That was the topic on this weekend's In the Balance on the World Service. It certainly resonated with me as I presented the programme from Tokyo. After its early 1990s crash, Japan has struggled with deflation for 15 years and has not yet been able to turn it around. In China, there's deflation in factory prices, which have fallen continually for two and a half years, and the increase in the consumer price index (CPI) has slowed to 1.4%, the lowest since the 2009 global recession. My guests, who are well-known experts on China - George Magnus, Michael Pettis, and Patrick Chovanec - joined me from London, Beijing, and New York, respectively, and we discussed what was driving the deflation trend and why it matters for the rest of the world. The panel debated the various causes of deflation: domestic versus international, as well as whether it was cyclical or structural. Some of the reasons mentioned included falling global commodity prices and over-capacity in Chinese industry. Patrick Chovanec pointed to the spare capacity in a variety of businesses that could contribute to lower producer prices. And structurally, China's growth is slowing down as it matures and changes from an investment-led to a consumer-led economy. As China shifts gear, that implies slower price rises, so any deflation would reflect more of a structural change in the economy. Any transition can be difficult, and China's structural transformation is on a scale never seen before. The panellists were sanguine that it was possible and happening already. Indeed, one of the indicators of the re-balancing of the Chinese economy is the growth of the services sector versus manufacturing. I've written before about how last year was the first time in which the services was a larger part of the economy than manufacturing. And it still has some room to grow. So, that brings us back to whether the lower prices from China are here to stay. Slower economic growth, but on a more sound footing, would imply lower inflation. Michael Pettis sees economic growth slowing to 3-4% by the end of President Xi Jinping's decade in office, but household incomes growing more rapidly, just as they did in Japan. The slowing of prices, though, isn't just due to domestic factors. As I mentioned earlier, globally, falling commodity prices are pushing down prices. As one of the biggest energy importers in the world, China's prices are affected by oil, gas and of course hard commodities like iron ore. So, taken together, it looks like the downward pressure on prices in China isn't another cyclical blip similar to when China experienced a couple of years of outright deflation after the Asian financial crisis. There are structural issues underlying the change in prices that is shifting along with China's growth model. Michael Pettis sees China exporting its deflation worldwide. Will it mean, though, that the China price will return? Not necessarily. Deflation and inflation measure the change in prices. Once prices settle at a level, then it's possible to have minimal change but at a lower or higher level. Ultimately, the cost of Chinese goods and services will be determined by the equilibrium the economy settles at. That will have a lot to do with productivity, wages, costs, etc. In other words, China's competitiveness is yet to be determined. Until then, however, the rest of the world will be affected by the prices of the world's biggest trader. It's just more uncertain than what we have been used to when the US was the main setter of global market prices. And that will be the state of the world economy that we'll need to get used to: being affected by the two biggest economies in the world, although one of them is still in a state of development and transition. That's the China effect on the world economy that will be felt in a variety of ways for years to come.

Question: Is the " China price " back ? After years of hearing about rising wages ending the era of the China price when cheap exports lowered the prices of global @placeholder goods , it seems that China has a surprise for the world . Deflation , that is , falling prices , is an issue for the world 's second biggest economy , just as it is for many others .


Friends and relatives of Zoe Morgan, 21 and Lee Simmons, 33, lit candles during the vigil at Hailey Park, Cardiff. The couple were found dead near the Matalan store in Queen Street early on 28 September. Earlier on Monday, Andrew Saunders, 20, of no fixed address, appeared in court charged with their murder. He appeared via video link and was remanded in custody at Cardiff Crown Court. He will appear again on 19 December. Another vigil is due to be held at Grangetown on Wednesday night.

Question: About 150 people attended a vigil in memory of a couple found dead near the shop where they @placeholder in Cardiff city centre .


In Mid Dorset and North Poole, Conservative Michael Tomlinson beat Vikki Slade - a seat which had been held by Lib Dem Annette Brooke. The Tories held Bournemouth East and West, Christchurch, Dorset West, North and South and Poole. Tobias Ellwood was re-elected in Bournemouth East. After the count, which saw the Conservatives cross the finishing line with a 14,612 majority, Mr Ellwood said: "Two Conservative MPs return to Westminster, we're both elated." He said he aimed to support tourism in the town and would be tackling the "big challenge" of the proposed Navitus Bay wind farm. The former coalition partners lost 22.5% of their vote in that constituency. Ms Slade, the Lib Dem candidate who failed to hold on to her party's seat, tweeted: "I am looking for a job! Will consider anything that my skills fit..Please pass to anyone who may be looking!" Her CV lists dinghy sailing among her interests. Richard Drax will be returning to Parliament after winning the Dorset South seat with 23,756 votes over Labour's Simon Bowkett's 11,762. Conor Burns held the seat of Bournemouth West with 20,155 votes and Christopher Chope retained Christchurch for the Conservatives with 28,887. UKIP came second in both of these constituencies.

Question: The Conservative Party has taken all seats across Dorset , @placeholder the one Liberal Democrat - held seat in the county .


Those thinking of doing something to help others should not be put off by the risk of being sued, ministers said. Under the new law for England and Wales, judges will be urged to show leniency in cases that get to court. The measure is expected to be included in the Queen's Speech on Wednesday. The Ministry of Justice says people are often deterred from doing things to benefit others because they worry about negligence. Health and safety concerns had been used to remove "dustpans and brushes from street pastors clearing up glass and offering support to town centre revellers", the MoJ said. It also claimed street parties and picnics had been cancelled because of demands for "up to ?¡ê5m" of public liability insurance. Of the many people who do volunteer, research suggests that nearly half of them, 47%, are concerned about the risk of liability, it added. It wants to force judges to give weight to three factors in cases where people do end up facing litigation: The MoJ said the new bill would also "put the law more clearly on the side of employers" when something goes wrong at work through no fault of their own. The law change would protect small business owners who take a "responsible approach to safety training and procedures" from the challenges of "irresponsible employees", it said. Justice Secretary Chris Grayling said: "I want a society where common sense is the order of the day, and I believe this measure will help us get there."

Question: Extra legal protection is to be given to people carrying out good @placeholder , volunteering or planning local events who end up being involved in liability claims , the government has announced .


He did not have any visitors on Friday after doctors advised him to rest, but his family are said to have been in contact by phone. The 91-year-old Duke of Edinburgh was taken to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary on Wednesday from Balmoral. The Queen left Balmoral for a few hours on Friday, the first time she has been seen in public for a couple of days. She drove herself out of the gates of the estate in a Range Rover, returning later in a convoy that included the Earl and Countess of Wessex. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Defence has confirmed an RAF helicopter was scrambled to take the duke to hospital on Wednesday, but its efforts to land near a road were thwarted by fog. A spokesman said it was eventually decided it would be quicker to complete the 50-mile journey by road. It is the duke's third hospital stay in nine months. He spent four days in hospital over Christmas, following an operation to clear a blocked heart artery. And after attending events to mark the Queen's Diamond Jubilee in June, Prince Philip was admitted to hospital for five nights, missing several days of festivities after sustaining the original bladder infection.

Question: Prince Philip has remained in hospital as he @placeholder to receive treatment for a bladder infection .


An Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film has existed since 1947 - though for the first decade the winner was simply selected by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences without competition. The category has had a complex, and at times controversial, voting procedure which few have been entirely happy with or have entirely understood. This time the chairman of the AMPAS Foreign Language Film committee, Mark Johnson, has again overhauled the system in an attempt to involve more Oscar voters. The selection process is unlike other Oscar categories: Unlike last year, with Michael Haneke's Amour, there is no obvious front-runner. So which of the five will triumph? Country: Belgium Language: Flemish, with English-language songs Belgium's Track Record: Belgium's seventh Oscar nomination in this category - though it has never won Director: Felix van Groeningen Story: Didier meets Elise. He is older and a fan of things American.  He plays banjo with a Bluegrass band and Elise becomes their vocalist. Soon the couple have a daughter, Maybelle. But Maybelle becomes seriously ill and huge pressure is brought to bear on the couple's relationship. The story is about grief and how we cope with it but there is a lot of attractive music along the way too. Chances of winning: Based on a play co-written by lead actor Johan Heldenbergh, the film was well received at last year's Berlin Film Festival and had good reviews internationally. Central performances are strong. It's not hard to predict the first disaster the family will face but then the director lets the audience in on a second calamity long before he needs to - after which the storyline is too obvious and sags. But some Oscar voters will engage with the family tragedy and many will enjoy the Bluegrass - which usefully gives the film some English-language content. Country: Italy Language: Italian Italy's Track Record: Italy has been nominated a massive 28 times. However the most recent of ten victories was in 1998.  (In addition there were three wins before 1956, when the winner was at the Academy's discretion.) Director: Paolo Sorrentino Story: Jep Gambardella (played by Toni Servillo) is a successful journalist in Rome. As a young man he wrote a much-praised novel but he's now become a social butterfly enjoying everything high society in Rome has to offer. Reaching 65, Jep takes stock of his life and relationships. Chances of winning: The film won the Bafta equivalent of Best Foreign Language Film - the Best Film Not in the English Language on Sunday. Sorrentino's film was popular with critics at last year's Cannes: some clearly enjoyed revisiting the glamorous Rome which Federico Fellini made his own in the 1950s and 1960s. The film shows a city filled with attractive people, sexual adventure and gorgeous architecture. In its latter half the story becomes more political but probably few Academy voters will care much about swipes at Silvio Berlusconi and Italy's political class generally.  The film's energy and style may be enough to give Sorrentino victory. Country: Denmark Language: Danish Denmark's Track Record: Denmark has been nominated 10 times. It won in 1987, 1988 and 2010. Director: Thomas Vinterberg Story: Lucas (Mads Mikkelsen) is a teaching assistant at a nursery in a small Danish town and is popular with the young children. One of them, Klara, becomes emotionally attached to him perhaps because her home-life offers very little warmth or security. Feeling rejected by him, Klara seems to suggest Lucas has sexually assaulted her. Soon the tightly-knit community turns against the previously loved and respected teacher. Chances of winning: A standard TV police procedural would play a guessing-game with the audience - is Lucas guilty of what he's accused of? But Thomas Vinterberg is putting society on trial, not an individual. The characters are convincingly flawed, such as the head teacher who too quickly takes the child's side on principle.  Mikkelsen, as usual, gives a terrific performance as a man wrongly accused. The story will find echoes beyond Scandinavia and it's just possible the Academy will prefer it to the glamour of the Italian entry. The screenplay conveniently gives Lucas an eastern European girlfriend with whom he communicates in English - a canny boost to international sales and Oscar chances? Country: Cambodia Language: French Cambodia's track record: This is the country's first Oscar nomination Director: Rithy Panh Story: Unusually for this category The Missing Picture is a documentary, though not a standard one. It recounts what happened in the director's native Cambodia after Pol Pot came to power in the 1960s. Around half the film is old documentary and news footage of the sort you might find in a TV programme about Cambodian history. But Rithy Panh also uses wooden dolls to dramatise what happened to his family and to society generally. Chances of winning: One of the least traditional entries ever in this category. It may appeal to voters who think the Oscars too often ignore the unusual and quirky. The doll device works unexpectedly well. This year's new voting procedures may help the film attract Academy voters more used to documentaries than to feature films. In terms of production, the film is almost as much French as it is Cambodian: its natural home may ultimately be on TV. Country: Palestine Language: Arabic Palestinian Track Record: It's their second nomination: the first was from the same director. Director: Hany Abu-Assad Story: Omar is a young Palestinian who works as a baker and who wants to get together with the attractive Nadia. Her brother persuades him to take part in an armed mission in the West Bank in which an Israeli soldier is shot dead. Omar is picked up by the Israelis who decide he could be a means of tracking down bigger figures. Omar's life spins out of control: is there anybody he can now trust? Chances of winning: Like Abu-Assad's Oscar-nominated Paradise Now (2005) this is a well-made thriller with a distinct political slant. After the earlier film Abu-Assad had an unhappy time in Hollywood making The Courier but he is a skilled director who knows how to build tension. The relentlessly negative portrayal of Israel may not find favour in Hollywood.  There is an unconvincing point in the plot where the Israelis make the same basic error twice and credibility wobbles. But locations and lead performances feel fresh. Of the shortlisted films, this is the story which may linger longest in the memory.

Question: Amid the glitz and glamour of Oscar @placeholder , the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film seldom gets much media attention but it provides a valuable snapshot each year of what is happening in cinema beyond Hollywood . This year , the way the Oscar is awarded has altered . Could change bring a different kind of winner ?


Saudi Arabia is also accused of funding IS, either directly or by failing to prevent private donors from sending money to the group. But Saudi Arabia rejects both accusations, and has announced the formation of a new Islamic anti-terrorism coalition. Five experts share their views. Professor Bernard Haykel is director of the Institute for Transregional Study of the Contemporary Middle East, North Africa and Central Asia at Princeton University. "The Islamic State's religious genealogy comes from 'Jihadi Salafism', a theological current that is very old in Islam that is quite literalist. "[Followers are] extremely rigorous, and condemn other Muslims who don't share their theology. That gives them the hard edge when it comes to violence, because they can justify it theologically. "Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab is in that Salafist tradition. He was a religious reformer in Arabia who was able to create a religious movement that ended up creating a state. "He saw that Muslims had deviated from the 'true' message of Islam; not praying properly or at all, or engaging in practices that he felt were violations of the faith. "A lot of scholars of the period started writing treatises against his ideas. They felt that he was not sufficiently educated to teach. "Eventually he was able to connect with the  leader of the al-Saud family in 1744. That alliance had very strong and lasting effects. "He believed there is a pure version of the faith, and that if one goes back to it, one is guaranteed salvation in the hereafter, but also in life God will give you all the things he promised. "The first Saudi State, based on this Wahhabi faith, seemed to confirm his message because of the political and military success it had throughout the 18th Century and 19th Century where it conquered most of Arabia. "Once a town was conquered he would appoint teachers to educate people in his version of the faith. He wrote a number of short books that were the basis for the teaching, books that are used by ISIS today. "ISIS claims that the Saudi state has deviated from the true beliefs of Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab, and that they are the true representatives of the Salafi or Wahhabi message." Saudi-born Professor Madawi al-Rashid is visiting professor at the Middle East Centre at the London School of Economics. "The Wahhabis were given full control of the religious, social and cultural life of the kingdom. As long as the Wahhabi preachers preached that Saudis should obey their rulers, the al-Saud family were happy. "In the 1960s and 1970s the Arab world was full of revolutionary ideas. The Saudi government thought the Wahhabis were a good antidote, because they provide an alternative narrative about how to obey rulers and not interfere in politics. "In the 1980s, King Fahd established a printing press to publish Korans, sent for free to different parts of the world. They established Al-Madinah University to teach religion to students from around the world. "Wahhabism is definitely an intolerant form of Islam. It is a local religious tradition that has gone global prematurely. We're seeing that it can be a revolutionary language that would inspire someone to commit atrocities in the name of Islam. "When Afghanistan was invaded by the Soviet Union, Wahhabism was instrumentalised by the Saudi regime. It inspired young Muslim men to go to Afghanistan to fight a jihad against the Russian infidels. "Wahhabism benefitted from the arrival of the Muslim brotherhood, who were exiled from places like Egypt, Syria and Iraq in the 1950s and 1960s. Saudi Arabia welcomed them. "A lot of them became religious teachers so the fusion between this Wahhabi tradition, and the organisational skills of other Islamists, led to the emergence of a new trend in Saudi Arabia; the Islamist trend, what is referred to as the Islamic awakening." Saudi-born Aimen Dean left school to fight jihad in Bosnia in the 1990s and subsequently joined al-Qaeda. Disillusioned, he then started working undercover for the British government. "The traditional Salafism practised mainly in Saudi Arabia and especially by the religious establishment might not have a favourable view of other strands of Islam, but is nonetheless very active in combating political violence because it believes in the sanctity of governance. It is better to put law and order and stability above the pursuit of justice and political ideals. "The religious establishment in Saudi Arabia hasn't actually done anything in the form of discriminating violently against other forms of Islam. "I always hear people saying 'We don't hear many Muslims condemn ISIS, standing up against terrorism'. "How many Saudi security forces died in the fight against al-Qaeda and ISIS? How many ISIS and al-Qaeda prisoners are in the prisons of Saudi Arabia? This year alone 1,850 ISIS suspects have been arrested in Saudi Arabia. "Just the simple expression of sympathy [for ISIS] could land you in prison in Saudi Arabia. "Saudi jails are filled with radical Islamists, yet across the Gulf Iranian jails are filled with liberals and human rights campaigners. Who is the moderate and who is the hard-liner? "If you look at the numbers of Saudis who joined ISIS, there are up to 180 per million. "In Tunisia - a vehemently secular nation with no religious education whatsoever for more than half a century - it's more than 212 per million." Matthew Levitt directs the counterterrorism program at The Washington Institute for Near East Policy. "Contrary to conventional wisdom, ISIL derives a relatively small share of its funds from deep-pocket donors. And while terror financing within Saudi Arabia was once a major problem, Riyadh has begun to turn a corner - especially when it comes to financing ISIL. "ISIL has been financially self-sufficient for years, including its early days as al-Qaeda in Iraq (AQI).  A 2006 US assessment determined that AQI created a self-sustaining insurgency in Iraq, raising $70m-$200m (?¡ê47m-?¡ê134m) a year from illegal activities alone. "Seized AQI documents indicate that 'outside donations amounted to only a tiny fraction - no more than 5% - of the group's operating budgets from 2005 until 2010'. "Today, ISIL's primary sources of funding are extortion, oil smuggling, and other criminal activities.  A small number of major donors were designated as terrorist financiers by the US Treasury Department, but these were exceptions. "The Saudis have arrested several hundred ISIL suspects, reportedly including some ISIL financiers, but Riyadh provides no breakdown of the numbers. Recent polling data suggests support for ISIL within Saudi Arabia hovers around 5%.  And yet, those results suggest the Saudis have reason to worry: 5% of the Saudi population represents over a half a million potential donors. "Authorities worry about ISIL sympathisers' ability to raise and move funds through hard-to-monitor cash transfers, a typical method among Saudi donors. "Another concern is ISIL fundraising through social media and other communication technologies. Saudi authorities reported that ISIL fundraisers have solicited donors via Twitter and told them to establish contact via Skype. Donors were then asked to purchase international prepaid cards and provide the card numbers via Skype. These would be sold to earn cash. "In March, Saudi Arabia co-chaired with the US and Italy the inaugural meeting of the Counter-ISIL Finance Group. This working group will get a significant boost this week at a UN Security Council summit of finance ministers focused on countering ISIL financing. "Doing more to prevent ISIL donors moving money through banks and money exchangers is sure to be on the agenda." Mohammed Yahya is political consultant at the Saudi Arabian Embassy in London. "Accusations that Saudi Arabia funds these groups and supports them ideologically are not only unfounded, they are an extreme disservice to the fight against terrorism, both in Saudi Arabia and internationally. "Saudi Arabia has some of the strictest financial measures and controls to stop any funding to terrorist organisations. "There is very strict monitoring on moving money overseas. Some individuals in the past have beaten the system, but the system that's in place is one of the most rigorous in the world. "Many of these individuals [who may have funded IS] are in jail. Eight hundred people are incarcerated today that have direct links to ISIS. "The Islamic State has conducted several attacks on Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia's counter-terrorism and intelligence programmes are the biggest threat they have both ideologically and on the ground. "Saudi Arabia is very diverse. There are many different kinds of Muslims of all backgrounds and around 18 million Muslims visit annually for pilgrimage. Saudi Arabia has enacted laws that strictly prohibit religious incitement and calling for the death of innocent people. "The fact that there is intolerant or controversial speech in Saudi Arabia is not a reflection of government policy. "Much of Islam's teachings have been misconstrued. "Just because one Islamic text by Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab is used by ISIS does not mean that his teachings are everything that ISIS believes. They will use whatever fits their narrative from any source. "To blame what is going on today in Syria and Iraq and elsewhere on the teachings of somebody that existed 270 years ago is just misleading." The Inquiry: Is Saudi Arabia to blame for IS? was broadcast on the BBC World Service. Listen online or download the podcast.

