India Gang Rape Victim Was Attacked Twice

A young woman was kidnapped and raped by two gangs in India - a year after a fatal rape shook the nation.

Police have arrested 10 people and charged six of them with raping the 21-year-old victim in southern India.

Officer Monika Bharadwaj said the woman was abducted and raped while visiting a friend in Karaikal, a port city in Pondicherry state.

Ms Bhardwaj said that the woman had been hospitalised but that she did not suffer serious injuries.

Police have also detained a juvenile male for not informing the police about the crime.

There were protests after the gang rape of a student on a bus last year

Police said the woman was first kidnapped by three of the accused around midnight on Tuesday and released after nearly three hours of captivity.

As she called her friend to pick her up after she was freed, another group of seven people came in a vehicle and took her away, Ms Bhardwaj said.

Police were questioning the accused to find out whether they knew each other or belonged to two separate groups.

The assault came days after India marked the anniversary of the fatal gang rape of a 23-year-old woman on a moving bus in New Delhi.

That rape and murder sparked nationwide protests.

The outrage spurred the government to adopt more stringent laws that doubled prison terms for rape to 20 years.

Fast-track courts have been created for rape cases.

Four attackers in the New Delhi case were sentenced to death and a juvenile was sent to a reform centre for three years.

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Boko Haram Leader Vows To Continue Violence

An Islamic extremist leader in Nigeria has said violent insurgency will continue in the country because Allah has said Muslims must decapitate and mutilate.

In a video released on Saturday, Abubakar Shekau claimed responsibility for a December 20 attack on a tank battalion barracks.

In it, he claimed his men - members of the al Qaeda-linked Boko Haram -  would have eaten their enemies, but Allah forbids cannibalism.

Witnesses said insurgents put soldiers to flight and set the complex ablaze, before they were driven off by fighter aircraft.

Shekau warned Christians not to go to churches during December, although Christmas passed in Nigeria without any of the feared terrorist attacks.

Five churches were bombed on Christmas Day in 2011, killing dozens of people.

Shekau also ridiculed bounties placed on his head. There is a $7m (£4.25m) bounty from the US and a $312,500 (£190,000) figure from Nigeria.

Earlier this year the Nigerian military had said intelligence suggested Shekau may have been killed. But a video which emerged in September, purporting to be of him, made reference to recent events.

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India: Trapped Passengers Killed In Train Fire

A fire has engulfed two coaches on an express train in southern India, leaving at least 23 people dead.

Many of those who died became trapped and suffocated inside the carriages after the doors failed to open, officials said.

As the fire and thick black smoke filled the two cars, panicked passengers broke the windows and jumped from the train.

A spokesman for the railways, CS Gupta, said 67 passengers were in the two cars when the fire broke out on Saturday around a mile from the town of Puttaparthi, in Andhra Pradesh state.

Doors on the two carriages failed to open, trapping people inside

He said the train was stopped and the two coaches were separated from the rest of the train to prevent the fire spreading.

Firefighters put out the blaze and retrieved at least 23 bodies, including two children.

More than a dozen people were brought to hospitals with injuries sustained when they jumped from the coaches.

Rescue teams had to force the doors open to reach those trapped inside. Many bodies were found near the jammed doors, officials said.

Two of the train's carriages caught fire after a suspected electrical fault

The train was travelling from Bangalore to Nanded in the western state of Maharashtra.

India's federal Railways minister Mallikarjun Kharge said that preliminary reports from the site indicated that the fire was caused by an electrical short circuit. An investigation has begun.

More than 18.5 million passengers travel every day on India's vast railway network of about 10,000 passenger trains.

Accidents are common. Most collisions and fires are mostly blamed on poor maintenance and human error.

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Sandy Hook Shooting Documents Released

A police report into the Sandy Hook school massacre has revealed harrowing new details about the murders and the gunman's family life.

The paperwork, much of which is blacked out, includes several videos and hundreds of photographs from inside Sandy Hook Elementary and Adam Lanza's home.

It reveals how police officers were faced with terrible scenes inside the school and describes how many of the children were killed in a bathroom where they were hiding.

Lanza shot and killed his mother at their home before driving to the Newtown school, where he killed 20 children and six teachers.

A rifle magazine clip is seen on the floor in the hallway

The 20-year-old then committed suicide by shooting himself in the mouth with a handgun as police arrived at the scene.

Included in the files were photographs showing bullet holes in walls, windows and classroom furniture.

Images of spent magazine clips and empty shell casings on the floor depict the gunman's path of destruction.

The report also included many photographs of the contents of the gunman's family house - including one of a young child holding what appears to be a gun, with ammunition in his lap.

In a letter accompanying the report, Reuben Bradford, commissioner of the state Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection, praised the efforts of all those connected to the horrific shooting.

He wrote: "In the midst of the darkness of that day, we also saw remarkable heroism and glimpses of grace. We saw Sandy Hook Elementary School faculty and staff doing everything in their power to protect their charges.

A gun seen just inside one of the classrooms

"The investigation of this incident is unparalleled in the 110-year history of the Connecticut State Police."

The documents revealed that a former teacher of Lanza's was quoted as telling investigators that Lanza exhibited anti-social behaviour, rarely interacted with other students and obsessed in writings "about battles, destruction and war".

"In all my years of experience, I have known (redacted) grade boys to talk about things like this, but Adam's level of violence was disturbing," the teacher told investigators.

The teacher added: "Adam's creative writing was so graphic that it could not be shared."

The documents also filled in more details about how the shooting unfolded, teachers protected their students and the school janitor confronted the shooter.

Teachers heard janitor Rick Thorn try to get Lanza to leave the school.

One teacher, who was hiding in a closet in the maths lab, heard Mr Thorn yell: "Put the gun down!"

An aide said she heard gunfire and Mr Thorn told her to close her door.

The documents' release marks the end of the investigation into the massacre on December 14, 2012, 

Prosecutors issued a summary of the investigation last month that portrayed Lanza as obsessed with mass murders.

Lanza kept a clipping about the 2008 Northern Illinois University shooting

But the report concluded that Lanza's motives for the massacre might never be known.

Lanza "was undoubtedly afflicted with mental health problems; yet despite a fascination with mass shootings and firearms, he displayed no aggressive or threatening tendencies," it said.

Lanza was diagnosed in 2006 with "profound autism spectrum disorder, with rigidity, isolation and a lack of comprehension of ordinary social interaction and communications".

He also displaying symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Kathleen Koenig, a nurse at the Yale Child Studies Center, told investigators that Lanza frequently washed his hands and changed his socks 20 times a day, to the point where his mother did three loads of laundry a day.

The nurse, who met with Lanza in 2006 and 2007, said Lanza's mother declined to give him prescribed antidepressant and anti-anxiety medication after she reported that he had trouble raising his arm, something she attributed to the drug.

Koenig unsuccessfully tried to convince Nancy Lanza that the medicine was not responsible, and the mother failed to schedule a follow-up visit after her son missed an appointment, police said.

In the documents, a friend told police that Nancy Lanza reported that her son had hit his head several days before the shootings.

And an ex-boyfriend told police that she cancelled a trip to London on the week of the shooting because of "a couple last-minute problems on the home front".

She told a friend two weeks before the shootings that her son was growing "increasingly despondent" and had refused to leave his room for three months.

They only communicated by email, with the mother saying he told her he wouldn't feel bad if something happened to her.

His isolation was so complete that he refused to leave his room during Superstorm Sandy, the report said.

Just before the shooting, Nancy Lanza was in New Hampshire. She told a lunch acquaintance there that the trip was an experiment in leaving her son home alone in Connecticut for a few days.

Photographs from inside the Lanza home show numerous rounds of ammunition, gun magazines, shot-up paper targets, large knives and swords.

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Antarctic Ship Rescue Blocked By Wall Of Ice

A Chinese icebreaker forced to abandon its attempt to rescue a stranded vessel off Antarctica is waiting for reinforcements.

The Snow Dragon came within seven miles of the Academic Shokalskiy - a ship carrying 74 people, including scientists and some tourists - but had to turn back after the ice became too thick.

The Russian ship has been trapped off Antarctica's Commonwealth Bay since Christmas Eve.

