General news

• Two uniformed police officers ambushed and killed in New York amid mood of growing public anger

  20-12-2014 23:48
  
  Two police officers were shot and killed in New York on Saturday after a man with a gun ambushed their patrol car before killing himself. It comes at a time of widespread public anger directed at police in the US after the failure to prosecute officers for their alleged role in a flurry of deaths of black suspects.
  
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• Two NYPD officers shot dead in Brooklyn before gunman shoots himself

  20-12-2014 23:43
  
  NYPD confirm two officers shot in patrol car are deadSuspect flees to subway station before shooting himselfTwo New York City police officers were shot and killed in their patrol car on Saturday afternoon, according to the New York Police Department (NYPD).The two officers were parked in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn when a gunman ambushed them, deputy chief Kim Royster told the New York Times. The two officers were rushed to Woodhull hospital, where one was pronounced dead. Co
  
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• Real Madrid cruise past San Lorenzo to seal Club World Cup title

  20-12-2014 23:35
  
  • Real Madrid 2-0 San Lorenzo
  • Ramos 37, Bale 51
  • Real Madrid 2-0 San Lorenzo – as it happenedReal Madrid landed their fourth title of the year by recording their 22nd straight victory to win the Club World Cup.The European champions defeated the Argentinian side San Lorenzo 2-0 in Marrakech on Saturday night to add the global crown to their Champions League, Uefa Super Cup and Copa del Rey triumphs. Continue reading...
  
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• Your pictures: share your photographs on the theme of 'new'

  20-12-2014 23:35
  
  Wherever you are in the world, we’d like to see your pictures of ‘new.’ Share your best photos via GuardianWitnessReaders’ pictures on the theme of ‘escape’We’re now running a regular weekly photography assignment in the Observer New Review and the next theme is ‘new.’ Share your photos of what new means to you – and tell us about your image in the description box.The closing date is 31 December at 10 am. We’ll publish our favourites in The New Review on 4 January and in a
  
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• Former newspaper boss tells police of VIP paedophile cover-up claim

  20-12-2014 23:33
  
  Ex-news editor who was issued with warning against reporting on allegedly powerful paedophile ring is interviewed by policeA former local newspaper executive who claims that he was issued with an official warning in the early 1980s against reporting on an allegedly powerful paedophile ring has been interviewed by police.In a sign of growing concern that there has been a cover-up of the involvement of politicians in the sexual abuse of children, Hilton Tims, 81, was approached by officers and ask
  
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• Saturday Sundae: Jumpers at Bradford, but not for goalposts

  20-12-2014 23:31
  
  • Paul Merson gets it wrong, but in some style
  • Salisbury say goodbye to their City waysCharlie Austin’s one-man show pulled QPR back from the brink of a ruinous festive defeat. Next stop: the England squad. Continue reading...
  
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• Lessons learned put Arsenal on course for revenge over Liverpool at Anfield

  20-12-2014 23:30
  
  Confident victories have followed defeats for Arsène Wenger and he believes they have left his side in good shape to take on Liverpool
  • Liverpool v Arsenal, Sunday, Sky Sports 1, 4pm
  • Liverpool 5-1 Arsenal
  • Galatasaray 1-4 Arsenal
  • Arsenal 4-1 NewcastleThe memory of what happened at Anfield last season should be enough to convince Arsenal of the importance of setting their alarm clocks correctly on Sunday, but Stoke City provided a timely recent wake-up call just in case. T
  
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• Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers rallies to defence of Arsène Wenger

  20-12-2014 23:30
  
  • Brendan Rodgers backs ‘a real statesman of the game’
  • Liverpool manager backs his team to adapt tactically
  • Arsène Wenger: 5-1 loss to Liverpool is ‘scar in your heart’Brendan Rodgers has criticised the Arsenal fans who took a banner to the recent game at West Bromwich demanding Arsène Wenger’s resignation, claiming that such a key figure in football in this country deserves more respect. “Wenger has been amazing, for Arsenal and for football in general,” the
  
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• Breaking away: readers' photos on the theme of 'escape'

  20-12-2014 23:30
  
  For last week’s photography assignment in the Observer New Review we asked you to share your photos on the theme of ‘escape’ via GuardianWitness. Here’s a selection of our favouritesShare your photos on this week’s theme ‘box’
  Continue reading...
  
