Artists from almost 100 countries have been whittled down to a trio in the search for the world’s best portrait painter.

The three people in the running for the BP Portrait Award include Leicester-based Michael Gaskell, who has been runner-up three times already.

His painting of his then 14-year-old niece Eliza is up against Israeli artist Matan Ben-Cnaan’s oil painting of a friend and their stepdaughter, and Spanish painter Borja Buces Renard’s portrait of his mother and brother (pictured).

Former fattest man to have skin op

A man once dubbed the fattest in the world is set to undergo surgery to remove excess skin after his huge weight loss.

Paul Mason, 54, from Ipswich, used to weigh 70 stone but has lost about 45 stone.

Now living in the US, he is engaged and has been raising funds online to remove up to 100lb of leftover skin – particularly from an area around the waist called “the apron” and his “bat wing” arms.

Lucky escape for elderly couple

An elderly couple had a lucky escape when a runaway car plunged through their conservatory.

In a freak accident, the Nissan Almera rolled backwards off a driveway, through a neighbour’s fence and over a garden pond, before smashing into the house, according to recovery crews.

Sam Burke, of Burke Brothers Recovery, said he and colleagues arrived at the address in Hall Lane, Bilston, West Midlands, last night.

Beer from treated sewer water?

An Oregon wastewater treatment operator has asked home brewers to make great-tasting beer from hops, barley, yeast and the key, not-so-secret ingredient: treated sewer water.

The point of the contest is not to find Portland’s next trendy craft beer but to get people talking about how a vital resource can be reused thanks to advanced water-filtration systems, said Mark Jockers, of Clean Water Services.

The utility plans to release 1,135 litres of highly purified water in early June to about 20 home brewers from the Oregon Brew Crew, the state’s oldest home-brewing club. A panel of experts will judge the beers in late July or early August. The victor wins 100 dollars (£65), five others will get 50 dollars and their kegs will be taken to an international water conference in Chicago. Though state regulators have approved the safety of the water, the beer will not be sold at shops or bars.

Power play for Venezuelan staff

Venezuelan government workers are getting a few extra hours off each day as officials try to save on electricity.

Electric energy minister Jesse Chacon said public offices will start at 7.30am and shut down at 1pm. The country saw a sudden jump in electricity usage over the last week because high temperatures led to greater use of air conditioning.

Mr Chacon told state television that many key sectors are exempt from the cutback. Among them are schools, clinics, the oil industry and security forces. Officials said they will also increase inspections to ensure private businesses cut back their use of electricity.

Miss Piggy honoured by museum

A prestigious award from the Brooklyn Museum honours women who have made outstanding contributions in their fields, and this year’s winner is Miss Piggy.

The Muppets character joins a distinguished list of recipients of the Sackler Centre First Awards including theatre director Julie Taymor and former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor. Miss Piggy declared: “Moi is thrilled.”