The NHS is experiencing intense winter pressure, with critical incidents declared at a dozen hospitals across the UK by Wednesday.

Ahead of a special day of coverage, the BBC has spoken to nurses dealing with demand in A&Es.

"Patients are collapsing in the waiting room. It's just hectic," Lorraine, a nurse in Birmingham, told BBC Radio 5 Live on Tuesday.

"This is happening in A&E up and down the country, all areas," said Joanne, one nurse working in an emergency ward in Manchester. "A&E is in a desperate situation right now."

"The government need to take urgent action. We need help," she said.

• Do you work in the NHS? Get in touch at haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk

Without identifying which hospital she worked in, she said there had been 58 patients having to wait in the corridors of her emergency ward on Tuesday night because of a lack of beds. This was happening on a daily basis, she said.

Lorraine, the nurse in Birmingham who works on night-shift, said elderly people and pensioners were among the worst-affected.

"There's women that are 90 that have been waiting for a bed for 24 hours," she said.

"We try our best but if there's no beds what can we really do? We just make the old lady as comfortable as she can, just make sure that she's okay. But there's no beds."

There's the "chaos" inside wards and then "you go outside, there's loads of ambulances and it's just so hectic".

She said she felt sorry for paramedics who due to the lack of space in hospitals are being forced to hold patients on board "for a long time".

"And then when we do get them in they need a bed and there isn't one. It is really bad."

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer visited a hospital in London's south-east on Monday, revealing a new plan involving the private healthcare sector to help reduce waiting times for appointments.

But nurses like Lorraine say he needs to witness the reality of emergency wards currently.

"The prime minister should actually sit in the waiting room, see the abuse that we get, the poor old ladies and pensioners, the young people that are trying to kill themselves, people collapsing, people having cardiac arrests in the waiting room," she said.

"It's 2025- we shouldn't be seeing this."

On Wednesday, Health Secretary Wes Streeting said he was ashamed of the crisis of "patients languishing in hospital corridors" but says it's not looking like it getting better any time soon.

NHS bosses have said the hospital system is under strain due to the surge in flu cases, where about 5,000 are being reported every day.

Lorraine in Birmingham had just come off a night shift when she spoke to the BBC.

"The waiting time was over 14 hours and it's just horrendous," she said.

She said staff were having to work through breaks on 12-hour shifts.

The back-log in emergency care put extra pressure on specialist teams where patients are waiting for surgeries and other operations, she said.

"And then we get abuse as you go into the waiting room to call the patients in, there will be about 20 people there, they're literally attacking you saying: "Where's the doctor, where's my bloods, I need the results."

"And because they're sick, you have to kind of understand why they are a little bit angry."

Speaking about heading in for another shift on Tuesday night, Lorraine said:

"I'm actually dreading it cause it was the worst night ever last night. But I'm gonna try and get some sleep and go in positive. I'm just trying to help the people."

• You can find information and support at BBC Action Line

A 14-year-old boy who was stabbed to death on a bus in south-east London loved music and cared about the people around him, his mother said in a tearful tribute.

Kelyan Bokassa died shortly after being attacked on a 472 double-decker bus on Woolwich Church Street at about 14:30 GMT on Tuesday.

He was also "kind" and was talented at drawing, his mother Mary Bokassa told the BBC.

No arrests have been made, but detectives say they are working "at pace" to find those responsible.

Listen to the best of BBC Radio London on Sounds and follow BBC London on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to hello.bbclondon@bbc.co.uk

France has said the European Union will not allow other nations to attack its "sovereign borders", after US President-Elect Donald Trump refused to rule out using military force to seize Greenland.

On Tuesday, Trump reiterated his desire to acquire the autonomous Danish territory, saying it was "critical" for national and economic security.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot told French radio "there is obviously no question that the European Union would let other nations of the world attack its sovereign borders, whoever they are".

Barrot said he did not believe the US was going to invade the vast Arctic island, but he was clear the EU should not let itself be intimidated.

Denmark, a long-time US ally, has repeatedly made clear that Greenland is not for sale and that it belongs to its inhabitants.

Greenland's prime minister, Mute Egede, is pushing for independence and has also made clear the territory is not for sale. He was visiting Copenhagen on Wednesday.

Trump made the remarks at a free-wheeling news conference at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, less than two weeks before he is sworn in for his second term as president.

Asked if he would rule out using military or economic force in order to take over Greenland or the Panama Canal, Trump said: "No, I can't assure you on either of those two.

