Foreign embassies are warning Westerners to stay away from a very popular area of Beijing on Christmas Day

At least five foreign embassies in Beijing have issued separate warnings of possible threats against Westerners around Christmas Day in Sanlitun, a popular shopping and bar area in Beijing.

The warnings came as Beijing Public Security Bureau issued a yellow security alert — the highest in a four-tier system — for large and medium-sized shopping malls and supermarkets, citing substantial influx of customers to such venues. The alert is due to last until the new year, Agence France-Presse reported.

Meanwhile, Beijing police beefed up security in the Sanlitun area on Wednesday afternoon, with Snow Leopard Commando Unit — a special unit under armed police tasked with counter-terrorism and riot control — deploying at least three police vehicles and a dozen police officers to patrol the shopping malls.

Westerham Costa Coffee crash: Updates after car ploughs into cafe packed with Christmas shoppers leaving one dead

One person has been killed and five people injured after a car ploughed into a cafe full of Christmas shoppers.

A black Audi smashed into the side of Costa Coffee on the High Street in Westerham, Kent.

Witnesses say an elderly couple were in the car. Four of those injured are said to be in a serious condition.

Read below for live updates.

Man arrested over 'murder of prostitute in red light area'

Kerb crawl: Red light area (file pic)

A man has been arrested on suspicion of murdering a 21-year-old prostitute in a red light area.

Police said another sex worker found the woman unconscious with serious injuries “consistent with an assault”.

She was taken to hospital but pronounced dead a short time later.

Detective Superintendent Simon Atkinson of West Yorkshire Police said the victim was found within a “managed area” where sex is sold within defined hours.

50 Cent clowns his Baby mama again

To think he once loved this woman. See what he posted about his first baby mama Shaniqua again..

Miracle baby whose life support was turned off home for Christmas

Miracles can come true: Little Bella

A couple who said a final farewell to their baby daughter as her life support machine was turned off told of her miracle recovery.

Francesca and Lee Moore-Williams, 41 and 44, cried as they held Bella’s hand and took one final photograph before her ventilator was switched off.

The couple even signed a Do Not Resuscitate form meaning no special measures would be taken to keep her alive.

But just 30 minutes after their heartbreaking goodbye the 18-month-old tot, who doctors had given up for dead, began kicking and screaming.

Da Assembly Awards at Nippom Grand #Hosted by chaperon Group #3m360

Driver who crammed seven friends into van before crash which killed 19-year-old woman faces jail

Driver: Kyle Perkins 

A driver who crammed seven friends into a van for a night out before a crash which killed a 19-year-old pal has been warned he faces a "substantial jail sentence".

Sammy Jo Davies died after a stolen red LDV Maxus van crashed into parked cars as it raced through narrow streets in Aberdare, south Wales.

Driver Kyle Perkins, 25, sobbed uncontrollably as he appeared in court to plead guilty to three charges including causing the death of Sammy-Jo in the crash in August.

3m360  reports six others were taken to hospital with serious injuries after the crash.

Both Perkins' and the victim’s families had to be kept at opposite ends of the courtroom and flanked by police officers after angry confrontations.'

Jenson Button and Jessica Michibata in 'amicable' split as they have 'discussions over F1 driver's £35m fortune

Jenson Button and wife Jessica Michibata's separation was completely "amicable", a spokesperson for the racing driver said.

The ex-Formula One world champion and underwear model Jessica wed last December after five years of dating, but the pressures of their jobs, keeping them in different parts of the world, has taken its toll.

"Jenson and Jessica have decided to go their separate ways and it is very amicable. There is no-one else involved," the 35-year-old star's representative said on Tuesday.

Now attention turns to Jenson's estimated £35m fortune as it is reported there was no prenuptial agreement set in place.

"Jenson and Jessica did not have any financial arrangement before their marriage," a source close to the pair told 3m360

Star Wars hero John Boyega was close pals with tragic schoolboy Damilola Taylor

Lucasfilm

John Boyega was close friends with tragic Damilola Taylor

Star Wars actor John Boyega was a close pal of tragic Damilola Taylor and one of the last people to see him alive, the stabbed schoolboy’s dad has revealed.

John has won worldwide acclaim for his role as rogue stormtrooper Finn in The Force Awakens – but has never forgotten the beloved pal who never got to grow up and fulfil his own potential.

Damilola ’s dad Richard Taylor attended the London premiere of the blockbuster alongside the actor’s proud family last week, just over 15 years after his son was stabbed to death with a broken bottle in Peckham, south east London.

John even nominated the Damilola Taylor Trust as one of the 15 good causes to share £1.35million from the charitable initiative Star Wars : Force for Change

Khloe Kardahsian shares more raunchy photos from her St. Barth's photoshoot (18+)

Khloe Kardashian shared more photos from her impromptu nude photoshoot in St Barths and they're hot! More photos after the cut..

