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'100 Dead Or Hurt' In China Quake

Written By Unknown on Sabtu, 20 April 2013 | 10.52

Around 100 people are dead or injured after an earthquake hits China's southwestern province of Sichuan, state media reports.

More follows...


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Boston Bombings: Second Suspect In Custody

Boston Marathon Blasts: Timeline

Updated: 2:50am UK, Saturday 20 April 2013

Here is a timeline of events from the Boston Marathon bombings to the death of one of the suspects and another one being taken into custody.

Monday, April 15 (Times are local)

2.50pm: An explosion takes place near the finish line of the Boston Marathon.

Around 10 seconds later, there is another blast about 100m further back down the same road, Boylston Street, also on the marathon route.

The explosions occurred four hours into the race and two hours after the men's winner had crossed the line, but thousands of runners were still on the course.

2.57pm: The Boston Globe's Twitter feed reports a witness hearing "two loud booms" near the finish line.

4.02pm: Boston police confirm two people have died and 23 injured in the explosions via Twitter.

6.12pm: President Barack Obama addresses the nation, saying: "The American people will say a prayer for Boston tonight."

8.49pm: At a news conference, Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick announces the FBI has taken over the investigation.

It is confirmed three people died as a result of the bombings and at least 100 others were hurt. The injury toll was later put at over 180.

Tuesday, April 16

Two victims of the blasts were identified as Martin Richard, eight, and 29-year-old Krystle Campbell.

Martin was waiting with his family to give his father a hug at the finish line when he died.

Restaurant manager Ms Campbell had gone with her best friend to take a picture of the friend's boyfriend crossing the finish when the bombs went off.

Wednesday, April 17

The third victim is identified as 23-year-old Chinese graduate student Lingzi Lu.

Boston University confirmed Ms Lu was studying mathematics and statistics there and was due to receive her degree in 2015.

It said she and two friends had been watching the marathon near the finish line. One of the friends, also a Boston University student, was injured while the other was unharmed, it added.

There are reports a suspect has been detained in connection with the explosions and is due to appear in court - but authorities said there had been no arrests.

The federal court in the city is evacuated due to a bomb scare but people are later allowed to return.

Thursday, April 18

Afternoon: Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama attend an interfaith service at a Roman Catholic cathedral in Boston to remember the bombing victims. The president vows the attackers will face justice.

Evening: The FBI releases photos and video footage of two bombings suspects at the scene before the attacks.

One is pictured wearing a black baseball cap and a second had a white baseball cap on back to front.

Police say the suspects tried to rob a supermarket in Cambridge, across the river from Boston, on Thursday evening.  

10.20pm: Officers receive reports of shots fired on the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) campus in Boston.

10.30pm: A police officer at MIT is found with gunshot wounds in his vehicle after being shot several times. He died in hospital.

The bomb suspects are suspected of carrying out the shooting.

They are then thought to have stolen a Mercedes car at gunpoint and later release its driver unharmed.

Friday, April 19

1am: Witnesses in Watertown near Boston report hearing multiple gunshots and explosions. The suspects reportedly threw explosives from the vehicle as police followed it into the area.

The suspects and police exchange gunfire, during which an officer is hurt.

Police say one of the two suspects in the MIT officer shooting, Tamerlan Tsarnaev, is dead. But his younger brother, Dzhokhar, remains at large. The pair are suspected of carrying out the bombings.

An extensive manhunt takes place in the Watertown area for Dzhokhar, who is said to be armed and dangerous.

Almost a million residents in Boston are warned to stay indoors and public transport is stopped as armed police search for Dzhokhar.

The two suspects are said to be from a Russian region near Chechnya and have lived in the US for at least one year.

6.60pm: Massachusetts Governor Patrick Deval announces the "stay indoors" order is being lifted, even though Dzhokhar remains in hiding.

Around the time the order is lifted, a flurry of gunfire breaks out in the community that is being searched. Law enforcement officials locate Dzhokhar in a boat parked behind a home.

8.45pm: Dzhokhar is taken into custody by police.


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Texas Explosion: Witnesses Describe Aftermath

Written By Unknown on Jumat, 19 April 2013 | 10.52

A woman whose home was destroyed by the Texas fertiliser plant gas explosion has described the moment the blast happened.

Cheryl Marich said: "It knocked me down, it knocked me back. It was like the whole road just picked up."

One firefighter said: "I've never seen anything like this. It's part of the job, sometimes it makes you nervous, but you just have to overcome it for those less fortunate."

