Comedian Tracy Morgan Critical After Car Crash

US actor and comedian Tracy Morgan has been left in a critical condition after the limousine he was travelling overturned during a multi-vehicle pileup.

Police said the limousine crashed into five other vehicles on the New Jersey Turnpike at around 1am local time.

The 45-year-old 30 Rock star is being treated at the Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Centre in New Brunswick, New Jersey.

Sgt Gregory Williams told Sky News that one other passenger in the limousine was killed. 

CCTV footage of emergency vehicles attending the scene (Pic: NBC)

He said their next of kin had been notified.

The condition of the vehicle's five other passengers is currently unknown. 

There is no word on what caused the accident, which also involved two tractor-trailers, a SUV and two cars.

Tracy Morgan found fame on the sketch-comedy show Saturday Night Live in 1996. 

He went on to play Tracy Jordan, a caricature of himself, on the hit show 30 Rock.

It was created by his Saturday Night Live co-star Tina Fey. 

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Russian Leader Joins 'Dance Of Diplomacy'

It had been as carefully choreographed as the D-Day commemorations themselves. But until he showed up there was no way of knowing if Russia's president would join the dance.

The breakthrough came when Angela Merkel, the German Chancellor, deftly pirouetted Vladimir Putin and Petro Poroshenko, into meeting face to face.

This was the culmination of a plan hatched at the G7 in Brussels where the world's leaders agreed to one last attempt to persuade Mr Putin to return to the dance of diplomacy - and stop making trouble in his neighbourhood, roughing up the locals and breaking the windows in Ukraine.

A 15-minute chat between Ukraine's president-elect and Mr Putin followed the German introduction, then lunch.

French President Francois Hollande told a British veteran that he had had to use the D-Day occasion to bring the two sides of the increasingly violent Ukrainian conflict together.

Speaking in French, the British veteran asked: "Was Putin there, was he friendly?"

Mr Hollande replied: "Yes we talked to him and with President Poroshenko, we made Ukraine and Russia talk."

Mr Putin meets Petro Poroshenko and Angela Merkel in France

The veteran then asked: "Is it going to work?"

"It must work, we want this ceremony to be useful to the world. Of course we want to commemorate your fight and your voyage," the French president replied.

We also learned from the dialogue that Britain's Prince Philip had had a word with Mr Putin.

Later, the White House said President Barack Obama had also decided to engage - defrosting relations a little since February when the Russians seized the Crimea and Obama boasted the US could beat Russia in a conventional war.

The importance of the occasion and the modern role of Germany as peacemaker, while eastern Ukraine continues to suffer bloodletting, meant that this was an opportunity not to be missed.

It was a chance to engage with Mr Putin, who has been sulking about Russia's declining power for decades and reassure him that he is an important and welcome player on the international stage.

The Kremlin quickly issued a statement saying Mr Poroshenko and Mr Putin have agreed there should be a de-escalation by the Ukrainian government and "federalists" (pro-Russian militia).

This will be taken in good faith by the West and offers Mr Putin a dignified way to dial down the tension without looking put upon.

He may, though, be bluffing and gambling that none of those leaders he met in Normandy quite have the steel of their ancestors and the nerve to call him on it.

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Ukraine And Russia Talk Of 'Ending Bloodshed'

Ukraine's newly sworn-in President Petro Poroshenko has met his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin for informal talks on the sidelines of the D-Day commemorations in France, raising hopes of ending the continuing violence.

The two men met for around 15 minutes on Friday to discuss resolving the most serious East-West crisis since the end of the Cold War.

Speaking after the meeting, Mr Putin welcomed proposals set out by Mr Poroshenko, who was officially sworn in as Ukraine's new president on Saturday morning, for ending the conflict.

Petro Poroshenko is sworn in

He said: "I can only welcome Mr Poroshenko's position that the bloodshed in eastern Ukraine must be stopped immediately."

And Mr Poroshenko said: "The dialogue has begun, and that's a good thing.

"A Russian representative will travel to Ukraine, and we will discuss with him the first steps towards a plan (to resolve) the situation ... We have a good chance of implementing it."

French President Francois Hollande told a war veteran at the main ceremony in Normandy that world leaders had wanted to use the 70th anniversary commemorations to bring the two sides together to discuss the Ukraine crisis.

The two men spoke for up to 15 minutes, according to some observers

Mr Hollande, responding to a question about Mr Putin during a conversation with the war veteran, described the meeting as "friendly".

He said: "Yes we talked to him and with President Poroshenko, we made Ukraine and Russia talk."

After the photo, Mr Poroshenko, Mr Putin and German Chancellor Angela Merkel remained outside as they talked.

The talks were the first meeting between the two leaders since Mr Poroshenko was elected on May 25, after promising to bridge the East-West divide that has split the country and thrown it into conflict.

Awkward: The two presidents smirked when pictured on a split screen

US President Barack Obama also spoke to Mr Putin at the commemoration ceremonies, marking their first face-to-face conversation since the crisis began in Ukraine.

The White House said the conversation was informal and lasted around 15 minutes as the leaders ate lunch inside a chateau.

"President Obama made clear that de-escalation depends upon Russia recognising President Poroshenko as the legitimate leader of Ukraine, ceasing support for separatists in eastern Ukraine, and stopping the provision of arms and material across the border," said US deputy national security adviser Ben Rhodes.

"If Russia does take this opportunity to recognise and work with the new government in Kiev, President Obama indicated that there could be openings to reduce tensions," added Mr Rhodes.

Mr Obama and Mr Putin conversed on the sidelines

Mr Putin also held meetings with Prime Minister David Cameron, Mrs Merkel and French president Francois Hollande this week to discuss sanctions imposed on Russia after it annexed the Crimean peninsula.

It comes after 15 pro-Russian rebels were killed at a border crossing on Thursday.

Five Ukrainian soldiers were also injured during the clashes. Parts of the border in eastern Ukraine were closed after the incident.

Officials have claimed more than 200 people have died in fighting between Ukraine government troops and pro-Russian rebels in recent weeks.

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Jacob Zuma: 'Exhausted' President In Hospital

South African president Jacob Zuma has been admitted to hospital for tests after being 'exhausted' following a tiring election campaign.

His office said doctors were "satisfied with his condition" and a spokesman added: "There is no cause for concern. It's a case of exhaustion".

On Friday, it was announced Mr Zuma would take a few days off from public appearances but continue performing official duties from home following the May poll.

His office said he had been been advised to rest after "a demanding election and transition programme to the new administration".

The president's spokesman Mac Maharaj said: "It's been a hectic period and there has been a need for some rest."

Two weeks ago, the 72-year-old politician was sworn in for a second time as president.

It came after his ANC party won the election on May 7 with an overwhelming 62% of the vote.

At his swearing-in ceremony, he vowed "economic transformation" would take "centre stage" in his new term in power.

He pledged the economy would be put on an "inclusive growth path" and promised to promote "broad-based black economic empowerment".

There have been concerns that much of the economy remains in the hands of South Africa's white minority.

