Good evening and welcome to bbc news. The music world has been paying tribute to George Michael, who died yesterday, from suspected heart failure, at the age of 53. The singer sold more than 100 million albums in a career spanning nearly four decades. He rose to fame with the pop duo wham, Enjoying Global Success in the eighties, before leaving to forge a successful solo career. But he struggled with the pressures of fame and press attention. His bandmate Andrew Ridgeley said he was heartbroken at the loss of a beloved friend. 0ur arts editor Will Gompertz looks back at his life. Wham bam, i am a man. Wearing a bikerjacket and a white tee, George Michael takes his first steps into the limelight as one half of the pop duo, whami. Back then, he had big hair and a perma tan it was his idea of early 80s glam. The reality was a little different. So they stuck us in this hotel that couldnt have been more than 80p a night. I was sleeping the night before my first Top Of The Pops in Polystyrene Sheets and it was a Childsize Bed i was sat with my feet over the end, thinking, this is not how its supposed to be he continued to live the dream with feel good chart hits. But dont worry, you can suntan. Then came a change of tone and direction. Im never gonna dance again. Guilty feet have got no rhythm leading to a career as a soulful solo artist. His first album, faith, sold over 25 million copies, garnered awards galore, and sealed his reputation as a Major International artist. It was like, oh my god, im a massive star. And i think i may be a poof, what am i going to do . this is not going to end well i would just like to say. That was the Turning Point for me. That was the point at which i had to negotiate some new relationship with celebrity that was not going to destroy me, you know . On stage, that was no problem. His talents were widely admired. But his private life was a different matter. The homophobia was just flying they were loving it to be able to say that this man who had hidden from them for the best part of six years, by then, or seven years, the idea that he had been this tragic, old fashioned, stereotypical cottager, they just loved it the whole experience led to this song, and its ironic, cheeky video, too. There were other problems with drugs, addiction and a spell in prison after crashing his car into a shop in london. His sense of humour remained, however. What you get up to in your spare time is up to you. Then why cant i come to comic relief . Because you are a joke, george its embarrassing. I cant walk into comic relief with you. Comic relief is about helping people like you he collaborated with many other singers, including elton john, who today wrote, i have lost the kindest, most generous soul and brilliant artist. Madonna also bade him farewell. His old wham partner, andrew ridgely, said he was heartbroken at the loss of his beloved friend. Tonight he is a former partner, kenny goss released a statement. That George Michael was one of britains biggest pop stars is without question. The hundred million plus albums he sold and the continual presence of his music on our radios and the sold out arena tours stands out as testaments to his talent. He was a generous man who made anonymous contributions. He made life affirming music that touched, and will continue to touch, millions of fans the world over. George michael collaborated with many artists throughout his career. One of them was motown legend Aretha Franklin, with whom he sang I Knew You Were Waiting For Me in 1986. The single reached number one both in the uk and in the us and won a grammy award. , in a moment, well speak to simon climie, who wrote the song, but first heres a reminder. Music Playing . I have been speaking to simon climbing. He shed for me the story behind that song. What is strange is that clive davis at the Record Company sought it was for whitney houston. George, who i later met, was an incredible gentlemen, a visionary and he immediately said i love whitney but i would prefer to do it with Aretha Franklin if you would not mind. They we re franklin if you would not mind. They were quite surprised but when you had the two voices playing together, it was a logical blend and i could not have wished for more for that song. The song is as good as a singer, as they say. It was a different career move . It really was. Apart from everything, in england, radio one and top of the pp5 england, radio one and Top Of The Pops was the biggest thing so we had a complete spectrum of music available but in america it was a very much rock radio, black radio, and with that one song not only did george break his Pop Career Crossing Over to our n. B. , i think even won a grammyfor over to our n. B. , i think even won a grammy for that. Rhythm and blues. It was about a year after he recorded it that it was released and within that year i met him at a club in london. I told him within that year i met him at a club in london. Itold him i within that year i met him at a club in london. I told him i wrote a song for you. He