China protest worsens in Guangdong after villager death

A stand-off between villagers and the authorities is continuing in southern China's Guangdong province.

Police have blocked roads leading to the village of Wukan. Local people are trying to keep them out.

The row - over village land taken by the local government - has been simmering for some time.

A new wave of protests broke out several days ago after the death of a villager while in police custody.

It is not easy to get information about what is going on in the area. One local official denied there was a problem.

But it appears that villagers have held a series of protest rallies over recent days involving hundreds of people.

A video of one demonstration, posted online, shows angry protesters shouting slogans such as "Down with corrupt officials".

"We will continue our fight until the end," 

Brit's seduction attempt floods luxury French villa

A 31-year-old British man has caused thousands of euros worth of damage after appropriating a luxury villa on the French coast, media reports say.

The man, said to come from Manchester, reportedly broke into the home near Nice to create a love-nest for an American girl he had met.

He sprinkled rose petals around a bed, and had champagne at the ready.

But his attempts to fill the empty roof-top pool flooded the house below, causing thousands of euros of damage.

The man broke into the split-level property with a sea view in Roquebrune-Cap-Martin on 8 December, the newspaper says.

Jailed Afghanistan rape victim Gulnaz is freed

An Afghan woman jailed for adultery after a relative raped her has been freed, her lawyer has told the BBC.

The woman, known only as Gulnaz, was released on the orders of President Hamid Karzai, who pardoned her earlier this month.

Her lawyer told the BBC that she was released without precondition, dispelling fears that she may have to marry her attacker.

The case drew international attention to the plight of many Afghan women.

Gulnaz - who was sentenced to 12 years in prison after reporting that she had been raped by her cousin's husband - recently gave birth in jail to a daughter.

Her lawyer, Kimberley Motley, told the BBC that she was healthy and happy to be released.

Ms Motley said that Gulnaz is now staying in an undisclosed location in Kabul with her child after being released overnight on Tuesday "for her own safety away from the blaze of publicity".

"She is now free to lead a normal life without the threat of further legal action," she said.

"I hope this historic case will set a legal precedent for other persecuted women in Afghanistan.

"I would like to pay tribute to President Karzai and the Afghan justice ministries for taking the measures required to win her freedom."

Ms Motley said that Gulnaz is at present "coming to terms with her future" but she is free to marry whoever she wanted in future.

Obama speech at Fort Bragg marks end of Iraq war

US President Barack Obama has marked the end of the Iraq war with a speech at Fort Bragg in North Carolina, telling troops, "welcome home!"

He paid tribute to the soldiers who served in the conflict - both those who died and veterans who returned home after long tours of duty.

More than 200 soldiers based at Fort Bragg died over the course of the nearly nine-year war.

The final US soldiers are expected to leave Iraq within days.

The last combat troops departed in August 2010.

"Tomorrow the colours of the United States Forces Iraq, the colours you fought under, will be formally cased in a ceremony in Baghdad," Mr Obama said. "Then they'll begin their journey across an ocean back home."

Colombo ready to satiate the perverted appetite of ‘pregnant’ Namal – his car race craze

The ‘Colombo night race’ organized by Namal Rajapakse is to be conducted in Colombo during the two days – December 16th-17th , and all arrangements in that regard have been finalized. In view of this event , a large number of sand sacks have been piled along the sides of the roads. Tires too have been placed alongside the roads to provide safety. Additional light posts have been erected and the city is illuminated during the day too while Roads in Colombo are being closed for rehearsals .It is learnt that local and international competitors will be taking part . 

Though a motor car race track with the latest facilities had been constructed exclusively for this purpose , the MaRa regime deems it is more important to gratify the perverted appetite of ‘pregnant’ Namal to hold a car race in Colombo than anything else in this country where a great majority of the population is hard put even to have one square meal a day . 

Kabeer Hashim M P speaking in Parliament on this crazy car race of a crazed mind described it as ‘Lambogini for Colombo – badagini (starvation ) for the villagers’

Celebrating the UAE’s historic lifeline

While the falcon is the nation’s official symbol (just check your Emirates ID card), the camel comes a very close second. Want to find out more about these two icons of the UAE? Make plans now to attend the Festival of Falconry and the Dhafra Festival, both happening this week
As its name suggests, the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage (ADACH) has been tasked with preserving the history and traditions of this great nation. What better way to educate and entertain both expatriates and Emiratis alike than with two fun and informative festivals?

WWE hits Abu Dhabi this January

WWE will be bringing the WWE Raw World Tour to Zayed Sports City for the first time from Thursday 9th to Saturday 11th February. This marks the second time within a year that WWE is bringing its World Tour to the Middle East.