Thailand Protesters Clash On Eve Of Elections

At least three people have been injured as gunfire and explosions broke out during clashes between rival protesters in Thailand.

The violence came during fighting between government supporters and opposition demonstrators, who had surrounded a ballot box distribution centre in the capital, Bangkok.

Security personnel and journalists ran for cover after a man pulled an assault rifle from a bag and began firing, an AFP reporter at the scene said.

"One victim was apparently shot in the chest and was hospitalised," an official from the city's Erawan emergency centre said.

The two others were reportedly hurt in two blasts in the north of Bangkok, where supporters of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra's Puea Thai Party had gathered to ensure Sunday's election was not disrupted.

Some opposition supporters have vowed to block the polls in order to prevent the re-election of Ms Yingluck.

The protesters have demanded the government be replaced by an unelected council that would implement political and electoral reforms.

The prime minister has refused to step down, arguing she is open to changes and such a council would be unconstitutional.

Three months of anti-government protests in Bangkok have left 10 people dead and nearly 600 wounded. Advance polling in the capital last week descended into chaos.

Polling day is unlikely to resolve the crisis as protesters managed to stop candidates from registering in some areas, meaning parliament will not have enough members to convene.

This could leave Thailand in political limbo as Ms Yingluck will be unable to form a government or pass a budget.

The protests took hold late last year after Ms Yingluck's party tried to push through an amnesty bill that would have allowed her brother Thaksin Shinawatra to return from exile.

He was forced from power in 2006 but remains popular with the rural majority in the north. However, Bangkok's elite and many in the south consider him and his family a corrupting influence on the country.

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US Tight-Lipped Over Knox Extradition Chances

The US will not reveal whether it has received a request to extradite Amanda Knox after her murder conviction was upheld.

The 26-year-old, who lives in Seattle, faces a 28-and-a-half year jail sentence after an Italian court reinstated the guilty verdicts against her and her former boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito.

They are accused of killing 21-year-old British student Meredith Kercher in 2007.

The State Department's deputy press secretary Marie Harf said: "We've been following it closely as it's gone through the Italian legal system.

Knox wiped away tears during a TV interview in the US

"I don't have any more analysis of the Italian judicial procedure for you. But again, we'll just keep monitoring it and if we have anything else to say as we get further along in the process, we will.

"Extradition requests I understand, are legally private and confidential, so I don't think I have more comment than that. We do have an extradition treaty, which has been in force since 1984."

On Friday, Knox wept on television as she vowed to fight her latest conviction for the murder of Miss Kercher "to the very end".

She broke down several times in the TV interview and said: "This really has hit me like a train."

Exchange student Miss Kercher lived with Knox

She made it clear she would never voluntarily return to Italy to serve the sentence handed down by a court in Florence.

Legal experts say there is no reason why the US should refuse Italy's request, meaning Knox could be jailed in Italy.

Lyle Kercher, Meredith's brother, said: "If somebody's found guilty and convicted of a murder - if an extradition law exists between those two countries - I don't see why they (the US) wouldn't.

"It would set a difficult precedent if a country such as the US didn't choose to go along with laws they themselves uphold when extraditing convicted criminals from other countries."

Members of Ms Kercher's family want Knox extradited

Sollecito, who was not in court for the verdict but had attended lengthy hearings earlier in the day, was sentenced to 25 years.

The 29-year-old has been held by Italian police after being stopped near the country's border with Austria on Friday morning.

Lawyers for Knox and Sollecito have said they intend to appeal to Italy's highest court and a long legal battle for Knox's extradition is expected.

Knox and Sollecito were charged in 2007 after Miss Kercher's semi-naked body was found with her throat cut in the bedroom of the house she shared with Knox in the central Italian city of Perugia.

Sollecito has been held by police near the Austrian border

The Leeds University student from Coulsdon, Surrey, had been sexually assaulted.

Two years after the pair were found guilty at their original trial in 2009 - and handed jail terms totalling more than 50 years - the verdicts were overturned and both walked free from court, with Knox returning to the US and going on to sign a book deal.

Their acquittals in 2011 came after a damning 100-page report outlined a catalogue of errors and breaches of procedure that had been made in collecting evidence.

The third trial began last September in Florence.

After nearly 12 hours of deliberations on Thursday, the court upheld the 2009 convictions.

Drug dealer Rudy Guede was sentenced to 16 years for Miss Kercher's murder. Investigators said he did not act alone.

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Shark Cull Protesters Hit Australia's Beaches

Thousands of people have gathered on beaches across Australia to demand the end of a new policy which allows sharks to be caught and killed.

Baited hooks are being placed on drum lines off popular beaches in and around Perth to kill white, bull and tiger sharks.

Any shark longer than three metres (10 feet) snagged by the lines will be killed, with the first shark shot dead last week.

Shark soft toys were popular at the Cottesloe Beach protest

The Western Australia state government policy says smaller sharks are to be released, but an undersized tiger shark was found dead on a hook on Saturday morning.

Another tiger shark - believed to be about 2.3m long - was also snagged on Saturday, but it was released offshore.

The cull is in response to seven fatal shark attacks in Australia's southwest in three years, but the policy has caused widespread anger.

A protester at Cottesloe Beach

On Cottesloe Beach in Perth, an estimated 6,000 people, including environmentalists, divers and surfers, gathered carrying shark soft toys and signs calling for an end to the cull.

"Rights, rights, rights for great whites," the crowd chanted.

The protest action started about 4.30am (local time) when a female activist chained herself to a fisheries boat at Cottesloe to prevent it leaving to set and monitor baited hooks.

Emergency services cut the 19-year-old from the vessel, which was reportedly delayed by about two hours.

About 2,000 people rallied at Manly Beach in Sydney's north, while hundreds of South Australians protested at Glenelg.

Shark attack survivor Rodney Fox told the Glenelg rally that the money being spent on culling sharks should be used to research their behaviour.

Politicians, including Greens leader Christine Milne, addressed the rallies

"We've tagged them with satellite tags with sonic tags. There's just not enough money to put enough sonic or satellite tags to find out where they go, what time of year, when there's more around. The money should be put into science," he said.

Marine biologist Dan Monbeux says there is no scientific evidence to suggest that killing sharks will reduce the risk of attacks.

"We need to understand their feeding and foraging behaviours," he said.

"I think we also need to bring the users of the marine environment, particularly those who are out at remote surf breaks who are at highest risk to understand they are sharing waters with large predators who will follow seals which are often seen at those same surf breaks."

