North Korea: Kim Jong-Un Attends Huge Parade

North And South: A Quick History

Updated: 2:23pm UK, Thursday 25 July 2013

By Mark Stone, Asia Corespondent, in Pyongyang

On the Korean Peninsula there are two versions of history. The version people learn depends on whether they are North Korean or South Korean.

Either way though, understanding both versions is key to understanding this most unusual of countries: its quirks, its people, its politics and its government's ability to survive against the odds.

There is no logical reason why the land that makes up the Korean Peninsula should be split into two countries.

The people either side of the border speak the same language and have the same ancestors.

But since 1945, it has been two countries: the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) and the Republic of Korea (South Korea).

From 1910 until the end of World War Two, the Korean Peninsula was Japanese territory.

With Japan's defeat, America and the Soviet Union took control of the peninsula.

They decided to split it in two: America didn't want the communist administration in Moscow to control the whole thing. Moscow felt the same about total American control.

And an agreement was reached between Washington and Moscow and an arbitrary line was simply drawn across the middle.

The North became The Democratic People's Republic of Korea. It adopted the communist ideology of its Soviet masters.

A young war hero called Kim Il-Sung became its prime minister.

The South adopted American-style democracy and became the Republic of Korea.

Just five years later though in 1950, Kim Il-Sung and his new army, backed by communist China and Russia, invaded the South.

Within months North Korean forces controlled almost the entire peninsula.

An American-led United Nations force fought back and the Korean War had begun.

Three years of fighting left well over a million people dead. Among them were soldiers from both Koreas, America, China, Russia and Britain.

But no side could claim victory. The border remained where it had been at the start - across the 38th Parallel - and to this day it is a heavily guarded and mined demilitarised zone.

In the decades that followed, the Soviet Union and China continued to prop up the North.

Inside the closed country, Kim Il-Sung's government controlled information and adopted their own version of history which states that the US-backed South Koreans invaded the North.

In 1991, the Soviet Union collapsed. North Korea had lost its main communist ally and trading partner.

The 1990s were dominated by a catastrophic famine in which millions died. A once strong country began to crumble.

And yet the country remained cut off, shunning most Western offers of help.

Kim Il-Sung, at his death in 1994, was declared Eternal President.

His son Kim Jong-Il ensured continuity and - on his death in 2011 - the leadership was assumed by his son, Kim Jong-Un.

And so through extreme control and isolation spanning 65 years, the Kim dynasty has cemented its cult of personality through which the state is still run.

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China: Toddler Pulled From Pram And 'Murdered'

A two-year-old girl who was thrown to the ground by a man during a row over a parking space in Beijing has died, state media say.

A witness told the Beijing Times that the man, identified only by his surname Han, wanted to park by a bus stop in Beijing.

But the toddler's mother, who was on foot, would not move out of his way as she tending to her daughter at the time.

Han got out of his car and allegedly hit the woman before taking the girl out of her pram, holding her up and throwing her "forcefully" to the ground, said the witness, a street-stall owner surnamed Zhou.

"The baby made no noises after being dropped, not even a cry of pain," the newspaper quoted Zhou as saying.

Another man came out of the car and also beat the mother before the pair drove away, it added.

The woman was waiting by a bus stop on Beijings Keji road

Police reportedly found Han, who was released from prison this year after serving a sentence for theft, in a hot spring bathhouse and detained him.

"Han was put in criminal detention on suspicion of intentional homicide on Thursday afternoon," state news agency Xinhua said, citing the Beijing Security Bureau.

Han could face the death penalty if he is convicted of murder.

The incident sparked outrage on Chinese social media as weibo users vilified the attackers and expressed grief over the toddler's fate.

"When you come back in another life, dear baby, be sure to be born in another country," one user wrote.

Another weibo user called the attackers "perverse animals" and a third called for the death penalty as punishment.

"For this kind of murderer with an evil nature, the death penalty should be carried out immediately," the post said.

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Egypt: 'Dozens Killed' As Rallies Turn Violent

At least 70 people have been killed after security forces attacked a protest by supporters of deposed President Mohamed Morsi in Cairo, according to the Muslim Brotherhood.

Doctors at a field hospital said another 1,000 people had been wounded in clashes on the road to Cairo's international airport.

"They are not shooting to wound, they are shooting to kill," Muslim Brotherhood spokesman Gehad El-Haddad said, adding that demonstrators had been hit by gunshot in the head and chest.

He said the shooting started just before pre-dawn prayers at a round-the-clock sit-in staged by Morsi supporters at Rabaa al-Adawiya in east Cairo.

Protesters set off flares in a mass protest in support of the army in Cairo

Activists rushed blood-spattered casualties to the makeshift hospital, some carried on planks or blankets. Many had fatal head wounds.

A Reuters reporter at the scene counted 36 bodies at an improvised morgue.

Amid claims that rooftop snipers had opened fire on the vigil, Egypt's interior minister blamed the Brotherhood for the violence.

An Apache helicopter flies over Tahrir Square during the protests

Speaking at a news conference, Mohamed Ibrahim said the security forces would act "in a legal fashion" to disperse the protesters "as soon as possible".

The MENA state news agency, quoting an unnamed security official, reported that nine people had been killed in the violence and at least 200 wounded.

Foreign Secretary William Hague said in a statement that he was "deeply concerned" by the violence.

Protesters stand on power lines near Cairo's presidential palace

He said: "I am deeply concerned by recent events in Egypt, and condemn the use of force against protesters which has led to the loss of lives."

The violence broke out as rival rallies were held across Egypt for and against the overthrow of Mr Morsi, who is under investigation for murder.

Hundreds of thousands of Egyptians heeded a call by army chief General Abdel Fattah al Sisi to take to the streets, while the Muslim Brotherhood mounted counter-demonstrations in Cairo.

