A round-up of today's other stories in brief
Police arrest man (32) in Yeates murder investigation
LONDON – Police hunting the killer of landscape architect Joanna Yeates said yesterday they had arrested a 32-year-old man on suspicion of her murder.
Ms Yeates (25) went missing on December 17th after buying a pizza and two bottles of cider on her way home from a Bristol pub.
Her body was found on Christmas Day covered in snow by the side of a country lane about two miles from her flat. She had been strangled.
The latest arrest comes three days after her parents appealed for anyone with information about their daughter’s death to come forward. – (Reuters)
BBC bosses spend £28,000 on taxis
LONDON – Senior BBC executives spent more than the average UK salary on taxis in just three months, newly released figures show.
The executives spent about £28,000 (€33,000) on taxi fares in the three-month period, according to expense claims.
Moreover, the figures show that BBC creative director Alan Yentob actually spent more on taxis than he did a year earlier.
That comes despite a cost- cutting drive across the corporation, including efforts to reduce expenses.
The average UK salary is about £26,000. – (PA)
Yemen protest over political reforms
SANAA/ADEN – Thousands of protesters took to the streets of a town in southern Yemen yesterday to reject proposed political reform by the government, including a limit on presidential terms.
The government announced its reform plans despite discontent that sparked protests this week.
Opposition parties said they would meet tomorrow to discuss the offer as thousands protested in Taiz, saying the proposals by President Ali Abdullah Saleh did not go far enough. Mr Saleh has ruled for more than 30 years. – (Reuters)
Macy Gray polls fans on Israel concerts
JERUSALEM – US soul singer Macy Gray has asked her fans on Facebook whether she should cancel her planned concerts in Tel Aviv because of the “disgusting” way the Israeli government treats Palestinians.
“I’m getting alot of letters from activists urging/begging me to boycott by NOT performing in protest of Apartheid against the Palestinians,” Gray wrote. “What the Israeli government is doing to the Palestinians is disgusting . . . I dont want to cancel on and I dont know how my NOT going changes anything. What do you think? Stay or go?”