Dr George Smith Dr George Smith was among those injured

Debby Marak said the blast was like being "in a tornado", adding that "stuff was flying everywhere."

Dr George Smith said: "There was just a major, major explosion. The windows came in on me, the roof came in on me, the ceiling came in.

"I worked my way up to go get some more help, of course we lost all communication because the power went out."

Texas Explosion The remains of the fertiliser plant burn after an explosion

Jason Shelton told the Dallas Morning News: "It exploded just like the Oklahoma City bomb.

"I live about a thousand feet from it and it blew my screen door off and my back windows. There's houses levelled that were right next to it."

Julie Zhhirnik told how she helped clean the blood from local residents after a fertiliser plant explosion rocked a Texas town.

A massive explosion at a fertiliser plant near Waco in Texas Residents from a nearby nursing home are triaged in a car park

"I just hurt so much, and just seeing everything that I saw … it's unexplainable. It's just horrifying for everyone.

"I cared for a lot, I do home help and I care and I helped and cleaned a lot of residents' blood and gave them blankets. I just tried to be there."

Erick Perez, 21, was playing basketball at a nearby school when the fire started. He and his friends thought nothing of it at first, but about half an hour later, the smoke changed colour.

A massive explosion at a fertiliser plant near Waco in Texas Firefighters check a destroyed apartment complex

The blast threw him, his nephew and others to the ground, and showered the area with hot embers, shrapnel and debris.

"The explosion was like nothing I've ever seen before," he said. "This town is hurt really bad."

Another witness, Bill Bohannan, told the Waco Tribune-Herald: "It knocked us into the car... Every house within about four blocks is blown apart."


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Texas Plant Explosion: Search For Survivors

Rescue teams are searching the rubble of homes for survivors after a massive explosion ripped though a nearby fertiliser plant in Texas.

Up to 15 people were feared to have been killed and more than 160 others were injured in the blast in the small town of West, near Waco.

The Dallas Fire-Rescue department has confirmed one of its firefighters, 52-year-old Captain Kenny Harris, was killed as he helped fight the initial blaze.

Police have warned of a "very volatile situation" because of ammonium nitrate found at the plant. The chemical compound is commonly used a fertiliser but can also be used in explosives.

Firefighters had been tackling a blaze at the factory for about 20 minutes when the explosion rocked the area at about 8pm on Wednesday.

Search for survivors at apartment after Texas fertiliser plant explosion The wreckage of an apartment building destroyed by the explosion

Three to four volunteer firefighters are among the missing, said Sergeant William Patrick Swanton.

Capt Harris, who lived in West, was off-duty when the fire broke out but decided to help the town's volunteer crew. He was described as a married father of three grown sons.

The blast destroyed as many as 80 houses and reduced a complex of 50 apartments to a "skeleton standing up", according to one official.

Fertilizer Plant Explosion In West, Texas A victim from the explosion is wheeled into hospital

It also struck a nearby school and nursing home, where an evacuation saw 133 patients taken out of the building, some in wheelchairs.

The explosion at the West Fertiliser Company could be heard 45 miles away. It sent flames shooting into the night sky and rained burning embers, shrapnel and debris down on shocked and frightened residents.

Sgt Swanton said the death toll was estimated to be between five and 15, and emergency crews were moving from house to house in a search and rescue operation.

"That's good news to me, meaning that they're probably still getting injured people," he said. "They have not gotten to the point of no return where they don't think that there's anybody still alive."

US Geological Survey showiing magnitude of Texas explosion US Geological Survey graphic shows blast ground waves (L) and sound waves

More than half of the 2,700 population of West - eight to 10 blocks - has been evacuated and people are still being pulled from damaged buildings.

The force of the explosion had a 2.1 magnitude, according to the US Geological Survey, equivalent to a minor earthquake.

Paul Earle from the organisation told Sky News the blast would have felt much bigger than 2.1 because the explosion was on the surface unlike an earthquake which happens underground. And a lot of energy would have been 'lost' into the air.

A man filmed the initial fire, and captured the moment of the explosion on camera.

His child is heard shouting: "Dad, I can't hear, let's get out of here. I can't hear anything." The dad says simply: "Oh my god."

Waco Assistant Fire Chief Don Yeager said it was an anhydrous (without water) ammonia explosion.

Remains of a fertiliser plant smolder after a massive explosion in West Texas The wreckage of the factory pictured the day after the blast

Anhydrous ammonia is a nitrogen-hydrogen gas widely used as a fertiliser, but it is also a key component of many explosive devices.

