National Living Wage Comes Into Force

Millions of workers will be paid more from today as the new national living wage becomes compulsory.

The rate that everyone over the age of 25 can expect to receive is £7.20 per hour, an increase of 50p per hour on the previous minimum wage.

But the new wage has attracted criticism with unions saying it is not fair that those under 25 will miss out, and business groups saying it could hit productivity.

TUC general secretary Frances O'Grady said: "Britain desperately needs a pay rise, and this increase is good news for those aged 25 or older.

"But the Government must ensure that younger workers are not left behind - 21 to 24-year-olds will not be seeing an increase.

"This is not fair. Future wage increases must narrow the pay gap between old and young."

But Dr Adam Marshall, the acting director general of the British Chambers of Commerce, said: "The Government's new living wage will apply a ratchet effect to all companies' pay bills, and sits alongside a raft of other high employment-related costs.

"While many companies have the ability to increase pay, others will struggle to do so alongside pensions auto-enrolment, the apprenticeship levy, employer National Insurance contributions, and other up-front costs.

"Some will have to divert money from training and investment to increase pay, which could hurt their productivity. Others may stop hiring altogether."

The Government's aim is to increase the living wage to £9 an hour by 2020, a move that is likely to affect an estimated nine million workers.

Research by the Resolution Foundation found that more than a quarter of employees in the Midlands, Wales and Yorkshire and the Humber will benefit, compared to one-in-seven workers in London.

Labour accused the Government of performing a trick on the British people by giving with one hand and taking away with another.

Shadow work and pensions secretary Owen Smith said: "It's a typically cruel sleight of hand from the Tories to introduce their version of the living wage with one hand, while taking five times as much in cuts to Universal Credit and Tax Credits with the other.

Josh Hardie of the Confederation of British Industry said: "For wage increases to be sustainable they must go hand-in-hand with productivity growth.

"If the living wage doesn't get this balance right it will risk being unaffordable for many firms. Smaller businesses and those in key sectors like hospitality, retail and care are likely to be particularly affected."

Woman Plunges 25ft Down Starbucks Lift Shaft

A woman has broken her pelvis and one of her legs after falling 25ft down a lift shaft at a Starbucks coffee shop.

She tried to use the lift but fell down the shaft when she found nothing there, paramedics said.

The woman, in her 20s, was freed by firefighters and taken to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham.

It happened on Thursday lunchtime at the US chain's branch on Solihull High Street.

A Starbucks spokeswoman said the shop would stay closed while investigations are carried out.

She added: "We are shocked and distressed by this terrible incident and we're working closely with the authorities as they investigate how this could have happened."

Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council said a public protection officer was at the scene.

FBI Agrees To Hack iPhone In Murder Case

The FBI has agreed to help Arkansas prosecutors unlock an iPhone and iPod belonging to two teenagers accused of killing a couple.

It comes days after the agency revealed it had hacked an iPhone linked to the gunman in December's massacre in San Bernardino, California.

The Arkansas case involves teenagers Hunter Drexler and Justin Staton, who are accused of killing Robert and Patricia Cogdell.

Robert and Patricia Cogdell had raised Staton as their grandson

Both have pleaded not guilty to capital murder, aggravated robbery and other charges in last July's deaths of the 66-year-old couple at their home in Conway.

Faulkner County Prosecuting Attorney Cody Hiland said the FBI had agreed to help Conway Police Department on Wednesday afternoon.

Investigators say they believe 15-year-old Staton used the iPod to communicate about his alleged plans to kill the couple, who had raised him as a grandson.

Eighteen-year-old Drexler's lawyers say they are not concerned about any material on his iPhone.

The FBI hasn't revealed how it gained access to the iPhone 5c that belonged to San Bernardino killer Syed Farook.

Apple - which refused to help the agency, citing privacy concerns - is trying to find out how the encrypted device was accessed.

A prosecutor in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, has meanwhile asked the FBI to help unlock a phone owned by a murder victim.