In his speech to a cheering crowd of thousands, Mr Zuma said his country was "a much better place to live in now than before 1994".

But he added that poverty, unemployment and other problems persisted despite many improvements.

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Ukraine And Russia Meet At D-Day Event

Ukraine's President-elect Petro Poroshenko has met his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin for informal talks on the sidelines of the D-Day commemorations in France.

In their eagerly anticipated contact, they discussed how Russia could recognise the Ukrainian elections, and a possible ceasefire, according to an official at French President Francois Hollande's office.

The brief interaction, which some reports said was as short as one minute while others said lasted 15 minutes, took place after world leaders gathered for a group photograph.

The two men spoke apart from other leaders apart from Angela Merkel

After the photo, Petro Poroshenko, Vladimir Putin and German Chancellor Angela Merkel remained outside as they talked.

No plans have been announced for a formal meeting between the two despite a week of intense diplomacy aimed at resolving the crisis in Ukraine.

The talk is the first meeting between the two leaders since Mr Poroshenko was elected.

Mr Putin has held meetings with Prime Minister David Cameron, Mrs Merkel and French President Francois Hollande this week to discuss sanctions imposed on Russia after it annexed the Crimean peninsula.

It comes after 15 pro-Russian rebels were killed in clashes at a border crossing on Thursday.

Anton Herashchenko, an aide to the Ukrainian interior minister, said border guards clashed with armed men who approached the border in trucks from the Russian side of the border close to the village of Marynivka.

Five Ukrainian soldiers were also injured during the clashes.

Parts of the border in eastern Ukraine were closed after the border clash.

Officials have claimed more than 200 people have died in fighting between Ukraine government troops and pro-Russian rebels in recent weeks.

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Amritsar Sword Fight On Massacre Anniversary

Six people have been injured after members of a Sikh group brandishing swords and wooden sticks clashed with guards at the Sikhs' holiest shrine in India.

The violence broke out during a ceremony to mark the 30th anniversary of the storming of the Golden Temple by the Indian army in 1984 in the northern city of Amritsar.

 

Kiran Jyoti Kaur, a Golden Temple management spokeswoman, said supporters of the Shiromani Akali Dal, a Sikhism-centric political party, turned violent and then were chased away by temple guards.

They were shouting slogans for an independent homeland for the Sikhs.

The CNN-IBN television channel said police detained nearly 50 people, and that many shops closed because of the tension.

The 1984 operation to establish control over the shrine, ordered by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, was one of the most contentious episodes in India's battle against Sikh separatists in the 1980s.

Sikh militants had holed up in the temple for months. The Indian army botched an attempt to clear them from the holy site, underestimating the resistance at first before being drawn into a three-day assault more than 1,000 were massacred.

The attack outraged Sikhs and led to a catastrophic breakdown in communal relations. Recently it has emerged the British SAS had a role in helping to deal with the insurgency, offering some advice to the Indian government of the time.

When Ms Gandhi was killed by her Sikh guards in a revenge attack a few months later, the country erupted. Mobs overran trains and went house-to-house across northern India, beating and killing thousands of Sikhs.

The insurgency was stamped out in the late 1980s.

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Bergdahl 'Played Soccer' With Taliban Captors

Six Things To Know On Bowe Bergdahl

Updated: 11:11pm UK, Wednesday 04 June 2014

Everything you need to know about Sgt Bowe Bergdahl, the US prisoner of war released by the Taliban in Afghanistan.

Bowe Bergdahl had a variety of hobbies including ballet and fencing

The 28-year-old grew up in the small mountain town of Hailey, Idaho, where he was home-schooled with his older sister, Sky.

His devout Calvinist parents, Bob and Jani, taught their children about ethics and religious thinkers.

By all accounts, Sgt Bergdahl was a bookish teenager with a number of pursuits from skiing to shooting. He performed ballet, took up fencing and studied foreign languages.

He also became interested in Buddhism and tarot cards.

Sgt Bergdahl once tried unsuccessfully to join the French Foreign Legion, according to his father. He worked as a barista in Idaho before joining the US Army in June 2008.

The soldier reportedly became disillusioned with the US role in Afghanistan

According to a report in a Rolling Stone magazine profile, Sgt Bergdahl wrote an email to his parents saying he was "ashamed" to be an American.

He wrote: "The horror that is America is disgusting."

Members of his unit said Sgt Bergdahl kept mainly to himself. The New York Times cites platoon members as saying he wrote Jason Bourne-type novels in which he made himself the lead character.

He is said to have learned Dari and Pashto in his spare time and was reportedly traumatised after seeing an Afghan child run over and killed by an American armoured vehicle.

Members of his platoon say he sent all his belongings, including a laptop, home before vanishing.

Members of his unit have accused him of desertion

According to soldiers in his platoon, Sgt Bergdahl abandoned his post while on guard duty, with only a compass, a knife, water, a digital camera, a diary and possibly also a phone.

The New York Times reports that he left a note in his tent saying he did not support the American mission in Afghanistan and was leaving to start a new life.

The Pentagon concluded in 2010 that Sgt Bergdahl had walked away from his unit before he was captured by the Taliban.

Sgt Bergdahl may have attempted to escape during his captivity

The Taliban released propaganda videos during Bergdahl's time in captivity in which the prisoner, looking under-fed, denounced US foreign policy.

In one clip, a bald and bearded Bergdahl said he was "scared" he would not be able to return home. In others, he was seen eating and exercising.

In one video, he shouted at the camera: "Release me, please! I'm begging you, bring me home!"

In 2011, he is thought to have escaped briefly. When he was recaptured, it reportedly took five militants to overpower him.

"He fought like a boxer," a Taliban fighter told Newsweek.

There are claims US soldiers were killed as a result of having to look for him

Former members of Sgt Bergdahl's battalion and military officials have claimed between six and 14 soldiers died in the search for him.

But the facts seem murky, as so often in the fog of war.

Two of the soldiers whose deaths have been blamed on Bergdahl's disappearance died inside a US military outpost that was under Taliban attack, not while out searching for him.

Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel has said: "I don't know of any circumstances or details of US soldiers dying as a result of efforts to get Bergdahl."

He will likely face a court martial for desertion

Some have called for Sgt Bergdahl, who is said to be in stable condition at a military hospital in Germany, to be shot for desertion.

But that will not happen, according to Yale Law School professor Eugene Fidell, a specialist in military legal affairs.

He told Sky News the last US soldier to be killed for desertion, Eddie Slovik, was tied to a post and shot in 1945.

Prof Fidell thinks it more likely Sgt Bergdahl will face a court martial, a short sentence of confinement and a punitive discharge.

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D-Day: World Leaders Join Commemorations

David Cameron has said world leaders should set aside their differences on the "incredibly moving" 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings.

As veterans, politicians and members of the Royal Family gathered in Normandy, the Prime Minister told Sky News that amid ongoing tensions with Russia, the events of June 6, 1944, "show the importance of standing up together ... for freedom and security".

Mr Cameron and Russian President Vladimir Putin have both travelled to northern France to remember an event that changed the course of the Second World War.

