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."

Firefighters in Los Angeles are battling a number of blazes in city suburbs, as tens of thousands of residents are forced to flee.

The rapidly changing situation is compounded by Santa Ana winds and extremely dry conditions. Currently authorities say there is no possibility of bringing the fires under control.

The Palisades fire, which is closest to the coast and also the largest, has ripped through picturesque suburbs which are home to many Hollywood stars. More than 1,000 buildings have already been destroyed.

Here's how the fires have spread and are affecting the Los Angeles area.

An overview of the current fires

Four major fires are currently being tackled.

The Palisades fire was first reported at 10:30 (18:30 GMT) on Tuesday, and grew in just 20 minutes from a blaze of 20 acres to more than 200 acres, then more than tenfold in a matter of a few more hours. At least 30,000 people have so far been ordered to leave their homes.

The Eaton fire grew to cover 1,000 acres within the first six hours of breaking out. It started in Altadena in the hills above Pasadena at around 18:30 local time on Tuesday.

The Hurst fire is located just north of San Fernando. It began burning on Tuesday at around 22:10 local time, growing to 500 acres, according to local officials. It has triggered evacuation orders in neighbouring Santa Clarita.

The latest of the four fires is the Woodley fire, currently 75 acres in size. It broke out at approximately 06:15 local time on Wednesday.

• Follow latest updates on the LA wildfires
• Watch: Smoke billows as thousands evacuate in LA
• 'Run for your lives!' residents abandon cars to flee fire on foot
• Timelapse shows rapid spread of Palisades wildfire
• Watch: Inside a neighbourhood totally lost in inferno
• Pacific Palisades: The celebrity LA area ravaged by wildfire

How did the Palisades fire spread?

The Palisades fire has so far burnt through more than 2,900 acres. The map above shows how rapidly the blaze spread, intensifying in a matter of hours. At just after 14:00 on Tuesday it covered 772 acres and within four hours it had expanded approximately to its current size.

Thousands of people have been forced to evacuate, as more than 1,400 firefighters try to tackle the blaze.

How does the Palisade fire compare in size with New York and London?

To give an idea of the size of the Palisades fire, we have superimposed it on to maps of New York and London.

As you can see, it is comparable in size with the central area of UK's capital, or with large areas of lower Manhattan and Brooklyn.

How the fires look from space

Another indication of the scale of the Palisades fire comes from Nasa's Earth Observatory.

The images captured on Tuesday show a huge plume of smoke emanating from California and drifting out to sea.

Effects of the Eaton fire

The Palisade fire is not the only one to have a devastating effect on neighbourhoods of Los Angeles.

The above images show the Jewish Temple in Pasadena before and during the Eaton fire.

The Jewish Temple and Centre's website says it has been in use since 1941 and has a congregation of more than 400 familes.

The neo-Nazi organisation Blood and Honour, which is linked to parts of the skinhead music scene, has become the first extreme right-wing group to have financial sanctions imposed by the UK government.

Treasury ministers said they had "reasonable grounds to suspect" Blood and Honour of being involved in "terrorist activities through promoting and encouraging terrorism, seeking to recruit people for that purpose and making funds available for the purposes of its terrorist activities".

The assets freeze - which was extended to all aliases or affiliate groups including Combat 18 and 28 Radio - means nobody in the UK can provide funding or financial services to those named organisations.

This is a different government response from proscription - in which the Home Office issues banning orders on extremist groups.

Blood and Honour was founded in 1987 by Ian Stuart Donaldson aka Ian Stuart. He was the lead singer for the skinhead rock band Skrewdriver.

He said he set up Blood and Honour, which takes its name from a slogan of the Hitler Youth, because he felt the National Front was not racist enough.

Blood and Honour promotes white power ideology through music and still holds regular festivals.

Combat 18 originally served as security for Blood and Honour and ended up controlling one of its factions. 28 Radio was an online radio station.

Donaldson said at one stage: "I'll die to keep this country pure and if it means bloodshed at the end of the day, then let it be."

He died in a car crash in September 1993 but Blood and Honour continued.

Over the last decade, six extreme right wing groups have been banned – or proscribed - by the Home Office as terrorist organisations, the first being National Action in December 2016. The list also includes Atomwaffen Division, Feuerkrieg Division, Sonnenkrieg Division, The Base and The Terrorgram collective.