Question: Is Saudi Arabia to blame for the rise of the so - called Islamic State ( IS or ISIL ) ? It is commonly claimed that Wahhabism , the strict form of Islam @placeholder in the Kingdom - and the Saudi state 's aggressive promotion of it - has fuelled terrorism .


Central bank governor John Mangudya said the cash, known as bond notes, will be backed by $200m (?¡ê140m) support from the Africa Export-Import Bank. The specially-designed two, five, 10 and 20 dollar notes will have the same value as their US dollar equivalents. Zimbabwe introduced the US dollar after ditching its own currency in 2009 following sustained hyperinflation. Since then Zimbabweans have been using the dollar as well as a number of other foreign currencies including the South African rand and the Chinese yuan. Africa Live: More on this and other African news stories. Zimbabwea€?s multi-currency confusion But the BBC's Brian Hungwe in the capital, Harare, says that bank customers are not always able to withdraw the amount of US dollars they want because of a shortage of dollar notes in Zimbabwe. The governor stressed that the issuing of bond notes was not the first step on the way to reintroducing the defunct currency, the Zimbabwe Herald newspaper reports. Mr Mangudya also introduced a number of other measures to steer people away from using US dollar cash. This includes setting a $1,000 limit on how much cash can be taken out of the country. He wants to encourage people to make greater use of the rand since a large portion of Zimbabwe's trade is with South Africa. But our correspondent says that people are reluctant to hold rands as they are not confident that the currency will maintain its value against the dollar. He adds that not all shops and traders accept the full range of currencies officially in use. The central bank brought in so-called bond coins of one, five, 10 and 25 cents, pegged to the US dollar, in 2014. Mr Mangudya said the bank was still working on a design for the new notes, but they should be in circulation "within the next two months", the Herald reports.

Question: Zimbabwe is set to @placeholder its own version of the US dollar in order to ease a cash shortage in the country .


Oban-based Cr¨´bag uses images of healthy and infected algae that have been photographed by scientists with the use of microscope technology. The business's designer, Jessica Giannotti, has a background in marine science. Cr¨´bag also works with Dr Claire Gachon, an expert in seaweed at the Scottish Association of Marine Science (SAMS). The French scientist's research includes studies of green and brown algae and the diseases that affect them. Cr¨´bag and SAMS are both based at the Scottish Marine Institute in Oban, and a portion of Cr¨´bag's sales goes towards scientific research. Ms Giannotti said microscopy images taken under UV light helped to reveal colours and patterns of healthy algal cells, and the spores of infections attacking the tiny plant life. Brown and green algae found on Scotland's coasts have been used to help guide Cr¨´bag's designs. The business in Argyll was one of nine designer-makers from the Highlands and Islands to exhibit products at the fashion design event, Craft at Top Drawer, earlier this week. They were brought to the London trade show by Emergents. The Inverness-based community interest company promotes crafts, design, fashion and new writing and publishing in the Highlands and Islands. Also exhibiting at the trade show was Netty Sopata, of Lewis-based Diggory Brown. It has been working with Harris Tweed maker, Uist Wool, in North Uist, to create garments that use batches of undyed wool that is usually a by-product of tweed production. The project was one of five to receive funding from Zero Waste Scotland last year. The other Emergents' exhibitors were jewellery designers and makers Gilly Langton, from Plockton, and Eileen Gatt, from Munlochy, also Carloway-based fashion accessories designer Rarebird and Highlands textiles businesses Rae Anne and Emma Nobel Textiles and Westray-based textiles designer Hume Sweet Hume.

Question: Algae have @placeholder the designs of a Scottish - based textiles producer .


The National Trust counted 2,342 pups born this season at Blakeney in Norfolk - about 80 fewer than last year. Ajay Tegala, National Trust ranger, said: "This is good news as the seals were spreading at such a rate over such a big area that it makes it easier to protect them." The Trust said the lower birth rate meant the colony had "stabilised". After grey seals began colonising the spit on the north Norfolk coast, the Trust said there was anecdotal evidence of two pups being born in 1987 or 1988 and a first "official" record of five pups in 1999. A more accurate standardised method of counting pups began in 2006 when 213 were recorded. 2,342 recorded in 2015 2,426 (2014) 1,566 (2013) 747 (2010) 213 (2006) The Trust has 12 volunteers to try and make sure people visiting with their dogs did not disturb the breeding colony. Mr Tegala said: "The seals have filled the key habitats on Blakeney, so it's good news the population has stabilised this year. "If they continued to spread into the dunes and along the beach towards Cley, this would make them harder to protect. "When a breeding site becomes too densely populated, grey seals tend to colonise new habitats and there is already anecdotal evidence seals from the Norfolk colonies at Blakeney and Horsey have moved south to the Thames estuary and northern France." The Trust said it was estimated more than 750 pups had been born at Horsey this year.

Question: The number of seals born at England 's largest colony has dropped for the first time after nine years of @placeholder .


The letter, on the party's headed notepaper, was brought home by children attending the Saint Francis Primary School in Derrylatinee, County Tyrone. Sinn F¨¦in says the letter, written by candidate Michelle Gildernew, was part of a campaign for better broadband. The Belfast Telegraph has reported that one parent has sought legal advice. Sinn F¨¦in's northern leader, Michelle O'Neill, says the letter was about trying to get improved services. "Broadband is a major issue for people in rural areas," he added. "It's a a big bugbear, an issue which Michelle has campaigned on for many years, and the party as a whole". In her letter to the school principal, Ms Gildernew says she would be "very grateful" if a copy could be sent home "with every family". Mrs O'Neill said Ms Gildernew was the parent of a child at the school and "was raising the issue with the rest of the parents". A spokesperson for the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools said neither they, nor the school, had received any complaints.

Question: Sinn F¨¦in has defended a decision to @placeholder a letter to the parents of school children during the assembly election campaign .


Marvin Douglas, 33, of Milton Keynes, was jailed for nine years and nine months at St Albans Crown Court for conspiracy to supply cocaine. He had led a gang selling drugs across Bedfordshire, London and the Home Counties. When arrested, he was on licence from jail after a drugs conviction in 2010. Crack cocaine with a street value of up to ¡ê32,000 and ¡ê20,000 in cash were found in his Volkswagen Scirocco car on 23 September last year. He had tried to break free as police cars surrounded his vehicle but rammed into two police vehicles, flipping the car onto its roof. Another leading member of the gang, Lee Dixon, 31, was caught with cash and cocaine when arrested at his home in Williamson Road, Kempston, on 15 October last year. He was jailed at St Albans Crown Court for six years and six months. Dixon and Douglas had been linked through forensics and phone records to Robert Willoughby, 45, arrested at a drugs "safe house" in Harlinger Street, Woolwich, on 5 March, last year, police said. National Crime Agency (NCA) officers seized a substantial amount of cocaine and ¡ê19,740 during that arrest. Willoughby was jailed for 14 years. Forensics also linked the men with Kimberley Oyewole, 35, who was arrested at house in Bethwin Road, Southwark, south London, on 20 November. Officers discovered cocaine and heroin with a street value of more than ¡ê3,000 and ¡ê4,835 cash. He will be sentenced later. Douglas, Dixon and Oyewole all pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply cocaine between 1 February 2014 and 21 November 2014. Det Insp Paul Baron said: "Douglas is a prolific drug dealer who has persistently continued his criminality despite being previously arrested and even jailed. "These people were involved in the supply and distribution of a large amount of class A drugs."

Question: A drugs gang boss stopped on the A1 in Bedfordshire @placeholder crack cocaine rammed police cars in pursuit and flipped his car over , a court heard .


