we will have iii! the headlines we will have the headlines and all of the main news stories at the top of the hour estate after this —— at the top of the hour straight after this programme. i don't know where people} think we've got the money to pay all these bills. it's frightening, actually. this is a dual victor exhaust heat pump. sounds very fancy. it's not only about providing a nice living environment for people, it is about it being sustainable and affordable. hi, wendy. i knew from the moment he bought these properties that

things were going to change. before this propertyjourney, i used to be a teacher. i played for a number teams — bristol city, reading, wolves. he weren't that good! that's why he was on the left. do you know what key it is? the only way to reduce bills is to spend more, which is a conundrum. so, cost—wise, what does that look like per year? £50 per year to run. i want this in my house. so here we are. this is the latest

project, the three coach houses in the middle. when did we purchase it? about a year ago now. this time last year. we actually met through our partners. the first time we met, i was in your seat watching your tv. i don't know normally how well that would go down. we just built a friendship from there. that friendship ended up evolving into a business, similar ideas, similar sorts of objectives. we need to think about how we carry out this renovation with as least disruption for the tenants. yes, definitely. do you know what key it is? one of them gold ones. wish me luck.

good detail. it's an incredible building. our gravelly hill site, we have an idea of what we're creating there in terms of the amount of units. what's definitely up for grabs is the detail, especially around heating systems, lighting systems, electrics, insulation. all of those things. the technical spec. we know people, family members, friends who have had difficult experiences with housing — it has been close to home so we do know that's an issue. so the main priority for us is to really try to keep the bills down — which at the moment, given the current cost of living

crisis, is harder than ever. so we feel the only way is to try to get the buildings to be as efficient as possible. implementing different systems. this is our business and we need to make a profit, but at the same time it's important to make an impact and have a purpose. there's a lot to learn, it's something that's quite new to us. so it's a case of gathering as much information as we can, to make sure this building is as efficient as possible. how are you doing? i'm well. have you noticed a big difference in how much you're paying for bills and stuff? i've gone from using £15| a week to 40 on electric, so monthly that's literally trebled nearly. _

currently, this is the flat you're in, but what we'd be looking to do is use the garage space as habitable space so you'll end up with 71 square metres. wow! i think it's fabulous, scott. we're just now trying to focus on the actual efficiency of the building to make sure it's as cost effective as possible to run because i know the bills are becoming a problem for a lot of people. we're hoping in a year's time these buildings will be a lot cheaper to run and remain that way moving forward. fabulous. the plans look fabulous — i can't believe - you're going to use... i can't believe that. i knew from the minute - he bought these properties

things were going to change on a rapid level. _ i'm really excited that he is going to be a lot of work. on these properties. so i'm really chuffed. i can't wait. the architecture's wicked. that corner glass there... did you say he's an architect? makes sense. hello, there. really good to meet you. cameron and scott? welcome to the zero carbon house. - i'm really keen to see | more retrofitting done for all our cities, _ but particularly in birmingham and balsall heath.

i think it's very much part of the solution i for the 21st century. a zero carbon house to me means cheap— a zero carbon house to me means cheap bills — a zero carbon house to me means cheap bills. i am guessing it is to— cheap bills. i am guessing it is to do— cheap bills. i am guessing it is to do with the amount of carbon_ is to do with the amount of carbon the property has omitted or is_ carbon the property has omitted or is currently omitting. you're standing now in the uk's i first—ever zero carbon retrofit i house, but it's made up of two parts. _ this part here is an old house. 170 years old. and over the far side is the new part. - 2009, just 13 years old. this was the old —| two up, two down. tiny little house, typical of. many of our victorian streets. so what we've done is we've taken a bit of floor space - and insulated on the insides here, but on the sides -

and the back we've - insulated on the outside. so we don't lose the floor space. | that's one of our biggest drawbacks. we're working in lots of old buildings — part of our understanding of raising living standards, floor space is important. so this is the front - bedroom where we've got the old windows here. we've put a lining of insulation, and thisl is what we've used. it's a very eco material. it's basically— chewed up newspaper. it's not expensive, and we've just pumped it in to the wall. so you've literally created a cavity? just pump it in under pressure. it makes like a big duvet. we have used it for the ceiling. i it's probably only an extra £5 per square metre to get - the extra thickness because all the other costs are fixed. -

