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السؤال ما حكم الاحتفال بعيد الكريسمس ( أول السنة الميلادية ) ؟ بالتفصيل الإجابــة الحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله وعلى آله وصحبه أما بعد: فلا يجوز لأحد من المسلمين مشاركة أهل الكتاب في الاحتفال بعيد الكريسمس "أول السنة الميلادية" ولا تهنئتهم بهذه المناسبة لأن العيد من جنس أعمالهم التي هي دينهم الخاص بهم، أو شعار دينهم الباطل، وقد نهينا عن موافقتهم في أعيادهم، دل على ذلك الكتاب والسنة والإجماع والاعتبار: 1- .أما الكتاب: فقول الله تعالى: وَالَّذِينَ لا يَشْهَدُونَ الزُّورَ وَإِذَا مَرُّوا بِاللَّغْوِ مَرُّوا كِرَاماً [الفرقان:72] قال مجاهد في تفسيرها: إنها أعياد المشركين، وكذلك قال مثله الربيع بن أنس، والقاضي أبو يعلى والضحاك. وقال ابن سيرين: الزور هو الشعانين ، والشعانين: عيد للنصارى يقيمونه يوم الأحد السابق لعيد الفصح ويحتفلون فيه بحمل السعف، ويزعمون أن ذلك ذكرى لدخول المسيح بيت المقدس كما في اقتضاء الصراط المستقيم 1/537، والمعجم الوسيط1/488، ووجه الدلالة هو أ نه إذا كان الله قد مدح ترك شهودها الذي هو مجرد الحضور برؤية أو سماع، فكيف بالموافقة بما يزيد على ذلك من العمل الذي هو عمل الزور، لا مجرد شهوده. 2- وأما السنة: فمنها حديث أنس بن مالك رضي الله عنه قال: قدم رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم المدينة ولهم يومان يلعبون فيهما، فقال: ما هذا اليومان؟ قالوا: كنا نلعب فيهما في الجاهلية، فقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: إن الله قد أبدلكم بهما خيراً منهما: يوم الأضحى ويوم الفطر. رواه أبو داود، وأحمد، والنسائي على شرط مسلم. ووجه الدلالة أن العيدين الجاهليين لم يقرهما رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، ولا تركهم يلعبون فيهما على العادة، بل قال: إن الله قد أبدلكم بهما خيراً منهما...... والإبدال من الشيء يقتضي ترك المبدل منه، إذ لا يجمع بين البدل والمبدل منه، وقوله صلى الله عليه وسلم: خيراً منهما. يقتضي الاعتياض بما شرع لنا عما كان في الجاهلية. 3- وأما الإجماع: فمما هو معلوم من السير أن اليهود والنصارى ما زالوا في أمصار المسلمين يفعلون أعيادهم التي لهم، ومع ذلك لم يكن في عهد السلف من المسلمين من يشركهم في شيء من ذلك، وكذلك ما فعله عمر في شروطه مع أهل الذمة التي اتفق عليها الصحابة وسائر الفقهاء بعدهم: أن أهل الذمة من أهل الكتاب لا يظهرون أعيادهم في دار الإسلام، وإنما كان هذا اتفاقهم على منعهم من إظهارهم، فكيف يسوغ للمسلمين فعلها! أو ليس فعل المسلم لها أشد من إظهار الكافر لها؟ وقد قال عمر رضي الله عنه: إياكم ورطانة الأعاجم، وأن تدخلوا على المشركين يوم عيدهم في كنائسهم فإن السخطة تتنزل عليهم. رواه أبو الشيخ الأصبهاني والبيهقي بإسناد صحيح. ووجه الدلالة أن العيدين الجاهليين لم يقرهما رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، ولا تركهم يلعبون فيهما على العادة، بل قال: إن الله قد أبدلكم بهما خيراً منهما...... والإبدال من الشيء يقتضي ترك المبدل منه، إذ لا يجمع بين البدل والمبدل منه، وقوله صلى الله عليه وسلم: خيراً منهما. يقتضي الاعتياض بما شرع لنا عما كان في الجاهلية. 3- وأما الإجماع: فمما هو معلوم من السير أن اليهود والنصارى ما زالوا في أمصار المسلمين يفعلون أعيادهم التي لهم، ومع ذلك لم يكن في عهد السلف من المسلمين من يشركهم في شيء من ذلك، وكذلك ما فعله عمر في شروطه مع أهل الذمة التي اتفق عليها الصحابة وسائر الفقهاء بعدهم: أن أهل الذمة من أهل الكتاب لا يظهرون أعيادهم في دار الإسلام، وإنما كان هذا اتفاقهم على منعهم من إظهارهم، فكيف يسوغ للمسلمين فعلها! أو ليس فعل المسلم لها أشد من إظهار الكافر لها؟ وقد قال عمر رضي الله عنه: إياكم ورطانة الأعاجم، وأن تدخلوا على المشركين يوم عيدهم في كنائسهم فإن السخطة تتنزل عليهم. رواه أبو الشيخ الأصبهاني والبيهقي بإسناد صحيح. 4- وأما الاعتبار فيقال: الأعياد من جملة الشرع والمناهج والمناسك التي قال الله فيها: لِكُلٍّ جَعَلْنَا مِنْكُمْ شِرْعَةً وَمِنْهَاجاً [المائدة:48].