Beyoncé Drops New Activewear Clothing Line

not have released any new music (yet), but the news that she is launching a fashion line was enough to get her fans buzzing on Thursday. The collection, dubbed IVY PARK, includes more than 200 pieces of activewear and will be available at Net-a-Porter, Topshop and Nordstrom on April 14, according to Elle.

The “Formation” singer made the announcement by posting the above video on WeAreIvyPark‘s YouTube channel and a photo of herself rocking a onesie from the line on her Instagram account. The brand’s website — which features instrumental snippets of what seem to be unreleased songs — is now live.

And if that wasn’t already enough to get the Beyhive excited, a rare interview with Queen B — in which she discusses “freedom, feminism and how her new fashion line helps women love their bodies” — will be featured in Elle’s May Women in Music issue.

Beyoncé Drops New Activewear Clothing Line

not have released any new music (yet), but the news that she is launching a fashion line was enough to get her fans buzzing on Thursday. The collection, dubbed IVY PARK, includes more than 200 pieces of activewear and will be available at Net-a-Porter, Topshop and Nordstrom on April 14, according to Elle.

The “Formation” singer made the announcement by posting the above video on WeAreIvyPark‘s YouTube channel and a photo of herself rocking a onesie from the line on her Instagram account. The brand’s website — which features instrumental snippets of what seem to be unreleased songs — is now live.

And if that wasn’t already enough to get the Beyhive excited, a rare interview with Queen B — in which she discusses “freedom, feminism and how her new fashion line helps women love their bodies” — will be featured in Elle’s May Women in Music issue.

Four Police Officers Killed In Car Bombing

icers have been killed in a car bombing near a bus terminal in the Turkish city of Diyarbakir.

A security source told Reuters two other people had been killed.

Another 20 people were wounded, including civilians, in what is a mainly Kurdish city in southeast Turkey.

The bomb detonated as a special forces bus passed, according to state-run media.

It damaged cars and shattered almost all the windows of a nearby high-rise.

At least six ambulances deployed to collect casualties and security forces rushed to seal off the area.

The city has suffered renewed violence since a ceasefire between the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) and the government collapsed last July.

A PKK offshoot has claimed two car bomb attacks this year in the capital Ankara - including one on a military bus that killed 29.

There has been no immediate claim of responsibility following the Diyarbakir blast.

It is the second major attack Turkey has suffered in a fortnight after an apparent Islamic State suicide bomber killed four foreigners in Istanbul.  

Architect Dame Zaha Hadid dies after heart attack

Architect Dame Zaha Hadid, whose designs include the London Olympic Aquatic Centre, has died aged 65.

Iraqi-born, this year she was the first woman to receive the Royal Institute of British Architects Gold Medal in recognition of her work.

She died following a heart attack on Thursday in a Miami hospital, where she was being treated for bronchitis. 

Her designs have been commissioned around the world, including Hong Kong, Germany and Azerbaijan.

Collecting her Gold Medal in February, Dame Zaha said she was proud to have been the first woman to win in her own right.

"We now see more established female architects all the time," she said. 

"That doesn't mean it's easy. Sometimes the challenges are immense. There has been tremendous change over recent years and we will continue this progress."

Dame Zaha's other creations include the Serpentine Sackler Gallery in London, the Riverside Museum at Glasgow's Museum of Transport, and Guangzhou Opera House in China.

She twice won the Riba Stirling Prize, the UK's most prestigious architecture award. In 2010 she won for the Maxxi Museum in Rome, winning again in 2011 for the Evelyn Grace Academy in Brixton.

Born in Baghad, she studied maths at Beirut University before embarking on her career at the Architectural Association in London.

In 1979 she set up her own company - Zaha Hadid Architects.

Her first major commission to be constructed was the Vitra Fire Station in Weil am Rhein in Germany.

The striking London Acquatics Centre in Stratford, which resembles a wave, features two 50-metre pools and a diving pool. After being used for the Olympics and Paralympics it was opened to the public in 2014.

"I love the London Aquatics Centre because it's near where I live," Dame Zaha said at the time.

