26/12/2011 BBC News

Good afternoon. It's estimated millions of shoppers headed to the

shopsed to bag a bargain, at the Boxing Day sales. Retailers across

the UK are reporting strong sales. Some stores opened at 6am. Many of

them offered huge discounts after a tough trading year. Here's Richard

Lister. And they're off! Customers came from around the world to be

first through the doors of selfridges in London. They broke

sales record for the firm today. Its four branches made more than �1

million an hour. We didn't spend much throughout the year. We saved

up for this. We haven't spent much. It is all about the big sales.

don't really have a budget, but come to have a good look around and

see what bargains we can get really. One, two, three... Go! They were

weary already, having lined up long before dawn. Queues at some shops

were several thousand strong by opening time, from London to Leeds,

shopping centres reported big increases in the numbers of people

looking for a bargain. When the shops are as busy as this, it's

hard to imagine that this year has been a tough time for retailers. It

has been for many, of course, some High Street names didn't even make

it to Christmas this year and for those that remain, prices have been

slashed for weeks and for some, the season will be make or break.

Christmas! Across the country stores have been bribing customers

to come in with big price cuts. This Teesside shopping centre was

typical. Profit margins have been cut to the bone. There's a massive

margin impact for this. Some of the stores will come out of this in

January and February, look back, counting the figures and thinking,

we've not have a very good Christmas. Glasgow's shoppers were

also out in force. Online sales have been booming too. But some

retailers will now be anxiously checking their sales figures to see

if they've had enough customers to cover their costs.

As thousands of shoppers were at the sales, a man was stabbed to

death in Oxford street in Central London. He's thought to have been

in his late teens or early 20s. Police officers, an ambulance team

and Air Ambulance were deployed, but the man died at the scene.

Philippa Thomas is there for us now. Terrible thing to happen and in

full view of shoppers? understand it happened right behind

where I'm standing now, inside a Foot Locker sports shoe store. An

argument broke out. What we hear is it seems that the argument spilled

out into the street. That's where the young man was stabbed. Now

there is a forensics tent there. Officers are gathering what

evidence they can. I spoke to the inspector in charge of the crime

scene and he told me that ten arrests were made, nine of which

they're pretty certain are linked to this incident. The police know

the identity of the young man. There are family members at a

nearby police station, but they haven't revealed the identity yet.

Hundreds of thousands of shoppers make it to Oxford Street on Boxing

Day, potentially a lot of witnesses and a lot of disruption.

Police in Greater Manchester are investigating the death of a man

who was shot in Salford early this morning while out with a group of

friends. Officers say the 23-year- old Lancaster University student,

who was visiting the area for Christmas, was shot at close range.

Judith Moritz reports. In the early hours of this morning, a group of

nine Indian students visiting Manchester for Christmas were here,

outside a McDonald's restaurant, a couple of miles from the city

centre. They were approached by two men, who started a conversation

with one of the group. Just A Minute later, a handgun was pulled

out and the gunman shot the 23- year-old student in the head at

close range. The police have launched a murder investigation.

It's a shocking incident. It would appear at this stage to be

unprovoked. We want people from the community to come forward, if

they've witnessed this and can tell us who's responsible or have any

information whatsoever. If they were in the area or saw someone

running off, a lad with a grey top, that would be very helpful to us.

The gunman is described as a slim, white man in his 20s. Police have

not yet released the identity of the 23-year-old man who died,

except to say that he'd been studying at Lancaster University,

and his parents, who are in India, have been informed. This is the

second time that someone's been shot dead in this immediate area in

recent months. In September there was another fatal gaun tack over

the road from here. The police say there's no connection between the

two shootings, but there will be understandable anxiety in the

community to. That end, they've increased patrols here.

Prince Phillip is said to be in good spirits having spent another

day in hospital. Buckingham Palace declined to comment on when he

would be discharged. He's not expected to leave hospital today.

Our correspondent Colette Hume is at Papworth Hospital for us. What

more can you tell us? In the last few minutes, it's become clear that

the Duke of Edinburgh will not leave hospital here in

Cambridgeshire tonight. That will be a fourth night he spends here

following that procedure on Friday. He arrived at the hospital

complaining of chest pains. He's had no visitors at all today. But a

spokesman for the Palace says that he is under observation, he is in

good spirits and Her Majesty, the Queen, is being kept informed of

her husband's progress. We're not expecting any more from the Palace

tomorrow. No visitors today. Yesterday six of the Queen and

Prince Phillip's eight grandchildren came to the hospital,

spending around 45 minutes here. The Queen visited her husband on

Saturday. That's the situation tonight. The Prince is preparing to

spend a fourth night here at Papworth Hospital.

Syrian Human Rights Act vists say at least 20 people have been killed

in Syria today by government forces. It took place in Homs. After nine

months of violence the latest deaths come on the day 50 Arab

League observers are due to arrive in the country to monitor the

treatment of pro-democracy protesters. The BBC and other

journalists are prevented from reporting within Syria, but we can

speak to Jim Muir who's in Beirut. Disturbing images emerging of that

attack in Homs. Absolutely, yes. We're shown on u tube video footage

which is too horrendous for us to show. It's too explicit. It shows

at least four bodies sprawled in the streets in debris and amidst

smashed cars, obviously the aftermath of shelling. We're told

this habed today in Homs, which has been the focus of a lot of the

violence this the last few days. This comes just as the Arab League

monitors are on the way. They're in the air now. They should be

arriving in an hour or two ready to begin the job of deploying around

the country very soon, probably first thing in the morning, because

the way has been paved by an advanced group who have been there

since last week. They will be trying to find out the truth of

what is happening in places like Homs, is the government randomly

shelling independent neighbourhoods, killing civilians for its own sake?

Or is there armed resistance from those areas, as it strongly

suggested. That's what they'll be trying to find out. Whether they

can get there and do it is an open question at the moment.

The authorities in Japan have been criticised sharply for their

handling of the nuclear accident at the Fukushima plant following the

tsunami in March. A government- appointed panel described the

response to the disaster as "confused". They found the plant's

operators and industry regulator failed to anticipate the disaster

and grossly underestimated the risk of tsunami.

Horse racing now and Kauto Star has won a record fifth King George VI

chase. Ridden by Ruby Walsh and trained by Paul Nicholls, he held

off last season's winner, Long Run. Tim Franks reports. Weather at

Kempton may have been mild. The line up was frankly hot. Never mind

that there were seven runners for the King George. This ha had the

smell of a two-horse race, Long Run and Kauto Star, young versus old,

amateur jockey versus naturaled pro. At the last King George, Long Run

overwhelmed caughto, winning by a country might. This time Kauto Star

made the running and jumped with energy and precision. Long Run,

several years his junior, could only watch as Kauto stepped further

and further ahead. Long Run may have been the bookies' favourite.

No doubt about the crowd's. They roared with joy. This horse is

amazing. He's outlasted the best of all time. He's lasted than any

other horse. That makes him so brilliant. No horse before has won

the King George five times. Horse racing is a soft hearted, drink

soaked sport. Today most fans' noses are red with emotion.

There's been the busy Boxing Day football schedule. Manchester

United celebrating after an emphatic win over Wigan, 5-0