Residents in West have been urged to remain indoors because of the threat of new explosions or leaks of ammonia from the plant's ruins.

The town's mayor Tommy Muska, who is part of the team of local volunteer firefighters, compared the blast to a nuclear bomb going off.

In a statement, President Barack Obama offered the prayers of the nation to the people of West.

"A tight-knit community has been shaken, and good, hard-working people have lost their lives," he said.

Texas Governor Rick Perry described "a nightmare scenario for that community," as he announced he was seeking a federal disaster declaration which would make additional funds available.

KWTX-TV This image shows the initial blast Pic: KWTX-TV

Debby Marak said she noticed a lot of smoke coming from the area across town near the plant.

She said she drove over to see what was happening, and when she got out of her car two boys ran towards her screaming that officials told them to leave because the plant was going to explode.

Moments later the blast happened.

"It was like being in a tornado," the 58-year-old said. "Stuff was flying everywhere. It blew out my windshield. It was like the whole earth shook."

The cause of the fire remains unknown and it is being treated as a crime scene, which is standard procedure, Sgt Swanton said.

But he added there was no indication the blast was anything other than an industrial accident.

The explosion came on the eve of the 20th anniversary of the Waco siege - a deadly confrontation between federal authorities and heavily armed locals.

The Dallas Morning News said that the fertiliser company previously reported to the US Environmental Protection Agency and local public safety officials that there was no risk of fire or explosion at the plant.


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Boston Marathon Bombs: FBI Hunts 'Suspect'

Written By Unknown on Kamis, 18 April 2013 | 10.52

Investigators have revealed they have an image of a potential suspect taken from security footage before the deadly Boston Marathon bombings.

The picture is believed to have come from CCTV video taken before the twin attacks, in what could be the biggest breakthrough in the case.

It apparently shows a man carrying and possibly dropping a black bag at the second bomb scene on Boylston Street, outside the Forum restaurant, and then walking away.

The surveillance video is believed to have been taken at the Lord and Taylor department store between the sites of the two blasts, which were seconds and about 100 metres apart on the same road.

An investigator carries an evidence bag off a roof top near the site of two explosions at the finish line of the Boston Marathon A forensic officer carries evidence from a rooftop near one of the blasts

Mr Obama and First Lady Michelle will attend an interfaith service at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross later today in the city.

Former Massachusetts Governor and Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney is also expected to attend.

It comes as police said no-one has been arrested over Monday's bombings, despite reports in the US media that a suspect was in custody.

The Associated Press earlier claimed a law enforcement official had said a person was detained and was set to be taken to the federal court in the city.

Boston Marathon bomb FBI evidence The FBI released images of parts of the bombs

Other media outlets also reported there had been an arrest. But the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the US attorney's office in Boston and the police disputed that.

"Despite reports to the contrary there has not been an arrest in the Marathon attack," the Boston police department said on Twitter.

The FBI also said there had been "no arrests made," urging the media to "exercise caution".

Boston City Council president Stephen Murphy, who was 50 yards from one of the explosions, warned Sky News this investigation could be long and drawn out.

Image of 8-year-old Martin Richard who has been named as one of the dead from the Boston marathon bombings Martin Richard, eight, was killed in the explosions

He said: "There were tens of thousands of people out there on Boylston Street and so much movement and so much going on and so much to look at, and everybody's emailing, texting tips, to law enforcement.

"People are poring over that."

The explosive devices involved pressure cooker bombs hidden inside duffel bags packed with nails, shards of metal and ball bearings, placed on the ground near the finish line of the race.

Chinese graduate student Lu Lingzi killed in Boston blasts Chinese graduate student Lu Lingzi was with friends when she was killed

Three people were killed and more than 170 others were injured in the twin blasts on Monday.

Those killed include eight-year-old Martin Richard, who was waiting to give his father a hug as he crossed the finish line; restaurant manager Krystle Campbell, 29, and Chinese graduate student Lu Lingzi, who was studying at Boston University.

Scores of victims remain in hospitals, many seriously injured. Seventeen people, one as young as give, remain in critical condition.


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Texas: Up To 70 Dead In Fertiliser Plant Blast

Up to 70 people have been killed and hundreds injured after an explosion at a fertiliser plant in Texas, according to reports.

KWTX-TV A plume of smoke rises up after the explosion Pic: KWTX-TV

The blast, near Waco, was so powerful several nearby buildings were destroyed and a nursing home was badly damaged.