the airtightness of the whole house has moved 28 times. i the reef has improved the installation _ the reef has improved the installation 25— the reef has improved the installation 25 times. - so the actual running costs of this building — what does that look like now? interesting question — we don't have any fuel bills here. - this house is not . consuming energy. it's generating more - energy than it consumes, and so suddenly fuel bills are a thing of the past. . i would suggest for these you need to set yourselfl a target that you want at least 80% reduction in the energy. use of that house, - and that's achievable. we've gone 95% reduction here — maybe there are some things - here you think we can't go that far. _ but i would say 80% is easily doable. - the extra thickness of-

insulation doesn't cost a lot, but the extra that will not off people's heating bills. - instead of a radiator in every room, that's what you need. j i think what he's done is the pinnacle. the comforting thing is he's done it with a retro fit. he is definitely utilised an old building, similar to the buildings we own. so there's no reason we can't try to replicate what he's done there, tailor it to what we need and come out with a hybrid version that's the blueprint we roll out moving forward.

i'm 81 years old now, - and it doesn't take a genius to notice how much things, especially electricity and, l you know, the utility that most people use are going up. - it is crazy. absolutely crazy. i don't know where peoplej think we've got the money to pay all these bills. you'll have the new roof. you'll have the new windows and doors, and then you'll have the insulation on the outside of the house.

it's all geared up, believe it or not, to keep the warmth in. but then you've got the circulation of air, so it gets rid of any damp and mould. a few weeks ago, i had - an enormous bill and it was frightening actually. when they started, we knew about it. i scaffolding went up and, - oh dear, oh dear, you wondered what they were going to do next. _ but as things have gone on, and it has been 12 months l and more, you can see that it's going to be viable. _ last but not least. there we go. we've been promised it'll be warmer for a start, . which is very nice to think about _

cos it's terrible — - terrible at the moment. in wintertime, it'd be warmer living in a tent in the field. - i'm just heading to site now, so i'll see you in about 20 minutes. so the project we're running down at all saints is going to cost in the region of 1.3 million. 500,000 of that is contributed by the government as a grant and the rest we are funding internally. it's quite a complicated set of measures to put into a property. we want to make sure that our homes are genuinely affordable for people to heat. no tenant should be forced into choosing between whether to heat their home or buy their dinner.

we live in a society that should be able to move away from that in this day and age. we have tenants who are having to choose between putting petrol in the car or buying food, and there's an irony there that you put petrol in the car to drive to work but you then can't spend money on food that you've worked for. you have to spend it just to get back to work and hope that you have something spare at the end of the month. it really is a situation that isn't good, and so we're committed as i say to try and do everything we can do to help that. ok, i can see some solar panels and freshly rendered properties here. sam. yes, scott. good to meet you. how are you doing? cameron. good to meet you, camero ., , ., yeah, it was alright. we got lost but got here eventually. there were a few diversions

through some farmland, dodging a few tractors and big vehicles but we're here. 0k, yeah, we made it. you made it one piece, . that's the important thing. coming from inner city birmingham, our social housing looks different so this was a surprise. like, hills and views and all of that, i was surprised. but you're from down here, though. not quite, bristol is a little bit more scenic than birmingham. i'd say it's still eye—opening to see this because social housing in bristol doesn't look like this either. shall we take a walk around | site and i'll talk you through what we've been doing? yes, please. so how many properties did you say you have on this site? we've got around 30 properties on the site in total. _ these are electric boiler combinations? how are these...? so these are all electric. we don't have a mains gas - connection to these properties, so what we've done is we'vel upgraded the heating system

with that in mind which is why we have selected an air- source heat pump. what have we got here, like spec and systems wise? so, starting from the top - to the bottom, we've upgraded the loft insulation, - new triple—glazed windows, new high performance doors, upgraded the ventilation - internally. we've also added the solar pv on the roof and air- source heat pump. so a fair bit has gone into it. so this is a two—bedroom house? yeah. have we got an indication of how well this will perform throughout the winter? so we've had comment from one of the tenants on site that - they've seen their costs reduce for electricity to about one - third, between 25% and 30%, i as to what they were spending. 0k, which is really good. really good, really good. what would you say have been some of the kind of biggest hurdles with installing something like this? a lot of the technology that we've been - fitting is quite new. it's the first time we've - fitted it and the contractors