Lasers are pointed at an army helicopter near the palace

A spokeswoman for the pro-Morsi camp said eight Brotherhood supporters had died in a clash near the Cairo vigil alone, and another said rooftop snipers had opened fire.

At least 10 people have also been killed in Egypt's second city of Alexandria, where hundreds of people fought pitched battles, with birdshot fired and men on rooftops throwing stones at crowds below.

Several of those killed were stabbed, hospital officials said, and at least one was shot in the head.

The investigation into Mr Morsi over his 2011 escape from jail has signalled a clear escalation in the military's confrontation with the deposed leader and his Islamist movement.

MENA said Mr Morsi, who has been held at an undisclosed military facility since his overthrow, had been ordered detained for 15 days pending the inquiry.

Egypt's army-installed interior minister, Mohamed Ibrahim, said month-old Cairo vigils by Mr Morsi's supporters would be "brought to an end, soon and in a legal manner".

An army official said the military had given the party a Saturday deadline to end its resistance and join a military-set roadmap to fresh elections.

But the Brotherhood says it wants nothing to do with the army's transition plan and called its own crowds out for counter-demonstrations in a "day to remove the coup".

Mr Morsi has been in military detention at an undisclosed location since he was overthrown.

UN leader Ban Ki-moon has called on the military to free Mr Morsi and other Islamic Brotherhood leaders, said deputy UN spokesman Eduardo del Buey.

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Train Crash Driver Held For 'Reckless Homicide'

The driver of a speeding train that hurtled off the rails killing 78 people in Spain has been detained for "reckless homicide", according to the country's Interior Minister.

Speaking at a news conference in the northwestern city of Santiago de Compostela where the accident happened, Jorge Fernandez Diaz said: "He has been detained since 7:40pm on Thursday for the alleged crimes of reckless homicide."

The driver, named by local media as 52-year-old Francisco Jose Garzon Amo, was arrested in the hospital where he was recovering after one of Europe's worst rail disasters.

Police said he refused to answer their questions on Friday from his hospital bed and the case has been passed to the courts.

The wrecked train at the site of the crash near Santiago de Compostela

The driver will be questioned by a judge on Sunday, the interior minister added.

Under Spanish law, a suspect can be detained for a maximum of 72 hours before being heard by a judge.

"There are reasonable grounds to consider that he may have been responsible for what happened, which must be established by a judge and the investigation which has been opened," Mr Fernandez Diaz said.

Although the court hearing will be closed, it will give hints about the status of the investigation. The judge will decide whether to jail the driver as an official suspect, release him on bail, or release him without charges. If a judge finds sufficient evidence for a criminal trial, the suspect will be charged and a trial date set.

Some 78 people were killed in one of the worst crashes in Spain's history

The eight-carriage train, packed with 218 passengers, was said to have been travelling at more than twice the speed limit on a curve when it hurtled off the rails and slammed into a concrete wall, with one carriage leaping up onto a siding.

The grey-haired driver, who reportedly boasted of his love for speed online, has been under police surveillance in hospital since the accident on Wednesday evening but he was discharged today and taken to a police station.

He reportedly suffered head injuries in the accident that required stitches. Pictures showed him being led away from the scene with blood covering the right side of his head.

While Garzon's official explanation for the crash is awaited, blame has increasingly fallen on the driver, with Spain's railway agency saying it was his responsibility to brake before going into the high-risk curve where the train tumbled off the rails and smashed into a wall.

A man lights a candle in memory of the victims of the rail disaster

But it is still not clear whether the brakes failed or were never used.

The president of Adif, the Spanish rail agency, said that the driver should have started slowing the train 4 kilometres (2.5 miles) before the dangerous bend. He said signs clearly marked this point when the driver must begin to slow.

Meanwhile, doctors are continuing to try to identify the last three bodies of the 78 passengers killed in the catastrophe.

A memorial service for the victims will be held on Monday in the cathedral at Santiago de Compostela, the city just outside which the rail disaster occurred and a destination for Catholic pilgrims from around the world.  

Some 130 people were also injured in the crash.  

The Alvia 730 series train was travelling from Madrid to the port city of Ferrol when it derailed at about 8.40pm local time - 7.40pm UK time - on Wednesday.

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Egypt: Army And Morsi Camp Showdown Looms

A deeply polarised Egypt is braced for bloodshed ahead of rival mass rallies called by the army and Islamists who back the ousted president Mohamed Morsi.

Army chief General Abdel Fattah al Sisi has summoned Egyptians to the streets in an intended turning point in its confrontation with followers of Mr Morsi, the elected leader the military removed on July 3.

Mr Sisi said he wanted Egyptians to give the military a "mandate" to take the necessary measures against "violence and terrorism".

It comes as the country's state news agency reported Mr Morsi had been detained over accusations he killed soldiers and conspired with the Palestinian group Hamas.

Mr Sisi delivered his call in full military uniform and dark sunglasses

The claims were dismissed as "ridiculous" by his Muslim Brotherhood party, which has been camped out at street vigils calling for his reinstatement.

An army official said the military has given the party a Saturday deadline to end its resistance and join a military-set roadmap to fresh elections.

But the Brotherhood says it wants nothing to do with the army's transition plan and has called its own crowds out for counter-demonstrations in a "day to remove the coup".

Mr Morsi has been in military detention at an undisclosed location since he was overthrown.

UN leader Ban Ki-moon has called on the military to free Mr Morsi and other Islamic Brotherhood leaders, said deputy UN spokesman Eduardo del Buey.

Mr Ban also says he "urges all sides to act with maximum restraint" during the demonstrations.

A Morsi supporter (C) is chased by those backing the army earlier this week

Both the army and the Muslim Brotherhood dramatically escalated rhetoric in the lead-up to the rallies, following a month of clashes in which about 200 people, mainly supporters of Mr Morsi, have died.