The Spanish-speaking film, starring Mexican actor Gael Garcia Bernal, is set in Chile in 1988, when a public referendum was called on Pinochet's 15-year coup-seized leadership. The people were to be asked to vote Yes for a continuation of Pinochet's rule or No for him to go. While the Yes campaigners go down a hackneyed route of vaunting Pinochet's great leadership and trashing the opposition, the No camp realise a radical new approach is needed. The people are scared and sceptical of a corrupt process and will take some persuading to even go to the polls. The answer is to hire advertising hotshot Rene Saavedra, who says they must harness the strategies of product advertising, namely the power of the positive message. "Many people know how Pinochet got into power by overthrowing President Allende but very few know how he got out," says Bernal who plays Saavedra. "Even I, who am from Latin America, didn't know about the campaign that went on. I didn't know how important publicity was to the movement and what actually went on. "It was one of the most interesting things about the film and encouraged me to do it." Used to working on promotions for products such as fizzy drinks, Saavedra dismisses focusing on the atrocities of Pinochet's rule to take the sweet shop approach to the Nos' campaign: shiny imagery of rainbows and a beautiful future full of sun-soaked days of family fun. "The film sees the birth of democracy in Chile through the eyes of a publicist," says Bernal. "An archetypal publicist doesn't exist, but this character is fascinating because of his joyful attitude. "He has a childish fascination with toys and things like his new microwave. These kind of things gave the character an interesting way to see the story." The No camp, a group made up of 16 political parties, are unsurprisingly unconvinced. But they pull together behind Saavedra in a spirit of unity and camaraderie. It's a dynamic that followed through into the cast, many of whom are the real-life members of the No campaign. "There was the fraternal aspect to making the movie, which got me closer to the drama and to the freedom that that moment in history experienced," says Bernal. As for the members of the Yes campaign, they made a point of making themselves elusive. "All the protagonists from the campaign were very up for making the movie. Some acted as themselves and others play their antagonists," says Bernal. "They couldn't find people from the Yes campaign. There was only one person who was known but he didn't want to talk. A victory has many generals but a defeat has none." One of the original No team is Eugenio Garcia, on whom Bernal's character is based. Garcia, a smiling and gentle man, says he was taken aback when approached by Chilean director Pablo Larrain. "It was a surprise for me as this happened 25 years ago and then I forgot, did my job and got on with my life," says Garcia. "Now when I see the movie, it's very emotional.  It's a very good interpretation of how we all felt at the time, our fears and anticipation. It makes me remember all the emotions. It's beautiful." Meeting Garcia was a true honour and also valuable to understanding and playing Saavedra, say Bernal. It all adds to the film's air of authenticity, which Larrain has taken pains to achieve through the use of an old U-matic camera to help blend news footage from the era with the acting scenes. At heart, Saavedra is just a simple man of the people, deeply concerned for the young son who lives with him and longing to be reconciled with his estranged wife. When the Yes campaign hit back with underhand tactics, Saavedra feels the threats on a deeply personal level, rather than as part and parcel of the dirty game of politics. It sums up the other feeling pervading No: intimacy. This, Bernal explains, is down to Larrain.  No is the final part in Larrain's trilogy covering the Pinochet era. The first two films were Tony Manero and Post Mortem. No signals a closure for the director, who was a child at the time of the events of the film and whose parents were Yes voters. "It's a film that is very personal to Pablo. He was 12 when this happened," says Bernal. "It is, for him and other Chileans, a reconciliation, not just with society or the country, but with one's own history." Ultimately, the No campaign is triumphant. An unexpected 97% of registered voters turn out at the polls. The No campaign wins almost 56% of the vote. Pinochet stepped down in 1990 after losing democratic presidential and parliamentary elections. When he died in 2006, he was still to stand trial for human rights abuses, as ordered by the Chilean courts. This "injustice" is just one of the many issues that make No relevant to today's audience, says the politically-minded Bernal. But would he ever turn his interest into a career? "I am very interested in politics," says the actor, who is a big supporter of human rights group Amnesty International. "But as for going into it seriously in a formal way, I can't see that happening. Then again how many politicians have said the same?" No is released in the UK on Friday, 8 February. The Academy Awards are on Sunday, 24 February.

Question: Much has been documented on the rise and fall of Chile 's brutal military dictator General Augusto Pinochet yet little on the men who brought about his demise . The Oscar - @placeholder foreign - language film , No , seeks to redress the balance .


The F-35 Lightning II will appear at the Royal International Air Tattoo and Farnborough Air Show in July, the US Air Force has announced. It was due to be shown at the 2014 events but was cancelled days before after the entire fleet was grounded in the US following an engine fire. The RAF says the aircraft will place it at the forefront of fighter technology. In November, Chancellor George Osborne outlined plans for Britain to speed up its purchase of the new fighter jets. The UK will have 24 aircraft available on two new aircraft carriers by 2023. Two of the jets which are stationed at Luke Air Force Base in Arizona will be flown over for both air shows. Visitors to the Tattoo at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire "will be the first outside the US to see the stealthy, supersonic aircraft's state-of-the-art capabilities", event organisers say. Andy Armstrong, chief executive, said: "No doubt, the sight of F-35s in the sky will be quite common for future generations but this summer, all those who attend our air show will enjoy a first glimpse of that future. "Over the years, the Air Tattoo has featured the UK and European debuts of some of the world's most iconic aircraft but few will have been as important to the UK's future defence capability as the F-35."

Question: New dates have been set for the first UK @placeholder of the jet due to be used on Britain 's new aircraft carriers .


Media playback is not supported on this device The Briton, 20, admits taking on the new routine, comprising 3.5 somersaults with one twist, is a gamble. "Changing is a risky decision, but you have to take risks if you want to win Olympic medals," he told BBC Sport. Daley developed trouble with his "demon dive" at the 2012 Olympics, eventually seeking therapy in a bid to master it. He went on to claim bronze in London but struggled with the dive again at the 2013 Worlds, admitting the backwards 2.5 somersault with 2.5 twists routine in the piked position "terrified" him. Daley will perform his new dive in the 10m platform at the British National Championships in Plymouth in February as part of his preparations for the Rio Olympics in 2016. He added: "Lots of people who have seen the dive have told me it's like a little firework because you don't expect it. "It just happens at the end - a massive twist. So hopefully instead of the demon dive I'll have a firework dive instead. "It's a weight off my shoulders now and even my other dives are going better than they were before, so I believe I can win Olympic gold in Rio." In a wide-ranging interview at the Olympic diving venue in Rio, Daley also told BBC Sport he is "happier" since revealing publicly he is in a relationship with another man. "The support has been amazing and it's made me happy to be who I wanted to be," said the 2009 World Champion. "It makes it easier to train when you're positive and that all means I'll dive better and compete better." Daley finished fourth alongside now retired diver Peter Waterfield in the 10m synchronised event at the London Olympics and won silver with James Denny at the 2014 Commonwealth Games. However, they are unlikely to pair up again in the near future as Denny, 21, is currently unable to perform dives to the same degree of difficulty as Daley. "If I do synchro, I want to do it so I can go and win Olympic medals and not just make up the numbers," said Daley. "It depends if anyone does come up through the ranks, but at the moment I'm not doing it." Daley also ruled out the possibility of competing in the new mixed-gender synchronised competition, which will be launched at this summer's World Championships in Kazan, Russia. "It's going to be interesting to see how it works because at the moment the leading men do harder dives than the women so I can only see it working if junior men team up with senior women," he said. "It'll be exciting to watch, but until it becomes an Olympic sport I'll be focusing on my new dive and individual [event]."

Question: Tom Daley has @placeholder his " demon dive " for a dive that no - one has ever attempted in competition in a bid to win Olympic gold in 2016 .


The tent was still there when I left but the VIPs will not now be coming. The plan was for government officials to spend today signing a raft of documents including the key contract which guaranteed EDF a reward of high prices of ?¡ê92.50 per MWh for the financial risk they are taking with this mammoth project. But hours after EDF's board voted to approve the ?¡ê18bn power plant on Thursday, the government launched a further review of the project. This stunning new development came all the way from the top of government and the timing seemed calculated to cause maximum impact. EDF executives were taken completely off guard, the post-Brexit run of major investment is abruptly halted and what precious entente cordiale in Anglo-French relations there is left after the EU referendum result seems diminished. Is it a genuine pause for a new government to read the small print of a project that is two administrations old, or a signal of a potential change in policy? If so - what is plan B? The nuclear fleet is not getting any younger, renewables are not yet placed to take the strain in January when the sun doesn't shine and the wind doesn't blow. If it's an attempt to get better terms it's a poker game where the stakes are very high.

Question: Down at Hinkley Point yesterday , I watched the EDF Energy staff @placeholder the party tent in preparation for the arrival of VIPs invited to toast the final piece in the nuclear power station puzzle .


