26/12/2016 BBC News

Tributes to George Michael, who's died suddenly aged 53.

The singer died at his Oxfordshire home

A national day of mourning in Russia for the victims

And after heavy pre-Christmas discounting, will the Boxing Day

The music world has been paying tribute to George Michael,

who died last night, from suspected heart

The singer sold more than 100 million albums, in a career

He leapt to fame with the pop duo Wham, enjoying global

success in the Eighties, before leaving to forge

But he struggled with the pressures of fame and press attention.

His band-mate Andrew Ridgeley said he was "heartbroken at the loss

Our correspondent Lizo Mzimba reports.

George Michael doing what he did best. Even then, he was potentially

a music superstar. He and his school friend Andrew Ridgeley formed Wham

in the 1980s. There brand of breezy pop captivated the generation and a

string of number one hits followed. Then as a solo artist he enjoyed

perhaps even greater success. Faith selling millions on both sides of

the Atlantic. His popularity wasn't limited to his

fans. Fellow musicians were equally overwhelmed by his talents. Here he

is rehearsing for the 1992 Freddie Mercury tribute concert.

According to his publicist he passed away peacefully on Christmas Day at

his home in Oxfordshire. His manager said he died of heart failure.

Tributes are being led by his former band-mate Andrew Ridgeley.

Paul Young duetted with George Michael. He paid tribute to him

today as a musician. He always had that incredible pop sensibility and

a voice that could touch people. Some people have a voice and you

hear it and it cuts straight through your heart. He seemed to have that

ability. As well as success over the years he also had brushes with the

law. A car he was driving collided with a high street shop, leading to

a spell in jail. He was cautioned for drug possession and received

treatment for addiction. To be a part of people's lives as an artist,

that's what I dream. And that's something I'm still grateful for.

But my god, I wish I could cope with the other stuff the way other people

do. I wish I'd been born with that particular suit of armour, you know,

because I wasn't. When George Michael revealed he was eight, he

said he had kept it secret to stop his mother worrying about HIV aids.

A documentary was due next March. When it came to pop, George Michael

had it all. The looks, the voice and the ability to write hit after hit

again and again. Remembering George Michael, who has

died at the age of 53. Russia is holding a day of national

mourning for the 92 people who were killed when a military

plane crashed in the Black Sea. Pilot error or a technical fault

are being blamed for the plane coming down just moments after it

left Sochi airport after refuelling. From Moscow, Steve

Rosenberg reports. Across Russia, they prayed for the

dead. For the 92 victims of yesterday's plane crash. There was a

special service today in every Orthodox Church in Russia. This is a

day of national mourning. As a sign of respect, Russian flags were flown

at half-mast. This is thought to be the last picture ever taken of the

Tupolev 154. A fewer hours later, it crashed into the Black Sea. The

search operation continued today, not for survivors, there were none,

but for bodies. And for the plane's black box flight recorders. Russia's

transport minister said that technical failure, or pilot error,

may have caused the crash. Terrorism is thought less likely. A killed in

the crash, more than 60 members of the Russian army's song and dance

troupe. They had been on their way to Syria for a New Year's concert.

Outside the musicians's headquarters in Moscow, there is now a shrine,

which grows bigger by the hour. As well as bringing flowers and icons

and candles here, people have been leaving messages. This one says,

"You were killed on take-off. Farewell, friends. You won't be

returning. We couldn't save you". Natalia's son used to work in the

ensemble but left. TRANSLATION: We mourn with everyone

else. There is pain deep in my soul. Officially, there is one day of

national mourning, but for many Russians, the sense of loss from

this disaster will last much longer. Millions of bargain hunters

are expected to head to the Boxing Day sales today -

although retail analysts say extended discounting earlier this

month may mean the shops won't be Meanwhile, the former governor

of the Bank of England, Lord King, has suggested Britain would be

better placed to make trade deals with countries outside the EU if it

left the Single Market completely. Our Economics Correspondent,

Andrew Verity, reports. After one day's respite, 14 million

of us are expected to hit the shops today, drawn in by the theory that

goods are significantly cheaper than two days ago. From Birmingham to

Belfast, ?3 billion is expected to be spent in shopping centres on the

high Street, with up to another ?1 billion online. I'm always here

every Boxing Day morning, yeah. Why? Because I love sales. We were here

last week and the exchange rate was 1.5 and it's a lot worse now, so we

get a lot more for our money this year than we did last year. The

international visitors joining the crowds in London's West End aren't

just here for the Boxing Day sales. The Brexit vote weakened the pound

and that means that their money buys about a fifth more here than it did

a year ago. Its effects like that that create hope that the Brexit

vote could lift exports and create at least in the short-term a

positive effect. One legacy of the credit boom in the last decade was

consumers borrowing unprecedented amounts while exports trailed

behind. Today the man who presided over that boom and bust was hoping

that Brexit may throw that into reverse. There are many

opportunities and we should look at it in a much more self-confident way

than either side is approaching it at present. I think that being out

of what is a rather unsuccessful European Union, particularly in the

economic sense, gives us opportunities as well as obviously

great political difficulties. To the incoming US commerce Secretary

though, Brexit is an opportunity not for us but for other countries to

benefit from the confusion. He has called it a God-given opportunity

for cities from Dublin to Frankfurt to take business away from London.

And that is the man appointed by Donald Trump to lead trade

negotiations with Theresa May's government.

50,000 people in England at risk of Type-2 diabetes could be

helped by an NHS programme that's being extended from today.

The advice on better nutrition and exercise has already

It forms part of a package of new measures to curb Type-2

diabetes, including funding for more specialist nurses.

Japan's Prime Minister will visit Pearl Harbour today,

A typhoon has hit the Philippines, forcing tens of thousands to seek

Typhoon Nock-ten, with gusts of more than 100 miles per hour,

has killed several people and damaged homes.

It also led to flooding in coastal communities

Japan's Prime Minister will visit Pearl Harbour today,

75 years after the Japanese attack on US battleships there, which drew

Shinzo Abe will meet President Obama at the naval base

in Hawaii and will reaffirm ties between the two countries,

The Japanese attacks came in waves during a deadly two hours.

Bombs ripped through US battleships, crippling the Pacific Fleet

Survivors recalled that the once bustling port burned for hours.

I had a fire hose in one hand trying to put out the fires,

and with the other I went around memorising these nametags

so I could write to their parents and tell them what happened

After 75 years, there is now a solemn promise between the two

countries never to repeat the horrors of that war.

And the US and Japan have developed a close relationship.

Barack Obama was the first sitting president to visit Hiroshima,

We force ourselves to feel the dread of children

Shinzo Abe spoke of an alliance of hope as the first

Japanese Prime Minister to address the US Congress.

Questions remain about the strength of any future relationship

NEWSREEL: Those who lost their lives at Pearl Harbor

But these few days will be about remembrance and laying to rest

the final ghosts of a world war which brought out

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