The army has threatened to "turn its guns" on those who use violence.

In a Facebook post, the army said it will not "turn its guns against its people, but it will turn them against black violence and terrorism which has no religion or nation".

An army official told Reuters: "We will not initiate any move, but will definitely react harshly against any calls for violence or black terrorism from Brotherhood leaders or their supporters."

The main anti-Morsi youth protest group, which has backed the army, said it would go to the streets to "cleanse Egypt".

Thousands have been holding vigils calling for Mr Morsi's reinstatement

The Muslim Brotherhood accused the army of pushing the nation towards civil war and committing a crime worse than destroying Islam's holiest site.

The Brotherhood also claims the authorities have been stirring up the violence to justify their crackdown.

The rallies are expected to peak after the evening prayer marking the end of the day's Ramadan fast.

Police said they were planning large-scale reinforcements and the Interior Ministry said it would undertake "unprecedented measures to protect citizens and their property".

The head of the army, Mr Sisi, was appointed by Mr Morsi in a bid by the president to rein in Egypt's all-powerful military.

Anti-Morsi protesters with a poster of Mr Sisi

But Mr Sisi turned against him after a year in which the Egyptian economy floundered and support for Mr Morsi slumped.

Posters of the general have since appeared in shops and stalls across Cairo.

The US - which has close ties with Egypt's military - said it was "very concerned" by Mr Sisi's call for mass rallies.

After Mr Sisi's comments, the US announced it would suspend a delivery of F-16 warplanes.

The country remains deeply split over Mr Morsi's ousting.

The Brotherhood accuses the army of ejecting a democratically elected leader in a long-planned coup, while its opponents say the army responded to the will of the people.

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'Reckless' Train Crash Driver Held By Police

Police have formally detained the driver of a train that derailed in northwestern Spain, killing at least 78 passengers and injuring another 130.

The National Police Chief for the Galicia region, Jaime Iglesias, said driver Francisco Jose Garzon Amo was arrested in the hospital where he is recovering.

Mr Iglesias said Garzon would be questioned "as a suspect for a crime linked to the cause of the accident".

Asked at a news conference in Santiago de Compostela why the driver was being detained, Mr Iglesias added: "For recklessness".

The 52-year-old driver is being guarded by police and cannot yet testify because of his medical condition, the police chief said. He did not have any further details of his state of health but said that it could delay his statement.

Mr Garzon boasted about speeding on his Facebook page

Sky News understands Garzon's condition is not serious. Pictures and video footage have emerged of him being led away from the crash scene with his head covered in blood while other images show the engine cabin was largely intact compared to the rest of the train.

Police also said the number of dead, yesterday thought to be 80, has been reduced to 78 as forensic science units continue to identify remains.

The train's black box recorder has been retrieved from the wreckage. Early indications suggested the train may have been travelling at more than twice the speed limit at the time of the crash on Wednesday night.

The eight-carriage train came off the tracks on a bend, hit a wall and caught fire just outside the pilgrimage destination Santiago de Compostela in northwestern Spain.

The train entered the bend at 190 km per hour (120mph), according to local media reports. The speed limit on the curve was 80km per hour (50mph).

An official inspects the train's engine

As the investigation turned its focus more and more towards human error, the Spanish press revealed that immediately after the derailment Garzon allegedly said to officials at the railway station 3km from the crash: "I ***** up, I want to die. So many people dead, so many people dead."

Witnesses are also reported to have heard the driver shout into a phone: "I've derailed! What do I do?"

And as his country mourned, it emerged that Garzon is thought to have boasted on his Facebook page about how fast he was driving a train in March last year.

The driver posted a picture of a train speedometer at 200kph (124mph) on the social networking site. His Facebook page has since been blocked.

"What a blast it would be to go parallel with the Guardia Civil (Spanish police) and go past them triggering the radar. Haha what a fine for Renfe (Spanish rail operator) haha," he wrote on what is believed to be his Facebook page.

Staff from a hospital treating the injured hold a minute's silence

There was a second driver on the train, but it is believed Mr Garzon was the only driver at the time. He is understood to have taken control of the train from a second driver about 65 miles (104km) south of Santiago de Compostela.

According to reports, one of the drivers realised what was about to happen before the crash and made a desperate call to Renfe ahead of the bend, saying: "I'm going at 190kmh, I'm going to derail."

In a second call to Renfe after the accident, the driver explained that he was trapped in the train.

"We are human, we are human," he is reported to have said. "I hope there are no dead because they would fall on my conscience."

Two investigations are being carried out into the catastrophe - one to look into possible failings by the driver and the other to examine the train's in-built speed regulation systems and see if it was a technical malfunction that meant the driver was not warned of the reduced speed limit around the bend.

An aerial view of the carnage caused by the derailment

Many questions remain unanswered about what went wrong, with some experts claiming that high speed alone would not explain the crash and speculation that the train's braking systems might have failed.

Reporting from the scene, Sky News Europe Correspondent Robert Nisbet said investigators would be focusing on the statements made by the driver immediately after the derailment.

Nisbet pointed to further reports from Spanish media suggesting the driver had told officials at Santiago de Compostela train station that an electronic warning signal was flashing inside the driver's cabin to indicate he was going too fast.

"He is said to have pressed a button to acknowledge the warning but still apparently did not slow down," Nisbet said.

State train company Renfe said Garzon had been at the firm for 30 years and he had been driving trains for more than a decade. He became an assistant driver in 2000 and a fully qualified driver in 2003.

The impact was so huge one carriage flew several metres into the air

Garzon is understood to have been on the Madrid to Ferrol service, on which the crash happened, for a year, after receiving training specific to that line.

Meanwhile, with 72 of the 78 dead so far identified, medical experts are continuing to try to identify the six remaining victims as distraught families continue to wait for news about their loved ones.