"But I can say this, we need them for economic security."

• Panama Canal will stay in our hands, minister tells Trump

Greenland has been home to a US radar base since the Cold War and has long been strategically important for Washington.

Trump suggested the island was crucial to military efforts to track Chinese and Russian ships, which he said are "all over the place".

"I'm talking about protecting the free world," he told reporters.

Speaking to France Inter radio, Barrot said: "If you're asking me whether I think the United States will invade Greenland, my answer is no.

"Have we entered into an era that sees the return of the survival of the fittest? Then the answer is yes.

"So, should we allow ourselves to be intimidated and overcome with worry, clearly not. We must wake up, build up our strength."

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen told Danish TV on Tuesday that "Greenland belongs to the Greenlanders" and that only the local population could determine its future.

However, she stressed Denmark needed close co-operation with the US, a Nato ally.

• Trump's eyeing Greenland - but other Arctic investment is frozen
• When does Donald Trump take office as US president?

Greenland, which is the largest island in the world but has a population of just 57,000, has wide-ranging autonomy, although its economy is largely dependent on subsidies from Copenhagen and it remains part of the kingdom of Denmark.

It also has some of the largest deposits of rare earth minerals, which are crucial in the manufacture of batteries and high-tech devices.

Danish Broadcasting Corporation senior international correspondent Steffen Kretz, who has been reporting in Greenland's capital, Nuuk, said most of the people he had spoken to were "shocked" by Trump's suggestion he could use military force to take control of the territory.

While a majority of people in Greenland hoped for independence in the future, he said there was widespread acknowledgment that it needed a partner who could provide public services, defence and an economic foundation, as Denmark did now.

"I have yet to meet a person in Greenland who is dreaming of the island becoming a colony for another outside power like the USA."

Kretz told the BBC that while the Danish government had sought to "downplay" any confrontation with Trump, "behind the scenes I sense the awareness that this conflict has the potential to be the biggest international crisis for Denmark in modern history".

The president-elect's son, Donald Trump Jr, paid a brief visit to Greenland on Tuesday, in what he described as a "personal day trip" to talk to people.

He then posted a photo with a group of Greenlanders in a bar wearing pro-Trump caps.

A large UK study has found further evidence that people with more calcium in their diet - equivalent to a glass of milk a day - can help reduce their risk of bowel cancer.

The researchers analysed the diets of more than half a million women over 16 years and found dark leafy greens, bread and non-dairy milks containing calcium also had a protective effect.

They also found more evidence that consuming too much alcohol and processed meat has the opposite effect, increasing the risk of the disease.

Cancer charities say having a healthy, balanced diet, being a healthy weight and stopping smoking were the best ways to lower your risk of bowel cancer.

How big is the effect?

A recent review found dairy products "probably" decreased the risk of colorectal (bowel) cancer.

This study, from Oxford University and Cancer Research UK, suggests that is down to calcium, from dairy or non-dairy foods.

• an extra 300mg of calcium a day in the diet, or a large glass of milk, lowers your risk by 17%

"It highlights the potential protective role of dairy, largely due to calcium, in the development of bowel cancer," said lead researcher Dr Keren Papier, from Oxford.

Breakfast cereal, fruit, wholegrains, carbohydrates, fibre and vitamin C also showed they lowered the risk of the cancer, but only slightly.

It is already well-known that eating too much processed meat and red meat probably increases your risk of bowel cancer, as does alcohol.

This study provides more evidence of that link:

• drinking an additional large glass of wine a day, or 0.7oz (20g) of alcohol, increases your risk by 15%
• eating 1oz more red and processed meat a day, such as a slice of ham, increases your risk by 8%

Quantifying exactly what those percentages mean is tricky, because everyone's risk of bowel cancer is different depending on their lifestyle, diet, habits and genetics.

What does calcium do? What foods contain it?

Calcium is an important mineral for strengthening bones and keeping your teeth healthy, but there is growing evidence it also protects against some cancers.

There is lots of calcium in milk, yoghurt and cheese. Dairy products are one of the main sources of it in the UK diet (we love our cereals in the morning).

It is also present in other foods like soya and rice drinks, white bread, nuts, seeds and fruits like dried figs, curly kale and canned sardines, and it is also in lactose-free milk.

The study says calcium may protect against bowel cancer "because it is able to bind to bile acids and free fatty acids in the colon, lowering their potentially carcinogenic effects".