Local reports have suggested a number of people are trapped in the nursing home and a block of flats.

KWTX-TV A plume of smoke rises up after the explosion Pic: KWTX-TV

Police officers have reportedly been transporting the injured to local hospitals in their patrol cars.

As many as a dozen helicopters have been sent to the West High School stadium where ambulances are waiting to transport victims to hospitals.

Local media reports claim firefighters had been trying to put out a fire at the plant when the explosion happened.

KWTX-TV This image shows the initial blast Pic: KWTX-TV

A number are believed to have been injured.

The explosion in the town of West comes on the eve of the 20th anniversary of the Waco siege - a deadly confrontation between federal authorities and heavily armed locals.

Fertiliser Plant Explosion In Waco Texas The injured are treated at a nearby sports field Fertiliser explosion in West, Texas

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Poisoned Letter Sent To Office Of US Senator

Written By Unknown on Rabu, 17 April 2013 | 10.52

A poison-laced letter addressed to a Mississippi senator has been intercepted by officials.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid says the envelope containing ricin was addressed to Roger Wicker.

The envelope reportedly tested positive for the toxin on Tuesday. Mr Reid did not say when the letter had been sent or when it was found.

Another senator, Claire McCaskill, said the letter was from an individual who frequently writes to lawmakers.

The FBI and US Capitol Police are investigating. Mr Wicker's office declined to comment on the incident.

Democratic Senator Dick Durbin said the letter was discovered at a mail processing plant in Prince George's County in suburban Maryland.

Post sent to the US capitol is routinely screened off-site before being delivered to lawmakers' offices.

Senate Sergeant-At-Arms Terrance Gainer said the envelope was postmarked in Memphis, Tennessee, and did not have a return address.

He said there is "no indication that there are other suspect mailings".

According to the US Centres for Disease Control, ricin is a naturally occurring toxin that can be distilled into a potentially lethal substance.

A very small amount can kill an adult human if injected or inhaled. It is also dangerous if ingested.

The discovery is heightening terrorism fears one day after three people were killed and 170 injured in twin bombings at the Boston Marathon.

In 2001 letters containing anthrax spores were sent to two senators and to several news media offices in the wake of the September 11 attacks.

Five people died of anthrax poisoning and 17 people were infected. Those attacks, initially feared to be linked to 9/11, were later found to be unrelated.

The FBI ultimately blamed the attack on a government scientist who committed suicide in 2008.


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Boston Bombs: FBI Releases Images Of Device

The FBI is still trying to discover who carried out the deadly Boston Marathon bomb attacks as images of the devices are released.

The pictures show one of the mangled pressure cooker bombs that went off near the finish line of the event - killing three people.

Meanwhile, the mother of a restaurant manager killed in the bombings has revealed she is "heartbroken" after her death.

FBI Image Of Suspected Boston Marathon Bomb Another FBI image shows the mangled pressure cooker bomb

Krystle Campbell, 29, was the second of the three people killed in the blasts on Monday to be identified.

She had gone with her best friend to take a picture of the friend's boyfriend crossing the finish line on Monday afternoon when the bombs went off.

Mother Patty Campbell said: "She was a wonderful person and everyone who knew her loved her.

"She was always smiling and was such a hard-worker in everything she did. This just doesn't make any sense."

Boston Bomb Victim Krystle Campbell Krystle Campbell was with a friend at the race

Boston University said the third victim was a graduate student who was watching the race with friends at the finish line, close to the university.

The Chinese consulate said the victim was an exchange student, but has not identified them.

The first victim to be identified, eight-year-old Martin Richard, was waiting with his family to give his father a hug at the finish line when he was killed.

Image of 8-year-old Martin Richard who has been named as one of the dead from the Boston marathon bombings Eight-year-old Martin Richard was killed in one of the blasts

His sister Jane lost a leg and his mother Denise, 43, is understood to have undergone surgery for a serious head injury after they were also caught in the blast.

President Obama will visit Boston on Thursday and will attend an interfaith service in memory of those killed.

On Tuesday, he branded the bombings an act of terrorism, but said investigators did not know whether they were carried out by a solo bomber or a group.

The FBI also vowed to "go to the ends of the Earth" to find out who carried out the attacks.

Officials take crime scene photos a day after two explosions hit the Boston Marathon in Boston, Massachusetts Forensic investigators work at the scene of one of the bomb blasts

More than 24 hours since the twin blasts, the FBI has few breakthroughs to report and no apparent motive.