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• José Mourinho hopes for a strong referee at Chelsea’s meeting with Stoke

  20-12-2014 23:30
  
  • Neil Swarbrick must deal with aggressive play, he claims
  • Chelsea physical enough to match Stoke, says Mourinho
  • Stoke v Chelsea, Monday, Sky Sports 1, 8pm
  • Stoke 3-2 Chelsea - December 2013
  • Mourinho unhappy with failure to quell Stoke
  • Stoke 3-2 ArsenalJosé Mourinho has called for a strong performance from the referee Neil Swarbrick as he takes his Chelsea team to Stoke on Monday but is confident his team will give as good as they receive in what could pr
  
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• Arsène Wenger may well spend heavily for Arsenal in transfer market

  20-12-2014 23:30
  
  • Manager was constrained by cost of building new stadium
  • A new centreback will be targeted in January transfer window
  • Arsenal sign Alexis Sánchez from Barcelona
  • Wenger signs Mesut Özil from Real Madrid
  • Arsenal sell Thomas Vermaelen to Barcelona
  Arsène Wenger insists he is no Scrooge and will be happy to splash the cash in January to improve Arsenal’s chances of enjoying a jolly end to the season.“There is a huge difference between the perception that peo
  
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• Liverpool vs Arsenal: Brendan Rodgers is fighting for his reputation

  20-12-2014 23:30
  
  When Arsenal last came to Anfield, they were savagely beaten, four down inside 20 minutes, enduring what Arsène Wenger called “a scar in your heart forever”.
  
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• VIDEO: Strictly 2014 winner is crowned

  20-12-2014 23:29 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Presenter Caroline Flack and her partner Pasha Kovalev are crowned the winners of Strictly Come Dancing 2014.
  
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• Strictly Come Dancing final 2014, TV review: 'Absolutely phenomenal' Caroline Flack wins the glitterball trophy

  20-12-2014 23:23
  Having made Strictly Come Dancing history by receiving a perfect score of 120 points from the judges, Caroline Flack has been named the tenth winner of the BBC1 dancing competition.
  
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• US seeks China help against North Korea cyberattacks after Sony hack – report

  20-12-2014 23:16
  
  Officials tell New York Times approach is part of ‘proportional response’US-China relations have been strained over cybersecurity issuesNorth Korea demands joint investigation into Sony Pictures hackOpinion: Can we all calm down about cyberwar with North Korea?The US government has reportedly asked China to help block North Korea’s ability to launch cyberattacks, in the wake of the massive hack of Sony Pictures.Administration officials told the New York Times the sought-for cooperation was
  
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• Strolling Havana’s quiet streets, I saw the first signs of a new age for Cuba

  20-12-2014 23:14
  
  As Raúl Castro and Barack Obama made their historic announcements, the streets were quiet, but the parties were being held at homeOn Wednesday evening, after the US announced its plans to normalise relations with Cuba, I went for a stroll along Havana’s famed coastal esplanade, the Malecón. Although it was dusk, it was still a bit early for the usual revellers who line the seafront to be out, but there was a lone trumpet player sitting along the mostly empty wall. A few motorcycles fle
  
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• Liz McColgan-Nuttall is introducing girls in Qatar to the joys of running

  20-12-2014 23:00
  
  The former 10,000m world champion had an enthusiastic response when she answered the state’s call to produce international talent
  • Qatar wins world athletics championships for 2019
  • Steve Cram in praise of Liz McColgan-Nuttall in 2007
  • Qatar confronted over use of migrant workersQatar has always been more famous for buying in athletes, than producing them. But on securing some of the world’s biggest sporting events, from the World Cup 2022 to the world athletics championships
  
