class and urban elite, who comprise the heart of the anti-government movement that began in November 2013, oppose them bitterly.

Summary: Thailand's army says it has now released 124 people, including politicians and activists, who were taken into custody after the coup.


The theme was frugality when the party's disciplinary watchdog issued a raft of tweaked guidelines for its 88 million members last October. Even though the wording was vague, Wednesday's statement on how these guidelines should be enforced remained well within the spirit of the party's ongoing austerity drive. It is all in the name of stamping out corruption, but the perceived intrusion into life's most significant rituals sparked a backlash online. It is part of traditional Chinese custom for guests at such events to give cash to the bride and groom or to the grieving family. At weddings, gifts are seen as wishing the couple good luck, whereas at funerals the money is seen as a way of paying condolences and it also helps out with funeral expenses. Wedding and funerals are seen as key indicators of one's social status in Chinese culture, and there is an emphasis on holding extravagant affairs. Now, members are discouraged from using their power to "hold large parties" and using the "manpower and resources" that come with one's position, such as employees or service staff, at such events. They also cannot use weddings and funerals "as vehicles to make money", so the custom of giving and receiving money at these events is frowned upon. The watchdog noted that sometimes members could hold events "on a very large scale or invite lots of guests" where in the process they would receive "large sums in gifts". In smaller villages weddings and funerals can last days and involve mass processions. So the guidance noted that such events cannot "disturb or obstruct daily production, lives, work, business, teaching, research, traffic and any other regular orders". It added for good measure that they also cannot "injure or kill people" or "violate the interests of the country, collective and people". Members are encouraged not to adhere blindly to their local cultural customs, although the watchdog stressed this did not mean a total ban on local traditions. "Members, particularly those in the leadership, must note that they could cause a bad impression among the public, and so should observe customs while also organising simple and regular weddings and funerals," it said. But the explanation cut no ice among some, as a backlash took place online. On microblogging network Weibo, many users complained of the rules as being too overbearing and draconian. "The enforcing of rules has become askew, even normal citizens are being regulated now," said one user. "Holding a wedding can damage the country's interests? Are you referring to a marriage with the Dalai Lama?" mocked another.

Summary: China's Communist Party this week set out the thinking behind recent guidance on weddings and funerals for party members.


30 November 2016 Last updated at 01:55 GMT She's been telling the BBC about working on her debut album and teaching jazz and the sax to young kids in the Namibian capital Windhoek.

Summary: Suzy Eises is a saxophonist from Namibia who has shared the stage with South Africa’s Jimmy Dludlu and other African artists.


They were among a group of suspects acquitted in Kenya last week. Taiwan's foreign ministry says they were forcibly put on a China-bound plane and has demanded their release. China has not responded in detail to the allegations, but has criticised Taiwan for not considering itself as part of "one China". The incident comes as cross-strait relations are feared to be entering a rocky period, say the BBC's Cindy Sui in Taipei. Taiwan said the eight were among 23 Taiwanese people who were accused in Kenya of being members of a telephone fraud ring, which also included Chinese nationals. They were arrested in Kenya at the end of last year and charged with illegal entry and telecommunications fraud. All of the Taiwanese, and some Chinese, were later acquitted. The Taiwanese were detained when they went to a police station last week to retrieve their passports. On Friday, eight of them were put on a plane by Chinese officials and sent to the mainland, despite a court order that would have kept them in Kenya, say Taiwanese officials. Taiwan has demanded their release, as well as for the release of the remaining 15 Taiwanese still in Kenyan custody. On Monday, Taiwan's foreign affairs ministry accused Chinese officials of "obstructions", including delaying the court order and preventing Taiwan's representative from reaching the acquitted. It said China's actions amounted to an "uncivilised act of extrajudicial abduction" which represents a "gross violation of basic human rights." In response to a reporter's question on the matter, China's foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said: "I might need further understanding of the exact details of the case, but in principle, countries which follow the 'one China' principle are worthy of approval." Beijing has refused to have dialogue with Taiwan's incoming President Tsai Ing-wen unless she recognises the two sides as part of one country. Chinese President Xi Jinping and Taiwan's current President Ma Ying-jeou held historic but largely symbolic talks in Singapore last November, the first between China and Taiwan's leaders in more than 60 years.

Summary: Taiwan has accused China of "extrajudicial abduction" after eight Taiwanese acquitted of fraud in Kenya were deported to mainland China.


