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- Chile jolted by major 7.6-magnitude earthquake
- Israel summons ambassadors for dressing down over UN resolution
- Pope calls for peace in world's conflict areas in Christmas Day message
- Progressive causes see 'unprecedented' upswing in donations after US election
- Dozens die in Democratic Republic of Congo as violence spreads amid political instability
- German city evacuated after discovery of unexploded RAF bomb
- Fake news story prompts Pakistan to issue nuclear warning to Israel
- Carrie Fisher in 'stable condition' two days after reported heart attack
- Afghanistan funds abusive militias as US military 'ignores' situation, officials say
- Why George Michael turned his back on America
- 'I never had a problem with being gay': George Michael, LGBT rights champion, remembered
- 'Cloud fishing' reels in precious water for villagers in rural Morocco | Celeste Hicks
- George Michael obituary: "a full scale phenomenon"
- George Michael, pop superstar, dies at 53
- A year after the deluge, York is still counting the cost
- Mervyn King: Britain should be more upbeat about Brexit
- No fame, no fuss: eight heroes of 2016
- Blizzard conditions in parts of US make travel 'very dangerous if not impossible'
- Mexico: six decapitated heads found on Christmas Day
- Refugee pleaded with doctors on Manus Island for help before his death
- Uluru closed due to record rain and flash flooding
- South Korea's 'Rasputin' refuses to leave cell to face MPs' questions
- 'Cultural rot': LNP savages Queensland Rail after Christmas Day debacle
- Egypt arrests Al-Jazeera journalist over 'provoking sedition'
- Hats off for the beret! Traditional French headwear becomes haute couture
- Revealed: British councils used Ripa to secretly spy on public
- French police investigate Christmas Eve killing in Marseille
- 2016 was the end of the world as we know it. So what's next?
- Typhoon Nina brings strong winds and heavy rain to Philippines on Christmas
- Diversity of purpose vital for rural churches | Letters
- Bionic legs and smart slacks: exoskeletons that could enhance us all
| Chile jolted by major 7.6-magnitude earthquake Posted: 25 Dec 2016 11:14 AM PST Evacuation order and tsunami watch lifted three hours after the Christmas Day quake struck, allowing 5,000 people to return home A major 7.6-magnitude earthquake hit southern Chile on Sunday, prompting thousands to evacuate coastal areas, but no fatalities or major damage were reported. Chile's national emergency office (Onemi) lifted both the evacuation order and a tsunami watch three hours after the Christmas Day quake struck and told nearly 5,000 people who had been evacuated they could return to their homes. Continue reading... |
| Israel summons ambassadors for dressing down over UN resolution Posted: 25 Dec 2016 04:40 AM PST Benjamin Netanyahu issues 'personal reprimand' to diplomats from security council nations who voted for settlements rebuke Benjamin Netanyahu has summoned the ambassadors of all UN security council members which backed a resolution condemning Israeli settlements to "personally reprimand" them. According to Israeli media reports the ambassadors summoned on Sunday for the Israeli prime minister's dressing down include all those from security council members with permanent missions in Israel: Russia, China, Japan, Ukraine, France, Britain, Angola, Egypt, Uruguay and Spain. Continue reading... |
| Pope calls for peace in world's conflict areas in Christmas Day message Posted: 25 Dec 2016 04:16 AM PST Francis appeals for support for all scarred by war and terrorism, as UK's Christian leaders also address tumultuous events of 2016 The world must harness the power of love rather than might and wealth to bring peace to areas blighted by conflict, Pope Francis has said in his Christmas Day message. In the UK, Christian leaders focused on uncertainty, anxiety and fear at the end of a tumultuous year on the global stage. In his Christmas Day homily delivered in front of thousands of people from the balcony of St Peter's Basilica in Rome, the leader of the world's 1.2 billion Roman Catholics appealed for the message of peace to go out "to the ends of the Earth to reach all peoples, especially those scarred by war and harsh conflicts that seem stronger than the yearning for peace". Continue reading... |
| Progressive causes see 'unprecedented' upswing in donations after US election Posted: 25 Dec 2016 04:00 AM PST Nonprofits such as Planned Parenthood and ACLU saw more fundraising as they approached end-of-year drives, with many donating instead of gift-giving One man wrote a check for $10,000 to an organization that helps women get elected to office, saying he was "embarrassed" that Donald Trump won the presidential election. Someone else walked into the office of an organization advocating for immigrant rights and handed over a bag of cash he had just collected from members of his local community civics group. Continue reading... |