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• Strictly Come Dancing: the final – live

  20-12-2014 22:59
  
  As the closest ever contest reaches its climax, will Frankie, Caroline, Mark or Simon walk away with the Strictly glitterball? 9.59pm GMT So that is really is IT for another year of Strictly. A massive, massive thank you to everyone for turning out every week for the past three months to read the blog, spread the word and leave your wit and wisdom in the comment box. It’s lovely to have the company of a community of people who love this show as much as I do – it makes the blog so much more
  
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• Strictly Come Dancing: the final – Caroline Flack wins!

  20-12-2014 22:59
  
  It was between Frankie, Caroline, Mark and Simon, but Caroline and Pasha were the ones to walk away with the Strictly glitterball 9.59pm GMT So that is really is IT for another year of Strictly. A massive, massive thank you to everyone for turning out every week for the past three months to read the blog, spread the word and leave your wit and wisdom in the comment box. It’s lovely to have the company of a community of people who love this show as much as I do – it makes the blog so much mor
  
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• UK must probe its role in CIA torture, says UN legal expert

  20-12-2014 22:53
  
  UN’s former special rapporteur on torture says claims such as sanctioned use of Diego Garcia as ‘black site’ to render Libyans must be examinedThe UK must launch an independent investigation into its alleged role in the CIA torture programme, according to the United Nations legal expert who unearthed evidence that the British territory of Diego Garcia was used as a “black site” to hold detainees.Professor Manfred Nowak, who between 2004 and 2010 served as the UN special rapporteur on t
  
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• New York Metro's campaign to stop 'man-spreading'

  20-12-2014 22:50
  
  Rush hour on the New York subway and space is at a premium
  
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• Second Arrest Over Police Constable's Killing

  20-12-2014 22:38
  
  A second man has been arrested on suspicion of murder after an off-duty police constable was beaten to death in Liverpool.
  
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• NHS crisis grows as young Britons turn their backs on family doctors

  20-12-2014 22:23
  
  Growing number of 18- to 34-year-olds ‘head straight to A&E’ as health service fails to match new lifestylesAn alarming new dimension to the NHS crisis has been revealed as data shows young adults are bypassing GPs and heading straight to overstretched A&E departments because they can’t get suitable appointments.A stark generational divide in the way people use the NHS is highlighted in a report by Citizens Advice, which finds that people aged 18 to 34 are more than twice as likely
  
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• Retailers report a shopping bonanza on ‘Panic Saturday’

  20-12-2014 22:22
  
  Stores across country hire extra security staff to deal with crowds of shoppersBlack Friday was followed by Panic Saturday as shoppers thronged town centres preparing to spend an estimated £1.2bn on last-minute gifts before Christmas Day.Special crowd-control measures were enforced at Birmingham’s New Street station, and stores across the country were forced to hire extra security in the wake of last month’s ugly scenes, when shoppers fought over access to bargains. Continue reading...
  
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• Second man arrested over Pc murder

  20-12-2014 22:22
  
  A second man has been arrested on suspicion of murdering off-duty police constable Neil Doyle.
  
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• Real Madrid 2-0 San Lorenzo: Club World Cup - as it happened

  20-12-2014 22:22
  
  Goals from Sergio Ramos and Gareth Bale were enough to secure the Club World Cup, beating San Lorenzo 2-0 in Marrakesh
  9.22pm GMT So, another trophy for Real Madrid, and it wasn’t really close. They were clearly the better side from the first minute, and only really looked trouble when the Argentineans were being particularly aggressive. Still, they seem to have survived, and thanks to the goals from Sergio Ramos and Gareth Bale, they will lift the trophy.
  9.20pm GMT And Real win the Club
  
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• 'Obama traitor': Cuban Americans protest US push to renew ties

