North Korea Rocket: Mass Rally Staged

Hundreds of thousands of North Koreans have gathered for a government-staged rally to celebrate a long-range rocket launch, state TV has shown.

Below a grey sky and with flags flying high, the huge crowd of soldiers and civilians stood in neat ranks and applauded various speeches from officials.

State media released footage of the launch

Military and party figures praised the country's young leader Kim Jong-Un and hailed the success of Wednesday's launch, which has been condemned by the international community.

Jang Chol, president of the State Academy of Sciences, said: "This was achieved thanks to the Great Marshall Kim Jong-Un's endless loyalty, bravery and wisdom."

North Korea has said the launch was designed to place a satellite in orbit for peaceful research. Critics say it amounted to a banned ballistic missile test.

The communist state is not thought to have a nuclear warhead small enough to mount on a missile, but the launch has been seen by many as an advance in its weapons programme.

South Korea's navy has retrieved rocket debris that fell into sea and it will be studied to determine the North's rocket-launching capabilities.

The rally in Pyongyang came hours after state media published a statement by Mr Kim ordering more launches in spite of global outrage.

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US Missiles And Troops To Protect Turkey

The US is deploying two Patriot missile units along with 400 troops to Turkey as part of a Nato force to protect Turkish territory from potential Syrian attack.

US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta signed a deployment order on Friday on his way to Turkey from Afghanistan.

The order calls for the American soldiers to operate two batteries of Patriots at undisclosed locations in Turkey.

The move is part of a wider Nato effort to bolster Ankara's air defences amid growing tension on the Turkish-Syrian border.

Germany and the Netherlands are also sending Patriots, which are designed to knock out cruise and ballistic missiles as well as aircraft.

Turkey is a founding member of Nato and requested the help from the alliance after siding with opposition forces battling President Bashar al Assad's regime.

Leon Panetta has been meeting troops and politicians in Afghanistan

The Turkish government has vowed to defend its territory after cross-border artillery fire wounded civilians and one of its fighter jets was  downed.

US and European leaders have warned the Assad regime not to use its arsenal of chemical arms, calling it a "red line" that would trigger international military action.

During a brief stop at Incirlik Air Base Mr Panetta told US troops that Turkey might need the Patriots.

He said he had approved the deployment "so that we can help Turkey have the kind of missile defence it may very well need to deal with the threats coming out of Syria."

Mr Panetta did not reveal how soon the two Patriot batteries will head to Turkey or how long they will stay.

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Earthquakes Hit US West Coast In Pacific

Two large earthquakes have struck off the coast of southern California and Mexico.

The US Geological Survey said the first quake had a preliminary magnitude of 6.4 and hit 163 miles southwest of the Californian city of Avalon.

Within seconds of the initial tremor, a second quake with a magnitude of 6.1 struck 88 miles from Avalon.

Both were recorded at relatively shallow depths, although no tsunami warning has been issued.

Residents in parts of southern California reportedly experienced shaking, but no major effects were expected in the greater Los Angeles area.

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Russia Journalist Murder: Ex-Policeman Jailed

A former policeman has been jailed for 11 years in a prison camp over the murder of the journalist Anna Politkovskaya.

Dmitry Pavlyuchenkov admitted tracking Politkovskaya so that she could be assassinated in 2006 and providing the gun to shoot her.

The established journalism was well known for her hard hitting reporting and her criticism of the Kremlin under Vladimir Putin.

Dmitry Pavlyuchenkov admitted tracking Politkovskaya

Politkovskaya was shot dead in the lift of her flat block in Moscow on October 7, 2006.

She was shot twice in the chest, once in the shoulder, and once - at point blank range - in the head.

Politkovskaya made her name with her reports from Chechnya, which became the subject of several books. She won many international awards for her writing, mainly with the Russian newspaper, critical of Putin, Novaya gazeta.

She published her reporting experiences in the book Putin's Russia, which won global acclaim.

Pavlyuchenkov made a plea bargain with the court which meant he was given a reduced sentence.

He was ordered to pay 3m rubles (£60,500) compensation to Politkovskaya's family. They had asked for 10m rubles.

The former policeman was tried separately from five other men accused of the reporter's murder.

Anna Politkovskaya with former spy Alexander Litvinenko before her death

The other defendants include three members of the same Chechen family.

Rustam Makhmudov is accused of firing the shot that killed Politkovskaya, and his brothers Dzhabrail and Ibragim are accused of acting as getaway drivers.

They were tried in 2009 and acquitted but the Russian Supreme Court ordered their retrial.

Meanwhile, Russia has denied that it was involved in the murder of the former spy and Kremlin critic, Alexander Litvinenko, in London in 2006.