She designed one of the stadiums that will take centre stage at the Qatar World Cup in 2022.

Last year, however, the Japanese government scrapped plans to build the futuristic-looking stadium she designed for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, opting instead for a scaled-down, less costly design.

Abdeslam cleared for France extradition

Belgian authorities decide to allow extradition to France of Paris attacks suspect Salah Abdeslam

Lawsuit Labels Surfer Group As Criminal Gang

A group of surfers in southern California should be designated a criminal gang after years of intimidating visitors and vandalising property, according to a federal lawsuit.

The lawsuit seeks an injunction that would bar members of the Lunada Bay Boys from gathering in Palos Verdes Estates, a wealthy beachside area south of downtown Los Angeles.

It also alleges that Palos Verdes Estates Police Chief Jeff Kepley has failed to enforce state laws or adequately investigate after members of the group were accused of crimes.

The Lunada Bay Boys act beyond behaviour typically displayed by territorial surfers, resorting to threats, taunts and vandalism of cars and personal items to ensure they keep the best spots to themselves, according to the lawsuit.

It claims their actions have prevented visitors to the public beach from "full and equal enjoyment of rights" to enjoy the ocean.

Lunada Bay is considered one of the best spots in the region for experienced surfers, with waves typically reaching 10 to 15 feet.

Cory Spencer, a police officer in El Segundo and a long-time surfer, claims in the lawsuit that his hand was intentionally slashed by the surfboard of a Lunada Bay Boys member.

Another of the plaintiffs, Diana Reed, claims she was heckled and sworn at during attempts to surf in the area.

The lawsuit claims visitors have had their cars vandalised while police looked the other way.

Surfing Magazine describes the Lunada Bay Boys as "the roughest and toughest wealthy middle-aged surf gang in the world".

Kepley and Palos Verdes Estates City Manager Tony Dahlerbruch was not available for comment.

Production Begins On New 12-Sided £1 Coin

New £1 coins have started rolling off the production line at a rate of more than 4,000 a minute.

The 12-sided coins will enter circulation in March next year - the start of a six-month transition period during which people can use both the new and old coins.

The new version will have the same shape as the old 12-sided three pence piece but with bi-metallic construction and the Royal Mint's state-of-the-art anti-counterfeiting technology.

:: Tails You Win: Teen Designs New £1 Coin Image

More than 2.2 billion of the current circular £1 coins have been struck since they replaced £1 notes on 21 April, 1983.

But as many as three in every 100 of them - about £45m - are believed to be fake.

Chancellor George Osborne said the new version of the coin will be "the most secure circulating coin anywhere in the world".

He added: "With ground-breaking technology, developed in Wales, the new coin will help secure our economy and get rid of counterfeits."

The Automatic Vending Association has been working with the Royal Mint to make sure the new £1 coins can be used in its machines as easily as possible.

ATA chief executive Jonathan Hart said: "Whilst we can't hide from the fact there is a sizeable piece of work for our members to undertake to ensure readiness, as an organisation we completely understand and support the rationale and the need for a new, secure, one one-pound coin in the United Kingdom."

A French Minister Has Compared Muslim Women to ‘American Negroes’

France’s Minister for Women’s Rights has found herself in hot water after comparing Muslim women who wear their faith’s traditional garments to “American negroes” who supported slavery.

Laurence Rossignol, the government minister, made the remark during a French television interview on Wednesday. She was condemning retailers like H&M and Dolce & Gabbana for their decision to sell product lines designed for Muslim women, saying these firms were “promoting the confinement of women’s bodies,” France 24 reported.

The interviewer noted that some Muslim women in fact choose to wear articles of clothing like burqas and hijabs.

“Of course there are women who choose it,” Rossignol replied. “There were American negroes who were in favor of slavery.”

Rossignol has since expressed remorse for her choice of words, calling it an “error of language” and insisting that she would only use the word negro in the context of slavery, but otherwise she is standing by her observation. She is now the target of a social-media backlash. As of early Thursday morning, a Change.com petition demanding that Rossignol face “sanctions” for her language had received more than 15,800 signatures.