The 24-year-old was one of three Pakistan players jailed in November 2011 for conspiring to bowl deliberate no-balls against England in 2010. He was banned for five years, but returned in January last year. "He made a mistake and he paid a price for that mistake and as far as we're concerned that's over," Bowden said. "It is as straightforward as that, there've been one or two other cases with players that have had a history and we've taken the same view. "It was a relatively straightforward, not an easy choice and one has to think about it, but he paid a price and therefore he should be free to go on and further his career and enjoy his life." When he arrives next June, Amir will bolster a bowling line-up that has seen Graham Napier and David Masters retire after helping Essex win the County Championship Division Two title this year. "He's going to bring pace, he's going to bring experience and I hope he brings some ambition," Bowden added. "Our ambition is to do well in Division One, to stay in Division One, and to do well in white-ball cricket. "He's going to have a big impact in the second half of the season in four-day, and for the entire Twenty20 competition."

Summary: Essex chief executive Derek Bowden says Mohammad Amir must be allowed to get on with his career, with the Pakistan bowler set to join the club in 2017.


New rules, which came into force in April, allow people aged 55 and over to cash in their pension pots rather than take a retirement income. This new system "is not yet operating entirely as it should", the Commons Work and Pensions Committee said. The government said any exploitation of retirees was unacceptable. MPs on the committee also raised concerns about gaps in advice and charges. And they said that there were dangers of a mis-selling scandal if pensioners were unable to make informed choices. Some 204,000 people accessed pension pots in April, May and June. This was more than double the number in the same period in 2013, partly reflecting customers delaying accessing their pots until the reforms had taken place, the committee heard. Annuity sales dropped to 12,000 for the same three months, compared with 90,000 in the same quarter of 2013. Some 121,000 customers had opted for cash withdrawal and 71,000 had accessed some form of product to draw income from a pension fund that remained invested. Making these financial decisions left many people at risk of being exploited by con-artists, the committee said. "Financial scammers are notoriously adept at reinventing themselves to take advantage of such opportunities. But this does not mean scams should be accepted as a fact of life," the committee said. In response, the government said it was working hard to tackle the issue. "The Government has been absolutely clear that any attempt to exploit people who have worked hard and saved for their retirement is unacceptable, which is why we are working with police, regulators and other bodies to raise awareness and take action to protect consumers," said a spokesperson for HM Treasury. Another danger was the lack of suitable advice for many people approaching retirement, especially those of middle-incomes. Frank Field, who chairs the committee, said: "We have seen all too clearly, too many times, what happens when financial information is not properly provided and regulated. We literally cannot afford another financial mis-selling scandal." There was also criticism of Pension Wise, the government-backed free service which guides people through the new rules. "The website is not fit for purpose. It is static, offering no opportunities for personalisation, and lags well behind many private services," the report said. A government and City watchdog review into financial advice should consider whether retirees facing jargon and complex financial choices should be given two or more Pension Wise guidance sessions rather than just one. However the government said Pension Wise had been a "real success story", with over 20,000 guidance appointments since it started. Pension Wise offers web and phone-based services, as well as face-to-face appointments through Citizens Advice. The City watchdog, the Financial Conduct Authority, told the committee that, in July, Citizens Advice was running at 10% to 15% of its capacity to provide face-to-face appointments. The committee also concluded: "Freedom to choose is not enough, people must have freedom to make informed choices," the report said.

Summary: Pension reforms have increased the prospect of people being conned out of their life savings, a committee of MPs has concluded.


I knew I wanted to get involved in Red Nose Day this year. But then I decided to take it one step further. I'd wanted to go on a Comic Relief trip for years and here was the perfect opportunity, so I agreed to take my first ever trip to Liberia in West Africa. During the trip, we visited a school in West Point, the largest and most dangerous slum in Liberia's capital, Monrovia. It was really shocking seeing the appalling conditions that people live in and it was far worse than I could have ever imagined. Nothing could have prepared me for what I saw, but despite all of this, everyone's positivity was overwhelming. The welcome from the kids was amazing, especially when they saw my tattoos; they went nuts and couldn't understand what they were. Some of the younger kids tried to wipe them off. Everyone wanted to know what we were doing and where we were from. They absolutely loved singing and clapping along to my songs and for a few hours it was easy to forget that these kids live in such awful conditions. I was completely blown away by their eagerness to learn. They really wanted to be in school and all had big dreams for the future. Despite living in one of the poorest places on Earth, they weren't prepared to let their circumstances hold them back. I asked a lot of them what they wanted to be when they grow up and "doctor", "teacher" and "politician" were common responses. I got a sense that they really meant it. They've seen what life is like for people with no qualifications or jobs and it's the motivation they need to keep studying. There are hundreds of thousands of people crammed in to West Point, most of them living in squalor, so getting an education is a privilege and not something all of the kids get to do. As we were taking a break from filming, a little girl came over to talk to me. Her name was Peaches and unlike the other children I'd met, she wasn't in a uniform. She explained that since her father's death during the Ebola crisis, her mother couldn't afford to send her to school any more. At just 12 years old, she had already been working for over a year helping to support her family. Unfortunately, Peaches' story is not uncommon. We had an impromptu jamming session and the girl could really sing. Peaches sang a song that reminded her of her father and as she did, tears started to roll down her face. The enthusiasm that was initially shining out of her disappeared. It was at this point that the reality of Peaches' situation, and many, many kids just like her, hit me really hard. Peaches told me she wanted to be a musician when she grows up, and who knows, maybe she can make that happen, but for now, she has been forced to drop out of school and spends her days working in a filthy, dangerous slum, earning