It is being used by the Australian Antarctic Expedition to try to follow in the footsteps of explorer Douglas Mawson.

Expedition leader Professor Chris Turney told Sky News he is still hopeful they will be rescued soon.

The MV Academic Shokalskiy is trapped in Commonwealth Bay

"It (The Snow Dragon) was making great progress ... averaging two to four knots and over the night it just couldn't keep that speed up," said Professor Turney.

"It was basically just beating itself against a wall of ice. I can still see it, it is hanging in station, just off the starboard bow about seven nautical miles away.

"But it's basically waiting now for one of the other icebreaker vessels, the Australian vessel Aurora Australis, to come and help support.

Changing weather saw the ship become surrounded by ice

"Together the two - we're hoping - will be able to break in."

The Aurora Australis - which has the highest icebreaking rating of the three vessels originally asked to respond - is expected to reach the ship on Sunday.

However, it is not certain whether it will be able to get any closer than the Chinese effort.

The Snow Dragon's rescue attempt was halted for the crew's "own safety", an Australian Maritime Safety Authority official said.

Professor Turney told Sky News that the Academic Shokalskiy had first got into difficulty after satellite data showed their route onward would be safe but that a rapid change in the weather had left them surrounded by ice.

The ship is 1,500 nautical miles from Hobart in Australia. Map: AMSA

He said: "By the end of the day, the wind had picked up and the sea ice was moving around a lot and, in spite of the captain's best efforts, we realised we just couldn't get through.

"On Christmas Eve, he made the call, and issued the alert for help."

Professor Turney said the scientists on board the Shokalskiy have been taking readings and measurements so they can be compared with those taken by Mawson and his team in 1913.

Although Mawson, who was knighted later for leading his expedition, never reached the South Pole, he carried out important research and explored previously unknown lands.

The ship - which includes Britons, Australians and New Zealanders - had planned to return to New Zealand by early January.

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Thailand Protests: Gunman Shoots One Dead

A gunman has opened fire at opposition protesters in Bangkok, killing one person and wounding several others.

The shooting follows weeks of anti-government protests in Thailand as demonstrators seek to topple Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.

The protests have triggered bloody clashes between police and demonstrators.

A protester died after he was shot in the torso and three others were taken to hospital with gunshot wounds, a spokesman for the city's Erawan emergency centre said.

The protests have triggered bloody clashes across Thailand

Police have confirmed the shooting, but said its forensic team was unable to access the scene of the incident.

The shooting occurred where a group of protesters had camped overnight close to Government House.

Local media reports said the shots were fired from a passing car by more than one gunman.

Ms Yingluck has called February elections in the hope of bringing an end to the demonstrations.

But the protesters have vowed to block the vote, saying it will only return the Shinawatra clan to power.

A second round of registration for constituency candidates is due to begin around the country on Saturday, raising fears of further clashes.

Eight people, including a policeman, have been killed and about 400 wounded in several outbreaks of street violence.

The government has said it will ask the army to provide security for election candidates and voters.

A policeman and a civilian died of gunshots fired by unknown assailants while 153 people were injured after violence erupted on Thursday when demonstrators tried to force their way into an election registration venue.

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Phoenix Plane Alert Over Mystery White Powder

A suspicious white powder found on board a passenger plane sparked an alert at a Phoenix airport.

Hazardous materials experts were sent to investigate after the substance was discovered in a bin by cleaners.

They found it after the US Airways plane had landed at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport from Cancun, Mexico.

They called authorities and a hazardous materials crew from the fire department went to the scene.

Officials believe the substance was baby powder, according to deputy aviation director Deborah Ostreicher.

No injuries were reported to passengers or crew.

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Good Samaritan Dog Guards Dead Pal In Web Hit

Pictures of a dog faithfully watching over his canine companion who had been killed by a car in China have become a hit on the internet.

The sandy-coloured 'Good Samaritan' pooch stayed by his friend's side, despite his pal's body lying in the middle of a busy road.

And he refused to move for a whole night as temperatures plummeted to low as -13C.

Some people who live and work nearby saw the pair and decided to put a stool next to the animals to alert drivers and avoid a second dog death after the first accident on December 22.

Passers-by took pictures and put them online, and the images have been re-posted many times.

One woman called Ma Hongyan said: "It is our stool. A kind-hearted woman put it next to the dogs to protect them from being hit again by another car."

Another onlooker in the city of Yinchuan, in the region of Ningxia Hui, said: "The drivers must be careful and not hit them.

"The dog has been here for his friend all night."

Eventually, the deceased white dog was picked up by a restaurant owner and taken to the side of the road.

But even then, the sandy dog refused to let go. Trotting with his tail held high, he stuck close to his pal.

The unnamed man buried the white dog under a tree in a local park.

The fate of the sandy Samaritan dog is not known.

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Tenerife: Two Britons Injured In Explosion

Two British people were among four injured after an explosion in a hotel pool bar on the island of Tenerife.

A woman suffered serious burns to her face and scalp in the blast in Adeje, on the south-west coast of the island, on Friday evening.

Her eight-year-old British daughter was also injured and treated for less severe neck burns.

Two other women - a Belgian national aged 38 and a 34-year-old Spaniard - suffered minor burns and were taken to hospital.

A staff member at the Bahia Principe Costa Adeje hotel confirmed to Sky News there was an explosion on Friday.

A spokesman said the British woman's husband and a second daughter had avoided injury, but were "obviously in shock".

He said: "This was an accident and we still are not sure what went wrong - we are awaiting the investigation of the judicial police.

"The explosion took place in a metal buffet container by the pool which uses a flammable gel to keep food warm.

"The swimming pool is now open again and the hotel is back to normal. We would like to wish those who were injured a speedy recovery."

Ross Browning, editor of Canarian Weekly, told Sky News: "It's awful what's happened and with so many people around, in many ways it's probably a miracle that only five people have been injured.

"The woman has been transferred to La Candelaria in the north of the island with what is being described locally as severe burns to the face, neck and scalp."

A statement from local government in Adeje said: "At 4.09pm on Friday emergency services were called to an explosion in a machine in a poolside bar at a hotel in the town of Adeje, with several people suffering from burn injuries.

"Emergency resources were immediately mobilised. Fire crews attended to inspect the zone, but their intervention was not necessary."

Initial reports had claimed a British man suffered minor abrasions in the blast, but this was denied by a hotel spokesman.

A Foreign Office (FCO) spokesperson said: "We are aware of an incident involving two British nationals and are providing consular assistance.

"We are currently checking, but based on what we know so far there was no British man injured in the explosion."

Adeje is a popular holiday resort, with nearby sandy beaches such as Playa de Las Americas and Los Cristianos well-known to British tourists.

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New York 'Superheroes' Fighting Street Crime

By Hannah Thomas-Peter, New York Correspondent

On New York's mean streets there is a secretive group of men and women fighting crime, poverty and generally lending a helping hand.

They are part of a loose coalition of people called The Real Life Superheroes.

In the day they do relatively normal jobs, but when the sun goes down the costumes come out and the missions begin.

Nobody knows exactly how many are involved, but Sky News met three of them.

Nicole Abramovici is The Prowler, a 'superhero' who specialises in helping animals and the homeless.

The Prowler helps people declutter during the daytime

She runs her own business as a professional organiser, hired by clients to de-clutter and streamline their lives.

It means there is a ready supply of items to donate to the needy, which she tries to do at least twice a month.

Dressed in her cat costume at Penn Station in midtown Manhattan, she explained to Sky News why she does it.

She said: "It was the way that I could interact directly with the recipients of the goods I wanted to give, and not be held up by any bureaucracy or agency, and if wearing a superhero costume was what it took to do it, I was happy to do it.

The Dark Guardian has filmed himself undertaking his superhero patrol

"It's kind of become exciting for me. It helps with approaching homeless people when you have something that makes you stand out.

"They don't think I'm coming up to arrest them, or pick on them, and obviously something fun is going on, so it's a little bright spot in their day.

"The Real Life Superheroes are amazing," she says. "We all do different things. Some of us do homeless outreach in the streets, some of us break up fights that we see outside bars.

"But everybody has a great big heart, everybody has their own style ... we welcome more superheroes. please join us!"

Chris Pollak works at the more dangerous end of the spectrum.