It comes after a coroner in London was told that Russia was involved in the murder of Mr Litvinenko in November 2006.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich, responded by saying: "We hope that as a result of the (legal process) ... all the baseless allegations about some kind of a Russian involvement in this affair will be dispelled once and for all."

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Royal Prank Call Nurse 'Left Three Notes'

The nurse tricked by a radio prank call was found hanged in her hospital living quarters, an inquest has heard.

Jacintha Saldanha died days after falling victim to the hoax that targeted the hospital where the Duchess of Cambridge was being treated.

The opening of her inquest at Westminster Coroner's Court heard injuries were found on her wrists - and that she had left three notes.

Two were found in her room at London's King Edward VII hospital. The other was among her possessions.

The inquest was told police were exploring emails and texts sent by the 46-year-old, who was discovered by a colleague and a security guard on Friday.

Officers are also interviewing Ms Saldanha's friends and family and staff at the Australian radio station responsible for the prank.

Detective Chief Inspector James Harman said: "On Friday December 7 Jacintha Saldanha was found by a colleague and a member of security staff. Sadly she was found hanging.

"There were also injuries to her wrists. The London Ambulance Service was called to the scene. At this time there are no suspicious circumstances."

Michael Christian and Mel Greig gave tearful interviews after the hoax

The inquest came as pressure mounted on bosses at the radio station to name the executives responsible for airing the hoax call.

Sky News understands Australia's independent media watchdog, the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), has had 2,500 complaints from around the world over the 2Day FM segment.

ACMA has announced a rare fast-track investigation into the prank, which saw Ms Saldanha put two radio hosts through to a fellow nurse who unwittingly revealed details about Kate's treatment.

DJs Mel Greig and Michael Christian impersonated the Queen and Prince Charles, with the "monarch" making enquiries about her "granddaughter".

Australia's radio broadcasting code stipulates that it is a breach to record a person in conversation, and also air it, without their knowledge.

The radio station insists it did not break the law and says it tried to contact the hospital on five separate occasions. The hospital disputes any contact was ever sought.

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Man Held Over Facebook Child Abuse Video

Police have arrested a mechanic for alleged child abuse after a video of a toddler being hit by his stepdad was put on Facebook.

A 32-year-old suspect was held over the nine-minute video which was first posted by Facebook user Vasu Amaithi Padai on Tuesday, according to the New Straits Times.

The video, which has 44,537 shares, shows the three-year-old being physically abused by his stepfather whilst a baby and another toddler are in the room.

The child is slapped to the ground, held in the air and punched repeatedly and beaten with a various objects.

He is now being treated in a Malaysian hospital and under the supervision of social welfare officers.

Many Facebook users expressed outrage and demanded the police take action against the individual and the video-maker.

Facebook user, Alice Perumal, commented: "Oh my god! It is so cruel! Is this his real father? Who is doing the shooting (the video)? I can't stop crying after watch this ..."

In a statement to the media through their Facebook account, the Royal Malaysian Police confirmed that the man in the footage was the stepfather to the three-year-old toddler, said the newspaper.

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Brazil: Team Quits Final Over 'Gun Threat'

The final of South America's second biggest football competition was abandoned after the away team claimed they were beaten and had guns pulled on them at half-time.

Brazil's Sao Paulo were awarded the Copa Sudamericana after their Argentinian opponents refused to play the second half of the final's second leg, claiming the players feared for their safety.

There were ugly scenes as players fought while leaving the pitch at the end of first half, with the Brazilian side leading 2-0 in front of their home fans.

The referee leaves the field to discuss Tigre's concerns about safety

Things apparently got worse for Tigre during the break, with coaches claiming security personnel entered the changing room and attacked their players with clubs.

Tigre manager Nestor Gorosito briefly returned to the pitch and, referring to unspecified security officials, told reporters: "They pulled two revolvers. We're not going to play any more".

Tense negotiations took place outside the changing room area

While it was unclear what happened in the changing room, Argentine television showed what appeared to be blood stains spattered on walls.

After the break, referee Enrique Osses of Chile awarded the trophy - South America's equivalent of the Europa League - to Sao Paulo after waiting around 30 minutes for Tigre to retake the field.

Tigre's coach Tigre Gorosito told reporters guns were pulled on his team

"Police entered and struck our players with sticks," Gorosito told Argentine television. "It was crazy. What happened was crazy."

Romer Osuna, a Bolivian official with Conmebol, South America's governing body of football, said Tigre players were afraid to carry on with the game.

Earlier, Sao Paulo star Lucas had given the home side the lead

"The Tigre people declined to play because they considered security was not good enough," Osuna told Fox Sports.

Fans at the 72,000 capacity Morumbi stadium celebrated Sao Paulo's first Copa Sudamericana win as if the violence had never happened, but the incident may raise questions about Brazil's ability to host the 2014 World Cup.

