Riot after Philippine slum fire

25 December 2012 Last updated at 09:35 GMT The fire destroyed more than 150 homes A fire in a Philippines shanty town has sparked violent clashes between residents and firefighters.

Officials said residents in the San Juan City slum, east of Manila, were frustrated with the slow response of the emergency services and tried to grab hoses to save their homes.

In the ensuing violence, one person was beaten to death after apparently being mistaken for a firefighter.

The fire destroyed dozens of homes and left hundreds of people homeless.

GMA news reported that some residents had threatened firefighters with guns and threw stones at the fire engines.

"Our fire engines had difficulty entering the narrow streets that were blocked by parked cars and carts," fire chief Santiago Laguna told local media.

"Our firefighters had to drag the hoses into the alleys, where they were attacked.

"[The residents] started grabbing hoses from our firefighters, who could not do anything as they feared for their own safety."

Millions of Filipinos live in shanty towns around the capital city.

Cramped conditions and poor construction leave the areas exposed to fires and natural disasters.

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Murray's mother expects big year

Andy Murray's mother Judy says her son can enjoy even more success in 2013, and has praised the impact that coach Ivan Lendl has had on his career.

Murray enjoyed his best year in tennis, winning Olympic gold before lifting his maiden Grand Slam title at the US Open, and was runner-up at Wimbledon.

"It's been a significant year for him," Judy Murray told the BBC.

"It's given him a lot of confidence. He's worked even harder than before to go after another Slam in Australia."

The 25-year-old joined forces with eight-time major winner Lendl 12 months ago and the partnership has been a huge success, as Murray threatens to reach the top of the world rankings.

Sue Barker BBC Sport presenter

"The speech he made at Wimbledon showed everyone at home who thought he was a hard, heartless competitor what it meant to him."

Andy Murray's Grand Slam Year, BBC Radio 5 live, Thursday 27 December, 19:30 GMT

"He's been a crucial factor in Andy's improvement and success this year," said Judy.

"The wonderful thing about Ivan is that he's very similar in character to Andy, not least they have the same awful sense of humour! But seriously, he's very driven, very dedicated and he absolutely has his eyes on the prize.

"He knows what you have to go after and he knows that you have to be very single minded about going after it.

"He's got a real sense of direction, a real toughness and he's really helped Andy with the mental side of the game, about being able to reset if you suffer a disappointment, a bad call or a run of bad games. That's allowed him to play his best tennis for much longer periods of time."

Murray, from Dunblane, recently finished third in the BBC's Sports Personality of the Year award and has been in Miami for his annual pre-season training camp, but will take a short break before flying east.

"He's come home for Christmas for a couple of days for the first time in about four years. He leaves on Christmas night to go to Abu Dhabi to play in an exhibition event and then on to Brisbane for the warm-up tournament before the Australian Open," his mother explained.

And Judy, who captains Great Britain's Fed Cup team, feels there is a crop of young Scottish players ready to step onto the world stage.

Maia Lumsden, a 14-year-old from Glasgow, beat fellow Briton Gaby Taylor, from Hampshire, in the final of the Orange Bowl event, considered one of the most prestigious in the world junior game.

The Fed Cup skipper added: "Anna Brogan is the best girl in Britain in the 1997 age group. Maia is the best born in 1998. For 1999 there's Anastasia Mikheeva who's the number two in Britain. And born in 2000, there's Ali Collins from Dunblane who's the British number one under 12.

"There's a bright future ahead for British girls' tennis if we can get the next stage of the players' development right."

Read more about the BBC's Australian Open coverage

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Red alert in Chile over volcano

23 December 2012 Last updated at 18:03 GMT Seismic activity was detected at the Copahue volcano

Chile has raised the alert level for the Copahue volcano to red, the highest possible.

The 3,000m (10,000ft) volcano is in Argentina's south-western Neuquen province, near the Chilean border. It began spewing ash and gas on Saturday morning.

In Argentina, the authorities have told residents of local villages to monitor the situation.

Many people have already left the area as a precaution.

Ash has been raining down on both sides of the border.

The Chilean authorities raised the alert - first issued on Saturday - to the highest level in Biobio region after the Copahue volcano increased seismic activity overnight.

Roads were being cleared for possible evacuation.

The plume of smoke is about 1,500m (5,000ft) high and the wind is pushing it away from Argentina, said Chile's emergency office (Onemi).

Planes flying over the southern Andes have also been warned to avoid the area.

Hundreds of flights were cancelled last year due to the eruption of Puyehue volcano, in Chile.

The lakes, mountains and thermal spas in the area are popular with tourists from around the world

That eruption caused huge economic damage not only to property in the area but also to tourism in Bariloche and other resorts.

The Copahue eruption comes at the height of the tourism season.

Visitors from all over the world go to the area in the summer months to enjoy the mountains, lakes and also the Copahue and Caviahue thermal spas.

Copahue in the indigenous Mapuche language means "sulphur waters".

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VIDEO: Christmas decorations 'getting smaller'

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Is Belgium still the capital of chocolate?

31 December 2012 Last updated at 00:21 GMT By Maddy Savage BBC News, Brussels Ryan Stevenson shows what goes into making a Belgian chocolate

Belgium invented the praline in 1912 and soon became known for making the best chocolates in the world. But 100 years on, the supremacy of local chocolatiers is under threat from international competition.

The smell of warm, melted cocoa is wafting around the kitchen as Ryan Stevenson meticulously pipes a rich, buttery filling into dozens of delicate chocolate shells.

Tall and slim with a ginger beard, the 36-year-old grew up in Toowoomba, Australia.

Since moving to Brussels in 2005, he has twice won the title of Belgian Chocolate Master. In 2009, he took the Best Praline prize as a finalist in the World Chocolate Masters competition.

"I am not actually a chocolatier by trade, I trained as a pastry chef," he says, with a grin.

So how did he end up becoming one of Belgium's most sought-after chocolatiers?

"It's a long story," he says. "I originally studied to become an actuary, a statistician who works out insurance premiums. But I found it boring and couldn't imagine working in an office all day."

He soon realised he preferred his part-time job in a bakery to university, and sought out experience in hotels and patisseries in Munich and London, before finally arriving in Brussels. He found himself a Belgian wife and started working at his father-in-law's cake shop Le Saint Aulaye as well as entering cookery contests.

"I started with pastries, but here there is such a strong culture of chocolate that whenever I needed to do a competition, it was always chocolate-based. It is a good product to work with - I mean, everyone loves a Belgian chocolate!"

Despite abandoning his background in mathematics, he says his analytical mind helps him develop new recipes and understand the technical processes of making good chocolate - for example, melting the mixture at the right temperature and keeping out air bubbles.

After many long nights practising his craft, he won his first Belgian Chocolate Master Award in 2008. But he claims the second time he won the prize was most rewarding "because by then the Belgians knew it wasn't a beginner's luck".

Continue reading the main story The first trace of chocolate in Belgium dates back to 1635 when there are records of a purchase by the abbot of Baudeloo in GhentIn the 19th Century, Belgians shipped cocoa over from Congo, their new African colonyBut the country's international reputation for producing chocolate really began in 1912 with the invention of the pralineThis is a chocolate shell with a soft centre (not the crispy nutty confectionery of the same name) Its creator Jean Neuhaus became a world famous chocolatier, founding a business that with more than 2,000 sales outlets in 50 countriesBelgian pralines are made by hand - flavours are created by adjusting the amount of sugar and cocoa in the chocolate mixtureMore than 172,000 tons of chocolate is produced per year in Belgium and there are more than 2,000 chocolate shops within its borders, which make up an area the size of Maryland

Sources: Museum of Cocoa and Chocolate, Visit Belgium

"It was actually a very good feeling being Australian and winning here in Brussels," he says, smiling.

"I think it's because I took all the expertise of the Belgians and I beat them at their own game."

Stevenson isn't the only foreigner making a big impact on the Belgian chocolate scene.

Yasushi Sasaki, from Japan, runs a popular patisserie in Woluwe-Saint-Pierre, a quiet residential part of Brussels.

He is often described as someone who crafts chocolate with the precision of a sushi chef. The label seems fitting the moment you step inside the store's simple exterior. Its glowing glass counters are packed with colourful sweet treats that resemble works of art.

"Belgian chocolatiers should absolutely be worried about international competition from people like me," he argues.

"We can do things just as good as them and put our own spin on things as well. I agree that we could pose a threat."

Popular amongst Belgium's food blogging community, he reached the finals of the World Chocolate Masters in 2005, losing out to Pol Deschepper, the last Belgian to win the competition. Frank Haasnoot, from the Netherlands, picked up the most recent biennial prize in 2011.

"I am very happy that international chefs from other countries are proud of using Belgian chocolate and choosing this product to excel in their careers," says Pascale Meulemeester, of Barry Callebaut, the Belgian chocolate giant that runs the contest.

Yasushi Sasaki runs a patisserie in Brussels

But surely there is resentment amongst Belgian chocolatiers, who are missing out on the limelight?

"I suppose there is competition," she admits, "although really it is a healthy, friendly rivalry. International chefs working within and outside Belgium all help export our ideas and products to other countries, which is a good thing."

She believes that Belgium's history of confectionery will ensure its chefs continue to remain amongst the best in the world.

"When you have this as a business in your country for 100 years, you see a consistency and quality in execution. That brings Belgians an advantage and that is something that is not to be underestimated."