Soldiers landing on Juno Beach in Bernieres-sur-Mer on June 6, 1944

They will join the Queen and a host of other world leaders for a service at Sword Beach in Ouistreham, where the moment 150,000 Allied troops came ashore will be re-enacted.

Mr Cameron said: "Yes, we have our disagreements with Russia but we should never forget the Soviet Union was an ally of the forces that liberated this continent from the tyranny of Nazism and enabled generations to come to live in democracy, freedom and prosperity," he said.

"Today is all about the magnificent feat of arms that saw young men ... do incredibly brave things to liberate this continent and to give us a chance of peace and democracy. We did that together."

War veterans arrive for the service at Bayeux Cathedral

Described by wartime Prime Minister Winston Churchill as "undoubtedly the most complicated and difficult (operation) that has ever taken place", D-Day proved to be a pivotal moment of the Second World War.

It marked the start of an 80-day campaign to liberate Normandy, a daunting task that involved three million troops and cost some 250,000 lives.

Services marking their sacrifice are being held at beaches and war cemeteries across the region.

In Colleville-sur-Mer, Barack Obama joined his French counterpart Francois Hollande for a service at the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial, where more than 9,000 soldiers are buried.

The Queen joined world leaders to mark the 70th anniversary

"These men waged war so that we might know peace, they sacrificed so that we may be free, they fought in hope of a day that we would no longer need to fight and we are grateful to them," the US President said.

"We don't just commemorate victory, as proud of victory as we are. We don't just honour sacrifice, as grateful as the world is. We come to remember why America and our allies gave so much ... and remember the stories of the men and women of the war."

In nearby Bayeux, the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh visited the Commonwealth War Graves cemetery, where 4,144 soldiers, 338 of them unidentified, are buried.

Cemeteries along the French coast are a focal point for the commemorations

An earlier service at the town's cathedral heard from Right Reverend Nigel McCulloch, the national chaplain of the Royal British Legion, who told the congregation: "We come to remember those who, from the air, in the water and on the beaches, made the supreme sacrifice."

Further along the coast in Arromanches, the Normandy Veterans' Association has organised a day of events.

This anniversary will be the group's last as it plans to disband later this year.

Commemorations began at midnight when Mr Cameron attended a memorial at Pegasus Bridge, the first strategic landmark to be captured.

D-Day veteran Jock Hutton is met by Prince Charles after his parachute jump

At the exact time the first gliders landed, a champagne toast was raised at Cafe Gondree, the restaurant next to the bridge, which became the first house to be liberated in France.

American veterans gathered at dawn on Omaha Beach, where a statue of two soldiers was unveiled.

On Thursday, a commemorative parachute jump honoured the soldiers who dropped into France in the early hours of June 6 as part of the crucial airborne invasion.

D-Day veteran Jock Hutton, aged 89, jumped with The Red Devils, the Paratroop Regiment's free-fall display team.

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Police Hunt Gunman After Three Officers Killed

Police are hunting a gunman after three officers were shot dead and two others were injured in Canada.

The shootings began after police responded to a call about an armed man in north Moncton, New Brunswick province, at 7.30pm (11.30pm UK time).

The attacker, reportedly wearing a camouflage outfit, began firing at officers and a massive manhunt is now taking place to catch him.

Police say he is still believed to be in the Pinehurst area of the eastern city and have urged people there to stay inside, lock their doors and leave their outside lights on.

Officers are looking for 24-year-old Justin Bourque of Moncton and say he is considered "armed and dangerous".

The window of the police car is shattered

Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) in New Brunswick confirmed the three officers' deaths on its Twitter feed.

The two other officers had non-life threatening injuries and were in a stable condition in hospital.

The force tweeted an image of a suspect wearing military camouflage and wielding two guns.

A video has emerged showing officers taking cover behind police cars and which apparently shows the moment the gunmen opened fire.

There are two thuds and an unnamed person in the footage said: "He shot him, he shot a cop."

Witness Danny Leblanc, 42, said he saw the gunman in the distance on Wednesday evening standing in the middle of the street with his gun pointed at police vehicles.

The construction worker said he believed it was an RCMP officer he was looking at until he heard a burst of automatic gunfire coming from the man's gun.

He said he quickly went back into his home and remained there with his family.

The police officers were shot dead in Moncton on the east coast of Canada

Mr Leblanc said: "It's devastating. I don't know if he was on a hunt for them, or what."

At one point a neighbour posted on social media that their kitchen window was shattered by gunfire.

Another witness said she saw an injured officer being taken away.

The unnamed woman said: "We just came outside. My daughter said there were police in the area, and we noticed that there was a lockdown on the street, they wouldn't let anybody in or out, they were turning vehicles around.

"And we noticed there was a staff supervisor vehicle that had taken an injured officer away, the lady liked like she was, like, really hurt."

RCMP Constable Damien Theriault, who appeared emotional during a news conference, said he personally knew the officers who were killed.

Constable Theriault asked the public not to disclose any information about the police operation or locations of officers on social media.

A number of roads in the city were blocked and drivers were also asked to stay out of the area.

Moncton mayor George LeBlanc urged all residents to pay strict attention to the RCMP warnings.

Such violence is rare in Canada, particularly on Canada's east coast.

Constable Theriault said Moncton did not have a homicide in 2013 or this year until Wednesday evening.

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Canada Shooting Captured On Witness Video

A video has emerged apparently showing the moment a gunman opened fire on police in Canada.

The attacker shot dead three officers and wounded two others.

A massive manhunt is taking place in Moncton, New Brunswick province, to catch him.

The footage, posted on Facebook by Vanessa Bernatchez, was shot from inside a house and captured through a window.

It shows a number of officers taking cover behind police cars.

The window of a police car is shattered

In a room with several people crouched down, an unnamed woman described what was happening outside.

She said of the officers: "They're not moving. They're behind cars, behind vans, behind a shed, behind a house with their guns out. They're waiting to shoot him down."

A woman in the room asks a man: "Do you see him?" and then there are two thud sounds, apparently gunshots.

There are screams and the man says: "He shot him! He shot a cop!"

The gunman had opened fire after police responded to a call about an armed man in north Moncton, at 7.30pm (11.30pm UK time).

Police say he is still believed to be in the Pinehurst area of the eastern city and have urged people there to stay inside, lock their doors and leave their outside lights on.

Officers are looking for 24-year-old Justin Bourque of Moncton and say he is considered "armed and dangerous".

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'Slender Man' Attack 911 Recording Released

Police have released a recording of the 911 emergency call made by a cyclist who found a 12-year-old allegedly stabbed 19 times by friends inspired by a fictional internet horror figure.

The victim's arms, legs and torso were covered in knife wounds as she crawled from the scene of the attack in Waukesha, Wisconsin.

In the 911 audio recording released by the Waukesha County Sheriff's Office of the cyclist who found the victim, the dispatcher is heard to say: "So you are with this 12-year-old female?"

The caller said: "Yes, she says she is having trouble breathing. She says she was stabbed multiple times."