Several celebrities have also criticised the cull, including Sir Richard Branson, who said it was "very sad" such a bad example was being set to the rest of the world.

"Last year, Australia was praised all over the world for creating the biggest marine reserves," he said.

Sir Richard Branson is one of high-profile figures criticising the cull

"This year, the world is looking at Australia - and particularly Western Australia - and wondering 'what on earth is going on?'"

As well as Sir Richard, high-profile figures such as comedian Ricky Gervais and diver Tom Daley have added their voices to the anti-cull campaign.

While sharks are common in Australian waters, deadly attacks are rare, with only one in 15 attacks a year on average proving fatal.

But the WA government has said a spike in shark attacks has dented tourism and leisure businesses, with recreational diving operators reporting a greater than 90% plunge in people learning to dive.

The catch-and-kill policy lasts until April, when it will face a full environmental assessment.

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Volcano Eruption Kills 11 In Indonesia

Eleven people, including four pupils on a school trip, have been killed after a volcano in Indonesia erupted, officials have said.

Mount Sinabung, on the western island of Sumatra, spat out scorching ash clouds in its biggest eruption in recent days.

The 11 victims were found dead in Sukameriah village, including the four high school students, said Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, the spokesman for the National Disaster Management Agency.

The students were on a sightseeing trip to Mount Sinabungo, the spokesman said.

More follows...

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Knox Extradition Demanded By Kercher Family

Meredith Kercher's brother has said Amanda Knox should be handed over by the US despite the American saying she is "frightened and saddened" after being found guilty again of murder.

An Italian court yesterday reinstated her conviction for killing the 21-year-old British student.

Knox's ex-boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito was also found guilty after judges ruled the pair should not have been cleared on appeal in 2011.

Speaking at a news conference on Friday morning, Lyle Kercher, Meredith's brother, said: "If somebody's found guilty and convicted of a murder - if an extradition law exists between those two countries - I don't see why they (the US) wouldn't.

"It would set a difficult precedent if a country such as the US didn't choose to go along with laws they themselves uphold when extraditing convicted criminals from other countries."

Knox, who was in her hometown of Seattle when she learned her conviction had been reinstated, has been sentenced to 28 years and six months.

Amanda Knox leaves her Seattle home after the verdict was announced

The 26-year-old described the decision as "unjust".

"Having been found innocent before, I expected better from the Italian justice system," she said.

"The evidence and accusatory theory do not justify a verdict of guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

"Rather, nothing has changed. There has always been a marked lack of evidence. My family and I have suffered greatly from this wrongful persecution."

Exchange student Miss Kercher lived with Knox

Sollecito, who was not in court for the verdict but had attended lengthy hearings earlier in the day, was sentenced to 25 years.

Reports in Italy say the 29-year-old is now being held by police after being stopped near the country's border with Slovenia on Friday morning.

Lawyers for Knox and Sollecito have said they intend to appeal to Italy's highest court and a long legal battle for Knox's extradition is expected.

Miss Kercher's sister Stephanie told reporters on Friday that she would not read a letter Knox is said to have written to her until the appeals process is exhausted.

"I am told there was a letter - I have not physically seen it ... I don't have a need to read it at the moment."

Members of Ms Kercher's family were in court

She also said she did not want to meet Knox, who reportedly has tried to make contact with the Kercher family.

"It's not something we would want to do at the moment - and I can't say we ever will. Regardless of a guilty or not guilty verdict, a lot has happened over this amount of time."

Speaking after the verdict on Thursday, Lyle Kercher told Sky News he could never forgive those responsible for his sister's death.

"I think you'd have to be a very strong-willed - arguably religious - person to find that forgiveness," he said. "I think it is so easily forgotten what happened to Meredith.

Sollecito is in Italy but was not in court for the verdict

"When I read reports even now, I find myself skimming past the paragraphs that refer to what actually happened to her because it is so horrific."

Knox and Sollecito were charged in 2007 after Miss Kercher's semi-naked body was found with her throat cut in the bedroom of the house she shared with Knox in the central Italian city of Perugia.

The 21-year-old Leeds University student from Coulsdon, Surrey, had been sexually assaulted.

Two years after the pair were found guilty at their original trial in 2009 - and handed jail terms totalling more than 50 years - the verdicts were overturned and both walked free from court, with Knox returning to the US and going on to sign a book deal.

Their acquittals in 2011 came after a damning 100-page report outlined a catalogue of errors and breaches of procedure that had been made in collecting evidence.

The third trial began last September in Florence.

After nearly 12 hours of deliberations on Thursday, the court upheld the 2009 convictions.

In an interview recorded before the verdict, Knox said the court's decision meant she was now technically a fugitive. 

"I'm definitely not going back (to Italy) willingly," she said. "They'll have to catch me and pull me back kicking and screaming."

The verdicts being delivered in Florence

Speaking to The Guardian, Ms Knox said her memory of what happened on the night the murder was clear.

"I knew what I did that night," she said. "I very clearly remembered what I did that night. That I was with Rafael, we had dinner, we did what we always normally do when we're all the things we do when we're together.

"But they started questioning me about that, making me doubt what I was telling them. I kept telling them, 'look, I don't know what time I was doing things. 

"All I can tell you is I left my house, me and Rafael went to his house, we were hanging out, listening to music, I read some Harry Potter ... I remember reading emails, we talked, we had dinner; that's what we did."

Though Knox has remained in the US, she emailed the court to protest her innocence in a statement read out by her lawyer in which she insisted she ''was not a monster".

Speaking outside the Florence court, Knox's lawyer, Luciano Ghirga, said she would launch an appeal against the decision.

He added: "For those that, like me, are convinced that Amanda is innocent, it is a very difficult time.

"We have to respect the verdict but we will challenge them. We're very sad at the moment."

Sollecito's lawyer Luca Maori said: "There isn't a shred of proof."

Drug dealer Rudy Guede was sentenced to 16 years over Miss Kercher's murder. Investigators said he did not act alone.

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Amanda Knox 'Will Be Extradited By US'

America will have little choice but to extradite Amanda Knox if Italy requests it, according to legal experts.

Knox says she will only go back to Italy "kicking and screaming" after an Italian court ruled she should not have been cleared.

But expectations that America will not extradite Knox to serve a 28-year sentence are unfounded, according to lawyers.

Gemma Lindfield, a UK barrister, specialising in extradition, told Sky News: "There's a valid extradition treaty between the US and Italy.

