General news

• US moviegoers finally see The Interview after Sony's surprise online release

  24-12-2014 23:54
  
  Sony’s controversially cancelled its screenings of The Interview earlier this month after the company was hacked in an attack the FBI linked to North KoreaState-by-state list of US cinemas showing The InterviewSony will release The Interview online Wednesday to US viewers
  Sony hack: the plot to kill The Interview – a timeline so farThe Interview: watch what happened liveThe Interview: first look reviewThousands of US moviegoers were planning to watch screenings of the controversial comedy ab
  
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• ‘Love Activists’ squatters told they can return to serve Christmas lunch

  24-12-2014 23:47
  
  Police keep activists out of former RBS building in London despite high court ruling they are allowed in to feed homeless
  • The story of the Love ActivistsA high court judge has ordered that squatters evicted from a former RBS building in central London should be allowed back in to provide a free Christmas lunch to homeless people.The squatters, calling themselves the “Love Activists”, took over the vacant building earlier this week and planned to provide a free Christmas dinner in prot
  
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• Two arrested after balcony protest

  24-12-2014 23:39
  
  Two people who staged a balcony protest in the heart of the capital after fellow activists and squatters were forced from a prime office building have been arrested.
  
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• Pope Francis conducts Christmas Eve Mass, hours after comparing Iraqi refugees to Jesus

  24-12-2014 23:38
  
  Pope Francis has conducted the annual Christmas Eve late-night Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican, hours after he phoned Iraqi refugees and told them they were “like Jesus”.
  
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• VIDEO: Space station visible in London skies

  24-12-2014 23:37 via bbc.co.uk
  
  The International Space Station was visible on two occasions as it moved across the London skyline on Wednesday evening.
  
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• St Louis police release footage related to shooting of Antonio Martin

  24-12-2014 23:16
  
  Police chief said officer who fatally shot black teenager had been in ‘imminent danger’ as series of surveillance videos that capture final moments releasedFollow the latest developments in our liveblogProtesters clash with police in wake of Antonio Martin shooting – in picturesSt Louis police have released a series of surveillance videos that capture the moments before a black teenager was shot on Tuesday night in Berkeley, Missouri. Authorities insist the teenager, Antonio Martin, had po
  
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• Isis fighters capture Jordanian pilot after plane came down over Syria

  24-12-2014 23:08
  
  Jordanian authorities confirm capture of pilot after first coalition warplane lost since air strikes began in Syria three months agoFighters of the Islamic State (Isis) in Syria have scored a major propaganda coup by capturing a Jordanian air force pilot whose plane came down on Wednesday during an air raid by the international coalition near the northern city of Raqqa, the de facto jihadi capital.Images posted on social media showed jubilant Isis gunmen, some of them masked, with a clearly frig
  
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• Tis the season!: Google marks holidays season with third festive Doodle accompanied by playful video

  24-12-2014 23:01
  Google has celebrated the 2014 holiday season with its third in a series of Doodles, accompanied by a festive video.
  
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• Roman Polanski case: court rejects director's attempt to dismiss sex assault charges

  24-12-2014 22:27
  
  The director Roman Polanski has failed in his latest effort to have the three decades-old sexual assault charges against him dismissed.
  
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• Archbishop of Glasgow pays tribute to crash victims

  24-12-2014 22:26
  
  Philip Tartaglia tells memorial service at St Andrew’s Cathedral of the ‘abyss’ of one family’s loss in lorry tragedyThe archbishop of Glasgow, Philip Tartaglia, has told a memorial service for the victims of Monday’s crash how he wept with the woman who lost both her daughter and parents when an out-of-control bin lorry ploughed through pedestrians in a city centre square thronged with Christmas shoppers.Jacqueline McQuade, the mother of 18-year-old university student Erin, was withdr
  
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• Protests erupt in Nicaragua over interoceanic canal