| Dozens die in Democratic Republic of Congo as violence spreads amid political instability Posted: 25 Dec 2016 02:06 PM PST Attacks have surged across the country in the past week alongside violent protests over president Joseph Kabila's failure to step down Militias in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo killed at least 34 civilians over the weekend, the army and local activists said, the mounting violence stoking concerns over political instability. Attacks have surged across the country in the past week alongside violent protests over president Joseph Kabila's failure to step down at the end of his constitutional mandate on Tuesday. Continue reading... |
| German city evacuated after discovery of unexploded RAF bomb Posted: 25 Dec 2016 10:57 AM PST Residents of 32,000 households in Augsburg allowed to return after 1.8-tonne second world war bomb is successfully defused Explosives experts have defused a large second world war bomb in the German city of Augsburg, clearing the way for thousands of evacuated residents to return and hold their Christmas celebrations at home. City police tweeted that they had "good news at Christmas" just before 7pm local time (18.00 GMT). Before that, they had been unable to say how long residents would have to stay away due to the sensitive explosives work being done. |
| Fake news story prompts Pakistan to issue nuclear warning to Israel Posted: 25 Dec 2016 02:35 PM PST Defence minister reminds Israel on Twitter that 'Pakistan is a nuclear state too' after fake story says Israel had threatened to destroy Pakistan A fake news story has touched off a Twitter confrontation between nuclear powers Pakistan and Israel. The exchange took place following the publication of a fake story headlined "Israeli Defense Minister: If Pakistan send ground troops to Syria on any pretext, we will destroy this country with a nuclear attack". Continue reading... |
| Carrie Fisher in 'stable condition' two days after reported heart attack Posted: 25 Dec 2016 01:13 PM PST Star Wars actor has been hospitalized since Friday after going into cardiac arrest while aboard an 11-hour flight from London to Los Angeles Actor and writer Carrie Fisher was in "stable condition" on Sunday, two days after reportedly suffering a heart attack on a flight from London to Los Angeles. Fisher's mother, actor Debbie Reynolds, said the family would update the public with any further developments before thanking fans for their well wishes. Continue reading... |
| Afghanistan funds abusive militias as US military 'ignores' situation, officials say Posted: 26 Dec 2016 02:00 AM PST Foreign donor money goes to Afghan spy agency, which arms groups intended to fight Taliban – but some militia leaders instead target local officials The US military and the CIA are turning a blind eye as Afghanistan's spy agency spends foreign donor money on militias which are committing human rights abuses that help destabilise the fragile country, according to local and western officials. The Afghan national directorate of security (NDS) arms strongmen ostensibly to fight the Taliban and other militants. But some militia leaders use their new power to fight local turf wars, including against elected government officials, rather than insurgents. Continue reading... |
| Why George Michael turned his back on America Posted: 26 Dec 2016 01:50 AM PST Star scored success across the pond but relationship was soured by row with label and arrest that forced him to come out Fans, critics and stars pay tribute – live reaction Share your tributes and memories George Michael found success quickly in the US, briefly eclipsing even superstars such as Michael Jackson and Madonna at the tail end of the 1980s. But his experience and life in America were soured by a fight with his record label and arrest in a public bathroom that forced him to come out as a gay man. Continue reading... |
| 'I never had a problem with being gay': George Michael, LGBT rights champion, remembered Posted: 26 Dec 2016 01:30 AM PST Singer came out after he was arrested in 1998 for engaging in 'a lewd act' in front of an undercover police officer in Beverly Hills George Michael will be remembered for his work as a prominent gay rights campaigner as well as for his glittering pop career. The performer, who died from heart failure on Christmas Day aged 53, had been a fervent support of LGBT issues, with some of his most famous solo work referencing his sexuality. Continue reading... |