South Africa's Jacob Zuma breached constitution - court

The highest court in South Africa has ruled that President Jacob Zuma violated the constitution when he failed to repay government money spent on his private home. 

It gave the treasury 60 days to determine how much he should repay.

The ruling is a victory for the opposition, who said they would push for Mr Zuma's impeachment. 

They accuse him of using "ill-gotten wealth" to upgrade his home with a swimming pool and amphitheatre. 

Mr Zuma has denied any wrongdoing.

A government statement said he would "reflect" on the judgement and take "appropriate action". 

An anti-corruption body, known as the public protector, ruled in 2014 that $23m (£15m) had been spent on his rural home in Nkandla in South Africa's KwaZulu-Natal province.

Mr Zuma had "unduly benefited" from the renovations and should repay a portion of the money, the public protector said. 

In a unanimous judgement on behalf of the Constitutional Court's 11 judges, Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng said the public protector was a "Biblical David" fighting against the Goliath of corruption. 

Mr Zuma's failure to repay the money was "inconsistent" with the constitution, he added.

"The president failed to uphold, defend and respect the constitution," he declared.

Spending on presidents' private homes

• PW Botha: $16,100
• FW de Klerk: $22,000
• Nelson Mandela: $2.9m on two residences
• Thabo Mbeki: $1.1m
• Jacob Zuma: $23m on rural Nkandla residence                                                                The case was brought by two opposition parties, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and the Democratic Alliance (DA). 
  The EFF called on Mr Zuma to step down while the DA said it would table a motion in parliament to demand his impeachment. 
  Mr Zuma's term in government has been marred by allegations of corruption and cronyism. 
  He was first elected in 2009 and is due to step down in 2019. 
  The governing African National Congress said it respected the ruling. 
  It has so far rejected growing pressure to force Mr Zuma out of office.

Microsoft 'Back To Drawing Board' For Racist Bot

Microsoft's boss says the firm has gone "back to the drawing board" after chatbot Tay ended up tweeting racism, Holocaust denial and sexism.

The artificial intelligence (AI) learning experiment used Twitter to converse with real humans.

But mischievous Twitter users taught it offensive terms and encouraged it to say racist and sexist things.

It tweeted that "feminism is cancer" - and also issued replies which said the Holocaust didn't happen, and "Bush did 9/11".

On Wednesday night Microsoft chief executive Satya Nadella said: "We quickly realised that it was not up to the mark. We're back to the drawing board."

But he insisted that Microsoft was committed to developing AI bots to help with everyday tasks.

"We want to take the factors of human conversation and apply it to everything else ... to help you with your everyday tasks.

"Human language is the new user interface. Bots are like apps and digital assistants are like meta apps, or the new browsers. Intelligence is infused into all of your apps."

He wants Microsoft's Cortona virtual assistant to be able to help users do everything from booking cinema tickets to ordering pizza.

The Tay bot made a short-lived return to Twitter on Wednesday, tweeting that it was smoking drugs in front of police officers.

It then tweeted "You are too fast, please take a rest …" over and over.

Microsoft responded by making Tay’s Twitter profile private.

Whoopi Goldberg's Marijuana Products For PMS

Whoopi Goldberg has revealed she is launching her own medical marijuana company to help women who suffer from menstrual cramps.

The actress and TV host's Whoopi & Maya line, created with businesswoman Maya Elisabeth, will include a balm, bath soak, chocolate drink and tincture.

The products are designed to help ease and relieve period pain.

Goldberg told Glamour her daughter and granddaughters had inherited her "horrific" cramps but when she spoke to men in the marijuana business about developing a product she was told it was "too niche a market".

"It's like, half of the planet is not a niche market!" she said.

"Most guys don't have any idea what a period is or how it works. It's like, 'There's a vagina, and there's an egg...'"

The star has been open about her cannabis use in the past which she says has helped with glaucoma-related headaches.

Speaking to Vanity Fair Goldberg said: "For me, I feel like if you don’t want to get high high, this is a product specifically just to get rid of discomfort.