  24-12-2014 22:13
  
  Farmers and peasants say they have not offered to sell their land to make way for the new canal, which the Nicaraguan government says will solve the country’s economic problemsProtests as Nicaragua starts work on $50bn interoceanic canal
  Scores of Nicaraguan protesters have been arrested and dozens injured as Nicaraguan police broke up road blocks set up by demonstrators protesting this week against possible eviction from their lands due to the construction of an interoceanic canal in the coun
  
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• Lights off for lorry crash victims

  24-12-2014 22:10
  
  Christmas lights across the country have been turned off as a mark of respect for the victims of Glasgow's bin lorry crash.
  
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• The Interview is finally out (in the US) — watch with us live!

  24-12-2014 22:04
  
  After a marathon session of will-they-won’t-they, Sony has released The Interview online and on-demand in the US, one day before it will be released there across movie theaters. Join Lanre Bakare for this historic viewingSpoiler alert: this blog will reveal everything about the plotSony will release The Interview online Wednesday to US viewersState-by-state list of US cinemas showing The InterviewTimeline: The Interview’s path to the screenThe Interview: first look review Continue reading...
  
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• The Messiah Complexes of 2014, starring Russell Brand, David Mellor and Nigel Farage

  24-12-2014 22:00
  
  At Christmas, we remember not only the ‘real life’ Messiah, but also mere mortals with a vain hankering to be one.
  
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• Brazil's 'chainsaw queen' appointed new agriculture minister

  24-12-2014 21:54
  
  In a controversial move, Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff has appointed agribusiness advocate Kátia Abreu as the country’s new agriculture ministerBrazilian president Dilma Rousseff has stirred up the wrath of environmentalists by appointing a controversial advocate of agribusiness and weaker forest conservation as her new agriculture minister.Kátia Abreu, who has been nicknamed the “chainsaw queen” by her enemies, is included in a new cabinet that rewards political allies who su
  
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• Ebola epidemic death toll passes 7,500 as virus spreads in Sierra Leone

  24-12-2014 21:42
  
  On first anniversary of outbreak World Health Organisation reports 315 new cases in former British colony in a weekThe death toll from the year-long Ebola epidemic in west Africa has risen to 7,588 out of 19,497 confirmed cases, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has said.The virus is still spreading intensely in Sierra Leone, especially in the north and west, with 315 new confirmed cases reported in the former British colony in the week to 21 December 21. These included 115 cases in the capita
  
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• Tsunami aid money 'not well spent'

  24-12-2014 21:38
  
  A key British figure in the tsunami recovery effort has criticised the way aid was spent on the tenth anniversary of the natural disaster.
  
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• Hammond fears for pilot held by IS

  24-12-2014 21:38
  
  Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond has voiced fears for the fate of a Jordanian pilot captured by Islamic State (IS).
  
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• Finance-row head denies resigning

  24-12-2014 21:38
  
  The head of a problem-hit school has denied he has resigned after it was criticised by a government body for irregular financial arrangements.
  
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• Discovery of largest ever stash of fake Euro coins sparks fears £2 coin could be next

  24-12-2014 21:35
  
  The discovery of the biggest haul of counterfeit coins in the history of the Euro has sparked fears that the £2 coin could soon also be forged in China.
  
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• Squatter remains on office balcony

  24-12-2014 21:32
  
  One man remains on a balcony in the heart of the capital after fellow activists and squatters were forced from the prime office building.
  