Summary: Ed Sheeran writes exclusively for BBC News about his trip to Liberia with Comic Relief and why he'll never forget the children he met there - and one young girl in particular.


The masked men burst into a house in Dronfield, Derbyshire, in March 2015 after knocking out a 46-year-old man. Two women and three children - aged seven, 11 and 13 - were threatened and the women was believed to have been tied up. Cash and jewellery were stolen from the house during the robbery, which happened on Stubley Lane on 19 March. Shayne West, 34, of Vikinglea Drive, Sheffield; William John Proctor, 36, of Magpie Grove, Sheffield; and Luke Bonsall, 36, of Sandygate Park, Sheffield, have been charged with conspiracy to commit robbery and conspiracy to possess a firearm with intent. They are due to appear before Chesterfield magistrates on 15 July.

Summary: Three men have been charged over a robbery in which three children were allegedly threatened with a gun.


The Breffni men beat promotion rivals Galway 1-16 to 1-12 to finish runners-up to Division Two winners Tyrone. The lads have taken a bit of criticism in the media because of the lack of senior success after the exploits of our Under-21s," said boss Hyland. "You have to give them time to mature and develop and I believe they are." Cavan scored an early goal through Jack Brady in Sunday's match but Patrick Sweeney quickly netted Galway's reply after the ball had come off an upright. With Gearoid McKiernan putting in a superb display, Cavan racked up six unanswered points before the break. Despite having Liam Buchanan sent off, they ran out four-point winners. "Galway put us under pressure in the second half but our lads responded to it," added Hyland. "It was a winner takes all match and there was a Championship feel about it. "Roscommon have proved you can go up from Division Two and compete quite well and that is what we want to do." Cavan will play Tyrone in the Division Two final at Croke Park on Sunday, 24 April.

Summary: Cavan manager Terry Hyland declared the best had yet to come as his side celebrated going up to Division One of the Football League.


The Peaks Parkway site has been identified by planning consultants SLR as the club seeks to move from its current Blundell Park home. The location is recommended for approval in a report for North East Lincolnshire Council. Six sites were analysed by SLR, but Peaks Parkway was the only one "reasonably available" the report said. The stadium is planned to be an initial 14,000 capacity, with capability to be expanded to 20,100 seats. It will feature leisure facilities, community football pitches and changing facilities. The land between Peaks Parkway and Weelsby Avenue is currently green space, council buildings and allotments. The site is close to Grimsby Crematorium. The report is on the agenda for the council's cabinet meeting on 31 August. It also states a detailed viability analysis and outline business case for the site would need to be presented to the council by November.

Summary: A preferred site for a new community stadium for Grimsby Town Football Club has been revealed.


The move is in line with UN sanctions aimed at curbing Pyongyang's nuclear weapons capability. German media say City Hostel Berlin is run by a Turkish hotelier who pays more than €38,000 (£32,000; $41,000) a month in rent to North Korea. The embassy also derives income from a conference hall at the site. North Korea has conducted several nuclear tests and launched missiles, provoking fears that it could one day hit Japan or the US with a long-range nuclear strike. German Foreign Ministry spokesman Martin Schäfer said "any kind of commercial activity on the site of the embassy or in relation to the embassy is prohibited". "City Hostel in Berlin constitutes neither a diplomatic nor consular activity of a North Korean foreign representation," he said, adding that the government will move to "shut down the financial source to the North Korean regime as quickly as possible". Germany's Berliner Zeitung newspaper says (in German) the ministry has warned the leaseholders that they must end their contracts with North Korea - otherwise they face hefty fines. City Hostel Berlin was built in former communist East Germany and at the time housed North Korean embassy staff. It is a popular budget option for travellers to Berlin, who can stay in an eight-bed dormitory room for just €9.50 per night. The business relationship with North Korea was not confirmed by hostel staff, German media said. UN Resolution 2321, adopted unanimously in November, tightened sanctions on North Korea, in response to Pyongyang's 9 September nuclear test. It includes a clause stating that "all Member States shall prohibit the DPRK [North Korea] from using real property that it owns or leases in their territory for any purpose other than diplomatic or consular activities". Markus Ederer, state secretary at the German Foreign Ministry, said "we must step up the pressure in order to bring North Korea back to the negotiating table". The UN sanctions must be implemented to the letter, he said, "so it is especially important that we act to cut off the activities funding the nuclear programme".