themselves aren't particularly experienced in delivering - it at this time. most of the teething issues we've had haven't been - to do with the fabric, we've had those kind of relatively, you think, . simple issues like the hot water not kicking ml or the heating won't kick in or vice versa. yeah. if it was a gas boiler, - you'd get a heating engineer out and they could fix it very quickly. - so it's not the case ofjust calling a plumber now or having one of your electricians or whatever it is, it's actually somebody that understands that particular system? absolutely, absolutely. so that's something we would have to consider from a maintenance perspective. let me take you down —| we'll go and visit nancy. one of the last properties. to be having the work done. there's been quite a bit of disruption on site. we started this project - during the end of the pandemic, and then following on with the supply chain issues . that we're still— experiencing as a sector. that has delayed work on site quite significantly at times. . you can see here i the installation that we've been fitting. what's the spec

of this insulation? so it's 170mm thick, stonewall. that's interesting, cosjohn was saying 300mm and this is 170, so a lot thinner. and it's super—dense. yeah. we specified it to bring - the properties down to a heat demand of 50 kilowatt hours per metre squared. - yeah, makes sense. cosjohn was going for zero, wasn't he? yeah. but i think ultimately trying to reduce the bills, that's the main objective. yeah. if you can get them down two thirds, which is what you said earlier, like, who can complain? i think i had anxiety about the installation of 300, but seeing the smaller one and understanding that it has benefits... hello. he was saying about the teething problems and even the

supplies— teething problems and even the supplies are not that familiar with— supplies are not that familiar with the _ supplies are not that familiar with the system so it is still new— with the system so it is still new to _ with the system so it is still new to them so getting people to get— new to them so getting people to get out and maintain these things— to get out and maintain these things has been quite difficult. the best thing is probably to up skill our guys and get _ probably to up skill our guys and get them familiar with the systems. _ and get them familiar with the systems, they are restoring the system — systems, they are restoring the system so — systems, they are restoring the system so they will know... how it went in _ system so they will know... how it went in and _ system so they will know... how it went in and what _ system so they will know... how it went in and what could - system so they will know... how it went in and what could go wrong potentially and why. in the next handful of years, i see -- — in the next handful of years, i see —— don't see how we don't and _ see —— don't see how we don't and up — see —— don't see how we don't and up in _ see —— don't see how we don't and up in the new bills and doing — and up in the new bills and doing both. retro fittings and land — doing both. retro fittings and land and _ doing both. retro fittings and

land and building. i think they are actually building it to the future — are actually building it to the future home standards which is really _ future home standards which is really interesting because if we are _ really interesting because if we are looking to go down that path. _ we are looking to go down that path, building new builds, we really— path, building new builds, we really want to get ahead of the regulation that is coming in. tony. — regulation that is coming in. tony, scott, go to meet you. come _ tony, scott, go to meet you. come this— tony, scott, go to meet you. come this is one of our —— this is one — come this is one of our —— this is one of— come this is one of our —— this is one of our— come this is one of our —— this is one of our future home scheme _ is one of our future home scheme-— is one of our future home scheme. , . ., , , scheme. they are many finished but we have _ scheme. they are many finished but we have got _ scheme. they are many finished but we have got lots _ scheme. they are many finished but we have got lots going - scheme. they are many finished but we have got lots going on i but we have got lots going on inside — but we have got lots going on inside we _ but we have got lots going on inside. we are _ but we have got lots going on inside. we are really- inside. we are really interested _ inside. we are really interested in- inside. we are really interested in looking inside. we are really. interested in looking at different _ interested in looking at different technologies. | interested in looking at. different technologies. for interested in looking at - different technologies. for me, one of— different technologies. for me, one of the _ different technologies. for me, one of the key— different technologies. for me, one of the key challenges - different technologies. for me, one of the key challenges is - one of the key challenges is the actuai— one of the key challenges is the actual usability- one of the key challenges is the actual usability i'm - the actual usability i'm excited _ the actual usability i'm excited to— the actual usability i'm excited to take - the actual usability i'm excited to take a - the actual usability i'm excited to take a look. | the actual usability i'm excited to take a look. this is a dual victor _

