Swedish mosque hit by arson in Eskilstuna, injuring five

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Firemen outside the mosque in Eskilstuna, Sweden, that was set alight - 25 December 2014 Police are treating the incident as arson after reports that someone threw an object into the building
An arsonist set fire to a mosque in the Swedish town of Eskilstuna on Thursday, injuring five people, police said.
About 15 to 20 people were attending midday prayers in the mosque, located in the ground floor of a residential building, when the fire broke out on Christmas Day.
Local media footage showed smoke and flames billowing from the windows before firefighters put the blaze out.
The incident comes amid a fierce debate in Sweden over immigration policies.
The far right wants to cut the number of asylum seekers allowed into Sweden by 90%, while mainstream parties are intent on preserving the country's liberal policy.
"A witness saw somebody throw an object through the window of the building, which serves as a mosque, after which a violent fire began," police spokesman Lars Franzell told reporters.
He said five people were taken to hospital for treatment of injuries ranging from smoke inhalation to lacerations.
Police are treating the incident as arson but no arrests have been made so far, Mr Franzell added.
Eskilstuna, which has a large immigrant population, was the scene of clashes involving neo-Nazi groups opposed to Sweden's immigration policy earlier this year.
On 3 December, the Sweden Democrats - a populist party with a strongly anti-immigration agenda - brought down the minority governing coalition after it had been in power for just two-and-a-half months, by refusing to support its budget plans.
 

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Uber 'truly sorry' for price rise during Sydney siege

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Uber mobile app Uber says it is unfortunate that it is perceived as having acted against the interests of the public
 
Taxi booking firm Uber has apologised for raising fare prices during a deadly cafe siege in Sydney last week.
The firm raised fares by as much as four times its normal rate when demand shot up during the siege that left three people dead.
Its "surge pricing" algorithm increased fares during the peak period as people rushed to leave the area.
Meanwhile in South Korea, prosecutors have charged the firm with running an illegal taxi service.
They have accused Uber's chief executive Travis Kalanick, along with the firm's South Korean business partner, a local car rental firm.
Car rental firms in the country are banned from running taxi services with their own vehicles.
It is the latest in a string of legal challenges around the world to the rapid expansion of Uber, whose smartphone app lets a passenger hail a taxi while simultaneously letting the driver calculate the fare.
Motives 'misunderstood' On the day of the Martin Place siege in Sydney, Uber came under heavy criticism on social media for raising its fares, so it started offering free rides out of the city.
It also said it would refund the cost of the rides that had been affected by the higher fares.
"The events of last week in Sydney were upsetting for the whole community and we are truly sorry for any concern that our process may have added," Uber said in a blog post on Tuesday.
"We didn't stop surge pricing immediately. This was the wrong decision."
The 16-hour siege ended with three people dying, including the gunman Man Haron Monis.
The company said that its priority was to help as many people get out of the central business area safely, but that was "poorly" communicated, and led to a lot of misunderstanding about its motives.
"This [surge pricing] encourages more drivers to the area where people are requesting rides," when demand outstrips the supply of cars on the road, Uber said.
Uber has defended its surge pricing strategy in other cities, but reached an agreement with regulators in the US to restrict the policy during national emergencies.
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Analysis: Dave Lee, technology reporter
The way Uber works is simple.
Drivers - who need a private hire licence - use their own cars. Once signed up, they use the Uber drivers' app to receive bookings, a process which replaces the traditional minicab office.
Riders, meanwhile, are able to use the riders' app to virtually hail an Uber car, and can track its location as it weaves and bobs through city streets.
After the ride, Uber calculates a fee based on distance and time, and it is paid directly through the app - no money changes hands in the car.
So far, so good. But Uber has faced a lot of criticism.
First, there is "surge pricing". Designed to get more drivers on the roads during busy periods, surge pricing means the fare is jacked up by two, three, sometimes four times the normal fare.
The app has also suffered at the hands of both traditional taxi firms and regulators in cities the world over.
In London, black cab drivers strongly argue that the Uber app is essentially a meter and is therefore breaking strict rules.
To become a black cab driver with a meter, a long, expensive and notoriously difficult test must be passed.
Uber drivers do not need to do this, giving an unfair advantage, cabbies say.
In other countries, there are disagreements about how Uber vets its drivers.
In Delhi, the firm has suspended operations while it improves the recruitment process after a driver was arrested in relation to the rape of a passenger.
Regulators in Las Vegas, Los Angeles and San Francisco have all raised concerns over the vetting process in their respective cities.
The company's regulatory woes are supplemented by several serious PR mishaps in recent months, including the revelation it was tracking journalists' journeys and paying investigators to "dig up dirt" on those giving the company negative coverage. Uber later apologised.
Despite all this, however, the company recently secured $1.2bn in funding, valuing the firm at $40bn as it heads into 2015.
 