Summary: German authorities plan to terminate a North Korean business in the heart of Berlin - a big hostel next to the communist state's embassy.


Argentina said dialogue and diplomacy were the only ways to promote democracy in Venezuela. Venezuela's foreign minister said Mr Trump's words had been hostile and disrespectful and risked destablising Latin America. Violent demonstrations since April have left more than 120 people dead. President Nicolas Maduro's new constituent assembly - which can rewrite the constitution and could override the opposition-controlled parliament - has been widely criticised as anti-democratic. Mercosur - which includes the region's largest economies Argentina and Brazil as well as Paraguay and Uruguay - indefinitely suspended Venezuela's membership last week. Other Latin American countries also condemned Mr Trump's comments, including Mexico, Colombia and Peru, which said Mr Trump's threat was against UN principles. Peru has been a fierce critic of Mr Maduro's government. On Friday Peru expelled Venezuela's ambassador after Caracas sent an "unacceptable" response to regional condemnation of its new constituent assembly. Peruvian President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski has urged Mr Maduro to resign and called him a dictator. On Friday evening Mr Trump told reporters the US had "many options for Venezuela, including a possible military option if necessary". "The people are suffering and they're dying," he added. The US recently imposed sanctions on President Maduro, branding him a dictator. The White House later said that Mr Maduro had requested a phone call with the American president. In response, the White House said Mr Trump would gladly speak to his Venezuelan counterpart, when democracy had been restored in the country. The Venezuelan opposition accuses Mr Maduro of trying to cling on to power, but he says the new assembly will bring peace to the country.

Summary: The South American trading bloc Mercosur has condemned President Trump for saying he was considering military action in the Venezuela crisis.


Cannon Hill Park will host The 2015 Sousse and Bardo Memorial. Thirty Britons were among 38 tourists killed by a gunman at Port El Kantaoui in an attack on 26 June. A UK tourist was one of 22 killed in a separate attack at a museum in Tunis in March. The memorial is planned to open in 2018. See more stories from across the Birmingham and Black Country areas here The park was chosen following consultation with the victims' families. It was selected due to its central location, as well as the balance between "seclusion and tranquillity" and "being a place of public prominence", the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) said. FCO Minister for North Africa Tobias Ellwood said it will be a "place of remembrance for the families of those who lost their lives". West Midlands victims include Charles Patrick Evans, 78, his son Adrian Evans, 49, and grandson Joel Richards, 19, who were killed in Sousse and Sally Adey, 57, of Shropshire, who died in the museum attack. Councillor Lisa Trickett, cabinet member for environment at Birmingham City Council, said: "We are honoured that the families of the victims of this terrible massacre have chosen it as the place for their memorial. "I hope that it will in some small way help the families directly affected, whilst also providing a space for everyone to remember, commemorate and reflect." The Foreign Office is now inviting expressions of interest to design the memorial, which will be located on an oval-shaped site with views of the boating lake. A shortlist will be announced at a later date.

Summary: A memorial dedicated to British tourists killed in two terrorist attacks in Tunisia in 2015 will be erected in a Birmingham park.