excited to take a look. this is a dual victor ryan _ excited to take a look. this is a dual victor ryan exhaust i excited to take a look. this is l a dual victor ryan exhaust heat punio — a dual victor ryan exhaust heat pump. sounds fancy. it a dual victor ryan exhaust heat pump. sounds fancy.— pump. sounds fancy. it takes the heat out _ pump. sounds fancy. it takes the heat out of _ pump. sounds fancy. it takes the heat out of the _ pump. sounds fancy. it takes the heat out of the air- pump. sounds fancy. it takes the heat out of the air and i the heat out of the air and converts— the heat out of the air and converts it _ the heat out of the air and converts it through - the heat out of the air and| converts it through various processes— converts it through various processes into _ converts it through various processes into hot - converts it through various processes into hot water. i converts it through various - processes into hot water. they have _ processes into hot water. they have iieen_ processes into hot water. they have been essentially - processes into hot water. they have been essentially a - processes into hot water. theyl have been essentially a handful of these — have been essentially a handful of these instilled _ have been essentially a handful of these instilled in _ have been essentially a handful of these instilled in the - of these instilled in the country. _ of these instilled in the country. so _ of these instilled in the country, so these - of these instilled in the country, so these are l of these instilled in the - country, so these are some of the first— country, so these are some of the first and _ country, so these are some of the first and we _ country, so these are some of the first and we are _ country, so these are some of the first and we are keen- country, so these are some of the first and we are keen to l the first and we are keen to see — the first and we are keen to see how— the first and we are keen to see how they— the first and we are keen to see how they work - the first and we are keen to see how they work in - the first and we are keen toi see how they work in reality. this — see how they work in reality. this is— see how they work in reality. this is the _ see how they work in reality. this is the system _ see how they work in reality. this is the system that - see how they work in reality. this is the system that will l see how they work in reality. i this is the system that will be put this is the system that will be out in — this is the system that will be put in place to replace boiler systems _ put in place to replace boiler s stems. , put in place to replace boiler systems— put in place to replace boiler s stems. , ,., . , ., systems. yes, it produces hot water for _ systems. yes, it produces hot water for the _ systems. yes, it produces hot water for the cylinder - systems. yes, it produces hot water for the cylinder and - water for the cylinder and through— water for the cylinder and through the _ water for the cylinder and through the heating - water for the cylinder and through the heating and i water for the cylinder and i through the heating and that water for the cylinder and - through the heating and that is distributed _ through the heating and that is distributed to— through the heating and that is distributed to underfloor - distributed to underfloor heating _ distributed to underfloor heating se _ distributed to underfloor heatinu. ., distributed to underfloor heatinu. . , heating. so the aim is essentially _ heating. so the aim is essentially to - heating. so the aim is essentially to have . heating. so the aim is| essentially to have the heating. so the aim is - essentially to have the heating on low consistently as opposed to turning it up and down. yes. to turning it up and down. yes, exactl . to turning it up and down. yes, exactly. these _ to turning it up and down. yes, exactly. these systems - to turning it up and down. yes, exactly. these systems work i to turning it up and down. yes, | exactly. these systems work so well that — exactly. these systems work so well that this — exactly. these systems work so

well that this one, _ well that this one, particularly, - well that this one, particularly, is - well that this one, i particularly, is 500% well that this one, _ particularly, is 500% efficient so for— particularly, is 500% efficient so for every— particularly, is 500% efficient so for every unit _ particularly, is 500% efficient so for every unit of— particularly, is 500% efficient so for every unit of energy, . so for every unit of energy, you — so for every unit of energy, you put— so for every unit of energy, you put in. _ so for every unit of energy, you put in, you _ so for every unit of energy, you put in, you get - so for every unit of energy, you put in, you get five - so for every unit of energy, i you put in, you get five units of heat — you put in, you get five units of heat out _ you put in, you get five units of heat out so _ you put in, you get five units of heat out so it _ you put in, you get five units of heat out so it brings - you put in, you get five units of heat out so it brings the l of heat out so it brings the electric— of heat out so it brings the electric cars _ of heat out so it brings the electric cars down - of heat out so it brings the electric cars down lower. of heat out so it brings the . electric cars down lower than gas — electric cars down lower than as. , , electric cars down lower than t as, , , . , . gas. this is incredible. we have done _ gas. this is incredible. we have done this _ gas. this is incredible. we have done this research i gas. this is incredible. we | have done this research on gas. this is incredible. we - have done this research on this type _ have done this research on this type of— have done this research on this type of technology but seeing it in action, it makes sense how— it in action, it makes sense how we _ it in action, it makes sense how we can implement it on our sites _ how we can implement it on our sites. ., how we can implement it on our sites. . ,., , . sites. can we some pictures? yes, of sites. can we some pictures? yes. of course. _ sites. can we some pictures? yes, of course, go _ sites. can we some pictures? yes, of course, go ahead. i sites. can we some pictures? | yes, of course, go ahead. say cheese! we — yes, of course, go ahead. say cheese! we always _ yes, of course, go ahead. cheese! we always had yes, of course, go ahead.“ cheese! we always had problems with cupboards and the older properties so this is perfect, rather— properties so this is perfect, rather than having boarded up cupboards or trying to add a awkward _ cupboards or trying to add a awkward shaped space to a room. so, cost wise, what does that look — so, cost wise, what does that look like _ so, cost wise, what does that look like per year?—