The country's love of chocolate goes back to the 19th Century, when cocoa was shipped home from Congo, which had become its new African colony.

Continue reading the main story

Where I come from it's too warm, the chocolate melts straight away!”

End Quote Ryan Stevenson Australian chocolatier and Belgian Chocolate Master The Belgian chocolate industry became world famous following the invention of the praline, a chocolate shell with a soft centre. The man who came up with the idea, Jean Neuhaus, is often referred to as Belgium's most famous chocolatier, although he was born in Switzerland.

Neuhaus has become one of the country's most famous global brands along with Callebaut, Cote d'Or and Leonidas. But one of Belgium's most famous companies, Godiva, was bought by the Turkish business Yildiz in 2007. Current internationally renowned chocolatiers include Pierre Marcolini, Dominique Persoone and Jean Galler.

"Belgium's recipe for success so far comes from training within the industry, good ingredients and unique tastes," says Meulemeester.

Strict rules mean that any chocolates labelled as Belgian must be produced within the country.

"French chocolate is typically darker, less sweet and has more subtle flavours going on. Switzerland's signature chocolate is milk.

"Belgium has taken all of these influences but also developed our chocolate-making technique and the artisan industry," he says.

Stevenson has no plans to return Down Under

Belgian food critics are also quick to defend one of their country's key food industries.

"Just because one [non-Belgian] chef happens to win a few prizes, sponsored by a chocolate brand, I don't think Belgian chocolatiers should start to quake in their boots," says Veerle de Pooter, a magazine writer who has also worked as a chef for the country's federal government.

"I'll start worrying when customers actually start preferring non-Belgian chocolate."

That seems a long way off. There are around 2,000 chocolate shops in Belgium and annual exports are close to two billion euros according to CAOBISO, an association representing the chocolate, biscuit and confectionery industries of Europe. Only Germany sells more chocolate abroad.

"We must not forget that Belgian chefs have also travelled elsewhere for inspiration - for example, a decade a go a lot of them were going to the Catalan region of Spain, not for chocolate but for other foods," says Willem Asaert, a food writer for publications across Belgium, Holland and France.

"So it's okay for international chocolatiers to come here to get ideas, learn the trade and develop their own signature. This won't be the end of the Belgian chocolate industry. On the contrary, it's just the proof that we are the best area in the world when it comes to chocolate."

The next World Chocolate Masters is set to take place in November 2013, in Paris, with entrants representing 20 different countries.

Continue reading the main story World Chocolate Master 2013 is in Paris South African-born Ruth Hinks is Britain's first female entrant Mexican Chocolate Master Luis Robledo is hoping to be the first Latin American winner Belgium's candidate is Dmitiri Salmon, who has run his own chocolate business for 10 years, came second in the Belgian Chocolate Master competition in 2009 and was elected as best bakery-pastry artisan of Belgium in 2002.To win in 2013 he must get the best score across multiple challenges, including creating the best praline, best pastry and best showpiece"It will be hard for Dmitiri. He is going to have a lot of competition," says Stevenson."Japan's candidate Akihiro Kakimoto is very good and I have heard that Turkey's hopeful is being coached by a Belgian chocolatier." Ryan Stevenson won't be competing this time. Having twice been selected as Belgian Chocolate Master, he is ineligible to compete any more in the World Chocolate Masters.

Instead, he is one of the judges. He says he has made peace with the fact that he will never be crowned World Chocolate Master.

"It's okay, it's part of life. I was the first guy in Belgian to get the national prize twice so I've got to be pleased with that."

Stevenson's focus now is on developing his own chocolate line, but there is still one last contest he has set his sights on, Coupe du Monde de la Patisserie in Lyon, France. The competition sees national teams made up of a chocolatier, pastry chef and ice cream maker given 10 hours to prepare a range of desserts.

"I know I've got one last win within me, but we'll just have to see how the time goes with my business."

One thing is for sure, he has no plans to return home to his native Australia.

"Where I come from it's too warm, the chocolate melts straight away!"

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Merkel warns of tough times ahead

31 December 2012 Last updated at 03:18 GMT Chancellor Angela Merkel is urging Germans to be more patient Chancellor Angela Merkel has warned that the German economic climate in 2013 will be "even more difficult".

In her new year message, she also cautioned that the eurozone debt crisis was far from over.

However, she did say that reforms designed to address the roots of the problem were beginning to bear fruit.

Her comments appeared to contradict German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble who said last week that the worst of the crisis was over.

In a taped interview to be broadcast later on Monday, Mrs Merkel urged Germans to be more patient.

"I know that many people are naturally concerned going into the new year," she said.

"The economic environment will not in fact be easier but rather more difficult next year. But we shouldn't let that get us down; rather it should spur us on."

She linked future German prosperity to a prosperous European Union.

"For our prosperity and our solidarity, we need to strike the right balance," she said.

Voters 'wary'

"The European sovereign debt crisis shows how important this balance is.

"The reforms that we've introduced are beginning to have an impact. Nevertheless we need to have further continued patience. The crisis is far from over."

In an interview with the German newspaper Bild last week, Mr Schaeuble cited positive developments in Greece and France, saying: "I think the worst is behind us."

Germany - Europe's largest economy - has been the paymaster in the eurozone crisis, a move unpopular with many German voters and some conservative MPs in Mrs Merkel's coalition.

Analysts say most Germans remain wary of eurozone bailouts but generally approve of Mrs Merkel's handling of the crisis.

In October, the German government slashed its forecast for economic output in 2013 to 1.0%, compared to 1.6% previously anticipated.

The country's central bank has said Germany may even come close to recession early in the new year.

Nevertheless, Mrs Merkel underlined that Germany in 2012 had the lowest unemployment since reunification in 1990.

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Mancini's 'big problem' at City

Roberto Mancini says he has a "big problem" after his team failed to score in their 1-0 loss at Sunderland.

City missed a number of good opportunities at the Stadium of Light, but failed to find the net as they slipped seven points behind Manchester United in the title race.

"It is impossible that our strikers didn't score," said Mancini. "It is a big problem at this moment.

"We are too soft in attack and too soft when we have chances and shoot."

Manchester City have lost on each of their last three league visits to Sunderland - all by a 1-0 scoreline.

This equals Roberto Mancini's worst losing streak at another stadium. He also lost three in a row at Everton from 2010 to 2012.

City have scored 34 goals in 19 matches in the Premier League this season - 14 fewer than neighbours United, who beat Newcastle 4-3 on Wednesday, have managed in as many games.

Perhaps more tellingly, they have only scored 12 in nine games on their travels, compared to United's 22 from 10.

Sergio Aguero, Yaya Toure, David Silva and Edin Dzeko were all denied by Sunderland goalkeeper Simon Mignolet on a frustrating afternoon for the champions.

"We didn't deserve to lose. We dominated, so I don't know how it is possible that we lost this game," said Mancini.

"Last year, we scored one, two, three goals every game. Now when we have chances, we are too soft and this is not good.

"We should be very strong when we have chances, sometimes we take one extra touch and maybe think 'Okay, we will score next time.' But football is not like that.

"We have a fantastic attitude because we want to win right up until the last second but we can't recover every game. We need to score before that, we had five or six chances in the first half. It's incredible."

Despite City falling seven points behind United at the halfway stage of the season, Mancini says his team can still defend their title.

"United score a lot of goals, but they also concede more than us," he said.

"It depends on us because the season is long and we can recover, no problem, but we need to change something in our team because we cannot continue like this."

Mancini was also upset with referee Kevin Friend, who he believes missed a foul by Craig Gardner on Pablo Zabaleta in the build-up to Sunderland's goal - scored by former City winger Adam Johnson.

"Maybe Zabaleta deserved a red card?" Mancini said sarcastically. "I don't think the referee and linesman had a good performance today.

"It is impossible that they didn't see a foul like that."

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Man Utd spirit delights Ferguson

Sir Alex Ferguson praised his Manchester United side for producing a "championship performance" as they came from behind on three occasions to beat Newcastle 4-3 at Old Trafford.

The victory extended their Premier League lead over Manchester City, who lost to Sunderland, to seven points.

"Never mind where we are in the table - that was a championship performance," said a delighted Ferguson.

"We dropped two points at Swansea [on Sunday] but made up for it today."

The Scot added: "I think it's given us all a lift - some of the football we played was fantastic."

Robin van Persie has scored six and assisted with three goals in his last eight Premier League games against the Magpies Newcastle have lost four Premier League games 4-3, only Blackburn (five) have lost more games by that scoreline Manchester United have won 16 and lost only one of their last 18 Premier League games at Old Trafford Newcastle took the lead early in the first half when James Perch capitalised on David De Gea's failure to hold Demba Ba's shot.

Jonny Evans equalised before the Northern Ireland defender put the ball into his own net.

The goal was initially disallowed after it appeared that assistant referee Jake Collin had judged Magpies striker Papiss Cisse - who was standing behind Evans - to have got the final touch from an offside position.

But after consulting with the linesman, referee Mike Dean allowed the goal to stand, noting that Evans had got the final touch and that Cisse was "non-active".

Ferguson was visibly upset by the decision and remonstrated with Dean, the fourth official and then Collin shortly before the restart.

"The referee changed the linesman's mind," said the Scot.

"He said it was an own goal. But if you see it again, and the referee can't, the guy is in an offside position, then he pulls Evans's arm.