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Chef Jamie Oliver Sued In 'Pink Slime' Row

Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver is among those being sued by a worker laid off by a beef processing firm after "pink slime" was apparently used in fast food and school lunches.

Bruce Smith is one of 750 employees fired earlier this year by Beef Products Incorporated (BPI) following a flood of reports about the substance. He is suing Oliver, ABC News, and blogger Bettina Siegel.

The lawsuit accuses them of "the dissemination of untrue facts and misinformation" about Lean Finely Textured Beef (LFTB) and argues they "engaged in negligent, wilful and reckless behaviour" against BPI.

The process involves heating beef scraps and running them through a centrifuge to separate out fat, then treating the final product with ammonium hydroxide to prevent contamination by e.coli and other pathogens.

The company, which had produced 350,000 tons of the substance each year, insists LFTB is a "significant, safe and reliable source of lean beef meat" and that the ammonium hydroxide is not considered an ingredient.

"Pursuant to USDA and FDA regulations, LFTB was, and is, 100% beef," it said.

Mr Smith, 58, has requested $70,000 (£43,000) in compensation, saying a larger amount may mean the case is transferred out of his Nebraska community and into a federal court.

He said he wants the public to understand "how consumer fears and concerns were falsely hyped and manipulated by the traditional and social media, celebrities, politicians and others".

In an episode in April 2011 of his Food Revolution show, Oliver spun beef scraps in a washing machine and doused them with ammonium hydroxide to illustrate the process, referring to the finished product as "pink slime".

"You've just turned dog food into potentially your kids' food," Oliver said at the end of the demonstration, adding "everything about this process to me is about no respect for food, or people, or children".

The following March, Siegel, author of The Lunch Tray blog, launched an online petition to ban LFTB in school lunches, gathering 250,000 signatures. ABC News then ran a series of stories on the substance.

At around the same time, a picture of strawberry-coloured chicken paste was widely circulated on the internet, falsely labelled as LFTB.

ABC News and Oliver could not immediately be reached for comment, but Ms Siegel wrote on her blog that she was confident the constitutional freedom of speech protects her from "meritless attempts at censorship like this one."

She added: "I will vigorously defend my right, and the rights of all of us, to speak out on matters of public importance and to petition the federal government."

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North Korea Rapped Over Rocket Launch

Rocket Is Propaganda Coup For Kim

Updated: 8:35am UK, Wednesday 12 December 2012

By Mark Stone, China Correspondent

North Korea had two points to prove with its latest rocket launch.

The first was that it had successfully overcome the technical problems that led to the embarrassing failure of an identical launch in April this year.

The second is that the country has indeed put a satellite into space, which would confirm its long-standing claim that all this is about pursuing a peaceful space programme.

It appears to have succeeded with the first point. The rocket remained airborne for a considerable period. It followed the planned and published trajectory and the three "stages" of the rocket separated and fell to the ocean as scheduled.

April's rocket was airborne for barely over a minute before it disintegrated and fell into the sea off South Korea. This time the rocket travelled for about 3,000km (1,864 miles).

The North Koreans claim to have succeeded in putting a satellite being carried by the rocket into orbit.

This is harder for them to prove. On two previous occasions, officials in the North Korean capital Pyongyang have said they have put satellites into space. But international observers including the US and Russia have found no evidence of this.

Pyongyang is yet to provide images of a working satellite being loaded into the rocket and that rocket then being launched. Even if they did, they would then need to prove that the satellite was in orbit. Only then can their claim that this is about pursuing a peaceful space programme begin to stand up.

The US and its allies, including the UK, believe the rocket launch is a straightforward test of North Korea's ballistic missile technology. They say the "space programme" claim is simply a cover.

North Korea has been conducting underground nuclear tests for some time. A combination of those tests with the successful launch and flight of a rocket would give the country somewhat of a credible nuclear deterrent. If it is creating ballistic missiles that can carry nuclear weapons, it could threaten areas as far away as the west coast of the US.

The timing of this launch is very significant. December 19 is the first anniversary of the death of North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il, the father of the current leader Kim Jong-Un. December 19 also marks the presidential election in South Korea and the Japanese parliamentary election is on December 16.

The launch will prompt a wave of propaganda within North Korea. It is designed to solidify the leadership of Kim Jong-Un, who is in his early-30s and hugely inexperienced.

Pyongyang announced an intention to launch this latest rocket earlier this month. It gave a launch window of between December 10 and December 21. Last weekend, it extended that window to December 29 citing technical difficulties. The latest launch therefore caught people somewhat by surprise.