Police at the scene of the attack in Waukesha, Wisconsin

Two girls, also aged 12, appeared in court on Monday charged with attempted homicide.

Meanwhile, the website where the youngsters are said to have read about the mythical Slender Man figure, has sought to distance itself from the Wisconsin attack in the face of criticism.

Creepypasta Wiki - an online horror story database - stressed all the stories and characters on the site were fictional, and insisted it was "not a crazy satanic cult."

Writing after the stabbing drew national attention to the website, an administrator for Creepypasta Wiki called Sloshtrain said: "I'm going to make myself loud and clear.

"All works presented on this wiki and other sites (including Slenderman, Jeff the Killer, Ben, Sonic.Exe, etc) are fictional stories and characters."

They added: "This is an isolated incident, and does not represent or attribute the Creepypasta community as a whole.

"This wiki does not endorse or advocate for the killing, worship, and otherwise replication of rituals of fictional works.

The two defendants face 60 years in prison if found guilty

"There is a line of between fiction and reality, and it is up to you to realise where the line is. We are a literature site, not a crazy satanic cult."

Prosecutors say the defendants lured their victim into a park on Saturday before repeatedly knifing her. One of the wounds came within a millimetre of piercing a major artery near her heart.

The pair told detectives they had plotted for months to kill the other girl in the hope of winning favour with the Slender Man, often depicted as a tall, thin, blank-faced figure wearing a black suit.

One of the accused allegedly told a detective: "It was weird that I didn't feel remorse."

The defendants are due back in court next week and face up to 60 years in jail if convicted.

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Boko Haram Militants 'Kill Hundreds' In Nigeria

Boko Haram militants dressed as soldiers have reportedly killed up to 200 villagers in three attacks in northern Nigeria.

The killings - in Danjara, Agapalwa and Antagara - are said to have taken place on Monday and a community leader who reportedly witnessed them said residents of the Gwoza local government district in Borno state had pleaded for protection from the army but no help had arrived.

The militants arrived in pickup trucks of the type often used by the military and told the civilians they were soldiers "and we are here to protect you all".

The schoolgirls were abducted on April 15.

Once people had gathered in the heart of the villages, as ordered, Boko Haram members began "to shout  'Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar' on top of their voices, then they begin to fire at the people continuously for a very long time until all that gathered were all dead", said one frightened witness who did not wish to be named.                 

It took time for survivors to get word of the killings to the provincial capital, Maiduguri, because of poor road conditions and limited telecommunications.

Local politician Mohammed Ali Ndume confirmed the attacks had taken place.

Gwoza is a regional political centre, whose emir - a religious and traditional ruler - was killed in a Boko Haram ambush on his convoy last week.

President Goodluck Jonathan has been criticised for not visiting the region

He had spoken out against the actions of the militants.

Boko Haram wants to establish an Islamic state in Nigeria and has been been fighting back against a year-long government-backed military offensive aimed at crushing them.

The group has taken over villages in the northeast, killing and terrorising civilians and political leaders.

It is currently holding hundreds of schoolgirls captive after snatching them from school in the remote village of Chibok in April.

More than 2,000 Nigerians are believed to have been killed so far this year with some 75,000 civilians driven from their homes.

While Boko Haram has largely been pushed out of cities in the northeast, the group has been seizing villages in remote areas, making large swathes of Nigeria, no-go areas for the army.

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Taliban Releases Video Of Hostage Handover

The Taliban have released a video showing American hostage Sgt Bowe Bergdahl being handed over to US forces in Afghanistan.

Sgt Bergdahl, clean shaven, and dressed in white Afghan clothing with a shaved head, is seen waiting in a white pickup truck close to the Afghan border with Pakistan as Taliban militants outside lean in to talk to him.

He is blinking frequently in the bright light as he looks at and listens to his captors. He appears to struggle to speak English.

The 17 minutes of footage shows armed gunmen dotting the hills around the valley, as US Black Hawk helicopters overhead draw closer to the meeting point.

The Taliban reporter speaking over the clip explains: "We told them there are 18 armed fighters and the Americans said that's all right."

The Taliban's message to the Americans and Sgt Bergdahl

As one of the helicopters lands, throwing up a cloud of dust, Sgt Bergdahl is led to his rescuers by two men, one leading him by the hand, and another waving a white cloth tied to a wooden stick.

Most of the Taliban have their faces covered with scarves, while Sgt Bergdahl wears his over his shoulders.

After a brief exchange of handshakes between insurgents and US forces, Bergdahl moves unsteadily towards the helicopter.

Before boarding the helicopter the freed man is patted down to check he is not carrying any weapons.

The aircraft takes off and the message in English flashes up: "Don' come back to afghanistan"(sic).

Heaviliy armed Taliban fighters dotted the hillside around the exchange

The Taliban video, entitled Ceremony Of The American Soldier Exchange is laced with religious music and chants of "Allahu Akbar" (God is greatest).

At one point the voiceover said: "I congratulate all the mujahiedeen for this victory."

Sky's Diplomatic Editor Tim Marshall said: "The meaning of the pictures is that we see visual evidence that the Taliban are negotiating with the Americans on almost an equal basis.

"It is a propaganda coup for the Taliban."

US defence officials have said dozens of US special forces troops backed up by helicopters were sent for the handover.

Five years after he was captured by Afghan militants, Sgt Bergdahl was freed at the weekend in exchange for five militants held at Guantanamo Bay.

Sgt Bergdahl awaits the handover in a Taliban vehicle

He was the only US soldier held by the Taliban after being captured in Afghanistan.

His release has lead to sharp criticism of the Obama administration, with some US politicians fearing it poses a threat to Americans abroad.

There is also a suggestion that Sgt Bergdahl may be disciplined over claims from members of his unit that he was captured in 2009 after abandoning his post.

The 28-year-old is now in a military hospital in Germany, undergoing physical and mental assessments.

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Sgt Bergdahl: Army 'May Pursue' Desertion Probe

Bowe Bergdahl Release Backfires On White House

Soldier's Motives Are The 'Unknown Unknown'

Bowe Bergdahl: Obama Defends Taliban Exchange

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Tiananmen: China Lockdown For 25th Anniversary

'It Crushed Our Hope For Democracy'

Updated: 6:25am UK, Wednesday 04 June 2014

By Mark Stone, China Correspondent

Lee Cheuk Yan is the Chairman of the Hong Kong Labour Party and the founder of the June 4th Museum.

In 1989 he travelled to Beijing to support the uprising and provide the protesters with money.

He told Sky News: "I was in the Beijing Hotel looking down in the Tiananmen Square, seeing the tricycles bringing bodies to the hospital.

"I remember them switching off the light in Tiananmen Square, and I would say that was the darkest hour of my life. At that time it crushes all our hope for democracy.

"Then I was arrested, detained for three days, money confiscated, and only allowed to come back [to Hong Kong] after three days of detention back in 1989.

"In a way, that was the turning point of my life, I promised myself I will dedicate my life to the democratisation of China, to continue our struggle in Hong Kong for democracy.

"It was a moment of despair. We had a hope ... Over the May, the spring time, you can (feel) democracy, and then suddenly the guns and the tanks come in.

