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Love blossoms between endangered tigers
Love is blossoming between two of the most critically endangered breeds of tiger in the world at Dudley Zoo.
Keepers have put three-year-old female Sumatran tiger Daseep to 21-month-old male Joao face to face for the first time in the hope of soon hearing the pitter-patter of little paws in the tiger enclosure.
And they say the first proper meeting was a great success, with the pair touching noses in greeting.
Joao arrived from Germany's Krefeld Zoo last month and the pair have been slowly introduced in neighbouring internal dens, to give them chance to get to know one another.
Sumatran tigers are among the rarest in the world, with just 140 remaining in the wild.
The breeding programme is part of a major worldwide conservation project.
Network Rail's escalator falls awareness video
Network Rail has released a video showing people the potential hazards of travelling on escalators.
The full version of the video, designed to raise awareness of the dangers, features two clips recorded at Birmingham New Street, along with advice for passengers.
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Rare Beatles recordings released
Liverpool music legends the Beatles are to release a further album of early out-takes and rare recordings in what is thought to be a bid to give copyright protection to the old material.
The iTunes-only release will contain alternative studio versions and BBC sessions of familiar songs such as From Me To You and I Saw Her Standing There, all made half a century ago.
The album - which stretches to 59 tracks - has not been officially announced but the track listing has appeared on a Norwegian-based Beatles blog.
The website which reported the release, WogBlog, suggested that the collection, called The Beatles Bootleg Recordings 1963, is an effort to give the material copyright protection and stop it falling into the public domain.
The tracks would only be given protection following an official release.
This latest batch of tracks comes little over a month after a selection of recordings from archive BBC sessions hit the shelves.
The new selection includes multiple appearances for some tracks with There's A Place appearing in three different takes. It is reported to be due for release on Tuesday.
Parent predicted problems at failing free school
Parent Samantha Bateman withdrew her two sons from Discovery New School at the start of the school year because she predicted there would be problems:
I'm devastated for the parents, but I'm also devastated for the kids, and I'm very angry that all this has happened.
Right from the word go I could see problems. I could see this coming. The first thing that I noticed was that a lot of family and friends connected with the school were running it.
– Samantha Bateman, parentThere was no oversight and this didn't seem quite right. We were promised an individualised programme so that our children could learn at their own pace, and that there would be small classes.
They said there would be a real community spirit and that it would be child-centred. Everything they promised wasn't delivered.
Prince Harry hails 'amazing accomplishment' after trek
Prince Harry has celebrated reaching the South Pole with a team of wounded adventurers following a charity expedition across Antarctica.
Restaurant incident 'persuaded PA to change defence'
Elisabetta Grillo has said that the incident where Charles Saatchi was photographed with his hands around Nigella Lawson's throat prompted her to change her defence.
Asked why she did not mention Ms Lawson's alleged drug taking as part of her defence until last month, Grillo added: "I didn't want to use it before because I wanted to protect her.
"I think especially when Charles picked her nose, it was the proof she still took drugs and he discovered that day.
"So we then decided it was the moment for everybody to know the truth - she could lie easily."
Read: PA omitted drug use claim out of 'sympathy' for Nigella
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'Around 100,000 people' viewed Nelson Mandela's body
The South African government has estimated around 100,000 passed by Nelson Mandela's coffin while it laid in state for three days at the Union Buildings in Pretoria, including more than 50,000 on the final day.
A statement said: "(The) government reiterates its appreciation to all the people of our country for taking time off from their daily schedules to travel to the Union Buildings to bid President Mandela farewell.
"The expression of love and support has brought immense comfort to the family and loved ones of Tata Madiba."
Former aide: Nigella 'told me to buy' cigarettes for kids
Questioned by prosecutor Jane Carpenter to explain a duty-free transaction for £69.71 in New York in June 2010, Elisabetta Grillo said: "It was cigarettes for the children. I bought them and Nigella allowed me to buy them.
"I don't remember how many packs. Nigella always told me to buy it."
Asked by Ms Carpenter: "What on earth did you think you were doing, buying cigarettes for underage children?"
Grillo said: "Well, if Nigella Lawson let the children smoke weed..."
Ex-PA alleges Nigella 'let the children smoke weed'
Nigella Lawson's former PA Elisabetta Grillo has told the jury that the celebrity cook "let the children smoke weed".
She previously told the court that had seen evidence of drug taking in the home Nigella shared with her former husband John Diamond.
Read: Nigella Lawson's former PA claims she 'found evidence of regular drug use'
Final preparations being made for Mandela funeral
Final preparations are being made at Nelson Mandela's home ahead of his funeral, ITV News Africa Correspondent Rohit Kachroo has reported:
Inside Mandela home today. Family making final plans, staff rushing around with trays of food. Like prep for any funeral, except this isn't