| 'Cloud fishing' reels in precious water for villagers in rural Morocco | Celeste Hicks Posted: 26 Dec 2016 01:00 AM PST A fog harvesting project in an arid region of Morocco solves water stress and means women no longer have to fetch water, enabling them to train or learn "Everyone was leaving the village where I grew up, and it was all because of water," says Jamila Bargach, whose village in rural Morocco has steadily emptied of people amid severe water stress. As in most of rural Morocco, climate change and population pressures have led to more unpredictable rainfall patterns and the depletion of natural water sources, such as underground aquifers, in the area around the village of Taloust. Situated in the country's south-west Sidi Ifni region, close to the coast, the area is extremely arid as it borders the northern Sahara desert. Average annual precipitation is less than 130mm. Continue reading... |
| George Michael obituary: "a full scale phenomenon" Posted: 26 Dec 2016 12:34 AM PST Wham! singer who went on to a solo career and became Britain's biggest pop star George Michael, who has died aged 53, was Britain's biggest pop star of the 1980s, first with the pop duo Wham! and then as a solo artist. After Wham! made their initial chart breakthrough with the single Young Guns (Go for It) in 1982, Michael's songwriting gift brought them giant hits including Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go and Careless Whisper, and they became leading lights of the 80s boom in British pop music, alongside Culture Club and Duran Duran. His first solo album, Faith (1987), sold 25m copies, and Michael sold more than 100m albums worldwide with Wham! and under his own name. Michael remained a major figure in the music industry even when his record releases slowed to a trickle in the later part of his career, and a loyal fan base ensured that his concert tours always sold out. However, from the late 1990s onwards he was beset by a string of personal crises and clashes with the law caused by drug use. He had always felt ambivalent about the demands of stardom, and found it difficult to balance his celebrity status with his private life. After years of concealing his homosexuality, he eventually came out in 1998, after being arrested for engaging in a "lewd act" in a public lavatory in Beverly Hills, California. |
| George Michael, pop superstar, dies at 53 Posted: 26 Dec 2016 12:24 AM PST Singer who first made his name as half of pop group Wham! before going on to solo success died peacefully at home • Tributes flood in for late pop star – latest reaction Andrew Ridgeley and Sir Elton John have led tributes to pop superstar George Michael, who has died at his home in Oxfordshire aged 53. Michael's former Wham! bandmate wrote on Twitter that he was "heartbroken by the loss of my friend" who would be "4ever loved". John, another friend and collaborator, wrote on Instagram of his "deep shock" at the loss of "the kindest, most generous soul and a brilliant artist". Continue reading... |
| A year after the deluge, York is still counting the cost Posted: 25 Dec 2016 11:00 PM PST Shops and Viking centre not yet ready to reopen as council denies it failed families on Travellers site A year ago, Walmgate in York was about to become less of a road than a river, leaving a silver Mercedes floating outside the gadget shop, soldiers rescuing inhabitants via dinghy and a few hardy residents deciding to stick it out in their upstairs flats with no electricity. Twelve months on and the historic thoroughfare has finally dried out, but a tidemark of resentment remains. "The truth is, the city of York council completely failed residents," says the local Labour MP, Rachael Maskell. Continue reading... |
| Mervyn King: Britain should be more upbeat about Brexit Posted: 26 Dec 2016 01:54 AM PST Former Bank of England governor says despite political difficulties there will be many opportunities once UK leaves EU Britain should be "more self-confident" about its prospects outside the European Union, the former governor of the Bank of England has said. Lord King acknowledged that Brexit would bring "great political difficulties", but said that there would also be "many opportunities" economically for the UK striking out on its own. Continue reading... |
| No fame, no fuss: eight heroes of 2016 Posted: 25 Dec 2016 11:00 PM PST From the man who tackled the Nice truck killer to the women who opened their homes to those in peril, there are plenty of good people out there The Donald Trump victory, the fallout from Brexit, warnings about the return of fascism in Europe, the assault on Aleppo and the unabated refugee crisis. For many people, 2016 won't be the year that cemented their faith in humanity. But around the world there are people who have dedicated their lives to helping others, slowly, quietly, with little fuss or fanfare. Unsung heroes have been feeding the homeless, supporting vulnerable gay teenagers and sheltering people from hurricanes. Here we look back at the year with eight of them. Continue reading... |