  20-12-2014 22:21
  
  More than 200 anti-Castro demonstrators gathered Saturday in Miami’s Little Havana to show opposition to announcement on changing policyCubans look to future with optimism in wake of historic breakthrough
  Video: Cuba faces ‘long and difficult struggle’ to lift US embargoWaving flags and chanting “Obama, traitor,” anti-Castro protesters gathered Saturday in a Little Havana park in a show of opposition to the president’s plan to normalise relations with Cuba.More than 200 people listen
  
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• Labour races into seven-point lead as ratings for Nigel Farage show sharp fall

  20-12-2014 21:55
  
  Observer/Opinium poll puts Labour on 36%, with the Tories on 29% and Ukip down three points to 16%Labour has opened up a seven-point lead over the Conservatives in the latest Opinium/Observer poll, which also shows a sharp fall in the personal approval ratings for the Ukip leader, Nigel Farage.The survey will be a boost for Labour and its leader, Ed Miliband, who has endured a torrid time since the autumn conference season as the political parties prepare to enter a general election year. Contin
  
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• Two Scotland Yard officers fired over obscene images

  20-12-2014 21:40
  
  Constables in diplomatic protection group dismissed without notice after admitting to gross misconductTwo police officers from Scotland Yard’s diplomatic protection group have been sacked for sending obscene images from their mobile phones.The pair, aged 34 and 36, lost their jobs after admitting gross misconduct and being found guilty of a breach of integrity by force bosses. Continue reading...
  
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• Spain’s new security law sparks protests across country

  20-12-2014 21:24
  
  Human rights groups say law is parliament’s attempt to ‘gag’ public and muzzle protests over its handling of country’s financial crisisThousands of people have been protesting in Spanish cities against a new law that sets hefty fines for offences such as burning the national flag and demonstrating outside parliament buildings or strategic installations.The public security law, which was approved last week by parliament, has been heavily criticised by opposition parties and human rights g
  
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• Ronnie Moore admits Hartlepool United interest in signing Ched Evans

  20-12-2014 21:14
  
  • Moore: “If it could happen, I would want it to happen”
  • 25-year-old striker without a club since release from prison
  • Hartlepool MP leads vocal opposition to signing Evans
  • Sheffield divided over Ched EvansThe Football League’s bottom club are facing a backlash after their manager announced he would like to sign the convicted rapist Ched Evans. Hartlepool’s manager, Ronnie Moore, who took over the job this week, confirmed he could look to bring in the 25-year-old Evans
  
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• 9 things the Sony hack has taught us about the Hollywood

  20-12-2014 21:05
  
  Call it good timing or a chilling coincidence, but one of the most high-profile movie releases of January 2015 will be director Michael Mann’s thriller Blackhat, in which a brilliant hacker helps the United States authorities to pursue a cyber-criminal who hacks a Chinese nuclear reactor and a Chicago stock exchange with devastating results. The premise alone is enough to strike fear into the hearts of Hollywood executives, following the recent cyber-attack on Sony Pictures Entertainment.
  
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• Wife pays tribute to murdered Pc

  20-12-2014 21:03
  
  The wife of murdered off-duty police constable Neil Doyle has described his death as "a great loss".
  
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• Oh come all ye Jedi … California Christmas lights get Star Wars soundtrack

  20-12-2014 20:56
  
  For Tom BetGeorge and his 100,000-light festive display nothing says Christmas quite like sound of lightsabersResidents of a California town are growing accustomed to the sound of lightsabers blasting through their neighborhood each night, as synchronised beams of white light shoot into the sky above their homes. It is all part of an elaborate, soundtracked Christmas lights display at the home of Newark resident Tom BetGeorge, who makes his living as a music teacher and director. BetGeorge’s h
  
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• Woman found murdered in Gateshead

  20-12-2014 20:26 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Police name a man they want to speak to in connection with the murder of a 42-year-old woman in Gateshead.
  
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• Hartlepool: Ched Evans Signing 'A Possibility'

  20-12-2014 20:23
  
  Hartlepool manager Ronnie Moore has expressed his interest in signing convicted rapist Ched Evans.
  
