The angry earth

Experts fear massive eruption in distant far east of Russia

The volcano Kizimen, located in the Kamchatka Peninsula, spewed ashes as high as 10km into sky and the western slope of the mountain was covered with ash. Specialists don't rule out the possibility of a massive eruption of Kizimen, which has remained dormant for 80 years.

The nearest human settlement is about 110km away from the volcano.

An earthquake measuring 5.1 on the Richter scale occur­red off the coast of Sumatra in Indonesia.

The epicentre of the quake, registered at 5.56am local time, was 65km to the west of the city of Banda Aceh in the Sumatra province.

A tsunami, which was triggered by an earthquake measuring 7.2 on the Richter scale, struck the coast of western Sumatra in October, killing over 300 people.

A motorcyclist died after hail, lightning and strong winds battered southeast Queensland, Australia, causing home damage and traffic chaos. The cyclist collided with a car during a severe hailstorm.

Three skiers were killed by an avalanche in the Spanish Pyrenees. The avalanche happened in an off-piste area near Formigal. The first skier was found 45 minutes after the avalanche and the second 20 minutes later.

The Israeli Organisation for Seismic Observation has confirmed the occurrence of a minor earth tremor in Upper Galilee, in the north of occupied Palestine.

It confirmed that an earthquake described as "mild" measured 2.7 on the Richter scale. No damage or injuries were caused.

Go figure

55,000 - Barrels of oil a day Anglo-Irish firm Tullow expects to produce from its new oilfield off Ghana

11 - People executed in Iran, who were part of a Sunni rebel group res­­ponsible for suicide bombing of a mosque

11m - Dollars spent by an Abu Dhabi hotel on its lobby Christmas tree. Abu Dhabi is a Muslim country

On this day in 1883

Five killed in bloody Irish sectarian rioting in Newfoundland

THE town of Harbour Grace in Newfoundland had a sizeable Irish community in the 19th century. On St Stephen's Day, 1883, 400 to 500 members of the Loyal Orange Association took part in its annual parade through the town. In an echo of future events back in Ireland, the day took a familiar pattern. Passing along its traditional route, a group of 150 men from?the Riverhead area tried to prevent the parade encroaching on what was their territory.

A pitched battle - known in Canadian history as the Harbour Grace Affray - resulted in five deaths and 17 injuries. Three of the dead were Orange marchers, one Catholic was shot dead, and one "aged bystander" died of a fractured skull.

Nineteen people were arrested and brought to trial, but due to conflicting evidence and suspected perjury, all were acquitted.

The furore over the court cases brought down the Newfoundland government and led to a fraught election campaign in 1885, when sectarian issues came to the fore. The Reform Party, consisting of exclusively Protestant candidates, vowed to return to "clean government" and no coalition with Roman Catholics, and duly won.

An Orange ballad was written about the Affray, which ends:

May a curse attend a Fenian, Wherever he may go,

For firing on the Orangemen, And murdering of them so.

And now my song is ended, I have no more to say,

Whenever there's an Orangeman, He'll think of that affray.

The Harbour Grace Affray took place 127 years ago, on this day.

The week in laughs

Michelle Obama said that obesity is a national security threat because one in four young people are too overweight to join the military. Couldn't we just have a separate fat army to fight in countries that don't have hills?

(Jimmy Kimmel)

The US Marine Corps' top general suggested allowing gay soldiers on the battlefield would pose a distraction. Especially the really hot ones.

(Conan O'Brien)

Hollywood activist Michael Moore posted bail for Julian Assange to thank the hacker for leaking diplomatic secrets to the world. They made a deal. For his part Julian Assange will leak Kentucky Fried Chicken's secret recipe to Michael Moore's personal chef.

(Argus Hamilton)

News hound - What it says in the international press

Nigeria Independent - Cop who shot man is given promotion

The Nigerian police have promoted a constable, Gbenga Fashola, after he allegedly shot a defenceless 23-year-old man, Jubril Rasheed. The bullets fired at Rasheed at the Sabo police station, Abeokuta, tore through his buttocks and hit his genitals.

Leewarder Courant - Teenage schoolgirls do 'placement' as whores

A 35-year-old Dutch pimp is facing a jail sentence after two teenage girls decided to take an internship as prostitutes. The 14-year-old and 15-year-olds from Leeuwarden, in northern Holland, had been told by their school to take a social internship.

The Dominion Post - Detective cat dies in motor accident

A missing crime-fighting cat that helped put a burglar behind bars is thought to have been hit and killed the day he disappeared from his Wellington home. Detective Squeaky led his owners to the burglar who raided their Mount Cook home earlier this year.

The Botswana Gazette - 'I want to be Botswana president's wife'

"I read about the Botswanian president's search for a 'tall, slim, and not-fat lady'. Perhaps I might be suitable... 44 years young, 5'6", 65kg, size 14! I am Kenyan and have Maasai blood in me hence the height. As for my weight, I doubt it will nosedive his plan."

Checking out - The people we said goodbye to last week

Brian Hanrahan, 61, BBC journalist former Northern Ireland correspondent; cancer

Gonzalo Meza Allende, 45, Chilean political scientist, grandson of Salvador Allende; suicide

Anthony Howard, 76, British journalist, writer and broadcaster; cancer

Enzo Bearzot, 83, Italian footballer and manager. Managed Italy to victory in the 1982 World Cup

Tommaso Padoa Schioppa, 70, Italian economist and architect of the euro; heart attack

Glen Adams, 65, Jamaican reggae musician and producer (the Upsetters, the Pioneers, the Heptones)