The consumers - the voters - appear to be shrugging off the uncertainties, the unknowns and the warnings of future risks. Many economists had predicted that a vote to leave the EU would tip Britain into recession. Instead, after six months, the UK is on track to be the fastest growing economy in the G7. Orders in the manufacturing sector are expanding at the fastest rate in 25 years. Consumers are acting "almost as though the referendum had not taken place" asserts Andy Haldane, the Chief Economist at the Bank of England. The economic forecasters are on the defensive or taking a turn in the confessional, admitting that the forecasting profession "is to some extent in crisis". It is a reminder of what I was once told - that economics is not a science but the politics of money. There have been times in the past when politicians have urged voters to go out and spend, almost as if shopping was a patriotic duty. In recent months, the British consumer has needed no urging. Warnings have been defied. Financed by a surge in borrowing, spending is accelerating. Confidence is high, buoyed by real income growth, the housing market outside London, low unemployment and a soaring stock market. Our European neighbours are a little open-mouthed at the way the script is unfolding. But many of the same economists and forecasters who had warned against Brexit still believe a reckoning is coming. The rising costs of imports because of a weakened pound and increased fuel prices will combine to force some retailers to raise their prices. Higher inflation will test consumer appetites. The robust economy has bought the government political space. It is not at the moment under pressure and does not yet need to show its hand but, slowly, a narrative is emerging that carries risks for Theresa May and her tightly-wound circle; that they are hobbled by indecision. Perhaps, not surprisingly, you hear it said in the European Commission that the government neither has a strategy for the negotiations ahead nor does it know what it wants. That is seeping into the conversations in Westminster and was boosted by the charge from Sir Ivan Rogers, the former UK Ambassador to the EU, of "muddled thinking" in the government. It is a narrative rejected by Mrs May and, to be fair to No 10, there are no easy choices. It is as complex a negotiation as any government has faced. Inevitably some people will be disappointed. Brussels thinks the UK has made its choice. The PM has said the UK will insist on controlling EU immigration and on leaving the jurisdiction of the European courts. To those sitting in the halls of the EU that means Britain is set on leaving the single market because access to the internal market depends on accepting freedom of movement. Theresa May has repeatedly rejected the idea that what the UK wants is a binary decision. She certainly believes that the government has to reassert control over EU migration and that is close to being a red line. But ministers believe that does not preclude a deal, whereby access to the single market is negotiated for certain industries or where some elements of freedom of movement are accepted, while negotiating for the right to apply a brake if the system is under pressure. The official EU line is the one echoed by Angela Merkel who insists there will be "no cherry picking". So far, the 27 other members of the EU have been remarkably united behind that response. The government, however, believes that once the negotiations start there will be greater flexibility to be exploited. Downing Street knows that almost any deal has the capacity to stir up divisions, not least within the PM's own party. The differences will not easily be reconciled. Many of the Brexiteers want to leave the single market and the customs union as quickly as possible, precisely because of the conditions attached to belonging to it. However, a sizeable part of the Conservative Party, the City and the business community believes that leaving the single market would be reckless, risking serious damage to the UK economy. Some time after the end of March, when Article 50 is triggered, the negotiations will begin. The initial focus will be on the terms of the divorce. Early on, the UK will face the bill to settle outstanding obligations, like contributions to the EU budget and towards EU pensions. In Brussels they put the price tag somewhere between 55 and 60 billion euros. That one item alone has the potential to sour negotiations. In the two years to settle the divorce there will almost certainly be no time to agree a trade deal. That is why both the EU and some UK ministers are calling for a transitional arrangement. This will be a much more dangerous period for the government. Inward investment may weaken, businesses may postpone expenditure and some companies may decide to move part of their operations to a EU capital, while consumers may lose their confidence. The challenge for the government will be to keep the voters believing that an agreement is achievable which protects the economy. The greatest risk for the prime minister is that her opening bid is dismissed out of hand or that it becomes apparent that a compromise is beyond reach. There are well-known figures in the European Commission who do not disguise their determination to see the UK hurt. That was Sir Ivan Rogers's concern, that the UK could slide into a "disorderly break" with nothing to show for all the talking, leaving the UK trading under World Trade Organization rules with common tariffs. Within 10 weeks Mrs May will have to shed her instinctive caution, define her goals and become the great persuader both in Europe and at home. At some stage she will face the maxim "to lead is to choose".

Question: It is a curious moment in British politics . The government is facing the most important negotiations in over 50 years . The @placeholder will shape the future of the UK economy - but you would not necessarily know it .


Nick Alexander 35, of Colchester, Essex, was killed at the Bataclan concert hall, where he was selling band merchandise. He was a member of St Andrew's Church in Weeley and had been attending since he was a child. Reverend David Newman said Mr Alexander visited him there just a few weeks ago, having heard he was ill. He said it was "typical of him to think of others and to actually do something about it." He said he learned of Mr Alexander's death from his family who worship at the church, where the book can be signed. "He was a very intelligent boy all the way along. As a youngster, he was always reliable and also good fun. "He was very thoughtful in his dealings with the older members of the church," he said. From his earliest days, he was "charming, had integrity and was encouraging of others", he added. He said the church is in a "complete sense of shock" not only at the "suddenness of the death of a young man" but also at "the wicked arbitrariness of the killing of so many people." The Anglican vicar said people are starting to think how this "desperately negative event" can be turned into something positive. "Above all we need to hold on to the memories of a positive young man who lived his life in a very fulfilling way," he said. An online fundraising page for Mr Alexander's family has raised nearly ?¡ê60,000.

Question: A book of condolence has been @placeholder for a British man who died in the Paris attacks .


Born in Barry, she and her family emigrated when she was four, but stories about her late father's early life in the Neath Valley stayed with her "in politics and beyond". Ms Gillard, 53, was the Australian Labor Party prime minister in 2010-13. She has been speaking on BBC Radio Wales programme, Sunday Supplement. Ms Gillard said she did not have "original memories" of Wales but the fact her parents' "formative experiences were there, that was the subject of our family discussions in the home, so the consciousness that I was born in Wales and that mattered, has been with me throughout my life". Speaking to presenter Vaughan Roderick, BBC Wales' Welsh affairs editor, she explained how her father, who had lived in Cwmgwrach, was "very interested in politics and he thought for both my sister and I that it was important we grew up with an understanding of government and policies and why they mattered and what fairness was". She added: "In giving us that world view, all of the examples were from south Wales; from him growing up in a coal mining village in Cwmgwrach, being one of seven children, not being able to complete his education simply because of the poverty of his family." She explained how he won a scholarship to finish secondary school education but ended up leaving school at 14. "And so all of these things about fairness and equity, the importance of education, were burnt into my sister and I from very early on in our family life and they have been the values which have stayed with me," she said. She said she had been shocked to see the contrast between Cwmgwrach and her own childhood home in Australia when she visited. "I remember, vaguely, my first memories of being in the migrant hostel when we arrived in Australia, but then all of my other childhood memories were of being in our home in Kingswood, a suburb of Adelaide, going to the local state school... we had a house with a big back yard. I mean, we weren't moneyed people but that was the Australian way of life. "And then to go to Cwmgwrach to see the sort of housing people lived in... my grandmother, my father's mother, was still alive then and she lived in a house with an outside toilet and things like that. "But also, to be surrounded by people you were related to, this was a completely different experience for me. "For all of my life my family had been mum, dad and my sister, Alison, and we weren't related to anyone else in Australia and there you were suddenly in a village in south Wales where you are just related to so many people, so many cousins and aunts and uncles." Ms Gillard served as the 27th prime minister of Australia, and the Australian Labor Party leader for three years and three days from 2010 to 2013. She was the first woman to hold either position. On 26 June 2013, after a leadership split, Ms Gillard lost the leadership of the party to Kevin Rudd. She resigned as prime minister the following day.

Question: Welsh @placeholder shaped Julia Gillard 's politics which led her to become Australia 's first female prime minister , she has told BBC Wales .


Cataract operations carried out at Musgrove Park Hospital in Taunton in May left some with blurred vision. The procedures were carried out on 62 people in a mobile unit by by private provider Vanguard Healthcare. Twenty-five of them had a "normal recovery". Ophthalmology staff voiced concerns but operations continued, the report says. The first operations happened on a Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the start of the month. The hospital had planned to operate on 400 people. But by the Tuesday, some patients had come to back to the hospital complaining about their vision. The report claims that three patients needed further surgery because of retention of lens matter, two suffered eye burns while six patients were found with microscopic metallic fragments in their eyes. One told staff they were "shouted at" for moving, the report said. Initial internal staff emails focused on a lack of follow-up arrangements for the patients and said it was unusual to have three patients complaining of problems. The national average rate for complications in this type of surgery is 4.64%, but the report said the figure on patients sent to the mobile unit differed "10-fold" from this. Ophthalmology staff also told managers in emails that "one a year would have been an issue". Hospital managers decided to review all patients who had been operated on, but also gave the go-ahead for new surgeries to take place while previous patients were still being checked. Source: NHS cataract surgery These new operations then had to be stopped after staff assessing patients who had previously undergone procedures found some also had eye problems. On the final day of surgery, there were seven operations despite the warnings over previous complications. A statement from the hospital said: "The decision to allow surgery to go ahead on 9 May was taken following a number of teleconference conversations with all parties involved during that week." But the hospital said that not everybody included in the email was in the hospital that day and "there was a delay in the email being seen". "Surgery was stopped during the morning as a result of the email and feedback from the review clinic that was also being held at the same time," the statement added. The report investigated whether surgical technique could have been to blame but said this could not "provide the whole explanation". The Vanguard mobile unit was brought in to help lower waiting lists for the eye operations. The firm's CEO, Ian Gillespie, said he wanted to "personally convey" his sympathy for any patients affected. "The investigation does not identify any one cause, but instead points to a number of different factors which may have led to the complications experienced by patients," he said. "No issues have been identified with the Vanguard mobile theatre facility itself; however there are clearly lessons to be learnt by all parties." Musgrove Park Hospital had initially refused to release its internal report citing legal issues with its publication. But it was released following a Freedom of Information Act request by the BBC.

Question: Patients who had eye operations at a hospital where staff raised concerns about the procedures said they suffered pain and felt @placeholder , a report claims .


Citizens Advice said it expected more than 370,000 people to seek advice on money matters during the month. Meanwhile, the Money Advice Trust (MAT) said more than five million people could run into financial difficulties. The MAT said its National Debtline service had already had its busiest December in four years. It took an average of 715 calls a day over the four weeks, and helped more than 40,000 people online. Looking ahead, the MAT said "perilously few" people have set a budget, or have a plan to repay existing debts. Just before Christmas, the governor of the Bank of England, Mark Carney, warned about the high level of debt among UK households. Unsecured debt, including spending on credit cards, is rising at its fastest pace in 11 years, the Bank of England said. An online poll, conducted for the MAT by YouGov, suggested that 11% of consumers expect to fall behind with their finances in the New Year, equating to around 5.5 million people. About 32% have set a budget they plan to stick to, and 12% have a strategy to repay debts they already owe, according to the poll of 2,000 people. "January can be a difficult month for household budgets - and it is easy to see how many people fall behind when the bills for Christmas spending begin to land," said Joanna Elson, the chief executive of the MAT. "Unfortunately our research shows that perilously few households have a plan for how to repay the debts they currently owe - and many could fall into serious difficulty as a result." Citizens Advice said it expected a call for financial advice every three seconds in January. While many people worry about personal debt, it said many others want help with planning long-term finances. "Although debt worries can be more acute in January, people are also taking stock of their finances and thinking about the future," said Gillian Guy, the chief executive of Citizens Advice. "It doesn't matter what your earn - whether you are on minimum wage or have a comfortable salary - everyone can benefit from reviewing their finances." As part of its advice, National Debtline recommends that consumers: Last week, a survey for Uswitch suggested that consumers would carry an average outstanding sum of ?¡ê636 on their credit cards into the New Year.