Pardew laments 'unlucky' Newcastle

"If that is not interfering, what is? I think it was a bad decision."

Patrice Evra's leveller calmed Ferguson's fury before Papiss Cisse restored Newcastle's lead.

United's top scorer this season, Robin van Persie, grabbed his 16th of the campaign when he followed up his own blocked shot.

And in the final minute of normal time, Javier Hernandez, in the side for the injured Wayne Rooney, took advantage of a lapse in concentration to slide home the winner.

"I wish it was the last game of the season," said Ferguson. "It tells you about the courage of our team though.

"We had a lot of bad decisions against us in the first half.

"That could have demoralised the team. But they didn't give in. That is the great quality they have.

"As I always say about December, it is a month that tells you everything. Hopefully when we come to 1 January, after that game at Wigan, we are still top of the league."

The result left Alan Pardew's Newcastle side five points above the drop-zone, with a trip to Arsenal next on their fixture list.

"It's difficult, because we've scored three goals here at Old Trafford," said the Magpies boss.

"You think when you score three, you're going to win the game. We hit the bar [Sylvain Marveaux] and the post [Sammy Ameobi] and we scored three goals. But we conceded four.

"We gifted them the last goal and that's been the story for us this season. The last couple of goals were poor for us.

"You always learn something when you play and the players gave a good account of themselves."

Pardew was also critical of the challenge in stoppage time by Antonio Valencia on his Dutch midfielder Vurnon Anita, who was taken off on a stretcher as a result.

"I was a bit upset with that tackle," he added.

"I have seen it again and I don't think it was malicious but Valencia has mistimed it badly and unfortunately it might cost us a player.

"I am not sure what is wrong. It is too early to say."

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Gerry Anderson: Obituary

26 December 2012 Last updated at 20:44 GMT Gerry Anderson found that his classic creations were in constant demand TV producer Gerry Anderson, who has died at the age of 83, made his name with classic shows like Thunderbirds - despite saying he never liked working with puppets.

After starting his career at the Colonial Film Unit, part of the Ministry of Information, Anderson set up a TV and film production company, AP Films.

But work was hard to come by, and when he was approached to make a puppet show called The Adventures Of Twizzle in 1957, he had little option but to accept.

"I was shattered when I learnt the programmes had to be made with puppets as I'd allusions of making great pictures like Ben Hur," he later said.

"But there we were with no money, and an offer on the table. We had to take it."

Another puppet series, Torchy The Battery Boy, followed, and the positive reaction to his wooden creations and relative failure of live action ventures persuaded him to stick with the marionettes.

The 1960 series Supercar, about a vehicle that could travel in the air, on land or under the sea, honed Anderson's trademark formula of mystery and futuristic adventure.

It also allowed Anderson to perfect his production technique called Supermarionation.

Gerry Anderson (second left) made many of his shows with second wife Sylvia (second right)

The voices were recorded first, and when the puppets were filmed, the electric signal from the taped dialogue was hooked up to sensors in the puppets' heads.

That made the puppets' lips move perfectly in time with the soundtrack.

Subsequent science-fiction puppet series Fireball XL5 and Stingray were also hits, and Anderson dreamed up the idea for Thunderbirds in 1963 while listening to a radio report about a team of rescuers rushing to a collapsed mine in Germany.

The idea for International Rescue was born, and the show saw the Tracy brothers take off in their fleet of space-age craft from the secretive Tracy Island to complete daring rescue missions and combat nefarious villains.

Tapping into a fascination with a hi-tech future, the stories coupled great global tales of good and evil with a modern sensibility and were unmissable flights of fantasy for millions of young viewers.

While they may look primitive today, Anderson's creations seemed like a giant leap from previously static puppet shows and his props could often do things that live-action shows could not.

Thunderbirds characters Lady Penelope and chauffeur Parker became icons of 1960s television

Anderson made the programmes with his second wife Sylvia, who provided the voice (and cheekbones) of the Tracy brothers' London agent Lady Penelope.

And while the locations were exotic, the action was really filmed in a studio on a trading estate in Slough, Berkshire.

The success of Thunderbirds led to two feature films and a toy and merchandise empire.

Anderson followed up with Captain Scarlet And The Mysterons and Joe 90. But despite the success, he was always ambivalent about his stringed stars.

"I always used to think that they were terrible," he said. "I didn't see much on screen but the faults. I couldn't get a puppet to pick something up, or to walk. Their mouths were like letterboxes flapping open and shut.

"But I got to the point where I thought I'd better stop running down these pictures, because everybody in the world except me seems to like them."

Hollywood remake

By the late 1970s, stalled projects and bad investments had left him broke and he went through a painful divorce from Sylva.

He still yearned to prove that he could also succeed in live action, and came up with the series UFO, The Protectors, Space: 1999 and Space Precinct. But none managed the same impact as his puppet adventures.

Anderson returned to puppetry in the 1980s with Terrahawks, although he found that it was his classic shows that were constantly in demand.

He re-made Captain Scarlet in 2003, but was not involved when Thunderbirds was transformed into a live-action Hollywood movie in 2004.

"Four weeks before the premiere I got a call from Universal Pictures saying they would pay me $750,000 (£432,000) for me to attend and I turned it down," he told the BBC in 2008.

"I could've done with that, but I couldn't bring myself to accept it and make false reports about it."

Anderson was made an MBE in 2001 and is survived by his third wife Mary and four children.

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Plane crashes into Moscow road

29 December 2012 Last updated at 17:46 GMT Footage of the plane hitting the road was captured by a motorist

A Russian passenger plane has crashed into a main road after overshooting a runway at a Moscow airport, killing at least four people, police say.

Reports said there were between eight and 12 crew on board the Red Wings Tupolev-204, flight number RWZ9268, which was landing at Vnukovo airport.

Images of the scene show the aircraft split into several pieces, with the cockpit on the road.

Four people were severely injured, emergency officials said.

The dead were two pilots, a flight engineer and an air stewardess.

The plane's tail and cockpit had broken off but the fuselage was largely intact.

Mobile phone video showed people being helped from the wreckage

There were fire engines at the scene and smoke could be seen rising from parts of the wreckage.

The plane had arrived in Moscow from the Czech Republic, government officials said.

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has ordered an investigation into the cause of the crash.

There was light snow in the area on Saturday afternoon, though it was not known if that played any role.

The BBC's Steve Rosenberg, in Moscow, says investigators are looking into three possible causes - bad weather, technical failure and pilot error.

The Tupolev-204 is a modern Russian passenger jet with a good safety record and a capacity to hold more than 200 passengers.

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Early Broadway exit for Holmes

28 December 2012 Last updated at 09:33 GMT Katie Holmes last appeared on Broadway in 2008 Katie Holmes' play Dead Accounts is to close on 6 January after less than six weeks on Broadway.

Theresa Rebeck's drama, which also stars Norbert Leo Butz as Holmes' brother, had been scheduled to run until 24 February.

The show opened to poor reviews on 29 November and will have had 27 previews and 44 performances when it closes.

It marked Holmes' first major acting role since her divorce from Tom Cruise earlier this year.

Directed by Tony Award-winner Jack O'Brien, Dead Accounts tells the story of a prodigal son who returns home to Cincinnati from New York City.

Rebeck has created several well-received plays including Mauritius and Seminar - her last on Broadway - which had 191 performances and 26 previews before it ended.

According to the New York Times, for the week ending 23 December, Dead Accounts had made just under 25 per cent of its potential gross at the Music Box Theatre.

Holmes, who became a star in the teen soap opera Dawson's Creek, made her Broadway debut in the 2008 production of Arthur Miller's All My Sons.

She was married to Tom Cruise from 2006 until this year.

Broadway remembers

Meanwhile, respected actors Jack Klugman and Charles Durning are being honoured by the theatre community with the dimming of Broadway's lights.

On Thursday, the marquees at all Broadway theatres were darkened for one minute at 20:00 EST in memory of Durning, who died on Monday aged 89.

Durning amassed several important Broadway credits, including playing Big Daddy in a 1990 revival of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, and opposite George C Scott in Inherit the Wind in 1996.

On Friday, the 40 Broadway marquees will go dark at 20:00 EST in memory of Klugman, 90, who also died on Monday.

Klugman's Broadway roles included parts in I'm Not Rappapor and The Sunshine Boys. He was also nominated for a Tony Award in 1960 for Gypsy.

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N Ossetia Muslim leader shot dead

27 December 2012 Last updated at 09:40 GMT A Muslim spiritual leader has been shot dead in the Russian Caucasus republic of North Ossetia.

Deputy mufti Ibragim Dudarov was hit by several bullets fired at his car as he was driving home late on Wednesday, near the regional capital Vladikavkaz.

There have been similar attacks on Muslim leaders this year in the Russian republics of Dagestan and Tatarstan.

The motive in Dudarov's case is not clear. The mufti said his deputy "was not in conflict with anyone".

He called the attack "a stab in the back", linking it to Dudarov's work in a local Muslim spiritual organisation. But he said Islamist militants - blamed for many attacks in nearby Dagestan and Chechnya - were not active in North Ossetia.

North Ossetia is a mainly Christian republic which was ravaged by fighting between Christian Ossetians and Muslim Ingush in the early 1990s.

Dudarov, 38, lived in the village of Chmi near Vladikavkaz with his wife and four children, the youngest being a girl born just a month ago, Russia's Newsru.com website reports.