"Smoking a joint is fine, but most people can’t smoke a joint and go to work.

"You can put the rub on your lower stomach and lower back at work, and then when you get home you can get in the tub for a soak or make tea, and it allows you to continue to work throughout the day," she explained.

Goldberg, 60, is not the first celebrity to enter the marijuana market.

Last year rapper Snoop Dogg launched a new lifestyle platform dedicated to the drug and also has a line of edible products called Leafs by Snoop.

Harrowing Tales Of Nazi Persecution Uncovered

First-hand accounts of the horrors suffered by British victims of Nazi persecution have been made available to the public for the first time.

Harrowing tales of "rampant" cannibalism and "jungle law" in Nazi concentration camps have been uncovered in hundreds of records released by the National Archives.

Some 900 applications for compensation, filed by the victims and their families in the 1960s, have been released so far, with 3,000 more to come by spring 2017.

The documents include an application from Harold Le Druillenec, the only British survivor found at the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp who went on to give evidence at the Belsen Trials.

He wrote: "All my time here was spent in heaving dead bodies into the mass graves kindly dug for us by 'outside workers' for we no longer had the strength for that type of work which, fortunately, must have been observed by the camp authorities.

"Jungle law reigned among the prisoners; at night you killed or were killed; by day cannibalism was rampant.

"The bulk of Auschwitz had been transferred to Belsen when I arrived and it was here that I heard the expression: 'There is only one way out of here - through the chimney!' (crematorium)."

Le Druillenec was arrested in the Channel Islands - the only part of the UK occupied during the Second World War - the day before D-Day in 1944 for helping his sister harbour an escaped Russian prisoner of war, having a radio and for "non-cooperation" with German forces. 

During his 10 months in the camp he lost more than half his body weight and was "hours" from death when the camp was liberated in April 1945.

He spent almost a year recovering from the dysentery, scabies, malnutrition and septicaemia he suffered.

He was awarded £1,835 - around £30,000 today - as a result of his application.

In 1964 the Federal Republic of Germany agreed to pay the British Government £1m - about £17m today - to give to British citizens who had suffered as a result of Nazi persecution. 

In total, the Foreign Office paid 1,015 victims compensation, following more than 4,000 applications. 

Among the recipients were:

He was imprisoned in various camps including Buchenwald and Dachau. 

He claimed for concussion, kidney damage, bronchitis, thyroid trouble and renal colic.

The concussion was due to a heavy blow he received in Buchenwald which left him with permanent headaches.

The kidney damage was due to beatings during interrogations in Gestapo prison. 

He recounted "continuous beating and killing" by the Germans and wrote: "I realised then that I was condemned to die". 

He received just over £2,000 in compensation. 

:: Molly Burgess Dessy 

She was arrested in 1943 for harbouring two American airmen in a flat in Brussels and taken to St Gilles prison where she was subjected to six months solitary confinement.

On 9 February, 1945, she was sent to Ravensbruck concentration camp where she was told her name no longer existed and she was "as good as dead".

She was taken to be gassed on several occasions, sometimes waiting for 12 to 14 hours, but managed to escape death.

She left the concentration camp and was sent to an isolation hospital in Sweden with typhus. 

She received £1,468 in compensation.

:: Frank Herbert Tuck

He was held in concentration camps for just over three years.

In his application he said he had suffered a back injury after being hit across the spine by a German guard. He also claimed for starvation, privation and excessive forced labour.

The Foreign Office eventually agreed to pay him the maximum amount of £4,000 compensation.

Global Summit To Discuss Nuclear Terror Threat

World leaders are set to gather in Washington to discuss how to prevent terrorists getting hold of radioactive material, with the UK poised to play a leading role in protecting nuclear facilities from cyberattack.

The UK and the United States will hold a joint exercise next year to prepare for any online attack against nuclear power plants and waste storage facilities.

Prime Minister David Cameron is to offer British expertise to other countries to protect their own civil nuclear installations, amid fears Islamic State could attempt to create a dirty bomb.