Why is bowel cancer so common?

There are about 44,000 cases of bowel cancer every year in the UK, making it the fourth most common cancer.

Although most cases are in older people, rates of the cancer are rising among younger adults - but there is no clear reason why.

Experts say poor diet and obesity may be among the factors involved.

Symptoms of bowel cancer include:

• a change in your bowel habits, such as looser poo, pooing more often or constipation
• bleeding from your bottom or finding blood in your poo
• losing weight when you have not been trying to
• unexplained tiredness or breathlessness

Advice is to talk to your doctor if you notice any one of them.

What do other experts say?

This was an observational study, not a trial, so it cannot prove categorically that calcium or any other food product protects against cancer or makes it more likely.

However, the researchers say the study is "the largest on diet and bowel cancer to date", which gives them confidence they are on the right track. The findings are also in line with previous studies' conclusions.

More than 12,000 women in the study developed bowel cancer, and nearly 100 food products and nutrients in their diets were investigated to assess potential links.

Nutrition expert Prof Janet Cade, from the University of Leeds, said the paper "provides important evidence showing that overall diet can influence risk of colorectal cancer".

Prof Andrew Prentice, from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, wonders whether, in the light of the study results, calcium supplements might be protective although he says "the jury is out on this".

The take-home message for Prof Tom Sanders, from King's College London, is that "drinking above the safe limits of alcohol intake (more than 14 units per week) increases [the] risk of colorectal cancer in women, but that drinking about half a pint of cows' milk a day is probably protective".

Dr Lisa Wilde, from charity Bowel Cancer UK, says someone is diagnosed with bowel cancer "every 12 minutes" and half of all bowel cancers could be prevented with healthier lifestyles.

"If you don't drink dairy milk there are other ways you can get calcium, for example from broccoli or tofu, and still reduce your bowel cancer risk," she says.

A well-known high school in the Pacific Palisades area of Los Angeles has reportedly fallen victim to a wildfire raging in the US city.

Parts of Palisades Charter High School - which counts celebrities including Will.i.am and Forest Whitaker among its alumni and has itself been a Hollywood filming location - have caught fire, local media say. The extent of the damage is unclear.

As well as the Palisades Fire - which has quickly spread to cover nearly 3,000 acres - two nearby blazes ignited on Tuesday. Thousands of people have been evacuated.

The school's website says it has closed - and urged pupils and their families to avoid the area. The BBC has asked for further comment.

The school, which educates children aged 14-18, says its students come from a broad area of western Los Angeles. Its buildings are known as a location for films including Carrie, Teen Wolf and Freaky Friday.

Los Angeles is in a state of emergency, and an interactive map managed by fire officials confirms that the fast-moving fires have affected a swathe of land on which the school is located.

The map notes that the Palisades Fire - like the two other blazes - is totally uncontained. About 30,000 people have been told to leave their homes.

• Follow live updates on this story
• 'Run for your lives!' Locals abandon cars to flee fires

The new school term had yet to begin on Tuesday, although a small number of students and staff were on site, according to the LA Times. They were rapidly evacuated, and no injuries have been reported.

The newspaper said the school's sporting facilities had been damaged, but that the extent to which buildings had been impacted was unclear. Firefighters were on the scene, the newspaper added.

A reporter for the BBC's US partner, CBS News, confirmed that flames could be seen coming from the premises - but said it was not clear what was burning. An evacuee speaking at the scene described the fires as "armageddon".

The separate Palisades Charter Elementary School nearby has also reportedly been caught up in the blaze.

• Pacific Palisades: The celebrity LA area ravaged by wildfire
• The weird wind that can supercharge heatwaves and wildfire

The wider Pacific Palisades neighbourhood is known as an upscale celebrity haunt. Schitt's Creek actor Eugene Levy is among those who have been forced to leave their homes - and others, including Tom Hanks and Jennifer Aniston, have reportedly had to do the same.

The other two fires are burning above Altadena, near the Eaton Canyon, and in the Sylmar suburb, where a mandatory evacuation has been ordered as flames spread rapidly.

More than 1,400 firefighters have been deployed to combat the "unprecedented" blazes, California Governor Gavin Newsom said earlier.

Fire ecologist Chad Hanson predicted "a rough night" for fire crews, with the most extreme conditions expected from 02:00-06:00 local time (10:00-14:00 GMT).