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Afghan policewoman kills US aide

24 December 2012 Last updated at 07:58 GMT Many women are being recruited into Afghanistan's police force An Afghan policewoman has shot dead a US military adviser inside Kabul police headquarters, Afghan officials say.

It is the first reported incident in which a female member of Afghanistan's security forces has opened fire on a Nato soldier.

The attacker has been detained. Officials say they suspect she has links with the Taliban.

There has been a rise in incidents in which foreign troops have been killed by Afghan troops or policemen.

In Monday's incident, officials say the woman - an officer at the interior ministry - came looking for the police chief at the heavily secured headquarters.

The US adviser was thought to have been on his way to a canteen when she shot him with her pistol.

More than 50 members of the Nato-led force in Afghanistan have been killed by male Afghan troops or police this year.

In September the US suspended training for local police recruits because of such "insider attacks".

It said it was carrying out checks on whether recruits had links to the Taliban.

Training Afghan security forces is an essential part of Nato's strategy before foreign combat troops pull out in 2014.

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India rape protest policeman dies

25 December 2012 Last updated at 08:07 GMT Demonstrators defied a ban to protest against the gang rape A policeman who was injured during violent protests over the gang rape of a woman in the Indian capital Delhi has died in hospital.

Subhash Tomar, 47, was injured in clashes at the weekend in which more than 100 people, including at least 60 officers, were injured.

The rape, which happened on a bus, has left the woman in a critical condition and caused outrage in India.

Indian PM Manmohan Singh has appealed for calm in the city.

Mr Singh said his government would "make all possible efforts to ensure security and safety to all women".

The victim continues to be on life support and in a critical condition in a city hospital, doctors say.

Six people, including the bus driver, have already been arrested in connection with the incident.

Mr Tomar, a constable with the city police, was injured during the protests at India Gate in the heart of the capital on Sunday.

Violence erupted as demonstrators tried to break through police barricades to march on President Pranab Mukherjee's palace.

Mr Tomar suffered a heart attack and had been on life support in hospital early on Tuesday.

"The protesters pelted stones at Mr Tomar, he was unconscious for two days and today he died," police spokesman Rajan Bhagat told AFP news agency.

Police had arrested eight people, including an activist of a newly formed anti-corruption political party, in connection with "the injuries caused to Mr Tomar".

A relative of Mr Tomar said he was attacked by a mob.

"My cousin was always out on streets maintaining law and order. The mob attacked him for no reason. They just killed him," said Ajay Tomar.

The authorities have kept roads and metro stations shut since Monday to stop protesters, leading to massive traffic jams.

The government has tried to halt the rising anger by announcing a series of measures intended to make Delhi safer for women.

These include more police night patrols, checks on bus drivers and their assistants, and the banning of buses with tinted windows or curtains.

Two policemen have also been suspended in connection with the incident, which happened on 16 December.

But the protesters say the government's pledge to seek life sentences for the attackers is not enough - many are calling for the death penalty.

The 23-year-old victim and her friend had been to watch a film when they boarded the bus in the Munirka area intending to travel to Dwarka in south-west Delhi.

Police said she was raped for nearly an hour, both she and her companion were beaten with iron bars and thrown out of the moving bus into a Delhi street.

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VIDEO: Rifle group defiant on gun control

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Spain busts drug-smuggling ring

26 December 2012 Last updated at 11:58 GMT Traffickers had smuggled the hashish from Morocco to Spain Spanish police have smashed a major drug-smuggling network, confiscating more than 11 tonnes of hashish and arresting 35 people.

Most of the hashish was stored in warehouses located in the central Spanish province of Toledo.

The drugs came from Morocco and were destined for distribution throughout Europe, authorities said.

Officers also seized more than 100,000 euros (£81,800) in cash, 14 cars and dozens of mobile phones.

"The dismantled organisation controlled the entire chain of trafficking, from production to packing, as well as transport to Spain, storage, and distribution throughout Europe, especially in France, Belgium, England and the Netherlands," police said in a statement.

Traffickers had smuggled the hashish from Morocco to Spain on trucks with tanks rigged to hide the drugs, they added.

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VIDEO: Struggling Syrians face tough winter

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VIDEO: Notre Dame celebrates 850 years

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China opens longest bullet route

26 December 2012 Last updated at 01:24 GMT China's high-speed railway has been expanding rapidly in recent years China has officially opened the world's longest high-speed rail route, linking the capital Beijing with the southern commercial hub of Guangzhou.

The first bullet train left Beijing on Wednesday morning. Trains will initially travel at 300km/h (187mph), more than halving travel time.

A Chinese official has described the route - parts of which were already in operation - as "one of the most technically advanced in the world".

The 2,298km route will have 35 stops.

They include such major cities as Wuhan and Changsha.

The previously 22-hour journey will now take less than 10 hours.

The decision was taken to start the passenger service on 26 December to commemorate the birth of former Chinese leader Mao Zedong, state media said.

China is currently expanding its high-speed rail network across the vast country.

But the ambitious project has not been free from controversy.

Forty people died last summer in a crash on a rapid train line in eastern Zhejiang province and the entire high-speed scheme has been dogged with reports of corruption.

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VIDEO: Inside a Swiss gold refinery

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Mandela in hospital for Christmas

24 December 2012 Last updated at 16:08 GMT Nelson Mandela has been admitted to hospital three times in the past two years. South Africa's first black President Nelson Mandela will spend Christmas in hospital, a government statement has said.

Mr Mandela, 94, was admitted to hospital two weeks ago and has been treated for a lung infection and gallstones.

There is growing concern in South Africa about his health.

Mr Mandela was jailed for 27 years for leading the struggle against white-minority rule.

He is regarded by most South Africans as the father of the nation, having inspired them to fight for democracy.

Public anxiety

"Former President Nelson Mandela will spend Christmas Day in hospital, his doctors have confirmed," a government statement said.

The BBC's Karen Allen in Johannesburg reports that with every passing day there is growing public anxiety about Mr Mandela's health.

There was hope that he would be allowed to spend Christmas at home, but his doctors are still not comfortable about discharging him, she says.

Although President Jacob Zuma has described Mr Mandela's condition as "serious", he has tempered this by saying that he has been "responding" to treatment, our correspondent adds.

The government says he is being treated for a recurring lung infection at a hospital in the capital, Pretoria.

He has also had an operation to remove gallstones.

Mr Mandela first contracted tuberculosis in the 1980s while detained on windswept Robben Island prison.

He has been admitted to hospital on three occasions in the past two years.

In January 2011, he was treated for a serious chest infection in Johannesburg.

In February this year, he was again admitted to a Johannesburg hospital because of abdominal pains. He was released the following day after tests revealed nothing serious.

Mr Mandela lives in Qunu, a small rural village in Eastern Cape province, where he says he spent the happiest days of his childhood.

He retired from public life in 2004 and has been rarely seen in public since, though he still receives high-profile visitors.

Former US President Bill Clinton visited Mr Mandela in July.

Mr Zuma has urged South Africans to pray for him.

Mr Mandela served as South Africa's first black president from 1994 to 1999.

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VIDEO: Anger at 'fake' Egypt constitution

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Woman to wed twin sister's killer

21 December 2012 Last updated at 01:00 GMT An 23-year-old Argentine woman has agreed to marry the man convicted of killing her twin sister two years ago.

Edith Casas insists Victor Cingolani did not murder her sister, a model with whom he also had a relationship.

Cingolani was convicted of Johana Casas' murder and is serving 13 years in prison in the town of Pico Truncado.

The couple have said they plan to wed on Friday at the prison in the southern province of Santa Cruz, to avoid media attention.

Mysterious death

Cingolani is reported as telling Argentine media outlets that his relationship with Johana was "casual", but that he was "in love" with Edith.

"We have lots of things in common and she isn't jealous," Argentine newspaper Clarin quoted him as saying.

"We always talk about Johana, about how she was," he said.

Edith maintains that Cingolani was unjustly convicted, saying he is "a guy who would not hurt a fly".

Their mother, Marcelina del Carmen Orellana, said it was clear to her that Edith was "psychologically ill".

Her father, Valentin Casas, told Clarin that he did not want to see his daughter again.

The exact circumstances of 19-year-old Johana Casas' murder, in July 2010, remain a mystery.

The model's body was found with two bullet wounds in a field.

A second man, Marco Diaz, Johana's boyfriend at the time of her murder, is awaiting trial charged with her murder.

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Lostprophets 'shocked' by arrest

The band Lostprophets with lead singer Ian Watkins second left Ian Watkins' Lostprophets bandmates have released a statement saying they are in a "state of shock", following his arrest on Wednesday.

He faces a number of charges including conspiracy to engage in sexual activity with a child under 13 and four offences relating to possession and distribution of indecent images of children.

A statement on the band's website said: "Following charges made today against Ian Watkins, we find ourselves in a state of shock.

"We are learning about the details of the investigation along with you."

Signed by "Jamie, Lee, Luke, Mike and Stu," it concludes: "It is a difficult time for us and our families, and we want to thank our fans for their support as we seek answers."

Ian Watkins, 35, of Pontypridd, appeared before Cardiff magistrates facing six charges relating to sexual offences against two young children.

He was remanded in custody.

The court heard that he had not admitted any of the offences, which date from May to December this year.