Special agent Rick DesLauriers said that specialists in Virginia will "reconstruct the device".

Doctors have revealed the extent of the injuries suffered by those caught in the blasts, including details of a nine-year-old girl who had lost her leg and a 10-year-old boy who suffered deep shrapnel wounds.

People stand during a vigil honoring the victims of Boston Marathon bombings at the Boston Common in Boston, Massachusetts People attend a candlelight vigil for the victims of the attacks

Several people have had to have limbs amputated and others are at risk of losing legs following the blasts that ripped through crowds during the city's marathon.

The explosive devices involved pressure cooker bombs hidden inside duffel bags packed with nails, shards of metal and ball bearings, placed on the ground around 100m apart along the finishing stretch of the Boston Marathon route.

Seventeen people remain in a critical condition after the blasts.

Security has been stepped up in Washington and New York, and Boston remains on high alert, although there have been no immediate claims of responsibility for the attack.

Police are said to have questioned a 20-year-old Saudi Arabian man who is being treated for injuries at a hospital in Boston.

Officers have searched his apartment in Revere, according to his flatmate.


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Boston Marathon Explosions: Live Updates

Written By Unknown on Selasa, 16 April 2013 | 10.52

Boston Marathon Explosions: Live Updates

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Boston Marathon explosion

The moment the blast happened


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Boston Marathon Explosions Leave Three Dead

At least three people have been killed and more than 130 others hurt after two explosions near the finish line of the Boston Marathon, police have said.

The blasts ripped through the crowd, with one explosion on the north side of Boylston Street, just before the photo bridge that marks the finish.

Another happened a few seconds later, about 50-100 metres away. They took place about two hours after the men's winner had crossed the line.

Cheering spectators lined the street and some runners were finishing the race as the drama unfolded.

US Marathon 4 The blasts happened at the end of the marathon

By that point, more than 17,000 competitors had completed the marathon, but thousands of others were further back along the course.

TV helicopter footage showed blood on the pavement in the popular shopping and tourist area known as the Back Bay.

There were reports of a third blast at the JFK library a few miles away but that was later confirmed as a fire that was believed to be unrelated to the blasts.

Participants in the marathon were seen lying on the ground as the explosions tore through the finish line, sending smoke and debris soaring into the air.

A senior US intelligence official said two other explosive devices found near the end of 26-mile course were being dismantled. 

Boston Police asked people to stay indoors or go back to their hotel rooms and avoid crowds as bomb squads checked parcels and bags left along the race route.

US Marathon 8 More than 130 people were injured

Speaking at the White House, President Barack Obama said the tragedy was a "senseless loss".

He said Americans would say a prayer for the Boston people and he and wife Michelle "send our deepest thoughts and prayers" to the families of the victims.

He said the US did not know "who did this or why" but vowed that whoever was responsible "will feel the full weight of justice".

The President went on: "We will find out who did this and we will hold them accountable."

A senior administration official told Fox News the White House believed it was a terror attack.

Police said no suspect was in custody, and Fox reported ball bearings were found on the street.

Bomb disposal experts at scene of blast at Boston Marathon A bomb squad officer at the scene of one of the blasts

Sky's Mark White said: "The ball bearings are likely to be shrapnel, leading to a growing suspicion the blasts were deliberate."

Some runners who had not finished the race were diverted down another road and into a family meeting area.

According to the Boston Marathon website, there were more than 25,000 registered entrants in the race, 374 of whom are British and there were also 108 Irish athletes.

The Federal Aviation Administration has warned pilots it had created a no-fly zone over the site.

Runners and race volunteers were crying as they fled the chaos. Smoke rose through international flags lining the route of the world's oldest and most prestigious marathon.

British police are now reviewing security plans for this Sunday's London Marathon after the US blasts.

Boston Marathon Blasts Member of the bomb sqaud investigates suspicious bag

Video footage has emerged which showed the moment one of the explosions happened.

Police made their way through competitors as they ran towards the scene, and injured spectators were being carried to the medical tent that had been set up to care for tired runners.

Roupen Bastajian, a 35-year-old state trooper, had just finished the race when he heard the first explosion.

"I started running toward the blast. And there were people all over the floor," he said.

"We started grabbing tourniquets and started tying legs. A lot of people amputated. ... At least 25 to 30 people have at least one leg missing, or an ankle missing, or two legs missing."