said, i thought you were from atalanta. And i told him i lived in chiswick and he said, if i had known that i would never have recorded it but treacly, he thanked me saying it was a great song. Truthfully. They are two voices which you might think of as quite different but they combined wonderfully in that song . It is a magical thing. I remember wonderfully in that song . It is a magicalthing. I remember hearing it on the radio and when he sings i made it through the heartache, i escaped, i find my made it through the heartache, i escaped, ifind my way made it through the heartache, i escaped, i find my way out not make it is great. And then they come together, when the river was deep, i didnt together, when the river was deep, i didnt fight together, when the river was deep, i didnt fight it, when the mountain was high, i still believe it. And the mixture of those two voices was an ultimate crossover of rhythm and blues. I was overwhelmed at the time. It was the third time i ever heard it recorded and i was so grateful to george and aretha. I was very sad yesterday to hear this news because you believe these people have many more albums to give. Thinking back on George Michaels career as a british musician, where do you rank him . Well, it is so hard to say this but, for example, a dell isa to say this but, for example, a dell is a once in a Decade Artist and i think george was one of those. Adele. The beatles. He was very high on that later. People never seem to have just enough talent. They either have just enough talent. They either have so much talent and in abundance but when you have that much talent, it is really hard to turn off, to switch off. Someone like eltonjohn is probably writing a song right now. That is one of the issues that people turn to all sorts of different ways to relax and it is a very challenging life. You can look back at George Michaels life in pictures, music that defined his career and celebrity tributes thats at bbc. Co. Uk news 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 yesterdays plane crash. There was a special Service Today in every Orthodox Church in russia. This is a day of National Mourning. This may be the last picture ever taken of the tupolev154. A few hours later, it crashed into the black sea. The Search Operation continued today, to recover bodies and wreckage of the plane. Russias Transport Minister said that technical failure or pilot error may have caused the crash. Terrorism is thought less likely. Killed in the crash, more than 60 members of the russian armys song and dance troupe. Theyd been on their way to syria for a new years concert. Outside the musicians 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 wont be returning, we couldnt save you. Natalias son used to work in the ensemble, but left. We mourn with everybody else, she says, 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. A typhoon has hit the philippines, forcing Tens Of Thousands to seek refuge in emergency shelters. Typhoon nock ten, with gusts of more than one hundred miles per hour, has killed several people and damaged homes. Its also caused flooding in coastal communities and disrupted air and sea travel. Joy maluyo is from the World Vision Charity in the philippines. It has caused significant damage. As of today, the National Disaster risk and Reduction Management Council has reported that about 25,000 families have been affected by the typhoon, and a lot of houses made of light materials have been reduced to the ground. As early as two days before the landfall, a lot of people have already been evacuated. Provincial governments have declared a state of imminent danger, so thats why there have been mandatory evacuations. So its good that people have learned a lot, especially during the typhoon in 2013. So we can say that even the National Government has been prepared, and has been more proactive in providing alerts to the communities. As of now, the Department Of Social Welfare And Development is giving out relief items to the affected communities. World vision, a few hours from now, our Assessment Team will be going to the region to check on the extent of damage caused by the typhoon, and if needed we are ready to assist initially 4000 families with emergency relief items. Joy maluyo from the World Vision Charity in the philippines. The headlines on bbc news tributes continue to the singer George Michael, one of the biggest names in british music, who has died at the age of 53. Russia recovers fragments of a Military Plane which crashed into the black sea with 92 people on board. Bargain hunters turn out for Boxing Day Sales but its thought many have stayed home after already splurging on pre christmas discounts. A british man is in a Critical Condition in hospital in antigua after being shot in the head. 37 year old christopher tester from torquay was injured during an attempted robbery at his parents restaurant on christmas day. He is being kept in an induced coma and friends have launched an appeal to fly him back to the uk for treatment. The