He is a martial arts instructor by day. By night, he is the Dark Guardian.

Often joined by other superheroes, he patrols high-crime areas to act as a deterrent.

Chris Pollak - aka The Dark Guardian - is a martial arts instructor

He said: "We've gotten in the middle of fights, we've been up against some pretty tough criminals.

"We haven't had to really hurt anybody or do anything like that, most of the time de-escalating the situation, talking it down, will work.

"A vigilante is someone who takes the law into their own hands.

"We follow the law - we're not out there hurting people, putting our hands on people ... if somebody's in real danger that's when we'll step in.

"We're working on the first superhero school," he adds.

"It's going to teach martial arts, self-defence, parkour, but more than that it's going to teach heroic ideas and values, and we're going to teach people how to make a difference in the community and how to help others."

Chaim Lazaros is otherwise known as Life, a superhero who tours New York's addiction centres and homeless shelters.

He said: "The idea of the superhero allows me to explain very simply to them that I'm doing this purely as an individual, that I'm answering to my own authority, and that I'm doing this out of my own volition.

The masked Life tours addiction centres and homeless shelters

"There's a lot of people and they are struggling and holding on by a thread, and then that thread snaps and suddenly they find themselves in free fall and they don't know where to turn.

"There are great organisations that do lots of good and I just try to plug the many holes."

And this group of people are not alone.

There are other superhero collectives at work in the city and some people who work solely as individuals, unaffiliated with any group.

The NYPD does not have an official position on this kind of activity but police sources have told Sky News that they do not believe it is a good idea.

They point out that crime in New York is actually at a record low.

They also say that people are free to act within the law but are concerned they may be putting themselves in harm's way.

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Russia's Khodorkovsky 'Glad' To Be Free

A Russian oil tycoon has denied that he had admitted guilt in his request for a presidential pardon after being released from a prison camp.

Mikhail Khodorkovsky, who was once the richest man in the country, was freed within an hour of the Kremlin publishing a decree and boarded a flight to Berlin, where his ill mother is being treated.

In the first statement since his release, Mr Khodorkovsky said: "On November 12, I turned to the president of Russia with a request for a pardon associated with family circumstances, and am glad about the positive decision. The issue of my guilt was not addressed."

Mr Khodorkovsky has been in prison since 2003 after being convicted in two trials on charges including fraud and embezzlement.

Mr Khodorkovsky spent a decade behind bars

He previously said he would not request a presidential pardon because he would be seen to be admitting guilt.

However, the newspaper Kommersant reported that he changed his mind after a meeting with Russian security services, who raised the possibility of a third trial and warned him that his mother's health was deteriorating.

"This conversation, which was conducted without lawyers, forced Mr Khodorkovsky to turn to the president," the article said.

He also thanked former German foreign minister Hans-Dietrich Genscher, who was the top diplomat of West Germany and then Germany from 1974-1992, for aiding his release.

Mr Putin meets Mr Khodorkovsky at the Kremlin in May 2001

Berlin worked "behind the scenes" for Mr Khodorkovsky release, said German chancellor Angela Merkel.

Mr Putin surprised journalists at the end of his annual end-of-year news conference on Thursday by announcing that he was planning to pardon Mr Khodorkovsky.

"Guided by humanitarian principles, I decree that Mikhail Borisovich Khodorkovsky ... should be pardoned and freed from any further punishment in the form of imprisonment," his decree said.

The circumstances surrounding the pardon remained unclear.

Mr Khodorkovsky has been held at a prison camp in Segezha, northwest Russia

A Russian government source said freeing his best-known and potentially most powerful critic could deflect international complaints about Vladimir Putin's human rights record as Russia prepares to host the Winter Olympics at Sochi in seven weeks.

He fell out with Mr Putin as the president clipped the wings of wealthy oligarchs who had become powerful during the chaotic years of Boris Yeltsin's rule following the collapse of Soviet communism.

Mr Khodorkovsky has given no indication of his future plans, saying only he wanted to meet his loved ones.

"I am very much looking forward to the minute when I will be able to embrace my loved ones and personally shake hands with all my friends and associates," he said.

"First of all I am going to repay my debt to my parents, my wife and my children, and I am very much looking forward to meeting them.

"I will welcome the opportunity to celebrate this upcoming holiday season with my family."

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Duck Dynasty Row: Fans Demand Boycott

Millions of fans and a few national leaders have spoken out against the suspension of Duck Dynasty patriarch Phil Robertson.

Robertson, 67, was taken off the hit A&E reality TV series for comments quoted in GQ magazine in which he called homosexuality a sin.

A&E announced on Thursday that Robertson had been placed on indefinite "hiatus", adding it was extremely disappointed to see his anti-gay remarks which it said were based on his personal beliefs.

The channel's move was lauded by the gay civil rights group GLAAD, which had quickly condemned Robertson's comments.

But more than a half-million people have shown their support for an impromptu Facebook page demanding the show be boycotted until Robertson returns.

Former Alaska governor Sarah Palin, who had her picture taken with the TV star last month, complained that his free-speech rights were being trampled.

Bobby Jindal, governor of the state of Louisiana, where the show is filmed, complained that Miley Cyrus got "a pass for twerking on TV" while "Phil got shown the door".

"It's a show that is promoting clean living and good moral values, and that's something we need more of today," one of the programme's many fans, Rick Peter of Vernon, British Columbia, Canada, told The Associated Press.

Duck Dynasty is on "hiatus" until January 15, and a network spokesman said on Thursday that nine of next season's 10 episodes have already been filmed.

It means Robertson is not needed in front of the camera before next March, by which time the crisis may have blown over, according to veteran Hollywood crisis publicist Howard Bragman.

He believes Robertson is likely to return to the show, perhaps after making a public apology.

"There's too much money at stake," Mr Bragman said. "Although he plays kind of a hick on TV, I don't think he's dumb. I think he gets what's at stake here."

The Robertson family released a statement on the Duck Commander website in which they expressed thanks for prayers and support.

It said: "We are disappointed that Phil has been placed on hiatus for expressing his faith.

"We have had a successful working relationship with A&E but as a family, we cannot imagine the show going forward without our patriarch at the helm. We are in discussions with A&E to see what that means for the future of Duck Dynasty."

Robertson and his extended family were turned into TV and pop culture stars by Duck Dynasty, which has set cable ratings records for a non-fiction series.

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Obama: NSA Spying Sweeps May Be Reviewed

President Barack Obama has suggested that surveillance methods used by US intelligence services may be reviewed following further spying revelations.

According to documents leaked by the whistleblower Edward Snowden, Britain and America monitored EU officials and the Israeli Prime Minister.

Speaking at a news conference at the White House, Mr Obama suggested that he may be ready to make some changes to the way phone records are collected.

Among dozens of recommendations he is considering, he hinted that he may strip the National Security Agency of its ability to store data in its own facilities and instead shift that storage to private phone companies.

"There are ways we can do it potentially, that gives people greater assurance that they're checks and balances, that there is sufficient oversight, sufficient transparency," Mr Obama said.

The new documents leaked by Mr Snowden reveal heads of state and international organisations were the focus of US and British spies.

The agents targeted a senior European Union official, German government buildings, and the office of a former Israeli prime minister, according to the papers published on Friday.

Other targets from 2008 to 2011 included foreign energy companies and aid organisations, according to The Guardian and The New York Times, citing secret documents from the former NSA contractor.

Mr Snowden's leaks have exposed the reported surveillance activities of the NSA and its British counterpart GCHQ, the alleged extent of which has upset many US allies and fuelled a heated debate about the balance between privacy and security.

Former Israeli PM Ehud Olmert

He is living in Russia under temporary asylum.

The newspapers reported that in January 2009, GCHQ and the NSA had targeted an email address listed as belonging to the Israeli prime minister, who at the time was Ehud Olmert.

Spies also monitored email traffic between then-Israeli defence minister Ehud Barak and his chief of staff, Yoni Koren, the newspapers said.

Other targets were said to include the United Nations Children's Fund, French aid organisation Medecins du Monde, French oil and gas firm Total, and French defence company Thales Group.

An NSA spokeswoman said the agency did not use espionage to help US businesses.