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Xbox and PlayStation online services crash

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Xbox and PlayStation online services crash

A PlayStation 4 controller
Xbox and PlayStation online services have been suffering technical problems, amid claims a hacking group has disabled their services.
Microsoft and Sony - the companies which make the games consoles - have told customers they are aware of issues affecting their online services.
A hacking group called Lizard Squad is claiming to have caused the problems.
Microsoft and Sony have not commented on the claim, but both said they were fixing the issues.
Just before 21:00 GMT, PlayStation's official Twitter account posted: "We are still looking into the PSN (PlayStation Network) issues reported earlier. Thanks again for your continued patience today."
A message on Xbox's website says: "We're aware that some of you are experiencing trouble signing in to Xbox Live, and we want you to know we're working to address this as quickly as we possibly can.
"In the meantime, we encourage you to keep trying. Thanks for sticking in there while we work. We'll have an update on this issue in a half hour."
'Worst Christmas ever' Ros Bruce, from Essex, said her 10-year-old son got an Xbox One for Christmas, and he and a friend had spent weeks planning what games they would play together online.
She said they had been downloading a game since 09:00 GMT - and by 23:40 it was still not ready.
"He has spent most of the day in tears," she said.
"He says it's been his worst Christmas ever.
"I think Xbox should compensate us all."
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Have you been trying to use the Xbox and PlayStation online services today? What problems have you been facing? Do you have any intelligence about the hack you can share with the BBC? Please tell us your stories by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. If you are willing to talk to a BBC journalist, please include a contact telephone number.
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Sony comedy The Interview opens

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The controversial comedy The Interview has opened in some US cinemas and online, after a cyber-attack and threats to moviegoers over its release.
Sony Pictures had originally pulled the film, about a fictional plot to kill North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
But it reconsidered after critics - including the US president - said freedom of expression was under threat.
Some cinemas organised midnight showings for Americans determined to see The Interview on the big screen.
Several hundred independent cinemas across the US have come forward offering to show the title after larger cinemas decided not to screen it following threats.
Lee Peterson, manager of Cinema Village in New York, told Reuters news agency it was a matter of principle to show the film.
"Obviously we would like to make money from the movie, as we would with any movie, but it's important to take a stand about freedom, freedom of speech, freedom to see movies."
Kim Jong-Un with North Korean soldiers' families North Korea says the film hurts the "dignity of its supreme leadership"
The film is also being offered through a dedicated website and via Google services YouTube and Play, and Microsoft's Xbox Video platform, but only in the US.
A spokesman for Sony told the BBC the release was US-only "at this point".
Sony Pictures initially pulled the film after suffering an unprecedented hacking attack at the hands of a group calling itself the Guardians of Peace.
Last week, the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) said its analysis pointed the finger at North Korea. However, many cybersecurity experts have come forward to dispute this assertion.
North Korea denied being behind the attack but described it as a "righteous deed".
The hackers threatened to carry out a terrorist attack on cinemas showed the film on its scheduled release date of Christmas Day. After many cinemas pulled out, Sony cancelled the release.
That move was described by President Obama as a mistake.
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Tickets for The Interview held up outside Crest Theatre in Los Angeles, California. 24 Dec 2014
Reaction in tweets Maximus Clean - I loved #TheInterview and thought it was @Sethrogen and @JamesFrancoTV's finest movie yet. Good job!
Kira Craig - Just watched #TheInterview - pretty hilarious movie. Would expect nothing more from Seth Rogan and crew
Aimee Sanchez - Exercising my right as an American by watching #TheInterview @JamesFrancoTV @Sethrogen #MerryChristmas
DeAnna Sealtiel - #TheInterview was NOT worth the hype. Funny, but not worth the stress and aggravation that came along with it
Dan Field - Sony shouldn't have ever released #TheInterview, not because of the threat, but because the movie is terrible.
Aditya Basrur - Just watched #TheInterview. What a waste of money. Expected the movie to be much better.
Viewers react to seeing The Interview
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Sony Chairman Michael Lynton said digital distribution had now been chosen to reverse some of that damage.
"It was essential for our studio to release this movie, especially given the assault upon our business and our employees by those who wanted to stop free speech.
"We chose the path of digital distribution first so as to reach as many people as possible on opening day, and we continue to seek other partners and platforms to further expand the release."
In a blog post announcing its involvement, Google's top lawyer David Drummond said the firm had weighed up the potential fallout.
"Last Wednesday Sony began contacting a number of companies, including Google, to ask if we'd be able to make their movie The Interview available online," Mr Drummond wrote.
"After discussing all the issues, Sony and Google agreed that we could not sit on the sidelines and allow a handful of people to determine the limits of free speech in another country (however silly the content might be)."
The Interview saga The Interview features James Franco and Seth Rogen as two journalists granted an audience with Mr Kim. The CIA then enlists the pair to assassinate him.
  • 22 November: Sony computer systems hacked, exposing embarrassing emails and personal details about stars
  • 7 December: North Korea denies accusations that it is behind the cyber-attack, but praises it as a "righteous deed"
  • 16 December: "Guardians of Peace" hacker group threatens 9/11-type attack on cinemas showing film; New York premiere cancelled
  • 17 December: Leading US cinema groups say they will not screen film; Sony cancels Christmas Day release
  • 19 December: FBI concludes North Korea orchestrated hack; President Obama calls Sony cancellation "a mistake"
  • 20 December: North Korea proposes joint inquiry with US into hacks, rejected by the US
  • 22 December: North Korea suffers a severe internet outage; US authorities decline to comment
  • 23 December: Sony bosses appear to change their minds, saying they will now give The Interview a limited Christmas Day release
  • 25 December: The Interview is shown in some US cinemas and released online