Boston Marathon Blasts A map shows the crimescene perimeter set up by police

A police officer was taken from the course with a leg injury that was bleeding.

"There are people who are really, really bloody," said Laura McLean, a runner from Toronto, who was in the medical tent being treated for dehydration when she was pulled out to make room for victims of the explosions.

New York police have stepped up security around key landmarks in the city after the double blasts.

Prime Minister David Cameron wrote on Twitter: "The scenes from Boston are shocking and horrific - my thoughts are with all those who have been affected."

Boston Police said there is a helpline in the US for concerned relatives: 617 635 4500, and anybody with information about the blasts should call 1 800 494 tips.

The UK consulate in Boston said British Nationals in need of emergency consular assistance should call the Global Response Centre on 1 877 854 6872.


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North Korea Rebuffs Talks As A 'Crafty Trick'

Written By Unknown on Senin, 15 April 2013 | 10.52

North Korea has rejected the South's call to negotiate to resolve the nuclear crisis, calling it a "crafty trick".

The development came as US Secretary of State John Kerry arrived in Japan for the last leg of his four-day Asia tour aimed at reining in Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions.

South Korea last week urged the North to discuss stalled operations at a joint factory complex and other issues.

But an unidentified spokesman at the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of Korea said on Sunday that Pyongyang had no intention of talking with Seoul unless it abandoned its confrontational posture.

Kim Jong-Un (centre) presides over an urgent operation meeting in Pyongyang North Korean leader Kim Jong-UN has vowed to beef up its nuclear arsenal

It came as Mr Kerry held meetings in Tokyo with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and also with Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida, who said North Korea could not be allowed to possess nuclear weapons.

Both countries reaffirmed their commitment deal with the threat posed by North Korea - and to hold talks with the regime if leader Kim Jong-Un was prepared to honour previous agreements on its missile and nuclear programme.

Mr Kerry said the US was "fully committed" to the defence of Japan on Sunday - just days after Pyongyang threatened the Japanese capital would be "consumed in nuclear flames".

In the past few weeks, North Korea has declared itself to be in a "state of war" with the South, announced that a mothballed nuclear site is to be reopened and threatened to carry out nuclear attacks against the US.

An anti-North Korea rally in Seoul An anti-North Korea rally in Seoul on Sunday

Japan, separated by less than 1,000km (625 miles) of water and a frequent target of Pyongyang's anger, is in easy range, and has deployed Patriot missiles around Tokyo in anticipation of a missile launch by the North.

Speculation has been building since the North was reported to have loaded two mid-range Musudan missiles on mobile launchers and hidden them in underground facilities on its eastern coast.

The move last week prompted the US to bring forward its drone deployment to Japan and send an unmanned spy plane to its airbase in Misawa, in northern Japan.

The Musudan have never been tested but are believed to have a range of around 3,000km (1,860 miles), which could theoretically be pushed to 4,000km (2,485 miles).

US soldiers in South Korea US soldiers on a training exercise in Yeoncheon, northeast of Seoul

That would cover any target in South Korea and Japan, and possibly even reach US military bases located on the Pacific island of Guam - which Pyongyang has threatened to strike.

In Seoul, Mr Kerry warned North Korea it would do everything within its means to defend its allies - and that it would be making a "huge mistake" if it launched one of its medium-range missiles during the current standoff.

Japan is a firm ally of the US, More than 35,000 US military personnel are based across the islands.

Both nations share the view that the solution to the North Korean problem lies with Beijing.

Sky's Alex Rossi, who is in Tokyo, said: "There is a feeling here that if North Korea does decide to do something stupid, Japan may very well be in the firing line.

Female North Korean soldiers patrol along the banks of Yalu River, near the North Korean town of Sinuiju Female Korean soldiers on patrol in their high heels

"Tomorrow is the birthday - the 101st anniversary of the birth of the founding father of North Korea, Kim Il Sung - and it is possible that a medium-range missile may be tested or used."

On Saturday, the top US diplomat met China's leaders to persuade them to push North Korea, whose sole main ally is Beijing, to scale back its belligerence and return to the negotiating table over its suspected nuclear aims.

Both nations agreed to seek a peaceful resolution to the crisis and to work together to ensure a nuclear-free Korean peninsula.

Tensions have soared in the region since December, when North Korea test-launched a long-range rocket. In February, it conducted its third nuclear test, which drew fresh UN sanctions.

Mr Kerry said there had been enough confrontational language on North Korea and he did not want to get into a cycle of threats and counter-threats with the reclusive nation.