"We do not use our foreign intelligence capabilities to steal the trade secrets of foreign companies on behalf of - or give intelligence we collect to - US companies to enhance their international competitiveness or increase their bottom line," the spokeswoman said.

The European Commission said if it was true one of its senior officials had been targeted it would be "unacceptable".

"This piece of news follows a series of other revelations which, as we clearly stated in the past, if proven true, are unacceptable and deserve our strongest condemnation," a spokesman said.

The Guardian said the disclosure that GCHQ had targeted German government buildings in Berlin was embarrassing for British Prime Minister David Cameron since he had signed an EU statement condemning the NSA's spying on Chancellor Angela Merkel.

GCHQ said it was aware of the reports but did not comment on intelligence matters.

A spokesman said: "Our work is carried out in accordance with a strict legal and policy framework which ensures that our activities are authorised, necessary and proportionate."

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Billionaire Feared Dead In Helicopter Crash

A Chinese billionaire and his young son are among four people feared dead after the helicopter from which they were viewing his newly-purchased French chateau crashed into a river.

Lam Kok, the 46-year-old head of the Hong Kong-based Brilliant group, had just bought Chateau de la Riviere, a major Bordeaux vineyard.

The accident happened at the end of a festive day marking Thursday's sale of one of the region's oldest wine estates reportedly worth 30m euros (£25m).

He and his 12-year-old son were on the helicopter piloted by James Gregoire, the former owner, when the accident happened on Friday. An interpreter was also a passenger.

Rescuers search the Dordogne river for the victims of the helicopter crash

Emergency workers pulled a still-unidentified body from inside the helicopter after finding the wreckage in the Dordogne river, said local officials.

A large search operation was called off just before midnight with the helicopter's other three occupants still missing. The search is due to resume.

Lam Kok's wife had pulled out of the aerial tour at the last minute, saying she was "scared of helicopters", said a photographer at the event.

After a press conference, an introduction to the staff and dinner, Mr Gregoire was taking his buyer on a short tour of the 65-hectare (160-acre) vineyards and surrounding grounds.

When they did not return after 20 minutes, employees at the vineyard contacted emergency services.

A major search operation was launched using emergency helicopters, inflatable boats, rescue divers and around 100 officers on foot.

Lam Kok and his wife pose among the vines hours before the crash

Emergency workers managed to locate the wreckage in the river after police received a call from a witness who had seen the helicopter go down.

A previous owner of the Chateau de la Riviere, Jean Leprince, was killed in a plane crash in 2002.

Mr Gregoire bought the property, the largest in Bordeaux's Fronsac wine-producing region, the following year.

Earlier on Friday, the vineyard's managing director, Xavier Buffo, said during a press conference the sale marked the largest Chinese investment in Bordeaux property to date.

Hong Kong-based Brilliant, which specialises in rare teas and luxury hotels in China, had said it wanted to turn the chateau into a high class tea and wine tasting centre with a hotel nearby.

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China's Rover Sends Back Lunar Panorama Image

China has released a panoramic picture of its Jade Rabbit rover's landing area on the moon, one week after the country's first probe landed without a hitch.

The moon buggy, nicknamed "Jade Rabbit", rolled onto the surface from an unmanned spacecraft.

Chinese officials said the rover, officially named Chang'e 3, has started its scientific operation in search of natural resources.

The chief designer of the Chang'e 3 probing system, Liu Enhai, speaking on China's state television CCTV, said: "The entire picture was pieced together with 60 photos taken three times from three angles: zero degrees, 15 degrees down from horizon and 30 degrees.

"The purpose of shooting from three angles is to (capture) from one side to the other in order to see farther."

The probe landed earlier this month

It is the first "soft landing" of a probe on the moon for 37 years following the US and former Soviet Union.

A soft landing does not damage the craft and the equipment it takes.

China said last week that it aims to launch the next generation of unmanned moon probe in 2017 with the key aim of collecting and bringing back lunar samples.

Advancing China's space programme has been a priority for the leadership, with President Xi Jinping calling for China to establish itself as a space power.

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Morsi Faces Trial Over Egypt Prison Break

Egypt's ex-president Mohamed Morsi will stand trial for a prison break during the 2011 uprising against dictator Hosni Mubarak.

The deposed former leader and 132 others, including members of the Palestinian group Hamas and Lebanon's Hizbollah, face charges including killing policemen.

The case relates to a mass prison break during the protests against ex-president Hosni Mubarak.

Several Hamas and Hizbollah members were in jail and escaped during the unrest.

Almost 70 of the defendants are members of the Palestinian and Lebanese militant groups, who will be tried in absentia.

Protesters in Cairo's Tahrir Square in July 2011

It marks the third set of charges brought against Mr Morsi since he was ousted by the army in July following major demonstrations against his rule.

He also faces trial along with 35 other Muslim Brotherhood leaders over allegations he conspired with foreigners to carry out terrorism in his country.

The investigating judge did not name any members of Hizbollah or Hamas in the latest charges.

Mr Morsi is already standing trial for inciting violence during protests outside the presidential palace a year ago when he was still in office.

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Syria: British Doctor's Body Released To Family

By Joe Tidy, Sky News Reporter

The body of the British doctor who died in custody in Syria has been returned to his family.

Dr Abbas Khan's family received the body at the British Embassy in neighbouring Lebanon.

It comes a day after the 32-year-old father of two was due to be released from prison and allowed home for Christmas.

Mr Khan was an orthopaedic surgeon from south London who entered Syria to help civilians caught up in the civil war.

Mr Khan was a father of two

He was arrested 13 months ago and died last week in what the Syrian authorities say was suicide.

His family and the Foreign Office have questioned this as Dr Khan was days from being released and was said to be looking forward to coming home.

His brother, Dr Shahnawaz Khan, said: "We are pleased the Syrian authorities have stopped dragging their feet and are handing my brother's body over. We want to get him back to Britain as soon as possible to bury him in the right way.

"My brother is out in Beirut with my mother and the next step is to arrange a flight back home but the horrible thing for us as a family is that another post-mortem is likely to be carried out, further disturbing my brother's body.

Mr Khan worked in Stanmore, northwest London

"Yes we want to know what happened to him as we don't believe for a second that he committed suicide whilst in custody, but our priority is to give him a proper funeral."

The family has criticised the lack of support given to them by the Foreign Office during Dr Khan's incarceration. They believe he was abused while in custody.

Dr Khan added: "First we need to get my brother buried, then we want to get some answers."

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South Sudan: Gunfire Hits US Military Aircraft

At least one US military aircraft has been fired at during an evacuation mission in South Sudan, leaving four personnel injured.

One individual is said to be in a critical condition.

The US military confirmed four people had been wounded when the aircraft was hit by gunfire. Earlier reports said two aircraft had come under fire.

South Sudan has blamed the attack on renegade troops.

Officials said the aircraft was heading to an evacuation site in Bor, the capital of the state of Jonglei and the scene of some of the country's worst violence in the past week.

After being fired at it reportedly turned around and headed to Kampala in Uganda. From there the wounded service personnel were flown to Nairobi, Kenya for medical treatment.

Men displaced by the fighting in South Sudan

Fighting broke out in the South Sudanese capital Juba between rival army factions last Sunday and has since spread to other regions, claiming at least 500 lives.

Kenya said on Saturday it was sending troops to South Sudan to evacuate some 1,600 citizens. Many are trapped in Bor, which has been taken by rebels.

President Uhuru Kenyatta has "ordered the KDF (Kenya Defence Force) to commence immediate evacuation of the 1,600 Kenyans stranded in South Sudan", a spokesman said in a statement.

"Despite the relative calm in Juba, a number of other South Sudan towns have come under fire," he added, saying that Kenyans "are mainly in the town of Bor".

People being evacuated to Uganda in a RAF C17 plane

Others, in the towns of Rumbek, Ayod, and Panyabol "will also be airlifted to safety."

"The president has also ordered the immediate delivery of food, water and medicine to South Sudan (to help) tackle the emergency," the spokesman added.

"The delivery of these emergency supplies started this morning. Kenyan military aircraft are delivering consignments to South Sudan."

Kenya, which hosted the peace talks that ended the 1983-2005 civil war in Sudan, and which paved the way for South Sudan's independence two years ago, is also supporting efforts to end the latest crisis.