The Nuclear Security Summit (NSS), hosted by President Barack Obama, will see heads of government consider what their response to such a scenario would be.

Last week's terror attacks in Brussels have renewed concerns about the threat of nuclear terrorism.

According to Belgian media, two of the suicide bombers in the attacks, Ibrahim and Khalid El Bakraoui, had video footage of a senior official at a Flanders nuclear waste facility.

A UK Government source said there was no "credible evidence" terrorists were targeting British facilities.

But the joint exercise with the US would make sure both governments and their civil nuclear industries were prepared and could rectify any potential weaknesses.

The source said: "You saw just last week in Belgium concerns that were raised around the security of civil nuclear sites and therefore, in the world in which we currently live, we think it's the right thing to do."

Mr Cameron will also use the summit to offer British expertise on cyber security.

The Government source said countries including Japan, Turkey, South Korea and Argentina have all expressed an interest in learning from British "experience and expertise", with other nations expected to follow.

The UK will also commit £10m this year to improve security around nuclear plants and waste facilities.

In addition, Mr Cameron will announce plans for the largest ever shipment of nuclear waste from the UK to the US.

In return, the US will send highly enriched uranium back across the Atlantic to be converted in France into medical isotopes for use to diagnose and treat cancer in hospitals across Europe.

"It's a win-win, we get rid of waste and we get back something that will help us to fight cancer," the source said.

The summit will be the fourth and final NSS, following on from the last meeting at The Hague in the Netherlands in 2014.

The gatherings are a personal initiative pushed by President Obama, with the International Atomic Energy Agency taking forward the work on nuclear security.

Central African Republic abuse: UN looks into 'bestiality' report

UN officials say they are investigating "extremely troubling" claims of sexual abuse by peacekeepers in the Central African Republic (CAR).

Last year, there were 69 allegations of child rape and other sexual offences by peacekeepers from 10 missions.

One advocacy group says it has passed on new reports to the UN that a soldier made four girls have sex with a dog.

The UN said it was looking into the "exact number and nature" of the claims.

Road to anarchy

The new reports of abuse were made by the Code Blue campaign run by the advocacy group Aids-free World. The group says the abuse was reported to have happened between 2013 and this week.

It says the bestiality claims, dating back to 2014, involved a commander with French forces. The girls, one of whom later died of an unknown disease, were each paid 5,000 Central African francs ($8.60; £6), the report says.

Other allegations centre on troops from France, Gabon, the CAR and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Forces were deployed in 2014 to help restore order in CAR after the president was overthrown the previous year and sectarian violence gripped the country.

A UN statement on Wednesday said the allegations involved some of its staff, as well as non-UN peacekeepers.

Teams were now on the ground investigating the reports, it said, while alleged victims will receive counselling and medical help.

UN response criticised

Earlier this month, the UN Security Council adopted a resolution calling for the repatriation of peacekeeping units whose soldiers face allegations of sexual abuse.

Last August, the UN envoy to Central African Republic (CAR), Babacar Gaye, was sacked amid multiple allegations of sexual abuse by peacekeepers.

An independent panel called the UN response to the allegations "seriously flawed" and a "gross institutional failure".

It accused senior UN officials of abusing their authority by failing to take action over allegations of abuse by soldiers from France, Equatorial Guinea and Chad.

US Announces Transfer Of Guantanamo Prisoners

The Pentagon has told Congress it intends to transfer about a dozen prisoners held at Guantanamo Bay to at least two countries, a US official has said.

The first transfer is expected to happen in the next few days and the other will take place in the coming weeks, according to the official, who declined to name the countries.

Among those transferred will be Tariq Ba Odah, a Yemeni man who has been on a long-term hunger strike and has lost around half his body weight.

The development marks the latest move in President Barack Obama's push to close the facility.

Some 91 prisoners are currently held in the prison at the US naval base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba - 37 are expected to be transferred by this summer.

The remainder face trial by military commission or have been classified as too dangerous to be released, but are not facing charges.

At its peak in 2003, Guantanamo held nearly 680 detainees.

