The angry earth

Deadly floods in Balkans kill three in Bosnian town of Tuzla

Heavy rain in the Balkans has killed three people, forced the evacuation of around 20,000 from inundated areas and caused more than €340m in damage.

Three family members were killed when a landslide hit their house in the town of Tuzla, Bosnia on Sunday. A total of 4,000 people have been evacuated in Bosnia so far.

Flooding in nearby Albania, Montenegro, Bosnia and Croatia appears to have caused more damage than high waters in January, adding to the woes of budgets already under strain from the economic crisis. But hydro-electric power plants were producing at top capacity.

The Tungurahua volcano in Ecuador is billowing ash into the sky and sending super-hot pyroclastic flows surging down its slopes, causing the evacuation of nearby villages.

The volcano is 95 miles south-east of Quito, the capital. In 2006, an eruption buried entire villages and killed at least four people.

Three men were killed last weekend near Grenoble, France. They were ski touring. Following huge snowfalls the temperature suddenly warmed up and made conditions dangerous. People across the Alps are being urged to be careful.

The three Frenchmen, all married with families, were experienced off-piste skiers.

One of the busiest hurricane seasons in history has ended. Out of 19 named storms, which tied for third most active with 1887 and 1995, only one, Tropical Storm Hermine, hit the United States after coming ashore in Mexico and wandering into Texas. Twelve of those storms were hurricanes.

Go figure

13.1m

Days of annual leave still to be taken by British workers this year, 45% of the national workforce

€760bn

the amount that could be saved by the five biggest EU economies if they switch to 'Cloud Computing' systems

19

countries who will miss the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony for jailed Chinese
dissident Liu Xiaobo

On this day in 1870

First black man is elected to the US House of Representatives

Joseph Hayne Rainey was born in Georgetown, South Carolina in 1832. His parents were both slaves, but his father, Edward, had a successful business as a barber, enabling him to purchase his family's freedom shortly after Joseph's birth. As an adult, Joseph too became a barber but In 1861, with the outbreak of the Civil War, Rainey was drafted by the Confederate government to work on the city's defences in Charleston, and as a labourer on blockade runner ships.

In 1862, he and his wife were able to escape to Bermuda, where Rainey worked as a barber, while his wife established herself as a dressmaker. In 1866, following the war's end, Rainey returned to South Carolina, where he quickly involved himself in politics, joining the Republican Party.

In 1870 he was elected to the State Senate of South Carolina and later that year, he was elected to fill a vacancy in the 41st Congress of the United States as a Republican.

Rainey was re-elected four times; serving until 1879, which made him the longest-serving black Congressman until the 1950s.

During his term in Congress, Rainey spent much time and effort on supporting legislation to protect the civil rights of southern blacks, but this eventually proved a failure, with the black electorate losing all political power following the end of Reconstruction.

Joseph Rainey first took his seat in Congress 140 years ago on this day.

The week in laughs

President Obama held a ceremony at the White House to celebrate the first night of Hanukkah. In response, Republicans said: 'It's even worse than we thought. He's a Jewish Muslim'. (Conan O'Brien)

Fernando Torres's wife has just given birth to a healthy baby, 6lbs 6ozs, 10 fingers, 10 toes, torn hamstring. (Liverpool fans forum)

Six in 10 Mexicans believe life is better in the US. The other four already live here. (Jay Leno)

Iran began holding talks with the six world powers. Participants were the US, Russia, China, Britain, France, and Oprah. (Conan O'Brien)

Willie Nelson was arrested for possession of marijuana. Nothing yet on bin Laden, but we got Willie Nelson. (David Letterman)

News hound - What it says in the international press

The Courier Mail - Pet psychic gets in touch with dead dog

When Cheryl Warburton lost her best friend Shardy in July, she found help from a pet psychic, who happened to live in the same town, Pomona. "I was very sceptical, but I was only there for five minutes when I realised Liza could communicate with my dog."

Wee County - She picked a fine time to kill boot heels fan

AN Alloa mum who killed her partner in a row over music has been jailed for more than six years. Andrea Neil stabbed Robert Hamilton (46) after they argued about whether to play Kenny Rogers or Bob Dylan at their Alloa home last May.

Saigon - Five cops demoted over YouTube sex tape

Vietnamese authorities have demoted five policemen for filming the arrest of two naked prostitutes after the footage was posted on the internet.

The YouTube clip shows the naked women with a client in a hotel room, while several other men take notes.

Sunday Mail - Fourth girl kidnapped to avenge '30s murder

Varaidzo Nyabunze (17) is the fourth girl to be abducted as compensation for the murder of Cloud Sundai Mukona by her great-grandfather in the 1930s. There is a common belief in Zimbabwe that a murdered person should be compensated by a virgin girl.

Checking out - The people we said goodbye to last week

Elizabeth Edwards, 61, US lawyer and political activist, ex-wife of politician John; breast cancer

Don Meredith, 72, Dallas Cowboys star and ABC football commentator; pneumonia

Elaine Kaufman, 81, owner of famous New York restaurant Elaine's; emphy-sema

Brig Gen Ahuva Tomer, 52, Israel's top policewoman; of severe burns in forest fire

John duPont 72, American businessman, convicted of murder of Olympic gold medal wrestler Dave Schultz

Sylvie Cachay, 33, New York fashion designer, found dead in bath

Boris Tishenko, 71, Russian composer