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• Court denies Polanski's motion to dismiss 1977 statutory rape case

  24-12-2014 21:19
  
  Judge’s order says director’s claims cannot be addressed because he is a fugitive
  Polanski’s lawyers say judge handling case in 2008 and 2009 acted improperly
  Roman Polanski questioned in Poland by prosecutors on US arrest warrantConduct of judge in Roman Polanski statuatory rape case questionedRoman Polanski lost his latest bid to have a California court dismiss his 1977 statutory rape case when a judge rejected a motion for a new hearing.A nine-page order issued Tuesday by superior court
  
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• Ohio man imprisoned for nearly two decades for murder is acquitted

  24-12-2014 21:10
  
  Prosecutors drop charges but do not concede Anthony Lemons’s innocenceLemons jailed for 1994 shooting but released on parole in December 2012Witness testified he was wearing shoes not manufactured at the timeA man imprisoned for murder for nearly two decades was acquitted Tuesday as prosecutors in Cleveland dropped the charges against him but stopped short of conceding his innocence.Anthony Lemons, 40, had sought to clear his name and said a burden was lifted from him as a Cuyahoga County judg
  
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• BBC wrong to end broadcasting to Russia – ex-World Service boss

  24-12-2014 20:46
  
  Sir John Tusa claims 2011 decision has allowed Kremlin-funded propaganda to grow unchecked in eastern EuropeThe BBC has made significant “strategic errors” that have allowed Russian propaganda to grow unchecked in eastern Europe, according to a former head of the World Service.In a letter to the Guardian, Sir John Tusa said the corporation was wrong to end direct broadcasting to Russia and central Europe amid swingeing cuts in March 2011. Continue reading...
  
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• ‘Love Activists’ protesters in standoff with police in central London

  24-12-2014 20:41
  
  Police attend scene as squatters climb on to ledge of building close to Trafalgar Square to protest against housing crisis
  
  • The story of the Love Activists Continue reading...
  
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• It's been a great year! Thanks to these Facebook scams for being a part of it...

  24-12-2014 20:36
  
  From ‘guess who viewed your profile’ apps to naked videos and dodgy ads, malware developers targeted the social network in 2014If you’re on Facebook, chances are your news feed is currently full of “It’s been a great year!” slideshows posted by friends using the social network’s end-of-year review feature.Annoyed? At least clicking on them only leads to photos of those friends. Other Facebook posts were much more malign in 2014, as malware makers and other scammers targeted users o
  
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• Man sells girlfriend's cat by accident

  24-12-2014 20:17
  
  A man in the US is offering a $200 (£130) reward for his girlfriend’s cat ("whatever state he’s in") which he accidentally sold.
  
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• Christmas comes early to Hong Kong, as millions of bank notes spill out onto busy street

  24-12-2014 20:10
  
  Motorists and passers-by in Hong Kong likely thought Christmas had come early today, after a road accident saw millions of Hong Kong dollars spewing onto a busy motorway.
  
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• Man hospitalised with pneumonia after downing eggnog at office Christmas party

  24-12-2014 20:03
  
  Sales manager Ryan Roche admits he possesses a strongly competitive streak. But this Christmas it nearly killed him.
  
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• Man hospitalised with pneumonia after downing egg nog at office Christmas party

  24-12-2014 20:03
  
  Sales manager Ryan Roche admits he possesses a strongly competitive streak. But this year it nearly killed him.
  
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• Newry man claims £1.7m lottery prize

  24-12-2014 19:20 via bbc.co.uk
  
  A farm shop owner from Newry, County Down, is celebrating after claiming more than £1.7m with a winning ticket on the National Lottery.
  
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• Antonio Martin shooting: surveillance video shows victim raising a gun — live updates

  24-12-2014 19:18
  
  Police say teenager was shot dead after drawing a gun in Berkeley, MissouriVideo footage appears to back police version of eventsAngry protesters clashed with police at the sceneFour arrested for assaulting police officer
  Antonio Martin named locally as man shot deadRead a summary of police press conference
  Watch: video released of final moments before shootingSt Louis police release footage of confrontation in bid to reduce tensions Continue reading...
  
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• SHOCK WEATHER WARNING: Snow to hit UK in less than 48 HOURS as Arctic freeze takes hold

  24-12-2014 19:12 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  FORECASTERS issued a shock Christmas weather warning tonight with snow set to sweep across much of Britain from Boxing Day.
  