But this action against Blood and Honour and its affiliates is led by the Treasury and seeks to limit the group by strictly limiting its financial capabilities.

Therefore, Blood and Honour has not been proscribed but is the first extreme-right wing organisation to face an asset freeze under the Treasury's sanctions regime.

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has told Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer he risks fuelling accusations of "a cover up" by refusing to hold a national inquiry into grooming gangs.

She also accused the PM of not wanting questions asked "of Labour politicians who may be complicit".

Sir Keir argued that several inquires had already been held into abuse carried out by gangs of men, predominantly of Pakistani heritage, and that a new probe would only delay the action the victims wanted.

And he said he would "call out" anyone who prevented victims of sexual abuse from coming forward.

The Conservatives have tabled an amendment to the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill which calls for a national inquiry.

In the unlikely event the amendment is approved the bill, which includes measures aimed at protecting children and tougher rules around home-schooling, as well as changes to academies, would be scuppered.

Sir Keir said it was "shocking" Conservative MPs would try to block a bill aimed at helping vulnerable children by voting for the Tory amendment and accused Badenoch of "weak leadership".

Making her argument for a fresh inquiry, Badenoch said "no one has joined the dots, no one has the total picture".

She noted that the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, which lasted for seven years and concluded in 2022, had not had a specific focus on grooming gangs.

"We don't need to repeat the work that has already been done. Let's look at new areas."

She said a new inquiry could explore "if there was a racial and cultural motivation to some of these crimes".

Sir Keir said "reasonable people could agree or disagree" on whether there should be a fresh probe and acknowledged that there were mixed views among victims and survivors.

However, he accused Badenoch of only recently taking an interest in the subject and said she had failed to take action when she was in government.

"I can't recall her once raising this issue in the House, once calling for a national inquiry," he said.

The Metropolitan Police has passed a full evidence file about a Premier League footballer accused of rape to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) for a charging decision, the BBC has been told.

The CPS said it is carefully reviewing the file of evidence in relation to a man, while the Met said it is continuing to investigate following reports of alleged sexual offences between 2021 and 2023.

This follows on from a BBC News investigation which spoke to five women who accused the footballer of rape, sexual assault or controlling behaviour.

Despite four of those women reporting the man, who we are calling Player X, to the police, he has continued to play for his Premier League club.

One of the women, who we are calling Kira, first reported Player X to the police in August 2021 and is calling on the CPS to prioritise making a charging decision, due to the severe emotional toll the lengthy process has had on her.

She previously told the BBC the lack of action from the club and governing body the Football Association (FA) in response to the allegations, after she contacted their safeguarding teams, contributed to her attempting to take her own life.

"I didn't want to exist in a world where I'm constantly reminded that rape allegations can be ignored as long as you're talented enough," she said.

Another woman said they believe if Player X had been suspended by his club or the FA after the first allegation, she would not have gone on to be sexually assaulted.

The BBC investigation found seven out of 20 Premier League clubs have had players or bosses investigated by the police for sexual offences since 2020.

The FA and Premier League both say they take sexual misconduct very seriously.

Player X was first arrested on suspicion of rape in July 2022 following a report from one woman. Shortly afterwards he was also arrested for an earlier allegation of rape from a second woman, who reported him to the police in August 2021.

He was questioned by police in February 2023 about allegations of sexual assault made by a third woman.

In November 2024 the footballer was further questioned by police about an allegation of rape from 2023 made by a fourth women.

Privacy rules regarding the identification of suspects means the BBC is not naming the footballer. The player has denied wrongdoing, the BBC understands.

A Metropolitan spokesperson police told the BBC on Wednesday: "A full file has been passed to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).

"Those who have come forward to police continue to receive support from Met officers."

The player's club and the Premier League previously told the BBC they were unable to comment on an ongoing police investigation.

What was the FA's response?

After first going to the police in August 2021, Kira emailed the FA, Premier League and the club about her allegations the following month "in desperation", as she was worried about him continuing to play on such a big platform while he was being investigated.

The club told her it couldn't discuss her allegations for legal reasons. The Premier League directed her to the FA.

More than four months after contacting the FA about her allegations, it told her in emails that it could take "no further action" as the alleged behaviour did not breach its regulations.