so, cost wise, what does that look like per year? once again, based on the _ look like per year? once again, based on the design _ look like per year? once again, based on the design data, - look like per year? once again, | based on the design data, these properties— based on the design data, these properties could _ based on the design data, these properties could cost _ based on the design data, these properties could cost around - properties could cost around £50 — properties could cost around £50 a — properties could cost around £50 a year— properties could cost around £50 a year to _ properties could cost around £50 a year to run. _ properties could cost around £50 a year to run. £50 - properties could cost around £50 a year to run.— properties could cost around £50 a year to run. £50 a year to run a — £50 a year to run. £50 a year to run a single _ £50 a year to run. £50 a year to run a single unit? - £50 a year to run. £50 a year to run a single unit? yes. - £50 a year to run. £50 a yearl to run a single unit? yes. that is unbelievable. that is actually unbelievable. | is unbelievable. that is actually unbelievable. i have to ut actually unbelievable. i have to put this — actually unbelievable. i have to put this on _ actually unbelievable. i have to put this on my _ actually unbelievable. i have to put this on my house! - actually unbelievable. i have to put this on my house! i. actually unbelievable. i havel to put this on my house! i am suer to put this on my house! i am super impressed _ to put this on my house! i am super impressed with - to put this on my house! i am super impressed with what i to put this on my house! i am super impressed with what we have _ super impressed with what we have seen, it is a lot different to what we thought. we thought it would be more kind — we thought it would be more kind of— we thought it would be more kind of futuristic materials and — kind of futuristic materials and things that we have not seen — and things that we have not seen or— and things that we have not seen or they are hard to come across— seen or they are hard to come across irut— seen or they are hard to come across but they have used your general — across but they have used your general building brick and block _ general building brick and block i_ general building brick and block. ., , general building brick and block. . , “ block. i actually look like the s stems block. i actually look like the systems we've _ block. i actually look like the systems we've currently - block. i actually look like thej systems we've currently got, which makes this really achievable.— which makes this really achievable. , ., achievable. yes, and even thou . h achievable. yes, and even though there _ achievable. yes, and even though there is _ achievable. yes, and even though there is a - achievable. yes, and even though there is a big - achievable. yes, and even i though there is a big upfront costs. — though there is a big upfront costs, tony has told us that to run one — costs, tony has told us that to run one of— costs, tony has told us that to run one of these units now, £50 a year. — run one of these units now, £50 a year. i— run one of these units now, £50 a year, i thought it was actually— a year, i thought it was actually £50 a year, and it is £50 — actually £50 a year, and it is £50 a — actually £50 a year, and it is £50 a month of —— £50 a year.

-- r— £50 a month of —— £50 a year. -- ithought— £50 a month of —— £50 a year. —— i thought it was actually £50 — —— i thought it was actually £50 a — —— i thought it was actually £50 a month but it is £50 a year — £50 a month but it is £50 a year and _ £50 a month but it is £50 a year. and we have tenants that are currently spending 40 to £50 — are currently spending 40 to £50 a — are currently spending 40 to £50 a week. the biggest thing for me — £50 a week. the biggest thing for me is— £50 a week. the biggest thing for me is the installation. probably go with thinner insulation on the front of the property— insulation on the front of the property but we can implement that on— property but we can implement that on the back of the property. providing power to the property. recess into the root — the property. recess into the roof. , , . , roof. this experience has been really good. — roof. this experience has been really good. i _ roof. this experience has been really good, i have _ roof. this experience has been really good, i have learnt - roof. this experience has been really good, i have learnt so i really good, i have learnt so much across the different sites. ~ , , sites. we will use definitely the solar — sites. we will use definitely the solar panels, _ sites. we will use definitely the solar panels, the - sites. we will use definitely the solar panels, the hybrid system _ the solar panels, the hybrid system they had at edgbaston, that is— system they had at edgbaston, that is definitely something we have _ that is definitely something we have looked at implementing. those — have looked at implementing. those other things we took away from sites we went to. i do see