"It really crushes our hope and into a moment of despair. And that was the really saddest moment of my life."

"Already a quarter of a century [has passed]. A new generation of young people have grown up, but then when you look at China itself, they try to erase all the memory of June 4th and ban any discussion of June 4th.

"So in that environment, it's a sort of brainwashing.

"This museum is to fill the void ... We hope by having this museum and preserving the truth, it is a struggle of remembering against forgetting.

"And also we hope that the truth [will] struggle against lie. Therefore, we felt it's very important.

"Twenty-five years after the massacre, we have a museum to commemorate those who sacrificed for democracy and at the same time to educate the public, especially the younger generation and the mainlanders, [to explain] exactly what happened and challenge the Communist Party, to reveal the truth."

Mr Lee dismisses the suggestion that the crackdown stabilised China, prevented civil war and allowed the country to become a global economic giant.

"I'm really very angry with that because it assumes that economic growth and democracy cannot go hand in hand, which is absurd ... It is totally compatible and I can imagine that if there [was] democracy 25 years ago, there would still be economic growth, there would be better distribution of wealth, and there can be freedom, people would be happier.

"One important thing is, now in China, it's all a culture of lies.

"People make money by lying, and get corrupted, and get a lot of money buy doing all sorts of immoral acts.

"If there is democracy, at least in culture, I believe, would not be a culture of lies.

"But there would be freedom, checks and balances, and a democratic China.

"I think corruption can only be totally erased if there is democracy."

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Fate Of Anonymous 'Tank Man' Still A Mystery

'It Crushed Our Hope For Democracy'

Updated: 6:25am UK, Wednesday 04 June 2014

By Mark Stone, China Correspondent

Lee Cheuk Yan is the Chairman of the Hong Kong Labour Party and the founder of the June 4th Museum.

In 1989 he travelled to Beijing to support the uprising and provide the protesters with money.

He told Sky News: "I was in the Beijing Hotel looking down in the Tiananmen Square, seeing the tricycles bringing bodies to the hospital.

"I remember them switching off the light in Tiananmen Square, and I would say that was the darkest hour of my life. At that time it crushes all our hope for democracy.

"Then I was arrested, detained for three days, money confiscated, and only allowed to come back [to Hong Kong] after three days of detention back in 1989.

"In a way, that was the turning point of my life, I promised myself I will dedicate my life to the democratisation of China, to continue our struggle in Hong Kong for democracy.

"It was a moment of despair. We had a hope ... Over the May, the spring time, you can (feel) democracy, and then suddenly the guns and the tanks come in.

"It really crushes our hope and into a moment of despair. And that was the really saddest moment of my life."

"Already a quarter of a century [has passed]. A new generation of young people have grown up, but then when you look at China itself, they try to erase all the memory of June 4th and ban any discussion of June 4th.

"So in that environment, it's a sort of brainwashing.

"This museum is to fill the void ... We hope by having this museum and preserving the truth, it is a struggle of remembering against forgetting.

"And also we hope that the truth [will] struggle against lie. Therefore, we felt it's very important.

"Twenty-five years after the massacre, we have a museum to commemorate those who sacrificed for democracy and at the same time to educate the public, especially the younger generation and the mainlanders, [to explain] exactly what happened and challenge the Communist Party, to reveal the truth."

Mr Lee dismisses the suggestion that the crackdown stabilised China, prevented civil war and allowed the country to become a global economic giant.

"I'm really very angry with that because it assumes that economic growth and democracy cannot go hand in hand, which is absurd ... It is totally compatible and I can imagine that if there [was] democracy 25 years ago, there would still be economic growth, there would be better distribution of wealth, and there can be freedom, people would be happier.

"One important thing is, now in China, it's all a culture of lies.

"People make money by lying, and get corrupted, and get a lot of money buy doing all sorts of immoral acts.

"If there is democracy, at least in culture, I believe, would not be a culture of lies.

"But there would be freedom, checks and balances, and a democratic China.

"I think corruption can only be totally erased if there is democracy."

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Body Found In Search For Brit Gareth Huntley

Police on Malaysia's Tioman Island have confirmed that a body has been found in the search for British backpacker Gareth Huntley, who went missing after going on a jungle trek.

Local media reports say the body was found less than 100m from the conservation camp where he was working as a volunteer. 

According to Malaysian newspaper The Star, search personnel stumbled across the corpse in a pond close to a kayak storage unit at around 12pm local time.

The 34-year-old disappeared last week after attempting to find a waterfall nearly four miles away from the camp in the jungles of the paradise island.

Mr Huntley's mother has been notified of the discovery

Deputy Superintendent Johari Yahaya told the newspaper he could not confirm whether the body was that of the missing Briton.

A Foreign Office spokesman said: "Malaysian police have confirmed that a body has been found on Tioman island in Malaysia.

"Foreign Office consular staff on the ground are continuing to work closely with the Malaysian authorities and are investigating with them as a matter of urgency.

"We continue to provide support to the family of Gareth Huntley at this very difficult time."

The area where the body was found. Pic: Thestar.com.my

Mr Huntley's mother, Janet Southwell, and his girlfriend, Kit Natariga, are on the island off Malaysia's east coast to assist the search effort.

Dozens of rescue personnel have been backed by paramilitary commandos, multiple helicopters, speedboats and sniffer dogs in the latter days of the search following initial criticism of the Malaysian authorities' response.

Mr Huntley's girlfriend (pictured) and his mother are both on the island

Prime Minister David Cameron reportedly spoke to Malaysia's prime minister Najib Razak after receiving an open letter from Mrs Southwell in which she urged him to seek more resources for the search.

The letter said: "Make one phone call to the Malaysian leader to insist that they deploy real help to find Gareth before time runs out".

The backpacker had been volunteering in a turtle sanctuary on the island

The 34-year-old from Hackney, east London, set off on May 27 telling friends at the Juara Turtle Project where he was volunteering that he would be back by 2pm but failed to return.

Mr Huntley, who was originally from West Yorkshire, was on a sabbatical from his job in the City.

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Spain: Calls For A Republic After King Abdicates

Juan Carlos Held Reins During Rocky Times

Updated: 2:20pm UK, Monday 02 June 2014

Juan Carlos may have been tainted by recent scandals, but he can abdicate knowing he has led his country through some very testing times.

One of the most testing was when he helped bring an end to a failed coup that nearly sent Spain - now a member of the EU - back to being ruled by a military junta in 1981.

Soon after politicians were pictured cowering under their benches as armed guards burst into parliament, Juan Carlos appeared on television in his green military uniform ordering an end to the revolt.

He said: "I have ordered the civil authorities and the chiefs of staff to take the necessary measures to maintain constitutional order."

It's now largely forgotten in Britain how close one of Europe's most powerful countries came to reverting to military dictatorship.

Juan Carlos kept his son Felipe, then aged 13, at his side throughout the crisis.

"I wanted him to see what one has to do when one is king," he said later.

For years, the Royal family remained popular as Spain emerged from being one of the EU's poorer countries to being one of its most powerful.