"The countries made that agreement in good faith and there's no reason why the Italians would not submit a request.

Miss Kercher's family believe Knox should be extradited

"The US would be obliged to arrest her on the extradition request and there would then be proceedings in the US."

Ms Lindfield said it was likely that Knox would vigorously fight the request in the US courts, most likely on the grounds of double jeopardy, passage of time or fairness.

"It would, however, be very difficult for a US court to sit in judgement of the Italian legal system and its fairness," Ms Lindfield, based at 7 Bedford Row chambers, said.

"I would also find it hard to conceive that they could refuse the request on the grounds of double jeopardy.

"In fact, I cannot see any reason why she would not be extradited."

Harvard law professor Alan Dershowitz agreed that American judges will have little choice but to grant Italy's request.

"The United States seeks extradition of more people than any country in the world," Mr Dershowitz

Miss Kercher was murdered in Perugia

"We're trying to get NSA leaker Edward Snowden back and we're not going to extradite someone convicted of murder?" he told NBC News.

The professor said he doubted that even double jeopardy - where someone cannot be tried twice for the same offence - will protect Knox.

This is because she was initially found guilty and her acquittal was heard at an intermediate appeals level.

"If that happened in the US, it wouldn't be double jeopardy," he said.

Knox, risks immediate arrest if she leaves America, and could be seized if she sets foot in the EU.

Experts have said it is unlikely that Italy would request Knox's extradition before the verdict is made "final" by the Supreme Court of Cassation.

It is unclear when that will be.

Raffaele Sollecito will not go to jail until he exhausts his appeal avenues

If extradition does occur it is likely to take several years. The judge in the latest hearing made no requests for limits on Knox's movements.

Any extradition request would be routed to the US Department of Justice's Office of International Affairs (OIA) for consideration.

Justice Department lawyers would then evaluate the petition for "legal sufficiency" before deciding whether to seek an extradition certificate.

If they did, Knox's extradition would be heard before a federal judge, probably in Seattle.

But Mary Fan, a former federal prosecutor who teaches at the University of Washington Law School in Seattle, said any decision was "a matter of both law and politics".

"It's not a retrial of the case, and it's not a retrial of another country's justice system," she told the Seattle Times.

Ms Fan said federal lawyers may find it difficult to refuse an extradition request because of "reciprocity" concerns.

"Someday, the US might seek extradition of someone convicted of a serious crime, such as murder, from Italy," she said.

"So, it's reciprocity that's the major consideration. Not just in this case, but in future cases. That's something that the State Department has to consider."

While it could be years before any extradition hearing is completed in Knox's case, Sollecito could find himself behind bars much sooner.

However, under Italian law, he will not be locked up until his appeal avenues are exhausted.

In the meantime he has had his travel documents confiscated.

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Kercher Killer Sollecito Held Near Border

Knox 'Will Be Extradited To Italy By US'

Updated: 11:30am UK, Friday 31 January 2014

America will have little choice but to extradite Amanda Knox if Italy requests it, according to legal experts.

Knox says she will only go back to Italy "kicking and screaming" after an Italian court ruled she should not have been cleared.

But expectations that America will not extradite Knox to serve a 28-year sentence are unfounded, according to lawyers.

Gemma Lindfield, a UK barrister, specialising in extradition, told Sky News: "There's a valid extradition treaty between the US and Italy.

"The countries made that agreement in good faith and there's no reason why the Italians would not submit a request.

"The US would be obliged to arrest her on the extradition request and there would then be proceedings in the US."

Ms Lindfield said it was likely that Knox would vigorously fight the request in the US courts, most likely on the grounds of double jeopardy, passage of time or fairness.

"It would, however, be very difficult for a US court to sit in judgement of the Italian legal system and its fairness," Ms Lindfield, based at 7 Bedford Row chambers, said.

"I would also find it hard to conceive that they could refuse the request on the grounds of double jeopardy.

"In fact, I cannot see any reason why she would not be extradited."

Harvard law professor Alan Dershowitz agreed that American judges will have little choice but to grant Italy's request.

"The United States seeks extradition of more people than any country in the world," Mr Dershowitz

"We're trying to get NSA leaker Edward Snowden back and we're not going to extradite someone convicted of murder?" he told NBC News.

The professor said he doubted that even double jeopardy - where someone cannot be tried twice for the same offence - will protect Knox.

This is because she was initially found guilty and her acquittal was heard at an intermediate appeals level.

"If that happened in the US, it wouldn't be double jeopardy," he said.

Knox, risks immediate arrest if she leaves America, and could be seized if she sets foot in the EU.

Experts have said it is unlikely that Italy would request Knox's extradition before the verdict is made "final" by the Supreme Court of Cassation.

It is unclear when that will be.

If extradition does occur it is likely to take several years. The judge in the latest hearing made no requests for limits on Knox's movements.

Any extradition request would be routed to the US Department of Justice's Office of International Affairs (OIA) for consideration.

Justice Department lawyers would then evaluate the petition for "legal sufficiency" before deciding whether to seek an extradition certificate.

If they did, Knox's extradition would be heard before a federal judge, probably in Seattle.

But Mary Fan, a former federal prosecutor who teaches at the University of Washington Law School in Seattle, said any decision was "a matter of both law and politics".

"It's not a retrial of the case, and it's not a retrial of another country's justice system," she told the Seattle Times.

Ms Fan said federal lawyers may find it difficult to refuse an extradition request because of "reciprocity" concerns.

"Someday, the US might seek extradition of someone convicted of a serious crime, such as murder, from Italy," she said.

"So, it's reciprocity that's the major consideration. Not just in this case, but in future cases. That's something that the State Department has to consider."

While it could be years before any extradition hearing is completed in Knox's case, Sollecito could find himself behind bars much sooner.

However, under Italian law, he will not be locked up until his appeal avenues are exhausted.

In the meantime he has had his travel documents confiscated.

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Tourist Diving Boat Sinks In Thailand

Footage has emerged of a tourist boat in Thailand sinking off the coast within minutes.

All 13 people on board the dive boat Aladdin, which sank in the Similan islands, were rescued by a second boat which by chance was close by.

The unfolding drama was recorded by Swedish diver Dennis Karlsson, 46, who was on the Phuket-based vessel Peter Pan.

Some of the tourists were dragged under as the boat sank

He told Sweden's Aftonbladet paper: 'It was just coincidence that our boat was there and could come to the rescue.

''It was really, really serious.

''People threw themselves headlong into the water.