On Friday Uganda deployed troops to South Sudan to boost security and help its people escape safely.

A number of other nations including Britain have sent in emergency flights to evacuate their citizens.

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Lockerbie 25th Anniversary: Victims Remembered

Relatives of those killed in the Lockerbie bombing have gathered in the Scottish town for a special memorial service to mark the 25th anniversary of the atrocity.

Pan Am flight 103 was on its way from London to New York when it exploded above Lockerbie, in southern Scotland, on the evening of December 21 1988, killing 270 people - everyone on board and 11 on the ground.

Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond and Lord Wallace, Advocate General for Scotland, are attending a service at Dryfesdale Cemetery, to be followed by a 30-minute wreath-laying ceremony.

Families and friends attend a memorial service at Dryfesdale Cemetery

Mr Salmond said: "As the community of Lockerbie marks the milestone, memorial events will be held in Westminster Abbey, Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia and at Syracuse University which lost 35 students in the bombing.

"But, inevitably, a focus of the day will be on the memorial in Lockerbie and it is there that I will pay my respects and condolences on behalf of the people of Scotland."

Later, simultaneous remembrance services in Lockerbie and Arlington National Cemetery in the US - where most of the victims were from - will get under way from 6.30pm (1.30pm EST in the US).

Relatives will read the names of the victims and hold a minute's silence at 7.03pm (2.03pm EST in the US) marking exactly a quarter of a century since the tragedy.

Westminster Abbey in London will also hold a service for the victims, from 21 countries, which will begin at 6.45pm and will include readings and a moment of silence.

British Prime Minister David Cameron described the bombing as "one of the worst aviation disasters in history and the deadliest act of terrorism" ever committed in the UK.

Eleven people were killed on the ground in Lockerbie

He said: "Though 25 years have passed, memories of the 243 passengers, 16 crew and 11 Lockerbie residents who lost their lives on that terrible night have not dimmed.

"Over the last quarter of a century much attention has been focused on the perpetrators of the atrocity. Today our thoughts turn to its victims and to those whose lives have been touched and changed by what happened at Lockerbie that night.

"To families, friends, neighbours, loved ones, and all those caught up in the painful process of recovery, let us say to them: our admiration for you is unconditional. For the fortitude and resilience you have shown. For your determination never to give up. You have shown that terrorist acts cannot crush the human spirit. That is why terrorism will never prevail.

"And even in the darkest moments of grief, it is possible to glimpse the flickering flame of hope."

Dr Jim Swire, whose daughter Flora died in the disaster, told Sky News: "Anniversaries aren't in a sense that big a deal for the families of victims because we have to live with the lovely memories of those that we lost all that time ago, every day of every year. Bereavement in itself is sometimes a life sentence."

Graham Herbert, former rector at Lockerbie Academy which lost three students in the atrocity, said the market town "has always tried to move forward".

Abdelbaset al Megrahi was the only person to be convicted of the bombing

He told Sky News: "I know today there will be a lot of closed doors. A lot of people will not go out of their houses. The memories are just too bitter, there are still open wounds there.

"There are quite a lot of American families in the town today. Each year it just comes back to them, they are not allowed to heal. They want to commemorate, they want to be here where their loved ones fell, but it's hard, it's tough."

Libyan Abdelbaset al Megrahi was found guilty of the bombing in January 2001 and given a life sentence.

He was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2008, leading to a decision to free him under compassionate release rules.

Scotland's Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill took that decision on August 20 the following year, sparking a row among politicians on both sides of the Atlantic.

Megrahi died in Tripoli, Libya in May last year. His family is considering lodging a fresh appeal to clear his name.

British relatives of victims who believe he was wrongfully convicted of the bombing are also planning another appeal against the conviction when they meet with lawyers in the new year.

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Australia: Pair Clinging To Ice Box Rescued

Two fishermen who clung to an ice box in the ocean for 15 hours after their boat sank have been saved - in a rescue caught on video.

The "exhausted" men were winched to safety one by one into a helicopter and then taken to hospital for treatment.

The pair, aged 25 and 34, issued a mayday call on Friday afternoon before abandoning their cabin cruiser off Ballina in New South Wales, Australia.

A search was then launched and the following morning the upturned 18ft boat was spotted in the Pacific Ocean by a helicopter crew eight miles off Yamba.

A diver helps one of the fishermen to safety

The fishermen were found a short distance away, wearing lifejackets and clinging to the large white box.

One of their rescuers, Jethro Lampe, said: "They were pretty exhausted.

"I didn't get too much of a hand getting them into their seats, which is to be expected. They've been out all night."

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Iran Claims 'MI6 Spy' On Trial After Capture

Iran says it has arrested a "spy" accused of working for the British secret intelligence service.

A court official said the man had confessed to his alleged crimes and was on trial.

He was detained in the town of Kerman in southeast Iran after authorities spent months tracking him down, the semi-official ISNA news agency said.

The suspect is accused of meeting four British intelligence operatives and giving them information.

Dadkhoda Salari, head of the Kerman revolutionary court, said: "Through the efforts of Iranian security forces, an MI6 spy has been arrested.

"He has met British intelligence officers in person 11 times, both inside the country and abroad, and provided them with intelligence."

It has not been suggested the alleged spy is a Briton, and Tehran has a history of announcing the arrest of people it claims are spying without releasing more details.

But the news is potentially embarrassing at a time when diplomatic relations between the UK and Iran had been improving after a two-year freeze.

On Friday, Iran's new envoy to Britain, Hassan Habibollah-Zadeh, held talks in London on his first visit since his appointment in November.

And a British diplomat, non-resident charge d'affaires Ajay Sharma, said he had "detailed and constructive discussions" about the UK's relationship with Iran during talks earlier this month.

He visited the site of the UK's embassy in the Iranian capital to assess the damage caused when it was ransacked by a mob in 2011, an incident which prompted the Government to pull its staff out of the country.

The thaw in relations between Tehran and the international community has also seen a deal reached over its nuclear programme.

Responding to the reported arrest a Foreign Office spokesman said: "We don't comment on intelligence matters."

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Banana Trade In Costa Rica Hit By Bug Plagues

Authorities in Costa Rica have declared a "national emergency" as a double plague of insects threatens banana exports from the Central American nation.

An outbreak of mealybugs and scale insects has quickly infected swathes of banana plantations across the country, with some 24,000 hectares of banana plants reportedly infected.

Agricultural engineer Eric Bolanos said the insects extract nutrients from banana plants, leaving them weak and causing dark stains on the fruit.

"Basically, what it does is suck out the nutrients, or sap from the plant's organs, stems, leaves. It could reach the fruit, causing damage (like) dark stains," he added.

The banana plants have had their nutrients sucked out

Some experts have blamed climate change, with warmer temperatures and changing rain patterns, for the explosion in the bug population.

Magda Gonzalez, from Costa Rica's Phytosanitary Service, said up to 20% of Costa Rica's banana crop could be affected.

"At the moment, the problem that we have is that the two plagues are distributed practically across the entire (agricultural) sector where there is banana. That's one thing. This started as a little point in La Estrella Valley and from there they dispersed towards other areas. At the moment, it's said that suppliers could reject 20% of the fruit," she said..

According to trade officials, Costa Rica is one of the world's largest banana exporters with more than half a billion dollars worth of the fruit crop exported abroad over 10 months.

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Egypt Sees First Snow Storm In Years

A winter storm has brought snow to Cairo for the first time in decades and has blanketed parts of the Middle East.

Bad weather closed two of the country's Mediterranean ports and two ports on the Red Sea as "several" in inches fell in the Sinai Desert and elsewhere.

Ali Abdelazim, an official at Egypt's meteorological centre, said it was "the first time in very many years" since the last snowfall in the suburbs of Cairo.

Precipitation of any kind is rare in Egypt so the rare sight of snow has been much talked about on social networking sites such as Twitter.

In Syria's contested northern city of Aleppo, soldiers and rebels took a break from fighting as the temperatures on the deserted streets hovered around zero.

"All the fighters are cold and hiding," the activist who uses the pseudonym Abu Raed said.

A man walks through the snow in Jerusalem

The cold weather was part of a storm, dubbed Alexa, which has been pounding much of Lebanon and parts of northern Syria since Wednesday, pushing temperatures below zero in mountainous areas and dumping snow and heavy rains.