Question: Debt charities expect to have one of their busiest Januarys in years , as consumers recover from the Christmas spending @placeholder .


At the tender age of 18 years and 227 days, the Red Bull driver produced a masterful display of skill and aggression to claim top spot at the Circuit de Catalunya. Admittedly, it only really happened because the dominant Mercedes managed to crash into each other. Fast forward a year, and it's a Mercedes v Ferrari two-way contest, with Sebastian Vettel qualifying less than a tenth of a second behind Lewis Hamilton on the grid. Make your selection for your top-10 race result... And bear in mind that it could rain on race day in Barcelona. Who will finish in the top 10 at the Spanish Grand Prix?

Question: The 2016 Spanish Grand Prix gave us one of the races of the season , as a young buck named Max Verstappen wrote his name into the F1 @placeholder books .


There is the apprenticeship levy on businesses which will raise ¡ê3bn by 2019-20. Higher stamp duty tax on buy-to-let properties and second homes. Higher levels of insurance premium tax - which increases costs for anyone with a car or house insurance policy. Changes to taxes levied on banks which will raise a further ¡ê1.7bn. There is likely to plenty more where that came from in tomorrow's Budget. I would watch for fuel duty increases matching the rate of inflation (many close to the chancellor doubt he will take the political pain of more rapid increases), further changes to insurance premiums, higher taxes on cigarettes and alcohol (so-called "sin taxes"), the attempted closure of tax avoidance loop holes and higher business taxes. As one Treasury source pointed out to me, yes, businesses might be irritated by the upward pressure on taxes but frankly "their support hasn't got anywhere much else to go". The government doesn't imagine a warm embrace for John McDonnell from the UK's titans of industry. George Osborne, an instinctive tax cutter, imposes tax rises for a reason. His "big project" for which he wants to be remembered is "balancing the books" by 2020 and even delivering a surplus. That means the government earning as much as it spends and thereby eliminating the deficit. So, tomorrow, look for that 2019-20 borrowing figure. It is the one that matters to the chancellor and the one which he will go through some pain now to achieve. Whilst gently pointing out that the overall debt burden for the government totals more than ¡ê1.5trn - costing the government about ¡ê1bn a week in debt interest payments. At the time of the autumn statement, the Office for Budget Responsibility predicted a government budget surplus by the end of this Parliament of ¡ê10bn. Mr Osborne will do all he can to hit that target. Even though - in total government expenditure terms - ¡ê10bn is little more than a rounding error. And achieving it has become harder as economic growth has slowed and wage increases have eased. Both reduce government income. And therefore put an upward pressure on borrowing. Tomorrow's Budget comes against a backdrop of what Mr Osborne calls the "dangerous cocktail" of economic gloom 2016 has presented us with. The fall in the stock market largely sparked by fears over global growth could mean a ¡ê2 billion reduction in government tax revenues according to the Institute for Fiscal Studies. And, lower share prices and volatile markets also make government asset sales far harder. The government has already delayed the sale of the final tranche of Lloyds Bank it still owns, raising around ¡ê2bn. It has also placed firmly on the back burner plans to offload part of its 73% stake in the Royal Bank of Scotland - which was due to raise another ¡ê5bn by next year. Wage increases 1% lower than forecast (and the Bank of England predicts they will be 0.75% below forecast) means ¡ê5bn less in tax revenues by 2020. So, hitting that surplus figure is getting harder. And tax rises will have to be higher, and public sector cuts (though delayed until the end of the parliament) deeper, than Mr Osborne thought last year. To judge whether the Treasury is on track to hit its surplus there is a second figure to focus on tomorrow. That is the amount of government borrowing undertaken this year. The Chancellor's target is ¡ê73.5bn. In the more optimistic days of the autumn statement - just four months ago - the government appeared on target. But the poorer economic news since then has affected tax receipts and put that number under pressure. By January, the government's borrowing figure had already hit ¡ê66.5bn. Yes, down nearly 14% but suggesting a year-end figure closer to ¡ê80bn than ¡ê70bn. Can Mr Osborne pull that figure back to target? And what tax rises and public sector cuts - the pain bit - is he willing to endure? At stake is his economic reputation. And the small matter of the security of Britain's economic future.

Question: It does n't take long reading through last July 's Budget and November 's Autumn Statement to stumble across the difficult bits - what some have described as the " stealth taxes " the Treasury likes to @placeholder in a slightly quieter voice compared to the spending commitments .


The filmmaker got word that Gil - also a famous musician - was hosting a prestigious viewing session of Padilha's first feature film "Elite Squad" at his house. Padilha was furious, as his movie had just been released in cinemas. But a copy of the film leaked during post-production, and hit file sharing websites four months before its official release. It became a piracy "super-hit" in Brazil. Some analysts estimated that more than a million people watched illegal copies of "Elite Squad" before the movie ever hit the big screens. When Padilha heard that the culture minister was about to be part of that statistic, with an illegal copy of his movie, he evaded security and knocked on Gil's door demanding the pirate DVD be handed to him - which was promptly done by an embarrassed servant. Brazil has long been a haven for movie piracy. A government study found that 41% of Brazilian internet users have downloaded content illegally from the internet. Piracy is also prevalent on the streets - with DVDs being openly sold in most commercial places and roads, and even outside movie theatres. So Brazil is an unlikely place for movie subscription service Netflix to be successful. Yet, since it was launched in Brazil in 2011, Netflix subscriptions have soared in the country. The company does not release country-specific numbers, but two independent studies suggest Brazil has over the years become the fourth-largest market for Netflix - after US, Canada and the United Kingdom. The company has 69 million users worldwide. Netflix's chief executive Reed Hastings - who usually refrains from commenting on countries - says Brazil is a "rocket ship" for its company. When Netflix's Brazil and Latin Americas service started in September 2011 it was the firm's first venture outside of North America. The region was chosen for three primary reasons - broadband penetration was considered big enough as a market, incomes at the time were rising rapidly, and there was an appetite for Hollywood content. Netflix's chief communications officer Jonathan Friedland says there was another important reason that facilitated their entry. "In Europe you have to buy individual content licences for every movie or TV show in each country, such as France, Germany or Spain," he says. "In Latin America, you only need to two licenses - one for all Spanish-speaking countries and another one for Brazil." Netflix's strategy against piracy was put to the test in Brazil, a country where users and sellers are rarely brought to justice for that crime. The company decided to beat piracy by being competitive. "If you offer good content at low prices and rapidly - releasing series in the same moment in Brazil as people are getting them in the US - that makes piracy less enticing," says Mr Friedland. One of the key elements in its strategy is pricing. Netflix subscriptions in Brazil vary from 19.90 to 29.90 reais ($5 to $7.50; ?¡ê3 to ?¡ê4.60) a month. One movie ticket alone in Sao Paulo costs 30 reais ($7.50). For that same amount of money you can buy about 10 illegal DVDs in the streets, but the quality is not always reliable. And while many Brazilians illegally download films and TV shows, others are either not technologically savvy enough to do so, or are too concerned about computer viruses and malware. For commentator Sergio Branco, director at the academic think tank Instituto de Tecnologia e Sociedade do Rio de Janeiro, Netflix's low prices is a key factor behind its success, making it more attractive to users than online piracy. He also praises the firm's subscription-based model, which is mirrored at music streaming service Spotify, and online book provider Oyster Books. Mr Branco says: "Instead of charging for a movie or a song or a book, these services charge a monthly fee for people to have access to a vast archive of cultural services." Mr Friedland adds that when Netflix enters a country, the rates of internet file sharing drop. "Most people don't want to steal," he says. "They don't want viruses in their computers, they don't want the hassle of it." In addition to getting its pricing right, Netflix also had to work hard to adapt to local consumer habits, such as issuing pre-paid cards, and getting partnerships with local banks to allow payment for users who do not have credit cards. Brazil's often low-quality internet connections also tested the company's adaptive streaming technology - that adjusts the quality of video transmission according to available bandwidth. According to Netflix, Brazil's current economic woes is not hampering business there, as its product is seen by consumers as a cheaper alternative to going out. Netflix chief executive Reed Hastings said earlier this month, in a presentation of the firm's latest results, that its base in Brazil is still growing, despite the economic contraction. He said: "In Brazil, a value-based product that is very inexpensive is appreciated. Even though there are tight economic times currently, that has not held back our growth." But what does hit Netflix is currency fluctuation. This year's appreciation of the dollar has made some international markets less profitable for shareholders in dollar-terms - particularly in Brazil, where the currency has lost 30% in value. According to Mr Friedland, Netflix is still in "rocket ship" mode in Brazil, and now attracting content producers in the country. Four years ago the company was approached by Jose Padilha - the same piracy-aggrieved movie director - who proposed a series about the history of cocaine in Latin America. The Netflix original "Narcos" - based on the life of Colombian drug kingpin Pablo Escobar - premiered in August and was an international success. In Brazil, it went down particularly well, with national star Wagner Moura in the main role, and music by popular singer Rodrigo Amarante. Now Netflix wants to draw content out of countries like Brazil and launch it globally. The company recently  had a contest for young Brazilian filmmakers and gave global distribution to the winner's production. Next year it will launch "3%", a science-fiction series set and produced in Brazil and spoken in Portuguese.