Within North Korea, a closed society with no access to international news, there will have been no announcements of the plan in case it failed again. The first North Koreans would have heard of the launch was this morning in a special broadcast on North Korean state TV.

What can the international community do now? Further sanctions perhaps, but they are unlikely to have much of an effect - North Korea is already among the most sanctioned countries in the world.

Pressure on China will no doubt come. Beijing is North Korea's only real ally. The Chinese leadership expressed concern about this latest launch plan, but only because its priority is stability in the region.

The removal of the Kim regime and a North Korea unified with the South would only add to America's clout in the region.

For Pyongyang's part, this launch will provide a massive boost of confidence. Kim Jong-Un and those behind him may now use this confidence and perceived new status to engage with the West in order to secure much needed economic assistance. The problem is, Western governments will never believe the claim that this is all about a space programme.

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Argentine Sex Slave Trial Clears 13 Accused

Judges have acquitted all the defendants in a high-profile case of an Argentine woman who was allegedly kidnapped and forced into sex slavery a decade ago.

When Maria de los Angeles "Marita" Veron vanished in 2002, her mother, Susana Trimarco, launched a one-woman campaign to find her - and rescued hundreds of women from sex slavery along the way.

Marita Veron, 23, had left to go to a doctor's appointment in their hometown in the northern Argentine province of Tucuman, but she never came back.

After getting little help from police, Ms Trimarco started her own investigation into a tip that Ms Veron was abducted and forced into sex slavery.

Ms Trimarco was the primary witness during the trial

Soon, Ms Trimarco was visiting brothels seeking clues about her daughter and the search took on an additional goal of rescuing sex slaves and helping them start new lives.

Ms Trimarco has been honoured by the US State Department and the Argentine government, and even nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize - but she has never found her daughter.

The 13 people on trial - seven men and six women - faced up to 25 years in prison if convicted on charges they abducted Marita Veron and made her work as a prostitute.

The three-judge panel delayed for more than four hours on Tuesday night before reading their unanimous verdict: not guilty of any of the charges.

The courtroom erupted at the news, with the defendants sobbing and spectators shouting expletives.

Politicians for and against Argentina's government tweeted in support of Ms Trimarco, who was honoured with a human rights award from Argentine President Cristina Fernandez on Sunday night.

Some of defendants react after being cleared

The judges later explained from the bench that despite the testimony of more than 130 witnesses, including a dozen former sex slaves who described brutal conditions in brothels, there was no physical evidence linking any of the defendants to Ms Veron, and no trace of her whereabouts.

"It's absolutely clear that this is an act of corruption," said one of Ms Trimarco's lawyers, Jose D'Antona.

Ms Trimarco was clearly upset but kept her composure as she left the courthouse.

Later, she told Argentina's TN news channel that she will promote an effort to impeach the three judges.

"We won't stop until these three con men are put on trial. These judges today were an embarrassment for Argentina," Ms Trimarco said.

Defence lawyer Hernan Molina defended the judges, however, saying they had done the right thing.

"There wasn't any evidence. The judges can't convict innocent people," he told reporters at the courthouse.

Ms Trimarco (3rd from L) receiving an award from Condoleezza Rice in 2007

The defendants, who were all accused of participating in organised crime in Argentina's provinces, told the judges as the trial wrapped up that they were the victims of a politically charged process.

Maria Jesus Rivero, owner of the car service allegedly used to kidnap Ms Veron, told the judges he had already been effectively convicted by Argentine security minister Nilda Garre, who had asked the judges to set an example by convicting them all.

"There isn't a single piece of evidence that links me to the people accused here, just the declarations of liars. Marita isn't here, and we don't have anything to do with this," Mr Rivero said.

Ms Trimarco was the primary witness during the trial, testifying for six straight days about her search for her daughter.

The road to trial was a long one.

With her husband and granddaughter in tow, Ms Trimarco disguised herself as a recruiter of prostitutes and entered brothel after brothel searching for clues.

A woman holds a photo of Ms Veron at a rally against people trafficking

She soon found herself immersed in the dangerous and grim world of organised crime, gathering evidence against police, politicians and gangsters.

In an interview last week, Ms Trimarco recalled how the very first woman she had rescued taught her to be strong.

"She told me not to let them see me cry, because these shameless people who had my daughter would laugh at me, and at my pain," Ms Trimarco recalled.

"Since then I don't cry anymore. I've made myself strong, and when I feel that a tear might drop, I remember these words."

When Ms Veron disappeared, she had a three-year-old daughter Micaela.

Now 13, Micaela has been by her grandmother's side throughout the year-long trial, contributing to publicity campaigns against human trafficking and keeping her mother's memory alive.

In 2008, the story of Ms Trimarco's search for Marita became the basis of a soap opera, Vidas Robadas (Stolen Lives).

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