"Some disappeared under the surface.

"It was a very close thing for some of them and people were so grateful that the Peter Pan was there.''

Reports say the Aladdin was not registered and was operating illegally.

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Ukraine's President Yanukovich On Sick Leave

Ukraine's President Viktor Yanukovich, who has faced protests calling for his resignation, has taken sick leave.

The embattled leader, who has an acute respiratory illness and high fever, has already lost his prime minister Mykola Azarov, who resigned on Tuesday.

It is not clear how long Mr Yanukovich, 63, will be away from his desk.

The president, who does not have a history of illness, has strong backing in the parliament, and his absence could create a power vacuum.

He has faced violent protests on the streets calling for early elections and other demands, and many state buildings have been occupied by anti-government demonstrators.

Protesters take to the streets in freezing conditions in Kiev

An attempt by parliament to resolve the crisis earlier this week, by repealing harsh anti-protest laws, failed to appease the opposition who said it did not go far enough.

On Wednesday, it passed a measure offering amnesty to some of those arrested on condition demonstrators vacated most of the buildings they occupy. However, the opposition quickly rejected the offer.

The demonstrations, being held in sub-zero conditions, began when Mr Yanukovich backed out of a long-awaited agreement to deepen ties with the European Union, instead turning towards Moscow.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has offered a $15 billion bailout deal.

But they quickly came to stand for a wide array of discontent over corruption, heavy-handed police and dubious courts.

One estimate puts the number of arrests at more than 300. Two activists have been shot dead in front of police lines.

Serhiy Arbuzov, who was Mr Azarov's first deputy, has stepped in as interim prime minister.

Serhiy Arbuzov pictured at Davos

Mr Azarov was deeply unpopular among protesters, whom he has referred to as "terrorists".  

The 66-year-old was considered a key figure in the government's decision not to sign the EU trade deal in November.

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North Korea: Kim Jong-Un Official Speaks

By Alistair Bunkall, Defence Correspondent

A senior North Korean diplomat has told Sky News that the United States is to blame for the tense situation on the Korean peninsula but relations between the two countries could be "normalised" if Washington gave up its "hostile policy".

In an unprecedented interview, North Korea's ambassador to the UK Hyun Hak-bong also urged South Korea to cancel an upcoming joint military exercise with the US.

"It is high time for South Korea to cancel or to stop the military exercises. And it is advisable for the international community to try hard to prevent such a kind of dangerous military exercises," Ambassador Hyun said.

But he was not willing to predict how North Korea might respond if the exercise did go ahead.

He said: "It is not helpful for the United States to remain in South Korea.

"The US makes the situation tense all the time by bringing in military equipment and disrupts peace on the peninsula by pursuing hostile policies and threatening the DPR Korea with nuclear weapons.

"So I don't think the US is helpful unless it abandons its hostile policy towards DPR Korea."

The interview follows an open letter sent by Pyongyang to Seoul. The letter calls for "realistic measures to prevent impending nuclear disasters with concerted efforts of the Korean nation".

The ambassador gave an insight into the thinking of Kim Jong-Un's regime

The United States has insisted that North Korea stop all production of nuclear weapons before peace talks can begin again.

But the ambassador suggested that was not a step that his country was willing to take in the current climate.

He said: "DPR Korea has no option but to have the nuclear deterrent in order to defend the sovereignty of the country and in order to save the security and peace on the Korean peninsula as well as the lives of the people."

The Ambassador also explained in more detail than previously heard, the process behind the execution of Jang Song Thaek, Kim Jong Un's uncle.

He said: "Well Jang Song Thaek did lots of crimes. He made anti-party, anti-government crimes, and as well he abused his power in hindering the national economy and hindering the efforts of the national economy and for improving people's living standards.

"He spent 4.6 million euro in 2009 alone. He made tremendous crimes against the government, against the people, against the country."

The interview is a rare glimpse behind North Korea's pomp and propaganda

"Actually our party pardoned him on several occasions when he made wrong-doings in the past, but this time his crimes is beyond the level, is beyond the red line.

"So they enlarged a meeting of the party and handed (him) over to the legal system. So the special Military Court of the Ministry of State Security put him on trial, he confessed to what he did wrong and according to article 60 of the Criminal Code of DPR Korea he was executed."

"According to the laws by the criminal court he was sentenced to death. Well he was shot to death."

I challenged Ambassador Hyun to confirm the fate of the uncle's family after recent reports suggested they too might have been executed, along with anyone else loyal to the former General.

"This is the political propaganda by our enemies," he replied.

"I think that this fabricated report does not deserve my comment. I know he was punished but if his family were punished or not, I don't know."

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Knox Says 'Heart In Mouth' Ahead Of Verdict

By Nick Pisa, Sky News Reporter

Amanda Knox has said her "heart will be in her mouth" as she awaits a new verdict expected in the Meredith Kercher murder case.

Knox told Italian television via Skype that she would be at home in Seattle with her mother and family and that her lawyer would inform her of the outcome.

Insisting she was not involved in the murder, she said: "The proof is in the facts. There is no proof that I was there when this happened. I remember Meredith as a person who gave me friendship from the very beginning.

"If I am convicted I understand that I will be seen as a fugitive but I will continue to fight until the end."

Patrick Lumumba lost his livelihood after Amanda Knox wrongly accused him

:: Find the latest updates on the Knox and Sollecito verdict here.

In a final appeal to the court her lawyer Luciano Ghirga said his client should be cleared "because there is no proof she was at the scene. There is no blood from Meredith on blade".

He also added that it was "inadmissible and unfounded" that custodial measures should be imposed on Knox if she was found guilty.

Miss Kercher was found with her throat cut

It comes as Patrick Lumumba, the barman Knox wrongly accused of killing Miss Kercher in 2007, urged Knox to come to court "'if she is as innocent as she claims".

Mr Lumumba was held in custody after Knox told police she had ''covered her ears as he killed'' Miss Kercher in the student house the girls shared.

However, he was cleared after two weeks when a university professor provided a watertight alibi, while Knox was charged with murder and sexual assault along with her former boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito.

The pair's conviction was overturned on appeal but the Italian Supreme Court ordered a retrial of that appeal and the verdict is due this week. Sollecito was in court on Thursday for the fresh verdict.

Mr Lumumba, who lost his bar following Knox's allegations and is now an unemployed musician, wants to see the 26-year-old back in the courtroom.

