Real World News

Army deployed in Cumbria over new flooding fears 25 December 2015 From the section UK Image copyright MOD Image caption Troops were deployed to help flood efforts in Carlisle after Storm Desmond The Army has been called in to support efforts to protect flood-hit areas of Cumbria amid fears that more heavy rain will fall on Christmas Day. Troops will help to put out …

Japan reported to be proposing 'comfort women' solution 25 December 2015 From the section Asia Image copyright AP Image caption Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is reported to be eager to find a definitive solution to the "comfort women" question Japan is reported to have proposed setting up a government fund to resolve a longstanding disagreement with South Korea …

Pope Francis in his Christmas homily denounces materialism 25 December 2015 From the section Europe Image copyright EPA Image caption The Pope called on believers to show the same simplicity as the child Jesus Pope Francis has warned the world's 1.2 billion Roman Catholics not to be "intoxicated" by possessions in his annual Christmas homily. He called for more sob…

Archbishop gives warning over IS threat to Christianity 25 December 2015 From the section UK Image copyright PA Christianity faces "elimination" in the Middle East, the region where it began, the Archbishop of Canterbury will warn in his Christmas Day sermon. The Most Reverend Justin Welby will say so-called Islamic State is "igniting a trail of fear, violence, hatred and determined oppression". He will also brand IS as "a Herod of t…

World's Christians celebrate Christmas 24 December 2015 From the section World Image copyright AFP/Getty Images Image caption Close to 10,000 people attended the service in St Peter's Basilica Across the world, Christians have begun marking Christmas with services, with Pope Francis holding midnight mass at the Vatican. In the holy city of Bethlehem, the West Bank t…

US prisoners released early by software bug 23 December 2015 From the section Technology Image copyright Michelle Shephard Image caption The bug meant that, in one case, a prisoner was released almost two years early More than 3,200 US prisoners have been released early because of a software glitch. The bug miscalculated the sentence reductions prisoners in Washingt…

Syria conflict: Rebels 'to leave Yarmouk refugee camp' 24 December 2015 From the section Middle East Image copyright AFP Image caption Government forces maintain checkpoints around Yarmouk and prevent people from leaving A UN-brokered deal could see thousands of Syrian rebels and their families leave areas in and around the Yarmouk Palestinian refugee camp in Damascu…

Iran hostage crisis: Victims 'to be compensated' 36 years later 24 December 2015 From the section US & Canada Image copyright AP Image caption A US hostage is paraded by his Iranian captors at the start of the crisis The US victims of the Iran hostage crisis are to receive compensation 36 years after their ordeal, reports say. Each of the 53 hostages or their es…

Costa coffee crash: One dead, five injured, as car hits Kent cafe 24 December 2015 From the section England Image copyright Sally Pendleton A woman died and five people were hurt when a car ploughed into a coffee shop. The woman in her 70s was declared dead at the scene after the Audi crashed into Costa on The Green, Westerham, Kent at 10:30 GMT. South East Coast Ambulance (Secamb) said five more people were taken to hospital, four …

Nigeria Boko Haram: Militants 'technically defeated' - Buhari 24 December 2015 From the section Africa Media captionMuhammadu Buhari: "Technically, we have won the war"Nigeria has "technically won the war" against Islamist Boko Haram militants, President Muhammadu Buhari says. He told the BBC that the militant group could no longer mount "conventional attacks" against security forces or population centres. It had been reduced to fighting with improvised explosives devices (IED) and remained a force only in its hear…

Beijing security: 'Possible threat to Westerners' governments warn 24 December 2015 From the section China Image copyright Reuters Image caption Security has been tightened in Beijing The UK and US governments have issued a warning about possible threats against Westerners in the Chinese capital Beijing on or around Christmas Day. British and US officials say they h…

Afghanistan: Officials say dozens of Taliban killed in battle for Sangin 24 December 2015 From the section Asia Image copyright AP Image caption Afghan forces are battling to recapture Sangin from the Taliban A local Taliban commander and 50 fighters have been killed in overnight fighting in Sangin in Helmand province, the Afghan interior ministry said. Afghan force…

Thailand murders: Two men found guilty and face death for UK killings 24 December 2015 From the section UK Media captionDeath sentence for UK tourist killersTwo Burmese men have been found guilty and sentenced to death for murdering two UK tourists in Thailand last year. Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo killed Hannah Witheridge, 23, from Norfolk, and David Miller, 24, from Jersey, judges said. The backpackers' bodies were found on a Koh Tao island beach in September 2014. The defendants' lawyers say they will appeal. The accu…

Russian ex-tycoon Khodorkovsky may seek UK asylum 23 December 2015 From the section Europe Media captionExiled Russian tycoon, Mikhail Khodorkovsky, has given an exclusive interview to the BBCFormer oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky, a fierce critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin, says he is considering applying for political asylum in the UK and feels safe in London. He was speaking in a BBC interview after a Russian court declared him "under arrest in absentia" over the 1990s murder of a Siberian mayor. "Defin…

Afghan Taliban 'push further' into key town of Sangin 23 December 2015 From the section Asia Image copyright AFP Image caption The struggle for Sangin is part of a wider battle for control in Helmand province Afghan government forces have lost control of the centre of the town of Sangin in Helmand province after days of fierce fighting, reports suggest. Eyewitnesses…