Report and free match highlights from the Sky Bet Championship match between Bristol City and Hull City at Ashton Gate on Friday | Jason Knight scores winner in five-goal thriller to hand Liam Manning's men all three points Saturday 23 December 2023 10:09, UK Jason Knight's 84th-minute strike earned Bristol City a thrilling 3-2 Championship win over Hull at Ashton Gate. The hosts took a 24th-minute lead when Jacob Greaves handled Tommy Conway's glancing header and Conway sent goalkeeper Ryan Allsop the wrong way from the spot. But Hull battled back to equalise on 33 minutes through Aaron Connolly and went in front eight minutes later with the game's second penalty, coolly converted by Ozan Tufan after referee Ben Toner spotted a foul on Greaves as he contested free-kick from the left. Anis Mehmeti brilliantly equalised and a terrific advertisement for Championship football ended with Bristol fans celebrating thanks to Knight, while those who had made the long journey from Hull could console themselves with the fact that their team had given everything. Bristol had the better of the opening exchanges, Knight forcing saves from Allsop with a shot and a header before Conway's opener. Sponsored Links Trending World Darts schedule: Rock and Aspinall feature in Saturday's action Transfer Centre LIVE! Osimhen signs new Napoli contract World Darts Championship LIVE! Clayton, Gurney and Beaton in action Papers: Man Utd turn attention to Sevilla striker En-Nesyri Arteta looks to end Anfield hoodoo | Klopp: Result won't gauge title race PL Predictions: Martinelli to star in statement Arsenal win AJ: There is no future if I don't beat Wallin! Carra: Liverpool haven't convinced me - but win over Arsenal would Van Barneveld rolls back the years as Van den Bergh loses Ally Pally epic Welch to become first woman to referee a Premier League match today Watch Latest News But Zak Vyner had already made a saving tackle on Connolly before the striker's fine solo equaliser, cutting in from the left to drill a sweet low drive beyond the reach of City goalkeeper Max O'Leary. The home side bitterly disputed the penalty decision that put them behind but Hull were worthy of their interval lead after finishing the first half strongly. O'Leary saved well from Tufan after one of several strong runs by Liam Delap, who caused problems down the right wing for Hull. Bristol began the second period well and Conway was just wide with a near-post volley from a Taylor Gardner-Hickman cross. Again Hull rallied and Lewie Coyle shot wide from distance after two corners in quick succession. Delap had a shot from a narrow angle saved by O'Leary and Connolly saw a fierce volley blocked as Liam Rosenior's men wrestled back the initiative. At the other end Greaves did well to get in the way of a close-range shot from Knight. Both teams looked to play out from the back and through midfield as an entertaining contest developed. On 77 minutes, Mehmeti matched Connolly's goal with a brilliant solo effort, racing in from the left and placing a perfect low shot beyond the diving Allsop. Hull had to substitute Allsop through injury on 82 minutes and two minutes later replacement Matt Ingram was beaten by Knight's fierce shot from just inside the box, which took a deflection. There were chances at both ends right into seven minutes of stoppage time, when Hull substitute Adama Traore volleyed narrowly wide at the near post. Neither side deserved to lose and rightly received a rousing ovation at the end of a brilliant game. The managers Bristol City's Liam Manning: "Up to our goal, we were excellent and caused them real problems. Then we got a bit emotional and they took advantage as a very good side who are well coached and on a good run of form. "The less said about Hull's penalty the better. There was so little contact on their player and I'm just glad the result wasn't influenced by a poor refereeing decision. "But we responded to the setback well, even in the final minutes of the first half, and the second-half performance was excellent. "We got on the front foot and showed some moments of real quality. We spoke at half-time and there was so much good in the first half that I didn't want to derail it. "The message to the players was that we faced a terrific challenge and could either step up and build on our good first-half play or let the penalty decision have an adverse effect." Hull's Liam Rosenior: "Watching from the stand was horrendous. I have learned my lesson and never want to let it happen again. "Credit to Bristol for playing well, but for us it was three points dropped. I sound like a broken record when I say that we didn't get the result we deserved. "Our level of performance was again good, but we have to manage games better because the end product is all-important. It's so frustrating because we should have more points on the board than we have. "The defeat was self-inflicted. There was so much good in the way we played. "Ryan Allsop hurt his back diving for their second goal and that is just bad luck. "I believe that if you perform consistently over the course of a season you will end up where you deserve to be. We were by far the better team, but key moments in the game have cost us." https://www.skysports.com/football/bristol-city-vs-hull-city/report/484967

Ferrari looks certain to return to the SUPER GT grid in 2024, with two teams believed to be planning to run the new 296 GT3 in the Japanese series. The Prancing Horse disappeared from the GT300 class entry list following the end of the collaboration between Pacific Racing and CarGuy Racing, which led to the former switching to the Mercedes-AMG GT3 this year. However, with the new ORECA-built Ferrari 296 GT3 having successfully debuted in various sportscar series across Europe and North America, the car is now set to be used in SUPER GT next season. The two teams believed to have plans to run the Ferrari are Team LeMans and Gainer. Team LeMans currently campaigns the Audi R8 LMS GT3, but has been known to be eyeing a change of model since last year, while the German manufacturer is also winding down its customer GT3 programme after this year. That makes the team, which has used Audi machinery since it joined the GT300 class in 2021, a logical candidate to run the new Ferrari. Likewise, Nissan customer outfit Gainer is thought to have become disillusioned by the GT-R NISMO GT3’s lack of performance this year and is thought to be planning to go into the 2024 campaign with two new cars. One of these is expected to be a Ferrari on Michelin tyres with backing from PONOS, which sponsored the #10 Gainer GT-R this season, while the other is rumoured to be an all-new Nissan Z built to GTA-GT300 (‘JAF’) rules. Fellow Nissan customer team Kondo Racing is expected to continue with the GT-R. As well as Ferrari, the Aston Martin brand is also set to be back on the SUPER GT grid in 2024 after a three-season absence. D’station Racing revealed plans to return to SUPER GT for the first time since 2020 in early October, but without giving any details regarding what type of car it will use. However, the team looks likely to use Aston Martin machinery and Dunlop tyres, while Fujii has been tipped to be joined in the cockpit by one of the British marque’s factory drivers. There were plans for Aston works driver Nicki Thiim to partner Fujii at D’station for the 2020 season, but these were scuppered by the COVID-19 pandemic. The arrival of D’station would partly offset Dunlop's loss of one of the two Gainer entries and the Shade Racing Toyota GR86, which is set to run on Michelins next year. NISMO’s expected tie-up with Bridgestone in GT500 also looks like it will have ramifications for the GT300 class. Apr’s #31 Lexus LC500h has been tipped to switch tyre brands, potentially ending a partnership with Bridgestone dating back to 2015, although it remains unclear which brand it will use. https://www.motorsport.com/supergt/news/ferrari-return-2024-296-gt3/10544520/