Question: In 2007 , the @placeholder Brazilian movie director Jose Padilha pulled a daring stunt on the country 's then Culture Minister , Gilberto Gil .


These are just a few of the questions posed by parents who took part in an online question-and-answer session run by Mumsnet and the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) on Wednesday. As part of Tomorrow's Engineers Week, the organisations got to together to help parents who were stumped when their children asked questions about science, maths and engineering matters. The BBC News website has compiled some of the questions and answers. Tiny droplets of water float in the air and scatter light. It is an extension of their spine. It helps with balance and aids communication. Hailstones bring driven up and down by strong winds in thunderstorms and crashing in to each other build up an electric charge. That eventually leads to a big spark of lightning (mostly between the top and bottom of the cloud but sometimes down to the ground). They are standing on the bottom of the sea. We know the Earth's core is so hot it would be difficult for any living organisms as we know them to survive. However, in the outer crust of the Earth, there are some bacteria and organisms that live far below the surface. Light bounces off clouds and makes the sky look less dark. On clear nights, it looks a lot darker. Engineers are developing robots that can learn from their experiences.

Question: Why do cats have tails ? How can you hear the train @placeholder before it gets to the station ? Why do n't wind turbines in the sea sink with the weight ?


Joanna Toner, 39, secured a ruling that the council overseeing the city centre project breached its legal duty to ensure equality for disabled people. Mrs Toner said the lower kerbs were "dangerous" as she could not tell where the pavement ended and the road began. However, the ruling does not mean the pavements have to be ripped up. Outside the High Court in Belfast, Mrs Toner said she was "delighted" by the outcome of the judicial review. "The council has to take into consideration the needs of disabled people in every decision they take," she said. "If you can't tell where the path ends and the road begins you're just not safe from stepping out into traffic." She said that previously she could walk around the city centre without difficulty, accompanied by her guide dog or using a white cane. But the public realm scheme, and specifically the kerb heights, had dealt a blow to her confidence, she added. As part of the scheme - which involved new paving and kerbs in and around Bow Street and the Market Square areas of the County Antrim city - kerbs were lowered to 30mm. Mrs Toner's lawyers argued that academic research recommending the edges should be at least 60mm in height was not properly considered. In a wide-ranging case, they also alleged bias, unfairness, breaches of Mrs Toner's human rights and that a flawed consultation process had been carried out. Mr Justice Maguire dismissed most of the challenges apart from claims that an equality impact assessment was not carried out, as required by law. "There is clear evidence that the blind or partially sighted as a group of disabled people were likely to be affected by the way the scheme was designed and built," he said. The redevelopment was completed in October 2015 and Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council is now expected to ensure an assessment is carried out. "The council will now carefully consider the detail of the decision and has no further comment to make at this time," it said in a statement. Mrs Toner's case was backed by Guide Dogs NI and the Royal National Institute of Blind People in Northern Ireland. In a joint statement, the charities called on councils undertaking shared space schemes to comply with government guidance in relation to kerb heights, consult effectively with their residents who are blind and partially sighted and organisations like themselves during the design.

Question: A blind woman has won a landmark legal challenge over the height of kerbs in a multi-million pound @placeholder scheme in Lisburn .


Her back catalogue has appeared on TIDAL, the Sweden-based company Jay Z dropped ¡ê37m for two weeks ago. As any good Swiftie knows, Taylor had her differences with Spotify, and what it paid for her music. She pulled her back catalogue saying there was an "inherent value placed on art" when it came to her work. Now they appear to have re-emerged on TIDAL. All of Taylor's tracks, including her albums Red, 1989, and Fearless can be found by searching her name. The rapper's company, Project Panther, took over Sweden-based Aspiro for a reported $56m (¡ê37m) on 13 March. The firm owned WiMP - which rivals Spotify in some countries - and TIDAL (which streams music in HD). If the rumours are true, Jay Z did his homework before he bought the service. He apparently called a "summit" during Grammy week with some of the biggest names in music, including Chris Martin, Madonna, Nicki Minaj and, of course, Beyonce. Lawyers and music execs were there too, to discuss streaming and, according to Forbes magazine, how to make it work better for artists. The move will put Jay Z in competition with Beats Music, founded by Dr Dre and bought by Apple in 2014. Tidal currently offers users access to 25 million tracks, in addition to 75,000 music videos and other content including artist interviews, for ¡ê19.99 per month. That contrasts with Spotify's charge of ¡ê9.99 per month for 30 million tracks. Follow @BBCNewsbeat on Twitter, BBCNewsbeat on Instagram and Radio1Newsbeat on YouTube

Question: The ink might not have @placeholder on the deal , but it seems Jay Z 's new streaming service has signed the star his rivals could n't - Taylor Swift .


Anorexia presented as a voice inside my head, one that began to distort my mindset from the age of nine. Initially a companionship, it stole my trust in order to manipulate my thoughts. When there were aspects of my life that I could not influence and when I found it difficult to deal with my emotions, anorexia allowed me to feel a sense of control over my food intake. What I did not realise is that I was actually becoming powerless, dominated by an irrational and illogical voice that acquainted itself as a friend and something that wanted what was best for me. When I first went to see my GP at 13 or 14, I was still able to process some thoughts rationally and was still fighting. However, despite being diagnosed with anorexia, I was told my Body Mass Index (BMI) was not low enough to receive treatment and to return when I was of a lower weight. As time progressed, anorexia became more and more dominant until my mind became completely overpowered and the voice of Abigail fell silent. I had been engulfed by my eating disorder. I had been tricked into believing that I wanted anorexia, that I needed to fight everyone else in my life in order to protect it. Anybody who told me that my illness was torturous or detrimental was cut out of my life as anorexia saw them as a threat. It was like being in an abusive relationship with my mind. I became secluded, had no interest in the things that had previously made me happy, I never smiled, was paranoid that everyone in my life was against me and that I was deserving of anorexia. My days were spent counting calories, exercising obsessively and obeying all of the demands of my illness. I needed to make the voice happy and I would stop at nothing to do so. I was admitted to hospital on more than one occasion but it took rediscovering my love of football to really ignite my recovery. I found that watching sport provided respite from anorexia. I could immerse myself into a match for 90 minutes and not think about food or losing weight. The more sport I watched and the more I spoke to people about it, the more I realised there was something else in that I could be successful at, something else to focus my attention towards and with a lot of hard work, determination, various therapies and seeing my eating disorder for the odious imposter that it was, I was thankfully able to recover and have recently graduated as a sports journalist. At my worst, I had given up on life. Mentally consumed and controlled, my eating disorder had worn me down to see myself as undeserving. Physically, I was at severe risk of suffering a heart attack, my organs were failing, hair was falling out, I was constantly cold and weak and with no energy left to fight, I had no quality of life. Yet, despite all of the pain, my eating disorder still relentlessly tormented me. Only in recovery could I see that this mental illness had lied to me, abused me and stripped me of myself. Anorexia made me believe that without it I would be nothing, that I was worthy of the pain and suffering it bestowed upon me. I now realise I am worth so much more and have healthy ways of dealing with things that are beyond my control. One thing I learnt whilst in recovery is that this destructive eating disorder would not have been satisfied until I died. Coupled with body dysmorphia, I never saw the emaciated and withdrawn person I had become and even when gravely ill, my eating disorder continued to reinforce how fat and worthless I was. Eating disorders are complex illnesses and although they may well be exacerbated by it, they are certainly not a product of narcissism. It is extremely tough because you have to want to get better and this is often the most difficult hurdle as anorexia convinces you that nothing needs to change. Reintroducing things that previously brought happiness provided escapism from anorexia and over time, this allowed my personality and thoughts to return and quash those of my illness. Recovery is a long process and one which you have to fight hard for, but it is the most worthwhile battle you will ever fight. Anorexia still lives in my head but it will never again have the power and control of my mind.

Question: Abigail Davies ' organs were failing , her hair was falling out and she did not have the strength to bathe herself - and all because of anorexia . The 25 - year - old , of Neath , was @placeholder close to death after developing the eating disorder while still in primary school . But what drove her to such extremes ? And how did she fight back ? She tells her story .


More than ?¡ê400,000 is needed towards repairing the instrument, which is the largest in a private house in Europe. It has 2,300 pipes and 52 speaking stops, but several no longer work, while broken pistons mean there are several missing notes. It is now being played in twice-weekly recitals to raise money through donations. It was built in 1891 by "Father" Henry Willis and took two and a half years to transport in sections to the estate in Woodstock, Oxfordshire from Camden in London. A spokeswoman said during its illustrious history it had "entertained kings, emperors and wounded World War One soldiers". She added: "The Prince of Wales (later Edward VII) visited for a week, and greatly enjoyed the organ, particularly Wagner opera transcriptions. "Three years later, the German Emperor visited Blenheim with His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, and listened to a recital of Wagner and Handel. "He likened playing the organ to 'steering a great battleship', and was so taken by the organist that he invited the latter to play in Berlin, an invitation that was later accepted. "During the First World War the Long Library served as a convalescent hospital, and the organ was much used for the entertainment of the troops." The organ was commissioned by the 8th Duke of Marlborough George Charles Spencer-Churchill - who was Winston Churchill's uncle - and his wife Lillian. He died a year after its installation. The inscription above it reads: "We leave thy voice to speak within these walls in years to come when ours are still."