A 24-year-old woman has been charged with the same offences as Ian Watkins, while a 20-year-old woman is charged with five of the same offences but not conspiracy to rape.

Bail applications by all three were refused and they are due to appear before Cardiff Crown Court on 31 December.

Lostprophets toured the UK earlier this year. Their latest album, Weapons, was released in April.

They also played at Radio 1's Hackney Weekend.

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Obama back for fiscal cliff talks

27 December 2012 Last updated at 02:56 GMT President Obama is expected to meet Republican leaders to try to find a compromise US President Barack Obama has cut short his holidays in Hawaii and is flying to Washington to try to reach a deal to avoid the so-called "fiscal cliff".

Unless a compromise is found, tax increases and huge spending cuts come into force on 1 January, threatening to tip the US back into recession.

However, Democrats and Republicans are still at loggerheads over the issue.

Meanwhile, the US Treasury is to take extraordinary measures to delay reaching a 31 December borrowing limit.

In a letter to Congress, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said it would take accounting measures to save about $200bn to prevent reaching the $16.4tn borrowing limit.

He said this would prevent the government from reaching the borrowing limit for about another two months.

This $16.4tn is the amount the government is allowed to borrow to finance its operations.

'Silent corridors' Continue reading the main story On 1 January 2013, tax increases and huge spending cuts are due to come into force - the so-called fiscal cliff Deadline was put in place in 2011 to force president and Congress to agree ways to save money over the next 10 yearsFear is that raising taxes while massively cutting spending will have huge impact on households and businessesExperts believe it could push the US into recession, and have a global impact on growthMr Obama is expected to meet Republican leaders again to try to negotiate a solution, although no new date has been announced.

Failure to do so could damage the US and global markets, and threatens to send the US economy into recession.

The two sides remain far apart on the fiscal cliff's $600bn in tax rises and spending cuts, but analysts say a short-term deal may be agreed that will postpone the cuts until spring.

On Wednesday, the Republican House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner called on the Democrat-led Senate to come up with legislation on how it would avoid the cliff, and pass it to the House for consideration.

However, a senior administration official said it was up to Republican leaders not to stand in the way of an agreement.

Despite this, there is little sense of urgency in the capital - the corridors of Congress are silent, the BBC's Zoe Conway in Washington reports.

Tax year 1993-2000 2001 2002 2003-2008 2009-2012 2012 tax brackets 2013 scenarios

Source: Tax Foundation, IRS

Tax brackets shown for unmarried individuals

Bill Clinton

George W Bush

Barack Obama

Tax cuts expire for top incomes

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Fiscal cliff negotiations pick up

17 December 2012 Last updated at 21:36 GMT The pace of negotiations between John Boehner and Barack Obama has picked up in recent days US President Barack Obama and House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner have met at the White House as talks on avoiding the "fiscal cliff" gather pace

Mr Boehner has signalled he would agree to raising tax rates for those earning more than $1m (£620,000) per year.

The 45-minute meeting follows face-to-face discussions on Thursday and a phone call between the two on Friday.

A deal must be reached by 1 January, or a combination of steep tax rises and sharp spending cuts will take effect.

Mr Boehner has reportedly also said he would accept as much as $1tn in new tax revenue over 10 years and would raise the debt ceiling to ensure the government is funded for a year.

In exchange, it is reported that he would like the White House to agree to $1tn of spending cuts.

"Our position has not changed. Any debt limit increase would require cuts and reforms of a greater amount," Boehner spokesman Brendan Buck told the Associated Press.

Neither side has released details from Monday's meeting.

'Necessary balance'

White House Press Secretary Jay Carney acknowledged on Monday that there had been a "change in tone, and in some cases, a change in position from different Republicans" on the issue of tax increases.

Continue reading the main story Under a deal reached last year between President Obama and the Republican-controlled Congress, existing stimulus measures - mostly tax cuts - will expire on 1 January 2013Cuts to defence, education and other government spending will then automatically come into force - the "fiscal cliff" - unless Congress actsThe economy does not have the momentum to absorb the shock from going over the fiscal cliff without going into recessionBut he added: "Thus far the president's proposal is the only proposal that we have seen that achieves the balance that's so necessary."

The president's proposal to avoid the fiscal cliff had called for $1.6tn in new tax revenue over 10 years. Mr Obama has previously insisted that he will not sign a deal that does not raise tax rates on earnings over $250,000.

More recently, the White House has suggested it would agree to a deal that generates less new tax revenue. Many Republicans are philosophically opposed to raising taxes.

As the parameters of a possible deal begin to take shape, correspondents say there may now be renewed focus on whether Democrats agree to changes to popular entitlement programmes.

Harry Reid, the top Democrat in the Senate, has indicated that it is likely lawmakers will need to return to Washington between Christmas and New Year to vote on a deal to avert the fiscal cliff.

"We will see if anything changes, but it appears that we're going to be coming back the day after Christmas to complete work on the fiscal cliff," Mr Reid said on Monday.

Details of a deal

Correspondents say about $450bn from Mr Boehner's offer of $1tn in new tax revenue would be generated by increasing the tax rate to 39.6% from 35% for income over $1m.

The remainder would come from closing loopholes and limiting tax deductions, and by slowing inflation adjustments to tax brackets.

IMF chief Christine Lagarde said the fiscal cliff could affect the rest of the world

The $1tn in spending cuts that Mr Boehner is said to have asked for are expected to come primarily from healthcare programmes for the elderly, they say.

But some Democrats have indicated they are not prepared to consider such changes to major government provisions.

Economists have warned that the "fiscal cliff" would suck about $600bn out of the economy, possibly sending the US, which is experiencing a tepid economic recovery, back into recession.

The measures were partly put in place within a 2011 deal to curb the yawning US budget deficit.

Along with the tax rises and spending cuts due to take effect on 1 January, extended benefits for the long-term unemployed and a temporary cut to payroll taxes are also scheduled to expire at the end of the year.

Business leaders and Ben Bernanke, chairman of the US Federal Reserve, have warned that uncertainty over the fiscal cliff is already having a negative effect on the economy.

International observers, including Christine Lagarde, head of the International Monetary Fund, have warned that effects of going over the fiscal cliff would ripple out to the rest of the world.

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Reading 2-5 Arsenal

90:00 +3:17 Full time Full Time The referee blows his whistle to end the game.

90:00 +2:50

Olivier Giroud takes a shot. Save made by Adam Federici.

90:00 +2:02

Adam Le Fondre takes a shot. Save by Wojciech Szczesny.

90:00 +1:50

The ball is swung over by Jobi McAnuff, Thomas Vermaelen makes a clearance.

90:00 +1:29

Olivier Giroud produces a left-footed shot from inside the area that goes over the bar.

90:00 +0:36

The assistant referee signals for offside against Francis Coquelin. Adrian Mariappa restarts play with the free kick.

89:51

Jobi McAnuff concedes a free kick for a foul on Jack Wilshere. Mikel Arteta restarts play with the free kick.

86:38

The ball is delivered by Lukas Podolski, Garath McCleary makes a clearance.

85:29

Jobi McAnuff crosses the ball, Bacary Sagna manages to make a clearance.

84:32 Substitution Substitution Olivier Giroud is brought on as a substitute for Theo Walcott.

82:54

Kieran Gibbs produces a cross, blocked by Mikele Leigertwood.

81:42 Substitution Substitution Santi Cazorla goes off and Francis Coquelin comes on.

81:18

Shot by Lukas Podolski from deep inside the penalty area misses wide to the left of the target.

80:37

Free kick awarded for a foul by Lukas Podolski on Mikele Leigertwood. Mikele Leigertwood takes the free kick.

79:20

The assist for the goal came from Santi Cazorla.

79:20 Goal scored Goal - Theo Walcott - Reading 2 - 5 Arsenal Theo Walcott fires in a goal from inside the penalty area to the bottom left corner of the goal. Reading 2-5 Arsenal.

75:51

Unfair challenge on Jack Wilshere by Jay Tabb results in a free kick. Wojciech Szczesny restarts play with the free kick.

73:36 Substitution Substitution Aaron Ramsey on for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

72:52

Santi Cazorla takes a shot. Brilliant save by Adam Federici.

71:42

Nicky Shorey takes the direct free kick.

71:42 Substitution Substitution Garath McCleary is brought on as a substitute for Jimmy Kebe.

71:42 Booking Booking The referee cautions Jack Wilshere for unsporting behaviour.

71:26

Foul by Jack Wilshere on Kaspars Gorkss, free kick awarded.

70:19

Assist by Hal Robson-Kanu.

70:19 Goal scored Goal - Jimmy Kebe - Reading 2 - 4 Arsenal Jimmy Kebe grabs a goal from inside the area to the bottom left corner of the goal. Reading 2-4 Arsenal.

68:52

Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Mikel Arteta by Jay Tabb. Direct free kick taken by Bacary Sagna.

67:50

Jobi McAnuff challenges Santi Cazorla unfairly and gives away a free kick. Free kick taken by Mikel Arteta.

66:36

Adam Le Fondre concedes a free kick for a foul on Per Mertesacker. Per Mertesacker takes the direct free kick.

65:25

Assist by Jay Tabb.

65:25 Goal scored Goal - Adam Le Fondre - Reading 1 - 4 Arsenal Goal scored by Adam Le Fondre from close range to the bottom right corner of the goal. Reading 1-4 Arsenal.