DNA tests are expected to be carried out on those with catastrophic injuries, with results available in the coming days.

The victims of the crash included a US citizen and a Mexican. At least one British citizen and four children were among the 130 people injured. Just over 30 of those in hospital are still critically ill.

Video footage from a security camera showed the train, which had 247 people on board, hurtling into a concrete wall at the side of the track.

Relatives of passengers on the train wait for news of their loved ones

The impact was so huge one carriage flew several metres into the air and landed on the other side of a concrete barrier.

The Alvia 730 series train was travelling from Madrid to the port city of Ferrol when it crashed about 8.40pm local time - 7.40pm UK time - on Wednesday.

The crash occurred on the eve of a major Christian religious festival honouring St James, the disciple of Jesus whose remains are said to rest in a shrine.

Many of the dead or injured were believed to be Catholic pilgrims converging on the city.

Spain's Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, who was born in Santiago de Compostela, visited the scene of the crash on Thursday and declared three days of official mourning across the country. King Juan Carlos also visited one of the hospitals where many passengers are being treated.

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy visits the scene of the crash

Local reaction to the crash has been such that an appeal for blood donations resulted in hospitals having to turn people away because they could not cope with the demand. Many local hotels are also offering free rooms to relatives of those involved.

Wednesday's train crash is the worst Spain has experienced since a three-train accident in a tunnel in the northern Leon province in 1944.

Due to heavy censorship at the time, the exact death toll for the Torre del Bierzo disaster has never been established.

The official figure was given as 78 dead, but it is thought that as many as 250 could have been killed.

There was another serious accident in Spain in 1972 when a Madrid to Cadiz express collided head-on with a local train on the outskirts of Seville. A total of 77 people died, with more than 100 injured.

The latest crash - one of the worst ever in Europe - comes less than two weeks after six people were killed and scores injured in a train crash just south of Paris.

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Tunisian Leaders Assassinated With Same Gun

Tunisian politician Mohammed Brahmi was killed with the same gun that killed another opposition leader, the country's interior minister has confirmed.

Lotfi Ben Jeddou said the shots fired at Mr Brahmi outside the MP's home came from the 9mm automatic weapon used to kill Chokri Belaid six months ago, suggesting the involvement of the radical Islamist group Ansar al Sharia.

He named Boubacar Hakim, a hardline Salafist already being sought of suspicion of smuggling weapons from Libya, as the main suspect.

Mr Brahmi's death threatened to plunge Tunisia into fresh political turmoil, with one of the country's biggest trade unions threatening a wave of strikes against a backdrop of widespread protests.

Thousands of people gathered outside the interior ministry in the capital Tunis, as protesters blamed the Islamist party Ennahda for the MP's killing.

An ambulance carrying Mr Brahmi's body is surrounded by mourners

The accusation was rejected by party leader Rached Ghannouchi, who described Mr Brahmi's death as "a catastrophe for Tunisia".

"Those behind this crime want to lead the country towards civil war and to disrupt the democratic transition," he said.

Mr Jeddou said there was no evidence of any political party's involvement in Mr Brahmi's assassination, while prime minister Ali Larayedh added: "I condemn in the strongest terms this odious crime which targets the whole of Tunisia and its security."

Further demonstrations are planned across Tunisia as Mr Brahmi's funeral takes place, while industrial action called for by the General Union of Tunisian Labour could further inflame tensions.

A day of mourning has been declared and national airline Tunisair has cancelled all flights.

Mohammed Brahmi's daughter Belkaeis reacts to her father's death

The assassination of Mr Belaid outside his home in February sparked a political crisis in Tunisia, as mass protests led to the resignation of then-prime minister Hamadi Jebali.

"Our family had the feeling Mohammed would suffer the same fate as Chokri Belaid," Mr Brahmi's sister Chhiba said.

Tunisia, the birthplace of the Arab Spring, is struggling with a democratic transition after the overthrow of dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali in 2011.

The country is led by Ennahda, which rules in a coalition with two secular parties.

However, the opposition has criticised the party for not cracking down on hardline Islamists, who have been blamed for many acts of violence in the last few years.

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'Pink Panther' Jewel Thief Escapes Swiss Jail

A member of the notorious "Pink Panther" jewel thief gang has escaped from a Swiss jail in a dramatic break-out involving a fellow prisoner.

Police revealed Milan Poparic fled with another convict after two accomplices rammed a gate and fired on guards at the Orbe prison in Vaud.

The pair used a van to smash into the gate and some barbed wire during an exercise period, before using ladders to create an escape route.

Fellow convict Adrian Albrecht also escaped

They set fire to the van and made off with Poparic and the second inmate - convicted kidnapper, arsonist and money-launderer Adrian Albrecht - in a separate vehicle.

Prison guards came under constant automatic weapons fire to stop them foiling the escape, but no-one was injured.

Officers have launched a manhunt involving more than a dozen police patrols from Swiss authorities and French police are also involved.

Orbe is only 10 miles (16km) from the French border.

Peter Sellers as Inspector Clouseau

Bosnian national Poparic, 34, was serving a sentence of six years and eight months for robbing a jewellery store in Neuchatel, Switzerland, in 2009.

Police said he was a member of the Pink Panthers group, which has become known for jewel heists around the globe.

The gang is named after the 1963 film starring Peter Sellers as the bungling Inspector Clouseau.

It earned its nickname after British detectives found a diamond ring hidden in a jar of face cream, echoing a scene from the movie.

According to Interpol, the group has targeted luxury watch and jewellery shops in Europe, the Middle East, Asia and the US and netted more than £280m since 1999.

It is believed to have a core membership of about 40 people, many of them from the Balkans.

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Bo Xilai Charged With Bribery And Corruption

Disgraced Chinese politician Bo Xilai has been charged with bribery, corruption and abuse of power.