The snow has heaped another layer of misery on the already grim existence of many of the more than two million Syrians who have fled the civil war raging in their homeland.

In Lebanon, snow fell on northern and eastern regions where tens of thousands of Syrian refugees are staying, many of them in flimsy plastic tents.

Up to 13cm (5in) have fallen in refugee camps in Lebanon with 8cm (3in) in the wartorn Syrian city of Homs.

Jerusalem was left blanketed by up to 50cm (20in) of snow, forcing police to block access to and from the city as the army was called in to help restore power to more than 35,000 homes.

The city's heaviest snowstorm for 50 years forced Israeli authorities to lift a ban on public transport on the Jewish Sabbath - Saturday.

The unusually large fall allowed children to build snowmen but left elderly residents shivering.

John Kerry and Benjamin Netanyahu look out at snow-covered city Jerusalem

The weather even featured in talks between visiting US Secretary of State John Kerry and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Mr Kerry, a former Massachusetts senator, said the snow in Jerusalem made him feel "at home".

"I have heard of making guests welcome and feeling at home. This is about as far as I've ever seen anything go ... giving me a New England snowstorm."

In the West Bank and Gaza, UN relief teams offered emergency services to the worst-hit communities.

In Gaza, which was experiencing its first snow in a decade, more than 500 people were evacuated from their homes, according to Hamas spokesman Ihab Ghussein.

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Shooting At Denver School Near Columbine

A gunman has killed himself after opening fire at a Denver high school near to the site of the Columbine High School massacre.

One 15-year-old student was injured at the Arapahoe High School in Centennial and is in a critical condition, according to authorities.

Arapahoe County Sheriff Grayson Robinson identified the shooter as 18-year-old Karl Halverson Pierson.

Pierson entered the school with a shotgun and was looking for an individual teacher who he identified by name, said Mr Robinson.

Armed police at the school

He added: "The teacher began to understand that he was being looked at and exited the school. One student confronted the armed student and was shot."

Mr Robinson did not elaborate on any possible motive except to say Pierson had had a "confrontation or disagreement" with the teacher.

The teenager was later found with fatal self-inflicted gunshot wounds. Mr Robinson said a possible Molotov cocktail was also found at the scene.

Pupils were led out of the building with their hands in the air by police officers after the shooting, which began at 12.30pm local time. All the schools in the area are on lockdown as a result. 

One student told the Denver Post: "I was scared and shaking." She added that she heard, "bang, bang, bang" and by the third shot was on the ground.

Youngsters told the newspaper they hid in the corners of dark classrooms until police SWAT teams arrived.  

A student is reunited with her father after the shooting

The school is about eight miles (13km) east of Columbine High School in Littleton, where two teenage shooters killed 12 classmates and a teacher before killing themselves in 1999.

Tracy Monroe, who had step-siblings who attended Columbine, was standing outside the high school looking at her phone, reading text messages from her 15-year-old daughter inside.

She said she got the first text from her daughter, Jade Stanton, at 12.41pm. The text read: "There's sirens. It's real. I love you."

A few minutes later, Jade texted "shots were fired in our school".

Ms Monroe rushed to the school and was relieved when Jade texted that a police officer entered her classroom and that she was safe.

Ms Monroe was friends with a teacher killed in the Columbine shooting, Dave Carpenter.

"We didn't think it could happen in Colorado then, either," she said.

Some 2,141 students attend the school, which has 70 classrooms.

The attack comes almost one year after 20 children and six adults were killed in a shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown.

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Geminid Meteor Shower: Treat For Stargazers

Dozens of shooting stars have been burning up in the Earth's atmosphere in the annual Geminid meteor shower.

Stargazers say the display - which peaked overnight - is one of the best this year and will continue until Monday.

Some people on Twitter reported seeing one meteor every minute and the shower was described as "perfect" and "phenomenal".

But others complained that it was too cloudy to see anything.

Robert Massey from the Royal Astronomical Society told Sky News that in suburban London he saw eight in 15 minutes which was "not bad at all".

He said considering he was watching from a light polluted area it was "fairly positive" and would have been even better with fewer lights around.

He also said even though the shower will continue over the weekend it may not be as good visually as the Moon will be further away.

On Twitter, HeineKing13 said: "Meteor shower is awesome. 26 falling stars in 20 minutes. Awesome!", while Organic4Kendall said it was "definitely perfect".

Reaction to the meteor shower has been positive. Pic: Nemetode.org

PryorFrancis wrote: "Geminid meteor shower was fabulous at 4am in dark Fenland skies. Good again tonight and no clouds forecast. Look north."

Dlelacru said: "This meteor shower is phenomenal!"

And Accordingtoxen said: "I've seen at least 30 large meteors and 2 dozen smaller streaks so far. The rate of the #Geminid #Meteor shower is intensifying."

But Njp_myworld said: "Cloudy yet again on one of the best meteor shower nights of the year."

While most meteor showers come from comets, Geminids is different because the 'parent' is an asteroid called 3200 Phaethon.

"Of all the debris streams Earth passes through every year, the Geminids' is by far the most massive," said Nasa astronomer Bill Cooke.

The Geminid shower takes its name from the Gemini constellation, from where it is thought to originate.

The shower lasts from December 12-16 but the Moon was expected to make viewing tricky at times because it is in its waxing phase, a few days before being full.

Getting away from the artificial light of towns and cities will give skywatchers a better chance.

A meteor - also referred to as a shooting star - is the streak of light caused when a meteoroid fragment enters the atmosphere and burns up.

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Space Monkey: Iran Claims Second Success

Iran claims a second monkey it has sent into space has survived - nearly a year after questions were asked over an earlier attempt.

State TV said the monkey had travelled in a rocket dubbed Pajohesh, or Research in Farsi, which was the country's first craft to use liquid fuel.

It said the monkey, named Fargam or Auspicious, reached a height of 72 miles (120km) before being returned to Earth safely.

President Hassan Rouhani congratulated the scientists involved in the mission, in a message carried by Iran's official IRNA news agency.

"The launch of Pajohesh is another long step getting the Islamic Republic of Iran closer to sending a man into space," the official IRNA news agency said.

Pre-recorded footage, shown on state TV, showed the rocket blasting off and then showed the monkey, strapped snugly into a seat, staring at people clapping to celebrate its safe return.

The report said Fargam's capsule parachuted safely to Earth after detaching from the rocket in a mission that lasted 15 minutes.

In January, Iran said it had successfully brought a live monkey back to Earth from orbit.

But the experiment's success was disputed, when a different monkey was presented to the media after the landing.

An earlier attempt had failed in September 2011.

Doubts were cast on Iran's last claim after it presented a different monkey

Iran's space programme has prompted concern among Western governments which fear Tehran is experimenting in an attempt to master the technology required to deliver a nuclear warhead.

But for Iranians, the country's aerospace programme is a source of national pride.

Iran is keen to show itself as a technological hub for Islamic and developing countries.

In the January mission, one of two official packages of photos depicted the wrong monkey, causing some international observers to wonder whether the monkey had died in space or that the space flight had in fact failed.

But Iranian officials later said one set of pictures showed an archive photo of an alternative monkey, which was not used.

They said three to five monkeys are simultaneously trained for such a flight but only one is chosen.

The Islamic Republic has not revealed where the rocket launch took place, but it has a major satellite launch complex near Semnan, about 125 miles (200km) east of Tehran.

Analysts say putting a monkey into space without putting it into orbit is similar to the achievements of the superpowers during the late 1950s.

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Mandela Funeral: Tutu 'Heartbroken At Snub'

Desmond Tutu is said to be "heartbroken" after he was apparently left off the guest list for the funeral of his close friend Nelson Mandela.

The 82-year-old retired archbishop said he received "no indication" he had been invited to the burial service.

He worked closely with the former South African president in his long struggle against apartheid and welcomed Mr Mandela into his home after his fellow campaigner's release from jail.

"Much as I would have loved to attend the service to say a final farewell to someone I loved and treasured, it would have been disrespectful to Tata to gatecrash what was billed as a private family funeral," he said.

Contradicting President Jacob Zuma's claim that he was "definitely" on the guest list, Mr Tutu added: "Had I or my office been informed that I would be be welcome, there is no way on Earth that I would have missed it."