Bomb-sniffing dog saves lives after it found buried 100 kg of explosives

A bomb-sniffing dog named Elma saved lives today when it discovered 100 kilograms of explosives buried deep in the ground in southeastern Mardin province, Turkey. Elma discovered the bomb in the province's Nusaybin district. The explosives were packed inside two shell-like containers attached to a 400-meter long cable cords and detonators.

 

Half of cardiac arrest sufferers ignore potentially life saving warnings

The heart suddenly and unexpectedly stops beating. Blood stops flowing to the brain and other vital organs, and without treatment, within minutes a person is typically dead.

But, a new study has suggested that sudden cardiac arrest isn't so sudden as half of sufferers experience warning signs hours, days, sometimes even weeks before cardiac arrest strikes, doctors at Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute in Los Angeles discovered.

However, most people ignore those symptoms – and miss a chance to save their own lives, according to the study.

Study leader Dr Sumeet Chugh said: ‘By the time the 911 call is made, it’s much too late for at least 90 per cent of people.

‘There’s this window of opportunity that we didn’t really know existed.’

Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas 'taking legal action' against Pat Nevin over 'rather lose than win' claims

Feeling Blue: Fabregas warms up on Saturday

Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas is reportedly taking legal action against pundit Pat Nevin.

Nevin, who spent five years with Chelsea, made a claim that Fabregas was the player who said he would 'rather lose than win' for Jose Mourinho.

His comment on BBC Radio Four's flagship Today programme last week, with Fabregas' form dipping considerably this season.

Photos Krump End of the year old school party and awards Night

Krump End of the year old school party and awards Night, photo by cognitos studios

see more after the cut 

Andy Murray crowned Sports Personality of the Year but Tyson Fury steals limelight

Brian Lawless/PA

Winner: Andy Murray has been crowned Sports Personality of the Year 2015

The Scot followed up his glorious triumph in tennis' Davis Cup by pipping likes of the controversial world heavyweight champion boxer to the BBC aware

Andy Murray’s winning streak continued as he was crowned BBC Sports Personality of the Year.

The 28-year-old Scot followed up his glorious triumph at the Davis Cup by pipping controversial boxer Tyson Fury to the coveted title.

Murray also faced stiff competition from the likes of athlete Jessica
Ennis-Hill and long jump world ­champion, Greg Rutherford.

Rugby league's Kevin Sinfield was runner-up, with Ennis-Hill third and Fury fourth.

The tennis star, who won Wimbledon in 2013, may have scooped the title, but it wasFury who was attracting all the attention beforehand with more rants against those who campaigned to have him dropped from the SPOTY list over his views on gays and women.

Manchester United manager is Jose Mourinho's first choice for next job despite Real Madrid wanting him back

Red leader? Manchester United's struggles could offer Mourinho a quick return to management

Jose Mourinho is ready to keep Real Madrid waiting - in the hope of getting theManchester United job.

Former Chelsea boss Mourinho is desperate to stay in England and wants to take over at Old Trafford if Louis van Gaal does get sacked following United’s slump in form.

Van Gaal is under mounting pressure after six games without a win, three losses in a row and Champions League group-stage elimation, while United's football under him has also been slammed as boring.

He is now facing a major battle to keep his job — the position which Mourinho regards as his dream ticket back into management.

It's understood club bosses feel Boxing Day defeat at Stoke would make the Dutchman's position untenable.

Mexican marines have taken over 'El Chapo' Guzmán's hometown — but they still don't know where he is

Earlier this week, Mexican troops entered La Tuna, the hometown of Sinaloa cartel boss Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzmán in northwestern Mexico, and while it seems the soldiers are still in the town, it's not clear what they've found or what they are looking for.

According to local newspaper Rio Doce, Mexican Marines approached La Tuna, in the Badiraguato municipality of Sinaloa state, from the northeast on Saturday, but did not move into the town itself until Monday afternoon.

The town is still the home Guzmán’s mother, Consuelo Loera, and several of the drug kingpin’s family members. 

At the time of Rio Doce’s report on Tuesday, it appeared that Mexican security forces in the area were not letting people into or out of the town.

'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' shatters box-office record with $238 million

Disney/Lucasfilm"The Force Awakens."

The opening weekend box-office run by "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" is nothing short of historic.

It goes without saying that the seventh episode in the "Star Wars" saga topped the weekend box office, but the question is was it enough to surpass "Jurassic World" as the biggest opening weekend of all time?

The answer is yes. "Force Awakens" surpassed the record of $208.4 million set by "World" over the summer with an astounding estimated $238 million in North America, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Industry insiders believe the number could be closer to $240 million. Final weekend totals come out on Monday.

