Real World News

Quantum dots print tiniest inkjet image By Leo Kelion Technology desk editor 16 December 2015 From the section Technology Image copyright ETH Zurich Image caption The tiny image requires a microscope to make out its detail Researchers in Switzerland have created what has been classed as the world's smallest inkjet-printed picture. They …

Qatar hunters abducted in Iraq desert by gunmen 16 December 2015 From the section Middle East Image copyright AFP Image caption Camels are among the animals which inhabit the Samawa desert Gunmen have kidnapped at least 27 Qatari hunters - including members of the ruling family - in a desert area of Iraq near the Saudi border, say police and the local governor. The …

Republican candidates clash over how to counter IS 16 December 2015 From the section US & Canada comments Media captionJames Cook reports on the Republican candidates debate held in Las VegasRepublican presidential hopefuls sparred over how to stop the so-called Islamic State (IS), in the first debate since attacks in California and Paris. The national security focus yielded heated exchanges between Senators Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio who clashed on surveillance and immigration policy. Jeb Bush also sought…

NICE urges doctors to treat dying patients as individuals By Smitha Mundasad Health reporter 16 December 2015 From the section Health Media captionThe new guideline emphasise communication, as Adam Brimelow reportsEnd-of-life care in England must be tailored to the needs of dying patients rather than a "tick-box approach", the health watchdog NICE says. Patients must be treated with respect and compassion, it said, and doctors should avoid making "snap decisions" about whether someone …

Japan top court upholds law on married couples' surnames 16 December 2015 From the section Asia Image copyright AFP/Getty Images Image caption Most couples in Japan end up using the husband's surname The Japanese Supreme Court has upheld a law that married couples must have the same surname, in a blow to women's rights activists. Campaigners have said the law was d…

Donald Trump in Twitter spat with Saudi Prince Alwaleed 12 December 2015 From the section US & Canada Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Mr Trump is standing by his call to ban most Muslims from entering the US A Saudi prince has described US businessman Donald Trump, a candidate for the Republican presidential nomination, as a "disgrace to America". Pr…

N Korea sentences Canada pastor to life in jail 16 December 2015 From the section Asia Image copyright AP Image caption Mr Lim was led into court in handcuffs North Korea's highest court has sentenced a Canadian Christian pastor to a life term of hard labour for "crimes against the state". Hyeon Soo Lim, 60, was arrested in the capital Pyongyang after he travelled t…

Tim Peake: UK astronaut set for space milestone By Paul Rincon Science editor, BBC News website, Baikonur 15 December 2015 From the section Science & Environment Image copyright Reuters Image caption Tim Peake waves as he boards the Soyuz spacecraft UK astronaut Tim Peake is ready to make his landmark flight to the International Spac…

Shaker Aamer: Extremists 'have no right to live in the UK' 13 December 2015 From the section UK Media captionShaker Aamer told Victoria Derbyshire that he believes a British agent witnessed his beating in AfghanistanThe UK's last Guantanamo Bay detainee, who returned home in October after 14 years in captivity, has told extremists to "get the hell out" of the country. Shaker Aamer told the Mail on Sunday that he denounced attacks such as the murder of Fusilier Lee Rigby, saying "you cannot just kill anybody". Mr A…

Los Angeles schools shut over email threat to students 15 December 2015 From the section US & Canada Media captionSteve Zimmer, LA Unified School District: "Do not send your children to school"Los Angeles schools have been closed as an unspecified threat emailed to the school district is being investigated. The threat against the second largest school system in the US led to 640,000 pupils being told to stay away, while school buses were returned to depots. A school district spokesman said it involved rucksack…

Russian cruise missile hits flats in Arctic accident 15 December 2015 From the section Europe Image copyright Russian Defence Ministry website Image caption A cruise missile test-firing in Russia's Arctic north (file pic) Part of a Russian cruise missile hit a block of flats in the Russian Arctic, during a test that went wrong, but nobody was hurt, media report. A f…

Global nuclear watchdog IAEA ends Iran 'weapons' probe 15 December 2015 From the section Middle East Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Iran has always insisted its nuclear programme is peaceful The global nuclear watchdog, the IAEA, has ended its 12-year investigation into concerns that Iran might be developing nuclear weapons. The move is seen as a key ste…

Nazi gold train: 'No evidence' of discovery in Poland 15 December 2015 From the section Europe Image copyright EPA Image caption Geologists examined the site where the train was rumoured to be buried There is no evidence that a Nazi train rumoured to be carrying gems and gold has been found in Poland, experts say. Researchers presenting findings about the alleged di…

Merkel: Migrant crisis 'historic test' for Europe 14 December 2015 From the section Europe comments Image copyright AP Image caption More than a million migrants and refugees have arrived in Germany in 2015 The German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, has described the migrant crisis as a "historic test" for Europe. Defending her policy on migrants at the annual con…

Briton Tim Peake blasts off for space 15 December 2015 From the section Science & Environment Media captionThe Soyuz rocket taking Tim Peake to the International Space Station launches into space The rocket carrying Briton Tim Peake on his landmark flight to the International Space Station has launched from Kazakhstan. The Soyuz space capsule is carrying Russian Yuri Malenchenko, American Tim Kopra and "Major Tim", who will spend six months on the station. The former Army pilot is making history as the first o…