The apparent exclusion of the Nobel Peace Prize winner has led to speculation he is being punished for vocal criticism of the ruling African National Congress (ANC) party.

Don Mullan, who travelled from Ireland to South Africa as Mr Tutu's photographer, told Sky News the veteran campaigner is "grieving very, very much" and deserved to be at the event.

"The world needs Desmond Tutu to be here to say goodbye to his old friend," he said.

"This is about Madiba, it's about South Africa and it's about two very important peacemakers saying farewell to each other."

Mr Mullan, who said he will refuse to attend the service in protest against the apparent omission of Mr Tutu, said there was "great confusion" but also "great sadness" at his absence.

"Mr Tutu was the one who kept the flame of freedom alive when Mr Mandela and other campaigners were in prison or in exile," he said.

"He is the one Mr Mandela spent his first night of freedom with and the one he and Graca Machel asked to assist at their wedding."

Zelda la Grange, a former private secretary to Mr Mandela, said South Africa's first black president was "very fond" of the man he affectionately called "The Arch".

"Madiba really adored him," she said. "He respected him, he loved him - there was a very close relationship."

Mr Mandela will be buried in his childhood home of Qutu following South Africa's first state funeral.

Thousands of people lined the streets of Mthatha, as his body was driven towards its final resting place.

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Obama Marks Newtown Shooting Anniversary

President Barack Obama has marked the anniversary of the Newtown school shootings by calling for tighter gun control and expanded mental health care.

His comments come a year after the massacre in which 20 children and six school workers were murdered by 20-year-old Adam Lanza.

Mr Obama said in his weekly address: "We haven't yet done enough to make our communities and our country safer.

"We have to do more to keep dangerous people from getting their hands on a gun so easily.

"We have to do more to heal troubled minds."

The US president, who suffered humiliation as he tried but failed to impose greater gun controls in the wake of the shootings, took part in a candle lighting ceremony on Saturday afternoon.

President Obama and his wife Michelle light candles for the Sandy Hook dead

He also held a moment's silence at the White House in memory of the victims who died in the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School, Connecticut, a year ago.

Meanwhile, in Newtown, Connecticut, bells tolled to mark the anniversary of the massacre. The bells of St. Rose of Lima church rang 26 times to honour each of the victims.

During his address, the president did not mention another shooting at a Colorado high school on Friday during which a student armed with a shotgun wounded at least two classmates before apparently taking his own life.

The president's address is recorded in advance.

Legislation that would have extended background checks for gun sales made online and at gun shows and to ban rapid-firing "assault" weapons failed to clear the US Senate this year.

Opponents argued it is essential to hold the line on protecting Americans' right to keep and bear arms guaranteed under the Second Amendment to the US Constitution.

There were 26 candles: 20 for the dead children and six for the adults

State legislatures have been more aggressive in enacting gun control legislation but those measures have faced some backlash.

Colorado passed gun control measures, but gun rights activists used recall elections to oust two state senators who backed them.

The White House has proposed spending $130m (£80m) to help teachers and other people who work with youth recognise the signs of mental illness and help people get treatment, but Congress has yet to allocate the funds.

So the administration will spend $50m (£30m) from its Health and Human Services budget to help community health centres hire more mental health professionals.

Another $50m (£30m) from the Agriculture Department budget will be spent on improving mental health facilities in rural areas, the White House has said.

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Mandela Funeral: Mourners Angry At Procession

Tribal Traditions At Mandela Burial

Updated: 11:05am UK, Saturday 14 December 2013

By Alex Crawford, Special Correspondent, in Qunu

He is Qunu's most famous son and the return of Nelson Mandela's body to his ancestral homeland is not just for sentimental reasons - it is part of Xhosa tradition that those who pass away are returned to the soil from where they came.

This weekend sees a stark shift in tempo, organisation and ceremony as the state funeral meshes with the centuries-old traditions of Mr Mandela's countrymen and women in the rural Eastern Cape.

"We feel very represented by Nelson Mandela," Mandisi Tshaka, a young Xhosa man, resplendent in his traditional robes and big beaded necklace, told me.

"Everyone in the world knows the Xhosa tribe because of him and we're saluting him."

The South African government has announced the former president's state funeral is a "first for the country" and means full military ceremonial honours will be laid on and led by the armed forces.

There will be 21-gun salutes and a fly-over by the South African Air Force.

But there is a strong importance being put on performing the Xhosa rites as Mr Mandela is laid to rest.

There will be a ritual slaughtering of an ox in the early hours before receiving his body at Mthatha airport in the Eastern Cape.

The AbaThembu king, Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo, is expected to lead a group of traditional leaders as well as Mandela elders in welcoming him home to the village of Qunu, where he spent much of his childhood.

Xhosa custom dictates a welcome ritual is performed to ensure the ancestors are informed of the arrival of Mr Mandela's remains.

Mr Mandela will be called on by his praise name Dlibhunga and the AbaThembu king will shout this three times as he greets the body when he arrives home.

Despite the pomp and ceremony of the state funeral, there will be equal, if not more, importance put on the traditional Xhosa burial rituals to ensure the man they call Madiba has an easy transition into the afterworld.

The Xhosa king, Zwelonke Sigcau, told Sky News: "The Xhosa people believe Nelson Mandela is not leaving us. It is just his body which is going into the ground. His spirit will remain."

In the African culture many believe a dead person's spirit lives on beyond death and joins other ancestors who guide, help and protect the living.

It is a belief which greatly helps alleviate the pain felt by the loss of a loved one - and Mr Mandela may assume even greater importance amongst his people because of his exalted status as a spiritual ancestor now.

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China's Moon Rover 'Jade Rabbit' Lands Safely

An unmanned spacecraft carrying China's first lunar rover called "Jade Rabbit' has safely landed on the surface of the Moon, according to state television.

It is the first "soft landing" of a probe there for 37 years and China is only the third country to complete such a feat after the US and former Soviet Union.

Beijing has now taken a big step towards becoming a global player in space.

Scientists burst into applause as a computer-generated image representing the Chang'e 3 spacecraft carrying the solar-powered buggy was seen touching down on the Moon's surface via screens in Beijing.

The craft's camera broadcast images of the surface before it reportedly came down in the Sinus Iridum, or the Bay of Rainbows.

It had hovered for several minutes seeking an appropriate place to land.

Simulation of how the rover was expected to leave the spacecraft

A soft landing does not damage the craft and the equipment it takes.

In 2007, China put another lunar probe in orbit around the Moon, which then carried out a controlled crash on to its surface.

The rover is expected to separate from the lander and then carry out a three-month scientific exploration of the surface, in which it will look for natural resources.

The vehicle will be remotely controlled by Chinese control centres with support from tracking and transmission stations operated by the European Space Agency.

It was launched into space onboard a rocket on December 1 from southern China.

The name Jade Rabbit or "Yutu" was chosen in an online poll of 3.4 million voters indicating just how important this mission is to the Chinese public.

It is the next step in China's ambitious plans to land astronauts on the surface by around 2025.

The rocket carrying the rover blasted off on December 1

As well as space enthusiasts, many private space companies were expected to watch the landing closely.

Teams taking part in the Google Lunar XPRIZE are competing for $30m (£18m) to become the first private organisation to send pictures back from the Moon by 2015.

Alexandra Hall, director of Lunar XPRIZE, told Sky News: "The space community is a truly global endeavour and although there are politics involved, there are many engineers and scientists around the world feeling for those guys and girls in mission control in China right now.

"It is actually quite difficult to land successfully on another planetary body so I think there is definitely a sympathy with the tension that is probably quite high in that control room."

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Paul Walker: Vin Diesel's Tribute To 'Brother'

Fast & Furious star Vin Diesel has spoken on Facebook about a touching visit to Paul Walker's mother following the death of the 40-year-old actor.

Diesel revealed how he flew back to California when he heard Walker had died in the crash and "went directly from the plane to his (Walker's) mother's house".

"I thought they needed my strength, but realised when I got there and broke down before his family, that it was I who needed theirs," he wrote on Facebook.

"His mother hugged me and said 'I am so sorry' … I said: 'Sorry? You're the mother who lost a son?'... She said: 'Yes, but you lost your other half'."