64:52

The ball is crossed by Hal Robson-Kanu.

63:11

Theo Walcott has an effort at goal from 18 yards. Save by Adam Federici.

61:28

Theo Walcott takes a shot. Blocked by Adrian Mariappa.

61:02 Substitution Substitution Adam Le Fondre on for Pavel Pogrebnyak.

60:27 Substitution Substitution (Reading) makes a substitution, with Hal Robson-Kanu coming on for Noel Hunt.

59:24

Lukas Podolski provided the assist for the goal.

59:24 Goal scored Goal - Santi Cazorla - Reading 0 - 4 Arsenal Goal scored by Santi Cazorla from inside the six-yard box to the bottom right corner of the goal. Reading 0-4 Arsenal.

58:42

Theo Walcott takes a short corner.

58:09

Corner taken right-footed by Theo Walcott, Per Mertesacker takes a shot. Blocked by Kaspars Gorkss.

57:53

The ball is swung over by Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, blocked by Kaspars Gorkss.

55:55

Theo Walcott produces a right-footed shot from just outside the box that misses to the right of the target.

54:36

Pavel Pogrebnyak is caught offside. Wojciech Szczesny restarts play with the free kick.

51:38

The ball is sent over by Jobi McAnuff, Wojciech Szczesny makes a comfortable save.

50:48

The ball is sent over by Theo Walcott.

47:55

Jimmy Kebe produces a cross.

46:29

Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Jimmy Kebe by Kieran Gibbs. Direct free kick taken by Adrian Mariappa.

45:45

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has shot on goal from just outside the penalty box which goes wide of the right-hand upright.

45:01

The second half kicks off.

45:00 +1:08 Half time Half Time The ref blows to signal half-time.

43:35

The ball is swung over by Bacary Sagna, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain takes a shot. Save by Adam Federici.

42:04

Kieran Gibbs crosses the ball, Mikele Leigertwood makes a clearance.

41:00

Shot by Lukas Podolski. Shaun Cummings gets a block in.

39:59

Corner taken by Theo Walcott, clearance made by Mikele Leigertwood.

39:45

A cross is delivered by Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, blocked by Nicky Shorey.

38:21

Free kick taken by Mikel Arteta.

37:52

Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Jack Wilshere by Jobi McAnuff.

38:21

Mikel Arteta restarts play with the free kick.

38:21 Booking Booking Jobi McAnuff booked for unsporting behaviour.

37:52

Jobi McAnuff concedes a free kick for a foul on Jack Wilshere.

37:14

The referee blows for offside. Free kick taken by Wojciech Szczesny.

36:43

Free kick awarded for a foul by Mikel Arteta on Pavel Pogrebnyak. Adrian Mariappa takes the free kick.

35:52

The assistant referee flags for offside against Theo Walcott. Adam Federici restarts play with the free kick.

33:58

The assist for the goal came from Kieran Gibbs.

33:58 Goal scored Goal - Santi Cazorla - Reading 0 - 3 Arsenal Santi Cazorla gets on the score sheet with a goal from inside the area to the bottom left corner of the goal. Reading 0-3 Arsenal.

32:38

The ball is crossed by Jobi McAnuff, clearance made by Thomas Vermaelen.

31:17

Lukas Podolski provided the assist for the goal.

31:17 Goal scored Goal - Santi Cazorla - Reading 0 - 2 Arsenal Santi Cazorla finds the back of the net with a headed goal from close range. Reading 0-2 Arsenal.

31:15

A cross is delivered by Lukas Podolski,

28:35

The ball is delivered by Jobi McAnuff.

28:21

Jobi McAnuff takes a inswinging corner.

28:06

Jimmy Kebe takes a shot. Per Mertesacker gets a block in.

27:49

Centre by Jobi McAnuff.

25:59

Shot by Jack Wilshere. Adam Federici makes a save.

26:22

Inswinging corner taken right-footed by Theo Walcott played to the near post, Noel Hunt manages to make a clearance.

25:59

Kieran Gibbs takes a shot from 12 yards. Save by Adam Federici.

25:46

Lukas Podolski crosses the ball, clearance made by Kaspars Gorkss.

25:39

Kieran Gibbs takes a shot. Blocked by Kaspars Gorkss.

24:53

Outswinging corner taken by Theo Walcott from the right by-line played to the near post, clearance by Noel Hunt.

24:36

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain crosses the ball, Kaspars Gorkss gets a block in.

22:03

Inswinging corner taken by Nicky Shorey, Wojciech Szczesny makes a fantastic save.

21:06

Inswinging corner taken from the left by-line by Theo Walcott.

20:49

Theo Walcott takes a shot. Adam Federici makes a save.

20:07

Lukas Podolski produces a left-footed shot from just outside the box that misses to the right of the goal.

19:46

Kieran Gibbs takes a shot. Shaun Cummings gets a block in.

18:37

The assistant referee flags for offside against Jobi McAnuff. Free kick taken by Wojciech Szczesny.

18:15

Jay Tabb takes a shot. Per Mertesacker gets a block in.

17:38

Shot from long distance by Santi Cazorla misses to the right of the target.

13:29

Assist on the goal came from Kieran Gibbs.

13:29 Goal scored Goal - Lukas Podolski - Reading 0 - 1 Arsenal Lukas Podolski finds the net with a goal from inside the area to the bottom right corner of the goal. Reading 0-1 Arsenal.

13:26

Kieran Gibbs delivers the ball,

11:53

The referee blows for offside against Jimmy Kebe. Kieran Gibbs takes the free kick.

10:24

Inswinging corner taken by Nicky Shorey, Noel Hunt has a headed effort at goal from close range which goes wide of the left-hand upright.

10:10

A cross is delivered by Pavel Pogrebnyak, blocked by Per Mertesacker.

8:00

Lukas Podolski takes a shot. Shaun Cummings gets a block in.

7:42

Shot by Jobi McAnuff from deep inside the penalty area misses to the right of the goal.

5:26

Mikele Leigertwood concedes a free kick for a foul on Jack Wilshere. Theo Walcott fires a strike on goal direct from the free kick.

4:53

Corner from left by-line taken by Theo Walcott.

4:37

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain delivers the ball, Shaun Cummings makes a clearance.

1:44

Foul by Noel Hunt on Mikel Arteta, free kick awarded. Jack Wilshere takes the free kick.

1:30

The official flags Lukas Podolski offside. Free kick taken by Adam Federici.

1:06

Effort on goal by Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain from 20 yards. Adam Federici makes a fantastic save.

0:51

A cross is delivered by Jimmy Kebe, clearance made by Mikel Arteta.

0:00

The ref blows the whistle to start the match.

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Why do Japanese politicians wave fish?

18 December 2012 Last updated at 00:12 GMT One of the victorious candidates in Japan's general election on Sunday appeared in front of cheering supporters holding a large fish. Why?

The politician was Shinjiro Koizumi, son of the retired former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, who was re-elected to represent his father's former constituency for the conservative Liberal Democratic Party.

The fish was a tai, usually translated into English as "sea bream", or "red sea bream", or sometimes just as "snapper".

The fish is not a prop used by politicians alone. In fact, it is more commonly seen held aloft by winning sumo wrestlers - or on dinner plates to celebrate a happy occasion.

One reason given for this in Japan is the similarity between the word "tai", and the word for "joyous", "auspicious" or "deserving celebration" - o-medetai.

Mongolian wrestler Harumafuji marks his promotion to grand champion, or yokozuna, in September

"Holding the fish hints at a pun, the fish 'tai' stands for 'o-medetai'," says Dr Ulrich Heinze of the University of East Anglia.

Professor Ian Neary, of Oxford University, says it is actually "slightly unusual" for a politician to brandish a fish when celebrating victory.

"It's what sumo wrestlers do," he says. "The bigger the fish the better, it shows how tough they are."

When politicians do it, "it's mainly about mimicking what sumo wrestlers are seen to do after they win a tournament".

The wrestler holds the fish with one beefy hand. The politician may need two.

Japanese people will often eat tai at weddings, after the birth of a baby, or at New Year, for good luck.

Tai is, in fact, only one of a number of traditional New Year foods that are considered auspicious because of their names.

Continue reading the main story The tai fish is used to mark a victory, because its name is similar to the Japanese word for "deserving celebration"When politicians do it, they are mimicking victorious sumo wrestlersThe fish is often eaten for good luck on happy occasionsThese include dai-dai - an orange, whose name sounds like Japanese for "from generation to generation" - and mame, a bean, which sounds like the word for "healthy" or "well".

A similar linguistic determinism means that the number four is unlucky, because it sounds like the word for death, while a five-yen coin is considered lucky, because "five yen" sounds like the phrase for "good fortune".

The Japanese love of the tai, however, is not explained by its name alone. It is also one of the best-tasting fish.

Professor Tomoya Akimichi, a maritime anthropologist at Japan's Research Institute for Humanity and Nature, says it has long been considered the "king of fish" in Japan, eaten for at least 5,000 years, and once presented as an annual offering to the emperor.

Toru Hashimoto, Osaka prefecture governor, waves a victory sea bream in 2008

"Tai caught in the Inland Sea was transported to the fish markets in Osaka, where it was so popular that a special marketplace just for live tai was established in 1831," he writes.