Bo, who is accused of multiple counts of corruption and misuse of office, has been in custody since his dramatic downfall almost exactly a year ago.

He was formerly the Communist Party chief of Chongqing.

His wife, Gu Kailai, was convicted of the murder of British businessman Neil Heywood last year.

She was sentenced to life in prison for poisoning Mr Heywood in a Chongqing hotel room in November 2011.

More follows...

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Kim Jong-Un: Western Media Get Rare Glimpse

By Mark Stone, Asia Correspondent, in Pyongyang

The North Korean leader, Kim Jong-Un, has made a rare public appearance in front of Western journalists.

Mr Kim appeared, unannounced, at an event in the capital Pyongyang to mark the opening of a new war cemetery.

A delegation of journalists from around the world, including a team from Sky News, has been granted unusual access to the reclusive country as it prepares to mark the 60th anniversary of the end of the Korean War.

Kim Jong-Un opened the new war cemetery

We arrived at the war cemetery on a bus from the hotel we are instructed to stay in for the duration of our trip.

Our destination remained a mystery as we drove through early morning Pyongyang mist.

On arrival at the cemetery, immaculately built into a hillside just outside the capital city, security was tight but there was still little to suggest that the leader himself might appear.

Many people attended the ceremony

Then, shortly before 9am local time, he strolled onto the parade ground in front of the cemetery to loud applause.

The extraordinary devotion for the leader among the people we saw seemed entirely genuine.

But then people are only granted permission to live in Pyongyang if they are considered, through remarkable background checks, to be loyal.

Among the key figures there was his aunt Kim Kyong Hui

Mr Kim was surrounded by generals and other senior regime figures including his aunt, Kim Kyong Hui, who is the sister of the former leader Kim Jong-Il.

She is thought to hold significant back-room regime power but had been rumoured to be critically ill. Her appearance on Thursday was the first for many months.

We arrived in the country on a charter plane from the Chinese capital Beijing on Wednesday night.

The Sky News team was taken by bus to the event

Operating as journalists in North Korea is strictly controlled and monitored.

Each broadcaster or newspaper is assigned two so-called guides. In reality they are minders. There are two so that they can watch each other as well as us, such is the level of suspicion here.

Pyongyang is a beautiful city surrounded by green hills. Vast Soviet-like buildings dominate the landscape and everywhere are portraits of the founder of the nation, Kim Il-Song, and his son, Kim Jong-Il, both now dead.

Two minders at the ceremony

Immaculately dressed traffic police stand on street corners, but with no traffic to control. This is one of the most sanctioned countries in the world. It is also one of the poorest.

Ancient trolley-buses limp along but most people seem to walk everywhere. There is little chance of speaking at random to them, though.

An elderly woman makes her way around the cemetery

Our minders - themselves being controlled by an invisible state machine - politely tell us where we can go and who we can talk to.

And so it is extremely hard to get under the skin of this place.

:: Sky News will be broadcasting from inside North Korea for the next five days and is operating under the supervision of the North Korean government.

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Spain Train Crash: Footage Of Disaster Emerges

The moment a train derailed in a crash that has left at least 80 people dead in Spain has been caught by security cameras at the side of the tracks.

The video shows the train entering a sharp bend at high speed, then coming off the rails, with carriages smashing into a wall.

An official source has told the Reuters news agency the train was travelling at excessive speed.

Survivors have described carriages flipping over and bursting into flames after the derailment just outside Santiago de Compostela, a popular pilgrimage city in northwestern Spain.

In the video, the carriage immediately behind the locomotive appears to derail first. Then all the carriages can be seen piling up behind it as the engine hurtles toward the camera position.

Rescue workers pull passengers from the wreckage

More than 140 people, including a Briton and several Americans, were hurt in the crash, and 35, including four children, remain in a serious condition. Local government officials have warned the death toll could rise further.

Bodies were strewn across the tracks and rescuers worked into the night to help the survivors.

Officials have opened an investigation, with reports the train was travelling at twice the speed limit.

Sky's Robert Nisbet, in Santiago, said: "Whether the speed of the train was due to human error or some kind of technical problem is going to be the source of some inquiry."

According to El Pais newspaper, one of the two drivers reported the train was travelling at almost 120mph (190kph) when it entered the curve.

"I'm going at 190!" he told the railway station by radio, according to the Spanish newspaper, which cited sources close to the investigation.

Relatives of the passengers await news in Santiago

"We're only human! We're only human!" said the driver, who was trapped in his cabin.

"I hope there aren't any dead because it will weigh on my conscience."

The speed limit on that section of track is 50mph (80kph), El Pais said. Reuters said one driver was under investigation.

The train "did not have any technical problems" and had been inspected just hours earlier, the state-owned Renfe railway company said.

The Alvia 730 series train travelling from Madrid to the port city of Ferrol was carrying 218 passengers plus crew when it crashed about 8.40pm local time - 7.40pm UK time - on Wednesday.

The crash was the deadliest in Spain in decades

It was one of the worst train disasters in Spain for decades.

Firefighters, who called off a strike to help with the disaster, clambered over the twisted metal as they tried to get survivors out of the windows.

Bodies covered in blankets lay next to the overturned carriages as smoke billowed from the wreckage.

Neighbours who ran to the site to help emergency workers have described a scene of horror.

"It was like an earthquake," said Martin Rozas who helped pull the wounded from the wreckage and laid blankets over the dead.

"I started helping pull people out. I saw about five people dead."

At dawn, some carriages were lifted from the tracks. By midday, the rescue workers had stopped looking for bodies.

Emergency crews at the scene hours after the crash

Many of the dead were taken to a makeshift morgue set up in a sports arena in Santiago, where police and court officials were identifying the bodies.

Relatives of victims sobbed and hugged each other at a nearby information point for families seeking news about their missing loved ones.

Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, who was born in the city, visited the site and the main hospital, announcing three days of mourning across Spain.

He said: "For a native of Santiago, like me, this is the saddest day."

The crash occurred on the eve of a major Christian religious festival honouring St James, the disciple of Jesus whose remains are said to rest in a shrine.

Many of the dead or injured were believed to be Catholic pilgrims converging on the city. Officials have now cancelled ceremonies planned for today.

The Spanish royal family has suspended all engagements.

Alvias are high-speed trains but they do not go as fast as Spain's fastest bullet trains, which are called AVEs.

23.12 | 0 komentar | Read More

Dreamliner: Airlines Told To Remove 787 Beacons

The US aviation regulator has advised airlines using Boeing's troubled 787 Dreamliner to remove the existing emergency beacons, following a fire on a flight at London's Heathrow airport.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) published an airworthiness directive advising all carriers to inspect or replace the safety device, made by Honeywell.

The move comes after investigators examined the cause of a fire on an Ethiopian Airlines 787 in early July.

The directive goes farther than the FAA indicated last week, when it said airlines should inspect the units on 787s for pinched wires in the casing and evidence of heat or moisture.

In early January, a Japanese plane caught fire in Boston

Boeing advised airlines last week to inspect or remove the device, known as an emergency locator transmitter or ELT.

A team from Britain's Air Accidents Investigations Branch (AAIB) looked at a number of components during their examination of the plane at Heathrow.

The investigation included the ELT, which was positioned in the upper rear part of the aircraft, near to the spot where the fire broke out on July 12.

The fire on the Ethiopian plane was one of the most recent problems to occur for Boeing's flagship next generation aircraft.

Problems have plagued instrumentation, battery circuits and some engine items.

The January problems were centred on mysterious battery pack problems

The world's Dreamliner fleet was grounded earlier this year after lithium-ion batteries overheated on the planes.

Although it has spent thousands of man-hours investigating the cause, Boeing still has not poinpointed the problem.

The ELT overheating is unconnected to the lithium-ion battery woes.

Despite the problems with the Dreamliner, Boeing posted larger than expected second-quarter profits on Wednesday as deliveries of commercial planes such as the 737 and 777 rose.

Boeing's net income rose 13% to $1.09 billion (£711m), or $1.41 per share. During the same period last year it earned $967m (£631m), or $1.27 per share. Revenue rose 9% to $21.82bn.

23.12 | 0 komentar | Read More

Hot Air Balloon Crash Caught On Camera

A hot air balloon carrying 11 people has crashed into a lake in the Netherlands, injuring two people.

Dramatic footage taken by a passerby shows the aircraft coming down in Lake Gooi, near the city of Almere, and its basket being dragged along until it hits the shore.

The basket remains on its side in the water while the edge of the balloon dips and comes down on a road alongside the lake in front of a travelling car.

Witnesses can be seen rushing to help the passengers in the stricken balloon.

Dutch emergency services, including two coastguard boats, police, firefighters and ambulances, were alerted to the accident and attended the scene.

The two people hurt were taken to hospital with minor injuries.

The cause of the crash, which happened at around 9.40pm on Tuesday, is unknown. It is being investigated by police and the Environment and Transport Inspectorate (ETI).

Almere is situated in central Flevoland province, east of Amsterdam.

20.18 | 0 komentar | Read More

Bulgarian Police Rescue Besieged MPs

Violent clashes broke out after hundreds of protesters barricaded Bulgaria's politicians inside the parliament building as demonstrations in the country intensified.

Protesters build barricades outside the parliament building

Nearly 10 people had to be taken to hospital to be treated for injuries, including two police officers, after 2,000 people took to the streets of the capital of Sofia.

Police armed with shields and batons had to rescue 100 lawmakers who had been trapped inside the besieged building for more than eight hours.

Officers attempt to escort the politicians to safety

Officers tried to escort the politicians out by bus but anti-corruption protesters, shouting  "mafia" and "resign", hurled plastic bottles at the bus.

Thousands of Bulgarians have taken to the streets of the capital every day for 40 days since the government announced the appointment of a powerful media magnate as security chief.

Protesters outside the building in the capital of Sofia

The protesters see the move as an increasing example of private interests controlling state institutions.

The government's withdrawal of the appointment last month failed to quell public discontent in the EU's poorest country and protesters are now calling for the cabinet's resignation.

A woman faces down riot police

Interior minister Tsvetlin Yovchev: "Police reacted very adequately, policemen did their job perfectly although protesters behaved extremely aggressively.

"We will try to find those who threw stones at police and deputies."

Violent clashes break out between protesters and police

Authorities say seven protesters had to be treated for head injuries and two police officers were also hurt.

The president, Rosen Plevneliev, has appealed to protesters and police to keep the demonstrations peaceful.

More peaceful demonstrators play the piano

In a statement he said: "I appeal to the protesters to keep the protest the way it was and the way it impressed all Europe - peaceful, civilised and aimed at achieving the values of a democratic society."

20.18 | 0 komentar | Read More

School Meal Deaths: Headteacher Surrenders

The headmistress of a school where 23 children died in a food poisoning outbreak has handed herself in to the police.

Meena Devi was taken into police custody in the eastern state of Bihar.

Police have been searching for the headmistress for nine days since children at her school began vomiting and suffering stomach cramps after eating a meal contaminated with a pesticide that is banned in many countries.

The principal surrendered ... and we have arrested her for questioning," Sujeet Kumar, police chief of Saran district, said.

"We need to talk to her first before framing charges."

Thirty children who became seriously ill after eating the free school lunch, provided as part of the world's largest free school feeding programme, on July 16 are still in hospital.

Police reportedly raided the headteacher's home - where the ingredients for the meal of lentil, potatoes and rice were being kept - earlier in the week.