colombian authorities investigating the plane crash last month in which 71 people died have concluded the aircraft ran out of fuel. The plane, which was carrying Brazils Chapecoense football club, crashed near the city of medellin. Six people survived. On a leaked tape, the pilot who died was heard warning of a total electric failure and lack of fuel. The japanese prime minister, shinzo abe, has begun an historic visit to hawaii. Its 75 years since the japanese attack on us battleships at Pearl Harbour brought america into the second world war. Prime minister abe and president 0bama are due to go to a memorial that honours the sailors and marines killed in the attack. After paying a visit to the ehime maru memorial in honolulu, abe is due pay tribute to Pearl Harbour victims on tuesday. Bargain hunters were up early this morning for the Boxing Day Sales, despite discounting in the run up to christmas. The fall in the value of the pound since the brexit vote has also provided an incentive for tourists looking for a bargain. The former governor of the bank of england, lord king, suggested today that britain would be better off leaving the Single Market completely if it wants to strike trade deals outside the eu. Heres our economics correspondent, andy verity. After one days respite, 1a million of us are expected to hit the shops today, drawn in by the theory that goods were significantly cheaper than they were two days ago. From birmingham to belfast, £3 billion was expected to be spent in Shopping Centres in the high street, with up to another billion online. I always do it every boxing day morning. Why . I just love sale shopping. Im normallyjust looking for a really good deal, like half price sort of thing. We were here last february and the Exchange Rate was 1. 5 and its much less now. We really get a lot more for our money this year than last. The International Visitors joining the crowds in londons west end arentjust coming 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 the hope that the brexit vote could lift exports and provide, at least in the short term, a positive economic effect. 0ne legacy of the credit boom of the last decade and the bust that followed it was consumers borrowing unprecedented amounts to buy imported goods, while exports trailed behind. Today, the man who presided over that boom and bust was hoping brexit might throw that into reverse. There are many opportunities and i think we should look at it ina much more self confident way than either side is approaching it at the moment. I think that being out of what is a rather unsuccessful european union, particularly in the economic sense, brings 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. Billionaire businessman wilbur ross has called it a god given opportunity for cities from dublin to frankfurt to take business away from london. And thats the man chosen by donald trump to lead trade negotiations with theresa mays government. Andy verity, bbc news. The actress liz smith has died at the age of 95, a spokeswoman for her family has said. Does this thing Play Cassettes as well . No, no, itsjust cds. Why, have you got cassettes . Eloped no. no. The bafta award winner, who was known for her role as nana in the royle family, died on christmas eve. Herformer co star ralf little has paid tribute to her describing her death as devastating. Smith also had parts in the vicar of dibley, Lark Rise To Candleford and 2 point 4 children. She retired from acting in 2009 at the age of 87. Its 25 years since the soviet union collapsed, following the resignation of Mikhail Gorbachev. Admired in the west for ending the cold war without bloodshed, Many Russians still blame mr gorbachev for the loss ofan empire. A quarter of a century after he stepped down, Sarah Rainsford has been to the hometown of the former soviet leader. With a gorbachev impression and a song, were welcomed to privolnoye. This is the southern Russian Village where the former soviet leader grew up. The child from a family of farmers who went on from here to end the cold war. To this woman, he was just a boy, called misha. We met at her home, Down The Street from the school that she and Mikhail Gorbachev went to. She remembers him as a star pupil, who climbed to the Communist Party ranks to launch the reforms that changed their lives. Translation he was a simple, approachable lad, from an ordinary village. And in front of our eyes, he rose to become general secretary. He was very clever. So, 25 years ago, she remembers watching this broadcast and worrying, as gorbachev was forced to resign. It was the end of an empire. Its strange to think that gorbachev, such an important historical figure, came from this remote Russian Village. People here have told us they are very proud of that fact. And yet Many Russians have extremely mixed feelings about gorbachevs legacy, and particularly about the collapse of the ussr. Some reminders of the old days remain intact here. Lenin was restored only recently. But theres now a church alongside him. Part funded by