After the Madrid train bombings in March 2004, Juan Carlos and his wife Queen Sofia threw protocol aside at a memorial service when they comforted the families of some of the 191 people killed.

But, with the onset of the financial crisis in 2008, things began to change. 

Juan Carlos' image was dealt a blow after he went on a luxury elephant-hunting safari in April 2012 as his subjects struggled in a recession, during which one in four people was unemployed.

Then, his family became embroiled in a corruption investigation when a judge indicted former Olympic handball player Inaki Urdangarin, the husband of the king's youngest daughter Cristina, who has also been accused of involvement.

He has also suffered long term health problems, undergoing surgery nine times between 2010 and 2013.

But, despite the setbacks, history may in time be kinder to him.

He is regarded as playing a determining role in Spain's modern history by stepping up as the first crowned head of state in 44 years, after the death of Franco.

He then defied the hopes of the Francoists for an extension of autocratic rule and instead oversaw the creation of a new system of parliamentary monarchy, with a new constitution that was approved by referendum in 1978.

Without his guiding hand, the country many people regard as their favourite holiday destination could have remained being run by those who followed a similar ideology to Adolf Hitler.

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Syrians Vote In 'Show Of Force' Election

By Sherine Tadros, Middle East Correspondent

Syria's presidential elections have begun in government-held areas as a brutal three-year civil war continues across the country.

For the first time in the country's history there is more than one candidate competing for the top job.

Running against President Bashar al Assad are Maher Hajjar, a little-known parliamentarian from Aleppo, and Hassan al Nouri, a former government minister and businessman from Damascus.

Both were vetted by the government and neither have a chance of winning.

Syria's Supreme Court earlier disqualified 21 candidates from the race and a restrictive election law essentially made it impossible to run without government approval.

One of Bashar al Assad's posters in Damascus

This election is not about democracy, but rather a show of force by Assad.

By holding elections as planned, he is sending a message to the international community and Syrians that he is winning the war.

Two years ago the opposition thought Assad's days were numbered and the West portrayed his demise as imminent.

Not only has he survived but the momentum on the ground is in his favour. Pro-Assad forces recently reclaimed the Old City of Homs from the rebels, negotiating a ceasefire there. As the heart of the uprising, the regime's victory in Homs was an important milestone.

Millions will be prevented from voting - not just those in rebel-held areas where polling stations won't operate, but also the hundreds of thousands of refugees not officially registered, as well as those who are internally displaced or who lost their documents when they fled their homes.

Syrian refugees in Tripoli protest against the possible election of Assad

In Lebanon, where there are more than a million registered Syrian refugees, people queued for hours to vote at the one polling station in the Syrian embassy in Beirut.

Some were clearly eager to show their support for Assad; others were afraid if they didn't vote they would be punished or refused entry back into Syria.

In three years of fighting, an estimated 160,000 people have died and more than three million have fled the country with another million internally displaced. Many Syrians say privately they do not trust Assad or the various opposition forces. 

The incumbent is heading for victory and a third, seven-year term. For him and his allies this election signals a new phase in the conflict where he will be able to use the election to prove he is the legitimate leader of Syria. 

Many fear more intense fighting as an empowered Assad moves to crush rebel fighters. Others see this election as the start of an official splitting up of the Syrian state, as Assad consolidates power in the areas under his control.

Either way, there is no end in sight for the millions of Syrians who continue to bear the brunt of this war.

:: Sky News has been refused visas to enter Syria to report on the political situation in the country. Sky's Sherine Tadros is reporting from Cairo.

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'Egyptian Jon Stewart' Quits After Sisi Win

A TV satirist dubbed "Egypt's Jon Stewart" has quit his show that mocked ex-army chief Abdel Fattah al Sisi because of "enormous" pressure.

Saudi-owned channel MBC took Bassem Youssef's show Al Bernameg off air in May to avoid "influencing" the presidential election that Mr Sisi won with more than 90% of the vote.

But the programme did not return as planned on May 30 and, ahead of official confirmation of the military strongman's victory, Youssef announced he was pulling the plug.

Bassem Youssef presenting his hit show Al Bernameg

He told a news conference: "The circumstances and pressure were more enormous than anyone. We preferred to end the programme rather than demean it."

Youssef with Amy Poehler when he was honoured by Time magazine

Youssef rose to fame with a homemade satire show posted on YouTube that became popular for its send-ups of the country's ruler Hosni Mubarak during Egypt's 2011 uprising.

He earned a slot on Egypt's CBC network but faced prosecution under the previous president Mohamed Morsi, who the army overthrew after millions of protesters demanded his resignation.

The satirical show earned comparisons with Jon Stewart's Daily Show, and the US host even popped up as a guest on Al Bernameg.

Stewart told the show's audience: "If your regime is not strong enough to handle a joke, then you don't have a regime."

Youssef was mobbed when he faced court in 2013 over criticism of Morsi

Youssef, a 40-year-old trained heart surgeon, was also named one of Time magazine's 100 most influential people in the world in 2013.

Nevertheless, CBC dropped the show last year after Youssef mocked the cult-like adulation of Mr Sisi's supporters, and increasing intolerance of criticism of the retired field marshal and the army.

Youssef chats with friend Jon Stewart and news anchor Brian Williams

Since Morsi was ousted in July 2013, the military-installed government has launched a crackdown on his Muslim Brotherhood in which at least 1,400 people died in street clashes.

More than 15,000 people have been arrested, including secular activists who protested against the new regime.

"This isn't a suitable atmosphere for a comedy show," Youssef said.

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FBI Chases 'Ringleader' Behind Cyber Threat

How Serious Is 'Ominous' Global Cyber Threat?

Updated: 12:41pm UK, Tuesday 03 June 2014

By Tom Cheshire, Technology Correspondent

It's a dramatic countdown: you have just two weeks to protect yourself against a "powerful computer attack", the National Crime Agency has warned.

All very ominous, but how serious is the threat?

Around 15,500 computers are already infected in the UK. To put that in context, there are at least 21 million computers in the country, before secondary devices like laptops, tablets and phones are counted. That's less than a 0.1% infection rate.

And although Game Over Zeus - one of the pieces of malware involved - has caused some serious financial harm to individuals, authorities estimate it is responsible for hundreds of millions of pound of fraud.

To put that in context, cybercrime worldwide costs around £60bn annually, according to one estimate.

So why the stark warning?

First, the botnet, the network of infected computers controlled by criminals, is pretty resilient.

It works on a peer-to-peer mechanism, and uses a lot of encryption. Compared to other botnets, which can sprawl into the millions, this one was tightly controlled, by gangs from Russia and Ukraine.

That's who the NCA, FBI and US Department of Justice have moved against, and that's unusual.

The authorities rarely seize or disrupt a botnet. They can do so for only two weeks, as it's an expensive operation.

At the same time, they're aiming to arrest the gang's ringleaders through more traditional, legal means.

But it's a new line in the sand, showing that international forces are willing and able to collaborate on cybercrime.

