Steve Rosenberg

The bananas appear outside Claire Short's house, a local campaigner for clean streets. She recently put up a sign politely asking those responsible to stop. But come the second of this month, the bananas were back.

The bananas appear outside Claire Short's house, a local campaigner for clean streets. She recently put up a sign politely asking those responsible to stop. But come the second of this month, the bananas were back.

Some residents are upset as the bananas are left to go mouldy and the plates are left behind. But this month, there was an added twist. Taped to the bottom of the plate was a £5 note, a new point of intrigue and mystery in this unappealing saga. Steve Nibbs.

Some residents are upset as the bananas are left to go mouldy and the plates are left behind. But this month, there was an added twist. Taped to the bottom of the plate was a £5 note, a new point of intrigue and mystery in this unappealing saga. Steve Nibbs.

It's on Australian.

It's on Australian.

South Korea's low birth rate has been described as a national emergency and the government has poured billions of dollars into encouraging people to have more children. Among other measures are cheaper mortgages for parents, tax breaks for family-friendly businesses and more parental leave.

South Korea's low birth rate has been described as a national emergency and the government has poured billions of dollars into encouraging people to have more children. Among other measures are cheaper mortgages for parents, tax breaks for family-friendly businesses and more parental leave.

The figures just released for 2024 show a 3% rise in the number of births, a small step in the right direction, but nowhere near enough to prevent long-term population decline. A fifth of South Koreans are over 65, and with the number of deaths far surpassing births, the population is projected to halve in size by the end of the century.

The figures just released for 2024 show a 3% rise in the number of births, a small step in the right direction, but nowhere near enough to prevent long-term population decline. A fifth of South Koreans are over 65, and with the number of deaths far surpassing births, the population is projected to halve in size by the end of the century.

According to the Kremlin readout of their conversation, President Putin apologised to President Aliyev for what the Kremlin calls a tragic incident in Russian airspace and expressed condolences to the families of the dead.

According to the Kremlin readout of their conversation, President Putin apologised to President Aliyev for what the Kremlin calls a tragic incident in Russian airspace and expressed condolences to the families of the dead.

38 people were killed when Azerbaijan Airlines Flight 8243, having failed to land at Grozny Airport in the Russian North Caucasus, was redirected over the Caspian Sea to Kazakhstan, where it crash-landed. The Embraer 190 is widely believed to have been damaged by missiles fired by a Russian air defence system.

38 people were killed when Azerbaijan Airlines Flight 8243, having failed to land at Grozny Airport in the Russian North Caucasus, was redirected over the Caspian Sea to Kazakhstan, where it crash-landed. The Embraer 190 is widely believed to have been damaged by missiles fired by a Russian air defence system.

In the Kremlin readout, there is no direct admission by Moscow that the plane had indeed been struck by a Russian missile. The Kremlin mentions that at the time the Azerbaijan Airlines plane had been trying to land in Grozny, Russian air defences had been repelling a Ukrainian drone attack. Still, this is the closest Russia has come so far to admitting it was responsible for the disaster.

In the Kremlin readout, there is no direct admission by Moscow that the plane had indeed been struck by a Russian missile. The Kremlin mentions that at the time the Azerbaijan Airlines plane had been trying to land in Grozny, Russian air defences had been repelling a Ukrainian drone attack. Still, this is the closest Russia has come so far to admitting it was responsible for the disaster.

As ever in his speeches, in the comments he makes, he was upbeat in his assessment of Russia's progress in what he still calls the special military operation, Russia's war in Ukraine, saying that the Russian army was taking more and more territory in Ukraine and would soon achieve its preliminary targets. He did, however...

As ever in his speeches, in the comments he makes, he was upbeat in his assessment of Russia's progress in what he still calls the special military operation, Russia's war in Ukraine, saying that the Russian army was taking more and more territory in Ukraine and would soon achieve its preliminary targets. He did, however...

suggest that he was open to compromise and suggest that he would be willing to meet President-elect Trump at any moment. But you have to ask the question, what is compromise in Vladimir Putin's mind? From everything he has said in recent months, compromise, I think he understands as a deal on Russia's terms, which equals the capitulation of Ukraine.

suggest that he was open to compromise and suggest that he would be willing to meet President-elect Trump at any moment. But you have to ask the question, what is compromise in Vladimir Putin's mind? From everything he has said in recent months, compromise, I think he understands as a deal on Russia's terms, which equals the capitulation of Ukraine.