Wuse market, Abuja razed by fire

Some parts of the popular Wuse market in Abuja was razed by fire with goods running into millions lost in the disaster. Men of the fire service are still working to put out the fire. The cause of the fire is not yet known. See more photos after the cut...

Kenya releases photos of Al-Shabaab suspects who are planning attacks, issues nationwide alert

A security alert has been issued in Kenya following reports that 11 terrorists (pictured) are planning to carry out attacks in the country during the festive season.

Some of them have been on the police watch list of most wanted terrorists for more than a year but fled to Al-Shabaab camps in Somalia. Intelligence reports label them as "armed and dangerous" and indicate they may have sneaked back into the country.

Large billboards of their photographs have been erected in counties bordering Somalia. Similar billboards were mounted in Nairobi when their identities were first made public. The billboards also display police hotlines 999, 112, 020-2199151 and 0702432877.

Bus carrying tourists plunges off a cliff in Thailand, killing people

A bus carrying Chinese tourists collided with another vehicle and plunged off a cliff in Chiang Mai, Thailand on Sunday, December 20. Number of fatalities is unknown at the moment. More photos after the cut...

Six passengers are reportedly being questioned over the Air France bomb scare

A plane heading to Paris, France made an emergency landing in Kenya this morning following a bomb scare.

Air France's Flight AF 463 was heading to Paris from Mauritius but it was forced to land inKenya after a suspect package was found in the toilets.

The package in question looked like "a stopwatch mounted on a box," an unnamed police official told the Associated Press.

Hillary Clinton made clear that she's already looking ahead to the general election

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton went into the third Democratic debate on Saturday with a clear message: Democrats need to nominate a candidate who can beat the Republican nominee.

Clinton bookended her appearance at the debate in New Hampshire by drawing a "stark contrast" between herself and the Republican Party.

“We have to prevent the Republicans from rolling back the progress that we’ve made,” Clinton said during her opening remarks.

Bomb found inside a Catholic Church in Kenya, device set to be denotated by experts

 

A mass service was cut short this morning at Our Lady of Holy Rosary Catholic Church, Kirinyaga, Kenya, after an explosive was found on one of the pews. Photos of bomb experts about to denotate the device.

Will Smith: Movie 'Concussion' touches raw nerve for NFL

By now, even the most casual NFL fans are aware that head injuries are a serious cause for concern in the sport. But this Christmas the Hollywood blockbuster "Concussion" is set to spread that message to the masses.

"I probably won't be getting my free Super Bowl tickets this year," said actor Will Smith, who plays Dr. Bennet Omalu, the man who discovers the link between American football and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).

Democratic debate: Clinton, Sanders spar over ISIS, taxes and Wall Street

"Thank you, good night and may the force be with you," is how Hillary Clinton wrapped up her closing statement in Saturday night's Democratic debate.

Really.

Clinton, confident enough to wink at the new "Star Wars" movie, played up the differences between Democrats and Republicans, arguing that gains in gay rights, voting rights, funding for Planned Parenthood and more would be reversed if the GOP took the White House.

Football manager Neil Lennon in 'knife threat' to mistress after she threatened to tell his partner about affair

Alleged threats: Bolton manager Neil Lennon

Soccer boss Neil Lennon’s mistress has told of their ­relationship – and how he made a knife threat to her when she told him she would tell his partner.

It is a story the Bolton boss and BBC pundit tried to ban after he claimed he was the victim.

But today we can reveal how he had a year-long romance with the woman – 20 years his junior – behind his long- term partner’s back.

He began dating the girl after meeting her in a pub. But she claims their affair soured when she found Lennon had started seeing a third woman.

It was then that she threatened to go to his partner – only for Lennon to turn nasty, telling her someone “could” put a knife to her throat if she spoke out.

Man faces life in prison after killing friend over $700 Super Bowl bet

A New Jersey man may spend the rest of his life in prison after refusing to spend $700 to pay his friend after losing a Super Bowl bet in 2013. Eddie Roberson killed Talif Crowley instead, Essex County prosecutors argued this month, and on Wednesday, a jury agreed, finding Roberson guilty of murder,NorthJersey.com reports. Roberson, 31, is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 22.

The whistleblower who exposed U.S.’s flawed security clearance system finally gets his reward

 He was new on the job, trying to find out why morale was so low. In a gathering with two senior managers, he asked what they didn’t like about their work.

“I hate that we dump,” one of them confided.

“What do you mean?” Blake Percival asked.

The answer — that the company was cutting corners performing the federal background checks used in granting security clearances — put him on a collision course with his superiors and eventually turned him into one of the government’s most significant whistleblowers in years. That confrontation not only cost him his job and dignity, it left him in such financial distress that at the beginning of this week, he had just $54.51 in his bank account, hoping he would make it to his next payday.