| Blizzard conditions in parts of US make travel 'very dangerous if not impossible' Posted: 25 Dec 2016 08:54 AM PST Weather service issued a blizzard warning for parts of North Dakota, South Dakota and Montana, with expected snow up to 15in and winds up to 55mph It'll be a white but slick and messy Christmas for the northern plains and some western states. Related: Snow, ice and rain from Storm Europa threaten holiday travel for millions in US Continue reading... |
| Mexico: six decapitated heads found on Christmas Day Posted: 25 Dec 2016 05:34 PM PST Drug war claims another 13 lives in western region riven by murders and violence Western Mexico's plague of violence has continued with the discovery of six decapitated heads in one state and the killing of seven people in another. The Michoacan state prosecutor's office said the six heads were found on Christmas Day in Jiquilpan, a municipality near the state of Jalisco in a region that has been a battleground between competing drug gangs in recent years. Continue reading... |
| Refugee pleaded with doctors on Manus Island for help before his death Posted: 25 Dec 2016 08:49 PM PST Detainees' letter claims medical staff ignored months of escalating complaints before Faysal Ishak Ahmed collapsed In the days before Sudanese refugee Faysal Ishak Ahmed collapsed and died, he pleaded with doctors inside the Manus Island detention centre to treat him, having been "more than 20 times" to see medical staff, who had been unable to arrest his worsening condition. Sudanese refugees inside the detention centre were so worried by his repeated seizures and collapsesthat they wrote a letter outlining months of escalating health complaints that, they said, had been ignored by medical staff. |
| Uluru closed due to record rain and flash flooding Posted: 25 Dec 2016 09:12 PM PST World-renowned Australian national park off limits 'until further notice' as a deep low-pressure system moves across Northern Territory Record-breaking rain and flash flooding closed Uluru national park on Monday until further notice, Parks Australia said. A deep low-pressure system moved slowly south-east across the Northern Territory during the day, carrying locally destructive winds, heavy rain and the risk of flash flooding, according to the Bureau of Meteorology. Continue reading... |
| South Korea's 'Rasputin' refuses to leave cell to face MPs' questions Posted: 25 Dec 2016 08:11 PM PST Choi Soon-Sil, a long-time friend of Park Guen-Hye, forced national assembly members to visit her in detention The woman at the heart of the impeachment crisis surrounding South Korean President Park Geun-Hye has refused to leave her jail cell for questioning by lawmakers who had convened a special hearing at her detention centre. Choi Soon-Sil, a long-time friend of the president, has repeatedly snubbed a parliamentary committee probing a corruption scandal that triggered Park's impeachment earlier this month. Continue reading... |
| 'Cultural rot': LNP savages Queensland Rail after Christmas Day debacle Posted: 25 Dec 2016 07:28 PM PST Opposition says state transport minister Stirling Hinchcliffe should resign after 235 rail services were scrapped Queensland Rail suffers from "cultural rot" and risks losing the confidence of passengers, the state's opposition has said. On Monday the transport minister, Stirling Hinchliffe, reassured Boxing Day commuters there would be no unexpected service cancellations after 235 were scrapped on Christmas Day. Continue reading... |
| Egypt arrests Al-Jazeera journalist over 'provoking sedition' Posted: 25 Dec 2016 12:42 PM PST Mahmoud Hussein is being held on charges of disturbing public security and spreading false news, but broadcaster said he was in the country on vacation Egypt confirmed on Sunday that it had arrested an Al-Jazeera news producer, accusing him of "provoking sedition" on behalf of the Qatar-based broadcaster that it considers a mouthpiece of the banned Muslim Brotherhood. Judicial sources said Mahmoud Hussein, who was detained on Friday, was being held on charges of disturbing public security and spreading false news. Continue reading... |
| Hats off for the beret! Traditional French headwear becomes haute couture Posted: 25 Dec 2016 12:00 PM PST Stereotypical French peasant hat rebounds from sales slump to sell for upwards of €1,000 in Paris boutiques Could the Basque beret – which ranks alongside the accordion, baguette and Citroën 2CV as one of the caricatural symbols of France – be making a sartorial comeback? One of France's last remaining beret-makers, Laulhère, which supplies the traditional headgear to the French army, has opened a boutique on Paris's rue Faubourg Saint Honoré, a stone's throw from the Élysée Palace and home to luxury haute-couture labels including Hermès and YSL. Continue reading... |