Mr Hanson said January was still considered to be wildfire season in this part of California, and that the biggest influence were the Santa Ana winds.

"These winds are unique to southern California," he said, explaining that they result in" extreme, sustained wind events with pretty dramatic gusts."

Additional reporting by Thomas Mackintosh

Are you having to evacuate due to the fires? If it is safe to do so, get in touch.

France has said the European Union will not allow other nations to attack its "sovereign borders", after US President-Elect Donald Trump refused to rule out using military force to seize Greenland.

On Tuesday, Trump reiterated his desire to acquire the autonomous Danish territory, saying it was "critical" for national and economic security.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot told French radio "there is obviously no question that the European Union would let other nations of the world attack its sovereign borders, whoever they are".

Barrot said he did not believe the US was going to invade the vast Arctic island, but he was clear the EU should not let itself be intimidated.

Denmark, a long-time US ally, has repeatedly made clear that Greenland is not for sale and that it belongs to its inhabitants.

Greenland's prime minister, Mute Egede, is pushing for independence and has also made clear the territory is not for sale. He was visiting Copenhagen on Wednesday.

Trump made the remarks at a free-wheeling news conference at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, less than two weeks before he is sworn in for his second term as president.

Asked if he would rule out using military or economic force in order to take over Greenland or the Panama Canal, Trump said: "No, I can't assure you on either of those two.

"But I can say this, we need them for economic security."

• Panama Canal will stay in our hands, minister tells Trump

Greenland has been home to a US radar base since the Cold War and has long been strategically important for Washington.

Trump suggested the island was crucial to military efforts to track Chinese and Russian ships, which he said are "all over the place".

"I'm talking about protecting the free world," he told reporters.

Speaking to France Inter radio, Barrot said: "If you're asking me whether I think the United States will invade Greenland, my answer is no.

"Have we entered into an era that sees the return of the survival of the fittest? Then the answer is yes.

"So, should we allow ourselves to be intimidated and overcome with worry, clearly not. We must wake up, build up our strength."

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen told Danish TV on Tuesday that "Greenland belongs to the Greenlanders" and that only the local population could determine its future.

However, she stressed Denmark needed close co-operation with the US, a Nato ally.

• Trump's eyeing Greenland - but other Arctic investment is frozen
• When does Donald Trump take office as US president?

Greenland, which is the largest island in the world but has a population of just 57,000, has wide-ranging autonomy, although its economy is largely dependent on subsidies from Copenhagen and it remains part of the kingdom of Denmark.

It also has some of the largest deposits of rare earth minerals, which are crucial in the manufacture of batteries and high-tech devices.

Danish Broadcasting Corporation senior international correspondent Steffen Kretz, who has been reporting in Greenland's capital, Nuuk, said most of the people he had spoken to were "shocked" by Trump's suggestion he could use military force to take control of the territory.

While a majority of people in Greenland hoped for independence in the future, he said there was widespread acknowledgment that it needed a partner who could provide public services, defence and an economic foundation, as Denmark did now.

"I have yet to meet a person in Greenland who is dreaming of the island becoming a colony for another outside power like the USA."

Kretz told the BBC that while the Danish government had sought to "downplay" any confrontation with Trump, "behind the scenes I sense the awareness that this conflict has the potential to be the biggest international crisis for Denmark in modern history".

The president-elect's son, Donald Trump Jr, paid a brief visit to Greenland on Tuesday, in what he described as a "personal day trip" to talk to people.

He then posted a photo with a group of Greenlanders in a bar wearing pro-Trump caps.

At least 13 people have been killed and another 18 injured in Russian shelling in Ukraine's southern city of Zaporizhzhia, local officials say.

"The Russians cynically attacked the city in the middle of the day," regional head Ivan Fedorov said, adding that two guided aerial bombs hit residential buildings.

Footage has emerged showing one high-rise building ablaze, and a number of vehicles on fire.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called on allies to put pressure on Russia "for its terror". The Russian military has not commented. President Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

In a video message from outside the bombed site, Fedorov said the Russian shelling began at about 16:00 local time (14:00 GMT) on Wednesday.

He said that two guided bombs struck residential buildings. Earlier he had said "industrial infrastructure" had been targeted.

Graphic images posted online showed first responders treating casualties on the roadside, several vehicles on fire and a stationary tram with its windows shattered.

In one video, at least two minibuses are seen with their windows blown out and what appear to be casualties lying amid rubble and debris on the road.