It stated there was "no evidence" to suggest that Player X "poses a risk of harm to children or adults at risk". It sent her a PDF document that was titled "Football's Safeguarding Children policy" - which did not apply to her.

"They were hiding behind their lack of policies whilst knowing that the regulations they did have set up were meant to protect profits, not victims," says Kira.

In July 2024, Kira again approached the club, Premier League and FA - sending them evidence that she was a "vulnerable adult".

In an email, seen by the BBC, the club told her they had passed her correspondence onto the Premier League and the FA. The Premier League told her it was unable to discuss allegations currently under police investigation. And the FA, told her it couldn't share any details or updates regarding if any FA interventions have been taken.

"Further, we refer to our email…where we explained we are not the employer of the individual," it added.

Speaking about the response Kira told the BBC their correspondence has "reinforced a devastating message that I don't matter, that more women coming forward doesn't matter, and that even when I meet safeguarding requirements, it will never matter".

Another woman - Mia - said she believes if the FA and club had acted when they were first alerted to a rape allegation in 2021, she wouldn't have later gone to the house of Player X where she alleges he sexually assaulted her.

"If they had decided to take the first allegation seriously... if they had suspended him, I never would have been in that situation that I was in that day," she told the BBC.

"Their decision caused me to suffer," she said.

While the FA has detailed policies in place for players accused of betting on the game, there isn't anything similar for players accused of sexual or domestic violence that takes place beyond the football environment.

Some lawyers in the UK have noted the many legal difficulties facing football clubs when considering how to deal with a player facing allegations of sexual or domestic violence, without overarching rules in place.

A spokesperson for the FA said: "Our safeguarding policies and procedures allow us to support and protect children and adults at risk within a football-related environment."

"Regardless of where the incident took place, if the individual has a role within football, we always carry out a thorough safeguarding risk assessment and take the appropriate action if we believe there is a risk of harm to children. We are unable to comment on specific cases, but that does not mean that we haven't taken the required action or applied appropriate safeguards within our jurisdiction."

If you have information about this story or abuse within football that you would like to share please get in touch. Email hannah.price@bbc.co.uk.

And if you are affected by any of the issues in this story, contact BBC Action Line for details of advice and support.

Los Angeles is no stranger to disaster, having weathered floods, earthquakes and riots.

But Tuesday brought one of most devastating days in the city's history.

The Pacific Palisades Fire started around 10:30 local time.

Stoked by ferocious winds, the fire quickly spread, soon engulfing more than 3,000 acres in that upscale community.

Soon the horizon was covered in thick black smoke. A thin patina of ash cloaked the cars in my neighborhood some 20 miles (32km) away.

That fire continues to burn out of control. And it was soon joined by three other fires – none of which have been stopped.

LAPD chief Jim McDonnell described this as "a tragic time in our history" and said the winds Tuesday night were like "something I've never seen before".

• Follow latest updates on the LA wildfires
• Watch: Smoke billows as thousands evacuate in LA
• 'Run for your lives!' residents abandon cars to flee fire on foot
• Timelapse shows rapid spread of Palisades wildfire
• Watch: Inside a neighbourhood totally lost in inferno
• Pacific Palisades: The celebrity LA area ravaged by wildfire

Harrowing television footage showed flames engulfing some of the multimillion dollar oceanside mansions in Pacific Palisades.

One resident who escaped likened the situation to a scene from a disaster movie.

The word "apocalyptic" - so often misused - is in my view entirely applicable.

Fires are burning out of control all around us, smoke covers the sky in all directions, and the emergency services are stretched to their very limit – running out of water and straining to respond to thousands of 911 calls.

Perhaps the most pitiful image was of elderly residents being evacuated from a convalescent home in the city of Altadena, where the Eaton fire currently spans more than 2,000 acres.

Frail and confused, they were rushed in wheelchairs to safety amid a flurry of burning embers in the depths of night.

Seasonal wildfires are nothing new here. But never in the 25 years that I have lived here in LA have I witnessed a situation so widespread, and so unpredictable.

Two lives have been lost, at least 1,000 buildings have been destroyed - along with many livelihoods - and the forecast suggests the worse is yet to come.

A city of 4 million people is now at the mercy of the weather.

It is - as one fire chief put it - a "widespread disaster", and a tragic day in the history of America's second largest city.

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.