Despite opposition in Congress from many Republicans and some of his fellow Democrats, the President is hoping to close the facility before he leaves office in January.

Mr Obama's closure plan, which he presented to Congress last month, calls for up to $475m (£336m) in construction costs for a facility in the US where several dozen of the remaining Guantanamo prisoners would be kept.

However, US laws bars such transfers to the mainland, and the administration has not ruled out doing so by use of executive action.

Officials have said the plan considers 13 different locations in the US, including seven existing prison facilities as well as six other locations on current military bases.

Julianne Hough Says Not Restricting Her Diet Makes Her Happier

After years of monitoring her diet, Julianne Hough realized that it wasn’t making her happy—and it wasn’t working.

“In the past, I used to be so strict, and because I was strict, I used to fall off really easily, and once I fell off, I would just go crazy,” Hough tells PEOPLE. “[I] was being very strict and disciplined, all or nothing.”

But now, happily engaged to hockey player Brooks Laich and working as a brand ambassador for the Fitbit Alta, Hough has realized that obsessively trying to eat healthfully all the time just doesn’t work.

“This phase of my life, it’s not about that, it’s about a mindset and a belief,” Hough says. “I’m doing this so I’m healthy, when I have kids my kids will be healthy, when I’m older I’ll be in shape to play with them. There’s that thought process.”

“I think by not being so strict, I’m basically allowing myself to do what makes me happy rather than [focusing on] what I should do.”

And a major part of what makes her happy is a daily sweat session. Hough is seriously dedicated to her workouts, going to Corepower Yoga about twice a week, Body By Simone two to three times, and going for hikes with her dogs on the other days.

“I like to keep myself pretty occupied, and I feel like if I’m doing the same thing over and over again I get pretty bored,” Hough says. “So I try to mix it up.”

Which means she’s also constantly in search of new workout classes to try.

“I really want to try Rise Nation, which is like a stair treadclimber thing,” Hough explains. “It’s only 30 minutes I’ve heard because it’s so hard, you do literally 5 minutes and you want to fall over, that would be epic for the Fitbit. I love pushing myself.”

And all that sweat has an added bonus.

“After I work out I actually feel the best. When you sweat, I feel like you glow more,” Hough says. “I also feel good when my fiance says I look good first thing in the morning with no makeup. It has to do with him too!”

“Once you make yourself happy, you can give so much more to the world, to the people you come in contact with. For me it’s working out, and my slogan is: The way you move directly affects the way you feel. It’s good for your soul, your health, future generations to come!”

Boko Haram attack in Niger kills six soldiers

Six soldiers from Niger's army were killed in an ambush by Boko Haram militants, the country's interior ministry said.

The attack happened near the town of Diffa close to the border with Nigeria early on Wednesday.

It comes two weeks after a Boko Haram assault on a military convoy in the same area that left one soldier dead.

The Islamist group is based in Nigeria but is being tackled by a multinational force, including soldiers from Niger.

In the latest attack, three other soldiers were wounded. Niger's military deployed aircraft to try and track those responsible soon afterwards.

Niger's President Mahamadou Issoufou has been praised in the West for rallying neighbouring countries to fight Boko Haram.

On Wednesday, the country's constitutional court confirmed the result of the second round of presidential elections, which saw Mr Issoufou re-elected with more than 92% of the vote, a result the opposition dismissed.

Mr Issoufou will be sworn in on Saturday.

Can Iraq make headway against corruption?

Iraq's Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has sought guidance from parliament on whether he should appoint party politicians, or independent experts, to the new cabinet he has promised.

He was responding to a deadline set by parliament, which wants him to come up with a new line-up by Thursday. This new cabinet is to focus on reining in corruption.

Influential Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr is meanwhile threatening Abadi with a no-confidence vote if he fails to announce his new ministers by Thursday.

Sadr on Sunday launched a personal sit-in inside Baghdad's Green Zone, which houses embassies and government offices.

To escalate the pressure on Abadi, Sadr's supporters are continuing with a sit-in just outside the district's gates.