Zaporizhzhia lies close to the front line.

In a statement later on Wednesday, President Zelensky said that "there is nothing more cruel than launching aerial bombs on a city, knowing that ordinary civilians will suffer".

And appealing to Ukraine's allies for more support, he said "that only through strength can such a war be ended with a lasting peace".

A day of mourning will be declared across the Zaporizhzhia region on Thursday.

The Israeli military says its troops have found the body of a Bedouin Arab hostage held by Hamas in Gaza, as well as evidence that suggests another may also be dead.

The body of Yousef Zyadna, 53, was recovered from an underground tunnel in the southern Rafah area on Tuesday.

The troops also made what the military described as "findings... which raise serious concerns" for the life of his son, Hamza, 22, who was also abducted by Hamas gunmen during the 7 October 2023 attack on southern Israel.

Two of Hamza's siblings, Aisha and Bilal, were seized alongside them near the Israel-Gaza perimeter fence that day. But they were among 105 hostages released during a week-long ceasefire that November.

The news about Yousef Zyadna came shortly before US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told reporters that US, Qatari and Egyptian mediators were "very close" to brokering a new ceasefire and hostage release deal between Israel and Hamas.

"I hope that we can get it over the line in the time that we have," he said, referring to the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump on 20 January.

Israel launched a campaign to destroy Hamas in response to the 7 October 2023 attack, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 were taken hostage. Israel says 95 of the hostages remain in Gaza, of whom 34 are presumed dead.

More than 45,930 people have been killed in Gaza during the 15-month war, according to the territory's Hamas-run health ministry.

An Italian journalist detained in Iran last month has been freed and is on a flight back to Rome, the Italian government says.

Cecilia Sala, 29, was arrested on 19 December, three days after an Iranian engineer was detained by Italian authorities in Milan on suspicion of supplying drone technology that led to the deaths of US soldiers.

Reports said she had been held in solitary confinement in Tehran's notorious Evin prison.

It is unclear what led to Sala's release, however the news was broken by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's officials who cited "intense work through diplomatic and intelligence channels".

In the Italian statement, Meloni thanked "all those who contributed to to making Cecilia's return possible".

She had personally told Sala's parents of her release, it added. Sala's plane had already left Tehran and was due to arrive in Rome at 15:30 (14:30 GMT) on Wednesday, according to Ansa news agency.

Her partner, fellow journalist Daniele Raineri, told Ansa: "I spoke to her and she told me 'I'll see you soon', she was emotional and overjoyed."

Cecilia Sala's detention in prison in Tehran outraged Italians and has dominated headlines since her employer, podcast company Chora Media, broke the news of her arrest on 27 December.

Meloni is understood to have taken personal charge of her case and met US president-elect Donald Trump at the weekend, when the journalist's detention is thought to have been discussed.

Outgoing president Joe Biden is due to visit Rome later this week.

Iran said initially it had detained Sala for "violation of the Islamic Republic's laws", however US state department officials said it could be linked to the arrest of Iranian national Mohammad Abedini at Malpensa airport in Milan on 16 December.

He was arrested on a US warrant and one official told Italian media that Sala was being used as "political leverage".

Mohammad Abedini is due to go before a court in Milan on 15 January, and Tehran has in recent days played down any connection between the two cases.

The head of Italy's foreign intelligence service, Giovanni Caravelli, is said to have travelled to Tehran personally to bring Sala back to Italy.

Her father Renato Sala told Ansa news agency he was proud of her and praised the government for an "exceptional job".

He said he had had the impression that the situation had turned into a "game of chess, but with more than two players".

The US Treasury has imposed sanctions on Antal Rogan, one of the most powerful men in Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's Fidesz government and the minister in charge of his cabinet office.

It is a rare move between Nato allies, and symbolic of the depth to which US-Hungarian relations have sunk since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine almost three years ago.

"Antal Rogan is a primary architect, implementer and beneficiary of this system of corruption," read the statement, made by outgoing US Ambassador David Pressman.

Pressman leaves Budapest next week, after two and a half years spent as an unusually active diplomat, travelling the country and frequently criticising the Orban government.

His departure comes days ahead of Donald Trump's return to the White House, and the president-elect has a far more positive view of Viktor Orban than the Biden administration, seeing him as a close political ally.

"While Minister Rogan's media megaphones will try to make this a story about partisan politics or an affront to sovereignty, today's decision is actually the reverse," Pressman told reporters in Budapest on Tuesday.