Pity, then, that the UK government's Get Safe Online site wasn't quite so joined up: it crashed under the weight of concerned internet users.

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PM And Putin To Meet Over Ukraine Violence

Is 'Chocolate King' What Ukrainians Fought For?

Updated: 11:51am UK, Monday 26 May 2014

By Katie Stallard, Sky Correspondent, in Donetsk

According to the national exit poll and the man himself, Ukraine has a new president.

Self-made billionaire Petro Poroshenko - the man they call the "chocolate king" - has declared himself the winner.

Yulia Tymoshenko conceded gracefully, if emotionally, in defeat.

Mr Poroshenko says his first priority is end war and bring peace.

To that end, his first official visit as president will be to the Donbas region in the east.

But he also said he has ruled out negotiations with separatists until they lay down weapons.

None of those we have spoken to here have any intention of doing so.

They burned ballot papers with Molotov cocktails in front of our camera on Sunday to make their point - as far as they are concerned this new president is illegitimate.

They do not recognise his authority, nor do they adhere to his demands.

And there are plenty of other people here not occupying buildings or burning ballots, but who feel the authorities in Kiev mean nothing and do nothing for them.

Uniting Ukraine might make for good campaigning rhetoric, but it's easier promised in a stump speech than delivered in real life.

There will also be questions about whether Mr Poroshenko is what those on the Maidan (the local name for the uprising on Kiev's Independence Square) fought for.

They didn't just want new politicians - they wanted a whole new politics, and the end of the influence of the oligarchy on those in power.

What they have got is one of the richest men in Ukraine, and a man who has been involved in national politics, on and off, and on both sides, for much of the last two decades.

Add to that the parlous state of the national finances, the austerity measures the International Monetary Fund is likely to insist are imposed very shortly, and the massive hike in the Russian gas price, and there are troubled economic times ahead.

Mr Poroshenko's election slogan was: "Live in a new way" -  people here are expecting life to get better, not worse.

But this election does formalise what happened on the Maidan this winter; no longer can it be said that an unelected, self-appointed government has seized power by force.

Whatever the separatists in the east and Russian television channels might say, millions and millions of Ukrainians have voted for a new president, and a man who has promised them a new European future.

It is an overwhelming endorsement of the demands of those who rallied on the Maidan demanding a move away from this country's Soviet past, towards Europe and the west.

There are many long difficult days ahead, but this presidential election is a start and a significant moment in the modern history of Ukraine.

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Boy, 6, Dies After Children Stabbed In Lift

A six-year-old boy has died and a seven-year-old girl is fighting for her life after the playmates were stabbed multiple times in a lift in Brooklyn.

Police are searching for a man in his 20s who fled the scene of the attack in Boulevard Houses, Schenck Avenue, East New York.

A police source said Prince Joshua Avitto and Mikayla Capers were in a lift in the building when the attacker, described as heavyset, pulled out a knife and stabbed the children several times in the torso.

He then ditched the weapon and fled the scene.

The boy's body was found inside the lift, while the girl managed to stumble outside and was found collapsed on the floor.

They were rushed to Brookdale University Hospital, where Prince Joshua, known to family and friends as PJ, was pronounced dead a short time later.

Police are searching for the attacker who fled the scene

News outlet NBC reported that the boy's mother was heard shouting: "They done killed my baby.

"His birthday was in 16 days. Lord, they done killed my baby!"

Seven-year-old Mikayla has been transferred to New York-Presbyterian Hospital where she has undergone surgery. She remains in a critical condition.

New York Daily News quoted her mother, Sherina Capers, 21, as saying: "This don't make no sense. This is kids. You don't do this to kids.

According to Inez Rodriguez, the president the Boulevard Houses Tenant Association, the playmates were on their way to buy a snack when they were attacked.

"They were just coming outside to get some ice cream and ices," she said.

"This is the worst thing that I've ever seen in this neighbourhood."

The attack came two days after an 18-year-old girl was stabbed to death nearby.

She was stabbed 32 times in the chest while on the way to a friend's house on Friday evening.

Police have not ruled out a connection between the two attacks.

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India Rape Protesters Clash With Police

Police in India used water cannon to disperse women protesting against the gang rape and hanging of two girls.

TV pictures showed jets of water being sprayed over the top of several hundred people who had gathered outside the Uttar Pradesh chief minister's office in Lucknow.

According to Zee and Aaj Tak TV stations, the protest had been organised by the BJP, who are in opposition in Uttar Pradesh.

The protesters were stopped by police from moving forward

The group, mostly made up of women, waved placards and shouted slogans for some time as police held them back before they started firing water cannon.

The demonstrators refused to move and attempted to continue making their point despite the soaking.

"We're not going to sleep, we'll be here, they have to stop this (violence against women)," one protester told the NDTV network.

BJP members are hit by water during the protest

The bodies of the two teenage cousins were found hanging from a mango tree in their impoverished village of Katra, in Badaun district, last Wednesday morning.

Tests showed they had suffered multiple sexual assaults.

The deaths were the latest in a string of violent attacks on women across the country, where many say not enough is being done to tackle the problem.

TV footage showed the protesters being soaked by the water jets

The girls are understood to have gone into the fields on Tuesday night because, like millions of families living in rural areas, they did not have toilets in their home.

Police have been accused of acting too slowly and two officers are among the five people arrested in the case. Family members say police ignored their pleas because they were of a lower caste. 

India revised its laws on sex attacks in the wake of the December 2012 gang rape of a student on a bus in New Delhi.

The girls' bodies were found hanging from a mango tree

But the tide of sex attacks has shown no sign of slowing down. It is claimed that a rape is reported in India every 22 minutes.

The chief minister in Uttar Pradesh is Akhilesh Yadav.

Four out of the five are from the Yadav community, a land-owning Hindu caste that holds political sway in Uttar Pradesh.

Asked at a news conference last week about the number of rapes occurring in the state, Mr Yadav told a female reporter: "You haven't been harmed, have you? No, right? Great. Thank you."

The head of Uttar Pradesh's ruling party, Mulayam Singh Yadav, who is also the chief minister's father, sparked uproar during the recent election campaign when he said rapists should not receive the death penalty because "boys will be boys".

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Spain's King Juan Carlos Abdicates For His Son

Juan Carlos Held Reins During Rocky Times

Updated: 1:48pm UK, Monday 02 June 2014

Juan Carlos may have been tainted by recent scandals, but he can abdicate knowing he has led his country through some very testing times.

One of the most testing was when he helped bring an end to a failed coup that nearly sent Spain - now a member of the EU - back to being ruled by a military junta in 1981.

Soon after politicians were pictured cowering under their benches as armed guards burst into parliament, Juan Carlos appeared on television in his green military uniform ordering an end to the revolt.

He said: "I have ordered the civil authorities and the chiefs of staff to take the necessary measures to maintain constitutional order."

It's now largely forgotten in Britain how close one of Europe's most powerful countries came to reverting to military dictatorship.

Juan Carlos kept his son Felipe, then aged 13, at his side throughout the crisis.

"I wanted him to see what one has to do when one is king," he said later.