Hundreds of Palestinians were forced to evacuate Bureij and Nuseirat on Friday amid rising attacks and a mounting death toll. By Maram Humaid Published On 23 Dec 2023 23 Dec 2023 Central Gaza Strip — Israel has ordered Palestinians to evacuate from parts of central Gaza, its latest such directive as it pushes more of the besieged enclave’s 2.3 million-strong po[CENSORED]tion into a smaller area while widening its bombardment of the Gaza Strip. The Israeli military on Friday ordered families to flee for their “safety” to shelters in southern Gaza’s Deir el-Balah, from Bureij and areas of Nuseirat in central Gaza. The announcement has incensed the region’s weary and exhausted residents, many of whom have already been internally displaced several times since October 7. Scenes of mass displacement once again filled Salah al-Din Street that is linked to the entrance of the Bureij refugee camp. Salah al-Din, a road stretching across the length of Gaza, has been dubbed the “death corridor” by many in the Strip. In previous evacuations, Palestinians fleeing parts of northern Gaza have been arrested, shot at and even killed – despite it being declared as a safe route by the Israeli army. On Friday, hundreds of people carrying what is left of their personal belongings poured onto the street on foot. Others loaded pick-up trucks and donkey carts with mattresses, blankets, plastic chairs and whatever else they could grab. Some could barely move after sustaining injuries from previous attacks, yet found themselves with no choice but to escape once again. This was the case for Walaa al-Nuzeini, who was fleeing Bureij in a wheelchair and for the third time since the beginning of the assault. Al-Nuzeini lived in the Shujayea neighbourhood of Gaza City when an Israeli air strike targeted her home on November 7. “I lost my daughter, she died in my arms,” al-Nuzeini told Al Jazeera. “We stayed under the rubble for three hours before they got us out,” she said, adding that the entire area is now “destroyed”. Al-Nuzeini was badly hurt. She suffers from wounds in her leg, and said the nerve is affected which has been causing her “extreme pain”. She was taken to al-Shifa Hospital for treatment, but three days later Israeli soldiers raided the facility, Gaza’s largest hospital that is now no longer operating. Walaa al-Nuzeini lost her daughter in an Israeli attack on their home in Gaza City’s Shujayea [Abdelhakim Abu Riash/Al Jazeera] “We left running out of fear and had to walk all the way to Nuseirat,” she recalled. At the time, Israeli soldiers ordered doctors, patients and displaced people at the hospital to evacuate the medical compound, forcing some to leave at gunpoint, according to testimonies by doctors and Palestinian officials. More than 7,000 people, including patients in a critical condition and newborn babies, were sheltering inside al-Shifa Hospital. Humanitarian circumstances have become “very difficult”, al-Nuzeini said. She is now heading to Khan Younis, where her other children have set up a tent. “This is not a life. We have no water, no food, no freedom of movement.” ‘We’re exhausted’ Two months ago, the Israeli military called on Palestinians in northern Gaza to flee to the south, but has continued to target and bomb civilians even there. Khan Younis is now a focus of Israeli attacks. “There is no place that’s safe,” Salem al-Sheikh told Al Jazeera. The elderly man said he was forcibly displaced from his home in Nassr neighbourhood in the west of Gaza City. “They [the Israeli army] told us to leave, so I fled to al-Shifa Hospital, where I stayed for a month and a half. I then left to Nuseirat,” al-Sheikh said. He was among the thousands who sought refuge in al-Shifa Hospital before it was attacked by Israeli forces. Salem al-Sheikh has been forcibly displaced three times since October 7 [Abdelhakim Abu Riash/Al Jazeera] Now, for a third time, he is being displaced from Nuseirat. The latest call for evacuation comes as Israeli ground troops continue to battle Palestinian fighters in southern and central Gaza. In the last 48 hours alone, at least 390 people have been killed as the enclave plunged into digital darkness for the sixth time amid a communications blackout, Gaza’s health ministry said. The United Nations says nearly 1.9 million people have now been displaced – more than 80 percent of the Gaza Strip’s pre-war po[CENSORED]tion. Many are crammed inside the Rafah governorate in southern Gaza, where al-Sheikh is heading. The health ministry has warned that disease there is flourishing amid a lack of supplies, medicine, clean water and much-needed fuel. Meanwhile, UN-run schools have largely become overcrowded shelters for thousands of displaced Palestinians. “It’s been extremely difficult,” al-Sheikh said. “We walked from al-Shifa on foot … we passed Israeli army tanks until we made it to a school,” he said, referring to the second time he was displaced. The schools, however, “are full,” he said. “There is no space.” The United Nations says nearly 1.9 million Palestinians have been internally displaced in Gaza [Abdelhakim Abu Riash/Al Jazeera] Many believe that the UN designation of these buildings will keep them safe from the constant Israeli bombardment. However, several of the schools have been targeted or sustained damage from Israeli air raids in their vicinities. According to the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), some 1.4 million Palestinians are trapped in overcrowded and unprotected shelters run by the body that are now uninhabitable. The poor conditions in the makeshift accommodations have already led to an outbreak of scabies and smallpox, among other infections. Al-Sheikh said he just wants to return home. “We’re exhausted, moving from one place to the next. They need to let us get back to our homes.” Some 60 percent of all residential units in the Strip have been damaged, or 254,000 homes. More than 20,000 Palestinians have been killed since the beginning of the latest offensive, including at least 8,000 children. Rights groups have warned of the consequences of mass displacement, with organisations including Human Rights Watch labelling it a “war crime”. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu needs to “stop committing crimes and killing people’s children,” al-Sheikh said. “He needs to stop destroying homes on top of people’s heads.” https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2023/12/23/palestinians-in-central-gaza-flee-along-death-corridor-after-israel-order

People are increasingly looking beyond roasts and other traditional fare to diversify their festive dinners More than a third of people would rather not have a traditional roast on Christmas Day, according to a survey. Photograph: The Irish Image Collection/Getty Images/Design Pics RF Christmas ‘It’s time for a Christmas food rethink’: the Britons escaping the tyranny of turkey People are increasingly looking beyond roasts and other traditional fare to diversify their festive dinners Esther Addley Esther Addley Sat 23 Dec 2023 07.00 GMT This 25 December will be the first Martin Bellamy and his wife, Alison, have spent in their new home in Sherburn, North Yorkshire, and, with their children and grandchildren scattered across the UK, they are planning to spend this Christmas Day doing things their way. Above all, that means escaping what Bellamy calls “the tyranny of a roast dinner”. He says: “The plan is to take a flask of chestnut soup, some turkey, stuffing and cranberry sauce sandwiches, some Christmas cake (and cheese – this is Yorkshire after all) and head to the beach at Hunmanby Gap to blow away the cobwebs. “We’ll arrive home with a tired schnauzer and a sense of relaxed contentment, before an afternoon of seasonal trashy TV and an evening of grazing and mild inebriation. Bliss.” Every family who