Speaking ahead of Thursday's verdict, he said: ''If she (Knox) is innocent she should come to court for the decision. I will be there. If she is so sure that she had nothing to do with it, then she should be in court to hear the judge's decision.

''I think she is running away - I'm the one who has been left in a real mess because of what she said. My bar closed and my business folded - I have nothing now and no work.

''Because of what she said I was put in jail for two weeks and my bar was impounded by the police for four months. My friends tried to help me as best they could but it wasn't enough because they were all having a hard time as well.

Amanda Knox and Raffaelle Sollecito

''The false arrest had a real negative impact on my personal life and my business life - things have never really recovered and it's all because of what Amanda wrongly told the police. I haven't even been paid any compensation by her that I'm owed.''

As a result of the false accusation, Mr Lumumba was dragged from his home in front of his children and wife in a dawn raid.

Knox was convicted of slandering him and ordered to pay him €22,000 in 2011.

Knox and Sollecito, 29, were originally charged in 2007 after Miss Kercher was found semi-naked with her throat cut in the bedroom of her house in Perugia, Italy.

Knox was sentenced to 26 years and Sollecito to 25 years but in 2011 the verdicts were overturned and both walked free.

The house where Meredith was killed in 2007

The retrial began last September in Florence, 100 miles from where the murder took place.

Though Knox has remained in the US, she did email the court to protest her innocence in a statement read out by her lawyer in which she insisted she ''was not a monster".

Judge Alessandro Nencini described the emailed statement as unusual, adding that defendants ''should be in court if they wanted to speak".

It is not entirely clear if the Italian authorities would seek Knox's extradition even though a treaty exists between both countries.

To add to the confusion any verdict will go to a further automatic appeal at the Supreme Court so a final decision could be years away.

The retrial has shifted the motive away from a sex game gone wrong to a simple bitter feud of jealousy between Knox and Miss Kercher - with the British girl uncomfortable at her American flatmate's untidiness and habit of bringing men home.

However, Knox and her lawyers insist the theory is rubbish, with Knox herself stressing that the two were ''good friends'' and that she has expressed several times a desire to visit Miss Kercher's grave and meet her family.

Miss Kercher's sister Stephanie and brother Lyle are expected to travel from their home in Coulsdon, Surrey, for the verdict - the third time in seven years they have attended a court trial.

Stephanie said the family "just want everything to be over", adding "we can only accept what the judges say and accept the Italian judicial system".

A third man, Ivory Coast drifter Rudy Guede, 27, is serving a 16-year sentence for murder and sexual assault and he is expected to be released on parole next year. He, like Knox and Sollecito, has always protested his innocence.

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Michael Schumacher 'Responding' - Sky Sources

Michael Schumacher is being brought out of his coma and is "responding to instructions", according to Sky News sources.

The seven-time Formula One champion has been in a Grenoble hospital with severe injuries since the accident on December 29.

His manager, Sabine Kehm, said in a statement that the 45-year-old was slowly being woken from his induced coma and Sky News understands he has been "responding to simple instructions".

"Michael's sedation is being reduced in order to allow the start of the waking-up process, which may take a long time," Ms Kehm said.

The slope on the Saulire Mountain where Schumacher had his accident

"For the protection of the family, it was originally agreed by the interested parties to communicate this information only once this process was consolidated.

"The family of Michael Schumacher is again requesting for their privacy, and the medical secret, to be respected, and to not disturb the doctors treating Michael in their work.

"At the same time, the family wishes to express sincere appreciation for the sympathy they have received from around the world."

Schumacher and his wife Corrina

Investigators probing the reasons for the accident in which Schumacher smashed his head against a rock have ruled out faulty skis, inadequate signage and excessive speed.

Schumacher appears to have skied on a partially-covered rock, lost his balance and fallen on another rock further down, according to the prosecutor in charge of the investigation.

The impact was so strong it split his helmet in two.

Schumacher dominated Formula One before retiring in 2012, winning more titles than any other driver and enjoying 91 Grand Prix victories between 1994 and 2004.

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New Zealand Could Drop Union Jack From Flag

By Jonathan Samuels, Australia Correspondent

The Union Jack could disappear from New Zealand's flag after the country's prime minister mooted the possibility of a referendum on changing its design.

Prime minister John Key told reporters a black flag with a silver fern might be more appropriate.

"The silver fern is something that applies to our greatest sporting teams and so many other things we do," he said.

"It has international recognition and sometimes our flag gets confused with Australia's."

A referendum on changing the flag could be held at the same time as this year's general election, but Mr Key says it is not a priority.

"It's something that may be worthy of consideration, we would have to discuss it with senior ministers to decide whether it's an issue we want to progress," he said.

"It's not on my agenda now, it's not a number one issue, but it's certainly a decision we have to make as to whether or not to progress it."

New Zealand's flag is the British Blue Ensign with the Union Jack in the top-left corner, along with the four stars of the Southern Cross.

New Zealand's PM said sport meant the silver fern was recognised worldwide

Mr Key thinks a referendum should present a simple choice of two alternatives, otherwise it would be confusing.

While many are open to the idea, the proposal has been criticised by some as being inappropriate and insensitive, especially to those who fought and died under the flag.

Traditionalists argue it is right to maintain a symbol of the historically-strong relationship with the UK.

John Banks, leader of New Zealand's Act party said: "No. Men fought under that flag and sacrificed their lives in many war campaigns.

"I'm a bit old-fashioned, I don't want the name of the country changed, or the flag, or God Save the Queen."

Winston Peters, leader of the New Zealand First party, said it should be sorted out and that a "long conversation" with New Zealanders would be needed.

"I don't think we could do it in eight months," he said.

"The debate should last at least two-and-a-half years and then put to a referendum."

The New Zealand flag debate has come up numerous times in recent years.

In July 2013, a poll by TV3's The Vote programme found 39% of respondents would keep the flag while 61% would change it.

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Battir Threatened By Israeli Separation Wall

By Tom Rayner, Middle East News Editor, Jerusalem

The future of a potential world heritage site hangs in the balance ahead of a court judgement on an extension of Israel's controversial separation wall.

A plan to extend the path of the barrier through the ancient West Bank village of Battir has been appealed at the Israeli Supreme Court for Justice.

A ruling is expected on Wednesday morning.

Battir, which straddles a valley in the Bethlehem hills, just miles from Jerusalem, is famed for its unique terraced hills which have been built by hand over millennia.

A Palestinian farmer irrigates her land in the West Bank village of Battir

The fertile lands of the Palestinian village are filled with vegetables, fruit crops and olive groves, all fed by natural spring water which flows through Roman irrigation systems, built more than 2,000 years ago.