A more traditional way for a politician to celebrate success is to paint an eye on a daruma doll. Daruma dolls start out with two blank eyes. A person making a wish - to win an election, for example - paints in one of the eyes. When the wish comes true, the other eye is painted in.

Junichiro Koizumi makes a wish in 2004, while Tokyo governor Shintaro Ishihara celebrates in April 2007

Junichiro Koizumi was photographed filling in one eye of a daruma before elections to the upper house of the Japanese parliament in 2004.

Another approach is to use mallets to break open a barrel of sake, the alcoholic drink made from fermented rice.

The sake can be used for toasting - or it may be drunk as an accompaniment to tai.

Alex Ferguson (left) grins as Man Utd chairman David Gill splashes the sake

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Deadly attack on Pakistan market

17 December 2012 Last updated at 10:24 GMT The BBC's Aleem Maqbool: "Those who carry out these attacks are not punished"

At least 17 people have been killed and more than 70 hurt in a car bomb attack on a market in the Khyber tribal area in north-west Pakistan, officials say.

Women and children were among those killed in the blast at the market in Jamrud, the main town in Khyber.

The explosion took place close to the offices of the tribal administration. The injured have been taken to hospital in the nearby city of Peshawar.

No group has said it carried out the attack as yet.

The bombing comes a day after a 15-hour stand-off between militants and security forces in the vicinity of Peshawar airport, located just about 10km (six miles) east of Jamrud town.

At least 10 militants were killed in the clash, many of them ethnic Uzbek fighters, officials said. The Pakistani Taliban said they carried out that attack.

'Ball of fire'

The powerful blast in Khyber destroyed vehicles and damaged buildings in the market area.

Explosives were planted in a vehicle parked in an area of the market with a number of automobile workshops.

It is unclear what the target of the attack was although the blast took place close to the office of the assistant political agent for Khyber, one of the top local government officials in the semi-autonomous region.

Many of those wounded are said to be in a critical condition.

One witness told the AFP news agency that he was entering Jamrud when he heard the explosion and saw a ball of fire.

"I rushed to the site and saw people engulfed by flames. There were pieces of human flesh and blood everywhere. I saw a little child who was injured and crying. I took this boy to hospital," he said.

The BBC's M Ilyas Khan in Islamabad says that several militant groups, including the Pakistani Taliban and local insurgent group Lashkar-e-Islam, have sanctuaries in the Khyber region.

Jamrud is also known for infighting between various militant factions.

The army has carried out several offensives in Pakistan's tribal areas, including Khyber, in the past.

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Santander cuts branches in Spain

17 December 2012 Last updated at 12:48 GMT Santander has more than 14,000 branches in 12 countries Banco Santander is to absorb two Spanish banks, Banesto and Banif, closing 700 branches in the process.

It owns 90% of Banesto and will buy out the minority shareholders with Santander shares at a 25% premium. It already owns all of Banif.

The three banks have 4,664 branches in Spain between them. All the remaining branches will be branded as Santander.

Santander predicted that the merger would save it 520m euros ($684m; £422m) a year in three years' time.

It said that the merger was part of the restructuring of the Spanish financial system.

Santander did not say how many jobs would go, but said job cuts would be implemented gradually through transfers around the group, natural turnover and voluntary redundancy.

It added that the proportion of Spanish bank branches owned by the group would increase by 2015 despite the closures, because other banks were also cutting back their networks.

Santander said the total number of bank branches in Spain was expected to fall to 30,000 by the end of 2015, down from 46,000 in 2008.

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Hobbit dwarfs box office rivals

24 December 2012 Last updated at 11:23 GMT The Hobbit stars British actor Martin Freeman The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey has topped the US box office chart for a second week.

Director Peter Jackson's return to Middle Earth took $36.7m (£22.6m) over the weekend, dwarfing its competition.

It easily beat Tom Cruise's latest action movie, Jack Reacher, which came second with $15.6 million (£9.6m).

But a drop-off in The Hobbit's takings, down from $84.8m last week, suggests it will struggle to match the success of the final Lord Of The Rings film.

The Return Of The King made $1.2bn worldwide after its release in 2003. At the time, it was the second highest-grossing film ever, although it has since been overtaken by the likes of Avatar and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2.

Box office analysts said the 57% decline in The Hobbit's second-week takings was due to the Christmas shopping rush.

"The real winner this weekend might be holiday shopping," said Paul Dergarabedian, from Hollywood.com.

Continue reading the main story The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey ($36.7m)Jack Reacher - pictured ($15.6m)This Is 40 ($12m)Rise of the Guardians ($5.9m)Lincoln ($5.6m)

Source: Hollywood.com

Tom Cruise's film also opened with lower-than-expected takings, making approximately half as much money as Mission Impossible 4, which was released this time last year.

The movie is based on Lee Child's Jack Reacher character, a former soldier and military policeman who lives "off the grid" and doles out vigilante-style justice.

Written and directed by The Usual Suspects' Oscar-winning scriptwriter Christopher McQuarrie, the film has fared well with critics, despite initial worries about the Cruise, who is 5ft 7in tall (1,70m), playing the 6ft 5in hero of the novels.

Elsewhere in the box office, Judd Apatow's comedy This Is 40, a sequel to his 2007 hit Knocked Up, debuted at number three, taking $12m.

Barbra Streisand comedy The Guilt Trip was another new entry, at number six, while a 3D version of Pixar's Monsters Inc came in at seven.

A prequel to the hit movie, about two Monsters employed to scare small children, is due for release next year.

Meanwhile, a limited release for Kathryn Bigelow's political thriller Zero Dark Thirty fared particularly well.

Based on the story of the CIA's hunt for Osama Bin Laden, the Oscar-tipped movie was only shown in five cinemas - but managed to make $410,000 over the weekend.

Playing to packed houses, it raked in $82,000 per screen. By comparison, Jack Reacher only made $4,654 per screen.

With more Oscar bait due to hit US cinemas on Christmas Day - including Quentin Tarantino's Django Unchained and the film adaptation of Les Miserables - receipts are expected to rise next week.

"We haven't reached the key holiday play time yet," said Dan Fellman, head of distribution for Warner movies.

"It explodes on Tuesday and goes right through the end of the year."

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Pakistan to resume India cricket

25 December 2012 Last updated at 05:27 GMT The two teams played each other in September in the the ICC World Twenty20 Pakistan is set to to play its first cricket series in India for five years amid tight security.

The first bilateral series between the two countries since 2007, comprising two T20 matches and three one-day internationals, begins with a T20 game in the southern city of Bangalore.

Ties between the two countries' cricket authorities were hit by the 2008 Mumbai attacks, in which 175 people died.

The attack was blamed on a Pakistan-based militant group.

India have left veteran left-arm seamer Zaheer Khan out of the series against Pakistan.

Sachin Tendulkar has retired from the 50-over format, but fellow batsman Virender Sehwag retains his ODI place.

Reports say a massive security ring has been thrown up outside a stadium in Bangalore, where the match begins on Tuesday evening.

Bomb squad officers, sniffer dogs and as many as 5,000 policemen have been deployed to maintain security, reports said.

Hardline Hindu organisations, including the Shiv Sena, have said they will hold protests outside all the match venues during the series.

"As the governments of both the countries have agreed to hold the bilateral series, no organisation will be allowed to disrupt the match," Bangalore police chief Jyotiprakash Mirji told reporters ahead of the match.

The last series between India and Pakistan in either country was in 2007-2008 when Pakistan visited India.

The South Asian rivals continued to play each other on overseas grounds, with their last match taking place in the ICC World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka in September.

Correspondents say the move to resume cricketing ties is a sign of improving relations between the two countries.

In July, the foreign secretaries of India and Pakistan met in Delhi and the two sides discussed their willingness to have more sporting contact.

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Hillsborough song tops festive chart

23 December 2012 Last updated at 20:25 GMT BBC Radio 1's Reggie Yates was joined by Holly Johnson, Mel C and Guy Chambers on The Official Chart. Video courtesy Metropolis

The Hillsborough tribute single, He Ain't Heavy He's My Brother, is this year's Christmas number one.

Released under the name The Justice Collective, it features names such as Robbie Williams and Sir Paul McCartney.

It is raising money for the families of 96 Liverpool fans who died in a crush at Hillsborough stadium in 1989.

A cover of The Hollies' 1969 hit, it sold 269,000 copies, 45,000 more than X Factor winner James Arthur's single Impossible which dropped to number two.

Arthur, who had been ahead in the race earlier in the week according to the Official Charts Company, now has total sales of 713,000, making him the most successful X Factor winner since Alexandra Burke in 2008.

Sales had been 'absolutely huge' in Liverpool, HMV said

Liverpool Walton Labour MP Steve Rotheram, who backed the Hillsborough campaign, said: "We have done in nine weeks what it normally takes nine months or more to achieve, working with a phenomenally dedicated team all of whom have worked for free."

Margaret Aspinall, chair of the Hillsborough Families Support Group, said it was "brilliant news".

She added: "The families will be delighted. We haven't had very good Christmases for a long time so this is an extra gift.

"It's obvious that it's got a lot of support and they've got the message across to everybody. It's truly amazing."

Music retailer HMV said demand for the record had been "absolutely huge" in Liverpool.

Its Liverpool branch initially ordered 12,000 copies of the CD but had to restock in the middle of the week after selling out.

Many customers bought multiple copies, including one man in his 20s, who bought 96 copies - one for each of the supporters who died as a result of the tragedy.