celebrate Christmas have their own traditions, he says, “but I can imagine that this year a lot of people are struggling to manage a full roast and all the trimmings. I think people have moved on from that, anyway. We’re a diverse nation, aren’t we? It’s a bit weird that we expect everybody to have a turkey.” For many people, of course, 25 December is an ordinary day like any other. But in the UK at least, for those who do celebrate Christmas, a traditional roast dinner has been a remarkably enduring family mainstay. There are signs, however, that those Britons who “do Christmas” increasingly want to do it differently. Though almost 90% of people in the UK say they celebrate the holiday, more than a third, according to one survey, don’t want a traditional Christmas dinner. Many of them told the survey they would be opting for a takeaway. Research cited by Asda found that more than two-thirds of Britons said it wasn’t important to eat turkey at Christmas – as a result, it has diversified its “ready to roast” range to include alternatives like monkfish wrapped in Parma ham. Waitrose says this will be its biggest ever year for plant-based food. The disruption wreaked by Covid allowed many families to rethink their festive traditions, and with finances particularly squeezed this year, many Guardian readers told us they too were planning to celebrate Christmas differently this year. Alison and Martin Bellamy. “For 50 years I’ve felt obliged to produce the typical Christmas roast with all the trimmings, but this year is going to be the start of a much easier spread going forward,” says Alice from Warminster in Wiltshire. For her three-generation gathering, that will mean “a big pot of homemade curry with all the sides, followed by an array of favourite desserts. We all love a mild creamy curry and my grandchildren prefer it to a traditional Christmas roast. Also, it’s a lot cheaper. “I can make it ahead of the day in my slow cooker and just reheat instead of spending hours on Christmas Day getting sweaty and stressed in the kitchen. Win, win, win, win.” As a family of dessert lovers, a big spread of tiramisu, trifle and sticky toffee pudding will become their once-a-year feast, she says. “It’s definitely time for a Christmas food rethink. We can all be together and feast just as well for a lot less money and a lot less hassle.” As her children grew older, Louisa in Warwickshire decided some years ago that she too was fed up roasting turkey, abandoning the tradition in favour of a different international menu each year. Previous Christmases have seen Chinese, Indian, Spanish, Polish and Lithuanian menus, and this year will be a multi-course tasting menu themed around herbs and spices. “Over those years we have been joined by girlfriends, boyfriends, long-term partners and now spouses. No one has ever complained or thought we were strange. In fact many people have said what a good idea it is, but that they wouldn’t do it because their family wouldn’t like it. To those people I always say, go ahead … I love it!” Pip Bradley, who owns a small business selling her own-recipe hot sauce and running independent markets in Birmingham, says the period before Christmas is far too frantic to bother with a roast when the bank holidays finally arrive. “Christmas Day is the day the work stops, but after being so busy cooking our sauces, the last thing we want to do is cook a big feast. “So we gather the best cheeses from our cheese-selling mates at markets, and these, along with the most amazing nibbles, breads and sweet treats, are our Christmas dinner. Our cheese board is epic! So it’s bad movies and lots of cheese and not moving from the sofa all day.” Even for those who keep things traditional, there’s no reason not to mix it up a little. Maureen Clyne grew up in Malaysia, where her family celebrated Christmas with dosa and chutneys and a spread of curries. Her marriage to “a very traditional English boy”, and two daughters who love a traditional roast, however, have meant years making a festive spread that she personally finds terribly bland. Her one rebellion has been “a big jar of sambal”, and a liberal application of the chilli paste across meat, potatoes and vegetables. This year, to her great delight, her sister is coming from Malaysia for Christmas, meaning that alongside the roast will be mutton and chicken curries, and the sambal will be shared. “When you’re not from this country and you’ve got family abroad, it’s something that connects me with the family that I’m missing.” https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2023/dec/23/its-time-for-a-christmas-food-rethink-the-brits-escaping-the-tyranny-of-turkey

Fossilized bird tracks discovered in Australia show these ancient creatures lived in the southern polar regions on the supercontinent of Gondwana. Wonthaggi bird tracks discovered in Australia are the oldest ever discovered in the Southern Hemisphere. (Image credit: Martin et al., 2023, PLOS ONE, CC-BY 4.0) Researchers have discovered the earliest bird footprints ever found in Australia, showing that these early birds once lived in southern polar regions on the supercontinent Gondwana. Palaeontologists unearthed the bird tracks in Wonthaggi Formation in Victoria, Australia, that date back to around 120 million years ago, during the Early Cretaceous (145 million to 100.5 million years ago). Prior to these findings, there has been minimal evidence of Early Cretaceous birds in Australia — consisting of limited skeletal material, feathers and two tracks. At that time, what is now Australia was part of Gondwana and was further south, sitting near the South Pole. "These bird tracks are scientifically important for several reasons. For one, they’re the oldest in Australia, telling us that birds have been living in Australia for at least 120 million years. But they’re also the oldest bird tracks in the Southern Hemisphere, which covers a lot more of the Cretaceous world," study co-author author Anthony Martin, a paleontologist at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, told Live Science. "These tracks are from when this part of Australia was still connected to Antarctica and close to the South Pole then. So this makes them the oldest bird footprints from formerly polar environments." Related: Extinct 'Lord of The Rings' eagles had a 10-foot wingspan and probably could have carried a hobbit Researchers say the tracks give insight into how early birds dispersed across landmasses and biomes. Cretaceous bird fossils are extremely rare in southern regions — unlike in the northern continents, where a diverse range of early bird fossils have been found. The study, published Nov. 15 in the journal PLOS ONE, describes 27 bird footprints of varying sizes and shapes, which are evidence that several ancient bird species lived in the region, including some of the largest known birds from the Cretaceous. Wonthaggi Formation avian tracks with a diagram showing the digits. Scale = 5 cm in all parts. (Image credit: Martin et al., 2023, PLOS ONE, CC-BY 4.0) The researchers identified the tracks as belonging to avian animals because they were tridactyl (meaning they had three digits on a foot), with thin digits and sharp claws. The bird tracks were discovered on marine outcrops that would once have been an ancient polar floodplain, suggesting that the area could have been part of a migratory route during polar summers, the researchers suggest in the study. The authors suggest the fossilized tracks are evidence of seasonal behaviors, as the birds would have walked across the surface of the beds after the weather thawed in the spring season. It also suggests that Early Cretaceous birds might have flown to what is now Australia from northern regions of Gondwana during Southern Hemisphere springs. "Because these bird tracks were made in polar environments at least 120 million years ago, and they were preserved on what were then river floodplains, we think this shows that birds were living in these places during the summers there, after spring thaws," Martin said. "That further implies that they probably aren't living there during cold, dark winters, so they may have migrated seasonally to and from other environments." The researchers hope the new finds will inspire others to look for more evidence of Cretaceous birds in the Southern Hemisphere. "We can then better understand where birds dispersed early in their evolutionary history, and about when they started changing the world," Martin said. https://www.livescience.com/animals/birds/120-million-year-old-birds-tracks-near-south-pole-are-the-oldest-ever-discovered-in-the-southern-hemisphere