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Ebola crisis: Sierra Leone declares three-day lockdown in north

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 Health workers carry the body of a suspected Ebola victim for burial at a cemetery in Freetown December 21, 2014. Sierra Leone recently overtook Liberia as the worst affected country in the Ebola outbreak
 
Sierra Leone has declared lockdown of at least three days in the north of the country to try to contain the Ebola epidemic.
Shops, markets and non-Ebola related travel services will be shut down, officials said.
Sierra Leone has already banned many public Christmas celebrations.
More than 7,500 people have died from the outbreak in West Africa so far, the Word Health Organization (WHO) says, with Sierra Leone the worst hit.
Sierra Leone has the highest number of Ebola cases in West Africa, with more than 9,000 cases and more than 2,400 deaths since the start of the outbreak.
The other countries at the centre of the outbreak are Liberia and Guinea.
State of emergencyAlie Kamara, resident minister for the Northern Region, told AFP news agency that most public gatherings would be cancelled.
"Muslims and Christians are not allowed to hold services in mosques and churches throughout the lockdown except for Christians on Christmas Day", he said.
No unauthorised vehicles would be allowed to operate "except those officially assigned to Ebola-related assignments" he added.
The lockdown would operate for at least three days but this could be extended if deemed necessary, officials said.
Sierra Leone has been in a state of emergency since July.
The outbreak began a year ago in the West African country of Guinea, but only gained international attention in early 2014.
How Ebola spreads

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Hong Kong crash sparks money grab

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Police officers count banknotes recovered from the scene - 24 December 2014 Police officers were seen counting notes recovered from the scene of the crash

Hong Kong police have appealed to the public to return millions of dollars taken after a van transporting HK$525m ($68m; £44m) crashed on a major road. 
About HK$35m ($4.5m; £3m) worth of banknotes were left strewn across the tarmac after the road accident.
Witnesses said dozens of people rushed to pocket the cash before armed police arrived to secure the area.
Some HK$20m was retrieved and police warned that failure to return the rest would be "a very serious crime".
The incident happened at lunchtime on one of Hong Kong's busiest roads in the Wan Chai district on Hong Kong Island, causing major disruption as people abandoned their cars to collect the notes.

A shot from above the road in the Wan Chai district of Hong Kong, where the money spilled on to the street - 24 December 2014 Photographs showed banknotes littered across the road in Wan Chai district
Hong Kong police surround boxes of cash after some of the money was retrieved - 24 December 2014 Armed police secured the area after the incident and recovered HK$20m
Individual notes were seen spread across the carriageway but witnesses also reported seeing bundles of HK$500 notes wrapped in plastic.
One witness told the South China Morning Post that she saw a "regular looking Hong Kong lady" take at least 10 bundles before leaving the scene.
"She had an armful of bricks of cash - it was as much as she could carry. She just disappeared into the depths of Wan Chai," the witness said.
Speaking shortly afterwards, police superintendent Wan Siu-hong called on those who had picked up any money to hand it over to police as soon as possible.
"If he or she keeps the money for [their] own use, [they] may commit an offence of theft which is a very serious crime under ordinance," he told reporters.
He said police had launched an inquiry into the cause of the accident, adding that they "cannot rule out any possibilities at this moment".

