The Netherlands: Inside Almere: the Dutch city that's pioneering alternative housing - by Thomas Feary

While custom-build and self-build housing cannot single-handedly solve the UK’s housing crisis, they do  offer an opportunity to throw the market open to far greater competition.

Both types of housing are economically sustainable models, yet in Britain we still lag far behind our northern European counterparts when it comes to alternative housing.

One source of inspiration is the Dutch city of Almere. Located in the province of Flevoland, Netherlands,

Almere is one of the fastest-growing cities in Europe and has a history of pioneering social planning. Over the past few years, it has embarked on a hugely ambitious plan to turn the housing market on its head, challenging the status quo of volume house builders controlling provision.

Read more: - by Thomas FearyInside Almere: the Dutch city that's pioneering alternative housing | Housing Network | The Guardian

Sweden jails two ISIS men for life for crimes in Syria - by Robert Hackwil

Two men have been jailed for life in Sweden for committing acts of murder in Syria. They are the first to be jailed for terrorist crimes committed in the country.

The men, both Swedish, deny the charges and at least one says he will appeal.

They are accused of beheading and cutting the throats of two men in Aleppo in 2013.

One insisted he had gone to Syria to fight against the Assad regime, but film emerged of him and his colleague enthusiastically taking part in acts of savagery.

It had been kept by the youngest of the accused on a USB key at his home in Gotenburg.

Both men lived in Sweden’s second city, which has sent over 120 people to fight in Syria, making it one of Islamic State’s main recruiting centres in Europe.

Read more: Sweden jails two men for life for crimes in Syria | euronews, world new
Two men have been jailed for life in Sweden for committing acts of murder in Syria. They are the first to be jailed for terrorist crimes committed in the country.

The men, both Swedish, deny the charges and at least one says he will appeal.

They are accused of beheading and cutting the throats of two men in Aleppo in 2013.

One insisted he had gone to Syria to fight against the Assad regime, but film emerged of him and his colleague enthusiastically taking part in acts of savagery.

It had been kept by the youngest of the accused on a USB key at his home in Gotenburg.

Both men lived in Sweden’s second city, which has sent over 120 people to fight in Syria, making it one of Islamic State’s main recruiting centres in Europe.

Read more: Sweden jails two men for life for crimes in Syria | euronews, world news

Culinary: African food: The next gastronomic trend?

Living in London, it is not too hard to sate my hunger for a taste of home as markets selling African food dot the city.

There are also a lot of Nigerian restaurants, but they are mainly filled with Nigerians - other Africans may also be tucking in, but hardly any Europeans.

London is a bustling cosmopolitan city where, according to Mayor Boris Johnson, more than 300 languages are spoken - that is at least 300 different cultures.

But while cuisines from countries like China, India and Thailand have become very popular, the same cannot
be said about African food.

So why hasn't African gastronomy caught on?

Perhaps in these days of healthy eating - a particular obsession of the European press - African food is seen as containing too much oil or carbohydrates or not enough protein.

But London-based Ghanaian cook Fafa Gilbert, who teaches people how to make Africa food with a

European twist on her YouTube channel, could not disagree more.

Read more: African food: The next gastronomic trend? - BBC News

France: COP21 climate change summit reaches deal in Paris

A deal to attempt to limit the rise in global temperatures to less than 2C has been agreed at the climate change summit in Paris after two weeks of negotiations.

The pact is the first to commit all countries to cut carbon emissions.

The agreement is partly legally binding and partly voluntary.

Earlier, key blocs, including the G77 group of developing countries, and nations such as China and India said they supported the proposals.

President of the UN climate conference of parties (COP) and French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said: "I now invite the COP to adopt the decision entitled Paris Agreement outlined in the document.

"Looking out to the room I see that the reaction is positive, I see no objections. The Paris agreement is adopted."

Read More: COP21 climate change summit reaches deal in Paris - BBC News

Turkey: Iraq demands Turkey withdraw troopsfrom its territory

Iraq appealed Friday to the UN Security Council to demand that Turkey remove its troops from northern Iraq, calling the incursion a "flagrant violation" of international law.

"We call on the Security Council to demand that Turkey withdraw its forces immediately ... and not to violate Iraqi sovereignty again," Iraqi Ambassador Mohamed Ali Alhakim said in a letter to the Security Council.

US Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power, who this month holds the rotating presidency, said the letter was being taken seriously.

"There's growing alarm from the Iraqi government," Power said. "Any troop deployment must have the consent of the Iraqi government."

Read More: Iraq demands Turkey withdraw troops | News | DW.COM | 12.12.2015

Pollution: Dirty deeds: The world's biggest polluters by country - by Sarah Wolfe

After years of decline, US carbon dioxide emissions increased slightly last year, according to a new report by the US Energy Information Administration.

That said, America is still a little better than the world's worst polluter: China.

The 2 percent jump in CO2 emissions in the United States was largely the result of higher natural gas prices last year, which prompted some utilities to switch back to a dirtier energy source — coal, according to The Washington Post.

Read more: Dirty deeds: The world's biggest polluters by country | GlobalPost

Climate Conference Paris: COP21: Hopes rise as EU forms alliance to push for deal - by Matt McGrath

The European Union has formed an alliance with 79 African, Caribbean and Pacific countries in a final push for agreement at the climate summit COP21.

The new alliance has agreed a common position on some of the most divisive aspects of the proposed deal.

They say the Paris agreement must be legally binding, inclusive and fair - and be reviewed every 5 years.

The EU will pay 475 million euros to support climate action in the partner countries up to 2020.

Read more: COP21: Hopes rise as EU forms alliance to push for deal - BBC News