The US negotiated for days to weaken the language of the resolution to ensure there is no call for an immediate ceasefire. By Al Jazeera Staff Published On 23 Dec 2023 The United Nations Security Council passed a resolution on more aid for Gaza after several days of delays and weakened language that did not call for a ceasefire in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, prompting a backlash with some describing it as “woefully insufficient” and “nearly meaningless”. The resolution merely called for steps “to create the conditions for a sustainable cessation of hostilities”, and was adopted on Friday with 13 votes in favour, none against, and the United States and Russia abstaining. It also demanded that all parties “facilitate and enable the immediate, safe and unhindered delivery of humanitarian assistance at scale” to Palestinian civilians. It came after several postponements and difficult closed-door negotiations aimed at reaching a compromise in the language that would not be rejected by Washington, which vetoed another UNSC resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire earlier this month. While UNSC resolutions are legally binding, Al Jazeera’s Alan Fisher said that Israel and other countries have ignored them in the past. “The circumstances and the consequences for people refusing to follow these Security Council resolutions seem to be much worse for some countries than others,” said Fisher, reporting from occupied East Jerusalem. Palestinian officials have said that more than 20,000 people, about 70 percent of them children and women, have been killed in Israel’s land, air and sea offensive in the Gaza Strip since the start of the war on October 7. While top UN officials and international aid agencies welcomed the call for more humanitarian assistance, they said the resolution does not go far enough with the majority of the enclave’s po[CENSORED]tion of 2.3 million displaced, the imminent threat of famine and the spread of diseases. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a post on X that he hopes the resolution can improve the delivery of aid, “but a humanitarian ceasefire is the only way to begin to meet the desperate needs of people in Gaza and end their ongoing nightmare” The head of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, welcomed the resolution but reiterated the need for an “immediate ceasefire”. Oxfam America’s Scott Paul stressed to Al Jazeera that aid to Gaza “can’t work while the bombs are falling and destroying houses, factories, farms, mills, [and] bakeries”. “There’s no point in bringing in flour if you can’t bake bread with it. So the focus is entirely wrong,” Paul said. International medical charity Doctors Without Borders (Medecins Sans Frontieres, or MSF) said the measure fell “painfully short” of what is needed to address the dire humanitarian crisis. “This resolution has been watered down to the point that its impact on the lives of civilians in Gaza will be nearly meaningless,” MSF-USA Executive Director Avril Benoit said in a statement. “Anyone with a conscience agrees that a massive scale-up of the humanitarian response in Gaza must take place without delay.” All efforts to address the “unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe” in Gaza must be welcomed, said Agnes Callamard, Amnesty International’s secretary general, but emphasised that “nothing short of an immediate ceasefire is enough”. She said the resolution “was watered down significantly” and “insufficient” and added that it is “disgraceful that the US was able to stall and use the threat of its veto power to force the UN Security Council to weaken a much-needed call for an immediate end to attacks by all parties”. Tamer Qarmout, assistant professor in public policy at the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies, told Al Jazeera that the vote showed how the UN has become “irrelevant” to resolving the war. “When the UN was formed after World War II, it was supposed to tackle, to prevent similar conflicts such as the one happening in Gaza,” he said. “But it’s a political organisation that is controlled by powerful countries, especially those with veto power at the UN Security Council. So politics is there in every policy and little detail of the UN work. “I don’t think this war can be resolved through UN channels … The UN is becoming irrelevant, marginalised, very politicised and its mandate is being questioned now,” he added. Ardi Imseis, assistant professor of international law at Queen’s University in Canada, said the UNSC has yet again failed in its responsibility to safeguard international peace and security due to the actions of one member, the US, which is protecting its ally Israel. Today, he told Al Jazeera, the two “find themselves out on a limb against the whole of the international community and all of it at the expense of the civilian po[CENSORED]tion in the Gaza Strip – defenceless, starved, chased out of their homes, subject to a scorched earth tactic”. Here are some other reactions to Friday’s vote: Palestine Palestine’s envoy to the UN, Riyad Mansour, said in a speech following the vote that the resolution was a “step in the right direction” but that what was necessary was an immediate ceasefire. He said Palestine supported the amendment to the resolution that was proposed by Russia, but was rejected by the US. An early draft had called for an immediate ceasefire, and the Russian amendment called for the “suspension” of fighting, which was also opposed. “What we are dealing with is an attempt at the destruction of our people, and their displacement forever from their land. This is Israel’s goal, its true objective. No future for Palestinians in Palestine,” Mansour said. Israel Speaking during the council meeting, Israeli envoy Gilad Erdan said, “The UN’s focus only on aid mechanisms to Gaza is unnecessary and disconnected from reality” and it should focus on releasing captives held in Gaza. Erdan thanked the US for its support during negotiations on the resolution, which according to him, kept in place Israel’s ability to continue inspecting aid that enters Gaza. Foreign Minister Eli Cohen said in a social media post that Israel would continue its war in Gaza “until the release of all the hostages and the elimination of Hamas in the Gaza Strip”. Hamas The armed Palestinian group that rules Gaza did not appear to share the Palestinian Authority’s stance on the resolution, saying in a statement that it does not do enough to meet the needs of besieged Palestinians in the Strip. “During the past five days, the US administration has worked hard to empty this resolution of its essence, and to issue it in this weak formula … it defies the will of the international community and the United Nations General Assembly in stopping Israel’s aggression against our defenceless Palestinian people,” a Hamas statement said. United States The US ambassador to the UN, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, said Washington believes the resolution “calls for urgent steps to immediately allow safe, unhindered, and expanded humanitarian access and to create the conditions for a sustainable cessation of hostilities”. She also said she would ignore Russia’s “rant” on the resolution and criticised Moscow for “creating conditions that they are complaining about now in their unprovoked war in Ukraine”. Russia Vassily Nebenzia, the Russian envoy, said the US moves on the resolution had resulted in a “toothless” and “neutered” draft. Nebenzia particularly criticised the diluted language that called for the creation of “conditions for a sustainable cessation of hostilities”, saying it fell short of actually pausing fighting and would give Israel a “free hand” to continue its operations. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/12/23/un-resolution-on-gaza-aid-criticised-as-insufficient-meaningless

