Stephen Hawking challenges conventional thinking on black holes
Stephen Hawking, who was one of the developers of modern black hole theory, has published a new paper in which he says there is no invisible firewall surrounding black holes, and that matter and energy are only temporarily constrained before they are eventually released in an altered form. As the professor told Nature ‘s Zeeya Merali on Friday, there is “no escape from a black hole in classical theory,” but quantum theory makes it possible for “energy and information to escape from a black hole.” However, a full explanation of the process would require a theory that merges gravity with other fundamental natural forces, which physicists have been unable to find. (RedOrbit)
Netanyahu would let Israeli settlers live in future Palestine
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will insist that Jewish settlers in the West Bank have a right to remain under Palestinian rule in any future peace deal, a government official was quoted as saying on Sunday. Naftali Bennett, leader of the Jewish Home party and an advocate of Israeli annexation of the West Bank, demanded in a Facebook post that Netanyahu "immediately refute this dangerous proposal." (Reuters)
Syria talks produce first breakthrough with deal on Homs civilians
Syria's government has agreed that women and children trapped in the city of Homs can leave immediately under a deal that marked the first concrete sign of progress to relieve suffering on the ground on a second day of internationally backed peace talks in Geneva. (Guardian)
China jails prominent rights activist for four years
A court sentenced Xu Zhiyong, one of China's most prominent rights advocates, to four years in prison on Sunday after he campaigned for the rights of children from rural areas to be educated in cities and for officials to disclose their assets. The government has waged a 10-month drive against Xu's "New Citizens' Movement", which advocates working within the system to press for change. Hundreds of citizens have participated in activities related to the movement, rights activists say. There were chaotic scenes outside the court as police shoved and harassed foreign reporters. (Reuters)
UK warns Olympics attacks 'likely'
Whitehall officials are warning that more terrorist attacks in Russia are "very likely to occur" before or during the Winter Olympics in Sochi. A threat assessment seen by the BBC names a Caucasus group, Imarat Kavkaz (IK), as posing the main danger - saying it has repeatedly expressed a desire to target them. Eighty-eight countries will compete in the Games which begin next week. (BBC)