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Pakistan school attack: Military courts to try terror suspects

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Pakistan school attack: Military courts to try terror suspects

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said the move would help ensure "terrorists pay the price" for their "heinous acts".
Last week, Taliban fighters attacked an army-run school in Peshawar, killing 152 people, including 133 children.
Pakistan's political parties reached agreement on the new courts after meeting to discuss a national plan of action to tackle terrorism.
Mr Sharif hosted talks at which most of Pakistan's mainstream political parties were represented.
Speaking after the meeting, he gave few details about the military courts but said the deal marked an historic achievement for Pakistan.
Earlier, he said the country was in an "extraordinary situation" that needed "extraordinary actions," adding: "This nation and history will not forgive us if we don't do anything now."
He said Pakistan's politicians "should not wait for another tragedy to strike before we finally wake up".
Other measures agreed were reported to include a crackdown on hate speech and the funding of terrorist organisations.
Children light candles for the victims of school attack outside the Army Public School in Peshawar, Pakistan - 24 December 2014 Pakistan is still in mourning for those killed in last week's attack, carried out by the Pakistani Taliban
Opposition leader Syed Khursheed Shah said the military courts would be established for a term of two years.
"Only terrorists would be tried in these courts and these would not be used for political objectives," he told the AFP news agency.
"The aim of setting up military courts is to ensure the speedy trial of terrorists. There are so many loopholes in our judicial system and it has failed to deliver," he added.
Pakistan has stepped up its anti-terror operations since the attack on the Army Public School in Peshawar on 16 December.
The government lifted a moratorium on the use of the death penalty shortly after the attack and has since executed six men.
The military has also stepped up its campaign against militants in the tribal areas in the northwest of the country.
"There is a changed Pakistan after the Peshawar tragedy, in which there will be no place for terrorism, extremism, sectarianism and intolerance," Mr Sharif said.

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Christians hold Christmas Eve Mass in Bethlehem

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Christian pilgrims from across the world have celebrated midnight Mass in Bethlehem to mark Christmas Eve in the traditional birthplace of Jesus.
In a homily, Latin Patriarch Fouad Twal called on Jews, Muslims and Christians to "live together as equals".
Referring to violence in Gaza and Jerusalem, he said he hoped 2015 "would be better than this difficult year".
Thousands of pilgrims earlier crowded into Manger Square to watch a procession led by Patriarch Twal.
The midnight Mass took place in the Church of the Nativity which marks the spot where Christians believe Jesus was born in the West Bank town.
Patriarch Twal, the most senior Roman Catholic cleric in the Holy Land, said the region had become "a land of conflict".
"I hope next year there will be no separation wall and I hope we will have bridges of peace instead," he added. "Peace comes from justice and we have a cause which we hope will be solved soon."
He appeared to be referring to the barrier Israel is building in and around the West Bank, which separates Bethlehem from Jerusalem, and the Palestinians' submission to the UN Security Council of a draft resolution that would set a 12-month deadline to reach a peace deal with Israel.
Manger Square and the Church of the Nativity, Bethlehem, 24 December 2014 Celebrations were focused on Manger Square
The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Fouad Twal, waves as he passes through the West Bank barrier en route to Bethlehem from Jerusalem on Christmas Eve (24 December 2014) Jerusalem's Latin Patriarch, Fouad Twal, had to pass through the West Bank barrier to get to Bethlehem
Palestinian activists decorate a Christmas tree with empty tear-gas canisters in Manger Square, Bethlehem Activists decorated a tree in Manger Square with empty tear-gas grenades
"Our message this Christmas is a message of peace like every year, but what we added this year is that all we want from Christmas is justice," said Palestinian Tourism Minister Rula Maayah.
"Justice for our people, justice for our case and the right to live like all other people in the world in our independent state without the occupation."
Patriarch Twal urged Christians not to forget the residents of Gaza, where up to 19,600 families displaced by the 50-day conflict between Israel and Palestinian militants are still in need of medium- and long-term shelter, and the people of Syria and Iraq, who are struggling to cope with a civil war and the advance of jihadist militants from Islamic State (IS).
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At the scene: Quentin Sommerville, BBC News, Bethlehem These are Bethlehem's biggest two days of the year - the one occasion when, for Christians, it displaces Jerusalem. The Holy Land is the cradle of Christianity, a point Pope Francis made when he visited earlier this year.
The Pope's Christmas message to Christians - do not be afraid or ashamed of your faith - comes at a time when Christianity is under threat in the Middle East like never before.
Islamic State has pushed some of the world's oldest Christian communities out of their homes in northern Iraq. For some, the choice was convert to Islam, or die. So instead, tens of thousands fled to Kurdistan. There they remain, sheltering in churches and schools with few possessions.
Here in Manger Square there is song, and celebration, but as the Pope himself said, there will be tears and sighs alongside the hymns, as the faithful look towards 2015 with fear for the future of communities that have existed here for 2,000 years.
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On Tuesday, Pope Francis - who prayed at the West Bank barrier and called for an end to the "increasingly unacceptable" Palestinian-Israeli conflict when he visited the region in May - sent a message of solidarity to Christians in the Middle East.
In a letter, the Pope wrote that for them, "the music of your Christmas hymns will also be accompanied by tears and sighs".
Without mentioning IS by name, he spoke about "the work of a newer and disturbing terrorist organisation, of previously unimaginable dimensions, which has perpetrated all kinds of abuses and inhuman acts".
Procession through Manger Square in Bethlehem on Christmas Eve (24 December 2014) Scout troops played bagpipes as Christians processed through Manger Square
But the Pope said the presence of Christians in the Middle East was precious and he urged them to work with their neighbours to reiterate that Islam is a religion of peace.
In Baghdad, Chaldean Patriarch Louis Sako said about 150,000 Christians had been displaced since IS launched an offensive in northern Iraq in June and told members of religious minorities that they would have to convert to Islam, pay a special tax or leave.