Results of tests of blood samples taken from four children still in a critical condition indicated "acute poisoning".

A forensic report showed the oil that the food was cooked in contained the pesticide monocrotophos at very high levels.

An unnamed government official said: "The poisonous substance was more than five times the commercial preparation available on the market."

The World Health Organisation revealed it had asked India to ban the toxic substance as far back as 2009.

It also warned that pesticide containers were not being disposed of properly in India and were being used by the poor to store water and food.

20.18 | 0 komentar | Read More

Snowden 'Allowed To Leave Moscow Airport'

Edward Snowden has been given a document that allows him to leave a Moscow airport, according to Russia's state news agency.

The document also confirms that Russian authorities are considering his application for temporary asylum.

Snowden has been holed up at Sheremetyevo airport's transit area for a month.

The whistleblower is wanted by the US for leaking information about government surveillance programmes.

It is understood that the Snowden will be able to show the document to passport control officials and leave the airport, says Sky News' Moscow correspondent Katie Stallard.

From there, he could move into Moscow city centre while his asylum application is considered.

That process could take up to three months, according to his Russian lawyer Anatoly Kucherena.

The 30-year-old had been considering going to South America but has put that move on hold.

Venezuela, Bolivia and Nicaragua have all said they would grant him political asylum but none is reachable by direct commercial flight from Moscow.

Snowden leaked details of top-secret US surveillance programmes - giving details of the monitoring of phone calls and internet data from companies such as Google and Facebook - to The Guardian and Washington Post.

He now faces espionage charges in America.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, mindful of the country's strained relations with the US, has said Snowden can only be granted asylum if he stops leaking secrets.

More follows...

20.18 | 0 komentar | Read More

LaGuardia Plane Crash: Ten People Injured

Ten people have been injured after a plane's landing gear collapsed as it touched down at an airport in New York.

The accident left the Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 with its nose resting on the runway at LaGuardia.

It forced the temporary closure of the airport, which mostly handles flights to and from other US cities.

Some 150 people were on board at the time.

The airline confirmed the emergency services had helped with the evacuation of the passengers and crew of Flight 345 from Nashville.

Thomas Bosco, the acting director of aviation at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, said the nose gear of the plane collapsed when it landed at 5.40pm.

Investigators are examining the potential cause of the crash

"The aircraft skidded down the runway on its nose and then veered off and came to rest in the grass area," he said, adding that there was no advance warning of any possible problem before the landing.

Television images showed the plane with its nose angled down to the ground and its evacuation slides out. The fuselage was surrounded by emergency vehicles.

Passengers on board the plane saw sparks flying as the nose scraped along the runway, according to accounts given to waiting relatives and friends.

One passenger, Anniebell Hanna, said the flight had been delayed leaving Nashville. Passengers had heard an announcement saying "something was wrong with a tyre".

She said of the landing at LaGuardia: "When we got ready to land, we nosedived. I hit my head against the seat in front of me."

The 43-year-old was among the first to get off the plane, and could smell something burning when she slid down the chute to the tarmac.

Planes scheduled to fly to LaGuardia were held at their origin airports, while those already en route were diverted to New York's other hubs, Newark and JFK, contributing to long delays.

All take-offs were suspended for more than two hours after the accident, but the airport's two runways were fully functional on Tuesday.

The incident came 16 days after Asiana Flight 214 crash-landed at San Francisco's international airport. Three Chinese teenagers died as a result of the Boeing 777 crash, with dozens more people injured.

AskthePilot.com's Patrick Smith said landing gear incidents are not high on the list of worries for pilots.

"It doesn't happen very often, but I need to emphasise just how comparatively minor this is and how far, far down the hierarchy it is," he said.

"From a pilot's perspective, this is nearly a non-issue. They make for good television, but this is far down the list of nightmares for pilots."

20.18 | 0 komentar | Read More

Royal Baby: Reaction From Around The World

New grandparents the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall have popped the bubbly as world leaders and celebrities toast the birth of the new Royal baby.

The pair were met by cheering crowds of well-wishers on a visit to the village of Bugthorpe in East Yorkshire.

Prince Charles said he was "thrilled and very excited" after the Duchess of Cambridge gave birth to a baby boy and told how he had celebrated the news.

One resident in the flag and bunting-draped village told Charles: "We popped a bottle of bubbly last night at our house. I hope you did too."

The Prince replied: "Yes. But just a little bit."

The US leader said the prince had been born in a time of new opportunity

Messages of congratulations have been sent from around the world, with Barack Obama saying the new prince had been born "at a time of promise and opportunity" between Britain and America.

The US President said he and First Lady Michelle Obama wished Prince William and his wife "all the happiness and blessings parenthood brings".

US entertainer Ellen DeGeneres added her congratulations

US talk show host Ellen DeGeneres, who was recently informed by the New England Genealogical Society that she is a distant relative of the Duchess, tweeted her congratulations.

"It's a boy! So happy for my cousin Kate and the future King of England," she wrote.

Other celebrities also offered their best wishes on Twitter.

Comedian Joan Rivers said: "Congratulations to Kate & William on the birth of their baby boy! So relieved that his name won't include the words Ivy or Apple."

Actor Stephen Fry poked fun at how news of the Royal baby was announced outside Buckingham Palace, tweeting: "The official easel. We really are a marvellously bonkers country."

Cheryl Cole said she was delighted at the news

TV star Cheryl Cole wrote: "Congratulations to William and Kate!! So happy they have a healthy baby and everyone is good. Can't wait to see him now."

In the Canadian capital of Ottawa, Parliament Hill was illuminated with blue lights - as were the country's famous Niagara Falls.

Canada's Governor General was among the first international dignitaries to congratulate the couple as their first day of parenting began.

He used Twitter to send a message to Clarence House, saying: "Wonderful news!"