"It is not the United States that threatens Hungary's sovereignty, but rather the kleptocratic ecosystem Minister Rogan has helped to build and direct and that he has benefited from personally."

The ambassador's statement was immediately attacked by Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto.

"This is the personal revenge of the ambassador who was sent to Hungary by the failed US administration, but left without success and in disgrace," Szijjarto wrote on Facebook.

"How good it is that in a few days' time the United States will be led by people who see our country as a friend and not as an enemy."

A former US ambassador to Hungary, David Cornstein, also came to Rogan's defence: "The move by outgoing ambassador David Pressman is an example of the current US administration's hostile stance towards Hungary, right down to the last hour."

The question for the incoming Trump presidency, and its chosen ambassador to Budapest, Matt Whitaker, is whether they will immediately overturn the sanctions against Antal Rogan.

The answer is not as obvious as might appear.

Rogan also oversees the domestic secret services, and there have been indications from several Nato countries that Hungary is no longer trusted with sensitive information because of the Orban government's close relations with Russia's Vladimir Putin.

And for all the expressions of outrage at the decision to impose sanctions on Orban's head of cabinet, several senior figures in the Fidesz establishment have long been privately upset by the lifestyle of Rogan and others, by the power he wields, and the distance from the conservative and Christian values that the party proclaims so loudly.

High winds and lack of rain are the main factors driving the Southern California fires, but climate change is altering the background conditions, increasing the likelihood of these conflagrations, say experts.

Researchers have shown that a warming world increases the number of "fire weather" days, when conditions are more suited to outbreaks of fire.

California is particularly vulnerable right now because of a lack of rain in recent months, following a very warm summer.

The powerful Santa Ana winds that naturally occur at this time of year, combined with the dry conditions, can result in fast moving and dangerous fire outbreaks.

Reaching 60-70 mph, these strong, dry winds blow from the interior of Southern California towards the coast and this month has seen the worst high wind event in the area in over a decade.

The winds are drying out the lands, and researchers say that while the strongest winds will occur at the start of this outbreak, the driest vegetation will come at the end, meaning these fires could drag on for quite some time.

The high wind speeds are also altering the location of the fires. Many outbreaks occur high up on mountains, but these recent fires have rapidly moved down into the valleys and into areas where more people live.

"That's where there are more potential ignition sources," said climate researcher Daniel Swain from UCLA in a social media post.

"It's also where it's harder to turn off the power pre-emptively than it is in other locations where these public safety power shut offs are more common and are prepped for at a more regular basis. So there's going to be some potential challenges there."

The impact of a changing climate is evident in the bigger picture for the state.

California has experienced a decades-long drought that ended just two years ago. The resulting wet conditions since then have seen the rapid growth of shrubs and trees, the perfect fuel for fires.

However last summer was very hot and was followed by dry autumn and winter season - downtown Los Angeles has only received 0.16 inches of rain since October, more than 4 inches below average.

Researchers believe that a warming world is increasing the conditions that are conducive to wildland fire, including low relative humidity.

These "fire weather" days are increasing in many parts of the world, with climate change making these conditions more severe and the fire season lasting longer in many parts of the world, scientists have shown.

In California, the situation has been made worse by the topography with fires burning more intensely and moving more rapidly in steep terrain. This area of California is also dominated by naturally very fire-prone shrub vegetation.

"While fires are common and natural in this region, California has seen some of the most significant increases in the length and extremity of the fire weather season globally in recent decades, driven largely climate change," said Professor Stefan Doerr, Director of the Centre for Wildfire Research, at Swansea University.

"That said, it is too early to say to what degree climate change has made these specific fires more extreme. This will need to be evaluated in a more detailed attribution analysis."

US President-elect Donald Trump has repeated his intention to take control of Greenland, the Arctic territory controlled by Denmark.

Why is Trump talking about this - and why now?

Where is Greenland?

Greenland, the world's largest island, is located in the Arctic.

It is the world's most sparsely populated territory. About 56,000 people live there, mostly indigenous Inuit people.

About 80% of its territory is covered by ice, meaning most people live on the south-western coast around the capital, Nuuk.

An autonomous territory of Denmark, it is also home to Danish and US military bases.

The economy is mainly based on fishing. Large subsidies from the Danish government account for about a fifth of GDP.