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Nick movie: THE DETECTIVE - English Movie | Hollywood Blockbuster English Action Crime Movie HD | Jason Statham Time: March, 20, 2023 Netflix / Amazon / HBO: N/A Duration of the movie: 98M Trailer:

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Mark Tisshaw reckons the pure-petrol Renault Clio is the best bargain out there right now The Ford Fiesta has gone off sale but long-term rival the Renault Clio is carrying on, despite a new range of similar-sized Renault EVs soon to join it in the showroom. Renault is continuing to develop the Clio too. The firm recognises the need to serve the part of its customer base that is unable or unready to go electric and keep an affordable, accessible small car on offer with no fixed deadline for its demise. Recently, it has launched a facelifted Clio, an update initially planned to make the supermini hybrid-only with an automatic gearbox, but Renault has gone further and done something that has become a quiet trend of 2023: reintroduced a pure-petrol version with a manual gearbox. Jeep and Citroën have done similar by adding petrol versions of the Avenger and C4 X to lower the price of cars originally planned as EVs only. The sole purpose of Renault’s decision is to ensure the Clio can be as affordable and as accessible as possible and the TCe 90 Evolution model is a chunky £3500 cheaper than the hybrid, at £17,795. Put a 35% deposit down and you can even have one with 0% APR, with tiny monthly payments thanks to the high residual value. Dealers are giving discounts of up to 5% as well. This Clio’s 1.0-litre triple is turbocharged and equipped with a six-speed manual gearbox. The only option is colour and it’s already a very well-equipped car, with electric everything, rear parking sensors and an infotainment that includes Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. To show how good value that Clio is, the cheapest Fiesta on the most recent price list was £19,350 and that was for the old 1.1-litre normally aspirated triple with a five-speed manual in basic Trend trim. The Clio remains a fabulous small car to drive, mixing fun handling with big-car long-distance refinement and comfort. The interior is a lovely place to be and the boot is a good size. So many boxes are ticked. Such cars of the Clio’s ilk are now an endangered species. That Renault is carrying on making them and for the right reasons is to be celebrated. Enjoy it while you still can, but rest assured that Renault’s moral compass ensures this particular Clio isn’t going anywhere for a while yet. https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/favourite-cars-2023-renault-clio-tce-90

Defender set to lead side into battle against Fluminense in Club World Cup final on Friday on back of stuttering Premier League campaign Manchester City captain Kyle Walker during the Fifa Club World Cup win over Urawa Red Diamonds at King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah, on December 19, 2023. Getty Images John McAuley author image John McAuley Jeddah Dec 21, 2023 Listen In English Listen in Arabic Powered by automated translation Kyle Walker is aware of the criticism - what’s more, he's used to it by now - but he has no problem taking the lead in Manchester City’s stuttering bid for silverware this season. The full-back, hugely decorated since joining City in 2017, captained the team on Tuesday night, when the English and European champions made light work of their Fifa Club World Cup debut against Asian counterparts Urawa Red Diamonds in Jeddah. Walker played a pivotal role in the 3-0 victory at King Abdullah Sports City, laying on a sumptuous assist for Mateo Kovavic to grab City’s second. The win, and the tournament overall, provides Pep Guardiola's side some respite from recent domestic troubles. City landed in the kingdom fresh from Saturday’s 2-2 draw with Crystal Palace, when they surrendered a two-goal lead at home. The draw, extending City’s unwanted Premier League streak to a single victory in six, means they sit fourth in the table, five points from leaders Arsenal. The fault-finding, from outside at least, has followed. “I'm always going to get heat; if I'm not doing something right, I get scrutinised,” Walker says. “That's been my whole career, but it gives me the fire to keep going. “You do see it and I've had a lot of criticism from the fans about me being captain and that it's all my fault. We're a team. We're in a team game. I've said it continuously throughout my career that, if I wanted to play a solo sport, then I'd go and play tennis or golf. “But I feel being one of the most experienced players and the captain, I'm going to have to take that burden, and it's something I'm going to have to just carry on my shoulders. “And, as I say to the lads in the [pre-match] huddle, we're here because we went and achieved what we achieved, that no one's going to roll the red carpet out for us. We have to go in there, earn the right.” Walker’s words take root from not only the Palace collapse, but the matches against Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur in which City conceded late goals to eventually draw. “Teams are thinking now that they can come and play against us and do what they do, which it's full credit to them,” he says. “But especially the Liverpool, Tottenham and Palace game, we're always defending. And that's not me sticking up for the defence; we're not killing games off that we used to where we go and get three, four goals or games put to bed. “And we're always defending on a knife edge. But listen, us as defenders need to deal with that pressure, because sometimes we have to hang in games and save the day sometimes.” Walker’s correct that City could be, to some extent, victims of their own success. Last year’s historic treble – Premier League, FA Cup, Uefa Champions League – stretched their top-fight title haul to five from the past six years. Successfully defend this season, still very much in play given the league has not even reached midway point, and they become the first English team to win the league in four consecutive years. Also adding “world champions” to their roll of honours might go some way to changing perceptions. Or, as Walker points out, maybe not. “I don't think we'll be looked at differently for a good couple of years now,” he says. “Because to go and achieve what the likes of Liverpool and Manchester United did, doing it year-in, year-out for a number of years. “So to be considered the best club in the world, obviously, it's a great achievement, but the lads know we're probably just starting the building blocks for this club. “Obviously. clubs have gone and won Premier Leagues in the past, but to go and do it for a dominant amount of time, like we've done it, it's not been done before. “Hopefully we're starting a new generation and we set the path for the youngsters that are coming through. And the likes of Phil Foden, the Rico [Lewises], they emulate what we've been doing over the last couple of years.” Should City clinch the Club World Cup on Friday – they face South American champions Fluminense in the final – they will reside as only the second English team to capture five trophies in a calendar year (the Uefa Super Cup the fifth). Combine the quintet of titles with three consecutive league crowns, and City would have just cause to be considered the greatest Premier League team in history. “It makes it sound easier when you say it like that, but to go and do it like your Manchester Uniteds with your Ryan Giggses that have won 14 Premier Leagues … it's a flip of a coin. “I've been involved in the Premier League since I was 19. I’m 33 now, and I can assure you it's a lot harder to win a Premier League probably than it is to go on and win a Champions League. “Champions League, you need a little bit of luck, it needs to swing your way like it did in the final for us [June's 1-0 win against Inter Milan]. “For us to do what we've done, we take great pride in that. But to be recognised as one of the top, top clubs in the world, I think we have to do it for a little bit more.” Walker believes City’s struggles are not as bad as have been portrayed, that “we’ve been a little unlucky” even if he concedes in past seasons fortune has at certain times favoured his side. Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola pats Kyle Walker on the back after the win over Urawa Red Diamonds. Reuters “It swings and roundabouts, and we've been a little bit lucky that teams probably haven't capitalised on us dropping points,” he says. “So I still feel it's open. “But we're concentrating on the game on Friday now. And that's to make history for this club, a competition we've never won as players or as a club. “We'll go and tick that off and then we return to the Premier League with a tough, tough game at Goodison Park against Everton [on December 27].” Walker highlights the departure of Ilkay Gundogan and Riyad Mahrez, players of exceptional talent but bona fide Premier League experience too, and need for the summer arrivals – Josep Gvardiol, Jeremy Doku, Matheus Nunes, etc – to settle as another reason for City not quite clicking into gear. But the squad are not panicking. Far from it. “We're right there, and I feel confident, the lads feel confident, that maybe this is what we need from such a high: a snap back down to reality, and we go again now,” Walker says. “Hopefully that's the starting block where we go on our good run that we seem to do along the Christmas period and pick up the points.” Still, given how the fixtures fall, by the time City return to league action next week, they could be as many as 10 points off the summit. https://www.thenationalnews.com/sport/football/2023/12/20/man-city-captain-kyle-walker-criticism-gives-me-the-fire-to-keep-going/

The IDF said the tunnels linked hideouts and homes belonging to Hamas leaders. UN says more than half a million people in Gaza are starving ABC New’s foreign correspondent Britt Clennett reports from Tel Aviv, Israel, on the latest...Show More The temporary cease-fire between Hamas and Israel ended on Dec. 1, and Israel has resumed its bombardment of Gaza. The end of the cease-fire came after Hamas freed over 100 of the more than 200 people its militants took hostage during the Oct. 7 surprise attack on Israel. In exchange, Israel released more than 200 Palestinians from Israeli prisons. Click here for updates from previous days. Latest headlines: The Israel-Hamas war has now passed the two-month mark. In the Gaza Strip, at least 20,000 people have been killed and more than 52,600 others have been wounded by Israeli forces since Oct. 7, according to figures released by Gaza's Hamas-run Ministry of Health and the Hamas government media office. In Israel, at least 1,200 people have been killed and 6,900 others have been injured by Hamas and other Palestinian militants since Oct. 7, according to the Israel Defense Forces. There has also been a surge in violence in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Israeli forces have killed at least 297 Palestinians in the territory since Oct. 7, according to Palestinian health authorities. Kibbutz Reim survivors move together to Tel Aviv in first-of-its-kind ‘urban kibbutz’ The surviving members of Kibbutz Reim have relocated as a unified group to temporary housing in Tel Aviv. The move creates a "first-of-its-kind urban kibbutz," according to a statement from the kibbutz. The families will live in a compound that includes two buildings and a community center, similar to what the original kibbutz had. The new temporary housing will also connect the survivors to services including psychological support and a local school. -ABC News’ Becky Perlow White House on Gaza humanitarian crisis: 'Nobody can look at the images … [and] not feel sense of pain' National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said the U.S. is “leading the world” in getting humanitarian aid to Gaza, where the crisis worsens by the day. “Nobody can look at the images coming out of Gaza and … not feel a sense of pain and anguish for so many innocent people that have been displaced from their homes, families killed, many wounded,” Kirby said. Palestinian children stand in front of a pile of debris following Israeli bombardment in Raf... Said Khatib/AFP via Getty Images Relatives of Palestinians, killed during Israeli strikes, mourn at the EU hospital in Khan Yu...Read More ABC News asked Kirby about a letter sent to President Joe Biden this week from a group of House Democrats that raised concerns with Israel's military operation in Gaza. The lawmakers called the civilian death toll in Gaza unacceptable and urged Biden to work to shift Israel’s strategy. Kirby acknowledged, “We don't believe you're going to be able to wipe out the ideology that inspires Hamas through military action." Kirby said the U.S. is "not dictating the terms and timelines to the Israelis" on moving to lower intensity military operations. -ABC News’ Lauren Peller Dec 21, 2:25 PM EST IDF forces destroyed network of underground tunnels in Hamas’ ‘Elite Quarter’ in Gaza The Israel Defense Forces said it has destroyed a network of tunnels found in Hamas' "Elite Quarter" in Gaza City. https://abcnews.go.com/International/live-updates/israel-hamas-war/?id=105728765

In a way, maybe money does grow on trees. Nicolas Puech, the fifth-generation heir of Thierry Hermès, is reportedly planning to bequeath part of his massive wealth to his 51-year-old gardener, who he also intends to legally adopt. According to the Swiss French-language publication Tribune de Genève, as well as Fortune magazine, the 80-year-old fashion house heir has indicated he will leave a substantial portion of his US$11 billion (over C$14.7 billion) fortune to his gardener. Puech is unmarried and has no children. He inherited the wealth as a descendant of Thierry Hermès, who established the Hermès fashion house in 1837. Today, the company is best known for its iconic, and very pricey, Birkin bags. Puech owns between five and six per cent of the shares in Hermès, according to numerous reports. Tribune de Genève said the gardener could inherit as much as half of the wealth from Puech. The gardener has not been named publicly but is reportedly of Moroccan descent and married with two children. He may also inherit US$5.9 million (nearly C$7.9 million) worth of property assets from Puech, who owns property in Switzerland, Morocco, Marrakesh and Montreux. Fortune said the inheritance of Swiss property specifically may pose an issue due to the country’s strict laws surrounding adult adoption. Regardless, Puech has allegedly already initiated the adoption processes to position the unnamed gardener as his true heir. There may be legal battles to come surrounding the allocation of Puech’s estate. The fashion house heir reportedly dedicated his fortune to the Isocrates Foundation years earlier, which he founded to promote media diversity in Switzerland. Puech is not directly involved in Hermès’ operations and left the brand’s supervisory board in 2014. At the time, a representative for Puech said he resigned after he was “beleaguered by members of his family, who have attacked him on several fronts.” Some of the inter-family disagreement appeared to revolve around LVMH’s stealthy acquisition of a 23 per cent stake in Hermès between 2001 and 2013. Puech is still reportedly arranging the beneficiaries of his estate. Today, Hermès is valued at approximately US$220 billion (almost C$294.9 billion). Hermès is the second most valuable luxury brand, second only to LVMH. Puech is not the only ultra-wealthy person to make unconventional decisions about their will and estate. After his death in 2010, fashion designer Alexander McQueen left £50,000 (C$85,550) to his three dogs, Minter, Juice and Callum. In 1988, a cat named Blackie inherited £7 million (about C$12 million, by today’s standards) from their deceased owner, who was an antiques dealer. The owner, Ben Rea, did not leave any money to his family — though Blackie went on to become the wealthiest cat ever. https://globalnews.ca/news/10170044/hermes-heir-nicolas-puech-billions-gardener-adopt/