Walker died of the 'combined effects of traumatic and thermal injuries'

In the post, he paid tribute to Walker, saying: "I will always love you Brian (O'Conner, his character in the movie franchise), as the brother you were … on and off screen".

Walker, who starred in all but one of the Fast & Furious films, was killed when the Porsche he was a passenger in smashed into a lamp-post and a tree before bursting into flames last Saturday.

A coroner ruled that said he died from the "combined effects of traumatic and thermal injuries".

Tributes have been left at the scene of the car crash

As a result of the tragedy, Universal Pictures has announced it is delaying filming of Fast & Furious 7.

Other Fast & Furious co-stars have also spoken of Walker's death.

Co-star Tyrese Gibson cried as he visited a memorial left at the scene of the crash, reportedly taking a piece of the wreckage in memory of his friend.

Ludacris, who has appeared in the film franchise, said on Twitter: "Your humble spirit was felt from the start. Wherever you blessed your presence you always left a mark, we were like brothers."

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Train Engineer 'Out Of Service' After Crash

The engineer driving the speeding commuter train that derailed in New York City last weekend, killing four people, has been suspended without pay, a railroad spokesman has said.

William Rockefeller is "out of service, and not being paid", the spokesman for Metro-North Railroad said.

According to his lawyer and union representative, Mr Rockefeller experienced a momentary loss of awareness as he zoomed down the tracks. They called the episode a "nod", a "daze" or highway hypnosis.

Their accounts raised questions about just how widespread the problem is in the transportation industry and what can be done to combat it.

At the time of the crash, the train was going 82mph (132kph) into a sharp turn where the speed limit drops to 30mph (48kph). That's when the engineer says he snapped out of it and hit the brakes, but it was too late.

The train hurtled off the tracks, leaving a chain of twisted cars just inches from a river in the Bronx. Four people died and more than 60 were injured.

While the term highway hypnosis has been around for decades, there's no technical definition of it and scant specific medical study of it, although multiple studies have found that long driving times on straight roads can cause people to lose focus.

Some experts equate highway hypnosis with a sort of autopilot state - performing a task, usually competently, without awareness of it. Sleep experts say the daze could really be a doze, especially if a driver has undiagnosed sleep problems.

Nearly every bus or train driver has experienced the feeling of being momentarily unaware while driving long hours, said Larry Hanley, president of the Amalgamated Transit Union.

The National Transportation Safety Board, which has yet to determine the cause of the crash, concluded talking with the engineer on Tuesday. Investigators continued interviewing the train's other crew members.

Investigators have said Mr Rockefeller had enough time off for a full night's rest before the crash, but they were looking at his activities in the previous days.

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Dylan's Electric Guitar Sets Auction Record

The guitar that Bob Dylan plugged in when he famously went electric at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival sold at auction on Friday for a record $965,000 (£590,000).

Christie's auction house did not immediately identify the absentee buyer of the sunburst Fender Stratocaster. The instrument went for the highest price ever paid for a guitar at auction, Christie's said.

The festival performance cemented Dylan's move from acoustic folk to electric rock 'n' roll.

Now viewed as a defining moment that irrevocably changed American music, the raucous, three-song electric set at the Rhode Island festival was met with boos from some in the crowd, and folk purists saw Dylan as a traitor and a sellout.

The presale estimate by Christie's for the guitar, which was sold with its original black leather strap and Fender hard shell case, was $300,000 (£183,000) to $500,000 (£306,000).

George Wein, Newport Folk and Jazz Festivals founder, sits near the guitar

The previous record for a guitar sold at auction was held by Eric Clapton's Fender, nicknamed Blackie, which sold at Christie's for $959,500 (£587,000) in 2004.

With a classic sunburst finish and original flat-wound strings, Dylan's guitar had been in the possession of a New Jersey family for nearly 50 years. Dylan left it on a private plane.

The pilot's daughter, Dawn Peterson of Morris County, New Jersey, said that her father asked Dylan's management company what to do with the guitar but nobody ever got back to him.

Last year, she took it to the PBS show "History Detectives" to have it authenticated, and experts matched the wood grain on the instrument to close-up colour photos of the guitar taken at the 1965 festival.

Bob Dylan in 1965

Dylan's attorney and his publicist didn't respond to email and phone requests for comment. Dylan and Peterson, who declined to be interviewed, recently settled a legal dispute over the items. The terms weren't disclosed.

Christie's is also offering five lots of hand and typewritten lyric fragments found inside the guitar case - early versions of some of Dylan's songs.

The lyrics included an early draft of Absolutely Sweet Marie from Dylan's Blonde on Blonde album, and three songs from the record's 1965 recording session that weren't released until the 1980s. Among them was I Wanna Be Your Lover.

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Merrill Newman: North Korea Frees War Veteran

North Korea has released an American war veteran detained for more than a month for "hostile acts" against the country.

Merrill Newman, 85, was freed because he had apologised for his crimes during the Korean War and because of his age and medical condition, the country's official KCNA news agency said.

He has not yet spoken publicly and it was unclear from the report where he had been deported to.

The US State Department said it welcomed North Korea's decision, but called for the release of another American, Kenneth Bae, who has been held for over a year.

A four-page apology said to have been written by Mr Newman

The move came as US Vice President Joe Biden visited South Korea, the last stop on a three-country Asia tour that has already taken him to Japan and China.

Pyongyang admitted last week that it was holding Mr Newman, saying he was detained after entering the country "under the guise of a tourist".

Mr Newman, from California, was detained on October 26 shortly before take-off from Pyongyang following a 10-day tour.

KCNA said he had committed crimes both as a tourist and during his participation in the Korean War six decades ago, and published an apology running to nearly 600 words in which he allegedly confessed to his crimes.

Mr Newman is seen signing his apology with a thumbprint

There was speculation his alleged confession shown on state TV was coerced.

Pyongyang has been accused of previously coercing statements from detainees, and it was riddled with stilted English and grammatical errors, such as "I want not punish me".

North Korea has detained at least six Americans since 2009 and five of them have either been released or deported after prominent Americans like former Presidents Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter travelled to Pyongyang.

It is still holding Mr Bae, a 45-year-old tour operator, who was sentenced to 15 years' hard labour on charges of seeking to topple the government.     

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World Cup 2014: England's Opponents Revealed

England have been drawn to play against Italy, Uruguay and Costa Rica in the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

The draw means England's first game, against Italy on June 14, will kick off at 2am UK time in the city of Manaus, in the Amazon region.

They will face Uruguay five days later in Sao Paulo, before finishing their group match fixtures against Costa Rica in Belo Horizonte on June 24.

England manager Roy Hodgson reacts to the draw

England manager Roy Hodgson said: "Well, it's a tough group, there's no doubt about it.

"There's no doubt that with Uruguay and Italy, we almost got two number one seeds in our group, because Italy were very unlucky (not to be seeded).

"I'm not disappointed and having at least two of the tree games in places where the climate is more favourable for us is a positive.

"What climatic differences we'll face up there (in England's opening match, against Italy) will be the same for both teams."

Speaking ahead of the draw, Mr Hodgson had said Manaus was the one venue he was keen to miss out on.

"The tropical nature of Manaus is the problem," he said.

"Manaus is the place ideally to avoid and Porto Alegre is the place ideally to get."

The opening game of the competition will see hosts Brazil take on Croatia on June 12 in Sao Paulo.

Should England qualify from their group, they will face either Colombia, Greece, Ivory Coast or Japan in the second round.

The last time England faced either Uruguay, Costa Rica or Italy in the first round of the World Cup was in 1966 - the last and only time they have ever lifted the trophy.

Then, they played Uruguay in Group 1, drawing 0-0 at Wembley.

The groups in full:

Group A: Brazil, Croatia, Mexico, Cameroon

Group B: Spain, Netherlands, Chile, Australia

Group C: Colombia, Greece, Cote d'Ivoire, Japan

Group D: Uruguay, Costa Rica, England, Italy

Group E: Switzerland, Ecuador, France, Honduras

Group F: Argentina, Bosnia-Hercegovina, Iran, Nigeria

Group G: Germany, Portugal, Ghana, USA

Group H: Belgium, Algeria, Russia, Korea Republic

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