In recent years, there has been increased interest in Greenland's natural resources, including mining for rare earth minerals, uranium and iron. These may become more accessible as global warming leads to some of the ice covering Greenland to melt.

What is Greenland's status?

Located geographically within North America, Greenland has been controlled by Denmark – nearly 3,000km (1,860 miles) away – for about 300 years.

The island was governed as a colony until the mid-20th Century. For much of this time, it remained isolated and poor.

In 1953, it was made part of the Kingdom of Denmark and Greenlanders became Danish citizens.

In 1979, a referendum on home rule gave Greenland control of most policies within the territory, with Denmark retaining control over foreign affairs and defence.

Why does Greenland matter to the US?

The US has long maintained a security interest in Greenland. After Nazi Germany occupied mainland Denmark during World War II, the US invaded Greenland, establishing military and radio stations across the territory.

After the war, US forces remained in Greenland. Pituffik Space Base, formerly known as Thule Air Base, has been operated by the US ever since.

In 1951, a defence agreement with Denmark granted the US a significant role in the defence of the territory, including the right to build and maintain military bases.

"If Russia were to send missiles towards the US, the shortest route for nuclear weapons would be via the North Pole and Greenland," said Marc Jacobsen, an associate professor at the Royal Danish Defence College.

"That's why the Pituffik Space Base is immensely important in defending the US."

Trump is also likely interested in the mining potential across Greenland's vast landmass, Mr Jacobsen added.

"Today, of special interest are the rare earth minerals, which have not yet been mined but are in the southern part of Greenland. These are immensely important in all kinds of technologies, from cell phones to wind turbines."

Does the US want full control of Greenland?

Trump has claimed that control of Greenland is essential to US national and economic security.

Though the president-elect's rhetoric may seen unusual, for over a century a succession of US presidents have tried to gain control of Greenland.

"The US has tried a few times to push the Danes out of Greenland and take it over as part of the US, or at least to have full security tutelage of Greenland," said Lukas Wahden, the author of 66° North, a newsletter on Arctic security.

In 1867, after buying Alaska from Russia, US Secretary of State William H Seward led negotiations to buy Greenland from Denmark, but failed to reach any agreement.

In 1946, the US offered to pay $100m (equivalent to $1.2bn; £970m today) for the territory, judging that it was vital for national security, but the Danish government refused.

Trump also tried to buy Greenland during his first term. Both Denmark and the Greenlandic government rejected the 2019 proposal, saying: "Greenland is not for sale."

What do the people of Greenland think?

Kuno Fencker, a member of the Inatsisartut, the Greenlandic parliament, said on Wednesday that he didn't see Trump's comments as a threat.

Fencker, who supports Greenlandic independence, told the BBC that a sovereign Greenland could choose to co-operate with the US on defence.

But when Trump first raised the idea of buying Greenland in 2019, many locals told the BBC they were opposed to the proposal.

"This is a very dangerous idea," said Dines Mikaelsen, a tour operator who was born and raised in Tasiilaq, east Greenland.

"He's treating us like a good he can purchase," said Aleqa Hammond, Greenland's first female prime minister.

"He's not even talking to Greenland - he's talking to Denmark about buying Greenland."

The affluent Los Angeles neighbourhood of Pacific Palisades typically has strangers walking around, trying to catch a glimpse of celebrities' houses.

Now, though, its streets are filled with firefighters battling a 3,000-acre wildfire that is ravaging the area.

Across the city, more than 30,000 have been forced to evacuate their homes as winds stoke three fires. A state of emergency has been declared, leaving roads gridlocked as people flee.

Among them, a number of famous faces have been forced to flee their usually idyllic California homes, including Star Wars' Mark Hamill and Schitt's Creek actor Eugene Levy.

James Woods, who has starred in films including Nixon and Casino, described evacuating his home on social media, and said he was not sure if it was still standing.

"It feels like losing a loved one," he wrote.

Pacific Palisades is known for being exclusive, with a house costing $4.5m (£3.6m) on average as of November 2024, according to Realtor.com.

The north LA neighbourhood is bordered on the south with a three-mile (4.8km) stretch of beaches on the Pacific Ocean, nestled between Malibu and Santa Monica.

It is a hub for trendy shops, cafes and a farmers' market.

But the Palisades fire - which grew from 10 acres to over 2,900 in a matter of hours - has shattered they area's idyllic nature.

Mark Hamill, of Star Wars fame, called the blaze the "most horrific fire since '93" - which burned 18,000 acres and destroyed 323 homes in nearby Malibu - in a post on Instagram.