Image of a fish catching a lift on a jellyfish elevator is one of the winners of the Royal Society Publishing Photography Competition. During nightfall, many small or juvenile animals hitch a ride on jellyfishes to be transported to different depths. (Image credit: Tom Shlesinger/Royal Society Publishing Photography Competition) A jellyfish "elevator" carrying a hitchhiking fish up from the ocean depths has been captured in a photo documenting one of the largest migrations in the world — one that takes place every night. Tom Shlesinger, a marine ecologist at Tel Aviv University, took the photo, titled "Nightly Elevator," off the coast of Florida's Palm Beach. It won the Behavior category at this year's Royal Society Publishing Photography Competition. The jellyfish was photographed on its nightly ascent to the surface off the coast of Florida. (Image credit: Tom Shlesinger) Shlesinger's photo captures the vertical journey of billions of marine creatures that live in the twilight zone — between 660 and 3,280 feet (200 to 1,000 meters) beneath the ocean surface — as they travel up to the surface. In the photo, an unidentified jellyfish species carries a hitchhiking yellow fish as it ascends from the depths. According to a statement from the Royal Society, many small or young animals hitch a ride up to the surface on jellyfishes, providing them with a "unique elevator." "Not only that these juveniles can peacefully rest while the jellyfish transports them above, but they also get some protection," representatives wrote. "With their stinging cells, the jellies protect their hitchhikers from predators that will avoid getting too close." Researchers think the nightly migration — known as the diel vertical migration (DVM) — is related to feeding behaviors, enabling smaller creatures to feed in the food-rich surface waters under the cover of darkness, which helps protect them from predators. Before dawn, they descend back to the safety of the twilight zone. Related: Alien-like comb jellies have a nervous system like nothing ever seen before The overall winner of the photography competition was Irina Petrova Adamatzky, whose image "Martian landscape" depicted the slime mold Lamproderma scintillans growing on a fallen leaf in the U.K. Other category winners included an image of a starfish on a coral reef, also taken by Shlesinger, and "A crack in time," by Chia-Hsin Tsai, which shows a fault in an outcrop in the Corinth Canal in Greece that was exposed during excavation work in 2022. https://www.livescience.com/animals/jellyfish-elevator-carrying-fish-from-ocean-depths-captured-in-weird-otherworldly-photo

Watch: Dramatic videos from Prague as people are seen leaping from building ledge A gunman has shot dead 14 people and injured another 25 at a university in Prague, officials say, in the deadliest attack in modern Czech history. Police say the 24-year-old gunman was also "eliminated" following the shooting at Charles University in the historic centre of the capital. University staff were told to barricade themselves in rooms during the attack. Prime Minister Petr Fiala said he had cancelled upcoming engagements in light of the "tragic events" on Thursday. The shooting started at about 15:00 local time (14:00 GMT) at the university's Faculty of Arts building on Jan Palach Square. Dramatic footage later emerged on social media showing some people jumping to safety from one of the building's ledges several storeys up, and gunshots are also heard. In a separate video, terrified crowds are seen fleeing the area po[CENSORED]r with tourists. At a briefing on Thursday evening, the country's police chief and the interior minister said the gunman had been a student at the faculty. They said he was from a village 21km (13 miles) outside Prague. The suspect's father had been found dead earlier on Thursday. The gunman's motives were not immediately known. Preliminary information suggested that no police officers were injured in the attack, the authorities said. The police said they were also working on the theory that the gunman may have been responsible for the deaths of two people last week in a forest near Prague. Police have urged any witnesses with photo or video footage of what happened to send it in The area around the university remained sealed off late into the night Sergei Medvedev, a professor at the university, told the BBC he had been in one of the university's auditoriums when the shootings began. "I was giving a lecture at the moment and at first didn't quite realise what happened because there were some sounds. The students... heard it better because I was so much concentrated on my talking, on my lecture," he said. "Then... we understood that something big is happening. There was nothing online yet, nothing in the Czech press and the [news] networks. Then at some point, the special operation groups went storming in, they searched the room briefly and then went out... they told us to stay inside. "One hour later, another police squad broke in and then put us on the floor, briefly searched us then evacuated from the building." US tourist Hannah Mallicoat told the BBC that she and her family had been on Jan Palach Square during the attack. "A crowd of people were crossing the street when the first shot hit. I thought it was something like a firecracker or a car backfire until I heard the second shot and people started running," she said. "I saw a bullet hit the ground on the other side of the square about 30 ft (9m) away before ducking into a store. The whole area was blocked off and dozens of police cars and ambulances were going towards the university." Britain's Joe Hyland, 18, told the BBC he had heard four gunshots. "Everyone was sprinting and running for cover. I have a bad knee, am on a crutch. So I hobbled as quickly as possible," added Mr Hyland, who was on his first holiday with friends. "We got to the metro and went down there because we thought it would be safest." Charles University students said they had barricaded themselves in classrooms. "Currently stuck inside my classroom in Prague," Jakob Weizman, a student at Charles University, wrote on X (formerly Twitter) as it unfolded. "Locked the door before the shooter tried to open it." An email to staff at the faculty of arts, seen by Reuters news agency, warned staff of the shooting. It read: "Stay put, don't go anywhere, if you're in the offices, lock them and place furniture in front of the door, turn off the lights." European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said she was "shocked by the senseless violence". Founded in 1347, Charles University is the oldest and largest university in the Czech Republic, and one of the oldest such institutions in Europe. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-67793962