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• Video shows incredibly loyal dog chasing ambulance his owner is inside

  24-12-2014 19:06
  
  Heart-warming footage has emerged showing a loyal dog chasing an ambulance as it carries his owner to hospital.
  
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• Nigel Farage is the party leader Londoners want to spend New Year with the least

  24-12-2014 18:39
  
  Nigel Farage has received two heaped helpings of bad news this Christmas, after a poll showed Ukip has dropped two points - and that fewer Londoners would like to usher in the New Year with him than any other party leader.
  
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• Police attacked during town trouble

  24-12-2014 18:38 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Four people are arrested in Newcastle, County Down, after police are attacked during sporadic fighting, with kit including CS spray being lost and stolen.
  
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• Victoria Beckham's clothing sales double to £30 million in one year

  24-12-2014 17:55
  
  Victoria Beckham’s fashion business doubled to £30.39 million last year as the designer sold £83,000 worth of stock a day, it’s been revealed.
  
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• The Interview: YouTube agrees to distribute controversial film about North Korea

  24-12-2014 17:46
  
  Google Inc's YouTube unit has tentatively agreed to distribute the Sony Pictures film “The Interview,” at the centre of a destructive cyberattack, offering online rentals beginning on Thursday, CNN reported.
  
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• The Interview: Sony announces controversial film will be available to rent online from Christmas Day

  24-12-2014 17:46
  
  The Interview, the controversial comedy at the centre of a cyberattack scandal, will be available to rent on online platforms from Christmas Day, Sony announced today.
  
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• Crisis at Worcestershire Council as cardboard cut-out of Ed Miliband is kidnapped

  24-12-2014 17:42
  
  There are some who think Ed Miliband is wooden enough, but now a row has broken out over an actual cardboard cut-out of the Labour leader after it was apparently abducted from a secure room at Worcestershire County Council.
  
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• Flood warnings across the North of England

  24-12-2014 17:35
  
  The North of England should expect flooding overnight on Christmas Eve, the Environment Agency has warned.
  
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• Christmas Eve Flood warnings across the North of England

  24-12-2014 17:35
  
  The North of England should expect flooding overnight on Christmas Eve, the Environment Agency has warned.
  
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• Storms ahead after frosty Christmas

  24-12-2014 17:25
  
  It will be a frosty Christmas morning across the UK tomorrow but any chance of snow is limited to the Scottish mountains, forecasters have said.
  
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• Man and woman die in hit-and-run

  24-12-2014 17:25
  
  A man and a woman have been killed in a hit-and-run collision.
  
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• 'Love Activist' squatters evicted

  24-12-2014 17:25
  
  Two people remained perched on a balcony in the heart of the capital after fellow activists and squatters were forced from the prime office building.
  
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• Harry plays festive football match

  24-12-2014 17:25
  
  Prince Harry showed off his football skills when he joined Norfolk villagers for a Christmas Eve football match.
  
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• Church's 'institutional homophobia'

  24-12-2014 17:25
  
  The Church of England still needs to overcome a "legacy of institutional homophobia and ignorance" nearly two years after the same-sex marriage law was passed in Britain, the Bishop of Buckingham has claimed.
  
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• Amir Khan supports Peshawar victims

  24-12-2014 17:25
  
  Boxer Amir Khan has arrived in Pakistan to lend his support to the victims of the Peshawar school shooting massacre.
  
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• International Space Station spotted in the sky over Britain on Christmas Eve

  24-12-2014 17:09
  
  Residents of southern England will be forgiven for thinking that Santa was making his annual rounds early this year, when the International Space Station appeared as a sparkling dot in sky on Christmas Eve.
  
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• Here’s how to spot the International Space Station in the sky over Britain on Christmas Eve

  24-12-2014 17:09
  
  The International Space Station will be visible in the sky with the naked eye on Christmas Eve in Britain.
  
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