He said he evacuated his home in Malibu "so last-minute there [were] small fires on both sides of the road".

Levy, who rose to fame for his role in film series American Pie, told local media he was forced to evacuate his home.

"The smoke looked pretty black and intense over Temescal Canyon. I couldn't see any flames but the smoke was very dark," he recounted to the Los Angeles Times.

Reality star's Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag lost their family home in the fire, his sister wrote on Instagram.

"I am beyond heartbroken for my brother, Heidi and the kids," she said. "Even the fire station in the Palisades has burned down."

Miles Teller, best known for his role in Top Gun: Maverick, and his wife Keleigh, also live in the area.

Posting on Instagram, Mrs Teller shared a picture of the fires and a heart-break emoji. She urged people to leave bowls of water for animals as they evacuate their homes.

Meanwhile, Actor Steve Guttenberg, known for Police Academy, stayed to help firefighters by moving cars in order to make room for incoming fire trucks.

He urged residents to leave the keys to their abandoned cars so they could be moved out the way of firefighters.

"We really need people to move their cars," he told news outlet KTLA: "This is not a parking lot."

It is not just famous residents affected by the wildfire - notable buildings in the area are under threat as well.

The Palisades Charter High School - which has served as a set for movies and counts several notable people as former students - has been damaged by fire, local media reports.

The fire-stricken school has been used in films including 1976 horror classic Carrie and Project X, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Former students include director JJ Abrams, musician Will.i.am, and actors Forest Whitaker and Katey Sagal.

The Getty Villa is an art museum in the Palisades that has a large collection of artworks and artefacts, including works by Vincent van Gogh and Claude Monet.

The museum confirmed on Tuesday that it had closed to the public and that some trees and vegetation on site had burned - but said that "no structures are on fire, and staff and the collection remain safe".

Star studded events due to take place in the area have also been cancelled.

Film premiers for Unstoppable, Better Man and Wolfman have been called off, as has the Screen Actors Guild Awards live nominations event.

Singer Liam Payne's medical cause of death has been confirmed in a UK inquest opening as "polytrauma".

The One Direction star died on 16 October after falling from the third-floor balcony of a hotel in Buenos Aires.

Polytrauma is a term for multiple traumatic injuries which have been sustained to a person's body and organ systems.

The hearing, which was held at Buckinghamshire Coroner's Court on 17 December, was told it may take "some time" to formally ascertain how the 31-year-old died.

The inquest into Payne's death in the UK has been adjourned until a pre-inquest review on 6 November, the coroner's court said.

His medical cause of death was confirmed by Dr Roberto Victor Cohen as "polytrauma"

The hearing was also told Payne was formally identified "with the assistance of the funeral directors in Buckinghamshire".

Senior Coroner Crispin Butler said during the hearing: "Whilst there are ongoing investigations in Argentina into the circumstances of Liam's death, over which I have no legal jurisdiction, it is anticipated that procuring the relevant information to address particularly how Liam came by his death may take some time through the formal channel of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office."

Five people in Argentina have been charged in connection with the death of the 31-year-old star.

The hotel's manager, Gilda Martin, and its receptionist, Esteban Grassi, as well as Payne's friend Roger Nores have been charged with manslaughter, Argentina's prosecutor's office says.

Ezequiel Pereyra - who also worked at the hotel - and Braian Paiz, a waiter, have been charged with supplying drugs.

'Multiple trauma'

In November, the prosecutor's office in Argentina said toxicology tests revealed traces of alcohol, cocaine and a prescription antidepressant in Payne's body.

A post-mortem examination determined his cause of death as "multiple trauma" and "internal and external haemorrhage", as a result of the fall from the hotel balcony.

According to the prosecutor's office, medical reports also suggested Payne may have fallen in a state of semi or total unconsciousness.

The prosecutor's office said this ruled out the possibility of a conscious or voluntary act by Payne, and they had concluded the singer did not know what he was doing nor have any comprehension of his actions.

Payne became one of the most recognisable names in pop after appearing on The X Factor and rising to fame with the boyband One Direction in the 2010s before the band went on an indefinite hiatus in January 2016.

The singer's funeral was held in Amersham, Buckinghamshire, in November.

His former bandmates Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan and Zayn Malik were among the mourners, alongside Payne's girlfriend Kate Cassidy and his former partner Cheryl, with whom he shares a son.