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• Ukip warns members of social media

  20-12-2014 20:15
  
  Ukip members have been urged to steer clear of using social media folllowing a series of scandals over inappropriate comments.
  
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• Club's move to sign Evans condemned

  20-12-2014 20:15
  
  A Football League club faced a backlash after its manager announced he would like to sign convicted rapist Ched Evans.
  
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• NI ministers engage in Cameron call

  20-12-2014 20:12 via bbc.co.uk
  
  The Northern Ireland first minister and deputy first minister hold a conference call with the prime minister on Saturday.
  
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• Man quizzed over off-duty Pc murder

  20-12-2014 20:09
  
  Detectives continue to question a man suspected of murdering off-duty police constable Neil Doyle.
  
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• Cuba faces 'long and difficult struggle' to lift US embargo, says Raúl Castro - video

  20-12-2014 20:08
  
  Cuban president Raúl Castro says his country still faces a long and difficult struggle to life the US embargo against the Caribbean nation, despite the agreement made this week to restore diplomatic ties with the US. Castro also said he would participate in the US-backed Summit of the Americas in Panama in April, potentially setting up a meeting with US president Barack Obama Continue reading...
  
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• Lockerbie bomber’s guilt reaffirmed by Scotland’s top prosecutor

  20-12-2014 19:55
  
  Abdelbaset al-Megrahi’s guilt in killing of 270 people in 1988 Pan Am bombing remains unchallenged by Crown OfficeScotland’s top prosecutor has reaffirmed Abdelbaset al-Megrahi’s guilt in the killing of 270 people in the Lockerbie bombing and has pledged to track down his accomplices.The lord advocate, Frank Mulholland, said no Crown Office investigator or prosecutor has raised a concern about the evidence in the bombing of Pan Am flight 103 26 years ago. Continue reading...
  
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• Youth charged over teen park murder

  20-12-2014 19:54 via bbc.co.uk
  
  A 17-year-old is charged with murder following the fatal stabbing of Ashley Woolley in a Chelmsford park.
  
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• Hartlepool boss wants to sign Evans

  20-12-2014 19:53 via bbc.co.uk
  
  New Hartlepool manager Ronnie Moore announces he would like to sign convicted rapist Ched Evans.
  
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• Officers Sacked For Sending Obscene Images

  20-12-2014 19:45
  
  Two police officers from Scotland Yard's Diplomatic Protection Group have been sacked for sending obscene images from their mobile phones.
  
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• Hartlepool manager Ronnie Moore says he 'wants to' sign convicted rapist Ched Evans

  20-12-2014 19:40
  
  Hartlepool manager Ronnie Moore has stated that he would like to sign convicted rapist Ched Evans, who has been without a club since being released from prison.
  
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• Siegfried and Roy's white lion Future dies at Cincinnati Zoo

  20-12-2014 19:22
  
  An aging white lion given to the Cincinnati Zoo by performers Siegfried & Roy had to be euthanized because of age-related health issues.
  
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• Amir Khan: 'The Taliban can threaten me but I must speak out... innocent kids, killed over nothing. It’s sick in the mind'

  20-12-2014 19:21
  Amir Khan will visit Pakistan next week to show his support to those affected by the Peshawar massacre, although he admits that his life will be in danger after speaking out against the Taliban.
  
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• US delivers 10 helicopters to Egypt in sign of improving relations

  20-12-2014 19:18
  
  Apache helicopters arrived this week to support counter-terrorismDelivery had been on hold since coup against elected president last yearEgypt received 10 Apache helicopters from the US in the past week, security sources said on Saturday, in a sign of easing tensions between the longtime allies confronting Islamist extremism across north Africa and the Middle East. The US announced in April that it had decided to lift its hold on the delivery of the attack helicopters. The hold was imposed last
  
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• First UK reservists join Ebola fight

  20-12-2014 19:17 via bbc.co.uk
  
  The first British army reservists along with 100 regular soldiers head to Sierra Leone to help the battle against Ebola in the West African state.
  
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