5 other things that are falling down this week

Forget the award winners, the performances and Ant and Dec’s heads on a plate. The only thing anyone’s really talking about post-BRITs is Madonna’s tumble.

But she’s not alone. What else is falling down this week?

HSBC’s popularity and RBS’ profits

Just when you though the popularity of our high street banks couldn’t go any lower, HSBC have come out and apologised for helping clients avoid tax, through “unacceptable” practices at its Swiss private bank. It’s also not a good day for RBS – the state-owned bank – which has reported £3.5bn loss for 2014. Though that is down from last year’s £9bn loss.

The Green Party leader’s credibility.

Oh dear. This is a bad one. If you haven’t yet heard this, prepare to squirm. The leader of the Green Party, Natalie Bennett went on LBC on Tuesday to announce her party’s new housing policy. If you like, long silences, stuttering responses, coughing and an apparent lack of preparation, you’ll love this. Have a listen, it’s fantastically excruciating.

England’s chances at the Cricket World Cup

After embarrassing, morale-sapping thrashings at the hands of both of the World Cup’s hosts, New Zealand and Australia, England finally posted their first victory of the tournament on Monday, beating the mighty cricketing nation of, er, Scotland. Sri Lanka are up next for England, then Bangladesh, and finally Afghanistan, then home.

The euro rate against the pound

The good old pound is on one heck of a good run against some of the world’s major currencies right now. Against the US dollar, sterling’s now at its highest level since 2nd January and against the euro, the pound is at a seven year high, which means your money will go so much further abroad. But for every tale of strength, there’s one of weakness – spare a thought for the euro.

Common sense

A chap known as Scotland’s happiest lollipop man has been banned from high-fiving children as they cross the road, because of health and safety concerns. One parent told BBC News that the lollipop man actually keeps the kids safer; they all want to see the lollipop man, so they all use the pedestrian crossing.

West Dunbartonshire Council disagree: "All patrollers are instructed when crossing children over a road to remain static with one hand on their stick and the other stretched outwards. This ensures that they can be seen and effectively provides a barrier between school pupils and the traffic."

Spoilsports.