However, plans put forward by Israel's Defence Ministry to extend the separation barrier - which in some areas nearby is an eight metre concrete wall - would divide the village off from around 35% of its ancestral land.

The area under threat lies on the opposite side of the valley, across the 1949 armistice line which separates Israel from the West Bank, known as the "green line".

Residents of Battir were guaranteed continued access to the land by the Israeli state after the 1948 war, in return for a pledge that the railway which runs along the line would not be vandalised.

The creation of the wall along the proposed course would end that agreement, and cut the land off both from the water that irrigates it, and the residents of Battir who tend to it.

Israel claims the wall is necessary for security, and says it has prevented suicide attacks in the country.

But many in the international community, as well as the Palestinians, see it as a means of appropriating land beyond Israel's pre-1967 borders.

Battir is famed for its unique terraced hills built by hand over millenia

Akram Badir, the head of Battir Village Council, said claims the routing of the wall through Battir was necessary for security were misplaced.

"This village is living in peace. Destroying this site and taking off nearly 40% of the land of Battir means destroying the peace situation as well as the landscape," he said.

Over the last few years, new Israeli settlements, deemed illegal under international law, have been constructed on hills overlooking the village.

The construction of the separation barrier is also coming closer.

It is already at the gates of the nearby village of Walaja, which has led to a gathering of momentum in the battle to protect Battir.

But there has been some annoyance among residents of the village that more has not been done by the Palestinian Authority to assist them in their bid to protect the land.

As a member of Unesco, the Palestinian Authority has the ability to make an emergency application to the UN body to grant Battir world heritage site status.

The barrier would cut the land off from the water that irrigates it

Given that Battir has already been awarded a prize by Unesco identifying it as a place of unique importance, there is thought to be a good chance such an application would be swift and successful.

World heritage site status would almost certainly rule out the possibility of Israel's barrier being routed through the village's land.

Yet those involved in the lobbying effort to the Palestinian Authority say the application process has been held back for fear of disrupting peace negotiations with Israel.

In the meantime, the village has won support from an unlikely quarter - the Israeli Nature and Parks Authority.

The body has backed the appeal against the Defence Ministry's planned routing of the barrier - the first time one arm of the Israeli state has publicly opposed another on this matter.

At earlier court hearings Israel's Defence Ministry insisted residents of Battir would still be able to access the land through special security gates, but Gidon Bromberg, an Israeli spokesman for Friends of the Earth Middle East, said such a plan risked the cultural and environmental importance of the land.

He said: "This site is so unique that we must protect it, not just for Israelis and Palestinians, but for humankind as a whole. We can meet the legitimate security concerns by alternative means."

Construction of Israel's separation barrier, which Palestinians call the "apartheid wall", began in 2002 in the midst of a wave of suicide bombings inside Israel during the Palestinian uprising known as the Second Intifada.

As of July 2012 Israel had completed construction of 62% of the planned 439-miles of separation barrier, and 85% of the route is beyond the "green line" inside the West Bank.

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Texas Skydiver Falls 3,000ft And Survives

A 16-year-old girl from Texas has survived a fall of more than 3,000ft in a skydiving accident in Oklahoma.

Makenzie Wethington is in good condition, despite multiple injuries, including to her liver, pelvis lumbar spine in her lower back, shoulder blade and several ribs, trauma surgeon Jeffrey Bender said.

"I don't know the particulars of the accident, as I wasn't there. But if she truly fell 3,000 feet, I have no idea how she survived," the surgeon from Oklahoma said.

Makenzie is expected to leave the intensive care unit soon, he said.

Makenzie and her father dressed for the flight

The teenager's parents had allowed her to take the jump but father Joe has now said the skydiving company should not have allowed it.

The company involved has defended its decision, saying the father went up with his daughter and was the first to jump.

Robert Swainson, instructor and owner of the company involved, said Makenzie's parachute had opened as it should have done but she began to spiral downward when the chute went up but not out.

Makenzie and Joe Wethington before takeoff

He said skydivers were given instruction during a six-to-seven-hour training session on how to deal with such problems.

The instructor also said Makenzie had a radio hookup in her helmet through which someone gave her instructions.

"It was correctable, but corrective action didn't appear to have been taken," he said.

Makenzie has injured her liver, spine and shoulder

Mr Swainson said he did not jump out to help Makenzie because there was no way he could have reached her.

Also, he explained, another jumper had become scared and refused to make the jump so it was protocol for him to remain with the frightened person because instructors do not know what that person will do.

"The most I could have done is screamed," he said.

Nancy Koreen, director of sport promotion at the US Parachute Association, said its safety requirements allow someone who is 16 to make a dive with parental consent, though some places set the age higher.

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State Of Union: Obama Vows To Bypass Gridlock

President Barack Obama has vowed to bypass a divided Congress and take action to boost the US economy after a troubled year in office.

Facing strong Republican opposition and low approval ratings after the worst year of his presidency, Mr Obama unveiled actions that do not need congressional approval to bypass partisan gridlock that has held back his presidency.

They include raising the hourly minimum wage for new federal contracts to $10.10, helping the long-term unemployed find work and expanding job training programmes.

He said: "Inequality has deepened. Upward mobility has stalled.

Michelle Obama stands with Sergeant First Class Cory Remsburg

"The cold, hard fact is that even in the midst of recovery, too many Americans are working more than ever just to get by - let alone get ahead.

"And too many still aren't working at all."

He was greeted with warm applause as he arrived to give the address to a joint session of Congress.

Speaking on partisan politics that have stalled action, including his flagship Affordable Care Act, he said: "We are not doing right by the American people.

"After five years of grit and determined effort, the US is better positioned for the 21st century than any other nation on Earth.

"Let's make this a year of action. That's what most Americans want - for all of us in this chamber to focus on their lives, their hopes, their aspirations."

Mr Obama also singled out the gender pay gap and said bridging the difference between women's and men's salaries would help the US succeed.

He said: "A woman deserves equal pay for equal work. She deserves to have a baby without sacrificing her job.

"A mother deserves a day off to care for a sick child or sick parent without running into hardship - and you know what, a father does, too.

"It's time to do away with workplace policies that belong in a 'Mad Men' episode. Because I firmly believe when women succeed, America succeeds."

He promised to improve US education, by connecting 15,000 schools and 20 million students with high-speed broadband in the next two years.