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Oscar Pistorius 'Flirting And Downing Shots'

The spokeswoman for Oscar Pistorius has defended the runner after he was reportedly seen downing shots and flirting with women at a Johannesburg restaurant.

Since being released on bail, Pistorius has been staying at his uncle's house in Pretoria while awaiting his murder trial over shooting Reeva Steenkamp on February 14.

The double-amputee, who claims he mistook his girlfriend for an intruder when he shot her, has remained largely out of public view amid intense international interest in his case.

His spokeswoman, Anneliese Burgess, last week said the 26-year-old athlete had been "very isolated" but had begun a process of "interacting with people".

But South African press reports said Pistorius shocked patrons when he turned up, looking "relaxed and happy", at a party at the popular Kitchen Bar restaurant last Saturday.

Reports quoted people at the restaurant as saying Pistorius, sporting a beard, was flirting with several women and "knocking back" shots, which are known as shooters in South Africa.

"He was drinking shooters and he was flirtatious," one woman told the local Sunday Times.

South African Olympic sprinter Oscar Pistorius appears at the Magistrate Court in Pretoria Pistorius was released on bail on February 22

Ms Burgess defended the Olympian, saying Pistorius "strenuously and vigorously denies any inappropriate behaviour towards any people or women present, or 'partying it up' with shooters.

"Oscar did go out last Saturday with friends," she told the Sunday Times.

"It was the first time since the tragic and horrific events of February 14 that Oscar went out with friends.

"He has been out of the house with family, but this was the first time he went out to a restaurant with people other than close family.

"It is regrettable that what was supposed to be a low-key evening reconnecting with friends is now being blown out of proportion for sensational reasons."

Ms Burgess told the paper that Pistorius left the venue when "public interest became overwhelming".

He then went to a bar across the street for a short time, but "left for the same reason", Ms Burgess said.

Last week, the Pistorius family released a statement saying the athlete had been spending time with people who were close to Ms Steenkamp.

"Over the past few weeks, Oscar has found comfort in spending time and sharing memories with many of those whom she loved, in surroundings where shared memories were created," the family said.

Reeva Steenkamp Ms Steenkamp was shot dead on Valentine's Day

They said he was traumatised and in mourning over his girlfriend's death.

Ms Burgess said: "There is not a moment in the day that Oscar does not mourn for his girlfriend, and Reeva's family and all those who were close to her are in his thoughts constantly."

Pistorius said he killed Ms Steenkamp, 29, by accident as he thought he was shooting an intruder when he fired through a bathroom door at his Pretoria home.

Prosecutors say he shot her after the couple had an argument.

The runner's agent, Peet van Zyl, has said Pistorius was running on his blades again and his return to regular training was imminent.

Pistorius is scheduled to be back in court on June 4. He could face a life sentence if found guilty of murder.


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Plane Plunges Into Water Near Bali Airport

Written By Unknown on Minggu, 14 April 2013 | 10.52

A plane with more than 100 people on board has overshot a runway on the island of Bali and plunged into the sea.

Despite dramatic pictures showing the Lion Air jet with a broken fuselage, officials said everyone on board had survived.

The brand new Boeing 737-800 came to rest in shallow water and bright yellow life jackets could be seen littering the shore.

Passengers spoke of screaming in terror it hit the water and "chaos" erupting amid fears they would drown before escaping.

"There was no sign at all it would fall but then suddenly it dropped into the water," Tantri Widiastuti, 60, told Metro TV.

INDONESIA-ACCIDENT-AIR Tourists and locals gathered on the shoreline after the crash

Dewi, who suffered head wounds, added: "The aircraft was in landing position when suddenly I saw it getting closer to the sea, and finally it hit the water.

"All of the passengers were screaming in panic in fear they would drown. I left behind my belongings and went to an emergency door. I got out of the plane and swam before rescuers jumped in to help me."

Passengers in life jackets could be seen in the water as police in rubber dinghies rowed out from the shore.

The Bali plane overshot the runway The plane came to rest just yards beyond the airport edge

Lion Air said there were 95 adults, five children and a baby on board - as well as seven crew. They included three foreigners - a Frenchman, a Singaporean woman and a Singaporean man.

Bali police chief Arif Wahyunadi told local TV One that everyone had been evacuated and taken inside Denpasar airport.

He said the jet had flown in from Bandung, the capital of West Java province.

Some 40 people were treated for injuries including broken legs, head wounds and shock, though only four were admitted to hospital, officials said.