They knew they’d marry someday. Then a gunman stole their future on live TV.

 

Chris Hurst wakes up in the two-bedroom condo he shared with slain WDBJ7 reporter Alison Parker. He picks out his wardrobe inside a closet lined with her dresses. He makes smoothies in their kitchen where the whiteboard shows her unerased message: “I ♥ U!”

Now, on a mid-November morning, the 28-year-old anchor stands before a mirror inside the CBS station in southwest Virginia where they met and fell in love. He tightens the magenta tie she picked out at a Men’s Wearhouse, adjusts the striped socks she selected on a trip, then pads into WDBJ’s brand new “Studio A,” the letter “A” signifying a posthumous honor.

One type of legal drug is killing far more people than heroin — and deaths just hit record numbers

In just a year, overdose deaths from opioid painkillers and heroin jumped 14%, hitting record levels in 2014, according to a newCenters for Disease Control and Prevention report released Friday.

Between 2000 and 2014, nearly half a million Americans died from overdoses involving these drugs, which research suggests act similarly in the brain.

The most commonly prescribed opioid painkillers — like oxycodone and hydrocodone — were involved in more overdose deaths than any other type of the drug. Those deaths rose by 9%.

"The increasing number of deaths from opioid overdose is alarming," CDC Director Tom Frieden said in a press release.

12yr old Sikh boy accused of plotting to blow up his school in Texas

In a Facebook post shared on Tuesday, December 15, Armaan Singh Sarai's cousin Ginea Haer said that a student at his school in Dallas, Texas, accused him of possessing a bomb which led to Sarai being taken out of school and sent to a juvenile detention center without his parents being told. Since then, however, Arlington, Texas, police said they indeed went to Nichols Junior High School on Friday after a student told a teacher that Sarai told him he was planning to blow up the school. Sarai's family insists he was framed. Read her post after the cut...

Man jailed for 28 years after 'woman dreamt he raped her' to gain freedom

A Colorado man who spent almost three decades in prison after a woman 'dreamed' that he raped her may soon go free. Denver District Court Judge Kandace Gerdes overturned Clarence Moses-El’s 1988 conviction, after he has served more than half of his 48-year sentence.

Miranda Kerr's naked Harper's Bazaar cover pulled from Australian supermarket chain

Banned: Miranda Kerr's raunchy cover

An Australian supermarket chain has pulled Miranda Kerr's racy Harper's Bazaar magazine cover from its shelves.

The former Victoria's Secret beauty stripped completely naked for the latest issue of the monthly glossy, and it appears to have caused quite a stir - and not the good kind.

The magazine hit newsstands just days ago, on December 14, but Coles supermarket has already reportedly removed around 3,000 copies of the magazine from its 800 stores.

A spokesperson for Coles supermarket told The Sydney Morning Herald that customer feedback was the reason for the ban.

See how skinny teen was transformed into 'The Beast' after achieving childhood dream of looking like cartoon villain

Jens Dalsgaard, 31

He boasts over 40 tattoos on his face and body, has 275lbs of muscle and consumes a whopping 5500 calories per day.

Meet the man they call JENS THE BEAST – and he even has his very own BEAUTY.

Jens Dalsgaard, 31, has achieved fame over the internet for his gargantuan appearance, earning him the popular nickname ‘The Beast’.

Jens, from Denmark, stands at 5 foot 10 inches tall with a strapping chest size of 140cm and an arm circumference of 58 cm.

And just like the Beast from the fairy tale, Jens has his very own Belle – in the form of his gorgeous girlfriend, Frederikke.

The 15 defining tech moments of 2015

This year was huge for the tech industry. 

From Apple launching its first wearable to Tesla rolling out its (almost) driverless car, there were a lot of major events that not only captured the attention of the masses, but also helped spur big changes in the advancement of new technologies. 

Here's a look at the 15 defining tech moments that changed our world in 2015. 

Yazidi woman held as sex slave for three months by ISIS and gang raped speaks out about hideous suffering

Brave: Nadia Murad Basee was treated as a sex slave for three months

A young Yazidi woman who was tortured and treated as a sex slave for three months by ISIS fighters has bravely revealed her horrific ordeal.

"Rape was used to destroy women and girls and to guarantee that these women could never lead a normal life again," Nadia Murad Basee Taha, 21, told the UN Security Council.

The young woman, who was abducted in August last year from her village in Iraq, added: "Islamic State has made Yazidi women into flesh to be trafficked in".

Nadia described her horrific ordeal, saying how she was taken by bus to a building in the ISIS stronghold of Mosul, where thousands of Yazidi women and children were exchanged by militants as gifts.