The initiative will be supported by charitable partnerships with companies including Apple, Microsoft, Sprint and Verizon.

Mr Obama proposed new incentives for vehicles which run on natural gas and alternative fuels, as well as expansion of the earned-income tax credit, which helps boost the wages of low-income families through tax refunds.

He also called on Republicans to stop attempts to stall his health reform.

And he warned Congress he would veto new economic sanctions against Iran as negotiations to limit its nuclear programme continue. An estimated $7bn in international sanctions have been lifted against Iran in exchange for it slowing the programme.

He also vowed to support democracy in Ukraine, warned al Qaeda's threat had evolved and yet again urged Congress to let him close the detention camp at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

In a televised response, Republican Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers criticised Mr Obama's healthcare and called for lesser government involvement.

She said: "I'd like to share a more hopeful, Republican vision.

"It's one that champions free markets and trusts people to make their own decisions, not a government that decides for you."

A poll this month found 45% of those surveyed approved of Mr Obama, compared to 53% against.

Republicans have blocked many of Mr Obama's initiatives, including on gun control and climate change, and this year's mid-term elections make it unlikely they will rally behind his proposals.

In the autumn, federal government in the US shut down for 16 days and brought the country to the brink of default as Republicans refused to sign through budget proposals.

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Crocodile Attacks Boy: 'Human Remains Found'

Human remains have reportedly been found in the search for a boy who was snatched by a saltwater crocodile near a waterhole in Australia.

The 12-year-old was taken by the reptile as he was swimming with friends in Mudginberri Billabong in Kakadu National Park, west of Jabiru.

Acting Commander Michael White, of the Northern Command, said: "Search teams have now located evidence within the search area which strongly indicates the boy has died from the crocodile attack.

"Further DNA testing will be conducted to confirm the identification.

"No specifics will be given in relation to the trauma or type of evidence located out of respect for the family."

Local media reports said the "evidence" referred to by Mr White was human remains.

One of the boy's friends was bitten on the arm as he tried to fight the creature off on Sunday.

But the crocodile then turned on the 12-year-old.

The attack took place in the Kakadu National Park

The discovery comes after two of the animals were shot and had their stomachs cut open as the search operation continued.

No human remains were found inside them.

Flooding caused by the local monsoon season has complicated the search - causing the 200m waterway where the attack took place to expand to more than a kilometre (0.62 miles) wide.

A spokesman for the park said the area was well signposted as a danger zone for crocodiles.

He said: "We have big croc warning signs with croc jaws and a big thing saying 'croc risk; do not swim here, do not enter'."

Saltwater crocodiles can grow to be up to seven metres and weigh more than a ton. They are a common feature in the tropical north of Australia.

Their population has increased steadily since the introduction of laws protecting them in 1971. Government estimates put their numbers at between 75,000 and 100,000.

The most recent fatality was in August last year, when 27-year-old Darwin man Sean Cole was taken by a 4.7m croc as he swam across the Mary River.

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State Of The Union: Obama Tackles Inequality

By Greg Milam, US Correspondent

Barack Obama is expected to use his State of the Union address to call for action to tackle growing income inequality in America.

The US President has described the issue as the "defining challenge of our generation" and is expected to outline a plan to close the wealth gap.

Analysts say the economic recovery has disproportionately benefited America's wealthy and is leaving the bulk of the population behind.

The city of San Francisco - and the tech engine room of Silicon Valley to its south - has become a symbol of the tension in America.

Protesters have targeted private buses run by companies like Google, Facebook and Apple that ferry well-paid tech commuters from traditionally working class neighbourhoods to Silicon Valley.

Buses for Silicon Valley workers have become a target for protests

They say poor families are being evicted to make way for those who can pay higher rents.

Average rents in San Francisco and nearby Oakland and San Jose have increased by 10% in the last year and wages in the area are double the national average.

Activist Roberto Hernandez told Sky News: "They are making it impossible for regular people to stay in their homes.

"We are becoming the victims of other people earning so much."

Community groups say income inequality has created the phenomenon of the "working poor" - people who have jobs but cannot keep pace with the rocketing cost of living.

The food and clothing bank at the Sacred Heart Community Service in San Jose has seen visitor numbers double as those working poor look to make ends meet.

Ramona Lopez told Sky News the handouts were essential.  She said: "I have eight children. When they were all at home it was a struggle but we were making it.

"I only have three of them at home now and just trying to take care of the three that I have, with all the prices of everything having gone up, it is a struggle. It is a huge deal to get the help here."

Jay Pecot, Sacred Heart's director of development, said: "What we're seeing over and over again is the working poor coming here, just trying to feed their families.

Smart townhouses in San Francisco are being snapped up by wealthy workers

"We are able to help them, save them a bit of money.  Even $150 (£90) can make a critical difference."

The issue of income inequality has become a nationwide talking point since protests grew among "the 99%" over the riches being accumulated by the "1%".

Former US labour secretary Robert Reich has become the national voice on the income inequality.

His film Inequality For All won a documentary award at the Sundance Film Festival.

Ramona Lopez said she relies on food bank handouts to feed her family

He says 95% of the wealth generated in the economic recovery has gone to the top 1% of Americans.

He said: "The top 400 richest American have more wealth than the bottom 150 million Americans put together.

"There is a lot of blame going on and we are very close to a populist, anti-establishment movement in this country.

"But I fear it's not going to be very constructive because it is just a matter of blame."

But Mr Obama's attempts to address the issue have fallen short.

Critics say the imbalance has worsened on his watch and that now it is his responsibility to bring chance.

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Egypt: Ex-President Morsi Faces Jailbreak Trial

Former Egyptian president Mohamed Morsi has gone on trial charged with breaking out of prison during the 2011 uprising against Hosni Mubarak.

He and some 130 others, including members of his banned Muslim Brotherhood, the Islamist Palestinian movement Hamas and Lebanon's Shia militant group Hizbollah, have been charged over the jailbreak.

Some of the defendants have been accused of murdering police officers and assisting the thousands of inmates who escaped from Wadi Natrun jail.

Mr Morsi flew by helicopter from his current prison in Alexandria to the hearing which is being held at a heavily guarded makeshift courtroom in eastern Cairo.

The Islamist leader, who faces two other trials, was deposed by the army in July following massive popular protests against his one-year rule.

Torn posters of the ousted president

The hearing came as senior Egyptian official General Mohamed Saeed was assassinated outside his home in Cairo by two gunmen.

