Patients' and hospital groups have expressed anger that a nurse who exposed serious mistreatment of elderly hospital patients has been struck off the medical register for misconduct.

Church members in affected areas are being urged to join consultations on sub-post office closures by the Anglican Archdeacons of Berkshire, Buckingham and Oxford - after protests by local communities hit by threatened closures.

Christians from across the region joined a Chinese monk from the Trappist order, the Rev Nicholas Kao Se-tsean, who is believed to be one of the world's oldest Roman Catholic priests, as he celebrated a remarkable 110th birthday with family and friends in Hong Kong - reports Francis Wong for Ecumenical News International (ENI).