Cosmetics which claim to lighten skin by using cancer-linked chemical hydroquinone were banned in the EU in 2001. A BBC reporter was able to buy six creams and three tested positive for hydroquinone. Analytical chemist Andrew Reid said of the chemical: "It kills cells. It's the sort of thing used to clean toilets." Reaction to skin bleaching investigation, plus more Coventry news The undercover BBC Coventry & Warwickshire reporter visited 13 shops that predominantly serve people from Afro-Caribbean and Asian communities in and around Coventry. They bought six illegal skin bleaching products from six of the shops. Mr Reid, head of life sciences at Coventry University, said: "Three out of the six products we tested did indeed contain the nasty chemical hydroquinone. "That's a dangerous substance which will destroy the melanin producing cells. "The sun will damage your skin and you could end up with a cancers like melanoma or leukaemia." Aspiring model Mutsa Chikwana, 24, of Holbrooks, Coventry, said she started using a skin lightening product after a photographer edited pictures to show her skin a few shades lighter. "He said [the photographs] had to be a certain shade," said Ms Chikwana. "It's quite shocking. It did not look like me. "But if you look at the pageants it's always the light skinned girl that's won, or it's always the light skinned girl that's got that top job." A social media campaign - #unfairandlovely - is working to challenge the widely-held belief in many parts of the world that fair skin is the most attractive. Prof Steve Garner, head of criminology and sociology at Birmingham City University, is studying the use of skin lightening products in England. A study in Birmingham, Bristol and London found the majority of Black or Asian woman using the creams were aged 16-24. He said: "This problem is going to get exponentially worse unless we deal with it... and that's in terms of public health and regulating the laws that do exist. "The ideas around using skin lighteners to change your appearance are, in some cases, borderline mental health issues." National Trading Standards has joined with UK Border Force officials to tackle banned skin lightening products getting into the country. Warwickshire Trading Standards officer Eleanor Lake said the authority had seized 1,000 illegal skin lightening products at Coventry airport since May. "We've found that some of them have contained up to 13% hydroquinone and significant amounts of mercury and these are dangerous substances which can lead to cancers," said Ms Lake. "The idea is that they're putting these products on their skin to make themselves more beautiful - but ultimately they're causing themselves harm."

Summary: Illegal skin bleaching products are being sold in shops in Coventry, a BBC investigation has found.


Mr Lam was one of five booksellers who went missing late last year. All were linked to a publishing house specialising in political books critical of China's leaders. Their case gripped Hong Kong, with allegations that China was interfering with freedom of expression in Hong Kong. One of the men, Gui Minhai, is still in custody. The BBC's Juliana Liu shares some of the revelations from Mr Lam. Mr Lam, who owned the Causeway Bay Bookstore before it was purchased by Mr Gui, says he was abducted in the Chinese city of Shenzhen on 24 October on a routine trip to see his girlfriend. After a night in Shenzhen he was taken, handcuffed and blindfolded, by train to the eastern Chinese city of Ningbo, where he was interrogated irregularly and held until March. He says he was kept, alone, under 24-hour surveillance and not allowed to leave a small room. He was not physically abused, but suffered from psychological terror. The furniture in the room was wrapped in plastic, he believes to prevent any suicide attempts. "The toothbrush they gave was very small, and connected to a nylon thread," he recalls. "When you brush your teeth, a guard would hold the other end of the string, and once you finish you have to return the toothbrush. This is because they were afraid I would try to kill myself by swallowing the toothbrush." "Someone must have done it before." 1. Lui Bo, General Manager, went missing in Shenzhen, 15 October 2. Cheung Jiping, business manager, 32, went missing in Dongguan, 15 October 3. Gui Minhai, co-owner, 51, went missing in Thailand, 17 October 4. Lam Wing-kee, manager, 60, last seen before detention in Hong Kong, 23 October 5. Lee Po, shareholder, 65, went missing in Hong Kong, 30 December Hong Kong's missing booksellers and 'banned' Xi Jinping book Booksellers are innocent, says author China confirms Hong Kong bookseller investigation In March, when three of his colleagues were released and returned to Hong Kong, Mr Lam was transferred to a room in the city of Shaoguan in Guangdong province, where he enjoyed more freedom and served the rest of his detention. In a twist, on Friday one of his colleagues, British citizen Lee Po, who had been released in March, used Facebook to dispute claims made by Mr Lam that Mr Lee had been kidnapped. Who exactly was behind the operation to detain all five booksellers, one of whom disappeared from Thailand and another from Hong Kong? For months, there has been debate on whether the campaign was ordered by the highest levels of the Chinese leadership, or, perhaps, by lower levels of officialdom keen to impress the government in Beijing. Some believe the crackdown was prompted by the imminent publication of a book about the private life of President Xi Jinping. Mr Lam says he doesn't know for sure. But, he says, he was held by officials from the "special investigation team": an ad-hoc cross-agency law enforcement team that can be convened only by the senior leadership in Beijing. This elite group has

Summary: Hong Kong bookseller Lam Wing-kee, 61, held a defiant press conference on Thursday night to reveal all about his eight-month detention in mainland China.