Question: The restoration of a giant 125 - year - old organ at Blenheim Palace is to be @placeholder through a series of concerts .


"If you have money then you can control people," she seems to say on the tape which has been widely circulated. Ms Hammah has not yet commented on the tape or her sacking. The BBC's Sammy Darko in Accra says she played a key role in President John Mahama's election last year. Some pundits will feel vindicated over her sacking, as they warned that she was too young and inexperienced to serve in government, our correspondent says. In August, she said there was a lot of pressure on her to steal public money because people thought that, as a minister, she was rich. She described such demands as "obnoxious", reports the Ghanaweb news site. "Corrupt politicians are the reflection of [a] corrupt society!" it quotes her as saying. Ms Hammah first came to the public attention after stumbling several times while making a speech and then saying she had been given the wrong text. On the tape, which has not been independently verified, she says: "I will not quit politics until I make one million dollars." She also criticising another deputy minister, calling her "senseless, ugly, loud and egoistic". Information Minister Mahama Ayariga did not give any reason for Ms Hammah's dismissal in her one-sentence announcement. But it comes 24 hours after the tape went viral on social media and was played on a local radio station. Her driver has been questioned by the police, after she lodged a complaint, saying her right to privacy had been infringed. Police spokesman Freeman Tetttey told the BBC they were investigating whether an offence had been committed.

Question: Ghana 's Deputy Communications Minister Victoria Hammah has been sacked after she was @placeholder allegedly saying she would stay in politics until she has made $ 1 m ( ¡ê 600,000 ) .


His comments came after opposition Labor Leader Bill Shorten conceded defeat and congratulated him. Votes are still being counted, but the Liberal-National coalition is expected to win enough seats to govern. However, a strong swing against it has left doubts about its agenda and Mr Turnbull's leadership. The coalition still remains short of the 76 seats it needs to claim a majority in the lower house, the House of Representatives. But it should secure at least 74, and also has the support of three independent and minor party politicians - Cathy McGowan, Andrew Wilkie and Bob Katter - guaranteeing budget supply and confidence. Labor is currently on 66 seats, with five still in doubt. At a news conference, Mr Turnbull said: "We have had a successful election. We have secured the largest number of seats in parliament." He admitted that the election was "a tough business", but welcomed Mr Shorten's calls for "common ground" in parliament. Speaking earlier, Mr Shorten admitted defeat. "It is clear that Mr Turnbull and his coalition will form a  government," he said. "So I have spoken to Mr Turnbull earlier this afternoon to congratulate him and [his wife] Lucy and to wish them my very best." Malcolm Turnbull has his majority, but he is beset on all sides. Inside his party he faces a restless right wing that disapproves of his "small-l" liberal leanings. Opposition leader Bill Shorten is taunting Mr Turnbull at every opportunity and predicting a return to the polls within a year. The Senate promises to be unruly - several senators-elect are already bickering. With Australia's AAA credit rating under a cloud, Mr Turnbull will need to corral populist senators into passing budget cuts. The prime minister has his party's support for now, but his enemies are watching closely. Former Australian leader Paul Keating once said Mr Turnbull was brilliant and fearless, but had no judgment. The prime minister can't afford to put a foot wrong now. Stringent requirements for verifying votes meant the count progressed slowly after the 2 July poll. Postal votes, which are counted after polling day, heavily favoured the coalition and helped them cross the line in a number of closely run electorates. The tight result is likely to put pressure on the government's agenda, particularly in the Senate, where many independent and minor party candidates are set to take office. The massive scale of Australia's election Australia's new powerbroker Cartoon: Planet of Forbidden Prime Ministers While final Senate results may not be known until August, anti-immigration politician Pauline Hanson is likely to hold at least three seats. South Australia's Senator Nick Xenophon and his newly formed Nick Xenophon Team are also likely to hold three spots, while former shock jock Derryn Hinch has secured a seat. Conflicting agendas and strong personalities could make it difficult for Mr Turnbull to pass legislation through the Senate. Mr Turnbull has come under pressure both internally and externally since the worse-than-expected election result became clear. Senator Cory Bernardi, one of the coalition's most vocal right-wingers, called the election "a disaster" and has since made moves to establish his own conservative movement, although he denies plans to defect from the Liberal party. Mr Shorten has repeatedly called on Mr Turnbull to stand down, saying he has lost his mandate. On Thursday ratings agency Standard & Poor's lowered Australia's credit rating outlook from stable to negative, warning the country could lose its AAA rating unless it undertook budget repair. Treasurer Scott Morrison described the downgrade as "sobering" and said the government's budget savings needed to be implemented. But shadow treasurer Chris Bowen said the opposition would campaign against any spending cuts that would hurt Australians on low incomes. Doubts have been raised over the passage of government's Australian Building and Construction Commission bill, which aims to re-establish a watchdog that monitors union activity in Australia's building industry. The bill's non-passage provided Mr Turnbull with the trigger to call an early "double-dissolution" election where all 76 Senate seats were up for grabs, rather than the usual half. Independent MP Bob Katter has already indicated that he will withdraw his support from the government if it engages in what he sees as "union bashing".

Question: Australia 's Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has @placeholder victory for his conservative coalition in last week 's closely fought general election .


Bath and North East Somerset Council (Banes) also wants healthy eating and local food promoted. Traders will be required to use more uniform stalls with a "pastel coloured canopy" by January 2017 to "fit in" with the city's World Heritage status. Some have already expressed concern at the changes. Under the proposals, buskers who play on the street and sell CDs of their own music will need street trading consent. Ed Collacott, who has been selling fine art photographs on a stall for 25 years, said street sellers were "one of the delights" of Bath. "There are some amazing street traders here selling very different things and each one of us is an individual," he added. "To have everything under the same canopy might not look great and it certainly wouldn't be good for my photos." However, Liberal Democrat deputy leader of the council, David Dixon said the changes were designed to make things look better and ensure everyone was working to the same objective. "Our street trading scene in Bath is one of the most varied you'll find in any city," he added. "We're not making a huge overhaul of the street trading policy whatsoever. It's time for our renewal [and] we did an excellent consultation. "We had a trial over the past year for the new style canopies, which actually went down very well." Mr Dixon said the council would be prepared to help stall holders with the changes but added they would be expected to stick to the rules. The council also intends to purchase a number of units, for both existing and new traders, which could be rented if necessary. Sark Kenny, who runs a stall selling leather goods, said the changes to his canopy would cost him about ?¡ê400, but he thought it might cost some traders up to ?¡ê800.

Question: New regulations covering the @placeholder , structure and appearance of street traders ' pitches in Bath have been voted through .


The Washington Post said there was "moderate confidence" in the report's findings, while the spy agency said the worm was meant to boost regime coffers. Security company Symantec also believes a hacking group linked to North Korea was behind the attack. But North Korea's involvement has been disputed by other security firms. Wannacry victims included more than 60 NHS trusts in the UK as well as Fedex, Renault and Telefonica. Those hit by the worm were asked to pay a ransom to have their data restored. The newspaper said the NSA report claims that the worm was created by a hacker group "sponsored" by North Korea's spy agency - the Reconnaissance General Bureau. The assessment chimes with conclusions drawn by Symantec which said it was put together by the Lazarus hacker group working on behalf of the regime. The Washington Post said the evidence gathered in the report was "not conclusive" but strongly suggested North Korea's involvement. However, in late May, intelligence company Flashpoint said its analysis suggested hackers fluent in Chinese were responsible. In addition, James Scott, a senior fellow at the Institute for Critical Infrastructure Technology, has thrown doubt on links between Lazarus and Pyongyang. Attempts to tie the two together were "premature and inconclusive", he wrote. As a money-making scheme the outbreak failed as, so far, none of the $140,000 (?¡ê110,000) in bitcoins raised in ransom payments by victims has been withdrawn. Security experts believed this is because the transactions will be easy to track, putting law enforcement on the trail of the worm's creators. If North Korea was involved in the Wannacry outbreak and other hacking attempts, then it could be the signal that the nation is gearing up for more attacks, John Hultquist, a computer security researcher at FireEye told Reuters. "It suggests they are preparing for something fairly significant," he added.

Question: The Wannacry worm that infected @placeholder in 150 countries in May has been blamed on North Korea by the US 's National Security Agency ( NSA ) .


Vicious has been created by Will and Grace writer Gary Janetti and award-winning playwright Mark Ravenhill. The show, to air next year, will also feature Rising Damp actress Frances De La Tour as their feisty best friend. Sir Ian will play ageing actor Freddie who has lived in a cramped flat with Sir Derek's Stuart for nearly 50 years. Their worlds are turned upside down when a young man called Ash moves in upstairs. Writer and co-producer Janetti, who has also worked on award-winning US comedy Family Guy, said he was "incredibly excited" to be working with "this unbelievable cast". ITV's comedy commissioning editor, Myfanwy Moore, said the broadcaster was "thrilled this exciting and bold sitcom, with stellar performers and writing talent is to join the increasing slate of new look comedy shows on the channel". Next month Sir Ian will be seen reprising the role of wizard Gandalf in Lord of the Rings prequel The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. The film, which co-stars Martin Freeman, Elijah Wood and Benedict Cumberbatch, is due in UK cinemas on 14 December.

Question: Veteran British actors Sir Ian McKellen and Sir Derek Jacobi are @placeholder up to play a bickering gay couple in a new ITV1 sitcom .