United Kingdom Balcony collapse traps victims in London theatre A major rescue operation had to be mounted in London on Thursday night after part of the ceiling and a balcony collapsed at London’s Apollo Theatre 19/12/2013
Russia Putin offers surprise pardon to Khodorkovsy, Pussy Riot, Shell 30 In a surprise move, Russian President Vladimir Putin says he is to pardon his political arch-enemy, Mikhail Khodorkovsky, who has been imprisoned for 19/12/2013
Egypt Acquittal paves way for Shafik comeback in Egypt The last prime minister of ousted Egyptian leader Hosni Mubarak has been cleared of corruption charges in absentia, paving the way for his return 19/12/2013
Business French and German finance ministers defend bank plan against criticisms Just hours after the European Union agreed a plan for winding down and closing failing banks, the finance ministers of France and Germany had to 19/12/2013
Sport Portugal to stay in Campinas for World Cup 2014 in Brazil Portugal’s national football team has announced the location of its World Cup base for the 2014 tournament in Brazil. The squad will stay in a 19/12/2013
United Kingdom Injuries reported as balcony collapses at London theatre Several people are reported injured after part of a balcony collapsed in central London’s Apollo Theatre on Thursday evening. A major rescue 19/12/2013
brussels bureau Divisions over EU defence and banking plans at Brussels summit The European summit is underway in Brussels with tighter defence co-operation on the agenda as well as a tighter harnessing of the eurozone’s 19/12/2013
Turkey Istanbul's police chief axed as anti-graft raid backlash intensifies Istanbul’s police chief has become the latest senior Turkish officer to be removed from their post, after an anti-corruption inquiry struck at the 19/12/2013
Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych sells Russia deal and warns foreigners off Ukraine Ukraine’s President Viktor Yanukovych has spoken in public for the first time since striking a number of economic deals with Moscow. He defended 19/12/2013
Cuba Cuba prepares to ease curbs on buying foreign-made cars The age of 50s clunkers choking Cuba’s roads may be over, after state media announced restrictions on buying foreign-made cars are being eased 19/12/2013
France Chill of austerity queers the Christmas cheer in Paris Paris is at its glittering best for the Christmas holiday season, but traders are predicting dire sales and shoppers are admitting they are not 19/12/2013
world news Protesters at Brussels summit rally over a multitude of causes The EU summit brought hundreds of protesters onto the streets of Brussels over a variety of causes – from austerity to food production and military 19/12/2013
India India billboard gaffe as Nelson Mandela tribute uses picture of Morgan Freeman It was meant to be a tribute to one of the most inspiring figures of the 20th century. A merchant from India paid for a roadside billboard – one of 19/12/2013
World Budapest Butcher's secret art collection cut above the rest He was a butcher and an art collector during Communist rule in Hungary – By day, Istvan Kövesi ran a kosher meat shop in Budapest, but his secret 19/12/2013
World Beatles rarities released A new album or rare recordings by the Beatles from 1963 has been released. The 59 tracks were made public to stop them falling out of copyright 19/12/2013
Cinema Stallone and De Niro square up in 'Grudge Match' Robert De Niro and Sylvester Stallone are back in the ring – but this time it’s just for laughs, in the boxing comedy ‘Grudge Match’. The film 19/12/2013
Cinema 'Christmas in a Day' explores festive Britain Two years ago Oscar-winning film-maker Kevin MacDonald released ‘Life in a Day’. Buoyed by that success, he is now presenting ‘Christmas in a 19/12/2013
Business EU says 'unacceptable' Brazilian import taxes have driven them to WTO complaint The European Union has launched a case against Brazil at the World Trade Organisation over import taxes – covering everything from cars to 19/12/2013
United Kingdom British railway workers being sprayed with urine and faeces - union British railway workers are being sprayed with urine and faeces, it’s been claimed. The RMT transport union said some sections of the country’s 19/12/2013
Sudan Violence escalates in South Sudan There are growing fears of civil war in South Sudan, with fresh clashes in a conflict that is deepening ethnic tensions in the world’s newest 19/12/2013
Vatican Man suffers serious burns after setting himself on fire in Vatican City An Italian man has set himself on fire inside the grounds of the Vatican, on St Peter’s Square. The 52-year-old has since been taken to hospital 19/12/2013
Israel Israeli airlines set to re-open routes to Turkey Israel is set to resume flights to Turkey after a stoppage of more than 5 years. Israeli airlines initially halted travel to the country after 19/12/2013
North Korea Basketballer Rodman ignores North Korea rights record in favour of 'fun' “I’m just going over there to do a basketball game and have some fun,” retired US basketball star Dennis Rodman said ahead of his third trip to North 19/12/2013
Belgium EU summit begins with defence and banking union set to dominate agenda The last European summit of the year has got underway in Brussels, with the agenda dominated by defence and moves towards a banking union 19/12/2013
USA Artist Ed Wheeler injects festive fun into classic paintings An artist is making a name for himself by injecting some festive fun into classic works of art. American Ed Wheeler, dressed as Santa, has been 19/12/2013
Cuba Raul Castro's Cuba lets citizens buy new cars for first time since 1959 revolution Cubans are free to buy new cars for the first time since the 1959 revolution, its communist government has announced. It’s the latest in a series 19/12/2013
Russia Putin to pardon jailed oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday he will soon pardon jailed oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky. The former Yukos oil company chief 19/12/2013
Business European shares rally as Fed sugar-coats stimulus tapering European shares have rallied in response to the Federal Reserve sugar-coating its decision to start winding down its crisis-era stimulus 19/12/2013
United Kingdom Duo found guilty of murdering British soldier Lee Rigby outside London army barracks Two men have been found guilty of murdering British soldier Lee Rigby in a gruesome case that horrified the nation. Michael Adebolajo, 29, and 19/12/2013