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Islamic State did not shoot down Jordan plane, says US

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The Jordanian plane that crashed in Syria was not shot down by Islamic State (IS) militants, the US says.
The plane was lost in IS territory on Wednesday morning, and the pilot has been captured.
IS militants said that they shot down the plane with a heat-seeking missile. However, the US says "evidence clearly indicates" that this is not true.
Jordan is one of four Arab states in a US-led coalition that has launched air strikes on IS targets in Syria.
The F-16 fighter jet is the first coalition aircraft to be lost on IS territory since air strikes began in September.
IS fighters have published photographs showing the pilot being captured. They named the pilot as Flight Lieutenant Moaz Youssef al-Kasasbeh.
In a statement, US Central Command (Centcom) said it strongly condemned the actions of IS, and confirmed the group "has taken captive the downed pilot".
It did not say what could have caused the plane to crash.
However, it said it would not tolerate IS's "attempts to misrepresent or exploit this unfortunate aircraft crash for their own purposes".
"Evidence clearly indicates that Isil [IS] did not down the aircraft as the terrorist organisation is claiming," it added.
Photo published by Raqqa Media Center purportedly showing wreckage of downed Jordanian warplane near IS-held Syrian city of Raqqa (24 December 2014) IS 
Relatives have pleaded for the pilot's release, as Jim Muir reports
 
fighters were shown loading the wreckage of the Jordanian aircraft on to a vehicle
Photo published by Raqqa Media Center purportedly showing wreckage of downed Jordanian warplane near IS-held Syrian city of Raqqa (24 December 2014) Jordan's military said the jet was one of several involved in a raid on IS hideouts in the Raqqa region
Centcom added that the Jordanians were "valued partners" whose pilots had "performed exceptionally well" during its campaign.
The US had launched planes after the Jordanian jet crashed, but the pilot was seized before a rescue attempt could be made, a US official told Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The pro-IS Raqqa Media Center posted photos on its Facebook page that appeared to show the captured pilot, and men taking the aircraft out of what appeared to be a lake or river.
In a statement, the Jordanian military said: "Jordan holds the group and its supporters responsible for the safety of the pilot and his life."
Lt Kasasbeh's father, Youssef al-Kasasbeh, issued an appeal to IS leaders through Jordanian newspaper Saraya.
"May Allah plant mercy in your hearts and may you release my son," he said.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon also expressed "concern" for Lt Kasasbeh, and called on him to be treated "in accordance with international humanitarian laws".
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Moaz Youssef al-Kasasbeh
File photo: Moaz Youssef al-Kasasbeh
  • Born in the city of Karak in Jordan in 1988, he is 26 years old
  • Has been a Royal Jordanian Air Force pilot for six years
  • Currently holds the rank of flight lieutenant
  • One of eight children, he got married in July
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The air forces of Jordan, the US, UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain have carried out hundreds of air strikes on IS in Syria in the past three months.
Many of the targets have been in and around Raqqa, which is the de facto capital of the "caliphate" whose creation IS proclaimed in June.
Correspondents say that IS is assumed to have a limited air defence capability.
However, IS fighters have downed Iraqi and Syrian government planes in the past, and the group's full capabilities are not known.

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