| Revealed: British councils used Ripa to secretly spy on public Posted: 25 Dec 2016 11:00 AM PST Local authorities used Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act to follow people, including dog walkers, over five years Councils were given permission to carry out more than 55,000 days of covert surveillance over five years, including spying on people walking dogs, feeding pigeons and fly-tipping, the Guardian can reveal. A mass freedom of information request has found 186 local authorities – two-thirds of the 283 that responded – used the government's Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (Ripa) to gather evidence via secret listening devices, cameras and private detectives. Continue reading... |
| French police investigate Christmas Eve killing in Marseille Posted: 25 Dec 2016 10:34 AM PST 19-year-old victim reportedly shot 15 times after three attackers storm cafe and open fire French police are investigating the fatal Christmas Eve killing of a 19-year-old in Marseille in which the victim was reportedly shot 15 times. Three attackers stormed a cafe in the city late on Saturday and opened fire using a Kalashnikov-style rifle, the prosecutor's office said. Continue reading... |
| 2016 was the end of the world as we know it. So what's next? Posted: 25 Dec 2016 10:00 AM PST Trump and Brexit challenged fundamental beliefs, while the Syrian war left many in despair. And there's more to come in 2017 The phrase "turning point" is overused, but future historians are likely to view the year 2016 as exactly that. The standout event was Donald Trump's surprise victory. The maverick Republican's defeat of Hillary Clinton produced a shock that reverberated around the world. The billionaire's White House tenancy begins on 20 January. Many will dub that date Black Friday, fearful that Trumpism may irreparably damage international security, environmental protection and human rights. Others will see it as a sign of welcome change. It will be a year of living dangerously. Yet 2016 was remarkable for many other reasons – good and bad. The fightback against Islamic State in Syria and Iraq gathered pace, even as terrorist atrocities took lives from Nice to Jakarta. A peace deal was signed in Colombia, ending the world's longest-running insurgency. The European Union was thrown into confusion by Britain's vote to leave. The Paris agreement marked a breakthrough on climate change. Continue reading... |
| Typhoon Nina brings strong winds and heavy rain to Philippines on Christmas Posted: 25 Dec 2016 09:31 AM PST The typhoon, known locally as Nock-ten, was packing maximum sustained winds and caused some areas to lose power and communication lines A typhoon slammed into central Philippines late on Sunday, bringing strong winds and heavy rain and cutting off power, but there were no immediate reports of casualties, weather officials and radio reports said. Typhoon Nina (also known as Nock-ten) was packing maximum sustained winds of 185kph (115mph), with gusts up to 255kph when it made landfall over Catanduanes province on the Bicol peninsula, which was under the highest storm alert on Sunday evening. Continue reading... |
| Diversity of purpose vital for rural churches | Letters Posted: 25 Dec 2016 09:10 AM PST Harriet Sherwood raises some interesting questions, but misses a fundamental point (Christmas challenge for vicars with multiple challenges, 23 December). England's amazing collection of historic rural churches should not be viewed as a liability or a burden. Rather, we should celebrate the existence of such a vast and beautiful array of capital assets, unique in the world and of incomparable historic, social and indeed economic value. Key to their revival is the application of fresh ideas and energy, from which funding and footfall can and do follow. As your author notes, diversification of purpose is essential. Prior to the late 19th century, churches served as multi-purpose centres of activity, both secular and spiritual, social and civic. Our post-Victorian narrowness of vision has in many ways caused the decline of popular usage. The Churches Conservation Trust has demonstrated many innovative and practical models of working among our 350 exemplar church buildings. Rather than decry the communities who fail to attend, CCT moves that in an increasingly atomised, digital society, the existence of genuinely democratic, accessible spaces, welcome to all, is more necessary than ever. |
| Bionic legs and smart slacks: exoskeletons that could enhance us all Posted: 25 Dec 2016 07:00 AM PST There are tantalising signs that as well as aiding rehabilitation, devices could soon help humans run faster and jump higher Wearing an £80,000 exoskeleton, Sophie Morgan is half woman, half robot. Beneath her feet are two metal plates, and at her hand a digital display, a joystick and, somewhat alarmingly, a bright red emergency button. |
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