Real World News

Belgium terror alert halts New Year fireworks in Brussels 30 December 2015 From the section Europe Image copyright AFP Image caption Belgian police have been on high alert since last month's attacks in Paris New Year fireworks and festivities have been cancelled in the Belgian capital, Brussels, because of a terror alert. Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel said t…

Ethan Couch: US 'affluenza' runaway teen delays Mexico extradition 30 December 2015 From the section US & Canada Image copyright Police handout Image caption Police released a mugshot of Couch, with his dyed hair A fugitive who made headlines for using an "affluenza" defence after a fatal drink-driving crash has delayed his extradition from Mexico to the US. A j…

El Nino weather 'could be as bad as 1998', says Nasa 30 December 2015 From the section World comments Media captionMeteorologist Chris Fawkes explains what El Nino isThe US space agency Nasa has warned that the effects of the current El Nino weather phenomenon could be as bad as those of 1998, the strongest on record. That El Nino played havoc with world weather systems and was blamed for several extreme weather events. The current El Nino has been linked to several floods and unusually warm conditions in t…

Iran conducts 'provocative' live rocket tests near US ships 30 December 2015 From the section Middle East Image copyright AP Image caption The USS Harry S Truman was among three warships in the vicinity of the Iranian tests Iran's navy conducted rocket tests last week near US warships and other commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, the American military has sai…

UK floods: Storm Frank threatens more misery 29 December 2015 From the section UK Media captionDavid Cameron on flood defences: ''Here in Yorkshire...we are planning to spend another £280m''A fresh storm threatens to bring more misery to parts of the UK, including areas already hit by severe flooding. Storm Frank is due to sweep in from Tuesday evening, with Cumbria and south and central Scotland at most risk. There are nine severe flood warnings - meaning "danger to life" - in England and Wales, mostly centred on …

Sonny Bill Williams criticised for dead Syrian children photos 30 December 2015 From the section Asia Image copyright Unicef Image caption Sonny Bill Williams visited refugee camps in Lebanon earlier this month Rugby union star Sonny Bill Williams has posted graphic images of dead children on Twitter after a visit to Syrian refugee camps in Lebanon. Williams, who p…

North Korea says top official Kim Yang-gon killed in car crash 30 December 2015 From the section Asia Image copyright AFP Image caption Kim Yang-gon (left) regularly took part in talks with the South A top aide to the North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has died in a car crash, state news agency KCNA has said. Kim Yang-gon, 73, was a secretary of the ruling Workers' Par…

Chinese mine owner kills himself as 17 miners remain trapped 27 December 2015 From the section China Image copyright AP Image caption A number of miners have so far been rescued (pictured), with one body recovered The owner of a gypsum mine in China's eastern Shandong province has killed himself, as rescuers try to reach 17 miners who have been trapped for two days, …

Russia doping crisis in 60 secondsRussia are unlikely to return to international competition in time for next year's Rio Olympics, says European Athletics president Svein Arne Hansen. Russia's athletics federation was banned by the International Association of Athletics Federations for alleged involvement in widespread doping. An IAAF inspection committee is due to visit Russia in January. "For the moment they have to fulfil the conditions, but I cannot really see them competing in Rio," Hansen said. The committee is likely to report back to the IAAF Council at the earliest at its meeting in Cardiff, Wales, on 27 March, less than five months before the Olympics. "Th…

Paris attacks: IS commanders 'killed in US-led strikes' 29 December 2015 From the section Middle East Image copyright AP Image caption Abdelhamid Abaaoud was killed in a police raid in a Paris suburb just days after the attacks in the city Targeted US-led coalition air strikes have killed 10 Islamic State commanders in Iraq and Syria in the past month, a US military …

Pakistan suicide bombing kills 'at least 22' in Mardan 29 December 2015 From the section Asia Image copyright Alamy Image caption The attack has been claimed by a faction of the Pakistani Taliban A suspected suicide attack at a government office in north-west Pakistan has killed at least 22 people, police say. The bomb went off outside the National Database and Regi…

Iraqi PM Abadi visits Ramadi after capture from IS 29 December 2015 From the section Middle East Image copyright AFP Image caption Members of Iraq's elite counter-terrorism force are among those who took part in the Ramadi operation Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has landed by helicopter in Ramadi, a day after the city's liberation from the Islamic State (IS) …

The BBC do one of these every year and very often I know of one or two of the people, sad to say this year I think I know of all of them. There is a video at the start of the article that may not work on here so you'll need to visit the link to source http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-35060400 Notable UK deaths of 2015 28 December 2015 From the sectionMagazine Chart-topping entertainers, scientists, sportsmen and grandees from both the left and right of politics - 2015 has seen the deaths of som…

Belgium arrests two over 'New Year plot' 29 December 2015 From the section Europe Image copyright Reuters Image caption Belgium has seen several anti-terror raids since November's attacks in Paris Belgian police have arrested two people suspected of planning attacks in Brussels on New Year's Eve. Raids took place on Sunday and Monday in Brussels and the provinces of…