Prime Minister Stephen Harper said the arrival of a future sovereign of Canada was a "highly anticipated moment for Canadians given the special and warm relationship that we share with our Royal Family".

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe also offered his congratulations, saying: "This is bright and and wonderful news for both England and the world."

Australian PM Kevin Rudd welcomed the Royal "bub" in a statement

A spokesman for the Russian President said: "Vladimir Putin congratulated the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Elizabeth II on the birth of her grandson and wished her good health of the newborn, the Duchess of Cambridge and all the members of the Royal Family."

Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said: "I think all Australians at the bottom of their hearts wish the Royal bub all the best, and certainly wish the new parents all the best as well.

"When a new bub comes into the world, any old day, any part of the world, it is frankly a time for rejoicing."

He also announced the country's quirky gift to the baby prince - a research project examining the bilby, an Australian marsupial.

"In terms of cute and cuddly toys, it'll be a cute and cuddly bilby," he said.

The story led many of the US news networks' bulletins

Royalist group Monarchy New Zealand said it had organised a lightshow, with 40 buildings lit up in blue, including Sky Tower in Auckland, and the airport in Christchurch.

New Zealand Prime Minister John Key said: "It's a fabulous day for the young couple. They'll be very excited as new parents as indeed I think New Zealanders will be very excited on their behalf.

"I mean, this is a future king of New Zealand. I think it's a moment to stay for them and we'll be celebrating alongside them as they bring their new one into the world."

Residents in Jamaica and Barbados, both members of the Commonwealth, also congratulated the couple.

"Well it's good to know that a baby is born and it's of royalty. It means a lot to us, not only to me, but I guess to most of the Jamaican people," said Kingston resident Pauline Wilson.

Media outlets around the world have been gripped by the arrival of the Royal baby.

Britain's biggest selling newspaper changed its name in honour

The story has featured highly on most foreign news channels and websites, with many focusing on the image of a town crier announcing the birth in London.

It also sparked a frenzy of excitement on Twitter which spread rapidly across the world.

There have been more than two million mentions of the baby's arrival on the site, with the hashtag #RoyalBaby being used more than 900,000 times.

A spike in conversation on Twitter came at 8.37pm, in the minutes following the initial announcement, with more than 25,300 tweets per minute.

Andy Murray's historic win beat Royal baby news on Twitter

But it failed to generate the same flurry of activity as Andy Murray's historic Wimbledon victory, which amassed 120,000 tweets per minute, or the election of Pope Francis, which sparked a massive 132,000 tweets per minute.

A Twitter spokesman said the Royal baby reaction may not yet have reached its peak, with a surge expected when the Duke and Duchess show their son to the world and announce his name.

The topic is also dominating social media in China, with 185,000 comments posted on the country's Twitter-style Sina Weibo site.

According to social media monitoring firm Synthesio, the royal birth is currently the most talked about foreign topic in the country.

It has also created an "online buzz" in areas as far away as Antarctica, Kiribati, Burkina Faso, Azerbaijan and Aruba, Synthesio added.

Meanwhile in India, the dabbawalas of Mumbai are celebrating the birth with the Indian tradition of handing out sweets.

The baby may become the head of state of 16 countries, including Britain, Australia and Canada, and possibly the head of the Commonwealth, which covers 54 nations.

20.18 | 0 komentar | Read More

Pope In Brazil: Thousands Mob Pontiff's Car

Thousands of Brazilians mobbed the Pope's car after his driver went the wrong way down a street in Rio de Janeiro.

Rio transportation secretary Carlos Osorio said the Fiat that Francis was riding in from the airport to the city centre turned into the wrong side of the 12-lane Avenida Presidente Vargas.

Instead of taking the left lanes that were free of traffic, the car turned into the right lanes cluttered with buses and taxis, forcing the pontiff's car to stop, he said.

Thousands who had lined the streets then rushed the car, reaching into the Pope's open window, many taking photos of him.

His secretary was not happy during the incident

Vatican spokesman the Reverend Federico Lombardi acknowledged that the Pope's motorcade took a wrong turn, but said the pontiff was never concerned for his safety, even if his secretary, who was sitting with him in the car, was.

"His secretary was afraid, but the Pope was happy, with his hand out the window waving," Rev Lombardi said.

"There are no concerns for security. The concerns are that the enthusiasm is so great that it's difficult to respond to so much enthusiasm for the Pope. But there is no fear and no concern."

The Pope later toured round the main streets In Rio

Pope Francis, the head of the Roman Catholic Church, who is on a seven-day trip to his home continent, then switched to an open-air Popemobile as he toured the main streets in central Rio.

At the official welcoming ceremony, Pope Francis said he had come "to meet young people from all over the world" attracted by the messages of Jesus.

During his stay, the 76-year-old will meet young Catholics gathering for the Church's World Youth Festival in Rio.

Police fire rubber bullets at protesters

More than one million people are expected to pack the white sands of Copacabana for ceremonies presided over by Pope Francis. He will also visit a tiny chapel in a slum and make a side trip to venerate Brazil's patron saint, Our Lady of Aparecida.

The Pope will be hoping his visit will galvanise support for the Roman Catholic Church in Brazil.

In 1970 some 90% of Brazilians identified themselves as Catholic, but a poll at the weekend suggested that number was now down to 57%, with an increasing number of people joining evangelical groups.

Pope Francis meeting Brazil president Dilma Rousseff

Police and anti-government protesters earlier clashed outside the palace hosting the Pope's welcoming ceremony.

About an hour after the Pope concluded his short speech, police began cracking down on the protests, firing rubber bullets in an effort to disperse the crowd.

The protests, the latest in a series of demonstations in Brazil over the past few weeks, focused on government corruption and the cost of Pope Francis' visit, said to be in the region of £33m.

20.18 | 0 komentar | Read More