these in late solar panels. you can see they are there and they look good. fin can see they are there and they look good-— look good. on the front of the preperty. _ look good. on the front of the preperty. we _ look good. on the front of the preperty. we want _ look good. on the front of the property, we want to - look good. on the front of the property, we want to try - look good. on the front of the property, we want to try to i property, we want to try to keep— property, we want to try to keep as — property, we want to try to keep as much at the original facade, _ keep as much at the original facade, the original features, we don't _ facade, the original features, we don't really want to spoil what — we don't really want to spoil what is _ we don't really want to spoil what is there because we like that — what is there because we like that we _ what is there because we like that. we know there is an added costt _ that. we know there is an added cost we — that. we know there is an added cost, we have to factor that in so we — cost, we have to factor that in so we might say, £1 million renovation which is likely going _ renovation which is likely going to be the case that gravelly hell, that is probably 150,000 excess on top of that to implement some of the systems that we would like to put systems that we would like to out in — systems that we would like to out in to — systems that we would like to put in to reduce the bills. the projection of gravelly hill, the front is probably the best. we looked at that business—wise and said, ok, that's probably 18—24 months for us to recoup that money back again over 22 apartments. and then obviously we're just into profit or savings, which ever way you want to look at it. we've got a date at the end of september for planning to be submitted and then we're hoping

to actually start work in the first quarter of next year. what we're doing at gravelly hill excites me. i want to just play the game now and finish. i want it to be over so we can see the end product. i want to see it in full view. the thing i'm looking forward to the most is seeing the impact it has on the tenants and if it is life—changing for them. details of organisations

offering information and support our available at action line. hello, many areas desperate for rain, including the south—east of england. that has been addressed a little over the last few days. it has been the wettest start to november on record in the south—east. some areas have seen a month's worth of rain injust the space of a few days. however, mist and fog is likely to be a problem across south—east england over the next few days. the rain stays into the far north—west. elsewhere it will be largely dry, and it will be mild for all of us. over the next few hours, that rain across the far north of scotland, the south—westerly wind feeding in a lot of low cloud, mist and drizzle as well. it will be a mild start to thursday morning, temperatures sitting between nine and 12 degrees. the cloud thick enough for a spot of drizzle first thing, and it will be pretty misty as well. but high pressure is dominating the story and keeping

things largely dry. it is also keeping these weather fronts out to the far north—west. around that high, we have got this southerly wind, and that is feeding on the mild air, and extending as far north of scotland. yes, cloudy, with some light drizzle first thing. a misty, murky start for all. the rain quite heavy and persistent to the north—west of the great glen. the winds are a feature for the highlands and islands and across the irish sea. we are likely to seek deal wednesday, blustery elsewhere, but mild with it. so a bit of a peculiar afternoon. there will be some brighter spells into the afternoon, with highs of 16 degrees, 61 fahrenheit. that is going to lead into a very mild night indeed thursday into the early hours of friday. we are likely to be greeted with temperatures not falling very far at all, 15 or 16 celsius. look how much cloud we have got for many, first thing. that should tend to break up across central and eastern england into the afternoon. the rain stays to the north—west, but the talking

point on friday will be temperatures as high as 18 or 19 celsius. now, as we move into the weekend, it starts off dry, but there's a threat of another front pushing in from the west as we go through the latter stages of sunday. so, all in all, not a bad weekend in prospect — dry and mild for most, certainly better than last weekend.

welcome to bbc news — i'm nuala mcgovern. our top stories. a major set back for russia in ukraine — it announces a retreat from kherson — the only major city its captured since the invasion. we have to try to piece together what is happening in the city that is, to all intents and purposes, cut off from the outside world. midterm mystery — control of the us congress remains in the balance — with votes still being counted. prominent iranian figures from the worlds of sport and film continue to show their support for anti—government protesters.