For years, the Royal family remained popular as Spain emerged from being one of the EU's poorer countries to being one of its most powerful.

After the Madrid train bombings in March 2004, Juan Carlos and his wife Queen Sofia threw protocol aside at a memorial service when they comforted the families of some of the 191 people killed.

But, with the onset of the financial crisis in 2008, things began to change. 

Juan Carlos' image was dealt a blow after he went on a luxury elephant-hunting safari in April 2012 as his subjects struggled in a recession, during which one in four people was unemployed.

Then, his family became embroiled in a corruption investigation when a judge indicted former Olympic handball player Inaki Urdangarin, the husband of the king's youngest daughter Cristina, who has also been accused of involvement.

He has also suffered long term health problems, undergoing surgery nine times between 2010 and 2013.

But, despite the set backs, history may in time be kinder to him.

He is regarded as playing a determining role in Spain's modern history by stepping up as the first crowned head of state in 44 years, after the death of Franco.

He then defied the hopes of the Francoists for an extension of autocratic rule and instead oversaw the creation of a new system of parliamentary monarchy, with a new constitution that was approved by referendum in 1978.

Without his guiding hand, the country many people regard as their favourite holiday destination could have remained being run by those who followed a similar ideology to Adolf Hitler.

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Jewish Museum Shooting Suspect Arrested

Police investigating a shooting at a Jewish museum in Belgium that left four people dead have arrested a man.

Mehdi Nemmouche, a Frenchman with suspected ties to Islamic radicals in Syria, was detained in Marseille in southern France, investigation sources told the AFP news agency.

The 29-year-old, who is being held on suspicion of murder and attempted murder in connection with a terrorist enterprise, was allegedly found with a Kalashnikov rifle and a handgun.

Two women and a man were killed in the shooting in Brussels on May 24, which French President Francois Hollande said was clearly of "anti-Semitic character".

A fourth person who was injured in the attack died later in hospital.

The victims, who were shot in the face and neck, included two Israeli tourists who were visiting Brussels from Tel Aviv.

Following the attack, Belgian police released CCTV footage of a suspect dressed in sunglasses and a cap, who walked into the museum carrying two bags.

He can be seen removing an automatic rifle and shooting through a door before walking away.

Security around all Jewish institutions in Belgium was raised to the highest possible level in the aftermath of the shooting.

The country is home to about 42,000 Jews, half of whom live in Brussels.

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Prisoner-Swap Soldier's First Day Of Freedom

A US soldier held for nearly five years by the Taliban in Afghanistan is undergoing a medical examination in Germany before being flown back to the US for a reunion with his family.

Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl, from Idaho, was freed on Saturday evening in exchange for America turning over five Taliban detainees held in Guantanamo, to Qatari custody.

Sources say he is "weakened, scared and vulnerable" after having been tortured, and is currently receiving treatment at a US military hospital in Landstuhl.

His release follows months of indirect contact with the militants, with Qatar acting as intermediary.

President Obama at the White House with Sgt Bergdahl's parents

According to a senior defence official, once Sgt Bergdahl climbed onto the noisy helicopter he took a pen and wrote on a paper plate, the letters "SF?" - asking the troops if they were special operations forces.

They shouted back at him over the roar of the rotor blades: "Yes, we've been looking for you for a long time."

Then, according to the official, Sgt Bergdahl broke down and cried.

The parents of the freed soldier, Bob and Jani Bergdahl, said they were "joyful and relieved".

"We cannot wait to wrap our arms around our only son," they said.

Speaking at the White House flanked by Sgt Bergdahl's parents, US President Barack Obama said: "The Qatari government has given us assurances that it will put in place measures to protect our national security."

Sgt Bergdahl was released in exchange for five Guantanamo detainees

He added: "Sergeant Bergdahl has missed birthdays and holidays, and the simple moments with family and friends which all of us take for granted.

"But while Bowe was gone, he was never forgotten."

Mr Obama expressed his gratitude to the Amir of Qatar for helping secure the soldier's release, and also the support of the Afghanistan government.

Sgt Bergdahl was taken prisoner in the Paktia Province of Afghanistan on June 30, 2009.

Mike Baker, a former CIA operations officer, told Sky News: "It's been a long time coming.

"It's been a very frustrating exercise over the years, in part because for quite along time it was not clear who we were supposed to be negotiating with.

"People are extremely happy here he's back."

There was a continuing campaign in the US to secure the soldier's freedom

On the US policy not to negotiate with terrorists and concerns the exchange could lead to further hostage-taking, Mr Baker said this was a consideration, but added: "We had to get our guy back.

"We have a very strict policy as does the UK, we don't leave people behind. This was just a festering wound for all of these years. It had to be dealt with."

The identities of the freed detainees have not been revealed, although reports claim they are senior Taliban figures.

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Pele's Son Jailed For 33 Years Over Drugs Money

One of Brazilian football legend Pele's sons has been sentenced to 33 years in prison for laundering money for drug traffickers.

Edson Cholbi Nascimento, nicknamed Edinho, denies the charges in the case, which date from 2005, and will reportedly be allowed to remain free pending appeal.

Edinho, 43, is accused of ties with a drug cartel led by Ronaldo "Naldinho" Duarte Barsotti.

But though he admits buying drugs from the cartel, he denies working with them.

Pele reacts during a 2005 news conference about Edinho's drug problems

Edinho had a relatively low-key career in the 1990s playing for Santos, the same club where his father shot to fame.

The Praia Grande criminal court in Sao Paulo also sentenced three other defendants to 33 years' jail and ordered the confiscation of all property seized in the police operation against them, including about 100 cars.

Pele, whose full name is Edson Arantes do Nascimento, has seven children.

Considered one of the greatest footballers of all time, he won three World Cups with Brazil, in 1958, 1962 and 1970.

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India Girls' Gang Rape: Suspects Confess

Three suspects have confessed to the gang rape and murder of two teenage girls in northern India last week, police have said.

The 14 and 15-year-old cousins, from the lowest Dalit caste, were found hanging from a tree in the village of Katra, in Uttar Pradesh, after disappearing from their homes on Tuesday.

The three suspects detained so far in the attack are cousins in their 20s from an extended family, and they face murder and rape charges, crimes punishable by the death penalty.

The father of one of the victims covers his face

Police officer Atul Saxena said a search for two additional suspects is continuing.

Mr Saxena said officers were preparing identity sketches of the two missing suspects based on descriptions provided by the arrested suspects in Katra, in Baduan district, about 300km (180 miles) from Lucknow, the state capital.

Authorities have also arrested two police officers and suspended another two for failing to investigate when the father of one of the teenagers reported the girls missing.

Onlookers at the site where the girls were found hanged

Federal authorities are expected to take over the investigation into the crime this week.

India tightened its rape laws last year - introducing the death penalty for gang rape - following the fatal gang rape of a 23-year-old woman on a moving bus in New Delhi.

The case sparked nationwide protests.

A rape is committed every 22 minutes in India, a nation of 1.2 billion people - and activists say many more cases go unreported because of a culture of tolerance.

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