"We haven't seen anything like that since Band Aid," said HMV spokesman Gennaro Castaldo.

Festive hits

Although demand for the single was not as high around the rest of the UK, Castaldo said "it was still clearly substantial, and it would have needed to be for the song to overtake an X Factor single".

Unusually, both the Hillsborough single and the X Factor song were available on CD - increasingly a rarity in an era when downloads account for 99% of all single sales.

The rest of the festive top five was filled by American artists - although Britney Spears does attempt a British accent in her duet with Will.i.am, Scream And Shout, which was at number three.

Rihanna's Stay was at four, while Bruno Mars's Locked Out Of Heaven was this week's number five.

Several classic Christmas songs made their annual reappearance lower down in the top 40, led by The Pogues' Fairytale Of New York at number 12.

Other seasonal hits included Mariah Carey's All I Want For Christmas Is You, Wham's Last Christmas and Wizzard's I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day.

Unsigned artist Alex Day, who has a cult following on YouTube, managed to get his festive single Stupid Stupid to number 25.

This was something of a comedown for the Essex musician who reached number four in last year's Christmas chart, beating Coldplay in the busiest week of the year for record sales.

Another novelty hit in this year's top 40 came courtesy of Shahid Nazir, now perhaps better known as "One Pound Fish Man" after his market stall jingle became a viral hit on YouTube.

His song, cunningly titled One Pound Fish, was at number 29.

In the album chart, Emeli Sande took the Christmas top spot with her debut record Our Version Of Events.

Featuring the singles Heaven, Next To Me and Read All About It - which Sande performed at the Olympic Closing Ceremony - it is the UK's biggest-selling album of 2012, shifting 1.32 million copies since it was released in February.

The rest of the top five featured Olly Murs, Michael Buble, Bruno Mars and Neil Diamond.

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Japan's Abe warns on road ahead

17 December 2012 Last updated at 11:20 GMT Shinzo Abe has restated Japan's claims to disputed islands in the East China Sea

Shinzo Abe says his party must "move forward and achieve results" following its landslide election victory.

The conservative Liberal Democratic Party won almost 300 seats and, with its coalition partner, looks set for a two-thirds majority in the lower house.

The governing Democratic Party suffered major losses in Sunday's polls, with leader Yoshihiko Noda stepping down.

China has urged the new government to take "practical steps" to deal with the East China Sea territorial dispute.

The two countries are currently embroiled in a row over islands in the area that both claim.

"We think the most pressing issue is that Japan must show sincerity and take practical steps to appropriately deal with the present situation and work hard to resolve the issue and improve relations between the two countries," said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying.

On course to be Japan's seventh PM in as many years, Mr Abe faces tough decisions on the economy as well as China.

He said his party understood its "heavy responsibility".

"Our victory this time does not mean trust in the Liberal Democratic Party has been completely restored," he told a news conference on Monday.

"Rather, it was a decision by the public that they should put an end to the political stagnation and confusion over the past three years, caused by the Democratic Party's misguided political leadership."

Official results are expected later in the day, but tallies by Japanese media organisations suggest that the LDP secured 294 seats.

Continue reading the main story Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) : 294 (up from 118)Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ): 57 (down from 230New Komeito: 31 (up from 21)Japan Restoration Party: 54 (new party)

Based on tallies by Japanese news organisations - official results yet to come

Together with the New Komeito Party's 31 seats, a coalition would have a two-thirds majority in the 480-seat chamber, putting it in a position to override the upper house on stalled legislation.

The DPJ, meanwhile, saw its seats reduced from 230 to 57 in the lower house, Kyodo news agency reported, a result outgoing Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda called "severe".

The Japan Restoration Party - a tie-up between the right-wing former Tokyo governor and Osaka mayor - secured 54 seats, projections showed.

'Shift to the right'

Shares rose early on Monday after the win by Mr Abe, who has promised more public spending and says he will implement measures directed at weakening the yen and fighting deflation.

The US congratulated Mr Abe, with President Barack Obama saying he looked forward to " working closely" with the new government.

Continue reading the main story Hails from a political family - his father was foreign minister and grandfather was prime ministerSucceeded Junichiro Koizumi as prime minister in 2006 but resigned a year laterWants to revise Japan's pacifist constitution and advocates a more assertive international presenceApologised in 2007 for remarks casting doubt on whether war-time sex slaves were coercedChinese media have warned that Japan's "rapid shift to the right" had neighbours worried.

"History has proven many times that a peaceful Japan is a boon to the region and the whole world, while a restless Japan will bring new disturbances to the world," a Xinhua news agency commentary said.

Mr Abe, seen as a foreign policy hawk who has called for Japan's pacifist constitution to be revised and patriotic sentiment nurtured, has advocated a strong stance in the dispute.

He told journalists on Monday that the islands were Japan's "inherent territory" and that there was "no room for negotiation on this point".

But he said "persistent dialogue" with China was needed. "We need to have wisdom not to turn political issues into economic issues," he said.

Parliament is expected to formally endorse Mr Abe as prime minister on 26 December.

The LDP enjoyed almost 50 years of unbroken rule until it was ousted by the DPJ in 2009.

Mr Abe served as Japanese prime minister between 2006 and 2007 but stepped down, citing ill health, as support for his administration plummeted.

The DPJ was elected on its promise to increase welfare spending and break ties between the bureaucracy and big business.

But its failure to deliver on the economy and response to the 11 March 2011 earthquake and tsunami lost it support.

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Tim Scott gets South Carolina nod

17 December 2012 Last updated at 19:00 GMT Tim Scott is to become the first African-American to represent South Carolina in the Senate The US state of South Carolina has chosen an African-American man to replace an outgoing senator for the first time in the state's history.

Tim Scott, who currently serves in the House of Representatives, will replace outgoing Senator Jim DeMint in January.

His selection by South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley makes him the first black senator from the South to hold the office since the late 1800s.

Mr DeMint will head the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank.

Governor Haley is due to officially announce Mr Scott's selection in a news conference in Columbia, South Carolina later.

Mr Scott, 47, is the only black Republican in Congress and has been supported by the conservative Tea Party movement.

In 2008, he became the first African-American member of South Carolina's state legislature since the Reconstruction era that followed the 1861-1865 civil war.

He has held his seat in the US House of Representatives since 2010, when a wave of conservatives swept into office.

He would become the only African-American member of the Senate.

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Nasa to test 'sleep-inducing lights'

17 December 2012 Last updated at 13:01 GMT Researchers at Kennedy Space Center are already testing an SSLM lighting unit Nasa is to test colour-changing lights on the International Space Station (ISS) as part of efforts to help astronauts on board sleep.

The US space agency will initially swap a fluorescent panel with a solid-state lighting module (SSLM) containing LEDs which produces a blue, whitish or red-coloured light depending on the time.

It says the move may help combat insomnia which can make depression, sickness and mistakes more likely.

The test is due to take place in 2016.

News site Space.com reported that the equipment is being made by Boeing and the project has a $11.2m (£6.9m) budget.

Body clock

Studies on Earth suggest humans and other creatures follow what is known as a circadian rhythm - a 24-hour biological cycle involving cell regeneration, urine production and other functions critical to health.

Research indicates that it is regulated by a group of cells in a portion of the brain called the hypothalamus which respond to light information sent by the eye's optic nerve, which in turn controls hormones, body temperature and other functions than influence whether people feel sleepy or wide awake.

LEDs in the lighting module can turn to blue to try to promote alertness

The aim of the experiment is to simulate a night-day cycle to minimise sleep disruption caused by the loss of its natural equivalent on the station.

When the SSLMs are coloured blue the aim is to stimulate melanopsin - a pigment found in cells in the eye's retina which send nerve impulses to parts of the brain thought to make a person feel alert.

Blue light is also believed to suppress melatonin - a hormone made by the brain's pineal gland which makes a person feel sleepy when its levels rise in their blood.

By switching from blue to red light - via an intermediary white stage - this process should be reversed, encouraging a feeling of sleepiness.

Nasa has previously warned sleep problems among its crews on other missions were also common.

"On some space shuttle missions up to 50% of the crew take sleeping pills, and, over all, nearly half of all medication used in orbit is intended to help astronauts sleep," it said in 2001.

"Even so, space travellers average about two hours sleep less each night in space than they do on the ground."

Evidence from Earth

Derk-Jan Dijk, professor of sleep and physiology at the University of Surrey, said Nasa's test reflects the latest findings closer to home.

"It hasn't been until recently that we started to realise that artificial light, as we see it or are exposed to it in the evening, will have an effect on our alertness and subsequent sleep.

The SSLM will replace a fluorescent panel on the ISS - one is seen here held by astronaut Michael Fincke

"It turns out there are receptors in the eye which are tuned toward blue light. Adding blue light to artificial lights visible during the day can actually help us to be alert, but if there is too much blue light in the artificial lights at night that may disrupt sleep.

"So, varying the spectral composition of light does make sense from a circadian perspective, and better regulating artificial sleep-wake cycles may indeed benefit astronauts' sleep in space."

Nasa adds there could be spin-off benefits for the population at large.

"A significant proportion of the global population suffers from chronic sleep loss," said Daniel Shultz at the Kennedy Space Center.

"By refining multipurpose lights for astronauts safety, health and well-being in spaceflight, the door is opened for new lighting strategies that can be evolved for use on Earth."

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