Ignatius Juan Sinduk, 45, was treated for breathing difficulties after his chest was injured in the crash.

An Indonesia passenger of the Lion Air plane that missed the runway at Bali's international airport is attended to a hospital in Kedongan near Denpasar A passenger being attended to a hospital in Kedongan, near Denpasar

Speaking from his hospital bed, he said: "The plane plunged into the sea at high speed. Everybody screamed and water suddenly surged into the plane.

"Passengers panicked and scrambled for life jackets. Some passengers fell, some ran into others, it was chaos. I managed to grab one (a lifejacket) and slowly swam out of the plane and to the shore."

The twin-engined aircraft was operated by local carrier Lion Air, a budget airline whose operating base is in Bandung.

Company spokesman Edward Sirait said the jet had been delivered to Lion Air in Indonesia on March 18 and had come "straight from the factory".

It started operations a week later and the pilot had been flying for the airline for six years.

He refused to comment on the possible cause of the crash but said: "The plane broke into two pieces," adding that "judging from visual observation, the plane cannot be used any more."

Lion Air - the first private airline in Indonesia - was founded in 1999 by multi-millionaire brothers Kusnan and Rusdi Kirana.

Bali Plane Crash map Bali is a popular tourist destination in Indonesia

It started operating in 2000 with just one aircraft in its fleet but quickly expanded operations to more than 36 locations across the sprawling archiplego nation.

The airline also flies to foreign locations, including Singapore, Malaysia and Vietnam, and uses a fleet of Boeing 737 aircraft.

Last month, it signed a $24bn (£18bn) deal with Airbus for 234 passenger jets and two years ago, it signed a contract with Boeing for 230 planes.

However, the rapidly-expanding carrier is reportedly banned from US and European airspace due to safety concerns.

Between 2004 and 2006, Lion Air suffered a series of six accidents, which all involved planes overshooting or missing the runway, although no-one died in those incidents. 


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France Jail Break: Prisoner Uses Explosives

A notorious robber has escaped from jail after blasting through five doors with explosives and taking several wardens hostage.

Police at one of the doors blow up by a prisoner French police beside one of the doors that was blown up

Police and helicopters are hunting Redoine Faid, one of France's most dangerous gangsters who is known for robbing vehicles carrying cash in transit.

State prosecutor Frederic Fevre said Faid was a "particularly dangerous prisoner" who was armed and still in possession of explosives.

He said Faid, 40, had four hostages with him during the jail break in the northern town of Sequedin.

One was released just outside the prison and another a few hundred metres away, before the final two were left along a road.

The wardens were said to be extremely shocked, but safe.

Faid later set his getaway car on fire, abandoning it south of the city of Lille, and then got into a second vehicle which police were attempting to track.

One of the doors blown up by prisoner Redoine Faid The breakout happened in the town of Sequedin

France's justice minister Christiane Taubira said Interpol had been called in to help find Faid and a Europe-wide warrant had been issued.

"The hunt will initially focus on Belgium of course because we share a border but also extend to the entire Schengen area and beyond," she told reporters in Sequedin.

Wardens' unions described the prison break as "an act of war" and argued the jail was inadequate for such dangerous convicts.

Union official Etiene Dobremetz said Faid had received a visit from his wife earlier in the day.

But the wife's lawyer vehemently denied any suspicion of her involvement in the escape.

French Justice minister Christiane Taubira arrives in front of the Sequedin prison French justice minister Christiane Taubira at the scene

"It happened very quickly, it was clearly very well organised, we are still busy putting the facts together," a local administrative official said.

Rose Lafont was visiting her son in prison at the time and described the chaos caused by Faid's escape.

"I thought my last hour had come," she said.

"Suddenly, everything started blowing up. The walls started shaking, as did the windows and the doors. I was really scared."

Faid is also known for co-authoring a book in 2009 following his release on parole after a decade in prison for robbery.

The novel was about his delinquent youth and rise as a criminal in Paris's impoverished crime-ridden suburbs.

Prison break at the Sequedin jail in France The jail where Redoine Faid was an inmate

He said his life of crime was inspired by American films such as Scarface and Heat - in which Robert de Niro's character carries out an armoured car heist.

Despite vowing he had turned his back on crime, Faid was suspected in 2010 of being the mastermind behind an armed robbery in which a young policewoman was killed in a shoot-out.

He was returned to prison in 2011 for failing to comply with his parole conditions and was due to serve the remaining eight years of his original sentence. 


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