The powerful military is backing army chief Field Marshal Abdel Fattah al Sisi to run for the presidency after he led the ousting of Egypt's first democratically elected president.

Morsi's trial takes place amid government crackdown against the former leader and his Islamist supporters that has seen more than 1,400 people killed since he was deposed, according to Amnesty International.

Most of those killed have been pro-Morsi demonstrators in street clashes with police and his opponents.

The date of the start of the new trial is symbolic as Tuesday marks the third anniversary of the prison break that occurred during the uprising against Hosni Mubarak.

A poster of Mr al Sisi on the wall of a shop in Cairo

A Brotherhood lawyer has said the trial appears aimed at "denigrating" Morsi and the Brotherhood.

In an earlier court appearance, Morsi insisted he was still the country's legitimate president and challenged the legitimacy of the court, regularly interrupting the judges and prosecutors.

He faces charges in four separate trials, some of which carry the death penalty.

Meanwhile, state news agency Mena reported that gunmen blew up a natural gas pipeline Monday night in the volatile Sinai Peninsula south of el-Arish, the capital of the North Sinai governorate.

Gas pipelines have come under attacks several times since the 2011 downfall of Mubarak with the last attack took place 10 days ago.

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Ukraine Scraps Controversial Anti-Protest Laws

Anti-protests laws that sparked violent demonstrations in Ukraine have been scrapped in an attempt to end a two-month stand-off between the government and opposition supporters.

At least three people have died in clashes between protesters and security forces since the new laws were announced.

Applause broke out in parliament after the vote passed with 361 deputies in favour and two against.

The move came shortly after Prime Minister Mykola Azarov resigned, saying he hoped the move would help bring resolution to the crisis.

Mr Azarov said he was stepping down to try and encourage a "social-political compromise" to the unrest in the country.

A cleric blesses anti-riot protest policemen

In a statement he said: "Today the most important thing is to preserve the unity and integrity of Ukraine. This is far more important than any personal plans or ambitions. That is why I have taken this decision."

The pro-Western protests in Kiev began on November 21 after President Viktor Yanukovych shelved a long-planned political and economic treaty with the EU, then accepted a huge bailout package from Russian President Vladimir Putin instead.

He then approved the anti-protest laws to try to curb the opposition.

Demonstrations then spread to other parts of the country, including to some cities in the Russian-speaking east, the base of the president's support.

The crisis has been aggravated in recent days after protesters and police clashed violently.

Mr Yanukovych agreed to abolish the laws - which made the occupation of public building punishable by five years in jail and banned protesters from wearing masks or helmets - after talks with opposition leaders.

Russian-speaking east Ukraine backs close ties with Russia

Protesters established an extensive tent camp in downtown Kiev's main square, where demonstrators have gathered around-the-clock since early December.

Not all of Ukraine is in favour with closer ties to the EU.

Many of the Russian-speaking citizens of the east want the country to retain its ties with Russia.

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Hollande Protests: 250 Arrested After Unrest

Hundreds of arrests were made after 17,000 hit the streets of Paris to protest about President Francois Hollande's leadership.

Nineteen police officers were injured after what had been a peaceful demonstration turned violent, police said.

Clashes erupted as the demonstration came to an end. Some of the protesters wearing ski masks and hoods threw bottles, firecrackers, and iron bars at police, local media reported.

Interior Minister Manuel Valls condemned the violence "by individuals, varied groups from the extreme and ultra-right, whose only goal is to create unrest".

The number of detentions and injuries is higher than previous protests against Mr Holande, whose handling of the economy has caused anger in France.

Some 50 associations were involved in the initial protest, including conservative and far-right groups. But many of the larger groups opposed to his policies avoided the demonstration.

Mr Hollande announced his split from Ms Trierweiler on Saturday

"You are here to say you are fed up," an organiser told the crowd, adding that France's leaders "are more preoccupied with their affairs ... than unemployment".

Those demonstrating also included supporters of provocateur-comic Dieudonne, who has been convicted repeatedly for anti-Semitism and racism.

The protests come as France's former first lady Valerie Trierweiler visited India on her first public engagement since Mr Hollande announced on Saturday that he was splitting up with her following allegations he was having an affair with actress Julie Gayet.

Mrs Trierweiler, a career journalist, travelled to Mumbai to fulfil a long-standing commitment to the trip highlighting the plight of malnourished children.

She was pictured visiting a hospital paediatric ward where she cuddled and kissed children while speaking with mothers about nutrition, but did not mention her relationship with Mr Hollande.

Ms Trierweiler was hospitalised last week with what aides described as shock following a tabloid's publication of photos it said proved her husband was having an affair.

Trierweiler's chief of staff, Patrice Biancone, said that her office as first lady would be formally ended on Wednesday.

"These last few days have been difficult. But today, she is serene," he said.

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Bruce Springsteen Plays First South Africa Gig

By Alex Crawford, Special Correspondent

Bruce Springsteen began his first tour to South Africa with a rousing rendition of the protest song Free Nelson Mandela.

And his audience in Cape Town loved it.

Earlier the singer spoke movingly about his admiration for South Africa's first democratically elected president, saying how honoured he felt to have just "been alive on this Earth at the same time".

Springsteen never met Mr Mandela, but in a rare interview he told Sky News how inspired he was by his ability to forgive those who jailed him for 27 years.

Bruce Springsteen speaks to Sky's Alex Crawford ahead of the landmark gig

He said: "You just don't often get people like that."

The US music legend, known as 'The Boss', went on to talk about how momentous he found the election of Barack Obama, his country's first African-American president and a man he campaigned for.

He said: "Imagine he'd then been in prison for 27 years and then came out and was president?"

Springsteen avoided playing in South Africa during the apartheid years

Springsteen was one of the musicians who fought against South Africa's apartheid laws, participating in the recording of the song Sun City in 1985 to highlight the injustice of the whites-only resort.

Alongside him on stage at Cape Town's Belleville Velodrome was Steven Van Zandt, the instigator of the cultural boycott of South Africa and founder of Artists Against Apartheid.

The movement raised awareness among Americans about the situation in South Africa as well as tens of thousands of US dollars for anti-apartheid projects.

The Boss salutes the crowd at the Belleville Velodrome

But despite it being his first visit, Springsteen wasn't shy in pointing out that South Africa - and America - have serious challenges to overcome if they are to redress their economic disparities and inequalities.

He said: "These issues have to be resolved. Otherwise societies fall apart. It's very critical in the States and very critical here (South Africa) to keep societies intact."

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